Um, well, dang. Today, the scale said, "Hey, you're gaining too much weight, Missy."
174.4
The lowest was, for a brief few days, 169.8. Then back to the 170s.
I've had a bad case of portion creep. Or portion dump. Appetite came back with a vengeance with the release of tension once hubby found a nice job.
I've just been dumping food on my plate and going to town.
So, today, I went to the cabinet and got out the gold-rimmed heirloom Bavarian china that's decades old, plates I inherited from my mother-in-law. I figured if I was gonna eat less, I was gonna eat it in style.
Breakfast today got served on very small, very shiny/gleamy/pretty plates that are about 6 or 7 inches wide (though the serving area is only like 5 inches, the rest is rim. They're pretty much bread plates. Or VERY TINY salad or appetizer plates.
Here's how I put the pretties to use: One for my protein. One for my fruit.
To keep the beautiful vibe going, I had my coffee in a matching ivory and gold-rimmed (though not Bavarian) Noritake teacup (so pretty) and Ralph Lauren saucer (so classy). I had acquired those years ago at a big sale where mismatched stuff got hugely discounted over at Macy's. It was a steal. The Noritake cup had no saucer. The Lauren saucer had no cup. But the pattern and colors matched, so I snapped them up super cheap. Less than 15 bucks for both, real china, real gold. SHAZAM! I use them when I am in the mood to jazz up my coffee or tea.
Those small plates means not a lot of food, but lots of eye-nourishment to help make up for it.
I figure my first meal of the day had crept up to 800 calories in the last couple weeks.
Today, it was 420. Much better.
I need to maintain or reverse the gain and lose some more again. The time of portion insanity ends...today....
Are you letting portion creep into your life?
Are you using old dingy plates?
Make your smaller portions prettier!
Use color or go get one of those "special china" pieces and use it, cause YOU are special, and once we're dead, the china does us no good. Use it now.
And on we go, in the fight against fat.
Next project--tackle the sloth and get back to movement. AKA "Where have my lovely muscles gone?"
Take care, all. Be well...
Showing posts with label hunger and appetite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hunger and appetite. Show all posts
Friday, August 17, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Probably up some from crazy appetite this week, and thanks for the prayers!
I haven't weighed in a couple days, but last time it was 171.8, so up 3 lbs from lowest. Been eating really, really salty and two days I just ate too much. Hunger is way up...so must address this.
I do want to say thank you very much. Hubby began his new job this morning. So, nearly 7 weeks searching, dozens of applications, only two interviews, but hey, one stuck. :D It's not contract though most of the open positions were contracts, no benefits, and half or so his previous salary. It's full-time, salaried, with benefits. Not the same pay as previously, but more than the other jobs he'd been pursuing. God is good!
My gratitude overflows for those who remembered us in prayer.
I have to get to my own work now. I have a lot of writing to do and a lot of work in the home to do (the decluttering and organizing project which is MASSIVE). We need to do some repairs and updating (costly, but I guess we'll do it bit by bit). And I need to prepare a budget to squeeze money for the home fix-ups from the new salary.
And I need to get back into an exercise routine, which has been non-existent for nearly 2 months. My bad. It's astounding how much muscle you lose being a slug again. I can feel the change, see it. My hard legs and arms have gone to mush. Sigh. I regret that.
My only other regret today is we didn't get to have a week's vacation. He was so busy studying and applying for jobs, and I figured we'd have some days or a week before the new job. But they wanted him to start immediately. It would have been nice to take a week to just bum around the city seeing sights and having fun.
That will come. For now, just some easing of the major stress.
Thanks again. Be well...
I do want to say thank you very much. Hubby began his new job this morning. So, nearly 7 weeks searching, dozens of applications, only two interviews, but hey, one stuck. :D It's not contract though most of the open positions were contracts, no benefits, and half or so his previous salary. It's full-time, salaried, with benefits. Not the same pay as previously, but more than the other jobs he'd been pursuing. God is good!
My gratitude overflows for those who remembered us in prayer.
I have to get to my own work now. I have a lot of writing to do and a lot of work in the home to do (the decluttering and organizing project which is MASSIVE). We need to do some repairs and updating (costly, but I guess we'll do it bit by bit). And I need to prepare a budget to squeeze money for the home fix-ups from the new salary.
And I need to get back into an exercise routine, which has been non-existent for nearly 2 months. My bad. It's astounding how much muscle you lose being a slug again. I can feel the change, see it. My hard legs and arms have gone to mush. Sigh. I regret that.
My only other regret today is we didn't get to have a week's vacation. He was so busy studying and applying for jobs, and I figured we'd have some days or a week before the new job. But they wanted him to start immediately. It would have been nice to take a week to just bum around the city seeing sights and having fun.
That will come. For now, just some easing of the major stress.
Thanks again. Be well...
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Absorbed and Forgot to Eat, but I Just Made Myself Eat NOW! And Is FAT INCURABLE? I'll hang on to hope...that I can be cured. :D
I looked up from some stuff I was doing--some researching, some writing--and lo and behold, it was 11:30 and I had not had but one meal, breakfast. Some eggs, papaya, boiled yuca (cassava), and coffee. That was it. Maybe 600 calories. Under 25 grams of protein, most likely.
I didn't want to end the day without enough protein (and yeah, still not really hungry), so I have a spinach-cranberry-almond-cheese salad , a protein shake (Swanson protein 17 g with some lowfat organic milk) and drank some beef Gelatin powder in water for more protein. Maybe 500 cals. I should end the day at a not too bad 1100.
I really think it's dangerous not to get enough protein and not to eat enough, period, in terms of holding on to lean mass and not making some bonkers hormonal reactions.
So, while I'm chewing, I decided to type. Cause I was still pondering an article I read a couple days ago, the one you ALL must have seen, read, and read people respond to. It was rather dire. You know which one I mean?
It was by David Wong over at Cracked.com with the title: Fat is Officially Incurable (According to Science).
You should read it if you have lost weight, are losing weight, or WANT to lose weight. It's not really saying something very different than what those of us who have kept up with the research over the years ALREADY know. I remember reading something very similar--diets fail, nearly all the time--by a bariatric specialist when I was early in my weight loss blogging. It scared me, but it made me want to be one of the few freaks who keep it off. The minority.
I'd blogged before about how it's the few, very few, who lose a lot and keep it off, barring those who have bariatric bypass, since they have much greater chances of keeping it off, but might suffer complications that are hard to live with later. (And we've all seen famous bypassers regain, like Carnie Wilson. We've seen fellow bloggers with some form of surgical intervention regain partly, sometimes back into obesity. It's not a guarantee, but it does have better stats.)
This was also one of the reasons I never aimed for THIN. Thin, I knew, just knew, was beyond me. I aimed for NOT OBESE. That's all. Just not obese. Just overweight.
And I'm here now. Not obese. Not Thin. Just overweight.
I have no idea if I'll be one of the very few who stay not obese. I want to be, but I'm not gifted with future-vision.
All I can do is remember that it's EASY to regain. What will happen if I get the wild hunger so many "losers" report after hitting target or near-target weight. The mad urge to eat that is verified by science--studies that show hunger hormones elevated in those who dieted, lost weight. Even a year later, amazingly, a year after not being on the tight caloric regimen, hunger hormones remain HIGH, and need for calories LOW. (Lower than never-fat folks at same weight.)
It's scary. Really scary.
It's unjust. Sure. We say that.
It's reality.
But don't despair. Do read this balanced response over at 180 Degree Health by Rob Archangel, and just assess where you are and where you can be and how you can improve in the various health areas.
Sometimes, we damage ourselves trying to get to a perfect weight, or an ideal weight, when what we need is just to be at a healthy place, and that healthy place might be at an overweight or even mildly obese place. (I cannot be convinced that serious obesity/morbid obesity can be a healthful place.)
I lost 3.4 lbs this past week in a not healthy way. It was effortless, but it was not WELLNESS.
Some would say, "Shut up, take your losses and celebrate."
I would, except that I want to be WELL, not thin. HEALTHY, not skinny. FULL OF ENERGY AND STRONG, not a size 6.
I'm a size 12/14/16 depending on who/the cut/the style. And I'm okay being here as long as I'm here with good habits--sound food and good movement--and not here doing weird stuff or stressing out or having disordered eating or just laying around and turning to skinny mush.
Rob Archangel is right. We want health. Let's do what is good for health, and not be yo-yo dieters or obsessive over-exercisers, destroying our joints, or life stifling food perfectionists, trapped in orthorexia and unable to even enjoy a dinner out with friends or a holiday celebration.
This isn't just a scale thing. This is a quality of life thing.
If we can't focus on anything else once a good amount of weight is gone, if we can't learn to eat in a sane way and maintain that sane way of eating and moving, then there's something wrong with whatever plan we have. If the weight is bouncing up and down and up and down, then it might be doing more damage than just working on other issues until the weight can be addressed with more calmness and strategy.
Just jumping into a fad diet out of despair at not fitting into a fave outfit might mess you up.
Weight loss requires a lot of work and planning and discipline, and it requires MORE to keep it off. Be aware, you newbies. Take time to learn.
Yes, you, if you're just starting your journey to a healthier weight, please remember the odds are bleak, but YOU can be one of the few successful ones. Do it right. Eat well of real food, move without hurting yourself, rest, meditate/pray, have supportive people around you (online and off), and accept that it's a lifelong vigilance, lifelong good habits that increase our odds of making it into the minority that KEEPS weight off.
Now, with hope, we move on....to be well.
Goodnight.
I didn't want to end the day without enough protein (and yeah, still not really hungry), so I have a spinach-cranberry-almond-cheese salad , a protein shake (Swanson protein 17 g with some lowfat organic milk) and drank some beef Gelatin powder in water for more protein. Maybe 500 cals. I should end the day at a not too bad 1100.
I really think it's dangerous not to get enough protein and not to eat enough, period, in terms of holding on to lean mass and not making some bonkers hormonal reactions.
So, while I'm chewing, I decided to type. Cause I was still pondering an article I read a couple days ago, the one you ALL must have seen, read, and read people respond to. It was rather dire. You know which one I mean?
It was by David Wong over at Cracked.com with the title: Fat is Officially Incurable (According to Science).
You should read it if you have lost weight, are losing weight, or WANT to lose weight. It's not really saying something very different than what those of us who have kept up with the research over the years ALREADY know. I remember reading something very similar--diets fail, nearly all the time--by a bariatric specialist when I was early in my weight loss blogging. It scared me, but it made me want to be one of the few freaks who keep it off. The minority.
I'd blogged before about how it's the few, very few, who lose a lot and keep it off, barring those who have bariatric bypass, since they have much greater chances of keeping it off, but might suffer complications that are hard to live with later. (And we've all seen famous bypassers regain, like Carnie Wilson. We've seen fellow bloggers with some form of surgical intervention regain partly, sometimes back into obesity. It's not a guarantee, but it does have better stats.)
This was also one of the reasons I never aimed for THIN. Thin, I knew, just knew, was beyond me. I aimed for NOT OBESE. That's all. Just not obese. Just overweight.
And I'm here now. Not obese. Not Thin. Just overweight.
I have no idea if I'll be one of the very few who stay not obese. I want to be, but I'm not gifted with future-vision.
All I can do is remember that it's EASY to regain. What will happen if I get the wild hunger so many "losers" report after hitting target or near-target weight. The mad urge to eat that is verified by science--studies that show hunger hormones elevated in those who dieted, lost weight. Even a year later, amazingly, a year after not being on the tight caloric regimen, hunger hormones remain HIGH, and need for calories LOW. (Lower than never-fat folks at same weight.)
It's scary. Really scary.
It's unjust. Sure. We say that.
It's reality.
But don't despair. Do read this balanced response over at 180 Degree Health by Rob Archangel, and just assess where you are and where you can be and how you can improve in the various health areas.
Sometimes, we damage ourselves trying to get to a perfect weight, or an ideal weight, when what we need is just to be at a healthy place, and that healthy place might be at an overweight or even mildly obese place. (I cannot be convinced that serious obesity/morbid obesity can be a healthful place.)
I lost 3.4 lbs this past week in a not healthy way. It was effortless, but it was not WELLNESS.
Some would say, "Shut up, take your losses and celebrate."
I would, except that I want to be WELL, not thin. HEALTHY, not skinny. FULL OF ENERGY AND STRONG, not a size 6.
I'm a size 12/14/16 depending on who/the cut/the style. And I'm okay being here as long as I'm here with good habits--sound food and good movement--and not here doing weird stuff or stressing out or having disordered eating or just laying around and turning to skinny mush.
Rob Archangel is right. We want health. Let's do what is good for health, and not be yo-yo dieters or obsessive over-exercisers, destroying our joints, or life stifling food perfectionists, trapped in orthorexia and unable to even enjoy a dinner out with friends or a holiday celebration.
This isn't just a scale thing. This is a quality of life thing.
If we can't focus on anything else once a good amount of weight is gone, if we can't learn to eat in a sane way and maintain that sane way of eating and moving, then there's something wrong with whatever plan we have. If the weight is bouncing up and down and up and down, then it might be doing more damage than just working on other issues until the weight can be addressed with more calmness and strategy.
Just jumping into a fad diet out of despair at not fitting into a fave outfit might mess you up.
Weight loss requires a lot of work and planning and discipline, and it requires MORE to keep it off. Be aware, you newbies. Take time to learn.
Yes, you, if you're just starting your journey to a healthier weight, please remember the odds are bleak, but YOU can be one of the few successful ones. Do it right. Eat well of real food, move without hurting yourself, rest, meditate/pray, have supportive people around you (online and off), and accept that it's a lifelong vigilance, lifelong good habits that increase our odds of making it into the minority that KEEPS weight off.
Now, with hope, we move on....to be well.
Goodnight.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
E2E Challenge Update #12: Same Today as September 17 of Last Year...And Thoughts When the Journey Hits The Rough Spot...
Tanita-San: 182.2 (only .2 down from last week)
Waist: 35 (unchanged from last week)
That's the weight I was on the weigh-in of 9/17/12.
:::roll eyes:::
Waist: 35 (unchanged from last week)
That's the weight I was on the weigh-in of 9/17/12.
:::roll eyes:::
"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success."
~~Maxwell Maltz
" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
~~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
I am clearly NOT delaying gratification. The calories have crept up, though I did rein things in some and it was a week of maintain (minor, mini, not relevant loss). Hunger is way up, and as a result, I've let more starch and sugars (not SUGAR, but sugars as in fruit) creep in.
So, unless I was too late and Maren will let me know, I added my linkies to the Ready for Summer Challenge. I figure that's two challenges for the next couple weeks--mine and Maren's--to help me focus better. My goals are modest, but doable, so I don't set myself up for crazy expectations while my thyroid is being attended to.
I spazzed on meditating--consistency is just not being my virtue this week--but it's on my agenda to make it a daily thing...stretching and meditation will need to be part of my daily "I'm up and need to get ready for the day" things. I need my mind in a solid place.
I was not great with the book. I did minimal plus support. I was great with fluids, but high with calories (1700 to 1800). I met my exercise minimum goals, which is what probably helped me NOT gain.
This challenge is over in two weeks. The Ready for Summer is for 10 weeks. During this time, I want to really get my mojo back because September 3 is closing in and my desire remains to see 160 lbs on that day. God help me. God help us all as we fight the fight.
And sometimes, a fight it is. When it's really hard (for me the start and then now), it's hard and it requires prioritizing and energy and, really, it's like tackling any major thing--you work at it a lot. When it's easier, it's golden. The habits set in and the body cooperates. Then you find the rough patches. What do you do in the rough patches?
Sometimes, you dehabituate, and I see it starting to happen. I let a bit more starch in. I eat larger servings. I want to put off walking cause I ache. I start to be less automatic with the fluid.
And that's when you have to rehabituate. I have to remember WHAT I DID and WHY I DID IT when I began and got to the easier place. The actions that led to good habits. I can't get out of good habits and get back into really bad habits.
I have not had junk food. I have not sucked up a bag of candy or chips. I did not have cake at my sister's birthday party. I said no to the pie. I kept away from gluten. I took my own beverages and sugar free choco for a treat.
But I got lazy with portions, with tracking, with the sorts of affirmations that kept me going when it was hard at first.
I must go back to the beginning. When it gets hard: go back to the good habits and thoughts and rituals that made it possible to get into the breezy zone.
It's the rough patch the proves anyone's mettle. If I am to be one of the 5% (or whatever percent) that succeeds, this rough patch must NOT overcome me. I must overcome it.
I plan to overcome.
And sometimes, a fight it is. When it's really hard (for me the start and then now), it's hard and it requires prioritizing and energy and, really, it's like tackling any major thing--you work at it a lot. When it's easier, it's golden. The habits set in and the body cooperates. Then you find the rough patches. What do you do in the rough patches?
Sometimes, you dehabituate, and I see it starting to happen. I let a bit more starch in. I eat larger servings. I want to put off walking cause I ache. I start to be less automatic with the fluid.
And that's when you have to rehabituate. I have to remember WHAT I DID and WHY I DID IT when I began and got to the easier place. The actions that led to good habits. I can't get out of good habits and get back into really bad habits.
I have not had junk food. I have not sucked up a bag of candy or chips. I did not have cake at my sister's birthday party. I said no to the pie. I kept away from gluten. I took my own beverages and sugar free choco for a treat.
But I got lazy with portions, with tracking, with the sorts of affirmations that kept me going when it was hard at first.
I must go back to the beginning. When it gets hard: go back to the good habits and thoughts and rituals that made it possible to get into the breezy zone.
It's the rough patch the proves anyone's mettle. If I am to be one of the 5% (or whatever percent) that succeeds, this rough patch must NOT overcome me. I must overcome it.
I plan to overcome.
Be well...
Thursday, March 8, 2012
E2E Midweek Update #10: Totally sucking here...
After a couple of good days, it went downhill. Poor sleep. Munchies. Eating extra meals. Calories hovering at 1800 to 1900. Scale is scarily at 182.2.
I thought my mojo would be HIGHER as the week progressed, but I'm finding that rejiggering the macros for my thyroid's health is making me hungry. Not binge-hunger, but hungry. Too hungry. It's vexing me.
I am so not happy about this turn of events. And for me, Friday needs to be about pulling myself together, cause the weekend always presents temptations. Usually, I do fine. But I have no confidence right now that I'd be a paragon of strength on Saturday.
I always knew these bad times would come after so much of 'good breezy times" in 2010 and especially 2011. But I must buck up, pray, read, whatever it takes to find the breeze again.
For now, it's been me not as in control as I want to be or need to be. It's just been a couple of really "I wanna eat more" days...sucks.
Sucks big.
But I will work on the mental and emo stuff to get me back to basics. I'm fine with fluids. Not as fine with the walking due to some rainy days. Did Pilates today, and I got lightheaded at one point, but otherwise did well. I have dark circles from the poor sleep, and I suspect the increased hunger is also about that. Bad sleep has always meant "scale up" and "hunger up" for me.
If I can sleep well and find my groove again, I will be a very happy Princess.
Well, sorry for the downer of an update. There it is.
It will be better. I always believe that. :D
Nite...
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
I thought my mojo would be HIGHER as the week progressed, but I'm finding that rejiggering the macros for my thyroid's health is making me hungry. Not binge-hunger, but hungry. Too hungry. It's vexing me.
I am so not happy about this turn of events. And for me, Friday needs to be about pulling myself together, cause the weekend always presents temptations. Usually, I do fine. But I have no confidence right now that I'd be a paragon of strength on Saturday.
I always knew these bad times would come after so much of 'good breezy times" in 2010 and especially 2011. But I must buck up, pray, read, whatever it takes to find the breeze again.
For now, it's been me not as in control as I want to be or need to be. It's just been a couple of really "I wanna eat more" days...sucks.
Sucks big.
But I will work on the mental and emo stuff to get me back to basics. I'm fine with fluids. Not as fine with the walking due to some rainy days. Did Pilates today, and I got lightheaded at one point, but otherwise did well. I have dark circles from the poor sleep, and I suspect the increased hunger is also about that. Bad sleep has always meant "scale up" and "hunger up" for me.
If I can sleep well and find my groove again, I will be a very happy Princess.
Well, sorry for the downer of an update. There it is.
It will be better. I always believe that. :D
Nite...
"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success."
~~Maxwell Maltz
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Closer to the "One-Seventies", Wheat Belly, And Not Hungry...And almost half of you hung in there in Slimmer This Summer, which is great.
Tanita-san: 181.8
Yes! A bit more down. Closer and closer to breaking that next barrier and hitting the 170s. I don't know how long, but I hope before the challenge begins on the 11th. :D
I just downloaded a book I've been looking forward to reading since I heard Dr. Davis was going to release it. It's just now available on Nook and Kindle (I Nooked it), and it's called WHEAT BELLY. I'm a big fan of ditching the wheat. Hubby and I both feel great, great, great, since ditching the gluteny grains. I may review it on the blog later. May not. Dunno. But you should at least go look it over if you have issues with obesity. The author, Dr. Davis, also has a blog. It's on my blogroll.
I had a good Pilates session yesterday and my core is nicely sore. Weather is miserable, so no walking today. I'm so gonna be happy when cooler, drier late autumn days come back.
I am not hungry. I just realized, right now, I have not eaten today. I'm gonna go fix something after I publish this post. Not cause I have an appetite, but cause I don't wanna get hit by the hungry beast and then have to decide what to eat. Preventative eating, yeah!
I visited the last Slimmer This Summer update linky blog to see how many challengers made it to the finish line. About half. That's pretty good. It was a moderately lengthy challenge--12 weeks--and my hearty congratulations to those who hung in there. TWENTY FIVE made a final post. Some did great, some not so great, but they finished.
We've got a nice number of challengers already for the CHRISTMAS DRESS COUNTDOWN CHALLENGE. I've got a few on the under-consideration list. Basically, I need to know you can finish what you start, which is why StS and DDDY peops were automatic acceptances if they finished a challenge/phase. You stick it out. I consider that important. I've learned that's important, even if you do poorly. You understand weight loss struggles go on for life and you just don't quit! So, thanks to the StS who made it to the finale. And if you're in the CDCC, welcome. Do your prep work. Get READY.
See you in that challenge soon.
And to all: Have a good evening . Be well....
Yes! A bit more down. Closer and closer to breaking that next barrier and hitting the 170s. I don't know how long, but I hope before the challenge begins on the 11th. :D
I just downloaded a book I've been looking forward to reading since I heard Dr. Davis was going to release it. It's just now available on Nook and Kindle (I Nooked it), and it's called WHEAT BELLY. I'm a big fan of ditching the wheat. Hubby and I both feel great, great, great, since ditching the gluteny grains. I may review it on the blog later. May not. Dunno. But you should at least go look it over if you have issues with obesity. The author, Dr. Davis, also has a blog. It's on my blogroll.
I had a good Pilates session yesterday and my core is nicely sore. Weather is miserable, so no walking today. I'm so gonna be happy when cooler, drier late autumn days come back.
I am not hungry. I just realized, right now, I have not eaten today. I'm gonna go fix something after I publish this post. Not cause I have an appetite, but cause I don't wanna get hit by the hungry beast and then have to decide what to eat. Preventative eating, yeah!
I visited the last Slimmer This Summer update linky blog to see how many challengers made it to the finish line. About half. That's pretty good. It was a moderately lengthy challenge--12 weeks--and my hearty congratulations to those who hung in there. TWENTY FIVE made a final post. Some did great, some not so great, but they finished.
We've got a nice number of challengers already for the CHRISTMAS DRESS COUNTDOWN CHALLENGE. I've got a few on the under-consideration list. Basically, I need to know you can finish what you start, which is why StS and DDDY peops were automatic acceptances if they finished a challenge/phase. You stick it out. I consider that important. I've learned that's important, even if you do poorly. You understand weight loss struggles go on for life and you just don't quit! So, thanks to the StS who made it to the finale. And if you're in the CDCC, welcome. Do your prep work. Get READY.
See you in that challenge soon.
And to all: Have a good evening . Be well....
Friday, August 12, 2011
Some Princess Dieter comments and links speaking on the Theories & Complex Factors on the Matter of Becoming Obese and Getting NOT Obese and a Quote ....on a lazy, bloated, wanna-nap day...
Scale is up from salt and added carbs these last 4 days--both of which cause water retention and scale stalls in me, historically. I knoweth of what I speak.
As much as I have enjoyed the added taters, sushi rice (with my veggie sushi), and brown rice (with my grilled chicken and veggies) this past week, and as much as my salt-hungering tongue loved the dips into soy sauce and shakes of the Celtic sea salt, and as much as my fruit-addict self loves summer's bounty of colorful sweet beauties, it's time to get back on program and stop being slackerish on my tracking.
No binges. No massive overages (though I have gone over calories twice this week). It's just me being hungry again from the carbs. I know it. I've doubled my fruit intake. While that may be a heathful food option, raw fruit, it's still too much in the sugars department for my metabolically not-normal body.
So, back to more veggies, fruit moderation (noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, weep, weep) and scaling back on tubers and rice. I won't ever eliminate them, but I got too loose with allowances. Once or twice a week, fine. But almost every day this week, even modest portions not so fine. For me, it's NOT just calories--it's insulin. It's appetite. I felt my appetite growing and my night-time snack urges return. I want them to go away again and regain the Zen Appetite. :D
Yesterday, I walked and did Pilates. 1 hour and 20 minutes of exercise. Felt good. I'm sore.
Lots of interesting discussions out there in LowCarb/Paleo/Primal blogs after the Ancestral Health Symposium (AHS).
I'd recommend this one first: There is no single cause of (or treatment for) obesity
And I recommend this one for the lucid and gracious third reaction to the Taubes/Guyunet debate by Dr. Paul Jaminet.
For me, recognizing the food-reward research/findings set me on the road to loss. That was pivotal for me. Then Taubes anti-carb pronouncements helped me see my Insulin Resistant status needed a careful eye on starches/sugars. Dr. Jaminets (and others) on toxins/inflammatory foods helped me realize that as a person with a big family history of and personal affliction with auto-immune diseases, I need to consider THAT aspect as well. All three have served me.
But I agree with Healthy Skeptic--it's a very, very complex situation and it requires looking at the variables. Not all situations are equal, because not all bodies function the same.
However, caloric restriction works. We Challengers know it.
And yet, most dieters who lose regain. Or never make goal at all.
How can one keep on a restricted diet for life (if needed), if the appetite is insane or binges are an issue? Even bariatric surgical patients have issues with regain, so how could it not be for those lacking the assist of constricted stomachs or rejiggered intestines?
If wanting or wishing were both = to doing, no one would be fat.
And why don't all people lose at the same rate on the same calories? Not everyone maintains on the same calories, even if they are of the same height and weight. Not everyone is as healthy or energetic or satisfied with their meals or nourished on the same QUANTITY of calories. Bodies differ. Medical status differs. Types of food ingested differ. Fluids processed differ (ask a kidney disease patient about that one.) Carbs tolerance differs --ask an I.R. or diabetic person about that. Tolerances of foods differ--ask a celiac disease or I.B.S. sufferer about that. Fat metabolism differs--some of us absorb and fill up fat cells more efficiently. Some of us release fat from cells LESS efficiently. THere are genetic tests for that. Some folks swell up fast with salt. Some are barely bothered. Some are metabolically more efficient and their bodies ratchet up to burn excess calories. Some just make more fat and don't elevate temperature or activity naturally to compensate.
Variables.
Because I'm genetically a fat-hoarder (if I eat too high fat like some low-carbers, I'm screwed), and auto-immune (I can't have some things that don't seem to bother others), allergic (some food groups are totally out to me, limiting what I can eat), and a hyperconditioned overeater (I do respond to the food-reward combo of fat/starches-sugars/salt, so I have to restrict or avoid trigger hyperpalatable foods or I BINGE). I also have hypothyroidism and that affects metabolism and mood and makes losing weight harder. (Saw what happened to Linda Ronstadt when her thyroid went kaput?) I'm post-menopausal, so I need fewer calories than when younger. Age is also an impediment, though not a solid wall 100 feet high.
Impediments aren't insurmountable, they can just make it harder, make it slower, make it maybe necessary to get MORE professional help.
I'm a genetic, medical, neurotic mess. I need to read and study and work to get over the hurdles to lose weight. For me, every pound is a fight. I'm never gonna be the stellar "Lost 8 pounds a week" type. Oh, no. But I made it out of obesity and just wanna stay outta obesity, even if no one ever nicknames me "Slim." :) It's about health for me. Not Perfect Health (as that has always been beyond me, since birth), but better health.
I've said for nearly a year to assorted friends and relatives who ask that I've lost on both low-fat and lower-carb, but that for me, moderating carbs is an appetite suppressor in a way low-fat never was. But that both break the reward cycle and can help people with that. I still believe this. But I think every person should examine their individual situation and see how many of these variables discussed out there on bariatric matters--toxins, carbs, protein, fat, low fat, low carb, low toxin, hyperpalatability, food-reward, etc--and see which are the predominant factors in YOUR life. Depending you YOUR issues, you may need to tweak how you eat or see a counselor or dietitian or specialist in endocrinology. It's not one diet plan fits all.
I also do believe you must reduce caloric intake (as a nation, we freaking eat too much crap and some of us too much even of the good stuff). But I think that for those of us with crazy big appetites, it's worth looking at appetite suppressing properties in moderating carbs/starches/sugars.
Whatever your individual situation is--and you may be much healthier than me and not saddled with a plethora of genetic wackiness, or you may be WORSE off and feel hopeless--just know that you can learn a lot from the scientists and sociologists and psychologists out there working to see how to solve our problems. But it will come down, as transformations always do, to working your butt off and developing new habits It's hard. But it's not hopeless.
Here are a couple ofs quote from Dr. Jaminet--just two the many I read this afternoon among the blogs chattering after the AHS:
~~Paul Jaminet, co-author of THE PERFECT HEALTH DIET
As much as I have enjoyed the added taters, sushi rice (with my veggie sushi), and brown rice (with my grilled chicken and veggies) this past week, and as much as my salt-hungering tongue loved the dips into soy sauce and shakes of the Celtic sea salt, and as much as my fruit-addict self loves summer's bounty of colorful sweet beauties, it's time to get back on program and stop being slackerish on my tracking.
No binges. No massive overages (though I have gone over calories twice this week). It's just me being hungry again from the carbs. I know it. I've doubled my fruit intake. While that may be a heathful food option, raw fruit, it's still too much in the sugars department for my metabolically not-normal body.
So, back to more veggies, fruit moderation (noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, weep, weep) and scaling back on tubers and rice. I won't ever eliminate them, but I got too loose with allowances. Once or twice a week, fine. But almost every day this week, even modest portions not so fine. For me, it's NOT just calories--it's insulin. It's appetite. I felt my appetite growing and my night-time snack urges return. I want them to go away again and regain the Zen Appetite. :D
Yesterday, I walked and did Pilates. 1 hour and 20 minutes of exercise. Felt good. I'm sore.
Lots of interesting discussions out there in LowCarb/Paleo/Primal blogs after the Ancestral Health Symposium (AHS).
I'd recommend this one first: There is no single cause of (or treatment for) obesity
And I recommend this one for the lucid and gracious third reaction to the Taubes/Guyunet debate by Dr. Paul Jaminet.
For me, recognizing the food-reward research/findings set me on the road to loss. That was pivotal for me. Then Taubes anti-carb pronouncements helped me see my Insulin Resistant status needed a careful eye on starches/sugars. Dr. Jaminets (and others) on toxins/inflammatory foods helped me realize that as a person with a big family history of and personal affliction with auto-immune diseases, I need to consider THAT aspect as well. All three have served me.
But I agree with Healthy Skeptic--it's a very, very complex situation and it requires looking at the variables. Not all situations are equal, because not all bodies function the same.
However, caloric restriction works. We Challengers know it.
And yet, most dieters who lose regain. Or never make goal at all.
How can one keep on a restricted diet for life (if needed), if the appetite is insane or binges are an issue? Even bariatric surgical patients have issues with regain, so how could it not be for those lacking the assist of constricted stomachs or rejiggered intestines?
If wanting or wishing were both = to doing, no one would be fat.
And why don't all people lose at the same rate on the same calories? Not everyone maintains on the same calories, even if they are of the same height and weight. Not everyone is as healthy or energetic or satisfied with their meals or nourished on the same QUANTITY of calories. Bodies differ. Medical status differs. Types of food ingested differ. Fluids processed differ (ask a kidney disease patient about that one.) Carbs tolerance differs --ask an I.R. or diabetic person about that. Tolerances of foods differ--ask a celiac disease or I.B.S. sufferer about that. Fat metabolism differs--some of us absorb and fill up fat cells more efficiently. Some of us release fat from cells LESS efficiently. THere are genetic tests for that. Some folks swell up fast with salt. Some are barely bothered. Some are metabolically more efficient and their bodies ratchet up to burn excess calories. Some just make more fat and don't elevate temperature or activity naturally to compensate.
Variables.
Because I'm genetically a fat-hoarder (if I eat too high fat like some low-carbers, I'm screwed), and auto-immune (I can't have some things that don't seem to bother others), allergic (some food groups are totally out to me, limiting what I can eat), and a hyperconditioned overeater (I do respond to the food-reward combo of fat/starches-sugars/salt, so I have to restrict or avoid trigger hyperpalatable foods or I BINGE). I also have hypothyroidism and that affects metabolism and mood and makes losing weight harder. (Saw what happened to Linda Ronstadt when her thyroid went kaput?) I'm post-menopausal, so I need fewer calories than when younger. Age is also an impediment, though not a solid wall 100 feet high.
Impediments aren't insurmountable, they can just make it harder, make it slower, make it maybe necessary to get MORE professional help.
I'm a genetic, medical, neurotic mess. I need to read and study and work to get over the hurdles to lose weight. For me, every pound is a fight. I'm never gonna be the stellar "Lost 8 pounds a week" type. Oh, no. But I made it out of obesity and just wanna stay outta obesity, even if no one ever nicknames me "Slim." :) It's about health for me. Not Perfect Health (as that has always been beyond me, since birth), but better health.
I've said for nearly a year to assorted friends and relatives who ask that I've lost on both low-fat and lower-carb, but that for me, moderating carbs is an appetite suppressor in a way low-fat never was. But that both break the reward cycle and can help people with that. I still believe this. But I think every person should examine their individual situation and see how many of these variables discussed out there on bariatric matters--toxins, carbs, protein, fat, low fat, low carb, low toxin, hyperpalatability, food-reward, etc--and see which are the predominant factors in YOUR life. Depending you YOUR issues, you may need to tweak how you eat or see a counselor or dietitian or specialist in endocrinology. It's not one diet plan fits all.
I also do believe you must reduce caloric intake (as a nation, we freaking eat too much crap and some of us too much even of the good stuff). But I think that for those of us with crazy big appetites, it's worth looking at appetite suppressing properties in moderating carbs/starches/sugars.
Whatever your individual situation is--and you may be much healthier than me and not saddled with a plethora of genetic wackiness, or you may be WORSE off and feel hopeless--just know that you can learn a lot from the scientists and sociologists and psychologists out there working to see how to solve our problems. But it will come down, as transformations always do, to working your butt off and developing new habits It's hard. But it's not hopeless.
Here are a couple ofs quote from Dr. Jaminet--just two the many I read this afternoon among the blogs chattering after the AHS:
It seems to be easiest to induce obesity with a roughly equal mix of carbs and fat; both low-carb and low-fat diets tend to be less obesogenic. This result is compatible with Stephan’s views because carb and fat together are more rewarding than either alone, and with my views because carb-fat combinations can be highly toxic – for instance, a fructose-PUFA combination is more toxic than either alone; or carbs feed gut pathogens while fats carry their toxins into the body.
...
Due to the diversity of factors which conspire to cause obesity, it is a rather heterogeneous disease. Its unifying character is that some combination of causal factors induces “metabolic damage,” such as leptin resistance, in a variety of organs, including the brain. Metabolic damage can affect both appetite regulation and energy homeostasis.
~~Paul Jaminet, co-author of THE PERFECT HEALTH DIET
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Day 32 of 84 in the StSC: How it's going today and....You don't have to have it all now, you can have some later. You don't have to have it all today, you can eat again tomorrow....and a bit more loss and progress again
I finally hit new low ground after my freaky week: 189.4
Nice new territory. Haven't been here since, oh, 1991 or 1990.
I had a Japanese food craving, so I got some vegetable sushi. I had a plumcot and some cherries, too. And...my bad...steamed gyoza. Totally not primal or lower carb. Pffft.
Today, with one meal to go, I have 550 to 750 calories left, depending on if I go to 1200 or 1400. Between the soy sauce and rice and--drat me--dumplings, I might bloat again. If they're rice dumplings, I'm fine. If they're wheat flour, there's a price to pay (inflammatorily). I'll see how my joints feel come morning. Gyoza used to be a weekly treat for me. Now, maybe once every 3 or 4 months. Sometimes, you just get the call for a particular thing. Fortunately, these were tiny and had minicule amounts of meat. Hooray.
Or I may not. The body is weird. Who knows.
But I didn't get the BIG sleepies after, just some mellowness, which is a good sign that I'm less insulin resistant. Dinner will likely be protein plus salad fixings and fruit and decaf and water. I got some honeydew, and if it's sweet, that's dessert.
Water/fluids is fine. Had a great Pilates session. I could feel longer, leaner, stronger. Some days are just good. Breathing was not an impediment.
Had a 25 minute walk in the cloudy-post-rain coolness.
I was thinking as I ate my Japanese food today how I used to eat 3 and 4 and 5 times what I had today. I'd have fried rolls dipped in spicy mayo, salad with miso or ginger dressing, teriyaki, maybe tempura veggies, too, maybe some sushi, a cup + of rice, banana tempura. Now, I get a few pieces of veggie rolls or sushi, usually get some yakitori for protein, drink tea, have a small salad, call it a day. I saved today's salad. Maybe have with dinner or tomorrow.
Some days, when I want to eat more, I use the "It's not an option" phrase. Today, when I wanted more, I told myself another mantra of mine: "You can have it later. Or you can have it tomorrow. Just not right now."
I said it a few times, and eventually, the "full" signal gets to me and I don't need it. I only need it for those few minutes before all the food and stomach stretching from fluids/food sends the "you're done eating' signals. I guess I ate a bit fast or the rice and dumplings made the glucose/insulin thing go wackier than I'm accustomed (as I don't have starches every day) so the stop-eating signals didn't come as fast as they do on a lower carb/no starches (ie, usual) eating mode.
Sometimes, all you need to do is remember the next meal is not that far away.
When I binged, the feeling was, "I have to eat it now. It's hot now. It's fresh now. I want it now. NOW."
If at those "I want more" moments, I can just get in the mindset that takes the appetite into account and says, "Yes, you can have more. Next meal. Next snack. Next Day"...then I"m gonna be okay. It's not a flat no. Just a "later". For binge-ers, knowing there is a later for more food can be very calming when food is calling a little or a whole lot.
So, if food is calling....tell it: "Sure. Later. Not now. I'm done for now."
Have a pleasant evening.
Nice new territory. Haven't been here since, oh, 1991 or 1990.
I had a Japanese food craving, so I got some vegetable sushi. I had a plumcot and some cherries, too. And...my bad...steamed gyoza. Totally not primal or lower carb. Pffft.
Today, with one meal to go, I have 550 to 750 calories left, depending on if I go to 1200 or 1400. Between the soy sauce and rice and--drat me--dumplings, I might bloat again. If they're rice dumplings, I'm fine. If they're wheat flour, there's a price to pay (inflammatorily). I'll see how my joints feel come morning. Gyoza used to be a weekly treat for me. Now, maybe once every 3 or 4 months. Sometimes, you just get the call for a particular thing. Fortunately, these were tiny and had minicule amounts of meat. Hooray.
Or I may not. The body is weird. Who knows.
But I didn't get the BIG sleepies after, just some mellowness, which is a good sign that I'm less insulin resistant. Dinner will likely be protein plus salad fixings and fruit and decaf and water. I got some honeydew, and if it's sweet, that's dessert.
Water/fluids is fine. Had a great Pilates session. I could feel longer, leaner, stronger. Some days are just good. Breathing was not an impediment.
Had a 25 minute walk in the cloudy-post-rain coolness.
I was thinking as I ate my Japanese food today how I used to eat 3 and 4 and 5 times what I had today. I'd have fried rolls dipped in spicy mayo, salad with miso or ginger dressing, teriyaki, maybe tempura veggies, too, maybe some sushi, a cup + of rice, banana tempura. Now, I get a few pieces of veggie rolls or sushi, usually get some yakitori for protein, drink tea, have a small salad, call it a day. I saved today's salad. Maybe have with dinner or tomorrow.
Some days, when I want to eat more, I use the "It's not an option" phrase. Today, when I wanted more, I told myself another mantra of mine: "You can have it later. Or you can have it tomorrow. Just not right now."
I said it a few times, and eventually, the "full" signal gets to me and I don't need it. I only need it for those few minutes before all the food and stomach stretching from fluids/food sends the "you're done eating' signals. I guess I ate a bit fast or the rice and dumplings made the glucose/insulin thing go wackier than I'm accustomed (as I don't have starches every day) so the stop-eating signals didn't come as fast as they do on a lower carb/no starches (ie, usual) eating mode.
Sometimes, all you need to do is remember the next meal is not that far away.
When I binged, the feeling was, "I have to eat it now. It's hot now. It's fresh now. I want it now. NOW."
If at those "I want more" moments, I can just get in the mindset that takes the appetite into account and says, "Yes, you can have more. Next meal. Next snack. Next Day"...then I"m gonna be okay. It's not a flat no. Just a "later". For binge-ers, knowing there is a later for more food can be very calming when food is calling a little or a whole lot.
So, if food is calling....tell it: "Sure. Later. Not now. I'm done for now."
Have a pleasant evening.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 11 of 84 in the StSC: Trying not to get bummed, and what inspires me to keep going...
Scale is almost at a standstill, as I myself have been pretty much at a standstill...or is that a sit-still or lie-still? The knee is better, but still feels unstable...like sometimes I'm walking and it feels...loose, like it'll give a bit. Still aches a bit. But much improved.
Lying around/sitting around has not improved either my appetite or the scale progress. So frustrating: 193.2 Only a half pound in all these days.My appetite increase is likely due to a sort of mental association reversion thing: "Oh, are we back to the sitting/lying around like an anemic slug days again? Whoopee. Let's have some fried cheese! Or a bacon-cheeseburger deluxe, followed by chocolate cake!"
Yeah, something about just being inactive has put me in some weird "I wanna eat to comfort myself" zone. And it affects my mood.
Sucks. But I'm fighting it. I've had closer to 1400 calories (1385 yesterday) and still had to fight off the eat more urges. I suppose this is something to get used to and learn to handle, since it will happen from time to time. I will have injuries/disease. I will have inactive days/weeks, perhaps (Lord, forbid) months. At 51, the fall made me reassess my fragility (I do worry about these wonky knees of mine and the arthritis). I think it's the whole, "I"m old, getting older, am scared" thing that affected my mood. Well, and not having my walking endorphins. :-/
But I ain't giving up. I will fight past the inactivity setback and mood dip and will emerge with my fighting spirit on fire.
Not giving up. Part of this challenge is to keep going, and that's for life. Keep going for health for life....
Thank God for support. Hubby has been affectionate and attentive and it keeps me from getting too bummed out. I was cheered last night viewing some of his pro pics. (I got him a deal for professional photos, since he does classes/conferences and has his second edition of his book coming out, for resumes, etc, I wanted GOOD pics in assorted poses, for various users. For his gamer mode, author mode, engineer mode, Frisbee-er mode, business mode, manly mode, and just some fun ones for me to drool over.)
Here's one where I like his expression a lot, cause his intelligence and sweetness both shine in it:
And this is his new suit (bought last week, cause he's dropped oodles of pounds and old suits don't fit). I insisted on sexy, basic, quality BLACK. Nothing professionally sexier on a man than a BLACK basic suit (lower rez, cause I couldn't get them to FLIP on blogger. Anyone know how to flip photos on blogger?):
And here is a smiley gamer hubby:
Anyway, fluids good, prayer good. Exercise and encouragement, not so much. Sorry.
Today, I'm going to Pilates and I suppose we'll work around the knee. Maybe upper body stuff.
Later, peops! Fight the good fatfight!
UPDATE: Got back from Pilates. Am eating my satay chicken, salad, fruit and French press Sumatra java. Yum. Knee is aching and throbbing. We had to stick to upper body and reposition me so the knee wasn't strained. It was tough. I had some dizzy spells. Trainer says stay off, no walking, and if in a week it's still unstable and hurting, must see ortho. Um, yeah, figured that one out.
On to the goals, no matter what....!
Lying around/sitting around has not improved either my appetite or the scale progress. So frustrating: 193.2 Only a half pound in all these days.My appetite increase is likely due to a sort of mental association reversion thing: "Oh, are we back to the sitting/lying around like an anemic slug days again? Whoopee. Let's have some fried cheese! Or a bacon-cheeseburger deluxe, followed by chocolate cake!"
Yeah, something about just being inactive has put me in some weird "I wanna eat to comfort myself" zone. And it affects my mood.
Sucks. But I'm fighting it. I've had closer to 1400 calories (1385 yesterday) and still had to fight off the eat more urges. I suppose this is something to get used to and learn to handle, since it will happen from time to time. I will have injuries/disease. I will have inactive days/weeks, perhaps (Lord, forbid) months. At 51, the fall made me reassess my fragility (I do worry about these wonky knees of mine and the arthritis). I think it's the whole, "I"m old, getting older, am scared" thing that affected my mood. Well, and not having my walking endorphins. :-/
But I ain't giving up. I will fight past the inactivity setback and mood dip and will emerge with my fighting spirit on fire.
Not giving up. Part of this challenge is to keep going, and that's for life. Keep going for health for life....
Thank God for support. Hubby has been affectionate and attentive and it keeps me from getting too bummed out. I was cheered last night viewing some of his pro pics. (I got him a deal for professional photos, since he does classes/conferences and has his second edition of his book coming out, for resumes, etc, I wanted GOOD pics in assorted poses, for various users. For his gamer mode, author mode, engineer mode, Frisbee-er mode, business mode, manly mode, and just some fun ones for me to drool over.)
Here's one where I like his expression a lot, cause his intelligence and sweetness both shine in it:
 |
| mmmmmmmmmmmm,.so hot.... |
And here is a smiley gamer hubby:
Anyway, fluids good, prayer good. Exercise and encouragement, not so much. Sorry.
Today, I'm going to Pilates and I suppose we'll work around the knee. Maybe upper body stuff.
Later, peops! Fight the good fatfight!
UPDATE: Got back from Pilates. Am eating my satay chicken, salad, fruit and French press Sumatra java. Yum. Knee is aching and throbbing. We had to stick to upper body and reposition me so the knee wasn't strained. It was tough. I had some dizzy spells. Trainer says stay off, no walking, and if in a week it's still unstable and hurting, must see ortho. Um, yeah, figured that one out.
On to the goals, no matter what....!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Hot flash, Wee bit more Weight Off , and Gots no Appetite--which I love--and Easy Baked Apple With Walnut Butter,
Tanita-San: 195.0
That's 1.6 pounds down from Sunday's official bloggy and P5 weigh-in. Hope to make it to 2 round pounds by Sunday. The body is weird. Who knows?
Been having occasional hot flashes again. Just spontaneously get the "I'm on fire" feeling and then break out in a total body sweat. Lovely. May be due to estrogen stored in the fat cells that are being tapped.
Glad the flashes aren't as common these days as during transition to menopause. I just went and doused my head in cold water and the cooling effect of my curls drying off is reviving.
I am glad my appetite is nearly non-existent. Yesterday, even after Pilates, when I generally wanna eat a nice big breaking-of-fast meal, Meh. Not hungry. So, I drank water and didn't eat.
I walked at 8 pm. Meh. Still not hungry.
So, I drank water while I got ready hubby's supper. After I had him taken care of, I went and scrambled some eggs with chorizo and peppers, sliced a tomato, drizzled it with EVOO and tossed herbs over it, cut up some ripe strawberries and mango, and brewed some lovely gourmet decaf, and that, along with a few bits of hubby's turkey fricassee and mashed taters, was my only meal. I had some sugar free pina colada custard (80 calories, 12 carbs) from a local diet meals vendor for dessert. Done for the day.
Woke up. Not hungry. I've been up for 4 hours and still have no desire to eat. The hot flash didn't help. ; )
Anyway, I'm gonna go have a chicken salad that's in the fridge. I have no appetite, but I do want to build muscle, and that requires protein and nutrients, so off I go.
I may head to the farmer's market for a couple Rome apples. Hubby loved the baked apple I made up quickie in the nuker for him the other day (served with sugar-free low carb vanilla ice cream). I may make it again. Easy: Peel 3/4 of skin (so top and middle are bald and bottom is "dressed"), core, then stuff the core with walnut butter, place on nukable bowl or plate that has a bit of water on the bottom, sprinkle liberally with true cinnamon, nuke for like 4 minutes or to the texture you like. If you like yours sweeter than the apple's sweetness, sprinkle with Splenda or add some honey or whatever sweet thing is your fave.
Hubby loves it. It's a fruit. Has fiber. I love walnut butter and cinnamon. We're both happy. Hooray!
Don't you love it when something EASY to make and healthful is a nice dessert? Baked apples rule!
Happy Friday, folks. Make it a health-promoting weekend! Go swim or something.. ; )
That's 1.6 pounds down from Sunday's official bloggy and P5 weigh-in. Hope to make it to 2 round pounds by Sunday. The body is weird. Who knows?
Been having occasional hot flashes again. Just spontaneously get the "I'm on fire" feeling and then break out in a total body sweat. Lovely. May be due to estrogen stored in the fat cells that are being tapped.
Glad the flashes aren't as common these days as during transition to menopause. I just went and doused my head in cold water and the cooling effect of my curls drying off is reviving.
I am glad my appetite is nearly non-existent. Yesterday, even after Pilates, when I generally wanna eat a nice big breaking-of-fast meal, Meh. Not hungry. So, I drank water and didn't eat.
I walked at 8 pm. Meh. Still not hungry.
So, I drank water while I got ready hubby's supper. After I had him taken care of, I went and scrambled some eggs with chorizo and peppers, sliced a tomato, drizzled it with EVOO and tossed herbs over it, cut up some ripe strawberries and mango, and brewed some lovely gourmet decaf, and that, along with a few bits of hubby's turkey fricassee and mashed taters, was my only meal. I had some sugar free pina colada custard (80 calories, 12 carbs) from a local diet meals vendor for dessert. Done for the day.
Woke up. Not hungry. I've been up for 4 hours and still have no desire to eat. The hot flash didn't help. ; )
Anyway, I'm gonna go have a chicken salad that's in the fridge. I have no appetite, but I do want to build muscle, and that requires protein and nutrients, so off I go.
I may head to the farmer's market for a couple Rome apples. Hubby loved the baked apple I made up quickie in the nuker for him the other day (served with sugar-free low carb vanilla ice cream). I may make it again. Easy: Peel 3/4 of skin (so top and middle are bald and bottom is "dressed"), core, then stuff the core with walnut butter, place on nukable bowl or plate that has a bit of water on the bottom, sprinkle liberally with true cinnamon, nuke for like 4 minutes or to the texture you like. If you like yours sweeter than the apple's sweetness, sprinkle with Splenda or add some honey or whatever sweet thing is your fave.
Hubby loves it. It's a fruit. Has fiber. I love walnut butter and cinnamon. We're both happy. Hooray!
Don't you love it when something EASY to make and healthful is a nice dessert? Baked apples rule!
Happy Friday, folks. Make it a health-promoting weekend! Go swim or something.. ; )
Friday, April 22, 2011
It's a string of DIAMOND DAYS with another drop--4 lbs down this week so far-- and minimal appetite (and what that MIGHT mean), nice kudos post from Allan Da Man, and stocking up on coconut oil on Day 74 of Phase 5, which is a good GOOD FRIDAY...
Tanita-san= 206.2
I'm still stunned the drops haven't chilled. But no, I'm burning fat like mad, looks like. That's .8 lbs less than yesterday, and that's 4 lbs down from Sunday. (Excuse me while I laugh hysterically at the improbability.) There is a possibility (no jinx, no jinx) that I might lose 5 lbs by the weigh-in.
With the human body who knows...but could me...might could happen.
I'll plotz! If I do, plotzplotzplotz all over Easter!
Well, actually, I'm gonna send in my weigh-in tomorrow, cause Sunday is gonna be mighty hectic, with the holy day, family time, etc. So, improbable that it'll be 5 lbs. But it will still be my highest recorded loss to date in 5 challenges at today's number of FOUR-count em 4--lbs. :D
These have been Diamond Days. I'm calling them that after listening to a cd (and the title song) by one of my very fave groups. They're a Christian husband and wife duo who make beautiful music. I own all their cds except the most recent (got lazy and haven't ordered yet). I own some of them in backup (ie, bought two copies). Yes. I love OUT OF THE GREY. As their song "Diamond Days" was playing, I thought, "Yeah, I feel like these have been Diamond Dieter Days. It's a breeze not to overeat. A breeze to feel hopeful. A breeze to shop for healthful foods. It's easy to be consistent with exercise." DIAMOND DAYS...
Some of the lyrics:
Yup. Shiny, lovely, precious days.
Not hungry. Food is now nutrition and fuel these days. Not comfort. Not a pal. Not hedonistic pleasure (though dinner was so delicious I kept going mmmmm...mmmmm...num...mmmm.).
But it took some awful weeks and hard, hard weeks after committing (really truly wholly committing) to losing weight. At first, no diamonds. It takes hard work and perseverance to get to the diamonds. At least, in my case.
I love the fast loss, gotta admit. I've never seen this in all the challenges so far. It's like..wow..magical.
My theory is that I may be becoming more sensitive to insulin. I may also be becoming more sensitive to leptin. I've found myself NOT scarfing up every bit of food I serve myself. An omelette will be 2/3 eaten one day. Supper 3/4 eaten another. I fill up faster. That means, I'm sure, the leptin is being sensed better. So, if this continues, the combo of better insulin sensitivity (meaning more energy, less fat storage) with better leptin sensitivity (meaning full faster, no urge to overeat) should help me stay on course and get to goal. I just gotta keep eating right and moving right to keep the hormones improving as needed.
~~
I got some nice props over on Allan's blog. Made me smile. I hadn't kept track of how much I'd lost on DDDY Challenges (in toto). I'd been looking at the whole-numbers-down from my ticker, or the weekly loss (for weigh-in) or the day's loss (or gain) for my posts. So, it's VERY cool to see him put up the figures. He posted 45 lbs lost since late October's initial DDDY start point. As of today, nearly 46. I am VERY happy 'bout dat. Thanks, A.
~~
So, there was some talk about a coconut oil shortage. This oil is popular with the Paleo/Primal crowd, as well as with folks with thyroid issues and low-carbers in general. I use it, too. I decided to just go ahead and freak a bit (panic may well be unwarranted over possible super-rise in prices and shortages). Hence, I just ordered 3 jars from Netrition of Nutiva organic extra virgin. I also have a jar at home just got this week of Barlean's organic extra virgin coconut oil. That should do me for a year+. heh.
Okay, time to go and do my fasting workout, then breakfast, then some planning and maybe shopping for the Easter feast--about which I am not fearful at all. I will be taking stuff I CAN eat, and I will not be scarfing down the Easter candies. I won't even be making a candy basket for the kids. I'm putting my philosophy in action. I will be making gift bags with non-junk treats and 1, just 1, small treat. No abundance of candies and chocolates and marshmallow bunnies. Nope. Sugar is crap, and I love those kids. One treat...is well enough for any child or adult.
And as I think about Good Friday, I am grateful today for all the sacrifices made on my behalf by my parents and by my spouse and by my family and by my God, above all. We Christians believe that The Christ died today to make atonement for our sins. I know that I am alive and have good things in my life because people gave birth to me, nurtured me, loved me, nursed me, supported me. I am trying to take better care of myself, and I believe that is a way of saying thank you for all those many generosities and sacrifices that have been made for me. I appreciate the life I have been given. I want more of it. I want to be a good steward of this body, mind and spirit.
Thank you to all those who have loved and still love me and have given up and still give up of your time and effort and money and kind words and prayers for me.
Whether it's Passover or Easter Week that we celebrate, let's remember sacrifices made and victories won over enemies, human and spiritual. We acknowledge that freedom, liberation, is a beautiful and even holy thing. And death can lead to life.
Thanks be to God for his immeasurable gift.
Blessings on you all as the holidays--Jewish and Christian--progress...
I'm still stunned the drops haven't chilled. But no, I'm burning fat like mad, looks like. That's .8 lbs less than yesterday, and that's 4 lbs down from Sunday. (Excuse me while I laugh hysterically at the improbability.) There is a possibility (no jinx, no jinx) that I might lose 5 lbs by the weigh-in.
With the human body who knows...but could me...might could happen.
I'll plotz! If I do, plotzplotzplotz all over Easter!
Well, actually, I'm gonna send in my weigh-in tomorrow, cause Sunday is gonna be mighty hectic, with the holy day, family time, etc. So, improbable that it'll be 5 lbs. But it will still be my highest recorded loss to date in 5 challenges at today's number of FOUR-count em 4--lbs. :D
These have been Diamond Days. I'm calling them that after listening to a cd (and the title song) by one of my very fave groups. They're a Christian husband and wife duo who make beautiful music. I own all their cds except the most recent (got lazy and haven't ordered yet). I own some of them in backup (ie, bought two copies). Yes. I love OUT OF THE GREY. As their song "Diamond Days" was playing, I thought, "Yeah, I feel like these have been Diamond Dieter Days. It's a breeze not to overeat. A breeze to feel hopeful. A breeze to shop for healthful foods. It's easy to be consistent with exercise." DIAMOND DAYS...
Some of the lyrics:
Some days are cold and hard, a stone around your neck
Others steal the life from you and leave you feeling flat
Just when you think you've taken your last breath
Your Father blows a kiss at you and lifts you up again
And these diamond days arrive just in time
An oasis in the desert to refresh the mind
Oh these diamond days they shine like the stars
So perfectly placed when the journey is hard
Yup. Shiny, lovely, precious days.
Not hungry. Food is now nutrition and fuel these days. Not comfort. Not a pal. Not hedonistic pleasure (though dinner was so delicious I kept going mmmmm...mmmmm...num...mmmm.).
But it took some awful weeks and hard, hard weeks after committing (really truly wholly committing) to losing weight. At first, no diamonds. It takes hard work and perseverance to get to the diamonds. At least, in my case.
I love the fast loss, gotta admit. I've never seen this in all the challenges so far. It's like..wow..magical.
My theory is that I may be becoming more sensitive to insulin. I may also be becoming more sensitive to leptin. I've found myself NOT scarfing up every bit of food I serve myself. An omelette will be 2/3 eaten one day. Supper 3/4 eaten another. I fill up faster. That means, I'm sure, the leptin is being sensed better. So, if this continues, the combo of better insulin sensitivity (meaning more energy, less fat storage) with better leptin sensitivity (meaning full faster, no urge to overeat) should help me stay on course and get to goal. I just gotta keep eating right and moving right to keep the hormones improving as needed.
~~
I got some nice props over on Allan's blog. Made me smile. I hadn't kept track of how much I'd lost on DDDY Challenges (in toto). I'd been looking at the whole-numbers-down from my ticker, or the weekly loss (for weigh-in) or the day's loss (or gain) for my posts. So, it's VERY cool to see him put up the figures. He posted 45 lbs lost since late October's initial DDDY start point. As of today, nearly 46. I am VERY happy 'bout dat. Thanks, A.
~~
So, there was some talk about a coconut oil shortage. This oil is popular with the Paleo/Primal crowd, as well as with folks with thyroid issues and low-carbers in general. I use it, too. I decided to just go ahead and freak a bit (panic may well be unwarranted over possible super-rise in prices and shortages). Hence, I just ordered 3 jars from Netrition of Nutiva organic extra virgin. I also have a jar at home just got this week of Barlean's organic extra virgin coconut oil. That should do me for a year+. heh.
Okay, time to go and do my fasting workout, then breakfast, then some planning and maybe shopping for the Easter feast--about which I am not fearful at all. I will be taking stuff I CAN eat, and I will not be scarfing down the Easter candies. I won't even be making a candy basket for the kids. I'm putting my philosophy in action. I will be making gift bags with non-junk treats and 1, just 1, small treat. No abundance of candies and chocolates and marshmallow bunnies. Nope. Sugar is crap, and I love those kids. One treat...is well enough for any child or adult.
And as I think about Good Friday, I am grateful today for all the sacrifices made on my behalf by my parents and by my spouse and by my family and by my God, above all. We Christians believe that The Christ died today to make atonement for our sins. I know that I am alive and have good things in my life because people gave birth to me, nurtured me, loved me, nursed me, supported me. I am trying to take better care of myself, and I believe that is a way of saying thank you for all those many generosities and sacrifices that have been made for me. I appreciate the life I have been given. I want more of it. I want to be a good steward of this body, mind and spirit.
Thank you to all those who have loved and still love me and have given up and still give up of your time and effort and money and kind words and prayers for me.
Whether it's Passover or Easter Week that we celebrate, let's remember sacrifices made and victories won over enemies, human and spiritual. We acknowledge that freedom, liberation, is a beautiful and even holy thing. And death can lead to life.
Thanks be to God for his immeasurable gift.
Blessings on you all as the holidays--Jewish and Christian--progress...
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Are you in "Food Calm Zen Zone" yet? It's Nice To Be Here...An Inspiring 6 Month Blogger's Update...Day 69 (?) of Phase 5
My official weigh-in for the Challenge is 210, 2 lbs down from last Sunday.
Tanita-san said: 210.2, 210.0, 210.2.
So, 210.2 it is for me and rounded for the challenge weigh-in. It's what I asked my body to be when I went to bed. I had put my hands on my abdomen and just told my brain and my belly to give me 210.2 or less, so I could have a nice weigh-in. We done it.
I keep feeling a bit astonished at how, day in and day out, for several months now, I've just felt pretty much FOOD CALM.
I don't obsess about ordering this or that, though I will have particular cravings. The cravings tend to be lighter and more passing than in the past 20+ years. I'll think, "Oh, a veggie lasagna sounds mighty nice." And then it'll pass and I have whatever is on my plan.
Before, I'd feel semi-frantic preparing food, cause I wanted to eat it RIGHT NOW.
Now, I take my time fixing my meals. No rush. I'll pop a piece of melon or chew a chunk of celery or a few spinach leaves when making stuff, but no sense of , " I must eat now or I will DIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE."
I can get up feeling normal, not famished for breakfast. I crave fresh food. More and more I look at packages and cans and think, "I need to give these away to the local food pantry." Every day, it's the freshest stuff that seems to call my name. I'm leery more and more of all these fake foods, even the handy diet fake foods that I used to begin my journey last summer and whose use has dwindled more and more as the months have gone on.
Even my beloved WS hot cakes (lower carb, low calorie) don't have the allure they used to. They are there as a "If I get a hot cake craving" thing, but I default to fresh stuff more. We weren't created to eat little packets of fake food. Whether it's MediFast, WonderSlim, BariWise, ProtiDiet or whatever. That's really an unnatural way to eat. And while they may serve a purpose, I am very leery mentally of relying on these too long. It's fake. It's often salty. It's often packed with not-that-high-quality stuff (hey, they want profit, remember).
I wish there was an organic Farmer's Market ACROSS THE STREET so I could go every day, blithely, with a basket or my Baggus and just get new, beautiful produce daily. Whatever is freshest and most beautiful.
Ah, well. One can dream.
I'd rather have fresh watermelon than chocolate cake or an Oreo these days. I'd rather have lightly sauteed baby bok choy than an egg roll or sweet n sour pork. I'd rather have a fresh herbed cut of meat well-grilled than a salty preserved sausage or hot dog (packed with who knows what crap). I want to keep feeling this way.
I can go to bed feeling lighter, not overstuffed from dinner.
I can go to restaurants and not freak when I see chocolate mousse or cheese souffle on the menu, or baby back ribs or pizza, or anything. I'm fine. I zoom in and target on what I CAN HAVE that will make me feel BETTER....and continue the appetite calm.
I take a page from Gillian Riley. When confronted by that menu of delights, I tell myself I can have it if I want it, but then I think of the sequence of consequences: insulin spike, increased hunger, bloating, possible a binge.
"Is it worth the chain reaction that MIGHT possibly destroy this nice flow of FOOD CALM?"
Usually, mostly, the answer is NO WAY.
I like appetite zen zone. :)
It feels good, right?
And on a side note: Anyone know what's up with Kristen of KREATING KRISTEN blog. Looks like she went private, but I don't recall seeing a post saying she was doing so. Oh, well. Hope she's okay. Too many folks gone private or whose blogs gone missing altogether this year. Bummer.
Need some inspiration: HERE YA GO. In 6 months--SIX months--a loss of 97 lbs and status change from couch potato to half-marathoner. Yes, baby. That's motivational!
Happy Sunday, People. Choose wisely today when you choose what goes into your mouth.
Tanita-san said: 210.2, 210.0, 210.2.
So, 210.2 it is for me and rounded for the challenge weigh-in. It's what I asked my body to be when I went to bed. I had put my hands on my abdomen and just told my brain and my belly to give me 210.2 or less, so I could have a nice weigh-in. We done it.
I keep feeling a bit astonished at how, day in and day out, for several months now, I've just felt pretty much FOOD CALM.
I don't obsess about ordering this or that, though I will have particular cravings. The cravings tend to be lighter and more passing than in the past 20+ years. I'll think, "Oh, a veggie lasagna sounds mighty nice." And then it'll pass and I have whatever is on my plan.
Before, I'd feel semi-frantic preparing food, cause I wanted to eat it RIGHT NOW.
Now, I take my time fixing my meals. No rush. I'll pop a piece of melon or chew a chunk of celery or a few spinach leaves when making stuff, but no sense of , " I must eat now or I will DIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE."
I can get up feeling normal, not famished for breakfast. I crave fresh food. More and more I look at packages and cans and think, "I need to give these away to the local food pantry." Every day, it's the freshest stuff that seems to call my name. I'm leery more and more of all these fake foods, even the handy diet fake foods that I used to begin my journey last summer and whose use has dwindled more and more as the months have gone on.
Even my beloved WS hot cakes (lower carb, low calorie) don't have the allure they used to. They are there as a "If I get a hot cake craving" thing, but I default to fresh stuff more. We weren't created to eat little packets of fake food. Whether it's MediFast, WonderSlim, BariWise, ProtiDiet or whatever. That's really an unnatural way to eat. And while they may serve a purpose, I am very leery mentally of relying on these too long. It's fake. It's often salty. It's often packed with not-that-high-quality stuff (hey, they want profit, remember).
I wish there was an organic Farmer's Market ACROSS THE STREET so I could go every day, blithely, with a basket or my Baggus and just get new, beautiful produce daily. Whatever is freshest and most beautiful.
Ah, well. One can dream.
I'd rather have fresh watermelon than chocolate cake or an Oreo these days. I'd rather have lightly sauteed baby bok choy than an egg roll or sweet n sour pork. I'd rather have a fresh herbed cut of meat well-grilled than a salty preserved sausage or hot dog (packed with who knows what crap). I want to keep feeling this way.
I can go to bed feeling lighter, not overstuffed from dinner.
I can go to restaurants and not freak when I see chocolate mousse or cheese souffle on the menu, or baby back ribs or pizza, or anything. I'm fine. I zoom in and target on what I CAN HAVE that will make me feel BETTER....and continue the appetite calm.
I take a page from Gillian Riley. When confronted by that menu of delights, I tell myself I can have it if I want it, but then I think of the sequence of consequences: insulin spike, increased hunger, bloating, possible a binge.
"Is it worth the chain reaction that MIGHT possibly destroy this nice flow of FOOD CALM?"
Usually, mostly, the answer is NO WAY.
I like appetite zen zone. :)
It feels good, right?
And on a side note: Anyone know what's up with Kristen of KREATING KRISTEN blog. Looks like she went private, but I don't recall seeing a post saying she was doing so. Oh, well. Hope she's okay. Too many folks gone private or whose blogs gone missing altogether this year. Bummer.
Need some inspiration: HERE YA GO. In 6 months--SIX months--a loss of 97 lbs and status change from couch potato to half-marathoner. Yes, baby. That's motivational!
Happy Sunday, People. Choose wisely today when you choose what goes into your mouth.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Night Cravings, Water Woes, Spring Festival and SuperMoon: Day 42 of Phase 5
I have happy plans for the day. It will make managing water trickier (cause I hate "pee urgency" when I'm out and about and in places where it's gonna be restaurants or port-a-potties, ugh).
Yesterday was the first time I got "night munchies" in ages. I know exactly why, too. Salty lunch with some starch. I ormally reserve whatever starch I'm gonna have to dinner, then I'm asleep if I get the munchies, so who cares. Starch at lunch: problemo. I will not be repeating that today.
Last night, I just wanted this, wanted that. It was bad. Not as out of control as I used to be, but a little taste of the insanity that got me to 300 lbs. So, today, the leash is back on the starches and on ME.
Breakfast: egg whites and papaya with lime.
Lunch: a salad and whatever lean protein I can find at the Japanese Spring Festival (Hatsume).
Dinner: leftovers at home, unless we stay later at the beach to see the supermoon...then prolly a Greek salad at the Turkish place or...dunno. Will cross that bridge..when the bridge is there to be crossed.
Water is my concern. Must have it, gotta see how to keep my bladder in check.
So, wishing you a great Sunday and one without cravings, cause they suck.
I leave you with a blurryish camera pick of me under the Supermoon last night in my new hoodie (cheapo WalMart one, as I refuse to pay a lot for clothes in the losing stage. I've run through so many I only wore a couple times I got tired of it.) I have about 3 workable outfits at the moment. HAHAHAHAH. And one dress for "just in case". This is one--Danskin bootcut pants, long sleeved top, short-sleeved hoodie. The pic is right before the munchies hit. I don't look demon-possessed, right? Right? ; )
Later...
Yesterday was the first time I got "night munchies" in ages. I know exactly why, too. Salty lunch with some starch. I ormally reserve whatever starch I'm gonna have to dinner, then I'm asleep if I get the munchies, so who cares. Starch at lunch: problemo. I will not be repeating that today.
Last night, I just wanted this, wanted that. It was bad. Not as out of control as I used to be, but a little taste of the insanity that got me to 300 lbs. So, today, the leash is back on the starches and on ME.
Breakfast: egg whites and papaya with lime.
Lunch: a salad and whatever lean protein I can find at the Japanese Spring Festival (Hatsume).
Dinner: leftovers at home, unless we stay later at the beach to see the supermoon...then prolly a Greek salad at the Turkish place or...dunno. Will cross that bridge..when the bridge is there to be crossed.
Water is my concern. Must have it, gotta see how to keep my bladder in check.
So, wishing you a great Sunday and one without cravings, cause they suck.
I leave you with a blurryish camera pick of me under the Supermoon last night in my new hoodie (cheapo WalMart one, as I refuse to pay a lot for clothes in the losing stage. I've run through so many I only wore a couple times I got tired of it.) I have about 3 workable outfits at the moment. HAHAHAHAH. And one dress for "just in case". This is one--Danskin bootcut pants, long sleeved top, short-sleeved hoodie. The pic is right before the munchies hit. I don't look demon-possessed, right? Right? ; )
 |
| Me and the SuperMoon |
Later...
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Day 17 of P5: Eh, didn't feel like blogging, but if you are eating the new McD's oatmeal, READ THIS....
Nice warm day with breeze. Hubby came home early so we picked up my car from body shop. He misplaced the insurance check, so we had to pay full and will claim that from Allstate.
Did my exercised. Went over 1200 by a bit (was so hungry after dinner and caved and had a 70 calorie protein hot cocoa to tell the stomach to shut up). Water is almost all in (2 cups to go).
I'm not feeling the blogging mojo, but I am thinking that some folks out there are touting how "healthy" the new McD's oatmeal is. Really? Ya think so? Well, I suppose in comparison to a lot of other crap one can pick up to-go in the am. But read this before you buy it, cause, really, how fricken easy is it to have oatmeal at home and really make it wholesome:
How To Make Oatmeal...Wrong
Excerpt:
Oatmeal is sure easy to make at home in a large (cheap still) quantity and put in the fridge and dole out for breakfast with a bit of a nuking. Heck, it can be made overnight in a slow cooker or while you're grooming. Easy. Don't need McD's to mess it up for ya...
Nite...
Did my exercised. Went over 1200 by a bit (was so hungry after dinner and caved and had a 70 calorie protein hot cocoa to tell the stomach to shut up). Water is almost all in (2 cups to go).
I'm not feeling the blogging mojo, but I am thinking that some folks out there are touting how "healthy" the new McD's oatmeal is. Really? Ya think so? Well, I suppose in comparison to a lot of other crap one can pick up to-go in the am. But read this before you buy it, cause, really, how fricken easy is it to have oatmeal at home and really make it wholesome:
How To Make Oatmeal...Wrong
Excerpt:
A more accurate description than “100% natural whole-grain oats,” “plump raisins,” “sweet cranberries” and “crisp fresh apples” would be “oats, sugar, sweetened dried fruit, cream and 11 weird ingredients you would never keep in your kitchen.
Since we know there are barely any rules governing promotion of foods, one might wonder how this compares to real oatmeal, besides being 10 times as expensive. Some will say that it tastes better, but that’s because they’re addicted to sickly sweet foods, which is what this bowlful of wholesome is.
...
The aspect one cannot argue is nutrition: Incredibly, the McDonald’s product contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin. (Even without the brown sugar it has more calories than a McDonald’s hamburger.)
Oatmeal is sure easy to make at home in a large (cheap still) quantity and put in the fridge and dole out for breakfast with a bit of a nuking. Heck, it can be made overnight in a slow cooker or while you're grooming. Easy. Don't need McD's to mess it up for ya...
Nite...
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Not day 25 of the P4 Challenge: Pic of Friday Date, Packet Received for Phase 5, Itchy and Spotty In Miami!
Eating, fine. Water, fine. Skin...OMG, I'm dying of the itch here!
I must have gotten some sand flea or something bites on my walk. My legs where the capri pants didn't cover are riddled with itchy-as-hell bites. My arms and chest and hairline have some bites, a few, not crazy like my shins/calves--I did stop a few times and bent over to tie sneakers more loosely, must have come within sand flea range. Or whatever biting things these were.
I've covered myself in Benadryl cream, used a prescription cortisone cream--it still ITCHES!!!!!!!!!
I'd finally gotten my hives/eczema/dermatitis skin in some sort of normalish looking state and now, this. The multitude of bites have set off a wider reaction, so I'm feeling a bit off. Taking C, Quercetin, and creaming things up and hoping it will not leave scars. I scar easily. My face is full of pocks and scars and hyperpigmented spots from a lieftime of acne and dermatitis/eczema, and this annoys me. I start getting to a happy place and, bam. Bugs.
Oh,well.
Eating is good. Rereading bits of motivating books to keep me going. Appetite is slumbering nicely--no FF beast in sight these last couple days.
Today, the Phase 5 Challengers got their packets. I'm opened and am reading them. The exercise is definitely...um...scaring me. HAH! Yes, yes. My default reaction. Looks tough.
I have no illusion of being one of the grand finalists--unless just about everyone else drops out!--but the secondary prizes are lovely. An iTouch (hubby has one, but who wouldn't want their own), an Amazon Kindle (I have the latest generation, and I like it and was reading some REFUSE TO REGAIN on it today while doing bathroom duty), and an Acer Netbook (don't have one, but would like one, heh).
Not too shabby, huh?
My goal is not to drop out or be asked to. To stick to the plan and stop being obese. The chart says my expected loss will bring me below 186 lbs (the line between obese and overweight). Think..in 4 months I can be at a weight I haven't been since THE EIGHTIES! Since before my thyroid dropped dead and I got so sick I had to quit working. Possibilities open up when "obese" drops away, yes....?
Here's a pic of my beloved hubster and myself on the balcony at the opera house at Friday's date night:
Anyway, happy Sunday and may this week bless you in many ways, but specifically with regard to health and weight loss. Later!
I must have gotten some sand flea or something bites on my walk. My legs where the capri pants didn't cover are riddled with itchy-as-hell bites. My arms and chest and hairline have some bites, a few, not crazy like my shins/calves--I did stop a few times and bent over to tie sneakers more loosely, must have come within sand flea range. Or whatever biting things these were.
I've covered myself in Benadryl cream, used a prescription cortisone cream--it still ITCHES!!!!!!!!!
I'd finally gotten my hives/eczema/dermatitis skin in some sort of normalish looking state and now, this. The multitude of bites have set off a wider reaction, so I'm feeling a bit off. Taking C, Quercetin, and creaming things up and hoping it will not leave scars. I scar easily. My face is full of pocks and scars and hyperpigmented spots from a lieftime of acne and dermatitis/eczema, and this annoys me. I start getting to a happy place and, bam. Bugs.
Oh,well.
Eating is good. Rereading bits of motivating books to keep me going. Appetite is slumbering nicely--no FF beast in sight these last couple days.
Today, the Phase 5 Challengers got their packets. I'm opened and am reading them. The exercise is definitely...um...scaring me. HAH! Yes, yes. My default reaction. Looks tough.
I have no illusion of being one of the grand finalists--unless just about everyone else drops out!--but the secondary prizes are lovely. An iTouch (hubby has one, but who wouldn't want their own), an Amazon Kindle (I have the latest generation, and I like it and was reading some REFUSE TO REGAIN on it today while doing bathroom duty), and an Acer Netbook (don't have one, but would like one, heh).
Not too shabby, huh?
My goal is not to drop out or be asked to. To stick to the plan and stop being obese. The chart says my expected loss will bring me below 186 lbs (the line between obese and overweight). Think..in 4 months I can be at a weight I haven't been since THE EIGHTIES! Since before my thyroid dropped dead and I got so sick I had to quit working. Possibilities open up when "obese" drops away, yes....?
Here's a pic of my beloved hubster and myself on the balcony at the opera house at Friday's date night:
Anyway, happy Sunday and may this week bless you in many ways, but specifically with regard to health and weight loss. Later!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Phase 4 Cancelled, so..um, is it still day 31? hah Uncertainly about challenge status for moi...but the scale moved. Yay!
Yesterday, Allan called off Phase 4. It was pretty shocking to a lot of us, so, well, the air was a tad in the "bummed out" zone, if you read the comments on his blog.
Today, he announced a new phase starting Monday. He wants adherence and those who won't adhere to take a hike.
I emailed him that I wanted in. I expect it to continue to be tough...but worth it. :)
On to the scale:
Tanita-san says: 225.6
Wow. Fewer than 10 lbs to be out of the "severely obese" category. I'm so stoked to see 216. I want to get there................NOW!!!! hahah
Anyway. Was still feeling the munchies evening time and it was hard, hard, hard to say no last night. But....the scale shows the battle was worth it.
I was hoping we'd get some of that cold you guys are getting all over the more northernly/westernly places. I don't like to hear my a/c running or feel "warm". I wanted more chilly days!
It's Groundhog Day...and I wonder what Phil says about winter. ; )
I hope he says Miami will get a bunch more cold fronts!
I feel really boring today, so maybe I'll cut this short. This is Valentines and Birthday month, so I got some planning to do. I want to celebrate well and STAY IN MY CALORIES and eat healthfully and move and see at least 8 pounds gone by month's end.
It's a short month, but I want to see it shine, shine, shine for me!
Happy Wednesday...be well....
Today, he announced a new phase starting Monday. He wants adherence and those who won't adhere to take a hike.
I emailed him that I wanted in. I expect it to continue to be tough...but worth it. :)
On to the scale:
Tanita-san says: 225.6
Wow. Fewer than 10 lbs to be out of the "severely obese" category. I'm so stoked to see 216. I want to get there................NOW!!!! hahah
Anyway. Was still feeling the munchies evening time and it was hard, hard, hard to say no last night. But....the scale shows the battle was worth it.
I was hoping we'd get some of that cold you guys are getting all over the more northernly/westernly places. I don't like to hear my a/c running or feel "warm". I wanted more chilly days!
It's Groundhog Day...and I wonder what Phil says about winter. ; )
I hope he says Miami will get a bunch more cold fronts!
I feel really boring today, so maybe I'll cut this short. This is Valentines and Birthday month, so I got some planning to do. I want to celebrate well and STAY IN MY CALORIES and eat healthfully and move and see at least 8 pounds gone by month's end.
It's a short month, but I want to see it shine, shine, shine for me!
Happy Wednesday...be well....
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Day 30 of Phase 4 Challenge: Where I'm back after just not feeling the blogging mojo, where salt is siren calling, where I distract myself with hot J-Rock , and where I offer pics of my weekend outings and my body at 226!!
Tanita-san: 226.2
A bit of stasis.
I've been hitting the salty foods a lot since Saturday evening, and it always has this effect. Affects the scale. Affects appetite: yeah, it does. Don't know about you, but when I have multiple salty things, I get HUNGRIER, so it's time to ease back and fast. I was VERY VERY VERY hungry last night, and I didn't like that at all. It was hard to say no. I was in a fight for hours with my appetite.
Yesterday:
Calories: 1273
Exercise: Pilates with trainer, walking (25 mins)
Mood: still lethargic, energy a bit low
Hunger:Crazy later in the day (but higher than last week all weekend)
I am not happy that the appetite is back, but I'll hit the decaf tea and coffee and keep the tummy warm and filled as best I can until the low appetite returns.
Energy was great Saturday and Sunday for parts of the day (low on others), but yesterday I woke up feeling like I needed more sleep. (And I have been sleeping more, 10 and 12 hours sometimes). Usually I'd think thyroid...but I'm pretty sure it's not that. We'll see.
Today, I woke up after sleeping 11 hours, and I'm mellow. Hunger has been quieter. Don't feel like exercising....but I'll do something. Will force myself.
I've had to distract my appetite. Here's one example of a distraction:
If you like anime, you may recognize the song as the opening theme for TRINITY BLOOD. It's one of my fave J-Rock tunes, originally released 1993 by Buck-Tick, whose lead singer, Sakarai Atsushi is one of the most beautiful J-Rockers ever, and he's not young anymore in this video. The band began in the early 80s. This is actually footage from an Abingdon Boys School concert, one of my fave JRock bands, and Takanori (lead singer) has a great voice. But no one sings "Doresu"(DRESS) like Sakurai-san. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Love this performance. Gave me chills!
If ya wanna see a nice performance when he was younger and had the long, flowing, black, silky hair ....here ya go. So beautiful. Makes me woozy.
The weekend was great, btw. Hubby and I had a date night both evenings, Saturday in Coral Gables. Since I needed to get in a walk--well, I had done more than my minimum 4 days walking, but wanted to do more--so we walked 30 minutes (we both wore sneakers, so it was fine) before choosing an outdoor cafe for supper.
Sunday, we went to Bayside at the MiaMarina, took a night sightseeing cruise (it was soo nice and cool), danced to a live band at the bayfront, then had supper at Hard Rock Cafe. I appreciated the waitress being so nice about my specs--you know the drill if you low-carb or diet: little to no oil, dressing on side, no tortillas, etc. Lots of decaf and water. We walked a lot there, too, as parking was at the other end from where Hard Rock. Probably 20 mins of walking.
Interesting personal note: Where HRC is now used to be, in the early 80s, an upscale eatery called Reflections on the Bay. Hubby and I got engaged there in '82. We told the hostess and she got us a table at windowside (the only one!) and we had a view of the bay a bit different (Bayside wasn't the bustling tourist/nightlife place it is now) from our younger dating days. But it was romantic all the same. Reflections on the Bay had large windows all with views out to the water....so nice.... Gosh, time flies....
Pics: First one, with very unflattering lighting, eesh, is a couple feet from where we sat outdoors for dinner with Coral Gables city hall lit up prettily behind me. We had a nice view of the sky, city hall, the one end of Miracle Mile with posh shops and lovely lights in the trees. It was damp and cool, but not unplesantly so.
One of Jimi Hendrix's surviving guitars (I guess a lot of them got immolated or shattered, hah.) Hard Rock Cafe on Sunday, natch:
I took body shots today, caue though the scale is the same as Friday, I "felt" different in the torso:
Hubby said to me on our date Sunday that he didn't think I looked as big as "226" lbs. Well, folks don't go around saying how much they weight to me to compare, but this is 226 on me. I wear 2x, some generous 1x, 20 and 22 sizes, and I've noticed some folks who weigh a lot more than me wear smaller sizes. So, you never know. Build matters.
Now to google if Genmaicha has carbs...cause I like it's grainy flavor. I like it enough to drink unsweetened, which is great. The box says no, but man, it really tastes like nuttry-grain. Mmm.
Off I go to resist the Demon of Sodium....
Happy Tuesday. Make it count for health!
A bit of stasis.
I've been hitting the salty foods a lot since Saturday evening, and it always has this effect. Affects the scale. Affects appetite: yeah, it does. Don't know about you, but when I have multiple salty things, I get HUNGRIER, so it's time to ease back and fast. I was VERY VERY VERY hungry last night, and I didn't like that at all. It was hard to say no. I was in a fight for hours with my appetite.
Yesterday:
Calories: 1273
Exercise: Pilates with trainer, walking (25 mins)
Mood: still lethargic, energy a bit low
Hunger:Crazy later in the day (but higher than last week all weekend)
I am not happy that the appetite is back, but I'll hit the decaf tea and coffee and keep the tummy warm and filled as best I can until the low appetite returns.
Energy was great Saturday and Sunday for parts of the day (low on others), but yesterday I woke up feeling like I needed more sleep. (And I have been sleeping more, 10 and 12 hours sometimes). Usually I'd think thyroid...but I'm pretty sure it's not that. We'll see.
Today, I woke up after sleeping 11 hours, and I'm mellow. Hunger has been quieter. Don't feel like exercising....but I'll do something. Will force myself.
I've had to distract my appetite. Here's one example of a distraction:
If you like anime, you may recognize the song as the opening theme for TRINITY BLOOD. It's one of my fave J-Rock tunes, originally released 1993 by Buck-Tick, whose lead singer, Sakarai Atsushi is one of the most beautiful J-Rockers ever, and he's not young anymore in this video. The band began in the early 80s. This is actually footage from an Abingdon Boys School concert, one of my fave JRock bands, and Takanori (lead singer) has a great voice. But no one sings "Doresu"(DRESS) like Sakurai-san. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Love this performance. Gave me chills!
If ya wanna see a nice performance when he was younger and had the long, flowing, black, silky hair ....here ya go. So beautiful. Makes me woozy.
The weekend was great, btw. Hubby and I had a date night both evenings, Saturday in Coral Gables. Since I needed to get in a walk--well, I had done more than my minimum 4 days walking, but wanted to do more--so we walked 30 minutes (we both wore sneakers, so it was fine) before choosing an outdoor cafe for supper.
Sunday, we went to Bayside at the MiaMarina, took a night sightseeing cruise (it was soo nice and cool), danced to a live band at the bayfront, then had supper at Hard Rock Cafe. I appreciated the waitress being so nice about my specs--you know the drill if you low-carb or diet: little to no oil, dressing on side, no tortillas, etc. Lots of decaf and water. We walked a lot there, too, as parking was at the other end from where Hard Rock. Probably 20 mins of walking.
Interesting personal note: Where HRC is now used to be, in the early 80s, an upscale eatery called Reflections on the Bay. Hubby and I got engaged there in '82. We told the hostess and she got us a table at windowside (the only one!) and we had a view of the bay a bit different (Bayside wasn't the bustling tourist/nightlife place it is now) from our younger dating days. But it was romantic all the same. Reflections on the Bay had large windows all with views out to the water....so nice.... Gosh, time flies....
Pics: First one, with very unflattering lighting, eesh, is a couple feet from where we sat outdoors for dinner with Coral Gables city hall lit up prettily behind me. We had a nice view of the sky, city hall, the one end of Miracle Mile with posh shops and lovely lights in the trees. It was damp and cool, but not unplesantly so.
One of Jimi Hendrix's surviving guitars (I guess a lot of them got immolated or shattered, hah.) Hard Rock Cafe on Sunday, natch:
I took body shots today, caue though the scale is the same as Friday, I "felt" different in the torso:
Hubby said to me on our date Sunday that he didn't think I looked as big as "226" lbs. Well, folks don't go around saying how much they weight to me to compare, but this is 226 on me. I wear 2x, some generous 1x, 20 and 22 sizes, and I've noticed some folks who weigh a lot more than me wear smaller sizes. So, you never know. Build matters.
Now to google if Genmaicha has carbs...cause I like it's grainy flavor. I like it enough to drink unsweetened, which is great. The box says no, but man, it really tastes like nuttry-grain. Mmm.
Off I go to resist the Demon of Sodium....
Happy Tuesday. Make it count for health!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Day 25 of Phase 4 Challenge: 72 lbs down; appetite had mild upsurge last night, then calm again; Deliveries of goodies; Stair exercise and the crunchy knee; and the 9% and the Challenges....
Scale: 227.0
That makes a nice, even 72 lbs lost.
Yesterday:
Calories: 935
Exercise: Walking, stairs
Mood: calm, good
Hunger: minimal except for an evening uptick
Felt really suddenly with appetite while we were trying out some new animes last night. Caught me by surprise, as I've had a nice tamed appetite beast lately.
We were enjoying sampling Welcome to the NHK, about a quirky hikkikomori, his neighbor, an anime otaku, and the gal who wants to get him out of his reclusive ways; and Hayate, The Combat Butler, about a kid with shiftless parents and bad luck (even Santa won't give him a Christmas present), but whose fighting skills and haplessness lead him to end up as a rich gal's protective butler (and it's funny!) Also got to watch the third episode of Kimi Ni Todoke (very sweet, gently paced, often hilarious school romance, definitely NOT for guys), and the latest episode of Wandering Son (school life with a cross-dressing boy, his "might be gay" best pal, his sister, and circle of friends, and how they are coping with life issues). Hubby likes Infinite Stratos now (very predictable futuristic mecha school life meets "harem" thingie, that is funny, so I enjoy it.) If I can laugh, I like it.
So, there I am, anime-marathoning with the hubster, and I am HUNGRY. I make him pause the streaming and make a quickie bit of egg white and fat free cheese with two cups of decaf tea and water. After an hour, I'm settled. No mad rush to eat more.
I ended up with fewer calories than I realized when I sparked them. I guess cause I had nuts, in my mind it was "Nuts, lotsa calories." But I weigh them, portion them carefully, so it ended up not so much.
I hope today the hunger stays DOWN. :)
I got deliveries: nuts of different sorts from The Nutty Guys (had a groupon, decided to try). Eh. The ones I get from Fresh market are just as good if not better. No big whoop. The other one was from Netrition: my EZ Sweetz sucralose drops for my coffee; low carb tortillas; no-sugar strawberry preserves I like in my yogurt and (when I allow it) my toast; sugar-free dark chocolate bars for my upcoming birthday party (my family is chockabloc with chocoholics, and I wanted the option without the sugar).
So, back to yesterday: I went outside to do my stair stuff. I made it to the fourth stair sequence, but the crunching in my R knee was...well...quite offputting...disturbing. I wondered if I was further damaging it, quite frankly. Does anyone else's knees crunch? Ew. My L one, with the messed up ACL, will make snapping and popping sounds, and it will sometimes just give way (really unstable, and I cannot do pivoting sorts of moves without risking a jam or give-way). But the crunch is even ore disconcerting than the snaps/pops/creaks. Ew.
I envy y'all with great joints. Really, I do. :)
Anyway, if you haven't seen Allan's chart over at Almost Gastric Bypass, go take a look. I'm the fifth name down on his chart: "Mir". Pretty nifty, huh? The tortoise just hangs in there and does okay....
Have a Thursday your body will thank you for, k?
That makes a nice, even 72 lbs lost.
Yesterday:
Calories: 935
Exercise: Walking, stairs
Mood: calm, good
Hunger: minimal except for an evening uptick
Felt really suddenly with appetite while we were trying out some new animes last night. Caught me by surprise, as I've had a nice tamed appetite beast lately.
We were enjoying sampling Welcome to the NHK, about a quirky hikkikomori, his neighbor, an anime otaku, and the gal who wants to get him out of his reclusive ways; and Hayate, The Combat Butler, about a kid with shiftless parents and bad luck (even Santa won't give him a Christmas present), but whose fighting skills and haplessness lead him to end up as a rich gal's protective butler (and it's funny!) Also got to watch the third episode of Kimi Ni Todoke (very sweet, gently paced, often hilarious school romance, definitely NOT for guys), and the latest episode of Wandering Son (school life with a cross-dressing boy, his "might be gay" best pal, his sister, and circle of friends, and how they are coping with life issues). Hubby likes Infinite Stratos now (very predictable futuristic mecha school life meets "harem" thingie, that is funny, so I enjoy it.) If I can laugh, I like it.
So, there I am, anime-marathoning with the hubster, and I am HUNGRY. I make him pause the streaming and make a quickie bit of egg white and fat free cheese with two cups of decaf tea and water. After an hour, I'm settled. No mad rush to eat more.
I ended up with fewer calories than I realized when I sparked them. I guess cause I had nuts, in my mind it was "Nuts, lotsa calories." But I weigh them, portion them carefully, so it ended up not so much.
I hope today the hunger stays DOWN. :)
I got deliveries: nuts of different sorts from The Nutty Guys (had a groupon, decided to try). Eh. The ones I get from Fresh market are just as good if not better. No big whoop. The other one was from Netrition: my EZ Sweetz sucralose drops for my coffee; low carb tortillas; no-sugar strawberry preserves I like in my yogurt and (when I allow it) my toast; sugar-free dark chocolate bars for my upcoming birthday party (my family is chockabloc with chocoholics, and I wanted the option without the sugar).
So, back to yesterday: I went outside to do my stair stuff. I made it to the fourth stair sequence, but the crunching in my R knee was...well...quite offputting...disturbing. I wondered if I was further damaging it, quite frankly. Does anyone else's knees crunch? Ew. My L one, with the messed up ACL, will make snapping and popping sounds, and it will sometimes just give way (really unstable, and I cannot do pivoting sorts of moves without risking a jam or give-way). But the crunch is even ore disconcerting than the snaps/pops/creaks. Ew.
I envy y'all with great joints. Really, I do. :)
Anyway, if you haven't seen Allan's chart over at Almost Gastric Bypass, go take a look. I'm the fifth name down on his chart: "Mir". Pretty nifty, huh? The tortoise just hangs in there and does okay....
Have a Thursday your body will thank you for, k?
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Day 20 Phase 4 Challenge: Another small downtick, so weigh-in for Challenge should be my best yet! R.D. Delighted with me! A dose of deep optimism; A Lazy Saturday with NPR while Hubby Works On Book, and pretty much the only stuff you can do to help your loved ones choose to eat more healthfully when they refuse to commit....
Tanita-san: 228.8
Yesterday:
calories: 1074
exercise: rest day
hunger: very little appetite
mood: very, very good
My appointment with the R.D. went great. Her scale showed a 5 lb loss. Energy is zooming. Sleep is good. Mood is amazing. She said, "Well, my job doesn't get better than on days like this." I was pleased. Since I'm still crazy motivated, she said we could schedule the next meeting in 2 weeks, rather than one week, and then see if I only want monitoring once a month or whatever I desire.
I have never felt this "high" on a healthy eating plan. I've been steadily losing for over a 6 months, and it just seems to get better the more I try and the more I learn about my body and its needs. I'm sure there is loads more to learn, but I am feeling genuinely psyched and optimistic about goal NOT being a pipe dream..and that, in itself, is a major change. In the back of my mind, even when I mouthed optimistic affirmations, I didn't really BELIEVE THEM, not fully in my brain, and not in the depths of my heart.
I believe now.
It's cool and overcast, and hubby does his work on the 2nd edition of his textbook Saturdays early, so I put on NPR and enjoyed the last bit of Car Talk, then Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! (My fave funny NPR program, and the "fake news" blurb about a Menudo member was so hilarious, I almost dropped my eggs wile cooking), and after some non-comedic stuff (the one old abuse, yowza, that was painful), there's the lighter/funny Says, You.
I woke up totally NOT hungry. For some folks,this is par. Not me. My appetite tends to be ready for breakfast. I looooooove breakfast. I adore having breakfast. I am eager for it.
Today, meh. Not so much. So, I chopped my veggies, got the pan ready, made my egg and egg whites very pretty, like a sombero, with the veggies embedded into the round "brim" of eggwhites and the "crown" the egg yolk. Had papaya and raspberries on the side. Great Brazilian Safira Bourbon java.
Trying to decide if I should just shoot my weigh-in to A today or wait til tomorrow? I'm always nervous I'll miss the deadline. Well, I'll think on it.
Had a long chat with my eldest sis yesterday. She's been anxious and vexed for years about the obesity of her two kids. I explained my journey a bit, and how for me, just making a bit of change, trying out stuff, learning, getting into regular exercise..it was a process, not a "fell swift" sort of thing. And that I had to learn this stuff--what goes on in my brain, what goes on in my hormones, how much I needed to cut back to lose roughly X a week, the effects of macronutrients on hunger and progress. I tried raw foods. I tried vegetarian most-days. I tried higher dieting calories. I am doing now lower dieting claories. I tried low carb, lower carb, Zone-ish carbs, High Carb/low fat. I find lower carb (not induction low, but lower than average for sure) works best for my Insulin Resistance, while allowing me the fruits and yogurt I love and the occasional whole grain I enjoy.
I said all she can do is not have crap at her house (which she does, deny it as much as she likes, she does--soda with sugar, chocolates, white crackers, and when we get together, Cuban pastries, cookies, etc). I said the only thing in her control is to control her own environment, so that when the son visits and daugher are home, and they want something, there's nothing on hand but what's healthful. If there isn't junk there, then they can't have it, unless they buy it and bring it themselves. That puts it on them, not her. She can say, "I have salad fixings and some chicken. Want some?" She can keep veggies and fresh fruit and offer that. Maybe cut it up and put it out to tempt. She can keep water front and center, not juices or sodas. She could have sugar free fudgsicles or Jell-o to offer as a "sweet treat". (I guarantee you that my niece and nephew are I.R. as well, as they have abdominal obesity and I've seen the darkening skin marker on nephew.)
I said, "That's all you can do. Be someone who refuses to stock, store, display, or offer crap."
Because, ultimately, we choose what to eat.
We can call it a craving or a preference or a stressful day or TOM or whatever, but when the food goes in the mouth, we made that choice. You can blame your mom for giving you crap growing up, but you can't blame her once you're old enough to think of yourself as more independent, your own "self", and are able to make your own meals (and by age 15 we pretty much are staking out our territory , and we could all make our own sandwiches, salads, beverages, etc, unless we're handicapped in some way.) By age 18, barring disability, you eat what you choose from what's at home. The worst choices...they're on you, not mom, not dad, not nana.
So, we hope our loved ones make better choices and spare themselves the agonies of increasing girth and limited mobility and incipient heart disease and diabetes (and heart disease and diabetes runs in their Pa's side of the family). But you cannot force. YOu can only encourage and support and NOT be a food-drug dealer.
Give your loved ones love and real loving food, which is not cakes/pies/crap. Real loving food helps them be well and live longer...
Happy Weekend, folks!
Yesterday:
calories: 1074
exercise: rest day
hunger: very little appetite
mood: very, very good
My appointment with the R.D. went great. Her scale showed a 5 lb loss. Energy is zooming. Sleep is good. Mood is amazing. She said, "Well, my job doesn't get better than on days like this." I was pleased. Since I'm still crazy motivated, she said we could schedule the next meeting in 2 weeks, rather than one week, and then see if I only want monitoring once a month or whatever I desire.
I have never felt this "high" on a healthy eating plan. I've been steadily losing for over a 6 months, and it just seems to get better the more I try and the more I learn about my body and its needs. I'm sure there is loads more to learn, but I am feeling genuinely psyched and optimistic about goal NOT being a pipe dream..and that, in itself, is a major change. In the back of my mind, even when I mouthed optimistic affirmations, I didn't really BELIEVE THEM, not fully in my brain, and not in the depths of my heart.
I believe now.
It's cool and overcast, and hubby does his work on the 2nd edition of his textbook Saturdays early, so I put on NPR and enjoyed the last bit of Car Talk, then Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! (My fave funny NPR program, and the "fake news" blurb about a Menudo member was so hilarious, I almost dropped my eggs wile cooking), and after some non-comedic stuff (the one old abuse, yowza, that was painful), there's the lighter/funny Says, You.
I woke up totally NOT hungry. For some folks,this is par. Not me. My appetite tends to be ready for breakfast. I looooooove breakfast. I adore having breakfast. I am eager for it.
Today, meh. Not so much. So, I chopped my veggies, got the pan ready, made my egg and egg whites very pretty, like a sombero, with the veggies embedded into the round "brim" of eggwhites and the "crown" the egg yolk. Had papaya and raspberries on the side. Great Brazilian Safira Bourbon java.
Trying to decide if I should just shoot my weigh-in to A today or wait til tomorrow? I'm always nervous I'll miss the deadline. Well, I'll think on it.
Had a long chat with my eldest sis yesterday. She's been anxious and vexed for years about the obesity of her two kids. I explained my journey a bit, and how for me, just making a bit of change, trying out stuff, learning, getting into regular exercise..it was a process, not a "fell swift" sort of thing. And that I had to learn this stuff--what goes on in my brain, what goes on in my hormones, how much I needed to cut back to lose roughly X a week, the effects of macronutrients on hunger and progress. I tried raw foods. I tried vegetarian most-days. I tried higher dieting calories. I am doing now lower dieting claories. I tried low carb, lower carb, Zone-ish carbs, High Carb/low fat. I find lower carb (not induction low, but lower than average for sure) works best for my Insulin Resistance, while allowing me the fruits and yogurt I love and the occasional whole grain I enjoy.
I said all she can do is not have crap at her house (which she does, deny it as much as she likes, she does--soda with sugar, chocolates, white crackers, and when we get together, Cuban pastries, cookies, etc). I said the only thing in her control is to control her own environment, so that when the son visits and daugher are home, and they want something, there's nothing on hand but what's healthful. If there isn't junk there, then they can't have it, unless they buy it and bring it themselves. That puts it on them, not her. She can say, "I have salad fixings and some chicken. Want some?" She can keep veggies and fresh fruit and offer that. Maybe cut it up and put it out to tempt. She can keep water front and center, not juices or sodas. She could have sugar free fudgsicles or Jell-o to offer as a "sweet treat". (I guarantee you that my niece and nephew are I.R. as well, as they have abdominal obesity and I've seen the darkening skin marker on nephew.)
I said, "That's all you can do. Be someone who refuses to stock, store, display, or offer crap."
Because, ultimately, we choose what to eat.
We can call it a craving or a preference or a stressful day or TOM or whatever, but when the food goes in the mouth, we made that choice. You can blame your mom for giving you crap growing up, but you can't blame her once you're old enough to think of yourself as more independent, your own "self", and are able to make your own meals (and by age 15 we pretty much are staking out our territory , and we could all make our own sandwiches, salads, beverages, etc, unless we're handicapped in some way.) By age 18, barring disability, you eat what you choose from what's at home. The worst choices...they're on you, not mom, not dad, not nana.
So, we hope our loved ones make better choices and spare themselves the agonies of increasing girth and limited mobility and incipient heart disease and diabetes (and heart disease and diabetes runs in their Pa's side of the family). But you cannot force. YOu can only encourage and support and NOT be a food-drug dealer.
Give your loved ones love and real loving food, which is not cakes/pies/crap. Real loving food helps them be well and live longer...
Happy Weekend, folks!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Day 6 Phase 4: Recap of Yesterday's Challenge Particulars, The Vexing Scale, Exercise, Sore Butt, Primo Poops, Great Mood, Not Hungry on Waking, Plumbing Frustrations, Food Temptation Tomorrow at 3 Kings Day Belated Celebration, and it's Walk Day!
The second week of 2011 BEGINS....and I wake up....and I get on the scale cause I
sometimes get Allan my weigh-in result prior to Sunday so I don't miss the deadline...and...
Huh. Hmm.
235.2.
Heh?
I guess I'll wait till tomorrow and see if I can erase this from my memory...with a better result.
235.2 is .2 lbs MORE than last Sunday's official challenge start. MORE! (Culprit: Ham steak for dinner, maybe? 100 calories but like 800 sodium grams? But I had potato with it, and that has balancing potassium, AND I took 2 potassium supplements as well and drank 3 cups green tea.)
I'm glad I fortified myself with Beth's comment in my previous post this AM. Because what she said is true. Anyone who has dieted for any extended period of time (ie, more than a couple months) knows the weirdnesses and the whooshes and the retentions and the retrograde wackiness.
I think I moped for all of 10 minutes then got on to making my ON PLAN breakfast. Interesting phenomenon: Not very hungry.
Yesterday: Calories 1277. Water: Done + Exercise: Squats and torso raises. (I can't do side lunges, period, so I do side lunge "equivalents"--ie, exercises that work THOSE muscles--with my trainer on Monday and Thursdays to spare my damaged knees/ankle.) Hunger: hungry on awakening, no weird hunger at night. The protein emphasis on the later snack helped loads, I think, with me waking up food-calm.
Exercise note: I had gotten a phone call after doing my squats (oh, lawdy, oh, lawdy, ouchie), and got sidetracked. Realized shortly before bedtime I never did my torso raises, so I got my mat out, got on the floor, and did my 4 sets of 10. Yes! I also did tabletop leg divided The Hundred, some roll ups and roll downs, some crunches, and some stretches. Figured might as well while I was down there anyway....
Today, MY BUTT IS KILLING ME!
I'm sitting on a fluffy pillow as I type. Seriously. Owie. Isn't that great? I love being exercise sore (as long as I can, ya know, MOVE). If you aren't sore the day after exercising, let's face it, you didn't work it. Not pain--pain as in you hurt your joint or pulled a muscle. No...soreness. Soreness that said you stressed that muscle and it's gonna build up more tissue. Yes! More muscle. Give me MORE muscle!
While my butt may be sore, my poops are great. If you're following the Phase 4 Packet, you shouldn't be having poop issues (like I did on the low carb at times). Man, I go like 4 times a day...love it. Love cleaning things out.
Speaking of Cleaning Out: We had the plumber here day before yesterday to unclog a big clog. Now hubby and the exterminator, on the rounds of the building, noticed some sort of water leak in the back/side. Oh, gosh, another plumber visit. The cost of plumbers is numbing, but got no choice. I'm scared the leak may end up being a costly thing. Egads....I want to win the Lottoa nd have a custom made, spanking new home with indestructible pipes. How much is that? ; )
So, today's requirement, besides the 1200 cals and the 143 oz water is to WALK. So, today, sometime after cable man/plumber/exterminator trifecta--we walk! (I wonder if all those bathroom runs add up to some sort of exercise?)
Tomorrow it's our belated Christmas, so I assume some food temptations will be around. I plan to just take my own stuff. Makes life easier, frankly. I don't even want to look at fancy food right now. I'll take presents and probably the salad/yogurt or sandwich option (easiest to carry) and some hummus/carrots for my snack (as we'll stay longer than just one meal). Hubby loves sammies and salads and carrots and hummus, so with enough for two, we're covered, foodwise and can focus on playing Scrabble, video games, backyard toss/catch or whatever the kids are running around doing. As Allan says, it's about family, NOT food, even if it's BELATED, that's still how it is.
I hope today you have a kinder scale than I do, and that we all keep our zen calm as we face each meal/snack/temptation.
sometimes get Allan my weigh-in result prior to Sunday so I don't miss the deadline...and...
Huh. Hmm.
235.2.
Heh?
I guess I'll wait till tomorrow and see if I can erase this from my memory...with a better result.
235.2 is .2 lbs MORE than last Sunday's official challenge start. MORE! (Culprit: Ham steak for dinner, maybe? 100 calories but like 800 sodium grams? But I had potato with it, and that has balancing potassium, AND I took 2 potassium supplements as well and drank 3 cups green tea.)
I'm glad I fortified myself with Beth's comment in my previous post this AM. Because what she said is true. Anyone who has dieted for any extended period of time (ie, more than a couple months) knows the weirdnesses and the whooshes and the retentions and the retrograde wackiness.
I think I moped for all of 10 minutes then got on to making my ON PLAN breakfast. Interesting phenomenon: Not very hungry.
Yesterday: Calories 1277. Water: Done + Exercise: Squats and torso raises. (I can't do side lunges, period, so I do side lunge "equivalents"--ie, exercises that work THOSE muscles--with my trainer on Monday and Thursdays to spare my damaged knees/ankle.) Hunger: hungry on awakening, no weird hunger at night. The protein emphasis on the later snack helped loads, I think, with me waking up food-calm.
Exercise note: I had gotten a phone call after doing my squats (oh, lawdy, oh, lawdy, ouchie), and got sidetracked. Realized shortly before bedtime I never did my torso raises, so I got my mat out, got on the floor, and did my 4 sets of 10. Yes! I also did tabletop leg divided The Hundred, some roll ups and roll downs, some crunches, and some stretches. Figured might as well while I was down there anyway....
Today, MY BUTT IS KILLING ME!
I'm sitting on a fluffy pillow as I type. Seriously. Owie. Isn't that great? I love being exercise sore (as long as I can, ya know, MOVE). If you aren't sore the day after exercising, let's face it, you didn't work it. Not pain--pain as in you hurt your joint or pulled a muscle. No...soreness. Soreness that said you stressed that muscle and it's gonna build up more tissue. Yes! More muscle. Give me MORE muscle!
While my butt may be sore, my poops are great. If you're following the Phase 4 Packet, you shouldn't be having poop issues (like I did on the low carb at times). Man, I go like 4 times a day...love it. Love cleaning things out.
Speaking of Cleaning Out: We had the plumber here day before yesterday to unclog a big clog. Now hubby and the exterminator, on the rounds of the building, noticed some sort of water leak in the back/side. Oh, gosh, another plumber visit. The cost of plumbers is numbing, but got no choice. I'm scared the leak may end up being a costly thing. Egads....I want to win the Lottoa nd have a custom made, spanking new home with indestructible pipes. How much is that? ; )
So, today's requirement, besides the 1200 cals and the 143 oz water is to WALK. So, today, sometime after cable man/plumber/exterminator trifecta--we walk! (I wonder if all those bathroom runs add up to some sort of exercise?)
Tomorrow it's our belated Christmas, so I assume some food temptations will be around. I plan to just take my own stuff. Makes life easier, frankly. I don't even want to look at fancy food right now. I'll take presents and probably the salad/yogurt or sandwich option (easiest to carry) and some hummus/carrots for my snack (as we'll stay longer than just one meal). Hubby loves sammies and salads and carrots and hummus, so with enough for two, we're covered, foodwise and can focus on playing Scrabble, video games, backyard toss/catch or whatever the kids are running around doing. As Allan says, it's about family, NOT food, even if it's BELATED, that's still how it is.
I hope today you have a kinder scale than I do, and that we all keep our zen calm as we face each meal/snack/temptation.
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