Heat Intolerance sucks

I went walking for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday with hubby. We waited until evening so it was a bit cooler. We've had hot, humid weather. Lots of thunderstorms (what kept me inside at first, then the mood issues demotivated me.)

I could barely tolerate it. Made it through 20 minutes only by focusing.  I felt so hot and weak, like I was gonna pass out. My legs were shaky. I was panting. I felt woozy.

 I'll note that I did my Pilates session with my trainer and got through it fine. Indoors. With a/c.  But the heat/humidity outside got to me. 8pm and it was overcast, humid, and in the 80s.

I walked fine all last summer, even in humid weather, and that was when I was a bit hypothyroid, so I was feeling "chilly", as hypothyroid folks will tend to when they are a bit out of range. I was comfy for the most part last summer, and enjoyed having a time outside.

I guess when I see the endo in July (regularly scheduled appt), I'll find out if she needs to tweak me. I want to be able to walk again, but it's a fine line where I am euthyroid, and it's hard to STAY there.

Heat intolerance is tough. I start hyperventilating, feeling weak, feeling like I'm gonna burn up and pass out. Hate it. Wish I had a normal thyroid and didn't have to keep adjusting meds with weight changes or after active thyroiditis incidents. Well, you do what you can and keep the faith that medical science progress improves the situation.

I miss walking now. Wish someone could follow me around blasting icy air. :D

Be well...

Like I didn't have enough stress: The car, the carbs, and the caterwauling....oh, and the VITAMIX!

With the other stuff going on, with my jangled sleep, this I did not need.

What, you ask? Well,  my car did some wonky stuff Wednesday evening. Scared the crap outta me.  I had to park and call hubby to get the organic goodies in my stead on the way from work.  Waited for roadside service to tow it to dealer. Yeah, see me jump around with nerves.

Thursday and today, lots of phone calls, internet research, and near-to-hollering to get a problem fixed that seems to be discussed much for my model/make/year. Spoke to various GM c/s folks (I'm assuming in India, given accents, which is fine, me loves da Indian folks and you can't fault their language skills and courtesy!), and the local service manager, and got assigned to a district representative, as I'm getting heated in the brain as this progresses.

My Bronx gal resurrected after a whole day and a half of polite and informative and patient being on hold, talking to people, explaining over and over the weird malfunction. Being told, "Car is fine."

Excuse me? Fine? Yeah, right.

Basically me going all Bronx Princess: "You are keeping the car until it's fixed. You are going to find the issue. I wil not DIE on the highway cause you won't fix the issue. It's a defect and you need to fix it. FIX THE DAMN CAR! Cause if I die, my hubby is under orders to sue the whole lot of you and be a fabulously wealthy widower!"

Looks like it might get fixed. :D

But I actually just bawled at one point today with hubby--cause, hey, who can you bawl with if not your beloveed?-- which is NOT me, and it's probably cause it was stress upon stress, worry upon worry, and I needed a good bawl since I refused to have a bad binge. It was one or the other. Cry or eat. I cried.

Still, I caved to the starch. Starch sends all those calming chemicals to the brain and all.

The stress led me to hit the rice, the cassava, then the rice again in the last 24 hours. I did NOT binge. I did not surpass 2000 calories, but hey, it's starch and a heckuva a lot of salty stuff with the start (ie, I dumped rice in egg drop soup; I had take-out boiled cassava so salty I think my kidneys screamed).

So, I'm totally afraid to hit the scale. Which I will on Sunday...but er.....er....

I did get more walking done, as without a car, I had to walk to my Pilates session or lose the moolah. (They need 24 hour cancellation and one session is $72, which I was NOT about to toss down the drain!)  Session went great. Was hard. And being all warmed up from the walk ended up being a plus. As long as the weather is beautiful (before the big rains and humidity strike in Miami), I may just walk there....

In other news: I got me a VITAMIX. OMG, this sucker is expensive. OMG. Seriously. Expensive.

Still...I am expecting it to last 10+ years.

I got it cause I loved seeing BETH at OBESITY STRIKE --see my blogroll for the link-- do her smoothie and other things in it. It sounded yummy and healthful. So, I  invested in it and I hope to learn to make the smoothies, "ice cream", and soups with fruit, veggies, and greens. I'm kinda clunky in the kitchen, so I'll have a bit of a learning curve, but the simple berries and banana smoothies are notably more delicious in this than my old blender. It's just mixed to a wonderful consistency like pro smoothies. Me likey dat a lot.

Well, not so inspiring here with my bawling and starching, but this happens, and we'll get through it. It's funny how I can handle some emergencies--all those awful years when mom and dad were ailing and dying, school stuff, work stuff-- and stressors pretty well, but car trouble...it's always one of my bugaboos. Always has been. I guess cause I know squat about cars so have nothing to actually DO other than call for help.... ; )

Happy weekend to all. Be well.

Fight The Fat Remotivation Project Day 1 VLOG

Try Walking...if you haven't. Trust me, it's good for you in so many ways! (yet another vlog)

I gots a "pink" mood for my walk...and if you're in E2E, remember your movement goals....(another VLOG...much shorter this time)

Note: I ended up walking 36 minutes. YAY! I looked at my watch when I felt the joints ease and pain stop and it was the 12 minute mark. About 6 minutes more than usual...but hey, it's so good when you can hit your stride some. Make sure to LOOK UP if you have clear skies. Planets and the moon. Nice!

Be well...

Sore. Relieved. Sad. Blessed. Grateful. Bloated. Sis Strategy. Sweet Potatoes?

Sore: MY MUSCLES HURT! My first Pilates training session since the family tragedy. It's been four weeks. I put my all into it. We did the whole body. And though I'm normally only feeling the soreness the night AFTER, I felt it as soon as I moved to get up. Ow. That's great, right?

I love feeling that feeling. Muscles: build away.

Relieved: My sister's pericardial effusion is resolving on the corticosteroid, and so no surgical intervention is planned for now. Her grief is huge and pressing on her, and her 70-year old body is trying hard to stand against it. But I'm relieved no surgery. Thank you, God.

Sad: Just one of those "I woke up missing the gone" days. Also, I've visited some blogs today, and some made me feel sad cause some folks are having hard times with the eating or their health. I know that story too well. I've never had perfect health and still envy those who do or know what that's like. I don't. I won't ever in this body. I gotta wait for the resurrection to have that inkling. If you want to share some of the sadness, read this post. Read it especially if you have blood sugar issues/are at risk for diabetes/are not working on losing the fat and getting healthy. Don't close the barn door too late. And please pray for Deb. She is in a time of seeking...and I wish her only the greatest wisdom and peace as she does.



Blessed:  Even with all the worries on my mind this summer, I can say I'm blessed in many ways and I choose to be grateful for the love and goodness God has allowed into my life. It's the only way to keep any perspective when times are hard--financially, emotionally, dietetically, medically, relationally, etc.

Can you walk? Blessed. Can you see? Blessed. Can you hear? Blessed. Do you have clean running water in your home? Blessed. Shoot, do you HAVE a home? Blessed. Is there healthful food in your home? Blessed. (And if you doubt it's an enormous blessing, think of East Africa's trials right now.  And give--I chose World Vision, as I've sponsored a couple kids in Africa through them for 13 years now.) Does someone love you? Blessed.Blessed. Are you mostly pain-free? Blessed. Can you think, imagine, dream, hope, strive with your own hands, work, sleep, and wake again to a new day of a life in a free land? Blessed.

Bloated: And I'm blessed even when the scale goes up cause of sodium bloat. I had gone about 20 hours without eating, and right in the middle of my walk,  I got hungry. Just got really hungry. I detoured to a local sushi place and in 5 minutes was back walking, with a small takeout bag in my hand. Incentive to walk FASTER to get home. Hah.

Aw, man, that avocado sushi and kappa roll with my first meal of the day were lovely, but the starch and soy sauce bloat, not so much. Glad I exercised hard yesterday--my 55 minute Pilates and 30 minute brisk walk. It was a starchy indulgence.

Sis Strategy: That's my sister's treat method--middle one, not eldest with the heart issue now. If she wants something "off plan", she makes herself walk to get it, eat it, walk back, and burn off the calories. So, if she wants pizza, instead of a bus or drive, she walks to the pizzeria, and figures out how much more exercise she needs to burn it off. Always has done that. And back in her younger days, she was down to a size 6 (old size 6, which is more like a 2 or 4 in today's sizing). And she only got up a bit in weight (she's in the 160s now) in her SIXTIES and with illness keeping her inside more in the heat. But she was always incredibly shapely, lean, and PAID for her treats with movement. I should have learned that system ages ago, huh?

The sushi place was about 15 minutes away, walking. :) I wonder how much I burned off of that rice?

Sweet Potatoes?  Our American kids raise funds for their schools selling candy or crap plastic "made in China" products that don't work or last. Japanese kiddes sell...sweet potatoes? Wow. That's interesting. And they're cute, too, in those yellow hat. Lookee here.  Looks like they even plant and grow those babies themselves. Hm. That in part may explain why their kids aren't ballooning to insane weights and early diabetes in as rapid a pace or rate as ours. I'm sick of seeing kids selling candy bars to raise money, or cookies, or cakes. How about they sell fresh fruit? A bag of no sugar/no salt trail mix? How about they sell baked sweet potatoes? Or have an herb harden they tend (exercise) and sell bundles of basil, dill, chives, oregano, cilantro, etc. :) Oh, right. People will spend it on crap, not fresh, real food, is that the obstacle? Sad. I've not bought Girl Scout cookies for years. I'd happily buy Girl Scout Herbs and Lettuces. :D

Today, count your blessings, pray for those struggling, support those you can, accept support if you need it, eat healthfully, move well, rest deeply, and say thank you for the simple and beautiful and needful and enlightening things in your life.

Be well...

Back to EXERCISING! & What the heck is that line down my torso? Oh, is THAT what it is? ; ) Rereading REFUSE TO REGAIN and sharing a quote on metabolism & exercise..and what is your exercise block? Move!

Tanita-san: 186.0

It keeps moving down. I keep smiling.

In less than one pound, I'll just be "overweight". Buh-bye, obesity!

I'm officially back to exercising. Yesterday I walked 28 minutes (stopped when left foot got numb, which hadn't happened until the 40 to 45 minute mark before). I guess I have ground to regain, footwise.

I then went swimming at the local pool for a half hour. I used some of that to work on my triceps (ie, swam in ways that made me force water using triceps muscles).  I also did that thing where you lift yourself out of the pool, held it, went back to water. Lifted out of pool, held it, back in water--twenty times. I did scissors while holding onto the edge of the pool until my inner thighs were exhausted. I just used up energy and moved and had fun.
 
The moon was amazing (we did evening time in the pool), a sliver of newness that got more golden then coppery as it dropped further into the west. It was a gorgeous evening. I'm glad I went out and walked and swam.  Saw an ibis. Saw a ravishing moon. Smelled flower-scented balmy air. It was good to be alive. And because I felt so alive again, I missed my nephew. A lot. And cried, a little. But he's in Heaven, and that's better than here, as beautiful an evening as it was.

I was a little woozy after exercising so I checked my BP: 104/62

Pretty good for a gal who was on blood pressure meds for years until a couple months ago. :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I've been noticing this line that runs down my torso. I couldn't remember seeing this before.

I found out what it is: linea alba.

It is formed by the fusion of the aponeuroses of the abdominal muscles, and it separates the left and right rectus abdominis muscles. In muscular individuals its presence can be seen on the skin, forming the depression between the left and right halves of a "six pack."

I had kidded around with my hubby how after 3 years of Pilates, I had a six-pack under all that huge pile of fat. Apparently, I wasn't far off. You can't do all those abdominal exercises in Pilates training, week in, week out, 2x or 3x a week, and not have results, right?

Mine is not a lean athlete's or personal trainer's version. Heck no. Loose skin. Still a large load of fat. I carry in the torso anyway. When I was a teten and normal weight, I had skinny arms and legs and a poochy tummy. My belly was always my weak spot.

But the linea alba and segmented muscles ARE gently visible and that is a badge rewarding a lot of cruches, hundreds, and assorted sweat-fests. I didn't have that the last time I was 186. But then, the last time I was this weight, I was not exercising much, other than some dancing/aerobics. No hardcore abdominal work and such. I've spent 3 years knowing what regular sore muscles (abs and others) is like. This is the payoff.

I also note that my legs look great. Working out changes how you look as the fat goes away. If you want to look better when you lose some weight--start working out NOW. I do notice that it helps a lot with contour and firmness, even with the shifty layer of excess skin here and there. I know I'd look way, way worse had I not worked out consistently for THREE YEARS and worked my butt off multiple days a week for 7+ months.

Yes, I have saggy thigh-butt-belly-upper arm-bosom skin, particularly those crinkly-droopies in the inner thigh and upper arms and that panni, from  having been 300 lbs and now 112 pounds LESS than that number. You pay a price. But the abdominal muscles are showing. I SEE THEM when I'm nekkid and it makes me happy.I'm still fat. I'm still abdominally fat, but I finally see what all my hard work did over the years.

I haven't had a Pilates session in over 2 weeks. I miss it. Bad. I always felt so zingy and flexible and alive afterwards. So dang virtuous. I resume next week (and I will assess what the budget allows). But tomorrow, I'm gonna do some mat-work at home. I wanna keep my abs, even if I can't keep training with Liza 2x a week. (Though I'm praying I can. It does my body good.)

I don't wanna lose my ab muscles or my nice thigh shape. I love what Pilates did for my aging body and especially my once thunder-thighs. I really love LOOKING at those muscles in my thighs in shorts. They look GOOD.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I dipped into REFUSE TO REGAIN by Dr. Berkeley last night. Since I reintroduced some starchy carbs recently --potatoes, rice, the safe ones according to the Jaminets-- I find I'm TOO MUCH letting them slide in. More than a couple times a week. I needed a reminder why I need to be very vigilant with starches and make them the "rare" S food, not the usual meal item. My dietitian allowed me one starch serving a day. I did better with one starch serving once or twice a week. I'm doing about 4x a week now. I'm not gaining or anything from it. But I fear re-invigorating my appetite. I am more insulin sensitive, more leptin sensitive, but I'm still someone with "issues" with starchy carbs and sugar and I must always be vigilant. This book reminds me to not let this slide....

The chapter on metabolism is helpful--realistic, but hopeful--and emphasizes the role exercise can play in maintenance. I'm not in maintenance, but I will be, and soonish.

I had exercise on the brain, so a quote stood out. It just highlighted for me why this habit is a habit that's worth developing, even for those just starting their journey of weight loss, even those who haven't yet lost the first 5 pounds on the long journey. I started developing the habit when I was 278 lbs. You are never too big to move in some way.

Here's a quote:

"Exercise may benefit metabolism as well. One study which looked at maintainers eighteen to forty months after dieting showed that those who exercised had normal metabolic rates for size, whereas those who were sedentary had slower than predicted rates. If you want to be assured of a nice, active metabolic rate--exercise. Be sure to include some muscle-building activity to maintain a good store of metabolically active muscle tissue."

It's just common sense really. Move more = higher metabolism Move less = slower metabolism. Diet a lot = impair metabolism. But that impairment seems to improve with time and with increasing muscle mass.

So...if that doesn't get ya to commit to move...you need some deep soul-searching to figure out why.  We all have our reasons, and it may come down simply to plain, old, classic-vice sloth. What's your block?

If you've not exercised in a while--or ever--commit to 10 minutes today. Just ten. Walk, swim, ride a bike, dance to fast music, walk in place in front of a tv show you like, put on an exercise video. 10 mins. Start now.

Okay. I'm off to eat something and figure out how to bust a muscle-building move when a stormy sky threatens my walk. I see an On Demand video as a possibility. Or some dancing. I just got a new electronica/dance cd from Amazon via UPS today. Might try it out.

Go. Burn some calories. Build some muscle.

Be well...

Day 5 of StSC: Arthritis in my butt? ...Almost off BP Meds... IHOP Simple Fit brekkie.. StS day 4 stats ...&...I have a THUTT Plus This is What happens to thighs when you lose 105 lbs! It ain't cute!

Okay, so no scale today. Rushed (and barely made) my appointment with the doc. She suspects it's arthritis in my coccyx and hips (as well as knees, sure) that is causing the issue. I suspected the hips. I always am stiff after sitting a spell and need to stretch before walking, cause the first 10 minutes always hurt. Stiff, stiff, stiff! Thank God Pilates gives some stretch relief.

I did mention getting old is a beeyotch, right?

On the plus side, BP was low, and she reduced my half-dosage to a half-dosage every other day. She suspects that 5 more pounds and I'll be off the ramipril altogether. Yay!

On the way home from the doc, I was hungry. So, I wanted breakfast and I turned at the first IHOP I saw. I hadn't been to IHOP in..well...a long time. I didn't know they'd revamped the menu. I'd assumed I'd get a salad and some eggs or eggs and tomato or some variation.

Noticed they had a SIMPLE FIT thing going on, with a few choices (not a lot, but a few) that were lower calorie/fat. Fine, I wanted eggs anyway.  It just made it easier on me not to have to haggle over what to get instead of toast/potatoes/stuff I don't eat.

I got this one:

The menu said this egg-substitute omelette with spinach, mushrooms, and tomato with a side of fruit was 330 cals. I added swiss cheese for more protein and some calcium. So, mebbe 450 to 500? I don't believe the calorie counts, so I figure a bit more ANYWAY from what they say. Always ADD some. Restaurants don't follow the perfect guidelines of a company's rigorous kitchen (weights, measures, less oil, blah, blah). But under 500 is fine for one meal. I normally eat twice, add maybe a snack if peckish. I had coffee and lots of water and felt quite full.

The omelette was excellent. Tasty and fluffy and a decent serving of veggies and a small serving of fruit  (though at home I usually have 3 to 6x the freggies). The fruit was...so-so. The pineapple piece and single grape were icky looking. The cantaloupe was a little past its prime. The honeydew and orange segments was good. Glad it was mostly honeydew.

Okay, so my anniversary (28th) is tomorrow. I had such a nice time at the Aveda spa last week (and my hair still looks GOOD without having done a thing to it since then), that I asked hubby to indulge me. "I want to have another condition and blow-out!" He said fine. He's gonna have his highlights touched up. He's got a pro photo session this coming week, and it would be nice to have his hair look primo for it. He might need those pics for author shots, resumes, conference programs, who knows what else...

So, how did my StS Challenge Thursday/4th day  go?

Calories: 1349, and tracked on Sparkpeople
Exercise: 30 minutes-- walking
Fluids: Yes.
Vitamins: Yes
Prayer: yes
Encourage Challengers: Yes, some.

Here was dinner last night, which was actually like BREAKFAST...cause I didn't have eggs that day and wanted me something lightish, but cheesyish and wanted broccoli slaw. Bought some fresh and got a hankering:

Cherries, honeydew in bowl; egg white layer with mushrooms,
broccoli slaw, red peppers, lowfat cheese, and lots of Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb

In case anyone cared how I carry my goodies while walking, I used to just carry them in my hand (inhaler, tissues, keys) and tuck moolah in my bra. Now I carry a cute leather bag I got a couple weeks ago:

Walking outfit on 6-9-11, with cute bag
& hair pulled half-back for coolness.

Sorry about the flash. I was in a semi-hurry and rushed. I love having my hands free when I'm ambulating!

Okay, so the bag is cute, but my thighs increasingly less so. I've noticed that with the last 8 pounds or so, my butt is now resting noticeably on my upper thighs. I guess I have, not cankles, but THUTT. I hate how it feels when I walk naked. Ugh.

And the thighs are crinklier and now dimpling mid-thigh. Before, the mid-thigh was pretty good. But in the last few weeks, the crinkling is really noticeable there. I guess I passed a hanging-skin threshold and it got suddenly worse.

I tried to get good shots, but this is the best I could do. Didn't wanna show too much (ie, panties)....cause, really, I balk and hubby balks at THAT. :O

Here we go:

Draping skin at inner thigh

weird dimping on mid thighs

Elephant crinkly skin, and yes, I hate seeing that!

If you are not obese but have been gaining weight, here is my cautionary visual. DO NOT BECOME HUGE. If you do, and you reduce, and exercise like mad, you will still have damage. It's ugly. You don't want it on your body. Do whatever it takes to get a handle on things and eat well, move well, hydrate well, and NOT GET HUGE!

I cannot tell you how awful it is to have your skin NOT FIT. It's like I constantly wear clothes that are baggy and unattractive. I have to hoist the loose stuff into bras and undies and feel best in clothes with some stretch/compression to keep the wobbles at bay.

Please, don't get like I did. Save yourself the droopy flesh blues.

And...that's it. Sorry to end on a downer....but I think the good has to go with the bad to be truthful. The good, being fat and sick for so long made me more compassionate and patient. Getting healthy is making me more disciplined. But there are consequences....and the worst of it I can't show. (No, I ain't showing you my butt and panni, cause, really, I don't wanna disrespect hubby or be THAT exposed on the "it's out there forever" internet.)

I pray your weekend is truly, truly wonderful. I may be scarce. I have an anniversary to celebrate with the sweetest, dearest, handsomest man in the cosmos!

Later...

Still in Onederland: Some Pics from Today's Walk on Overcast Day...

If you watched the April 21 episode of BONES, when the quirky Finder dude (can't wait for that show to premiere) is consulting with the clergyman in that pillared stone gallery and courtyard, that's the Spanish Monastery (the oldest building in the US, given it's from the 1100s and brought , dismantled from Europe to the US by William R. Hearst, reassembled right here). It's a lovely spot for an afternoon of meditation, walking the small garden or sitting in the sunny courtyard surrounded by ancient stones. One of my fave places in the city. Nice little chapel for a service on a Wednesday morning.

Anyway, it was overcast, but we went for a walk. Decided to take a longer route, so we headed to the Monastery. Took some pics of me in a light shirt--shows my bulging back fat in my new wire-free bra that's 40DD. I'm  at my Onederland weight: 199.8

Here ya go:

Monastery, torches in garden, and Me at the Gate..wedding going on inside...

Hearing the Wedding March played made me smile...

Walking to Monastery Gate...torches for wedding in progress...

Side View--wind in my hair...and droopy pannus in my pants!

Praise be to God for Feeling GOOD!

Hubby, who has leaned the bod eating less starch/sugar and more meat and fat. :)

My Toots with St Francis at the Monastery Gate (sooo cute!)

Saturday Playwalking Pics....and dat's all...weigh-in tomorrow...

I figure it will be a 3 lbs off weigh-in barring some funky body stuff....(hear that body, behave).

I spent several days without my cardio to not-sweat and let rash heal; so I was at my cabin fever limit today. I said to hubby, "Grab the mini soccer ball and let's go do it!"

Had a great time. Did some sprint intervals. Did some bouncing, tossing, backwards walking, much laughter and giggling and smiling and ....heavy breathing. Ah, I feel back to normal. How I missed thee, my playwalks!
Couple pics:

Victory over Sloth!

Happy, Windblown, Sweaty Playwalkers!

Very happy with progress in the last two weeks. This wasn't a fasting workout (we ate 90 mins before walking). But still, it was beneficial and energizing and heart-pumping. It's all good.

Be well and make your weekend restful, recreative, and transformational!

Am Still Melting with Fasting Workouts, Walnut Butter with Cinnamon rocks, some Paleo Friendly Fast Food....on day 81 of Phase 5

Tanita-san: 203.4

Yep. Dat's right! Even with two days of some extra calories, even with eating roast pork, steak, shredded beef, guacamole, and yesterday, some sour cream with that shredded beef. And gluten free cookies. Today, no cookies, no beef. But it was great to have a change and make sure I get a kick of dietary iron and carnitine.

I also had walnut butter with my apple snack. I mixed in some true cinnamon (thanks, Anne H, for the tip to it) and a sprinkle of splenda to get a paste that made the apple with it combined taste like apple-walnut torte. So nice. If you haven't ever tried any nut butter other than peanut, try walnut,almond and macadamia. Better for ya than peanut.

(Note on cookies: I hadn't had a treat in a while and got these from Netrition thinking, eh, they will likely suck. Wrong. They were amazing. Had three with my coconut milk for dessert last night. They are named Island Lime, but I call em Island Coconut. I don't taste any lime. Which is fine. I love coconut flavor.) They're not Paleo. They are pricey (so incentive to not eat them often or a lot). For the occasional about 120 calorie low-carb treat, works. Lotsa fiber is a plus.

Honestly, I thought weigh-in would suck given the sodium blast in the guacamole and beef (it was from CHIPOTLE, so you know, fast food salt!). And for those doing Primal/Paleo/Primarian--one of those salads from CHIPOTLE with the greens, salsa, guacamole, fajita veggies, and protein (chicken, beef, or pok) is plan-friendly. Just skip the wraps, beans, rice, corn. If you're Primarian, you can have some of the shredded cheese as an option. I got two salad bowls. One with beef and one with chicken. Had one for lunch and one for dinner. No cooking day!

But I can see my body changing when I examine it naked. I can see the fruit of my core-work starting to show as the belly fat burns-burns-burns away. I look "normal" to my eyes when I spy myself in a shop window reflection. I don't see the Fat Princess (though I'm still obese). I see...kinda normal woman looking back.

I'm psyched!

But....

I haven't been able to do my walks in the last couple days (rash is healing and must reduce sweating and exposure to heat/sun/humidity), so I made sure to go fasting into my Pilates session yesterday. She had to put refrigerated wet towels on me periodically during the workout, but we got through it and I did fine. Flexibility has increased with less fat in the way. Strength is going up. I feel good!

But I miss walking. I miss it bad. This is a mindset change. I used to--for years!--have the hardest time motivating myself to do any exercise, and especially anything remotely cardio. Now, I want my walk. Damn rash!

For those who gave suggestions, thank you! (And for the compliments, cheers, encouragement.) I think mall walking seems the most Princess-Friendly, as long as I can reverse my sleep schedule to the morning walking time pre-shoppers. I hate dodging shoppers and dealing with horrible parking traffic at the local mall. It's a popular one.

So close to Onederland. Here I cometh!

Well, please remember the tornado victims today in prayer and donations. Let's take care of our own... and let's pray that storms will be calm this summer in all regions. I know in Miami, hurricanes are a big fear of mine. In other area, tornadoes. In others, fires. In others, mudslides. And so on....let's pray for benevolent weather....

Have fun this weekend. Go listen to festival music. Go to a park--and, heh, we have a retro hippie festival near us this weekend, but hubby has to work on book. I might yank him away for an hour or two and take a parasol.

Be well...

Day 60 of Phase 5: Yay, the scale mooooooooooooooved... 85 lbs down now, and Walking with hubby is da best!

I actually risked the scale yesterday: 214.2
Then today: 214.0

So, it wasn't a fluke. It is progress again. So, I am hoping that by Sunday, I can get close enough to 213 to report a 2 lb loss. (I had no loss to report last Sunday.)

I think there were multiple culprits (the medical stuff going on as I mentioned in a previous post). But there may have been another estrogen release thing. Every now and then, after the loss of some weight, I get spotting. I get like a mini-period, though I'm menopausal. It's the hormones that release with the fat, I suspect (google it). So, that could have been the plateau co-conspirator with the inflammation.

I just want the progress to continue. I hate stalls, no matter how brief. Annoying. I don't care if it's a pound a week. I want the loss when I do the fricken hard work!

If I were cheating, eating up a storm, ignoring exercise, fine. I don't deserve to lose an ounce.

But when I'm eating at caloric goal and exercising and hydrating and  resting as needed, it vexes me. It's my sense of fairness and justice in play. If I overeat, I deserve to see added pounds on the scale. If I don't, I deserve to see loss.

The body doesn't work on my own system of justice. Snarf.

But fine, it's moving again. I rejoice.

Yesterday was Pilates--we did some new challenging stuff--and walking. The temperature was very pleasant in the early evening. Hubby met me halway through my walk (he got home from work, saw I was out on my exercise time, and went to catch up and walk home with me). I found that romantic. We held hands during the cool-down phase as we got close to home. Nice. Hee.

I can actually tell that the pound came from my belly fat. Hips measurement was smaller and I looked a bit more deflated in the hanging sack of my pannus. (Gross. But, hey..it is what it is.)

Seeing that lovely new number --it's now 85 lbs down--makes me want to stay on plan EVEN MORE. I feel the surge of motivation. Yes!

Anyway, not much more to add today. Do your best. Be happy and well....

Day 39 of Phase 5: Allergies, Delayed Effects of Lost Sleep, How Far Would You Walk for Chicken?.... and Is This Really The Crap We're Eating Most Often in the US? Plus, You can Donate DIRECTLY to the Japanese Red Cross! ....HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY with a vid that blends the Japanese and Celtic themes of my post today! Eat a HEALTHFUL Green Thing Today!

Tanita-san: 216.8

Man, it feels like it's taking me forever to get to 216.0 (my next milestone).

I'm lethargic today. Yesterday, I got up early (slept just under 4 hours to do so). I was a little "off" all day and draggy, even a bit dizzy, and I curtailed my walk, cause I just felt unstable;  but then perked up at the WRONG time, midnightish. While I slept 8 hours today, I am not feeling myself. This is the price of lost sleep for me in middle age--I have to pay it whenever I curtail sleep. I'm "off" for a few days and it takes me a while to feel back at normal energy levels.

Hoping walking today clears my cloudy head. Hope the pollens and stuff aren't too bad. Been stuffy for days now (and my ears were clogged up on Tuesday).

On the positive: Been making a conscious effort to not default to my car. Here in Miami, with our lousy public transportation, driving is the default. Driving is the mindset. Seriously, people drive 3 blocks to a fast food run.

I normally drive to the Peruvian rotisserie chicken place at least once a week to get some freshly roasted chicken and salad.

Tuesday, hubby was in the mood for some of that chicken, but we walked it. It was dark and breezy, and it was 9 blocks there and 9 blocks back. Then we ate our meals.

In the 10+ years we've gotten chicken there, we've always driven. For most of that time, I couldn't have walked the nearly mile walk. I was too big and it was too hard. And embarrassing.

We briskly walked there and back. :) I can't tell you how much of a victory that felt like. It could have been a mountain climb. A milestone. I can actually walk to do stuff. (Well, I won't in Miami hot summer weather, but I will as long as its clement.)

How far would you go to get your fave take-out meals? Do you drive, even if it's 2 or 4 or 7 blocks?

I was remoting past some channels taking a break from Japan news (yes, I am still obsessed and bummed).  PBS had a show with Dr. John de la PUma. He listed the five most commonly eaten US foods as this:

00:30:30	So do you know what the five most commonly eaten foods are in the U.S.?
00:30:36	No?
00:30:37	They're sugared soft drinks, cakes and pastries,burgers, pizza, and potato chips.

(Note: I got that from the transcript online. Find the whole transcript here.)

Okay, I don't know where he got that list/those stats. I googled it a few times and got nothing. But it's not totally surprising. Supermarkets have entire aisles dedicated to sugary drinks, to salty chips/snacks. Whole aisles just about given over to cookies. How nuts is that? Look how much of the frozen section is about pizza. McD's and BK and their ilk are found every few blocks in major cities. Pizza is EVERYWHERE (and it's one of my trigger foods, so man, that is vexing). Locally (and I'm guessing nationally), we've had an explosion of cupcake bakeries/businesses. Yeah. That's what our fat US asses need. More sugary and icing-topped stuff to gorge on.

If anyone wonders at our ingreasing girth, that list by Dr. Puma is a tip-off.

On to a better way to spend that bit o cash you'd be tempted to spend on a cupcake or pizza....a charitable opportunity:

If you've been waiting to see where/how to donate to Japan relief causes, Google now makes it easy to donate to the Japanese Red Cross. Go HERE and scroll down just a bit and see the various charities they'll let you donate to using Google Checkout. I chose the JRC, but you can choose another. Thanks.

Since a bunch of y'all are wearing green today--"color of green, green for the vine, for the leaves and the branches, the tree of life!"-- and a bunch of y'all have a bit of the Irish in you (as does my 1/4 irish hubster, he of the olive green eyes), let me wish everyone of Irish descent (and those who just love their Irish peops and culture) a very happy St. Patrick's Day.

But please don't eat green JUNK. How does that honor a country or a great man?

Eat something green that will make your body and conscience happy!

Today, for St. Patrick's Day, my green foods weren't green-icing donuts or green milkshakes or green beer. I had spinach, broccoli and green peppers with my breakfast. :)  If you have to drink something green, how about a "Kelly Green" or "Green Goddess" smoothie. These are smoothies I buy locally. They include a variety of green veggies--spinach, parsley, cucumbers, celery, etc-- with a lime and fresh apple juice base. Yummy stuff that's not inebriating, but detoxifying! Here's one you can make at home.

I plan to have something green for lunch: big salad!


I have dozens of Celtic and Celtic-influenced music cds that I've acquired since 1991, when my passion for Irish sounds started. (My fave band is IONA, a band that infuses its music and lyrics with Irish sounds and Celtic spirituality. If you've never heard of them, hie over to Google. This is the IONA whose lead singer is JoAnne Hogg and that put out the excellent BOOK OF KELLS and JOURNEY INTO THE MORN cds in the 90s. )

To hear their haunting version of St. Patrick's Breastplate (a prayer supposedly written by da man hisself), LISTEN HERE. This song is from JOURNEY INTO THE MORN, possibly the one cd I'd grab if the house was on fire and I could only choose one from my hundreds and hundreds.

If you have your corned beef and cabbage for lunch or supper, have some fruit to get Potassium to counteract all the salt. :)  K? :)

I leave you with something that blends the Japanese and the Celtic: Joanne Hogg's song Kokoro to scenes from Ah, My Goddess anime:



Please remember Japan in your prayers, especially the rescue workers, relief workers, and nuclear plant workers trying to contain disaster.

Be well...

A Few Pics from Feb and March--Sugar Free, Low Cal "Birthday Cake", Fort Lauderdale Beach, Yesterday at Starbucks.. AKA PROGRESS: What 218 Pounds Looks Like On Me!

I like to upload pics to this blog to document my progress. The previous progress post (with pics) is HERE. It has links to earlier phases of my body's transformation.


As my regular readers may recall, I had a health-oriented birthday party and no traditional birthday cake. My middle sis did bring a sugar-free angel food cake with sugar free whipped topping and fresh strawberries, so we'd have something for the candle and kids. :)

I did not miss cake, cookies or crap. At all. Food was nourishing, tasty, and low cal. Lots of veggies and fruit. AND.... I had good weight loss that week, too. :)

Here's a birthday shot with "cake" where I'm 222 lbs:

Princess Dieter's Sugar-Free Birthday Cake Alternative

Feb 28 on the Fort Lauderdale Beach strip made famous by WHERE THE BOYS ARE in 1960. Elbo room is nearby. Lovely day. We went to the museum exhibit of Vatican Splendors and then ate beachside (on plan). Walked a bunch, too. I wore sneakers, natch. Any opportunity to move, and this means I wear sneakers a lot more than what was my usual going-out footwear (comfy sandals). I'm becoming sneakers addicted.

Me , my sneaks, & a wood sculpture of a Native American on Ft. Lauderdale strip.

Yesterday at Starbucks. I reserved some calories for a treat--half and half in my cinnamon iced coffee. Empty calories, but it satisfies enough that I don't feel deprived and don't have crap. Not a daily thing, but I love it. And I like looking smaller, though the big belly is still vexing. Hope to see that baby gone by year's end! (Well, I will likely need a tummy tuck, cause my pannus is horrid, but that I'd put off and save for.)

Mmm...Coffee...Fewer Unhealthful Lbs, More Natural Curls!

That above is me at roughly 218 lbs. Compare to this in 2008 at about 278:

A bit after starting Pilates...Huge! But Game! And Hopeful!

Guess at which weight I'm happier and more energetic? Even if OLDER? :)

I want to spend health-filled years with this sweetiepie o' mine:

The Princess and her Prince, Ft Lauderdale Beach

So, yeah, progress. Onward to goal!

(Oh, and if you haven't read the regular post for the day, see it below. I don't much double-post these days, but, hey, felt like it. Later, gotta go walk....)

Not Day 32 of Challenge: The walk interruption, the calm again appetite, the beautifully warm day...and a fun outing for tomorrow...

Yesterday, I didn't do a lick of exercise, well, other than a wee bit of dancing and whoopsie. Stayed under 1200 cals. Drank my water.

Today, have had fewer than 600, so have plenty for supper and maybe a snack, too. I like doing the evening yogurt/fruit/nut thing. Seems to have a nice effect on my sleep. Did not have the "crazy and wanna eat" feeling last evening. None of that today, either. I did have a craving for buttered toast, but I swatted that aside.

Also today: Pilates session, walking.

The walking got interrupted. My left foot went numb way earlier than usual and I had to slow down. A lady I wave to snagged me for an intro and convo. Nice lady with a cool Mi-Mo home (think fifties, stone work, Lloyd-Wright influence, nice woodwork). She liked me enough after a 40 minute chat that she showed me inside her house. I love Mi-Mo homes, so no problemo. She was a widow and I guess needed some human company. Friendly. Nice. Good to know someone on my walking route, too, for safety's sake. And she's usually outside puttering when I walk, hence the "waving" habit.

Resumed walk when it was dark, with beautiful sky and dark trees.

A little hungry, not much. I've hit the water enough that it keeps the stomach un-grumbly.

Today was warm. I wanted some of the cold from the North, but we got a/c weather until near sundown, when temp and breezes were great for the walk.

Tomorrow, we go see a live show of WAIT, WAIT, DON"T TELL ME (which I mentioned before is my fave NPR show). Hubby got tickets. I have no idea what to wear. It's at the opera house (and that makes me think dress up some), but it's a comedy live show (which makes me think "jeans"). Oh, well. It will be my first time at the new complex downtown for music/dance/performances. Kinda excited. If it doesn't let out too late, maybe we can hit a MiMo restaurant for supper. Not sure. Better have a snack before we go. And not too much water. I don't wanna get up every 25 mins to pee. Pity we couldn't see the Thursday one, since that has Mo Rocca, my fave panelist! BUT.Friday's has Dave Barry, and he cracks me up. So, it's all good, right?

Oh, just remembered. Have an appointment with the R.D. tomorrow. Oops...better plan out the day...I may need to go buy undies for the night out. Don't wanna be a saggy bottom gal.

Later, peops. Be healthier by a bit today...

Saturday Night Walking Exercise....Hollywood Broadwalk, Chilly Night, Gibbous Moon over the Atlantic...

It was getting late--nearing 9pm--and I hadn't done my walking. Yes, though I've already walked four times this week, I'm really starting to enjoy that blood-pumping sensation and how, though my hips always hurt for the first 5 to 10 mins, they loosen up and feel great afterwards.

It was a cool day and we'd gone to the Japanese market to get me teas and some nice traditional tea mugs. We hit Walmart for some essentials, too--toilet paper (since I forgot to online order my recybled Green Forest, we had to make do with Angel Soft), water bottles for hubby (I drink tap from a filtering pitcher), cleansers, etc.

I say to hubby. I want to walk. He says, it's late, is it safe? I say, not in our neighborhood, but let's go to the Broadwalk. We drive the 15 minutes, park at the Ramada's pay lot, and--surprise!--had the moonlit ocean, palms, breeze, sand and Broadwalk pretty much to ourselves. The cold front kept many home. It was great. GREAT for walking. Lovely air, lovely sky, and no crowds Hurrah.

We stopped into a Mexican place for dinner and I kept it minimal--not even 300 cals of grilled chicken on lettuce, with cukes, some pico de gallo, tea...two nibbly bites of hubby's soft chicken taco. Water, natch. I told hubby to put the nachos on the far side of the table and said not to the dressing.

I came home and calculated the dinner calories and was still under 800 for the day. I've been keeping portions pretty small, and without the use of starches (ie, rice, toast with breakfast, no tortilla chips at dinner), I always end up with plenty of calories to play with by evening. This is intentional. If I get hungry, I get hungry at NIGHT. So, I need to save at least 500 to 550 cals for after 6pm.

I wasn't too peckish, not even with less than 800 for the day,  but I didn't wanna end the day at VLC--the body needs daily nutritious foods, imo-- so I had my current fave mini-meal/big snack: yogurt, fruit, walnuts. Calories came to a bit under 1100 for the day.

All in all, a lot of fun for few calories.

Here's a pic hubby took just outside the Mexican place that's right on the Broadwalk. The white hanging stalky things are lights on the restaurant's awning and the curvy things behind me are the trunks of palm trees.  That bright spot over my head ain't no streetlight. It's the gibbous moon...

Moon over my head, beach and ocean at my back...
(click to enlarge)

I'm actually nicely bundled up. I have a thick pullover sweater under, and the overcoat thingie is this Japanese-influenced style sort of wrap/kimono in a knit fabric that's many sizes too big now and I use a pin to keep it crossed over my front. Hubby chuckled when I put it on over my sweater. It was like someone had erected a tent around me. BUT..it keeps me warm and I like it. :)

So, make your walking fun. Go somewhere different. Somewhere pretty or evocative or artsy or ...well...fun!

Nite...

Day 19 of Phase 4 Challenge: Still not very hungry, still losing: 70 POUNDS LOST!!! :) Orthostatic Hypotension....so....Made appt with Primary Doc, And today I see the R.D. for a follow-up. Plus Yesterday's particulars, "Walking in the Rain..."

Scale: 229.0

Seventh straight day of loss, even though I doubled my salt intake yesterday. And I'm now officially 70 pounds down from highest home-recorded weight of 299. Yes!!!!!!

Now, why increase sodium? Isn't that a bad, bad thing?

I've been having orthostatic hypotension--it's been increasing in the last couple months, but got so bad Wednesday, I had to lie down and hubby got worried--and in general, my BP has gone way down. I think the triple combo of:

1. more weight loss
2. starkly reduced carbs from previous eating plan
3. lowered salt intake this week

combined to do this. I may need to be on less or off my BP meds.

My blood pressure yesterday without taking my regular dose that day (left it for evening, when I usually do morning, cause I was afraid of it affecting me too much during the active hours of the day) after walking, right after getting home and still all blood-pumping from the exercise: 125/68 with a pulse of 76
Forty minutes later when I was "calm" again: 129/71 pulse 66 on right arm, 117/63 on left.

Before bed, after supper, after dose, after three salty meals: 113/58 with a pulse of 60.

This morning after waking and bathroom: 111/60 with a pulse of 60

I think those number would be fine if I had no symptoms, but I was woozy at Pilates and when I'd get up suddenly from the couch. Normally, my diastolic was in the 70 to 80 range when checked at the doc offices and at home...and I was HEAVIER than I am now when I got started on them....so....maybe...

I'm hoping the added sodium yesterday (I pretty much doubled Thursday's sodium intake from that of Wednesday's), will keep things a little perkier BP-wise until Monday's doc appt.

Yesterday:

calories: 1119
water: met
exercise: Pilates and walking
mood: very, very good!
hunger: pretty low

I've had an issue with taste-pickiness. This happens to me sometimes, since forever. I'll cook chicken or steak or some meat, taste it, and something in my mouth rejects it. Happened with last night's palomilla I made mostly for hubby (he loves his palomilla). I took a small bite, went, EW, and tried to figure out yet again how to fit protein. Since I needed some sodium, I hit a couple ounces of deli ham. Not a lot of calories, didn't make me gag. Ate my veggies and had my yogurt/nut/fruit snack for dessert instead. Yum. So, today, I'm gonna go see if there's some fresh rotisserie turkey and if my mouth will tolerate it. If not, it will be tofu for me.

My walk was kinda fun, if solitary. "Walking in the rain with the one I love, feels so fine; walking in the rain with the one I love on my mind..." Anyone remember that one from the seventies?

Yes. It rained. I can't remember the last time I voluntarily walked in the rain. :) Nice smell of wet grass and foliage. Kept me cool. And curly people know what rain does to curly hair--yes! It gets curlier. No problem there. hahahah

Today, the R.D. A rest day, probably, since I don't wanna risk too much wooziness.

Belly fat is noticeably lessening, for a dang change. :)

Okay, another day to work our plans. Let's be healthier tomorrow. Happy Friday, folks!

Day 16 Phase 4 Challenge: Getting Close to the 220s, Another Moonlit Walk with Hubby, Groceries done, And Appetite back to "Challenge Normal"....

Scale: 230.6

Maybe by Sunday's weigh-in, maybe, I can be in the 220's? I'd like that a whole lot.

Eating is very good. The last couple days, I didn't crack 1000 just cause the night munchies have disappeared, so I ate less. Yesterday was 847. Today, I had a good appetite after our evening walk, so I combined dinner with snacks and it was DELICIOUS.

I will need to wean off the Montreal seasoning. I used too much with tonights dinner, and it only just occurred to me that it's very salty. I looked at the cannister, and "coarse salt" is the first ingredient. I'm a dork. I assumed cause a nutritionist recommended it, that it would be lower salt to salt free. Yeah, yeah. I should read ingredients for everything.

Anyway, I bought almost all the Mrs. Dash products at Publix, and some other salt-free seasonings. I've been trying to cut back on my sodium addiction. (I got it bad. Junkie, salt JUNKIE.) So, I may let hubby have the Montreal Seasoning on his stuff and find alternatives for myself. Or just use it sparingly and not every day.

I expect some bloat tomorrow after the super-shake of the stuff tonight. So, I'll go easy on the salty stuff and hope it doesn't halt my excellent progress since Friday.

Our walk was 35 minutes. Beautiful full moon. Beautiful stars. Was humid, but not hot. A mild tinge of coolness in the moist air. For a while, the moon had a gorgeous halo around it. We crossed paths with a very cute Schnauzer and a very old  black pit bull who let the Schnauzer climb all over its head. FUNNY!. I like meeting cute and friendly dogs on our walk. Hubby is totally a dog dude. They LOVE him. They perk up and always want to go to him. If I weren't crazy allergic, I suspect we'd have a passel of pooches. He grew up with a boxer and a schnauzer and, for part of the time, his grandma kept a poodle around. So, he's very natural with doggies. :)

I did my groceries today--and parked at the farthest spot so I had a bit of walking to and fro-- and am restocked with egg whites, veggies, fruit, yogurt, lean protein, and spices. I got ground chicken and want to see if I can make a tasty, herbally pseuco-burger. I never made it at home, though I've had those chicken patties at Pasha's and the Middle Eastern place...chicken adama or somesuch. I like those. Worth a shot.

Yesterday and Today:
~calories below 1200
~water met or exceeded
~walking done today
~mood, excellent; hunger, minimal


I hope your day was great. Feels weird to blog THIS LATE, but, hey, just didn't have the blogging mojo.

Sleep well, fellow fatfighters...

What 232 Pounds Looks Like On Me (with links to me in the 270s on down) AKA I Hated Yesterday's No MakeUp, Ugly Outfit Pics, so I Call DO OVER!

For the 242 lb pics, HERE.
For the 252 pics, HERE.
For the 265 pics, HERE.
For roughly 278, HERE.

Same walking route with hubby today (such a beautiful twilit sky on the way back after this, the wonderful blues and moon and planets and stars and palm tree silhouettes and the scent of assorted subtropical blooms. NIIIIICE!!!)

This is more my usual workout stuff--a lot of black and navy, more formitting (for Pilates, that helps). This racer-back tunic, this is the first time I've worn it. IT FITS. I bought it a few years ago, but it was too tight. I was rummaging for something to wear (the pipes were replaced and the washer can now be used without causing a flood, but I didn't have time to wash my workout stuff). It fits! So happy. It's "minidress length", but I wear it with shorts under with a sports bra (in lavender). I put on lipstic and face powder and put some conditioner to moisten my curls, so I feel...a lot less dumpy and old than yesterday.

Here we go:

That's me laughing cause the wind is blowing the fountain water at me. :D

Compare to January 2009 in the high 270s, early in my Pilates journey, struggling to move down (I stayed around the 270s for ages):

Look at THAT BELLY! You can imagine how hard it was for me to walk into any fitness studio/gym!!!

ANYWAY...back to the present...
Fun walk. 30 minutes. Beautiful hubby makes the time go faster. And I'm willing to walk brisker with him cause if my knee/ankle/foot give out, I have a way to get help. Tomorrow, he's off and we don't need (I hope, Please God) to deal with anymore repairs. Our last weekend was also taken up with plumbing issues (different ones). I want to do something FUN FUN FUN....enjoy the winter. Miami is glorious in winter.

Happy evening to all! (Go walk if you haven't.)

Day 5: Woke up With Growly, Hungry Tummy; More Workout Soreness; Walking Concerns; Wishing Weight Loss Was Faster/Easier and The Body not so Vexing; But Still Not Freaking cause I got PRINCESS JELLYFISH to make me laugh! And wondering--when do you drop folks from blogroll or from "support comment" schedule?:-/

I'm feeling slightly...lethargic. Not peppy and happy and ready to fight the fight like I did yesterday. Yesterday's calories: 1205. Water done. Exercise done (strength and walking). Check, Check, Check!!!!!

Today, I just wanna nap all day, ya know?

My stomach was making a racket and woke me up. Literally. My hungry tum-tum growled me awake. I decided to mix the snack and breakfast for a larger meal, cause seriously, I wanted to eat a small well-done, oh, bear, maybe, buffalo, or a grilled Yeti. Something meaty and big.

I didn't have any meat on hand except the ham steak I am making for supper (one of the holdouts from the pre-plan shopping), so it was the usual eggs, toast, milk nanner, coffee, water. But I added cheese to the egg whites and some Cubanelle pepper.

Have no idea yet what lunch will be, but I'm guessing a salad and yogurt of some sort, since supper will have ham, carb, veggie combo.

I was having mild, but persistent, hunger pangs last night. They lasted for an hour, then calmed down. I kept saying, "Not an option. Eating is not an option"-- like a mantra.

Am so sore. We worked the back muscles (those torso raises, youch) and other muscles, but my back I feel a lot today. Butt some, abdomen some. But the back and shoulders....wooo.

I will admit to a bit of worry about the walking. I was fine yesterday cause it was short and hubby was with me and breeze was lovely. My foot went numb toward the end of the faster-walking portion, but recovered soon after we got home. See, I have this thing--since the early 90's--where my left leg and foot will go numb and my foot drags if I walk at a brisk, steady pace for anything above a certain time frame. Usually it's 13 to 15 minutes. No matter the warm-up. No matter the shoe. It happens on sidewalks and treadmills. If I go at a slow pace, I can walk a lot longer. But as soon as I get up to, say around 2.5 or more MPH (tested that out on treadmill), the foot numbs and starts to drag and I can't walk. If I walk slowly, I can walk for more than an hour.

When I used to use my treadmill (a relic now) regularly, I could walk my 45 mins if I went around 2.4 MPH. That's a slowish walk. I've spents hours meandering in sneakers with hubby, and while my plantar fasciitis will act up, the knee tends to be okay as long as the pace is gentle.

This might be due to compensations I've made in 20+ years with a messed up L knee. Dunno, and have sort of not gone back to the Orthopedic dude. I don't want surgery, so there ya go. I'm a wuss. Hubby and I decided to consider returning my knee to the Ortho after I get under 200. If I have to have surgery, I wanna be able to have the flexibility, mobility, and better weight to handle it.

So, for now, the brisk walk portion is minimal and I can handle it. Beyond the 10 mins does worry me. Ah, well. We'll cross the bridge when the bridge shows up in my view.

I took a peek at the scale (yeah, I'm an impatient ass) and I'm not happy. Yes, it's lower than Sunday's weigh-in, but for the working out (more than usual) and the eating (way less than usual), I frankly expected more on the 4th day if I'm gonna hit the 2 lbs loss by Sunday next.

It reminded me of my freak-out back in December when I did the 1200 for 5 days and weighed MORE than the previous week and then just overate in a childish, emotional reaction. I recovered from that pretty fast (you know, back on the horse and all), but this is the same scenario. Eating way less, seeing unstellar scale results.

It's silly of me, I know, but even INTJ's known for more rational approaches can be silly. I know that the soup I had for dinner could be partly to blame. I know it could be my body doing whatever little odd thing it does when I cut calories at first (like it did last month). I know it's just holding on and results will show up.

So, same thing as last month, but I am NOT gonna freak. No way. It's a longish (relatively, emotionally speaking) way to May 1. Short in terms of actual days, but long in the sense of the higher deprivation and higher expectations.

I'm in it. I"m doing it. I'm not gonna let the scale wreak havoc on my spirit.

I wish "the Math" were more exact and precise and each day showed the actual equation working through to Tanita-san. But The Body is there, not just The Math, and the infinite variations of chemicals and intake and output and it's a matter of the longer view--it will sort out. It will. Just not day to day exactly as we wish.

And I really do wanna nap. :)

But I won't. I'm trying to fix my weird sleep schedule, so staying awake right now is imperative.

I do have the last episode on Funimation of KURAGEHIME, aka PRINCESS JELLYFISH,  to both look forward to tonight and feel sad about--cause it's the last episode they have! OMIGOSH, this anime makes me laugh so much. I haven't laughed to hard with an anime since Ouran Academy Host Club (which was a hoot). I'm a bookworm/Otaku myself, so seeing the geeks get made over by the handsome/beautiful cross-dressing rich-boy and watching the antics of the reclusive-odd bunch of tenants of the 70's retro boarding house is hilarious. I must be burning calories like watching this cause all I do is crack up and roll on the sofa! (And I must have picked up some Japanese in the last year, cause I find myself explaining jokes or puns to hubby that don't come through in the subtitles.) He likes it, too, and it's lovely to watch together. He's a video/Magic The Gathering game otaku, I'm a manga/anime/SF otaku, so we understand the weird little group some. :D Recommended for those who like funny anime with weird characters (but endearing).

Now I have to have something hot. My nose and ears are having some allergic stuffiness today. Sucks. Bleh.

I'll probably add stuff to this post later, but right now, let's get through Friday and it's temptations. If you only check blogs on weekdays, I wish you the best and healthiest of weekends. Ta!

~~~
Evening update: Lunch was fine. Water is fine. Did squats (3 sets, then knee began painfully stabbing...oh, well. Sigh.)

I have been looking at my blogrolls (this blog, old blog) and deciding if I should winnow out the folks who haven't been updating. I did that once before. When do you decide to remove blogs? After they're quiet a week, two, a month? More?

I'm also wondering about some blogs I visit. A few of them never, ever, ever drop me a comment. Makes me wonder if I should say, "Okay, no more comments for  you, either." Dunno. I have no problem lurking and reading and enjoying, but if I leave a half-dozen or more comments on someone's dieting/weight loss blog and never get support back...maybe I should stop? Not sure. I know that I use a lot of time blogging/online, and I should cut back (especially with the gazillion things I need to accomplish this year, including finishing my novel and returning to my poetry writing and editing).  I can only logically conclude that I should spend my time on those blogs that reciprocate, and I should drop the ones that do not.

But I am curious about your experiences with blogroll thinning/updating and how you choose which bloggers to continue to support, considering that we all have only 16 waking hours in the day to deal with dieting, exercising, working, grooming, cleaning, lovemaking, recreating, churching-going, and son--and that'sif we sleep the recommended 8 hours.

Anyway, hunger has not cropped up yet. ENERGY IS BACK, BABY!  I read some Basho to keep the reflective, calm, zen groove going, exercised to Massive Attack, and now will go make myself purdy for hubby's homecoming. I plan to rock his world...in a very zen-like-but-energetic manner, of course. (hee) Then dinner to JELLYFISH PRINCESS! Yes!!!

Be happy, be well, be good, and have fun this weekend--only not food fun, other kinda fun. Well, okay, have food fun if it's within your caloric limits. Later....