Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Bad diet choices

  We went out tonight to celebrate it being one year that I have quit smoking.  They really didn't have much diet wise on their menu except salad and I had a large one for lunch so just for tonight I ate what I wanted.  It is amazing how puffy and huge it made me feel and what I feel like most right now is working out for a hour.  We listened to some nice live jazz thought which was so nice.

Crash and Burn

   Ok, some idiot gave me a virus and I lost everything.  What a childish stupid thing for people to do who have no real life.  Anyway it took 3 days to get everything working again and my phone also decided to crash and burn.  Without TV I am lost as far as news.  I listen to the radio everyday but I sure wanted to see the pictures of the flood.  I am still weighing in at 218.3 and have been exercising everyday.  According to my chart I am suppose to eat these many calories to lose weight.

To lose two pounds per week, you will need to eat approximately 1701 calories per day.

I am eating less then that and am still on a plateau.  I am going to go down to 1200 for a week and then back up to 1500 to see if that helps.  I no I am going down on inches because of the way my clothes fit.  My husband says I am getting my curves back.  Did Curves today and water aerobics yesterday.  Wanted to go on a bike ride but had to much to do around the house.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Portion control

  I am taping this to my fridge to remind me everytime.

One serving (three ounces) of meat, poultry or fish is about the size of a deck of playing cards or the palm of a woman's hand.

One serving (one-half cup) of fruit, vegetables, pasta or rice is about the size of a small fist.

One serving (one ounce) of cheese is about the size of your thumb.

One serving (one cup) of milk, yogurt, or chopped fresh greens is about the size of a small hand holding a tennis ball.

Beautiful Weather

  I am going to take the dog for a walk shortly.  She is laying at my feet giving me those eyes!  She is really good at that.  No bike ride today.  My husbands back and shoulder is out exactly like mine was.  The pain sounds the same.  Now he understands what I go through so often.  He appologized for giving me a bad time about cutting down on my exercising while the pain was so acute.  I told him that sometimes extreme pain is your bodies way of telling you to lay low for awhile.  I do feel sorry for him though.  I am used to having pain but he isn't, and I know if your don't develope ways to cope it can be twice as bad.   After the walk I will practice my yoga and tai chi again.  I am new at it so it will take awhile to get a pattern down.  I sure wish we had classes on it in this town at times I could go to.  Thats what I get for working such weird hours.  They should have something for the night workers around here.   I wouldn't mind working out on my days off at midnight or later and I know my son would love it.

  I had a wonderful dinner yesterday.  One of the ladies on the board suggested to kick start my weight loss, try to change my pattern around.  I usually drink a shake in the morning because I am not much of a a morning eater and I can usually choke down a shake.  I have been trying that with cereal and I had oatmeal the other morning.  This morning I had special K and I had a shake for lunch.  Just not ever very hungry in the morning.  The hunger for me starts around 3 on my days off.  My husband did tell me I would feel more like I had lost weight if I got some clothes that fit me.  Mine are pretty baggy right now.  I don't want to spend money on clothes yet because I am close I think to going down another size.  I can fit in some 18's and think I will be fitting in more shortly.  My blue jeans fit will now and although I have gotten so I like the comfort of pants without zippers I agree with the post that it is good to wear them so you can feel your loss better.  I also have an appointment to see about a breast reduction.  I think that will help with some of my shoulder pain and back pain.  My back doctor suggested it years ago but I sure get tiredof having surgery.  I never lose from that area so see no help in the future when I get more weight off.  It sure would be easier finding a swimming suit if I was smaller on top.

  There is a great chicken recipe on the 100+ board that I am going to make for supper tonight. 

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Later the same day.

   OK,  I got that out of my system.  I went to curves and worked out and then went on a 7 1/2 mile bike ride.  What fun.  I did some yoga and tai chi afterward to stretch the muscles.  I have changed my mind about supper and am going out.  I think walleye sounds like just the ticket to bring my spirits up.  They serve a huge pile of steamed brocoli with it and a glass of dry white wine sounds good also.  Exercising releases good endomorphines which make you feel good.  Another reason to exercise everyday.

Honesty

   I am up another pound today and since I no longer can blame it on that time of month, I have to take full responsibility.  I am eating too much again.  Lots of popcorn at night. 

    Last night we were watching a movie and out of the blue I thought about my age and how I didn't have alot of time left on this earth.  My mother was 52 when she died, my brother was 37.  Most of my family dies pretty young.  It was a very scary feeling.  I used to say I was going to eat what I wanted and do things that made me happy, because life was too short not to.  Whether you eat carrots or cake, we are all still going to die someday.  That is true, but I want to be healthy during my time here and I was getting in terrible shape.   I am healthier with the exercising I am doing which makes me happy, but the weight not coming off is driving me crazy.  I am not use to being so off kilter.  My meditation is helping, but this weight loss issue is intruding.  I am starting to feel like a complete failure again at this.   I am hoping all this negative thinking is due to the fact I have had to take pain pills for a few days.  They do tend to make you blue.  I can't see how people can become dependant on them when they cloud your brain this way.

   How to start over and get back to that "I can do it" feeling of a couple of weeks ago.  I started doing some yoga and Tai Chi.  It ties in with my meditating so well and maybe will give me that sence of balance that I am missing right now.  I feel like I am out of balance.  Excessive pain can do that to me and my pain level is up right now.  My doctor wanted me to take a week off from exercising, but I feel worse when I do so I went to curves today and am going for a bike ride later.  I had slim fast for breakfast, will have slim fast for lunch, V8 for a snack and for supper turkey broils grilled, sweet potatoe, beans and a large salad.  I will have an apple for a snack later and then that is it.  This is just a temporary set back.  My pain is better today and I shouldn't need to take a pain pill, just motrin so hopefully will get my self back on track.

   One thing I don't like is feeling like I will be letting everyone down if I can't lose the weight.  I realize I should only be concerned with myself but I know a lot of people are proud of me trying to do this without the surgery.  My husband was always agains't me having surgery and was really happy when I said I could do it on my own.  He says he loves me either way, and I know he does, but my skinny skinny son is so proud of me and I wouldn't want to let him down.  The girls at work are also very supportive so maybe this is the motivation I need.  I could let myself down but I would hate to let others down. 

     Boy am I rambling today.  Maybe I should spend less time writing in this and more time exercising!

Friday, August 26, 2005

Looking at my eating patterns

   I think one of the reasons my weight has stopped dropping is I am snacking.  Granted I am snacking for the most part healthy things, but still snacking and telling myself its OK because its low fat.  After supper on my days off I always feel like I need to have a snack and I ate way to much popcorn last night.  To many special k bars, to many celery with peanut butter sticks, to much everything except water which I have been real bad at for the last 2 days.  Add that to not enough exercise because of my back and its adds up to no weight loss.  This is the point where I have fallen off my plan in the past.  The first 20 pounds just melts off, water, then the rest takes forever.  I really don't understand why it isn't coming off.  I have been journaling my food and have only twice gone over 2000 calories in the 2 1/2 months I have been doing this.  Most days I average about 1300.  I should try and remember what I would have eaten once and see how many calories I used to consume.  My husband used to make me 3 to 4 peices of french toast and we had sausage with that.  I would have 3 pieces of pizza. 8 ounce steaks.  Potatoes loaded with cheese.  2 taco's.   Not all in one day of course but I always ate to much at a sitting.  I never was into fast food so that hasn't been a problem and don't have the sweet tooth my husband has, but could put away quite a few brownies when I made them.  Now the way I eat is so much healthier, why isn't the weight coming off?  I am exercising also, except for the last couple of days.  I am really getting frustrated.  Maybe I shouldn't have given up on the lap band so fast.  I just don't want to have some  drastic surgery.  One of the girls at work had a gastric bypass and has lost about 45 pounds in the same amount of time it has taken me to lose 25.  Without exercising!  I like exercising though.  Oh Well.  Don't fall into this trap Julie.  You gave yourself a year, use it,  How's that for a pep talk.

Whine of the day!  Slow weight loss

Grounded

The whole world we travel with our thoughts,
Finding nowhere anyone as precious as one's own self.
Since each and every person is so precious to themselves
Let the self-respecting harm no other being.


-Samyutta Nikaya

Went to the doctor yesterday and was told to take some time off from exercising because my back is in knots.  Being the good patient that I am, I did ride my bike for 5 miles, but didn't work out.  Really would love to be going to water aerobics today but the doctor is right. 

  My weight is hovering today.  218 to 219.  I looked over my last week and think maybe I have gone to low again.  I am going to try and kick it up to 1800 for a few days and then back down to see if that starts things going again.  On the 8th it will have been 3 months and I am only down 24 to 25 pounds.   I know that I am down alot of inches, but want the weight to go also.  I have been checking out some wonderful sites.  3 Fat Chicks on a Diet is a great site.  They have a ton of great low fat and low carb recipes plus a great support board.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Facts

YOUR PERSONAL GOALS

This chart shows you the maximum number of grams of fat you should be eating each day to both ensure that you're getting no more than 20 percent of your total calories from fat and maintain your current weight. If you're trying to lose weight, aim for the fat limit of your goal weight.

Weight (lb.)          Your Calorie  Intake                    Fat  Limit (g.)

110                               1,300                                              29

120                               1,400                                              31

130                               1,600                                              35

140                               1,700                                              38

150                               1,800                                              40

160                               1,900                                              42

170                               2,000                                              44

180                               2,200                                              48

 

Lie on your back, close your eyes and simply breathe. After a few minutes start concentrating on the toes of your left foot. Note the sensations: Are they warm, cold, tired or cramped? After a minute or so imagine releasing the weight of your toes, feeling them melt right into the floor.

Now concentrate on your left leg, practicing the same routine on your foot, ankle, calf, knee, thigh and hip. Then do the same for your right leg. Move up your torso pausing at your pelvis, lower back, belly, upper back, chest and shoulders. On your arms, move on to the fingers of both hands, the back of the hands, the palms, the wrists, the forearms, the elbows, the upper arms and the shoulders. Finally, move on to your neck, then your head, paying attention to your chin, mouth, nose, eyes and eyebrows, forehead, ears and scalp.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Good Advice

   When I am in pain I like to go to the happiness site --A Happiness Poem--  The Happy guy can usually make me feel better. 

 

Go the Extra Smile. This is the first, and probably most effective, strategy all. Go back to the rules for my prescription. If you want to increase your success by increasing your fun, always go the extra smile!

Laugh with Yourself. Puncture your perfectionism by taking yourself less seriously. Your self esteem goes off the charts when you are able to stop sweating the small stuff, stepping back to see a metaview of life by easing up on yourself.

Celebrate Everything. Look for the pony in every pile of manure you find. How can your self esteem not grow like a turbo-charged vine when you are cultivating the ability to find the seed of victory in every setback.

Feel The Pain

   It started last night and steadily got worse and worse.  Pain, Pain, Pain!    My upper back is killing me.  I have 2 discs that are bulging between my shoulder blades and somehow I must have aggrevated them while I was working out or working.  I had a heavy patient I had to pull up in bed about 10 times.  It burns and feels like I have a orange size swelling between my shoulder blades, but my husband says it isn't swollen.  I hate this because pain really gets me off my exercise program.  I have an appointment tomorrow to get my shoulder injected, but at the moment the pain in my back is worse.  Could the water aerobics for arthritis patients have gotten me in this shape, or is it just a flare up?  Also I am sitting at a solid 218 today.  This is after 2 days of lasix to get the excess fluid off.  My legs look much better today.   Only my ankles are swollen now.  Anyway another set back.  I think it might have been because I didn't have time to exercise during my 4 day stretch and then did double class on Monday.  I did do my stretching exercises all weekend, but that must not be enough.  However this is the first time I have had pain this severe in my back since I have been exercising so maybe it has nothing to do with it.  May the discs finally ruptured?  Anyway, enough of that.  I called into work and am sitting around on pain medication feeling foggy and sluggish.  Hope this passes soon.  Whine for the day!  Heck this whole entry is a whine for the day.  What a wimp am I!

Just got back from reading the 100+ board and meditating.  I focused my meditation on relaxation and on parts that didn't hurt.  For 15 blessed minutes the pain was not the formost thing on my mind.  Then I go to read the boards and get some giggles, always good for the soul.  Now to soak in a hot tub and read a good book.  Tim Dorsey is always a good read.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Feel The Burn

 Above is the swimming suit I got.  No, that is not me modeling it.  It is nice and high at the neck so I shouldn't jump out of it and is chlorine resistant.

If it is possible to feel the burn doing water aerobics I did today.  What a great workout.  I was looking at my arms and I can sure see a differance.  They are smaller and firm.  I am getting rid of my wings under my arms.  Our trainer is real big on arm exercises and it is really starting to show.  I like the water aerobics so much more then anything else except here is is hours later and my skin smells like chlorine.  This is after 2 showers.  I still wonder how healthy that is for you.  2 weeks and I get measured again.  I can't wait to see what improvement I have.

  My weight was up to 218 today.  I took some lasix because I am so swollen in my legs.  I bought some chickens and got them all cut up and packaged.  They cook up great in the george foreman and I will start bringing them to work and not packaged meals when possible.  It is lower in salt.  I am in a rut on meats.  Ground turkey and chicken because everything else is so expensive.  It is all I can do to buy gas much less food.  I also need to get my furnace fixed before winter.

Whine for the Day.  Skinny people who talk about how fat they are!  To You!  That's like me complaining to a deaf person how loud the music is.

Meditation can be done anytime of the day and is great to do when walking.  Practice this next time you walk.

 "Walk with 'soft vision,' allowing the eyes to relax and focus upon nothing, while aware of everything. Once you have discovered your natural rhythm, lock into it, so that the rhythm of the walking sets the rhythm for the breath like a metronome."

  I have had such a busy week I have only been able to do a proper meditation once a day.  I feel better when I meditate so I have to be sure and set some time aside for me each day.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Water Retention

   I got through my 4 day stretch.  What a long weekend. 

   I woke up this afternoon feeling buffy and bloated.  The bad thing I will have to change about working my stretch, is bringing pre-packaged meals.  I usually bring lean Gourmet something, but the sodium is so high on them and almost all of the easy meals.  I had turkey & Vegetables yesterday (Whine of the day...... There were 2 small walnut sized processed terrible tasting white things in it they call turkey....well never buy again) salad, celery and a fruit cup.  For supper my husband made some sausages, high in sodium, and yesterday we had a box meal that was horribly high in sodium.  Today I have pitting edema in my legs and my hands feel swollen.  I hate to step on the scale to see what I weigh.  The things is I averaged around 1100 calories, but my sodium on one day was 3395 mg.  That is huge.  I am going to have to take some of my lasix, but I have to find the time because I can't go far from my restroom.  I quess I will either have to cook stuff all week to bring to work with me on my stretch or spend more money for better dinners.  My husband did so good looking at the calorie and fat content in food, but didn't look at all at the sodium so we are going to start watching that also since I have such a problem with it.  I have gotten bad enough I had trouble breathing before.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Weekly Food Summery

  I weighed in this morning at 217.4 so still going down, 

:-).  This is what my nutritional summery lookes like normally for a week.  I a have trouble keeping the sodium down because there are days I bring prepared foods to work and the sodium is so high in those prepared foods.  Why can't they cut it out and still make the food taste good.  I rarely use salt when I cook and my food tastes great!                    

                   Weekly nutrition summery

             M       T     W      T    F    S     S  AVE.                   Recommended

Calories  960  980 1, 880  810  930  680   570          970.... .                     1500

Calories from Fat 220 360 580 150 180 220 70 250....                            . 280 - 530

Total Fat g 25 42 68 17 21 25 9 29.....                                 .                    32 - 61g

Saturated Fat g 12 10 24 3 7 12 2.5 10.... .                                          <= 17g

Cholesterol mg 115 210 50 65 135 45 40 95.....                              < 300mg

Sodium mg 660 1,190 3,620 2,790 1,120 1,090 1,460 1,700.....                    < 2400mg

Total Carbohydrate g 132 101 184 114 115 98 103 121.....                             180 - 260g

Dietary Fiber g 20 15 17 20 17 11 32 19........                                              >= 25g

Sugars g 56 32 70 33 43 25 39 43...... *e

Protein g 57 48 73 51 66 26 15 48.......                                                    41 - 142g

Vitamin A % * * * * * * * * *

Vitamin C % 210 80 60 120 130 25 130 110.....                                                  100%

Calcium % 60 25 70 60 70 15 30 45..... .                                                       100%

Iron % 120 150 160 110 24040 130 140.....                                        100%

Water oz 12 0 120 120 128 170 .125 140 130 .>=                                    64 oz

Whine Of The Day!  Pre-packaged foods that have twice the normal amount of salt so even if they are low in calories they are bad bad bad for you.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Back to work

   I start back to work now for the next 4 nights.  I don't get any exercise except some stretching and what ever work counts.  I went to water aerobics and did both classes again and am happy to report I am down to 218  today.  3 more pounds til my mini goal and 4 pounds til I weigh what I did before I quit smoking.  Who would have thought I would gain 28 pounds when I quit.  I am glad I did not know that or I would still be smoking.  I am having problems with my right lung as it is.  That is where the pneumonia was and I was suppose to go back if I was still having problems after I finished the antibiotics.  I am still having some problems with pain and being winded.  I am almost afraid to go back and find out if it is something more serious.  I would hate to be going through all this to get healthy and then end up with some sort of lung disease.   I did have a chest xray about a year ago and it looked good then.   And 3 years ago when they thought I had ovarian cancer everything checked out OK, but I realize that doesn't mean it is still OK.  I just hate going to the doctors and my insurance doesn't pay worth beans.  I am thinking about having a shot in my shoulder for pain though and will talk to the doctor then and see what she says.

  I am going to the store in a few minutes to get some groceries for the week.  I want something nutitious that my husband will fix so when I wake up at 3:30 I don't have to think about meals.  Lots of chicken, ground turkey, salad fixings and veggies.  I am almost out of apples also.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Wednesday Hump Day

   Yesterday we went on a 7 mile bike ride.  I loved it, but was really worn out after the ride and checking my pulse it was 125.  That was on top of 2 hours of water aerobics.  I think it was to much, but if I do it often enough it should be better.  I put a different seat on my bike and it was better, but not perfect.  Today after I work some of the kinks out, I will go to curves and workout. 

   Right now I am sitting here drinking my Slim Fast and coffee trying to wake up.  My weight today is 218.4 still.  Why is the weight coming off so slow now?  I have been eating lite popcorn at night, maybe I'll give that up and see it that helps. I also am still eating to fast.  I will set my next mini goal of under 215 by next week and see if I can make that.

   My husband just told me why I had such a tiring time with my bike ride yesterday.  Something was wrong with it and it wasn't changing gears right.  I have an auto bike that when working proberly changes gears itself when you need it.  I was working harder then I was supposed to.  No wonder I was pooped.  If it stops raining today maybe I'll go for another ride and see if it is better.

Whine Of The Day:  This is my last day off and then I have to work the next 4 days from 7p to 7a.  Why is the lottery so hard to win?

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Water Aerobics

   Time for exercising in the water today.  I still have not been able to find a swimsuit.  Exercise is suppose to be so great but you can't get a good swimsuit for obese people without it costing you a forture.  Della Burke, your rich enough, make your suits affordable That was the Whine Of The Day.  Here are some facts:

   You can see that aquatic therapy is a very safe and beneficial form of exercise. As well as a number of cardiovascular and respiratory benefits, aquatic therapy also helps to:

  • increase and maintain muscular flexibility;
  • improve mobility and range of motion;
  • increase muscular strength; and
  • improve coordination, balance and postural alignment.

Other benefits include:

  • a high calorie consumption;
  • a massaging effect on your muscles;
  • the ability to train during very hot weather, (using an outdoor pool or freshwater lake;
  • the ability to train during very cold weather, (using an indoor heated pool);
  • a great supplement or alternative to regular training;
  • is usually pleasurable and very relaxing; and
  • because your body is supported by water your heart rate is slightly lower, meaning aquatic therapy is relatively safe for obese individuals, pregnant ladies and those suffering from hypertension and heart disease.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Tired and lazy day

 I am going to slowly wake up and then go work out at curves this morning.  Somedays I have to force myself to go, but I am always happy I did.  I hope to walk later tonight also.  I am not going to weigh until wednesday, that is my weigh in day at 100+ and if I am up it will bum me out all day.

  I am not sore anyplace but where my body hit the seat from the bike ride yesterday.  I did find a couple of seats that look like they would work.  I might order one for me and one for my husband.  I like that they have a money back guarantee.

I am going to have a daily whine listed.  Get it out of my system so the rest of the day can be positive  Todays daily whine:  How come I have to work 12 hours and still do most of the housework!  You can see what I will be doing all day     :-)  There, I feel better.

           Web site of the day:

  http://www.whfoods.com/getstarted.php

Great site about healthy eating and the best foods.  Great easy recipes.  If you only ate the things they recommend on this site you would always feel great.

   OK it is now 4 pm and I have been a cleaning machine for hours.  My house just sparkles.  Living on a gravel road it is a challenge to keep up with dusting.  I hope I burned off a ton of calories. .  Now I have to get supper ready.  The day just flies.  I sure enjoyed yesterday better.  I should talk my DH into taking me out to eat but maybe tomorrow we can go out.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Bike ride

   I talked my husband into going for a ride.  I was afraid I wouldn't be able to go far because it has been around 5 years since I rode it.  We went to the river trail which is only 2 miles up and 2 miles back.  It is pretty and starting to smell like dead leaves, heavy and cinnamony.  I had a blast.  It felt great to be riding and thanks to the exercising I have been doing, was really easy.  My seat on the bike was brutal to my behind though, so I will need to get another one.  When we got back to the van we rode through some sprinklers which felt great.  What a blast.  We weren't finished riding yet so then we loaded up the bikes and drove across town to the longer bike path.  All in all we did 11 miles much to my surprise.  I don't even think I will be sore in the morning.  My left hand was dead half the time due to this darn carpel tunnel but the breeze in my face and hair felt heavenly.

  Then we had a lovely steak dinner with sweet potatoes and some green beans I had in the slow cooker.  The only bummer was the low fat blue cheese dressing,  Ick.  Its not Jimmy's thats for sure.

I Did It

My BMI was 41.5 which is severely morbidly obese and is now 37.4 which is now just severely obese.

I got up this morning and weighed.  218.4  Yippy.  I am finally under that horrible mark.  I am so excited.  This makes up for going and trying on swimsuits yesterday.  The makers of swimsuits should be shot.  I am large on top and when I find a suit that covers well on top the legs are cut way up.  When I find one that that bottom is perfect, the chest is cut to low.  And the Prices!  Yikes! 70 to 90 dollars for a suit that will last only 3 months!  They should be shot.   I buy them on ebay and though it is cheaper, its risky.  The one I just got is too large and no returns.  I have 2 suits sitting here that are too big and one that is too small.  I will save the small one because eventually I will be into that.

  Went out to eat last night and had some heavenly walleye with steamed brocoli.  Yummy.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Sour Milk

   Well, taking a bite of your cereal and having your milk be sour is one way to stay on your plan.  Yik.  That fat free milk doesn't have the same taste when its old, not sour, just very unpleasent.  

  I closed my shop on Go Antiques and am in the process of opening it on ebay.  I always said I wouldn't sell on ebay ever again, but they do offer you a free month to see how it goes.  It was so expensive everywhere else.  I will try this for a month and if I don't like it will go to one of the antique malls here in town and sell.  Anyway opening the store will keep me glued to the computer for the next few days and I will have to get some exercise in to offset the inactivity.

  I have basically not lost any weight this month, just up and down.  I have lost inches but that is not my goal.  My biggest problem is snacking.   Granted it is all low calorie, but I will go back to how I did it in the beginning, celery and low fat cream cheese, grape tomatoes, apple, those type of things instead of special K bars and popcorn.  Maybe I need to go down on my calories some more.  I seem to be averaging around 1200 to 1500 a day so can't go much lower, but maybe stay more toward the 1200 a day with an occasional 1500 thrown in instead of 1500 most of the days.

   I seem to be obcessing with this weight loss plan.  Is it a good thing or is it keeping food formost in my mind?  What to eat for lunch, what to eat for supper, what about snacks?  I really never gave food this much thought before.

  Now that I have made this journal public, what does the public think?  Would cutting down on my calories help at this point or should I just stay the course?  I think a healthy weight lose would be at least 5 pounds a month and even better 8.  Also what do some of you eat for snacks and when do you stop eating for the day?  Nothing after 7p or is a nighttime snack OK?

Friday, August 12, 2005

Supper Woes

   Eating healthy is expensive and it also seems to take more thought then just throwing something together for dinner. 

  Since I had class all night and then slept until 2, I have nothing planned for dinner and little in the house.  I have some chicken breasts, wild rice and salad fixings which could be turned into something yummy, but I am tired.  Oh to be wealthy and have a cook to fix me nutritious meals so no thought would have to go into it.  Now if it was just me I would open a pack of salmon, dump in on my salad and be just fine eating only that.  I am a boring eater and could eat the same thing everyday rather then try and be creative.  I save that for other parts of my life.  Also, I  have a very thin son who really needs more calories for his very active lifestyle then he gets on my meal plans.  Where I need about 1200 to 1500 calories a day, he needs about 2500 to 3000 a day to get him through his 10 hour work days and 40 mile bike rides.  My husband is basically thin with a middle age spread.  He lost 10 pounds without blinking when I started to cook healthy and that is with his candy, rolls, peanuts and all the other snacking he does.  What I usually do is fix some sweet potatoes or regular potatoes my son can eat and make him a larger portion.  I am trying to instill some nutritious eating habits in both of them.  Fruits, veggies, and they are doing good.

  Anyway this isn't getting dinner cooked and time goes on.  Can Everyone say, go out to eat?   The picture above is my darling granddaughter who is coming for a visit in September.  She is so cute.  She said, you don't have to diet gramma, I like you fat!  From the mouths of babes!

Carbs

  I don't really do the carb thing, I have better luck counting my calories and limiting my fats but here is some interesting facts on carbs.

 

Your Carbohydrate Requirements

You need about 50 - 60% of your total daily calories from carbohydrate. To calculate the approximate recommended grams of carbohydrate, multiply your total daily calories by 50%, then divide by 4 (4 calories per gram of carbohydrate). The result is the minimum number of grams of carbohydrate that you should consume daily.
For example, 2000 calories x 50% = 1000 calories; 1000/4 = 250 grams of carbohydrate.

So it looks like some carbs are good and some are not.  If your on www.fitday.com you can keep track of all these.  I do it on www.slimfast.com because I started out on the slim fast plan and still do the shakes most mornings.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Measurements

I got measured at curves today.  Improvement is so nice to see.

6/8 2005                                    8/11/2005      

bust: 49.25"                               bust:48.50"       Lost - 0.75"

Waist: 46.00"                            Waist: 42.50    Lost - 3.50"

Abd:  58.50                                Abd:  43.50      Lost - 10.00"

Hips: 52.00                                 Hips: 52.00       Lost -00.00

Thighs: 27.00                              Thighs: 26.00     Lost - 1.00"

Arms:  13.75                                Arms: 13.50       lost -0.50

Weight: 242                                 Weight: 220     Lost -22 Pounds

Body Fat% 46.90                         Body Fat: 44.80   Lost - 2.10

Total inches:  -15.75

Total body fat pounds: -10.78

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Going Public

   

    My weight today is 220.8 again.    I hope this time it will stay and go lower.  I want in the teens.  This is frustrating and I am trying not to get discouraged.  I know the reason it went so fast initially was because of water, but I have for the most part been eating so good I thought I would be losing at least one to 2 pounds a week.  One of the things that may be hurting me is on one week I eat like normal, 3 meals and 3 snacks, the next week I work nights and eat a meal at midnight, a snack around 3 or 4 and then not again until supper which is a normal meal again.  Plus I have started snacking to much.  Granted they are rice cakes and celery, special K bars etc... but that all ads up.  I need to let myself feel hungry.  Just as a idea this is what I have eaten so far today.

Turkey wrap, mixed lettuce salad, celery with PB, Rice cakes X 2, Special K bar X 2, 3 grape tomatoes, 1 slice angel food cake, 2 mini powdered sugar donut.

    Now I have been good about not eating junk until last night at work when I had the donuts.  They had been bringing food all week and I broke down and had the cake and donuts.  Since I plan on eating this way for the rest of my life I know there well be times when I will eat that stuff.  But I see the old habits sneaking back in and I have to put up an iron wall to keep them out.  The weird thing is they really don't taste that good anymore. 

  I am thinking of making my journal public to the 100+ board.  I am not sure if I can just make it public to them though.  I am trying to find out,

 

Saturday, August 6, 2005

Down, Down, Down

221.8  Today,  keep going down.  I injured a muscle working out.  Can you believe I have muscles to injure?  Anyway ouch.  It hurts to bend.  Can't wait until that gets better.  Here are some quotes I really like.  I can tell my face is thinner.  I have posted a picture of my face now and one before I started to lose weight.  Picture 2 is before. Can't get rid of those Swedish cheekbones though, no matter how much I lose.

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness."
Author:Audrey Hepburn, when asked about her beauty secrets

"In Compassion lies the world's true strength."
Author:Buddha

"Is there any one maxim which ought to be acted upon throughout one's whole life? Surely the maxim of loving kindness is such."
Author:Confucius

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, And the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
This happy thought by Buddha

Friday, August 5, 2005

Work Week

  Well I do better sometimes on my week to work.  I am starting to really hate my scale.  It isn't going down, but if I am honest with myself, I have done some cheating in the form of empty calories while I drank some beer and wine.  I don't plan on giving up everything I like because this is my food plan for life, but I might give up those until I get closer to goal. 

   I have done great on working out this week.  Now I am on my stretch at work so won't have time to workout, but I usually do better with my diet at work.  I am drinking coffee now though and should be having water.

Wednesday, August 3, 2005

Weigh In

  Today I weighed 222.2  It is starting to come down again.  I did water arobics yesterday and walked last night.  I have been eating good all week and my hairdresser said my face looks thinner.  It does, my jowls are dissappearing.  Now that really makes me happy.  My weight is still up from the 220.8 but I think it is muscle which is important so I am not going to worry about, just stick with my plan.  Special K with fresh blueberries for breakfast this morning, Yummy.

Monday, August 1, 2005

Musing of a tipsy mind

   I have had a few beer tonight which alway cause my mind to wander.  Could a couple of beers ruin a whole weeks work or is there someway to incorporate this into my plan.  My husband was a brewer and I really like the taste of beer.  I don't want to give this up.  We got into the habit of having a date night (Mondays) while we were staying with his mom waiting for the house to get finished.  We go to Buffalo Alices and have beer and pizza or beer and wings and just talk.  It's nice and I like it so even after the house was finished we have kept this tradition up.  This place has no low fat or low calorie options though.  Does the night out with my husband outweight the calories consumed on my diet.        I think it does.  We re-connect at these times. We talk, laugh, argue, flirt, and other things on this date of ours.  Sometimes we come home mad at each other and don't talk the rest of the evening, sometimes we come home in love with each other.  Both important.