Lately I've been a little bit nuts in my postings. I'm here, there and everywhere on how I'm trying to lose weight. One week I'm quitting Weight Watchers and Geneen Roth is my magic bullet. The next week I'm back at Weight Watchers, then I'm doing Geneen Roth's plan and Weight Watchers, then I'm binging. If you're wondering what the hell I'm doing, well, get in line because I'm not sure myself anymore.
The only thing I know is that I'm not giving up. If it's not working for me, I'll try something else and I'll keep trying different things until I get this figured out.
Now a word about therapy for people that have food issues. Obviously, I have issues. Anyone that gains 100 pounds and doesn't have a medical reason for the gain, most likely has some mental issues that contributed to the weight gain.
I remember the very first time someone told me I needed to go to therapy for my issues with food. It was in 1992, the person was my Jenny Craig "counselor". After going from 192 to 135 pounds, and still wanting to lose another ten pounds, I lost control one week and ate six bananas in one sitting. I don't know much about the program these days, but in 1992 you were only allowed one or two bananas a week, maximum.
I had a few more encounters with food similar to the banana incident over a period of several weeks. When I told my very thin Jenny Craig counselor about my binges, she was appalled. I think she'd lost 25 pounds on Jenny Craig before she was qualified to become a "counselor". She told me there wasn't anything she could do to help me, that I was wasting my money at Jenny Craig, and I needed to go into therapy.
She was right, but at this point in my life, I'm just not willing to spend the time and effort for therapy. Perhaps that's a bad idea, but it's where I am right now.
The food and exercise
Today was a very good food day. I forgot to take the leftover candy to work, but I put it in the trunk of my car tonight, and I feel safe. Crazy isn't it? That I feel "safe" from food. It's not like it's going to attack me.
My workout was great today, I love that old slider rowing machine. I did my thirty minutes on the crossramp and then fifteen minutes rowing. I found some videos on how to use the rowing machine (and if your back hurts, you're doing it wrong).
There are several great instructional videos available on YouTube. It turns out it's a good upper body workout, as well as good for your core. It's not really meant to get your heart rate up high (although it does if you do it too fast), it's more to strengthen your upper body. Who knew? I was doing it super fast to burn calories, but after watching the videos I'm going to slow it down a bit for more strengthening.
Now the crazy lady is going to bed. Tomorrow at 2am is out big software release to production. I'm not expecting good things. I hope I'm wrong.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Day After Halloween
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| Photo Credit |
But then the next day comes. I was resolved to not touch anything from last night. My kids have been trained well. They each dumped their candy into a big gallon zip lock and disappeared with them. This is good, out of sight, out of mind. But what stayed behind? A nice full plate of my aunt's delicious cookies and brownies. I looked at them first thing this morning. How are you supposed to eat your normal, boring breakfast when you have a plate of goodies staring at you? I should have just thrown them out, but that would be wasteful.
I haven't been looking forward to today since we the reality hit that our vacation was over. I knew it would be hard, and getting up to face the day was. My house is thrashed from all the unpacking and laundry mixed with Halloween decor. Thank heaven my husband was kind enough to straighten up a bunch last night. Halloween decor is so annoying to see on November 1st. Also, NaNoWriMo officially started at midnight last night and all I really want to do is write, not teach or clean.
In efforts to keep my priorities straight, I turned a blind eye to the house, started school and grabbed an oatmeal cookie for breakfast. It was certainly a compromise wouldn't you say? But what's come back to bite me is my kids. Somehow they have actually learned the good quality of sharing and they are doing just that. How am I to turn down shared candy from my kids? I can't.
So this is my plan. I will NOT allow myself to sneak their candy. (This is where I have found myself in trouble in the past) If they offer, I will make the decision at that time and hopefully it will give me a moment to choose the right.
I lost about 5 pounds while gone this week and I would like to keep it that way. I think I might also commit myself to a nightly workout starting tonight. If I can tap into my perfectionist tendencies and do the elliptical everyday for the next few months, maybe I will not only get through the holidays with my current jeans but also in a daily habit again for 2010. Hello holiday season!
Weighin update after the candy lapse
I couldn't help myself this morning, I had to see how much damage I did last night with those candy bars I ate. At 80 calories each, I ate six, that's about 500 calories over what I should have eaten yesterday (or about 10+ Points, and that's not even looking at the fat grams).
Well, I had a big scale surprise. I weigh 174.2, with my workout clothes on (same clothing as when I weighed in at Weight Watchers on Saturday at 178.2). That's on my home Tanita scales that are always right on with the Weight Watcher scales. What the heck! A four-pound loss in two days???
Maybe it was the good eating all weekend with the exception of the candy, or the gallons of water I drank (thanks to Allan for the constant reminder of the importance of water), or perhaps the three-hour intense exercise at the gym over the weekend. I'm not sure of the reason, but I'm thrilled the candy didn't totally derail me. Seeing a four-pound loss has actually inspired me to keep on track and keep going. A mid-week weighin isn't always a bad thing.
A little friendly competition
I have a confession. I've been following Lyn, Escape from Obesity, for at least two years (maybe longer). When she started on MediFast I weighed what I weigh now.
I thought I must get to goal before Lyn to prove this can be done without using drastic measures such as reducing your calories to 800-900 a day on an expensive, pre-packaged food program. You can do this eating healthy, natural food and doing exercise. Well, Lyn kept losing weight, and I was up and down the same five pounds...for the last several months. I watched Lyn get closer and closer to my weight.
Guess what? Lyn and I now weigh exactly the same (and we're the same height but I think she looks a lot skinnier :).
Now I'm thrilled for Lyn. No one deserves this more than she does. She's done a lot of work on her mental attitude, how she views food, how she views herself. Just because she's doing MediFast doesn't mean this was easy for her. I've done several of the pre-package food programs (with the exception of MF), and I know it's still hard work. Lyn is one of my heroes, and I admire what she's done. I don't put any less significance on it because she used the MediFast program, just like I don't put any less significance on someone that has had weight loss surgery. It's still incredibly difficult to lose weight, regardless of the path you chose.
On the other hand, I still feel like I have to prove something. That this can be done naturally, without spending a ton of money on a pre-packaged food program. So Lyn, if you're reading this, the race is on! I know you're losing 2-3 pounds per week, and I'm not sure I can keep up with that pace, but I'm going to give it my best shot.
Well, I had a big scale surprise. I weigh 174.2, with my workout clothes on (same clothing as when I weighed in at Weight Watchers on Saturday at 178.2). That's on my home Tanita scales that are always right on with the Weight Watcher scales. What the heck! A four-pound loss in two days???
Maybe it was the good eating all weekend with the exception of the candy, or the gallons of water I drank (thanks to Allan for the constant reminder of the importance of water), or perhaps the three-hour intense exercise at the gym over the weekend. I'm not sure of the reason, but I'm thrilled the candy didn't totally derail me. Seeing a four-pound loss has actually inspired me to keep on track and keep going. A mid-week weighin isn't always a bad thing.
A little friendly competition
I have a confession. I've been following Lyn, Escape from Obesity, for at least two years (maybe longer). When she started on MediFast I weighed what I weigh now.
I thought I must get to goal before Lyn to prove this can be done without using drastic measures such as reducing your calories to 800-900 a day on an expensive, pre-packaged food program. You can do this eating healthy, natural food and doing exercise. Well, Lyn kept losing weight, and I was up and down the same five pounds...for the last several months. I watched Lyn get closer and closer to my weight.
Guess what? Lyn and I now weigh exactly the same (and we're the same height but I think she looks a lot skinnier :).
Now I'm thrilled for Lyn. No one deserves this more than she does. She's done a lot of work on her mental attitude, how she views food, how she views herself. Just because she's doing MediFast doesn't mean this was easy for her. I've done several of the pre-package food programs (with the exception of MF), and I know it's still hard work. Lyn is one of my heroes, and I admire what she's done. I don't put any less significance on it because she used the MediFast program, just like I don't put any less significance on someone that has had weight loss surgery. It's still incredibly difficult to lose weight, regardless of the path you chose.
On the other hand, I still feel like I have to prove something. That this can be done naturally, without spending a ton of money on a pre-packaged food program. So Lyn, if you're reading this, the race is on! I know you're losing 2-3 pounds per week, and I'm not sure I can keep up with that pace, but I'm going to give it my best shot.
Candy monster and polka dots
First of all, I don't think I can live with this polka dot look. It's making me dizzy, especially on my big 25 inch monitor I use for work (yes, I was just working on some work stuff and yes it's 5am). It's not bad on my laptop, but yikes, in big, giant living color, all these dots make me feel kind of sick.
About the candy, even though we had about 40 kids last night, and I had them taking handfuls of candy because honestly, I wanted to run out of candy and turn off the lights and rip off that ridiculous wig...we still wound up with a bag of 150 pieces of candy. The good stuff.
Right before I went to bed I grabbed a handful, a mixture of six bars, Twix, Almond Joys and Milk Ways, and I ate them. Oh well. A little lapse.The candy is going to work today, to the communal kitchen we all share on my floor. It will most likely be gone by noon. :)
I'm just about ready to pull on my workout clothes and head out to the gym. I think I'll do the StairMaster today and a good upper body workout, probably an hour and twenty minutes, which seems to be my normal to get in 30 minutes of cardio and 40 minutes of strength training.
Happy Monday everyone (and thank goodness Halloween is over!). Now we have Thanksgiving to face. Tis the season of food holidays.
About the candy, even though we had about 40 kids last night, and I had them taking handfuls of candy because honestly, I wanted to run out of candy and turn off the lights and rip off that ridiculous wig...we still wound up with a bag of 150 pieces of candy. The good stuff.
Right before I went to bed I grabbed a handful, a mixture of six bars, Twix, Almond Joys and Milk Ways, and I ate them. Oh well. A little lapse.The candy is going to work today, to the communal kitchen we all share on my floor. It will most likely be gone by noon. :)
I'm just about ready to pull on my workout clothes and head out to the gym. I think I'll do the StairMaster today and a good upper body workout, probably an hour and twenty minutes, which seems to be my normal to get in 30 minutes of cardio and 40 minutes of strength training.
Happy Monday everyone (and thank goodness Halloween is over!). Now we have Thanksgiving to face. Tis the season of food holidays.
Black Bean Soup
Tip: No immersion blender? Simmer for a minute, then transfer to traditional blender and puree.
Ingredients:
Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 102 Calories, 7 g Protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 7 g Fiber, < 1 g fat, < 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 489 mg sodium
Ingredients:- 2 cans (15 oz each) 50 percent less sodium beans, drained
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, in juice
- 2 cups water
- ¾ cup finely chopped celery
- ¾ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tsp finely chopped seeded jalapeňo chile pepper (wear plastic gloves when handing)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Red-pepper flakes
- Combine three- fourths of the beans, half of the tomatoes, and water in large nonstick saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat
- Puree with immersion blender until mostly smooth. (Note: When using immersion blender, make sure not to scratch bottom of nonstick pan.)
- Add celery, onion, chile pepper, garlic, cumin, remaining beans, and remaining tomatoes. Season with black pepper and red-pepper flakes to taste. Cover pot, leaving lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape, and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Divide soup evenly among 6 bowls and serve.
Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 102 Calories, 7 g Protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 7 g Fiber, < 1 g fat, < 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 489 mg sodium
Portobello Pizza
Tip: Just one Portobello mushroom has as much potassium as a banana.
Ingredients:
Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 97 Calories, 10 g Protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 42 g Fiber, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 22 mg cholesterol, 305 mg sodium
Ingredients:- 4 whole Portobello mushroom caps (each about 5” wide)
- ½ cup low-fat marinara sauce
- ½ cup lean Italian turkey sausage, cooked, drained, and crumbled (about 2 links)
- ¼ cup shredded fat-free or low-fat mozzarella cheese
- 2 tsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Wipe mushrooms clean of any dirt. Place on baking sheet. Stem sides up
- Spoon sauce over each cap and sprinkle on sausage and cheeses.
- Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil. Serve immediately
Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 97 Calories, 10 g Protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 42 g Fiber, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 22 mg cholesterol, 305 mg sodium
Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie
Peanuts and peanut butter great anytime family staples—great for an energy-boosting snack or a healthful PB&J sandwich. But lately, they’re being used in a variety of delicious and innovative recipes like the one below. Peanut butter you can drink—now that’s refreshing.
Ingredients:
Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 250 calories, 8 g fat, 9 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol,, 150 mg sodium
Ingredients:- 1 cup fat-free or low-fat chocolate milk
- 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 4 pitted prunes (dried plums)
- ½ cup sliced ripe banana, frozen
- ¼ cup crushed ice
- Combine milk, peanut butter and prunes in an electric blender; process until smooth.
- Add frozen banana and crushed ice; process again until blended.
Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 250 calories, 8 g fat, 9 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol,, 150 mg sodium
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