Tomorrow (Thursday) marks four weeks of eating better, healthier and just making my life better. I've learned a lot about who I am, who my support system is, and what I really want out of all of this.
Not only am I determined, smart and sensible, I'm not all about the food. No longer can tolerate me abusing food for comfort and overall bad eating just because I can. I have the smarts to eat better and I did. I am determined to change the shape of my body, and I am.
If I am to be what I eat then why not be fruits, vegetables, lean meats and grains? If I can reinvent my food habits then I've accomplished quite a bit. My sound judgement means that I can no longer go backwards in my life. I must keep moving forward into a good thing and embrace all that is good for me. I mean I wanted a better future for myself financially and am seeking that out so why not the same for my body?
I've learned that I can eat alternate foods that keep me full and happy without compromising taste, texture and bliss.Growing is about changing who you are. The things I hated growing up (chores, asparagus, boys...etc.) came to be things of pleasure (men), things I came to re-appreciate (asparagus) and things that I can't live without (chores...I'm a tidy person). So I changed my likes and wants to items that will do me and my body good (dark chocolate, frozen yogurt, martini's...instead of sugary drinks). Now I can have the things I want and like in small doses, I can eat more vegetables to make up for any over point eating that I've done. Vegetables are my best friends!
In thinking back to my bad food choices, I think it was always about self-pity (woe-is-me mentality) and how I NEEDED certain starches and carbohydrates to make me feel...feel numb. Well, I took back my sensory receptors. I want to feel again. I want to love what I eat, what I feel and what I look like. I want to know who I really am and not what the local fast food establishments have said I would be!!
My friends are amazing! Through this I've had many encouraging words of kindness, wisdom, helpful tips, and offers to exercise to keep me on track and on my goal!! I went into this not knowing how I would get through, but get through I must. I just want to say thank you to those who are here with me helping me reach my goals.
"Hey now, {I've} got to make it rain some how" (Red Hot Chili Peppers)...
I want it to rain great food in my body, soaking my roots good. The nutrients have to go deep so that my future comes blossoming out all over into a healthier me! I'm still in this race!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Cooking Fun
After JC and I cleaned the apartment (doesn't feel right to call it a house) & washed the dogs I wanted to make something GREAT for dinner. Before me, plenty of fresh items from the recent shopping trip. So I pulled out pork, prepackaged stir fry vegetables, mushrooms, onions (sauteed them Friday), green beans, zucchini and the yellow squash. Great cooking fun was straight ahead!
My first task was the stir fry and pork. After seasoning the meat up and cooking it in a little bit of oil, I tossed in the veggies and covered it so it could simmer down. Next I cut up the squash, poured egg beater over them, hit them with salt & pepper then tossed them in large portions in a bread crumbs. After oiling the foil lined pan I baked them in the oven for 20-25 min. After they were done I sprinkled some Italian cheese on them (Mmmm nothing beats the smell of melting cheese) then set them aside for later. I turned back to the pork, removed it from the pan into a container, it smelled so delicious and I couldn't wait to taste the yummy! Next up: the beans.
These would be easy: cut off the ends, toss in the wok-pan with oil, add mushrooms (cut up) and the sauteed onions. Cook on medium heat until it all starts to sizzle. I added low sodium soy sauce, stirred once more, covered and removed from heat. Couldn't wait to get all of this on my plate!
As I was cooking I snacked on Surimi, a taste of crab salad (yes, only three crackers of it) and a few Scoop chips with bean/guacamole/cheese dip. It was like a Super Bowl party, without any football being on my T.V. (from the kitchen I can't see it anyway).
I felt great about the points too. The stir fry meal was three points, the squash five, and green beans zero. Even my snacking was a mere six points. It made me feel good to monitor my eating habits as I cooked a meal and scurried around the kitchen. I made sure that I drank lots of water today too. After last night and the alcohol I didn't want to chance getting dehydrated.
After a nice day watching Initial D movies with my son he was kind enough to go get some Menchies frozen yogurt. Now, I'm just waiting for my turn to use the T.V. and do my Wii exercises before I call it a night (yes, I know it's 00:46 on Monday morning, but my life is always lived upside down).Oh, as for the frozen yogurt, I waited until midnight to add it to my anytime points!! Smart move huh.
My first task was the stir fry and pork. After seasoning the meat up and cooking it in a little bit of oil, I tossed in the veggies and covered it so it could simmer down. Next I cut up the squash, poured egg beater over them, hit them with salt & pepper then tossed them in large portions in a bread crumbs. After oiling the foil lined pan I baked them in the oven for 20-25 min. After they were done I sprinkled some Italian cheese on them (Mmmm nothing beats the smell of melting cheese) then set them aside for later. I turned back to the pork, removed it from the pan into a container, it smelled so delicious and I couldn't wait to taste the yummy! Next up: the beans.
These would be easy: cut off the ends, toss in the wok-pan with oil, add mushrooms (cut up) and the sauteed onions. Cook on medium heat until it all starts to sizzle. I added low sodium soy sauce, stirred once more, covered and removed from heat. Couldn't wait to get all of this on my plate!
As I was cooking I snacked on Surimi, a taste of crab salad (yes, only three crackers of it) and a few Scoop chips with bean/guacamole/cheese dip. It was like a Super Bowl party, without any football being on my T.V. (from the kitchen I can't see it anyway).
I felt great about the points too. The stir fry meal was three points, the squash five, and green beans zero. Even my snacking was a mere six points. It made me feel good to monitor my eating habits as I cooked a meal and scurried around the kitchen. I made sure that I drank lots of water today too. After last night and the alcohol I didn't want to chance getting dehydrated.
After a nice day watching Initial D movies with my son he was kind enough to go get some Menchies frozen yogurt. Now, I'm just waiting for my turn to use the T.V. and do my Wii exercises before I call it a night (yes, I know it's 00:46 on Monday morning, but my life is always lived upside down).Oh, as for the frozen yogurt, I waited until midnight to add it to my anytime points!! Smart move huh.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Night Out On The Town
Since I had plans to go out last night in Ybor City with my female friends, I knew that I had to watch what I ate early in the day and get my exercise in too. I played it safe with a bowl of cereal and some fruit, had chips and salsa for lunch with 1.5 margarita's and then came home to the Wii for 30 min.
On the Wii machine I start with boxing, followed by the best of three tennis match, and then two games of bowling. If I'm feeling really energized I'll tackle the fit test. The golf is really for cooling down and the baseball frustrates me, I can't hit the ball. I think I can't see it coming across the plate, it's not 3D enough for me. It was so hot and humid that I had a nice sweaty work out and felt amazing.
With the ladies all buzzing about where to eat, we settled on the Blue Dog Bistro, by then Justin had joined us and John was soon to arrive. Blue Dog is a cool Cajun/American place and the menu offers great selections to chose from. I ordered the ribs and wings. I enjoyed the meal and only had three french fries off my plate (I was proud of myself for not even wanting them) and two shock top beers. My total points: 16. That means for my whole day I used up ten extra weekly points. Not too bad!
After dinner I stopped by a house party and danced up a sweat for an hour. Then I hustled over to Green Iguana for another hour of dancing. I knew that if I kept moving it would all count as exercise and that's added points (plus those chicken wings had to be danced off my hips).
I'm enjoying my ability to mix my new healthy lifestyle with having a normal style life. If I want to eat something I just monitor my point situation, log it all down, and then enjoy myself. It's so easy, where was this 15 years ago?
I'm appreciating the path that I've chosen for my self. It's not going to be easy, but right now it's not that bad.
On the Wii machine I start with boxing, followed by the best of three tennis match, and then two games of bowling. If I'm feeling really energized I'll tackle the fit test. The golf is really for cooling down and the baseball frustrates me, I can't hit the ball. I think I can't see it coming across the plate, it's not 3D enough for me. It was so hot and humid that I had a nice sweaty work out and felt amazing.
With the ladies all buzzing about where to eat, we settled on the Blue Dog Bistro, by then Justin had joined us and John was soon to arrive. Blue Dog is a cool Cajun/American place and the menu offers great selections to chose from. I ordered the ribs and wings. I enjoyed the meal and only had three french fries off my plate (I was proud of myself for not even wanting them) and two shock top beers. My total points: 16. That means for my whole day I used up ten extra weekly points. Not too bad!
After dinner I stopped by a house party and danced up a sweat for an hour. Then I hustled over to Green Iguana for another hour of dancing. I knew that if I kept moving it would all count as exercise and that's added points (plus those chicken wings had to be danced off my hips).
I'm enjoying my ability to mix my new healthy lifestyle with having a normal style life. If I want to eat something I just monitor my point situation, log it all down, and then enjoy myself. It's so easy, where was this 15 years ago?
I'm appreciating the path that I've chosen for my self. It's not going to be easy, but right now it's not that bad.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Down Day/ Chill Day
I decided, as I mixed up a blender of reds and greens with half the banana, that Friday would be my down day. I needed a day to not think about my food choices, not worry about what I was going to eat, and to just relax a bit. I had big plans to do bad things to a cheese burger with onions, BBQ sauce and a plate of fries. I wanted a hot fudge cake as high as the ceiling and nothing would get in my way. I had monster plans to eat whatever I wanted.
Unfortunately chores had to come first. I visited Publix and collected lots of healthy food items in my basket for the next few days (a small army could come to my house at this rate). I made sure to acquire all of the food groups not currently in my house, which amounted to plenty of vegetables, some seafood, pork and yogurt (oh how I've missed you so). I also stepped up my dry cereal game and got a few boxes that I could enjoy without penalty of using those weekly points (Cheerios is still around). It always helps to have a cereal (oatmeal too) as a backup for work in case I can't have a full meal.
After I put the groceries away and planned my menu items for next week in my head, I made a cute sandwich with two thin sandwich rounds, Surimi (the best imitation crab meat ever), provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo/mustard. Topped off with a serving of Scoops chips and mango salsa. It was a far cry from that burger thought I started my day with, but it was friendlier on the points scale (total meal was 14 pts). I was really satisfied and never thought about the burger again.
Since I was on a chill holiday I skipped out on the Wii and a walk,however, since rain isn't in the forecast for Saturday, I will get my swimming in. I love how it makes my muscles burn afterward. Later, as I relaxed and watched drift on live stream, I enjoyed a few slices of pepperoni, Colby cheese and thin pretzel chips. Adding that and a nectarine made my points day well rounded. I only used six weekly points for my chill day!
Even though it's a nice long weekend off for me I will stay on track with my plan to exercise the entire weekend, no slacking. Being able to take a day off from the routine was nice ( I stayed on course really), the next one is a few weeks away.
Unfortunately chores had to come first. I visited Publix and collected lots of healthy food items in my basket for the next few days (a small army could come to my house at this rate). I made sure to acquire all of the food groups not currently in my house, which amounted to plenty of vegetables, some seafood, pork and yogurt (oh how I've missed you so). I also stepped up my dry cereal game and got a few boxes that I could enjoy without penalty of using those weekly points (Cheerios is still around). It always helps to have a cereal (oatmeal too) as a backup for work in case I can't have a full meal.
After I put the groceries away and planned my menu items for next week in my head, I made a cute sandwich with two thin sandwich rounds, Surimi (the best imitation crab meat ever), provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo/mustard. Topped off with a serving of Scoops chips and mango salsa. It was a far cry from that burger thought I started my day with, but it was friendlier on the points scale (total meal was 14 pts). I was really satisfied and never thought about the burger again.
Since I was on a chill holiday I skipped out on the Wii and a walk,however, since rain isn't in the forecast for Saturday, I will get my swimming in. I love how it makes my muscles burn afterward. Later, as I relaxed and watched drift on live stream, I enjoyed a few slices of pepperoni, Colby cheese and thin pretzel chips. Adding that and a nectarine made my points day well rounded. I only used six weekly points for my chill day!
Even though it's a nice long weekend off for me I will stay on track with my plan to exercise the entire weekend, no slacking. Being able to take a day off from the routine was nice ( I stayed on course really), the next one is a few weeks away.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Starting to Move
Slowly I step, inch by inch... (altered the Three Stooges line a bit)
Seems that the scales love me this week as I'm down 2.6lbs!! I'm moving! I've made a routine of Wii in the mornings. Managed to box, play tennis, and bowl for 45 min and then I did the fit test for the rest of the hour. I could feel the soreness creeping through my arms later as I laid down to sleep, but now that I'm awake they feel pretty good.I will ask management if they can open the pool at 8a instead of 10a so that I can swim in the mornings and not get rained on.
This week I introduced grains into my meals. I felt like cooking up a storm one night so I brought out all the grains and thawed meats. I started with Quinoa It is a tiny seed, I buy the pre-washed found in the organic section, so when you cook it opens up and a small squiggle is present. It has an Earthy taste when cooked in water, that reminds me of the whole wheat. I cooked it in half chicken broth half water in the rice cooker. It's too light for the machine to auto-shut off, so the bottom burned a little. It had no effect on the taste though. Next time stove top cooking for sure.
Couscous and barely were next. The couscous I made in the half water, half broth mixer and the barley in plain water. The barely I made in water, but next time it's getting broth too. I may have used a bit much water, so I'll use less. I poured vegetables on top of the barley in the pot then I mixed stir-fried chicken into it and added creme of asparagus soup (1/2 can of milk) to the whole pot (large pot) and served as a meal. The couscous I left plain as a side dish. JC was loving all the food I cooked in one night. Bourbon salmon and stir-fried chicken rounded out the remainder of the cooking. It was cool seeing all my dishes come together.
Since things are starting to move a lot better this week I am starting to notice that I'm a bit more short tempered and irritable. Last night at work I apologized to one of the nurses for being a bit snippy on the phone (she brushed it off saying she didn't perceive me as being that way). So when another nurse kindly had gone out of her way to get milk shakes for us all I pounced on that sugar like no tomorrow! Good thing that I had quinoa and salmon for dinner. I used up 22 anytime points for that shake (still had some left over, but the week is over so those won't get used).
It felt so good slurping that creamy, chocolaty goodness down. An hour later though, my stomach wasn't happy. It was almost as if it was fighting with that shake (mind you I ate the salmon almost two hours prior). So the next time I'm offered a huge sugary concoction, I'll drink/eat half (maybe not as many points gone too) and toss the rest. After all, I was looking for a sugar fix to correct my grumpiness. The counter measure is always to eat better at the next meal. The counter measure is always to eat better at the next meal and this means that for me, Macro Greens and Miracle Reds have become a regular part of my daily routine. This way if I don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, at least I'm getting the nutrition of the servings (fills me up pretty good too).
I'm sending this out into the Universe: Next week, are you ready for me? I'm coming for you!!
Seems that the scales love me this week as I'm down 2.6lbs!! I'm moving! I've made a routine of Wii in the mornings. Managed to box, play tennis, and bowl for 45 min and then I did the fit test for the rest of the hour. I could feel the soreness creeping through my arms later as I laid down to sleep, but now that I'm awake they feel pretty good.I will ask management if they can open the pool at 8a instead of 10a so that I can swim in the mornings and not get rained on.
This week I introduced grains into my meals. I felt like cooking up a storm one night so I brought out all the grains and thawed meats. I started with Quinoa It is a tiny seed, I buy the pre-washed found in the organic section, so when you cook it opens up and a small squiggle is present. It has an Earthy taste when cooked in water, that reminds me of the whole wheat. I cooked it in half chicken broth half water in the rice cooker. It's too light for the machine to auto-shut off, so the bottom burned a little. It had no effect on the taste though. Next time stove top cooking for sure.
Couscous and barely were next. The couscous I made in the half water, half broth mixer and the barley in plain water. The barely I made in water, but next time it's getting broth too. I may have used a bit much water, so I'll use less. I poured vegetables on top of the barley in the pot then I mixed stir-fried chicken into it and added creme of asparagus soup (1/2 can of milk) to the whole pot (large pot) and served as a meal. The couscous I left plain as a side dish. JC was loving all the food I cooked in one night. Bourbon salmon and stir-fried chicken rounded out the remainder of the cooking. It was cool seeing all my dishes come together.
Since things are starting to move a lot better this week I am starting to notice that I'm a bit more short tempered and irritable. Last night at work I apologized to one of the nurses for being a bit snippy on the phone (she brushed it off saying she didn't perceive me as being that way). So when another nurse kindly had gone out of her way to get milk shakes for us all I pounced on that sugar like no tomorrow! Good thing that I had quinoa and salmon for dinner. I used up 22 anytime points for that shake (still had some left over, but the week is over so those won't get used).
It felt so good slurping that creamy, chocolaty goodness down. An hour later though, my stomach wasn't happy. It was almost as if it was fighting with that shake (mind you I ate the salmon almost two hours prior). So the next time I'm offered a huge sugary concoction, I'll drink/eat half (maybe not as many points gone too) and toss the rest. After all, I was looking for a sugar fix to correct my grumpiness. The counter measure is always to eat better at the next meal. The counter measure is always to eat better at the next meal and this means that for me, Macro Greens and Miracle Reds have become a regular part of my daily routine. This way if I don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, at least I'm getting the nutrition of the servings (fills me up pretty good too).
I'm sending this out into the Universe: Next week, are you ready for me? I'm coming for you!!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Stretching for Wii
So instead of being bummed about not having control over my knee issues, I asked my son to plug up my Wii. I figured out where the games were and spent about an hour and half total on bowling, tennis, golf, and baseball. I had a blast and took each game in 10 min intervals then took a small break when I felt the need. Tennis was the best as I played best of five games each time. It really works up a sweat and my arms were sore after (especially the baseball).
I treated myself to dinner with Asian takeout. I selected the curried chicken stir-fry for its high vegetable content, ate only 1/2 of the rice and contained my desire to eat more than one egg roll. Good thing that my dish was spicy. It filled me up and I had so much water behind it that I felt satisfied. I did include three pieces of General Tso chicken (my son was sharing) but even that didn't push me over the edge to eat more.
I've started including Miracle Reds and Micro Greens to my meals. This is a powder product that you mix with water. It is a dietary supplement of fruits and veggies and it is has at least five servings of each food group. Makes me excited to know that there is a product that can give me all the vitamins I need.
I purchased the Cous Cous, Quinoa, and some barley. I will be cooking with them shortly and can't wait to see how they add some texture to my meals. The nutritional value alone is astounding and makes me excited to know that my health is getting better with each meal that I cook.
After dinner tonight, my plan is to stretch before I play Wii games and stay on it for a solid hour and then walk the dogs around the block. My energy level isn't up to the speed that it was last week. I am feeling less sluggish, but not nearly as energetic. All in due time!!
I treated myself to dinner with Asian takeout. I selected the curried chicken stir-fry for its high vegetable content, ate only 1/2 of the rice and contained my desire to eat more than one egg roll. Good thing that my dish was spicy. It filled me up and I had so much water behind it that I felt satisfied. I did include three pieces of General Tso chicken (my son was sharing) but even that didn't push me over the edge to eat more.
I've started including Miracle Reds and Micro Greens to my meals. This is a powder product that you mix with water. It is a dietary supplement of fruits and veggies and it is has at least five servings of each food group. Makes me excited to know that there is a product that can give me all the vitamins I need.
I purchased the Cous Cous, Quinoa, and some barley. I will be cooking with them shortly and can't wait to see how they add some texture to my meals. The nutritional value alone is astounding and makes me excited to know that my health is getting better with each meal that I cook.
After dinner tonight, my plan is to stretch before I play Wii games and stay on it for a solid hour and then walk the dogs around the block. My energy level isn't up to the speed that it was last week. I am feeling less sluggish, but not nearly as energetic. All in due time!!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Needing a Boost
Each day I feel better about my food choices. I'm also getting better about what portion control is all about. I can tell just by looking at my food if a handful of deli meat if is 2oz. and if my bowl has a cup of dry cereal in it. I start my day off with 16oz of water followed by 16 more before 3pm. It's becoming a habit to eat well. I'm enjoying the routine and the future exploration of new foods to add to my menu each week.
The real sad thing about this change in my eating habits is how really expensive all of the healthy food is. Each week I have to buy food because the veggies and fruits are getting consumed all the time. I do have two containers of "Reds" and "Greens" that are powder forms of veggies, but the satisfaction of chomping, chewing and crunching my veggies appeals to me more that drinking all those foods down in a glass of water or juice. It sure was a lot cheaper and easier to eat poorly. One has to wonder if it's conspiracy or greed (or both) that has McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King...etc. on every corner.
When I woke up yesterday (Sunday) afternoon I felt sluggish. My routine is to go to bed at 9am and wake up by 4pm. That gives me seven good hours to work all night. But I tossed and turned a lot due to being overly warm. I need to feel cool or at least chilly to sleep soundly. So I'm at work needing a boost. Oh well, Monday I'll be swimming and get the boost that way.
I've been concentrating on eating less meat for the time being. I will continue to have seafood in my food groups, but I want to see how eating more plants affects my weigh in (this coming Thurs). I'm excited already to see what the scale has to offer this week. It's like reading a mystery novel and each week a new clue is revealed! Come on Sherlock Holmes, help me solve the mystery of the shrinking waist line!!
The real sad thing about this change in my eating habits is how really expensive all of the healthy food is. Each week I have to buy food because the veggies and fruits are getting consumed all the time. I do have two containers of "Reds" and "Greens" that are powder forms of veggies, but the satisfaction of chomping, chewing and crunching my veggies appeals to me more that drinking all those foods down in a glass of water or juice. It sure was a lot cheaper and easier to eat poorly. One has to wonder if it's conspiracy or greed (or both) that has McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King...etc. on every corner.
When I woke up yesterday (Sunday) afternoon I felt sluggish. My routine is to go to bed at 9am and wake up by 4pm. That gives me seven good hours to work all night. But I tossed and turned a lot due to being overly warm. I need to feel cool or at least chilly to sleep soundly. So I'm at work needing a boost. Oh well, Monday I'll be swimming and get the boost that way.
I've been concentrating on eating less meat for the time being. I will continue to have seafood in my food groups, but I want to see how eating more plants affects my weigh in (this coming Thurs). I'm excited already to see what the scale has to offer this week. It's like reading a mystery novel and each week a new clue is revealed! Come on Sherlock Holmes, help me solve the mystery of the shrinking waist line!!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Amazing Support
So my weigh in didn't have the results that I dreamed of. I didn't lose any weight this past week, however, I didn't gain a pound either. I'm in limbo on my feelings. My first reaction: stunned. I thought, how dare my body not even lose one pound after all the hard work and effort to eat properly that I've been going through!! How ungrateful.
Then I took a breath and realized that the scale only showed +0.2....do you know how small that is? I had to laugh at myself. Success was in the fact that I maintained my last weight. This is a great sign that change is coming and to stay the course.
I have an amazing support system and my friends have all been rallying in my corner to see me succeed. I've been told to "stay the course", "keep your chin up", "hang in there, it wasn't put on over night" and best of all, "I'm behind you and will support you in any way that I can." It makes me proud to see this outpouring of love and kindness for a lifestyle change that I want to make.
After assessing my aching knee situation (the right meniscus is torn and is now flared up) I will be using the pool more and pounding the pavement less. After the flare up calms down I'll tackle the bridge again. I will miss the beautiful scenery, cows and frogs, but staying healthy and strong is important if I am to reach goal. The pool workout actually made me feel more burn than just walking. I may invest in a bike to tackle the trail and beyond!
My body feels lighter this week and a few of my scrubs aren't so tight around the top. I've enjoyed exploring with food options and eating out. In the kitchen I revisited the 'yucky' Brussels sprouts in a roasted recipe that was so simple. I cut them in half and seasoned them with a little Canola oil, salt, and pepper. Baked them for 35 min (turning them over every 8 min) and had the best toasted sprouts ever. I will now use these weekly and try my hand at doing squash, zucchini this way too. I love a good squash casserole, but it will have to be altered to now fit my healthy lifestyle.
Looks like my attitude is just right for week three...BRING IT!
Then I took a breath and realized that the scale only showed +0.2....do you know how small that is? I had to laugh at myself. Success was in the fact that I maintained my last weight. This is a great sign that change is coming and to stay the course.
I have an amazing support system and my friends have all been rallying in my corner to see me succeed. I've been told to "stay the course", "keep your chin up", "hang in there, it wasn't put on over night" and best of all, "I'm behind you and will support you in any way that I can." It makes me proud to see this outpouring of love and kindness for a lifestyle change that I want to make.
After assessing my aching knee situation (the right meniscus is torn and is now flared up) I will be using the pool more and pounding the pavement less. After the flare up calms down I'll tackle the bridge again. I will miss the beautiful scenery, cows and frogs, but staying healthy and strong is important if I am to reach goal. The pool workout actually made me feel more burn than just walking. I may invest in a bike to tackle the trail and beyond!
My body feels lighter this week and a few of my scrubs aren't so tight around the top. I've enjoyed exploring with food options and eating out. In the kitchen I revisited the 'yucky' Brussels sprouts in a roasted recipe that was so simple. I cut them in half and seasoned them with a little Canola oil, salt, and pepper. Baked them for 35 min (turning them over every 8 min) and had the best toasted sprouts ever. I will now use these weekly and try my hand at doing squash, zucchini this way too. I love a good squash casserole, but it will have to be altered to now fit my healthy lifestyle.
Looks like my attitude is just right for week three...BRING IT!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Two Weeks
Yesterday (Thur 8/18) I woke up looking forward to the weigh in. It wasn't until 5:30pm so I only had a few hours to wait. The pool was a place I knew my exercising would be taken to the max so after I got my new Nike shoes for work, I was at the pool for a serious 30 min workout. I decided that tackling the pool in ten minute intervals was better than trying to swim all 30 min at once.
The pool is nice and long so I started out with the standard swim, mixed in a few back strokes, side strokes, and frogger style. Then I decided to stretch my legs on the pool side before I did my underwater aerobics. I worked my legs and upper arms with the resistance of the water to help me. Seems the water is a better resister than weights as the muscle burn was amazing after only 4 reps.
I swam the width of the pool for five minutes, returned to the full length lap and altered my swimming style for each. At the end I floated for relaxation for 5 min and then left the pool to get ready for work. I was starving after my shower (breakfast was only a bowl of Quaker Oat Squares and milk w/ fruit) and had the stir fry scallops, shrimp, veggie meal. I didn't eat any grains as I didn't want to be too bloated for the weigh in.
I arrived at the WW meeting with a smile. As I stepped on the scale I didn't have a great 'light' feeling, I was worried. Then the number popped up: +0.2lbs for the week. WHAT!! I gained! Oh no, I was a little disappointed as we are taught that losing weight is all about l-o-s-i-n-g. But I'm on a lifestyle change and according to my friend Rick (a nutritionist) weight gain is part of getting your healthy eating habits in order.
I could have been really down about this two tenth gain, but I was too stoked that I didn't gain 2lbs!! I went to the meeting where Michelle talked to us about a meatless day in our routine and I enjoyed hearing about all the different things you can eat besides meat to make a meal appealing (quinoa - pronounce Keen-Wa - is a seed that is cooked like pasta/rice; barley; tofu- comes in various states: hard to soft; couscous- to me this is like the better version of grits).
So in my two weeks of being a Weight Watchers member I have a total of one pound of weight off of my frame, I have increased my non-existence weekly exercising to three days of exercise this week, and I am eating the most healthy meals ever in my life! I'd call that quiet a success!
The pool is nice and long so I started out with the standard swim, mixed in a few back strokes, side strokes, and frogger style. Then I decided to stretch my legs on the pool side before I did my underwater aerobics. I worked my legs and upper arms with the resistance of the water to help me. Seems the water is a better resister than weights as the muscle burn was amazing after only 4 reps.
I swam the width of the pool for five minutes, returned to the full length lap and altered my swimming style for each. At the end I floated for relaxation for 5 min and then left the pool to get ready for work. I was starving after my shower (breakfast was only a bowl of Quaker Oat Squares and milk w/ fruit) and had the stir fry scallops, shrimp, veggie meal. I didn't eat any grains as I didn't want to be too bloated for the weigh in.
I arrived at the WW meeting with a smile. As I stepped on the scale I didn't have a great 'light' feeling, I was worried. Then the number popped up: +0.2lbs for the week. WHAT!! I gained! Oh no, I was a little disappointed as we are taught that losing weight is all about l-o-s-i-n-g. But I'm on a lifestyle change and according to my friend Rick (a nutritionist) weight gain is part of getting your healthy eating habits in order.
I could have been really down about this two tenth gain, but I was too stoked that I didn't gain 2lbs!! I went to the meeting where Michelle talked to us about a meatless day in our routine and I enjoyed hearing about all the different things you can eat besides meat to make a meal appealing (quinoa - pronounce Keen-Wa - is a seed that is cooked like pasta/rice; barley; tofu- comes in various states: hard to soft; couscous- to me this is like the better version of grits).
So in my two weeks of being a Weight Watchers member I have a total of one pound of weight off of my frame, I have increased my non-existence weekly exercising to three days of exercise this week, and I am eating the most healthy meals ever in my life! I'd call that quiet a success!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Satisfaction Is Filling
Today (Wed 8/17) was my relaxation day and I was grateful that the Motrin did its job last night and the soreness was gone when I woke up. Nothing like starting the day off in pain and feeling poorly. After drinking 16 oz of water, I decided on the yogurt with black berries, banana, and a few pumpkin seeds to start my day. I wanted to make sure I didn't get hungry in the movie theater nor tempted by the smells of popcorn (it's all that butter that hurts you).
The day went by rather quickly with a stop by S&R Performance to see the guys and JC. I felt great and decided that I wanted to eat at Cheesecake Factory for my mid-day meal. They have a new "skinny" menu and it's full of great meals with low calories, so I ate a turkey sandwich with bacon, avocado's (2 slices) and a small salad. I had crab as an appetizer and a skinny margarita to go with it. Then I ordered the cheesecake (who goes there and doesn't?) but I ate 1/3 of it and brought the rest home. I was very satisfied knowing that I ate just enough to be full. Just having a great low calorie menu option helped so much.
My body and mind feel awesome. No more bloating, tiredness (I actually have more energy), no more swollen feet, and I don't look puffy in the face. I'm so happy that I made the decision to start eating healthier. Don't get me wrong, my moderately healthy way of eating before was almost good enough, but it included lots of bread, cheese, sweets, soda's, power drinks (NOS I miss you!!) and over eating. Now I eat a lot of greens, veggies, water, on top of lean meats and it's working. I think I'll shop for whole wheat pasta to incorporate into meal times.
Thursday is weigh in day. I'm looking forward to having dropped something...not sure how much but any amount off is good. My plan is to get up early and walk to the bridge so that I can get my exercise in before work. I cooked a few meals tonight so I wouldn't have to do it the next few work nights. Thinking ahead and making plans, it's all good!
The day went by rather quickly with a stop by S&R Performance to see the guys and JC. I felt great and decided that I wanted to eat at Cheesecake Factory for my mid-day meal. They have a new "skinny" menu and it's full of great meals with low calories, so I ate a turkey sandwich with bacon, avocado's (2 slices) and a small salad. I had crab as an appetizer and a skinny margarita to go with it. Then I ordered the cheesecake (who goes there and doesn't?) but I ate 1/3 of it and brought the rest home. I was very satisfied knowing that I ate just enough to be full. Just having a great low calorie menu option helped so much.
My body and mind feel awesome. No more bloating, tiredness (I actually have more energy), no more swollen feet, and I don't look puffy in the face. I'm so happy that I made the decision to start eating healthier. Don't get me wrong, my moderately healthy way of eating before was almost good enough, but it included lots of bread, cheese, sweets, soda's, power drinks (NOS I miss you!!) and over eating. Now I eat a lot of greens, veggies, water, on top of lean meats and it's working. I think I'll shop for whole wheat pasta to incorporate into meal times.
Thursday is weigh in day. I'm looking forward to having dropped something...not sure how much but any amount off is good. My plan is to get up early and walk to the bridge so that I can get my exercise in before work. I cooked a few meals tonight so I wouldn't have to do it the next few work nights. Thinking ahead and making plans, it's all good!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Greek is the Word, It Has Staying Power!
Decided that today would be very productive. I had a list of chores to complete and I needed energy. Breakfast consisted of Greek yogur(touch of Splenda makes it a tad less bitter), pumpkin seeds, strawberries, and a few dried blueberries, chasing it with 16oz of water. After walking the three dogs (yes, 'Drea was stranded in Costa Rica so Katy is still here) I set off for the bank and to buy new laundry baskets at Target. For some reason I lost one when I moved to Tampa and one broke on the sides so you can't hold it up against your body at all without everything falling out.
I filled up the machines, loaded up the soap and realized I was out of softener. With the clothes all spinning, a banana and a fresh water bottle later, I rushed home to get the sheets, towels and grabbed some celery and peanut butter before hitting CVS for more fabric softener (the new baskets work wonderfully). Twenty minutes later I was all settled in with my newly acquire Glamor magazine waiting for the dryers to be done. I managed to occupy my folding time by watching some soap opera (it's been so long since I've watched one) where the woman had twin sons that were separated at birth and then she brainwashed one to be the other (?? don't ask, I'm clueless).
I rushed back to the house, put everything away, made both beds, walked Katy and came back to make a nice heaping salad of greens, tomatoes, cucumber, ham and turkey (1.5 oz of each) topped off with my daily allowance of balsamic dressing...I was starving! I was impressed how the Greek yogurt had such staying power. It lasted 5hrs. Whew, my day was flying by, guess I wouldn't get that nap I was thinking about taking.
After I settled the dogs I decided that it was a good time to hit Publix, even though it was 1900hrs and I was ready to kick back and flip channels, I needed to keep the energy level up high and pressed on to find some decent groceries (sorry Walmart fans, but after getting some Greek yogurt that was only 3 days out of date off the shelves, complete with mold growing in it, I'm staying at Publix for a while...yeah I got another). Since I had plenty of chicken already, I opted for fresh seafood, pork country style ribs and plenty of vegetables. After loading up the Kia I headed to CVS to grab some Motrin as this exercising is going to cause many groans and moans from my bones.
I've noticed that my energy level fluctuates as the day goes along. I felt the best at 10:30a and the worst at 1630hrs. I guess it all depends on what you feed the body. Since I had yogurt early I felt great and with the salad, even though I had meat in it, I guess a soup and maybe some grains would have made a difference.
Yesterday my Tuesday goal was to do the bridge trail and swimming I had just enough energy to do one: the walk. I set off at 2045hrs with Penny in tow. My plan was to get to the bridge in 30 min and sweat a lot. Humidity was high and I was on pace, making it to the bridge in 20 min. and I DID IT!! Took me 20 min. to get back home for a total of a brisk 40 min walk!
Needless to say the Motrin came in handy as I popped four pills, downed a glass of water and celebrated my goal with four squares of dark chocolate. Oh yeah baby, I had points left over for just those four. Great day indeed.
I filled up the machines, loaded up the soap and realized I was out of softener. With the clothes all spinning, a banana and a fresh water bottle later, I rushed home to get the sheets, towels and grabbed some celery and peanut butter before hitting CVS for more fabric softener (the new baskets work wonderfully). Twenty minutes later I was all settled in with my newly acquire Glamor magazine waiting for the dryers to be done. I managed to occupy my folding time by watching some soap opera (it's been so long since I've watched one) where the woman had twin sons that were separated at birth and then she brainwashed one to be the other (?? don't ask, I'm clueless).
I rushed back to the house, put everything away, made both beds, walked Katy and came back to make a nice heaping salad of greens, tomatoes, cucumber, ham and turkey (1.5 oz of each) topped off with my daily allowance of balsamic dressing...I was starving! I was impressed how the Greek yogurt had such staying power. It lasted 5hrs. Whew, my day was flying by, guess I wouldn't get that nap I was thinking about taking.
After I settled the dogs I decided that it was a good time to hit Publix, even though it was 1900hrs and I was ready to kick back and flip channels, I needed to keep the energy level up high and pressed on to find some decent groceries (sorry Walmart fans, but after getting some Greek yogurt that was only 3 days out of date off the shelves, complete with mold growing in it, I'm staying at Publix for a while...yeah I got another). Since I had plenty of chicken already, I opted for fresh seafood, pork country style ribs and plenty of vegetables. After loading up the Kia I headed to CVS to grab some Motrin as this exercising is going to cause many groans and moans from my bones.
I've noticed that my energy level fluctuates as the day goes along. I felt the best at 10:30a and the worst at 1630hrs. I guess it all depends on what you feed the body. Since I had yogurt early I felt great and with the salad, even though I had meat in it, I guess a soup and maybe some grains would have made a difference.
Yesterday my Tuesday goal was to do the bridge trail and swimming I had just enough energy to do one: the walk. I set off at 2045hrs with Penny in tow. My plan was to get to the bridge in 30 min and sweat a lot. Humidity was high and I was on pace, making it to the bridge in 20 min. and I DID IT!! Took me 20 min. to get back home for a total of a brisk 40 min walk!
Needless to say the Motrin came in handy as I popped four pills, downed a glass of water and celebrated my goal with four squares of dark chocolate. Oh yeah baby, I had points left over for just those four. Great day indeed.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Craving!
I thought today would have gone a lot smoother seeing as how it didn't start until 4pm. Woke up, drank 8oz of water and ate 5 almonds. Thought this would jump start my hunger, but it didn't work. So I walked the dogs, goofed off online and then went to get Andrea's dog Katy from the vet office. I'm dog sitting until further notice. When I returned I still wasn't hungry even though it was 6pm. I wasn't concerned and set about chores and playing Words with Friends, reading my friend's blog about her Afghanistan experience and surfing. Yeah, I was being a lazy fart. Next time I'll go walk the trail.
Nearly five hours has gone by without one single hunger pain so I had a Fresca. Now, I am concerned because this is an old habit that leads to binging out at the 6th hour. JC comes home and I asked him to cook the chicken. Tonight will be stir fry night. In prepping the kitchen for cooking and thawing out the chicken I realize that I'm hungry. So I turn to celery and peanut butter to get me through.
After I ate the stir fry (Nappa cabbage, orange/yellow peppers, onions, chicken breast...I used sesame & ginger vinaigrette for flavoring) I felt satisfied enough to take Katy for a walk and finish cleaning up the kitchen. It was a great meal, however, I felt like I was missing something. Usually rice would be served with a meal like that and it wasn't this time. I let the feeling pass. About an hour later I was craving. I know I shouldn't be, so I figured I didn't give myself enough fiber today. Flat bread (this is some very hard, crunchy flat cracker) will have to work as I will use it when I eat the fish.
The thing about working night shift (12 long hours at that) is my eating schedule is the mirror opposite of a normal day. So at 0700 I'm having my dinner, 1800 it's breakfast time (I wake up around 1630-1700) and 2230-2300 it's time for lunch with my co-workers. A few carefully placed healthy snacks keeps me going through the night. The tricky part is keeping that same schedule when I'm off. I sleep a little differently due to me going to bed closer to 3am most off nights and getting up at 1000-10:30a. I see now that eating properly on my days off will prove to be a tougher beginning challenge.
Tuesday is trail bridge day (want to walk to the bridge in 42-45 min) and swimming. I will do the pool after the sun sets a bit though, since it closes at 2200 (10pm for y'all). Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking it will be cooler, just less sun on me. The more I move the more points I gain for later in the week, just in case I need more.
Nearly five hours has gone by without one single hunger pain so I had a Fresca. Now, I am concerned because this is an old habit that leads to binging out at the 6th hour. JC comes home and I asked him to cook the chicken. Tonight will be stir fry night. In prepping the kitchen for cooking and thawing out the chicken I realize that I'm hungry. So I turn to celery and peanut butter to get me through.
After I ate the stir fry (Nappa cabbage, orange/yellow peppers, onions, chicken breast...I used sesame & ginger vinaigrette for flavoring) I felt satisfied enough to take Katy for a walk and finish cleaning up the kitchen. It was a great meal, however, I felt like I was missing something. Usually rice would be served with a meal like that and it wasn't this time. I let the feeling pass. About an hour later I was craving. I know I shouldn't be, so I figured I didn't give myself enough fiber today. Flat bread (this is some very hard, crunchy flat cracker) will have to work as I will use it when I eat the fish.
The thing about working night shift (12 long hours at that) is my eating schedule is the mirror opposite of a normal day. So at 0700 I'm having my dinner, 1800 it's breakfast time (I wake up around 1630-1700) and 2230-2300 it's time for lunch with my co-workers. A few carefully placed healthy snacks keeps me going through the night. The tricky part is keeping that same schedule when I'm off. I sleep a little differently due to me going to bed closer to 3am most off nights and getting up at 1000-10:30a. I see now that eating properly on my days off will prove to be a tougher beginning challenge.
Tuesday is trail bridge day (want to walk to the bridge in 42-45 min) and swimming. I will do the pool after the sun sets a bit though, since it closes at 2200 (10pm for y'all). Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking it will be cooler, just less sun on me. The more I move the more points I gain for later in the week, just in case I need more.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Higher Gear
So today started out great! I decided that my walk needed to increase by 15 minutes and was determined to meet that goal. The dogs are oblivious to my needs and I had the bridge in my foresight as we set off down Brandon Parkway. The humid air wasn't as nearly as warm as I expected so my sweating wasn't as much of an obstacle as it had been the day before. As I rounded the small pond I decided that a slower pace would help me maintain my goal instead of fast walking and getting winded quickly. The stop to visit the cows helped out. Penny Kay decided to engage the cows with barking and aroused a few of them to the point that I rushed off thinking that they would bum-rush the fence at any moment.
I was impressed at my stamina as I got closer to the bridge section of trail. I couldn't see it, but having a goal to reach while walking works for my brain a lot better than just being out there guessing at how long I've been outside. So I'm more goal oriented than I thought. Having to be accountable to this blog, my FB friends, and Weight Watchers is making me really strive to meet my goal ahead of schedule (I think I mentioned that I want to be at my ideal weight by Feb 1, 2012).
When I made it to the bridge I took a picture of the moment. I call it 'Serenity' for the feeling of peace I had while standing there having accomplished this small goal. Next will be the intersection at Providence Road/Lakewood Dr (It's 2.21 miles from start to end at Brandon Main St).
I've stayed on track with eating my points for the day. Usually with points left over or right at 36. It's good to know that I'm eating just what I'm suppose to and not over eating or under eating. Most days if I'm getting close to having no points, I'll tap into that weekly allowance. It's nice to have that as a safety net. In kicking my routine into a higher gear I've accomplished a small exercise goal! Bring on the next one!!
I was impressed at my stamina as I got closer to the bridge section of trail. I couldn't see it, but having a goal to reach while walking works for my brain a lot better than just being out there guessing at how long I've been outside. So I'm more goal oriented than I thought. Having to be accountable to this blog, my FB friends, and Weight Watchers is making me really strive to meet my goal ahead of schedule (I think I mentioned that I want to be at my ideal weight by Feb 1, 2012).
When I made it to the bridge I took a picture of the moment. I call it 'Serenity' for the feeling of peace I had while standing there having accomplished this small goal. Next will be the intersection at Providence Road/Lakewood Dr (It's 2.21 miles from start to end at Brandon Main St).
I've stayed on track with eating my points for the day. Usually with points left over or right at 36. It's good to know that I'm eating just what I'm suppose to and not over eating or under eating. Most days if I'm getting close to having no points, I'll tap into that weekly allowance. It's nice to have that as a safety net. In kicking my routine into a higher gear I've accomplished a small exercise goal! Bring on the next one!!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Being Real
So for the past 24hrs I've been watching what I eat and how I feel before and after. Usually I'm hungry to very hungry and have a nice full feeling after. Before when I would over eat my tummy would hurt or I'd feel so sluggish and tired that the thought of a quick nap always came to mind. But realistically if humans all did that every time they ate (6 small meals a day) nothing would get accomplished.
By being true to my hunger and only eating when hungry, eating my fruits and veggies before my protein/grains, I feel that I have a better more efficient fuel burning machine. In the long run I can accomplish my normal daily goals if I'm not dragging around or napping all the time. My body seems to enjoy the increased fruit intake as well. I remember Dr. Oz talking about colon habits and making sure that everything is turning out alright, well it is! LOL
So in being real and not turning from my true self I must say that I was dreading the exercise part of this "new me, healthy me". Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't think I have to exercise, I do. But when I have not done any type of it for years, due to my left knee, then thinking about it stresses me out. Today I walked the dogs 40 min. I was sweating so much and my heart was probably 15 beats faster than normal. I wanted to keep an even pace so I would walk fast then slow down so the dogs could sniff. I think they will enjoy the walks over time and get use to the pace. In two months I will look into Zumba or belly dancing as future goal for exercise.
I do have to admit that my back is still hurting a bit and I had to take Motrin last night while at work. I really hope that getting at least 10lbs off soon will make that lower back pain go away. I may not be so happy all the time because of the pain I have with that, so I'm looking forward to it being gone fore good one day!!
By being true to my hunger and only eating when hungry, eating my fruits and veggies before my protein/grains, I feel that I have a better more efficient fuel burning machine. In the long run I can accomplish my normal daily goals if I'm not dragging around or napping all the time. My body seems to enjoy the increased fruit intake as well. I remember Dr. Oz talking about colon habits and making sure that everything is turning out alright, well it is! LOL
So in being real and not turning from my true self I must say that I was dreading the exercise part of this "new me, healthy me". Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't think I have to exercise, I do. But when I have not done any type of it for years, due to my left knee, then thinking about it stresses me out. Today I walked the dogs 40 min. I was sweating so much and my heart was probably 15 beats faster than normal. I wanted to keep an even pace so I would walk fast then slow down so the dogs could sniff. I think they will enjoy the walks over time and get use to the pace. In two months I will look into Zumba or belly dancing as future goal for exercise.
I do have to admit that my back is still hurting a bit and I had to take Motrin last night while at work. I really hope that getting at least 10lbs off soon will make that lower back pain go away. I may not be so happy all the time because of the pain I have with that, so I'm looking forward to it being gone fore good one day!!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Healthy Ladies (as sung to 'Single Ladies' by Beyonce)
Healthy Ladies
"All my healthy ladies! All my healthy ladies!
Now put your forks up
Up in the kitchen, cooking healthy things, we're doin' our own healthy thing
Decided on a salad, some yogurt and fish
I know they will notice me
I'm feeling great, I'm feeling happy
Hunger, don't pay me any attention
No more tears, In three more years
Haters gonna hate on me
Cause I'm healthy and I'm gonna drop the pounds off me
If you like it you can join and drop pounds with me
Don't be mad when you see that we want this
Cause if you liked it then you should've dropped pounds with me
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, oh, Oh..."
"All my healthy ladies! All my healthy ladies!
Now put your forks up
Up in the kitchen, cooking healthy things, we're doin' our own healthy thing
Decided on a salad, some yogurt and fish
I know they will notice me
I'm feeling great, I'm feeling happy
Hunger, don't pay me any attention
No more tears, In three more years
Haters gonna hate on me
Cause I'm healthy and I'm gonna drop the pounds off me
If you like it you can join and drop pounds with me
Don't be mad when you see that we want this
Cause if you liked it then you should've dropped pounds with me
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, oh, Oh..."
First Loss
I woke up knowing that today would be a glorious day no matter what I did. Today was scales day and I was looking forward to seeing how well my plan was working. I started the day with fish, veggies, and some celery with peanut butter. Weird breakfast you say? Not at all. In fact, if you really think about it if you ate a meal like at 7am it would keep you full until 11am when you can eat again. Granted my day started at 1pm...LOL but I'd rock this after working a night and not think much about it being early morning. Never mind that the food is considered a 'dinner' meal, it actually made me feel good to start my day this healthy.
Took my sister to The Rack for her birthday and had a cooked scallop sushi roll and a martini with olives. Yummy lunch I'd say. I'm feeling very powerful. I am in training for something, like I have a major accomplishment coming up just around the corner....my healthy lifestyle!!!
At 5:25 I showed up for the WW meeting. Lots of people there. We had a great discussion and lots of feedback on what's a healthy plate for eating. This simply means that eating equal portion sizes (a portion is approx. the palm of my hand) of fruits, veggies, protein and whole grains at my meals. This way my body is getting everything it needs to work until the next meal time.
My sister wanted to go to the movies since we were celebrating her special day. Although she busted out with popcorn and a soda I had a water. I wasn't even tempted by the butter smell like I would have been in the past. I just decided that later I'd treat myself. Dinner was great, I managed to eat a chicken burger (actually pretty good) with my usual mini-salad on bread and some berries after. I topped off the night with a Menchie yogurt cup, no waffle cone this time.
So what's my first loss amount to you ask? 1.2lbs!! That's great and means that I'm on target to getting to my goal as planned! Let's see how I manage this weekend coming up, as I am working three nights in a row and I get bored and want to eat. Oh, I also need a larger lunch bag to take more veggie snacks with me.
Took my sister to The Rack for her birthday and had a cooked scallop sushi roll and a martini with olives. Yummy lunch I'd say. I'm feeling very powerful. I am in training for something, like I have a major accomplishment coming up just around the corner....my healthy lifestyle!!!
At 5:25 I showed up for the WW meeting. Lots of people there. We had a great discussion and lots of feedback on what's a healthy plate for eating. This simply means that eating equal portion sizes (a portion is approx. the palm of my hand) of fruits, veggies, protein and whole grains at my meals. This way my body is getting everything it needs to work until the next meal time.
My sister wanted to go to the movies since we were celebrating her special day. Although she busted out with popcorn and a soda I had a water. I wasn't even tempted by the butter smell like I would have been in the past. I just decided that later I'd treat myself. Dinner was great, I managed to eat a chicken burger (actually pretty good) with my usual mini-salad on bread and some berries after. I topped off the night with a Menchie yogurt cup, no waffle cone this time.
So what's my first loss amount to you ask? 1.2lbs!! That's great and means that I'm on target to getting to my goal as planned! Let's see how I manage this weekend coming up, as I am working three nights in a row and I get bored and want to eat. Oh, I also need a larger lunch bag to take more veggie snacks with me.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
One Week Down
It's been a solid week of getting my body use to eating better than I have in a long time. It feels great. I have a lot more energy already. I'm not sleeping as late and when I'm up I'm not dragging. I have a lot of hope that this may actually work. Now to start making exercise a part of this routine. Baby steps will now progressed to a toddler's pace!
In rushing around yesterday morning I decided that a Coke and a McDonalds breakfast burrito combo was going to be my treat. I haven't had a soda in ten days and I've not had any fast food since the Chick-Fila before my WW plan started. I anticipated the delicious tastes in my mouth, pulled away from the window and took a long drag on the straw. The Coke hit my taste buds with a "Hello Dahling!" and I instantly felt like sugar was crawling down my throat to my thighs. The burrito tasted like a paper towel with light seasoning and I won't even tell you how greasy the hash brown was. I was hungry so I ate it, but I realized that I really wanted my Greek yogurt with fruits and nuts more. Take THAT fast food, you aren't gonna win this battle! LOL
As I drifted off to sleep amidst the rain fall outside my window I thought about how I plan to tackle the plateau; the one that I will face down the road. If I create a plan now to attack it, then when it arrives I'll just put that plan into action. I have the P90X DVD's. I need to check them all out and see which ones I'll be able to do in the near future. My back-up plan is Zumba class at a dance studio not to far from work. My only issue with all of that is the torn meniscus in my right knee. I can't do stairs or squatting so if it involves a lot of that I'll have to alter it a bit.
Today (Thurs) marks my one week anniversary of being on Weight Watchers. I'll see how well my eating habits have worked for me. I've been diligent in writing all foods in the online tool provided for me. It keeps track of all points consumed, what I ate, and how it's affecting my total points score (36) and if I used up any of the Bonus Points (49) for that week. I feel GREAT!!
In rushing around yesterday morning I decided that a Coke and a McDonalds breakfast burrito combo was going to be my treat. I haven't had a soda in ten days and I've not had any fast food since the Chick-Fila before my WW plan started. I anticipated the delicious tastes in my mouth, pulled away from the window and took a long drag on the straw. The Coke hit my taste buds with a "Hello Dahling!" and I instantly felt like sugar was crawling down my throat to my thighs. The burrito tasted like a paper towel with light seasoning and I won't even tell you how greasy the hash brown was. I was hungry so I ate it, but I realized that I really wanted my Greek yogurt with fruits and nuts more. Take THAT fast food, you aren't gonna win this battle! LOL
As I drifted off to sleep amidst the rain fall outside my window I thought about how I plan to tackle the plateau; the one that I will face down the road. If I create a plan now to attack it, then when it arrives I'll just put that plan into action. I have the P90X DVD's. I need to check them all out and see which ones I'll be able to do in the near future. My back-up plan is Zumba class at a dance studio not to far from work. My only issue with all of that is the torn meniscus in my right knee. I can't do stairs or squatting so if it involves a lot of that I'll have to alter it a bit.
Today (Thurs) marks my one week anniversary of being on Weight Watchers. I'll see how well my eating habits have worked for me. I've been diligent in writing all foods in the online tool provided for me. It keeps track of all points consumed, what I ate, and how it's affecting my total points score (36) and if I used up any of the Bonus Points (49) for that week. I feel GREAT!!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Change Has Arrived
Yesterday (Sunday) was a good test day. Since I work nights and usually sleep a day away I was eager to see how my points would work in my 'upside down' world. I didn't go to sleep until noon due to laundry and then meeting with some friends. I cooked breakfast before I went so I wouldn't be tempted to over eat at the restaurant. That worked out great and I had some ice tea to tide me over.
When I woke up at 7pm I decided that I would make my meal the dinner for the day. Baked pork chops, frozen veggie mix, a nice fresh salad of greens, tomatoes, olives, and some real Ranch. I ate the salad first then twenty minutes later I ate my fruits for the night (berry combo with black berries & strawberries) then waited 20 minutes and ate my dinner. Lots of water consumed.
Waiting twenty minutes allowed my food consumption to register with my brain. I will incorporate this into my meals from now on. My body can tell that I'm eating healthier. Guess I've been slacking for such a long time that the 'puffy' feeling that I've had, I considered normal. But change has arrived!
My late snack was my 'lunch' I made a sandwich with turkey, raw spinach leaves, a tomato, honey mustard and had cherries. Filling, wasn't stuffed after. I thought I was going to be awake until 5am since I slept so long, but I am feeling a lot better these days. More awake and less groggy. So I went to bed at 2am instead.
Over all the best feeling I can attach to what's going on with me is that I feel sated and optimistic. I honestly thought that by now I'd be craving all types of crazy foods and be sneaking around nibbling on this and that unnecessarily. But I'm not, so I'll press on!!
When I woke up at 7pm I decided that I would make my meal the dinner for the day. Baked pork chops, frozen veggie mix, a nice fresh salad of greens, tomatoes, olives, and some real Ranch. I ate the salad first then twenty minutes later I ate my fruits for the night (berry combo with black berries & strawberries) then waited 20 minutes and ate my dinner. Lots of water consumed.
Waiting twenty minutes allowed my food consumption to register with my brain. I will incorporate this into my meals from now on. My body can tell that I'm eating healthier. Guess I've been slacking for such a long time that the 'puffy' feeling that I've had, I considered normal. But change has arrived!
My late snack was my 'lunch' I made a sandwich with turkey, raw spinach leaves, a tomato, honey mustard and had cherries. Filling, wasn't stuffed after. I thought I was going to be awake until 5am since I slept so long, but I am feeling a lot better these days. More awake and less groggy. So I went to bed at 2am instead.
Over all the best feeling I can attach to what's going on with me is that I feel sated and optimistic. I honestly thought that by now I'd be craving all types of crazy foods and be sneaking around nibbling on this and that unnecessarily. But I'm not, so I'll press on!!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
I Set My Goals On Fire (Thanks Kevin P.)
Tonight is rough. It’s 2345, I ate ½ my “evening” meal so that I could have something to eat at 3am when I get hungry. Working 12hr nights is going to prove the hardest of my tests. There are platters of sugar cookies in all the ICU lounges put there by a generous supervisor on dayshift. Ugh, my nemesis is a cookie. I AM the cookie monster. I dream of cookies, think I am a cookie and had a long history with a dog named Cookie (of course I named it). So I took two. Just two little round, soft centered, perfectly sugared cookie.
As my teeth sunk into its delicately baked roundness I felt a twinge of guilt and a thought ran across my mind, I wasn’t even hungry. I wasn’t craving anything. I wasn’t supposed to put this cookie in my mouth. Drats, foiled again. I quickly assessed my emotion at the time I was chomping. I was happy, sideways happy.
You know the kind of happy that makes your mind skip like a five year old girl wearing a pink tutu. I posted up my concern on my Facebook page and T. P. (my dear friend) told me not to beat myself up too much that it takes time to break old habits. I’ve heard it takes twenty-one days, so here I go!!
I liked that feeling of sideways happiness. It freed me to go ‘skipping’ along doing good work with an inside smile on my face. Something as small as a cookie had me giddy with a carefree attitude, so now to harness that feeling in other activities instead of using food to obtain that same state of mind (but sometimes a cookie will do).
I’m going to make it. I can feel it! Start the burn!
As my teeth sunk into its delicately baked roundness I felt a twinge of guilt and a thought ran across my mind, I wasn’t even hungry. I wasn’t craving anything. I wasn’t supposed to put this cookie in my mouth. Drats, foiled again. I quickly assessed my emotion at the time I was chomping. I was happy, sideways happy.
You know the kind of happy that makes your mind skip like a five year old girl wearing a pink tutu. I posted up my concern on my Facebook page and T. P. (my dear friend) told me not to beat myself up too much that it takes time to break old habits. I’ve heard it takes twenty-one days, so here I go!!
I liked that feeling of sideways happiness. It freed me to go ‘skipping’ along doing good work with an inside smile on my face. Something as small as a cookie had me giddy with a carefree attitude, so now to harness that feeling in other activities instead of using food to obtain that same state of mind (but sometimes a cookie will do).
I’m going to make it. I can feel it! Start the burn!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
First Work Night
My food choices have always been surrounded by emotions. I eat when I'm
sad, happy, confused, angry, lonely, etc. Over the years some of those
urges I've been able to control. Most times it manifests into "eating
just because I can" so I over eat, eat when I'm not really hungry or I
eat too much at one time. Sometimes I'm bored, but often times I have
found myself thinking that I deserve (the cake, cookies, extra serving,
etc.) this. Like a reward for living this long or not being destructive
in other ways. Sadly enough food is a weapon just like alcohol, drugs,
gun or knife.
Whereas I wouldn't dare take a gun, knife or drugs to harm myself, I
never looked at food as a form of endangerment. I've been using food as a
numbing agent like a drug. That ended this week. Food will be only used
for sustaining my vital organs.It will be used in portions and logic. I will eat what I need and focus on my future health and happiness. I have real goals, not poofy ones that I've always had in the past (fit into jeans that I wore in H.S.), but ones that are more realistic for me.
Skydiving is a dream of mine. Yesterday a dear friend who is a skydiving instructor promised to get me up in the air when I'm ready and have attained my goal! I am so thrilled! I also am looking forward to riding the Cheetah coaster at Busch Gardens (the girls won't fit in most over-the-head locking mechanisms). So for me, those are static goals.
Tonight is my fist night of work with my new plan. I have my meals all ready to go. I washed all the fruit, cut up what I needed to and have confidence that meal time at work won't be a problem. It does help that they no longer serve food at night (left us with vending machines instead of real food) so I won't be tempted to buy that awesome macaroni and cheese (it was so creamy).
Onward and Upward!!!
sad, happy, confused, angry, lonely, etc. Over the years some of those
urges I've been able to control. Most times it manifests into "eating
just because I can" so I over eat, eat when I'm not really hungry or I
eat too much at one time. Sometimes I'm bored, but often times I have
found myself thinking that I deserve (the cake, cookies, extra serving,
etc.) this. Like a reward for living this long or not being destructive
in other ways. Sadly enough food is a weapon just like alcohol, drugs,
gun or knife.
Whereas I wouldn't dare take a gun, knife or drugs to harm myself, I
never looked at food as a form of endangerment. I've been using food as a
numbing agent like a drug. That ended this week. Food will be only used
for sustaining my vital organs.It will be used in portions and logic. I will eat what I need and focus on my future health and happiness. I have real goals, not poofy ones that I've always had in the past (fit into jeans that I wore in H.S.), but ones that are more realistic for me.
Skydiving is a dream of mine. Yesterday a dear friend who is a skydiving instructor promised to get me up in the air when I'm ready and have attained my goal! I am so thrilled! I also am looking forward to riding the Cheetah coaster at Busch Gardens (the girls won't fit in most over-the-head locking mechanisms). So for me, those are static goals.
Tonight is my fist night of work with my new plan. I have my meals all ready to go. I washed all the fruit, cut up what I needed to and have confidence that meal time at work won't be a problem. It does help that they no longer serve food at night (left us with vending machines instead of real food) so I won't be tempted to buy that awesome macaroni and cheese (it was so creamy).
Onward and Upward!!!
Third Step
So yesterday I logged my food, stayed on track and even enjoyed two vodka martini's and a late night yogurt w/ waffle cone treat. By bed time I had 3 points to spare!! I have had emails, PMs, text messages, and a phone call all from friends in my life-line ready to support me in any manner they can! I really appreciate all this love and offers of support. I know that this is the beginning and I am gung-ho! about the start, however, I am also fully aware that every great start has a bump just around the corner and I'm ready for that too!!
So I decided to make up a "clean" grocery list. To me that means as
many ZERO food products that I can get in my basket the more food I can
consume and save points. This may be an odd way to tackle the WW plan,
but it's my plan. I strive weekly to have left over points so that I can
have my dirty martini. But if it boils down to cheese cake or a
martini, I'll take the cake please!! LOL After surfing the web, walking
the dogs, and doing a few choirs, I'm ready to eat lunch before the 4pm
Publix run.
I am feeling full and no cravings. I really thought that I was going to
crave a salty snack after the meal, but it wasn't there. SUCCESS! I
shopped in Publix, got everything that I needed to make my week of "new
food choices' go as planned. I unloaded everything, ate 20 Almonds as a
snack and started prepping for dinner.
Meeting friends for dinner would be a breeze! I've eaten, I'm full and I can't wait to have my vodka martini with the points I have saved up (8) and the 41 (weekly) I can still use. My mood is upbeat and I'm ready. After I had my first martini I realized that I needed to eat something due to the mostly veggie dinner, I was going to be in trouble if I didn't eat. My choices were hummus, pita bread, and grilled chicken breast. I used my left over weekly points for this.
As the night wore on I wanted to top my night off with a health snack. I used a few of my weekly points and got a menchie yogurt in a waffle cone cup with berries, chocolate pieces, and a small amount of pecans. Cost me 4 pts.
Looks like I'm on a clear path to success without starving!!
So I decided to make up a "clean" grocery list. To me that means as
many ZERO food products that I can get in my basket the more food I can
consume and save points. This may be an odd way to tackle the WW plan,
but it's my plan. I strive weekly to have left over points so that I can
have my dirty martini. But if it boils down to cheese cake or a
martini, I'll take the cake please!! LOL After surfing the web, walking
the dogs, and doing a few choirs, I'm ready to eat lunch before the 4pm
Publix run.
I am feeling full and no cravings. I really thought that I was going to
crave a salty snack after the meal, but it wasn't there. SUCCESS! I
shopped in Publix, got everything that I needed to make my week of "new
food choices' go as planned. I unloaded everything, ate 20 Almonds as a
snack and started prepping for dinner.
Meeting friends for dinner would be a breeze! I've eaten, I'm full and I can't wait to have my vodka martini with the points I have saved up (8) and the 41 (weekly) I can still use. My mood is upbeat and I'm ready. After I had my first martini I realized that I needed to eat something due to the mostly veggie dinner, I was going to be in trouble if I didn't eat. My choices were hummus, pita bread, and grilled chicken breast. I used my left over weekly points for this.
As the night wore on I wanted to top my night off with a health snack. I used a few of my weekly points and got a menchie yogurt in a waffle cone cup with berries, chocolate pieces, and a small amount of pecans. Cost me 4 pts.
Looks like I'm on a clear path to success without starving!!
Friday, August 5, 2011
First Steps Aren't That Bad....
Day started with my favorite: waffles, turkey, and syrup. I had water to drink and only used up 8pts for my 36 pt day!! I am full and not feeling like I was ripped off by eating cardboard and cottage cheese (nothing against all you cottage cheese lovers, I just prefer something heartier for breakfast). I planned my shopping list and made a point to document my food.
I thought that giving up Food Friends (my secret name for those 'make me happy' foods) was going to be tough, I love waffles. But I like my donuts (dear Boston creme, I have to break up with you now), cookies, cakes, and pies too. Somehow, over the years, I've always gone back to them. They never judge, never curse my efforts, never cringe at my sour demeanor. The FFs know exactly how to get my dopamine receptors purring and whurring! In my quest to be a happy person I've turned some areas numb. It's this numbness that creeps out into my reality from time to time, reminding me of my inadequacies, impatient side, my inability to capture love, or to maintain a romantic relationship (see failed marriage part one). Alas, those FFs were ready to pick up the slack and I allowed them to caress my inner organs with warm lust and happy feelings.
But, as the days grow longer and the years older, I am wiser and know that this destructive path cannot last. My inner organs are relatively healthy. By medical indicators I'm just...morbidly obese (BMI states this for a fact...even my former pulmonologist had doubts that I'd be a good ventilator candidate, which is crucial for coming off the breathing machine when all is said an done). That word morbid struck a nerve. I should have gotten angry then and jumped on the weight loss bandwagon harder. But something made me fall off. I listened to the FFs of donuts and ice cream and well, I'm here now. I want to change and I want it in a bad way.
So I'm doing this for my organs. They love me enough to work well everyday, without a missed beat, without shortness of breath, without swollen limbs. But how long can this last? How much do I hate myself to have allowed this to spiral out of control? I have a vision: skydiving, drift car racing, horseback riding, swimming, dancing. These thing I want to do again. Do until I have no breath in me.
I thought that giving up Food Friends (my secret name for those 'make me happy' foods) was going to be tough, I love waffles. But I like my donuts (dear Boston creme, I have to break up with you now), cookies, cakes, and pies too. Somehow, over the years, I've always gone back to them. They never judge, never curse my efforts, never cringe at my sour demeanor. The FFs know exactly how to get my dopamine receptors purring and whurring! In my quest to be a happy person I've turned some areas numb. It's this numbness that creeps out into my reality from time to time, reminding me of my inadequacies, impatient side, my inability to capture love, or to maintain a romantic relationship (see failed marriage part one). Alas, those FFs were ready to pick up the slack and I allowed them to caress my inner organs with warm lust and happy feelings.
But, as the days grow longer and the years older, I am wiser and know that this destructive path cannot last. My inner organs are relatively healthy. By medical indicators I'm just...morbidly obese (BMI states this for a fact...even my former pulmonologist had doubts that I'd be a good ventilator candidate, which is crucial for coming off the breathing machine when all is said an done). That word morbid struck a nerve. I should have gotten angry then and jumped on the weight loss bandwagon harder. But something made me fall off. I listened to the FFs of donuts and ice cream and well, I'm here now. I want to change and I want it in a bad way.
So I'm doing this for my organs. They love me enough to work well everyday, without a missed beat, without shortness of breath, without swollen limbs. But how long can this last? How much do I hate myself to have allowed this to spiral out of control? I have a vision: skydiving, drift car racing, horseback riding, swimming, dancing. These thing I want to do again. Do until I have no breath in me.
Day One
Friday, August 05, 2011
Just to say that I'm making a step towards my struggle with weight is enormous! I'd rather the task be enormous than my waistline and weight, however, it is what it is. I sit here, it's 12:23am on a Friday, and I know that I am only a few weeks away from feeling better. I feel okay, I'm not sick, but it's depressing to be the observer of my ballooning waistline. My scale weight hasn't changed much (I've been on three scales in six months and between them all I've gained 5.5lbs since Dec 2010) but my waist has increased in size, my back fat has doubled, my jaw line has vanished, and I don't sleep well.
I am running the risk of becoming a diabetic due to my age (47.5y) and family history. So yesterday I asked myself this, "Why are you waiting for a doctor to tell you that you have diabetes and then you MUST take insulin??" I had no answer. I drove straight to Weight Watchers (WW) and enrolled. I was informed that there was a meeting later that night, so I posted of Facebook for community accountability, called my friend to join me, and showed up an hour later for the meeting.
I must say that now that I've 'weeble-wobbled' myself into WW and had the opportunity to share my very raw and painful realizations with other friends online, I feel really good about my plan...and this is the first feeling of joy about weight loss that I've ever had.
My weight has been an issue only when I got married in 1985. I ate for comfort and out of sadness. Let's just say verbal abuse put so many holes in my Soul that after being married for nine years death was looking like a good option. I'm grateful that I sought help for that...and just like then I seek help for my current issue: my weight.
Why am I still gaining weight if I'm happy? I must not truly be happy. Catharsis is great for your Soul....I make a lot of other people happy. I feel like I'm happy, however, I must be sad somewhere in my Soul and it's showing up on my waist. I also don't move enough, drink a lot of alcohol on weekends, and my knees are in poor shape (no ACL on left, torn meniscus on right). But excuses are just that...I can move in a lot of different ways I just chose not too. Well, that has to change.
Hopefully writing down my feelings as I go along will be a great reflective tool. I do understand that by being a Piscean, I am eager to start new projects, then I wane as time goes on. I acknowledge this and rebuke it! I will not follow the bad habits of my past by not finishing this project of my lifestyle change!!
I luv me!!
Just to say that I'm making a step towards my struggle with weight is enormous! I'd rather the task be enormous than my waistline and weight, however, it is what it is. I sit here, it's 12:23am on a Friday, and I know that I am only a few weeks away from feeling better. I feel okay, I'm not sick, but it's depressing to be the observer of my ballooning waistline. My scale weight hasn't changed much (I've been on three scales in six months and between them all I've gained 5.5lbs since Dec 2010) but my waist has increased in size, my back fat has doubled, my jaw line has vanished, and I don't sleep well.
I am running the risk of becoming a diabetic due to my age (47.5y) and family history. So yesterday I asked myself this, "Why are you waiting for a doctor to tell you that you have diabetes and then you MUST take insulin??" I had no answer. I drove straight to Weight Watchers (WW) and enrolled. I was informed that there was a meeting later that night, so I posted of Facebook for community accountability, called my friend to join me, and showed up an hour later for the meeting.
I must say that now that I've 'weeble-wobbled' myself into WW and had the opportunity to share my very raw and painful realizations with other friends online, I feel really good about my plan...and this is the first feeling of joy about weight loss that I've ever had.
My weight has been an issue only when I got married in 1985. I ate for comfort and out of sadness. Let's just say verbal abuse put so many holes in my Soul that after being married for nine years death was looking like a good option. I'm grateful that I sought help for that...and just like then I seek help for my current issue: my weight.
Why am I still gaining weight if I'm happy? I must not truly be happy. Catharsis is great for your Soul....I make a lot of other people happy. I feel like I'm happy, however, I must be sad somewhere in my Soul and it's showing up on my waist. I also don't move enough, drink a lot of alcohol on weekends, and my knees are in poor shape (no ACL on left, torn meniscus on right). But excuses are just that...I can move in a lot of different ways I just chose not too. Well, that has to change.
Hopefully writing down my feelings as I go along will be a great reflective tool. I do understand that by being a Piscean, I am eager to start new projects, then I wane as time goes on. I acknowledge this and rebuke it! I will not follow the bad habits of my past by not finishing this project of my lifestyle change!!
I luv me!!
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