Friday, December 17, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
2 months...20 lbs. lighter...so why can't I drop a pant size??
My clothes are definitely fitting looser, and I've had comments from folks recognizing that I've lost weight. My husband has been very complimentary [in a delicate sort of way - trying not to push, but to be supportive! Poor guy...what a precarious subject!! ; )] And I did need to buy a new pair of jeans...but the ones that fit ended up being the same size I had been wearing. Just felt a little defeating. Not to mention - adding insult to injury: I did drop a bra size! (go figure.)
So what gives?
Well, I'm pretty sure it has to do with that one element I'm still avoiding...the whole exercise portion of this plan. You know, toning and shaping...tightening and sculpting...yeah, yeah. The results all sound so good - but what those terms mean in reality is devoting huge chunks of my day to monotonous activity which will leave me sweating profusely, gasping for breath and ultimately wincing in pain for days. Pretty close to the definition of "torture" - isn't that what exercise means to you?
I've been trying to fool myself into burning calories by keeping on the go, even while around the house, and doing more active things with Isa (trust me - there are plenty of playtime activities you can do with a 20 month old that will get your heart rate up!!) In fact, now that Spring may finally be deciding to arrive, she and I are starting to get outside some and even go for little walks [think 6-inch stride, here - but sometimes at a pretty brisk pace, so I do have to move rather quickly to keep up!] ; )
And, of course, there's the yard work - which I somehow don't mind as much as trying to get through a 30-min. workout session. Give me a garden hoe any day over a treadmill.
Hopefully I'm not setting myself up for too much disappointment, but I plan to start digging out the clothes for warmer weather that I boxed up (some before pregnancy!) If I can fit into some of those, I won't even read the sizes - I'll just be happy knowing things are working.
Who needs the validation of the annoying little tag in the back of my pants, anyway? : )
So what gives?
Well, I'm pretty sure it has to do with that one element I'm still avoiding...the whole exercise portion of this plan. You know, toning and shaping...tightening and sculpting...yeah, yeah. The results all sound so good - but what those terms mean in reality is devoting huge chunks of my day to monotonous activity which will leave me sweating profusely, gasping for breath and ultimately wincing in pain for days. Pretty close to the definition of "torture" - isn't that what exercise means to you?
I've been trying to fool myself into burning calories by keeping on the go, even while around the house, and doing more active things with Isa (trust me - there are plenty of playtime activities you can do with a 20 month old that will get your heart rate up!!) In fact, now that Spring may finally be deciding to arrive, she and I are starting to get outside some and even go for little walks [think 6-inch stride, here - but sometimes at a pretty brisk pace, so I do have to move rather quickly to keep up!] ; )
[Manny made me promise not to post this pic to FB, but I just have to share it here. Yes, I was one of those moms who swore I would "never" put my child on a leash...and yes, that is a dog leash around her waist. And NO, I did not tell her to "heal"--but she did clearly learn that there can be freedom in restraint, as you can see by her 'flying' stance. She's having fun! (plus, as one neighbor noted, she's even color coordinated!) :D]
And, of course, there's the yard work - which I somehow don't mind as much as trying to get through a 30-min. workout session. Give me a garden hoe any day over a treadmill.
Hopefully I'm not setting myself up for too much disappointment, but I plan to start digging out the clothes for warmer weather that I boxed up (some before pregnancy!) If I can fit into some of those, I won't even read the sizes - I'll just be happy knowing things are working.
Who needs the validation of the annoying little tag in the back of my pants, anyway? : )
Thursday, February 11, 2010
10 lbs. is 10 lbs.
And that's what the scales say I've lost. Had to go to the Endocrinologist - same building, one floor up from my primary doc where I had just weighed about 2 weeks before. And the numbers were about 7 lbs. less. Then, I checked with my home scales, my parents scales - and the final incontrovertible source: the Wii. Yep - it confirms that I'm now 10 lbs. lighter than that first weigh-in 3 weeks ago.
I suppose I've been able to tell in the looser fit of my clothing, as well - but there's still a lot more to go before I'll need a downsized wardrobe.
Am I excited? I suppose. But there are some other facts/perspectives keeping my elation in check. First - I'm only about 1 1/2 lbs. lighter than my initial 'after pregnancy' weight. Means I'd gained that 10 lbs. of blubber instead of working it off like I set out to do on the Wii Fit program all those weeks/months ago. And the program was all too quick to point out it had been 216 days since it had last seen me - and, "Oops! Looks like you didn't quite make your goal." Ya think?? How can a Wii balance board be smarmy??
On the upside of that, however - the weight came off without any exercise, just diet changes. Though I need to make exercise a part of my weekly routine...for life. I really do. It's almost harder than giving up the pasta and bread. Not that I'm lazy - I just hate the concept of having a "routine" to exert energy, burn calories, get your heart rate up...always have, always will.
Also on the upside, I suppose, is the fact that I've stuck pretty well to the changes in eating. I've used the 4 bites rule on some occasions - and I've ignored it a couple of times, but never really over indulged in anything these past 3 weeks. Avoided sweets - had lots more fresh veggies and fruits and cereal instead - and minuscule amounts of red meat. Sticking almost exclusively to whole grain breads and pastas, and those much less often than I formerly enjoyed having them. Using the good oils and 'healthy' butter substitutes...scant amounts of cheese...and no egg yolks.
Still haven't given up my diet Mt. Dew and Diet Dr. Pepper...and still need to drink more water. But, all in all, not doing too badly in the new way of eating - and not struggling too much with the 'restrictions' either.
But there's another factor that has figured heavily into my eating habits these last few weeks as well - and that is grief. There have been times I've not been able to eat...not realized I missed most of a day without proper nourishment...or on a couple of occasions, simply not kept down the food I tried to eat. Grief can do strange things to you - and the news with my dad's cancer has gotten worse and worse, it seems. No matter how much I believe I am entrusting it all to God's hands...the grief is still there, gnawing away inside. Faith doesn't negate grief...it just gets you through the most grievous times in your life. And you cannot help but grieve for/with/over the ones you love. Love and sorrow are closely intertwined.
So, if it weren't for the grief - would I be following the eating plan so well and dropping the weight so quickly? Not sure. May never know. But - I do know that 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. - and it's a rather decent start to the goals I set forth about 3 weeks ago. And, I know that I can't use my grief as an excuse not to do the other things I need to be doing---like exercising. So I should build on this momentum and follow through as I've purposed to do - establishing these habits 4 life...which is worth celebrating!
I suppose I've been able to tell in the looser fit of my clothing, as well - but there's still a lot more to go before I'll need a downsized wardrobe.
Am I excited? I suppose. But there are some other facts/perspectives keeping my elation in check. First - I'm only about 1 1/2 lbs. lighter than my initial 'after pregnancy' weight. Means I'd gained that 10 lbs. of blubber instead of working it off like I set out to do on the Wii Fit program all those weeks/months ago. And the program was all too quick to point out it had been 216 days since it had last seen me - and, "Oops! Looks like you didn't quite make your goal." Ya think?? How can a Wii balance board be smarmy??
On the upside of that, however - the weight came off without any exercise, just diet changes. Though I need to make exercise a part of my weekly routine...for life. I really do. It's almost harder than giving up the pasta and bread. Not that I'm lazy - I just hate the concept of having a "routine" to exert energy, burn calories, get your heart rate up...always have, always will.
Also on the upside, I suppose, is the fact that I've stuck pretty well to the changes in eating. I've used the 4 bites rule on some occasions - and I've ignored it a couple of times, but never really over indulged in anything these past 3 weeks. Avoided sweets - had lots more fresh veggies and fruits and cereal instead - and minuscule amounts of red meat. Sticking almost exclusively to whole grain breads and pastas, and those much less often than I formerly enjoyed having them. Using the good oils and 'healthy' butter substitutes...scant amounts of cheese...and no egg yolks.
Still haven't given up my diet Mt. Dew and Diet Dr. Pepper...and still need to drink more water. But, all in all, not doing too badly in the new way of eating - and not struggling too much with the 'restrictions' either.
But there's another factor that has figured heavily into my eating habits these last few weeks as well - and that is grief. There have been times I've not been able to eat...not realized I missed most of a day without proper nourishment...or on a couple of occasions, simply not kept down the food I tried to eat. Grief can do strange things to you - and the news with my dad's cancer has gotten worse and worse, it seems. No matter how much I believe I am entrusting it all to God's hands...the grief is still there, gnawing away inside. Faith doesn't negate grief...it just gets you through the most grievous times in your life. And you cannot help but grieve for/with/over the ones you love. Love and sorrow are closely intertwined.
So, if it weren't for the grief - would I be following the eating plan so well and dropping the weight so quickly? Not sure. May never know. But - I do know that 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. - and it's a rather decent start to the goals I set forth about 3 weeks ago. And, I know that I can't use my grief as an excuse not to do the other things I need to be doing---like exercising. So I should build on this momentum and follow through as I've purposed to do - establishing these habits 4 life...which is worth celebrating!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Selective Willpower?
Believe it or not, I had no trouble refraining from eating any of my daughter's french fries today at Micky D's. Truly. I didn't even have to implement the 4 bites rule, though I was prepared to. And I didn't even mind having the Southwestern Salad with grilled chicken--sans dressing and tortilla chips [while my hubby had a burger and patted himself on the back for not super-sizing the fries!] I didn't even eat all of my meal and I was satiated. Of course, I had plenty of Diet Dr. Pepper to help wash it all down.
Unlike my esteemed friend Chris Fabry [do yourself a favor and check out his blog - http://chrisfabry.blogspot.com - THIS is a man who has something to say!], I haven't kicked the "soda habit" - nor do I pretend to have the strength or desire to do so.
Heck, if it wasn't for my cholesterol #'s, I wouldn't have the desire to be making the changes I'm making now! But it's a powerful motivator - hoping to stay healthy so you can be around to watch your kid grow up. And wanting to establish some better eating habits to instill in her, for her own good, as well. I know, I know - McDonald's french fries for her, not really a great start. But it is an occasional indulgence. Like bread and pasta will now be for me.
You know, since all of this started (the THINKING about every morsel that is going into my body) - I haven't had one bite of chocolate. No ice cream. No cookies. The day I came home from the Dr., I actually had no appetite, even after over 14 hours of fasting. So I 'forced' myself to eat some leftover peach cobbler. I think that was my last bite of 'sweets' in almost a week. I'm not missing them. And, again, I'm prepared with my 4 bites plan should a dessert craving overtake me.
But the bread...the pasta...the toast...the crackers... They're calling to me! In my way at every step. And they even seem to be a necessity - not just my justification, here: Need to eat fish--gotta have crackers for my tuna. [no, lettuce will not cut it.] Need to eat a hearty breakfast--gotta have toast for my egg white omelet. A turkey burger for lunch - no problem...just let me have one slice of whole wheat bread, and I'm good.
Seriously - set a steaming porterhouse steak in front of me or a warm loaf of crusty bread - and the bread wins, every time. And somehow I think I'd figure out a way to make those the 4 biggest bites I could possibly take. [Though I've been holding the standard to "average bites"...not "Manny-sized bites"! ; ) ] I've actually thought about it--and if I had to request a last meal, I believe it would be bread and pasta. [okay, and probably some chocolate, too!]
So, what's a girl to do? I've purposed to make significant dietary changes--and not set myself up for failure. I have good motivation and determination to create new life habits...but I feel my resolve wavering when it comes to my starchy favorites. And it doesn't help any that those are the two items my doc specifically named as no-no's for me! [gotta find a way around that absolute...]
For now, I'm trying to have only whole grain bread products whose labels also tout all the the right heart-healthy stuff (all the good and none of the bad). And I bought some crazy looking pasta, too (gotta be okay if it bears the American Heart Association's stamp of approval, right??), though history tells me I'm not gonna love it. (I just don't think pasta was meant to be healthy, whole grain.) And I'm trying to use these in moderation--not always defaulting to the quick and easy pasta dinner or grilled sandwich, or 2-3 pieces of toast for breakfast. I'll even use the 4 bites rule in this area maybe when it comes to things like dinner rolls or crackers, no matter if they are whole grain. And I'll run it by my doc when they call to give me the results of their tests later this week.
But don't ask me [or TELL me] to give them up altogether. I admit I just don't have the willpower for that. At least not yet. And I think I already have enough on my plate...or rather OFF my plate...for now.
Unlike my esteemed friend Chris Fabry [do yourself a favor and check out his blog - http://chrisfabry.blogspot.com - THIS is a man who has something to say!], I haven't kicked the "soda habit" - nor do I pretend to have the strength or desire to do so.
Heck, if it wasn't for my cholesterol #'s, I wouldn't have the desire to be making the changes I'm making now! But it's a powerful motivator - hoping to stay healthy so you can be around to watch your kid grow up. And wanting to establish some better eating habits to instill in her, for her own good, as well. I know, I know - McDonald's french fries for her, not really a great start. But it is an occasional indulgence. Like bread and pasta will now be for me.
You know, since all of this started (the THINKING about every morsel that is going into my body) - I haven't had one bite of chocolate. No ice cream. No cookies. The day I came home from the Dr., I actually had no appetite, even after over 14 hours of fasting. So I 'forced' myself to eat some leftover peach cobbler. I think that was my last bite of 'sweets' in almost a week. I'm not missing them. And, again, I'm prepared with my 4 bites plan should a dessert craving overtake me.
But the bread...the pasta...the toast...the crackers... They're calling to me! In my way at every step. And they even seem to be a necessity - not just my justification, here: Need to eat fish--gotta have crackers for my tuna. [no, lettuce will not cut it.] Need to eat a hearty breakfast--gotta have toast for my egg white omelet. A turkey burger for lunch - no problem...just let me have one slice of whole wheat bread, and I'm good.
Seriously - set a steaming porterhouse steak in front of me or a warm loaf of crusty bread - and the bread wins, every time. And somehow I think I'd figure out a way to make those the 4 biggest bites I could possibly take. [Though I've been holding the standard to "average bites"...not "Manny-sized bites"! ; ) ] I've actually thought about it--and if I had to request a last meal, I believe it would be bread and pasta. [okay, and probably some chocolate, too!]
So, what's a girl to do? I've purposed to make significant dietary changes--and not set myself up for failure. I have good motivation and determination to create new life habits...but I feel my resolve wavering when it comes to my starchy favorites. And it doesn't help any that those are the two items my doc specifically named as no-no's for me! [gotta find a way around that absolute...]
For now, I'm trying to have only whole grain bread products whose labels also tout all the the right heart-healthy stuff (all the good and none of the bad). And I bought some crazy looking pasta, too (gotta be okay if it bears the American Heart Association's stamp of approval, right??), though history tells me I'm not gonna love it. (I just don't think pasta was meant to be healthy, whole grain.) And I'm trying to use these in moderation--not always defaulting to the quick and easy pasta dinner or grilled sandwich, or 2-3 pieces of toast for breakfast. I'll even use the 4 bites rule in this area maybe when it comes to things like dinner rolls or crackers, no matter if they are whole grain. And I'll run it by my doc when they call to give me the results of their tests later this week.But don't ask me [or TELL me] to give them up altogether. I admit I just don't have the willpower for that. At least not yet. And I think I already have enough on my plate...or rather OFF my plate...for now.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Breakfast (...oatmeal and Fish Oil anyone?)
Okay, I'm not going to bore you everyday with what items I'm consuming---really! But this is actually one of my other 'elements' in this plan to attack the weight and cholesterol.
Quickly: I've never done well with breakfast - usually skipped it altogether. Pregnancy and now having a toddler changed my habits some - but this whole process is about THINKING about what, when, how you're eating, I suppose. Better to do it once on the front end - make my determinations - then try to form habits. No--not a "diet plan"...life habits. [Doesn't THINKING burn calories?? It sure seems to wear me out...] So committing to a somewhat hearty, healthful breakfast becomes a must.
Okay oatmeal is a given. I can default to that - and keep blueberries on hand. Isa likes those, too. Her a.m. routine involves fruit, yogurt and generally a piece of toast. Today she had Cheerios in place of the toast - and mommy had a few (dry) too. Then I made an egg white omelet of sorts with red peppers, asparagus, chicken (cooked yesterday) and a bit of Parm. Doc said some white cheese was okay...I didn't use much. But here's the rub: I can rarely do eggs without bread/toast of some sort. Physically can't do it. And, I've gotten used to sharing toast with Isa in the a.m. - that was generally my b'fast routine.
So - how did I incorporate that 4 bites rule? Toasted the scant heel of the loaf of wheat bread (yep - it was about 4 bites, maybe less) and slathered it with Promise Activ - another addition to my eating/cooking habits. [more on plant sterols in a moment] I made it through the 'omelet' with just a nibble of toast every other bite or so. And it really wasn't that bad. Tasty even. Maybe satisfying?
Also - had more plant sterols in the OJ - MinteMaid Heart Wise. The plant sterols and stanols info seems legit, so I'm adding those through spreads and juice - and trying to incorporate more raw veggies. I already do lots of fruit (probably have to curb that a bit). For more quick info on plant sterols, here are some links:
http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/low-cholesterol-diet-plant-sterols-stanols
http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/What_Foods_are_High_in_Plant_Sterols
Last, but not least, the supplements. Odorless Fish Oil tablets and Red Yeast Rice. One each for me in the a.m. and one each later in the day. So far I'm not burping up fish oil taste - and that is essential. As for the Red Yeast Rice, it was recommended by a friend who said this was the only thing he changed and it caused his cholesterol to drop "a chunk." Here's a starting point if you want to research and draw your own conclusions: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-yeast-rice/NS_patient-redyeast
Now, I'm already bored reading all this, but hopefully there are some tidbits here that may be helpful to some who venture to read these musings. Maybe I'm just tired again from THINKING about it all...and it's already time to THINK about lunch. **sigh**
Quickly: I've never done well with breakfast - usually skipped it altogether. Pregnancy and now having a toddler changed my habits some - but this whole process is about THINKING about what, when, how you're eating, I suppose. Better to do it once on the front end - make my determinations - then try to form habits. No--not a "diet plan"...life habits. [Doesn't THINKING burn calories?? It sure seems to wear me out...] So committing to a somewhat hearty, healthful breakfast becomes a must.
Okay oatmeal is a given. I can default to that - and keep blueberries on hand. Isa likes those, too. Her a.m. routine involves fruit, yogurt and generally a piece of toast. Today she had Cheerios in place of the toast - and mommy had a few (dry) too. Then I made an egg white omelet of sorts with red peppers, asparagus, chicken (cooked yesterday) and a bit of Parm. Doc said some white cheese was okay...I didn't use much. But here's the rub: I can rarely do eggs without bread/toast of some sort. Physically can't do it. And, I've gotten used to sharing toast with Isa in the a.m. - that was generally my b'fast routine.
So - how did I incorporate that 4 bites rule? Toasted the scant heel of the loaf of wheat bread (yep - it was about 4 bites, maybe less) and slathered it with Promise Activ - another addition to my eating/cooking habits. [more on plant sterols in a moment] I made it through the 'omelet' with just a nibble of toast every other bite or so. And it really wasn't that bad. Tasty even. Maybe satisfying?
Also - had more plant sterols in the OJ - MinteMaid Heart Wise. The plant sterols and stanols info seems legit, so I'm adding those through spreads and juice - and trying to incorporate more raw veggies. I already do lots of fruit (probably have to curb that a bit). For more quick info on plant sterols, here are some links:
http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/low-cholesterol-diet-plant-sterols-stanols
http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/What_Foods_are_High_in_Plant_Sterols
Last, but not least, the supplements. Odorless Fish Oil tablets and Red Yeast Rice. One each for me in the a.m. and one each later in the day. So far I'm not burping up fish oil taste - and that is essential. As for the Red Yeast Rice, it was recommended by a friend who said this was the only thing he changed and it caused his cholesterol to drop "a chunk." Here's a starting point if you want to research and draw your own conclusions: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-yeast-rice/NS_patient-redyeast
Now, I'm already bored reading all this, but hopefully there are some tidbits here that may be helpful to some who venture to read these musings. Maybe I'm just tired again from THINKING about it all...and it's already time to THINK about lunch. **sigh**
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Plan of Attack
My basic plan:
Allow myself 4 bites of whatever may be for dinner – but fill up on veggies, salad and/or other ‘approved’ food for the rest of my meal.
Why 4 bites?
Well, everyone defaults to “3” – so already that ‘extra’ bite feels like a little indulgence. (Yes, I often play such mental games with myself – sometimes successfully!)
Also, it’s easier to split up – if I want to have 2 bites before all the healthy filler and 2 bites after, so be it. Could be that I won’t even want the other 2 bites after all and I’ll be satisfied. If so, I’ll be able to congratulate myself on being even further ahead of the curve (all about helping me to feel good about succeeding in my goals to cut back)!
And, for those who know about my strange affinity for the number 8, this is self explanatory. Just look at how it balanced out my blog title! ; )
Why not just implement a strict diet?
First of all – it's not fair to my hubby to deprive him of all the things a strict “low cholesterol” diet omits. Plus, I need to be able to feed my 18-month old things like grilled cheese and pasta on occasion. So I can’t remove ALL items of temptation from our household.
Plus…well, I’ve never done well with any sort of strict rules. They always seem to be there just to challenge me to find a way around them!
Also – I truly enjoy cooking for my family. And I make a mean cobbler. Not to mention biscuits…chicken and dumplings…fettuccine alfredo…(you get the picture, I’m sure).
You think just that is going to make you lose 50 lbs. and drop your cholesterol 60+ points? [yes, my #’s are THAT high]
No. There are other elements to my plan of attack – including the other thing I’ve never done well with: an exercise regimen. Also going to incorporate some specific foods and products suggested for lowering cholesterol, after I do a little research. More about all that later. I’m thinking this is enough to ‘digest’ for now!
No. There are other elements to my plan of attack – including the other thing I’ve never done well with: an exercise regimen. Also going to incorporate some specific foods and products suggested for lowering cholesterol, after I do a little research. More about all that later. I’m thinking this is enough to ‘digest’ for now!
And so it begins...
...a new chapter in my life. Changes outside the realm of my control - and changes I intend to implement myself. All are shaping my today and my tomorrow. How much input CAN I have? That's what I hope to discover. May be interesting to see what unfolds...or it may just be that more useless blather is created in cyberspace by me blogging about these things. Regardless - thanks for joining me for the ride, if you chose to do so. This is life...and sometimes it bites...but I'm hoping I can bite back and make a difference!
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