Moderation

Since the Holidays, I have been eating non-stop.  My pants and the scale can attest to that.  I decided that it has to end.  I have felt AWFUL for the past few weeks.  I get winded by walking outside and getting Lana and feeding Squiggy.  I am tired, all of the time.  It has been defficult trying to watch what I eat knowing that we have so much food in the fridge.  But it is all gone.  There are no more excuses. 

My water intake has been minimal lately.  So that will change as well.

I will be 30 in a few weeks, and my goal was to lose 40 lbs by this time.  That did not happen.  But that doesnt mean I cant start today.

For breakfast, I will have an english muffin with peanut butter and a glass of milk.
Snack at work will be an apple.
Lunch will be 1/2 can tuna and some goldfish.  Apple for another snack.
I'm supposed to be going out to dinner with the girls tonight, so we'll see how that goes.

I weighed myself this morning and put it into my Armstrong App.  I will keep my caloric intake and weight with that again.

Wish me luck!

Diet

This past week was a rough one for the “diet.”  A friend of mine had his birthday on Tuesday, so I treated him to lunch and Wednesday was Benihana day. Oh, and not to mention Aunt Flo decided to come and visit for the week. On Tuesday, after lunch, I felt absolutely awful.  I ate so much (even though it was a fraction of what I used to eat as the “norm.”)  I was ill for the rest of the evening.

Wednesday, I did better (I ate only 1/3 of the Benihana lunch) but still felt sick to my stomach for most of the day.

Today, Thursday (November 18^th,) I feel SOOO much better.  I had a small breakfast, coffee when I got to work and a half of a tuna sandwich for lunch.  I will have my apple or carrots in a couple of hours and maybe another before I go home for the day.

What’s my point?  I think my stomach is shrinking!  So when I overindulge, I am MISERABLE.  I have to keep this in mind next week on Turkey-Day!

I really attribute my lower cholesterol to the fact that I’m not eating as much.  I am still eating what I like to eat, but not nearly the quantity.  And do you know what else I have noticed that this has helped?  Not only am I now in control of my eating habbits, but I feel like I am more in control with the organization at home and finances! It’s funny how these completely different things have gone hand-in-hand.

Update on "New Way of Life!"

It has been a week since I started to watch what I eat.

I have been walking with Lana in the mornings as much as I can.  Last week, we walked 6 out of 7 days in the morning.  Each walk is 1.27 miles.

In the past week, I’ve lost some weight, but the main improvement is that I feel alot better!  These are the benefits I’ve experienced:

• I’m not hungry all the time!  (hmmm..could my belly be shrinking?)
• I am not tired throughout the day (maybe because I don’t have a belly full of carbs anymore?!?)
• I have more energy in the evenings to play with piggy & puppy (consists of throwing sticks or kicking a ball and ME having to go fetch it when Lana gets distracted, and then scratching Squiggy’s belly.  That is his all-time favorite thing in life next to food!)
• I am more motivated to accomplish things I’ve been procrastinating on!

Now, I’m not going to say that I’ve completely changed my ways.  We will give it another few weeks to have this “new way of life” become a habbit, but I’m liking the benefits of it already!  And the best part, I have yet to feel deprived!  I am eating “normal” food, increasing my intake of water, and exercising a little more.  6 lbs down, 14 more to go by Thanksgiving!

Friday Weigh-In: 1/2 Week

The "New Way of Life" started on Tuesday.  I decided that my weigh-in's would be on Fridays.  So, from Tuedsay to Friday...I've lost...are you ready for this....  6 lbs!!!!  I know, that's not normal.  I do not expect to lose 6 lbs every week.  I am drinking alot more water, so I know alot of the weight loss is water weight.  And also my body going into shock from not eating so much all the time!

Just as a reminder, I have a goal to lose 20 lbs by Thanksgiving. 6 down, 14 more to go.  I have to stay on-track.  That being said, I better get going.  I have to go start preparing dinner for tonight (I have to make pizza dough) and take puppy for a walk.

Diet Day 2

For me, diets are always rough the first two weeks.  After that, I get the hang of things.
Wednesdays are especially difficult for me because this is the day my friend from work and I go out to Benihana's for lunch.  They have an awesome lunch boat that has a TON of food for $9.95! The lunch boat includes:  Edamame (I cant have - it's soy, and it counteracts the cumadin), soup, salad (I cant have - also counteracts the cumadin), 4 pieces of a california roll, 4 pieces of sashimi (raw fish), shrimp & vegetable tempura, steamed rice and a side of salmon (cooked in teriyaki sauce.) I know, I have to get out of the quantity mind-set, but it's a good deal!  I love my sushi...and this is a good buy.

In the past, when I was losing weight, I was able to put aside half of the meal for lunch the next day.  Not only does that save on calories, it saves time and money for me on Thursdays because I have lunch ready without having to think about it! 

So, this morning, Lana & I just got back from our walk.  My fingers are finally getting blood flow again (it is nippy this morning!). I am starving.  I really want an egg and toast, but I need to watch my intake of eggs.  Plus, the calories.  I wouldnt mind having oatmeal, but I like it with raspberries, and I havent picked any in the last few days (it's still dark outside.)  So, it looks like I'll be having cereal this morning.

I am happy that we got our walk in this morning.  Now, if only I can get up the nerve to do Jillian Michael's 30-day shred again. I remember the pain last time I tried it for more than 2 weeks.  Yikes!

Diet Day 1

I have started my “new way of life” today.

 I woke up at 5:30AM as usual and spent some time with Lana May.  I hopped on the scale and was nearly in tears when I saw my weight.   Lana and I then went for our 1.25 mile walk around the block in the dark (I don’t like that it’s so dark until 7AM!)  I was starving by the time we got home, so I made myself a ham, egg & cheese on an English muffin.  It was yummy (though I shouldn’t have that for breakfast more than once a week.)

Of course, when I got to work, I found out someone brought in cake! DOH!  Normally, I’d call off the “new way of life” and pig out on cake, but I took a sliver and decided to keep it as an afternoon snack.

I DID indulge in my French vanilla instant coffee – just one cup (60 calories! EEK!)  I hope to even that out by drinking at least 2 of my Klean Kanteens full of water.  Each canteen is 4 cups of water.  That would be my daily requirement for water today.

Lunch today will consist of: ½ a tuna sandwich on a one bun and an apple.

Concord grapes will follow about an hour and a half later.

Then, when the hunger pangs (or boredom) strike around 4 or 4:30, I will have my thin piece of cake.

Dinner will be something we made a month ago and froze half of it.  It is egg noodles, chicken breast, spinach and cream of mushroom soup.  I will put dinner in a rice bowl for me.  It will look like a lot more, and hopefully it will tell my brain that it’s a lot of food (even though it wont be.)

When I was taking my sliver of cake in the lunch room, I noticed an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about being “Addicted to Food.”  That describes me to a “T.”  I think about food from the moment I wake up in the morning until the minute my eyes close at night.  It’s an obsession that I need to learn to control.  Food is to nourish our bodies, not to be devoured in excess.  If you would like to see if there is a meeting in your area, you can go to: www.foodaddicts.org.  There are none by my home, but there are some near where I work.  Will I go?  Probably not.  They want one to cut out flour & sugar.  That’s not for me.  I don’t do well when I feel deprived.  It just creates a pig-out (sorry Squiggy) fest at a Chinese buffet in a week or two.

I decided that my weigh-in’s will be on Friday mornings.