Friday, September 28, 2007
I'm back!
So here I am again! Emily is in town and she got me straightened out so I can post again. Maybe I can even get myself motivated to try losing weight again!
Affirmations
I tried to do affirmations this morning. It was much harder than I thought it would be. I really never realized that I am really not very good at taking compliments - especially from myself! I remember having to teach myself not to disagree with someone who complimented me, but just to say "thanks." That was hard for me. So - Rebecca told me that she does her affirmations in the shower. There is a scientist turned new age spiritualist who did studies on water crystals. When peaceful music, positive thoughts and words were projected at the water, beautiful perfect crystals would form. However, when negative thoughts or comments were expressed the crystals would be malformed. Since we are made up primarily of water, the same affects should show up in us. So - in the shower this morning... I couldn't think of anything positive to say. I TRIED. I kept disagreeing with my own compliments. I even tried the Stewart Smally affirmations - "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and Gosh Darn it, people like me." THAT didn't even work for me. "Good enough and smart enough" sounds like you are settling for barely adequate, and I am not concerned with people liking me because, for the most part, I don't doubt that people DO like me. So then I tried physical attributes - and that just DIDN'T work because for the past year I have been comparing myself physically to what I was before - and it just doesn't measure up. So, I tried my talents, but that just made me feel guilty because I am wasting so many of my talents. So, I thought, what do I really like about myself? LOOOOONNNNNG pause. I decided that I like that I am pretty lucky. I mean, like shamrocks and rainbows luck. Not in big ways obviously, but with silly things. So then instead of complimenting myself on being lucky, I decided that I would use "I am blessed." Which I am - and it isn't something I can argue with. But by then I was done in the shower. It was an extremly stressful shower and it took so long that I didn't get to eat breakfast.
I am not sure if the "no rules" is working or not. Katie and I went to Bonefish last night -and I got the potatoes au gratin and we had the bread. I had two Mojitos. I had a skim pumpkin latte from Starbucks earlier in the day. BUT - I didn't go home and snack all night. Today I was craving a Snickers bar and gave myself permission to get one - and lost interest in it at that point (which I guess is what the desired affect of having no holds barred). In fact, maybe it IS working!! I have been craving cinnamon rolls for about two weeks now. When Rebecca told me I could eat anything I want the first thing I thought of was a cinnamon roll (which Starbuck's has). I have yet to actually go get one!! In fact - I don't really care about it anymore...
I am not sure if the "no rules" is working or not. Katie and I went to Bonefish last night -and I got the potatoes au gratin and we had the bread. I had two Mojitos. I had a skim pumpkin latte from Starbucks earlier in the day. BUT - I didn't go home and snack all night. Today I was craving a Snickers bar and gave myself permission to get one - and lost interest in it at that point (which I guess is what the desired affect of having no holds barred). In fact, maybe it IS working!! I have been craving cinnamon rolls for about two weeks now. When Rebecca told me I could eat anything I want the first thing I thought of was a cinnamon roll (which Starbuck's has). I have yet to actually go get one!! In fact - I don't really care about it anymore...
Keeping up
I'll have to read back and see when my day is...tomorrow? I think that is what Amy wrote. I'll catch up to you guys some time in the near future.
I nearly freaked at my drs appointment yesterday. There was no real good reason for it either. She walked in, said hello and I was in tears. Peter went with me as he was really worried about me, but I made him wait in the waiting room. I did read an article the other day about post traumatic stress disorder being diagnosed in adults whose parents had cancer while they were growing up. It was so true it was actually a bit frightening. After reading that, I definitely have exhibited nearly all of the signs, and while most of them have gone away, there are still a few that linger. My irrational response to my own potential health issues is one of them. I used to have a panic attack whenever the phone rang--I knew there would be a time when I got a call tha tmy mom was dying or dead, and my heart would race and my breathing would get weird, etc anytime the phone rang anywhere I went. Thank god that went away. I actually didn't get a cell phone right away because of that. Crazy. The doctor did have to take a biopsy, so hopefully next week I'll hear what that was all about (please keep you fingers crossed it is something my immune system can deal with.) She said the majority of the time that is the case, then sometimes they give you medicine to help, in fewer cases it is HPV and then in the fewest cases it develops into cancer.
My eating has been odd due to stress. Thursday I had nothing for breakfast, a danish and dt pepsi for lunch with some shrimp bisque, and cereal for dinner. Today Peter brought me a bacon, egg & cheese bagel when he came home off night work so we could have breakfast together before I went to work, and we met for lunch and ate pork bar b q. Not great, but I doubt I'll eat anything more today as he is on night work again.
I am so sleepy right now it sucks. I have SO much to do after work. Maybe I will try to sneak in a nap.
I have been pretty sad since yesterday too--right before I left work for my appointment, I found out the most horrible thing. It is just heart breaking. One of our clients that I worked with died during surgery the day Wednesday. Here's the email my boss sent out after she was notified:
It is with deep regret to inform you that one of our customers, Daria Hardin, Chief of Comprehensive Planning with the City of Annapolis passed away yesterday. During a routine surgery to have a benign tumor removed, Daria’s heart stopped. Daria gave birth to twins this past June, of which one passed away immediately after delivery. She leaves behind a husband, 3-month old daughter and 5-year old daughter. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
I really do not like when bad things happen to good people, nor when the bad things seem to be happening disproportionately to the same good people. Her poor family. I have a tough time coping with things like this. I just want to ask "Dear God, What were you thinking?!?!?!" But, I guess at the end of the day, $hit happens. What are you to do but live each day like it is your last.
Well, I've been a bundle of joy, so I'll sign off for now. Sorry.
I nearly freaked at my drs appointment yesterday. There was no real good reason for it either. She walked in, said hello and I was in tears. Peter went with me as he was really worried about me, but I made him wait in the waiting room. I did read an article the other day about post traumatic stress disorder being diagnosed in adults whose parents had cancer while they were growing up. It was so true it was actually a bit frightening. After reading that, I definitely have exhibited nearly all of the signs, and while most of them have gone away, there are still a few that linger. My irrational response to my own potential health issues is one of them. I used to have a panic attack whenever the phone rang--I knew there would be a time when I got a call tha tmy mom was dying or dead, and my heart would race and my breathing would get weird, etc anytime the phone rang anywhere I went. Thank god that went away. I actually didn't get a cell phone right away because of that. Crazy. The doctor did have to take a biopsy, so hopefully next week I'll hear what that was all about (please keep you fingers crossed it is something my immune system can deal with.) She said the majority of the time that is the case, then sometimes they give you medicine to help, in fewer cases it is HPV and then in the fewest cases it develops into cancer.
My eating has been odd due to stress. Thursday I had nothing for breakfast, a danish and dt pepsi for lunch with some shrimp bisque, and cereal for dinner. Today Peter brought me a bacon, egg & cheese bagel when he came home off night work so we could have breakfast together before I went to work, and we met for lunch and ate pork bar b q. Not great, but I doubt I'll eat anything more today as he is on night work again.
I am so sleepy right now it sucks. I have SO much to do after work. Maybe I will try to sneak in a nap.
I have been pretty sad since yesterday too--right before I left work for my appointment, I found out the most horrible thing. It is just heart breaking. One of our clients that I worked with died during surgery the day Wednesday. Here's the email my boss sent out after she was notified:
It is with deep regret to inform you that one of our customers, Daria Hardin, Chief of Comprehensive Planning with the City of Annapolis passed away yesterday. During a routine surgery to have a benign tumor removed, Daria’s heart stopped. Daria gave birth to twins this past June, of which one passed away immediately after delivery. She leaves behind a husband, 3-month old daughter and 5-year old daughter. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
I really do not like when bad things happen to good people, nor when the bad things seem to be happening disproportionately to the same good people. Her poor family. I have a tough time coping with things like this. I just want to ask "Dear God, What were you thinking?!?!?!" But, I guess at the end of the day, $hit happens. What are you to do but live each day like it is your last.
Well, I've been a bundle of joy, so I'll sign off for now. Sorry.
Friday update
I've been good-but-not-great this week. Very good on the exercise--I've gone to the gym twice (once putting in more time on the weight machines) and will go a third time today, and I've taken Davey for two long walks. Food has only been so-so outside of my "good" days. There are still lots of goodies around at work, and yesterday they brought in lunch for all of the Grand Prix volunteers. It was subs from Quiznos and chips and salad, only the salad was crawling with red onions--I couldn't even be within five feet of it without the stench getting to me. Yuck. What a way to ruin a perfectly good salad! But that means I had two sub slices (about an inch and a half of sub each) and some potato chips, which weren't even very good.
I'm trying to be good today, and seem to be doing o.k. so far. We're out of fresh fruit at home, so I brought in some microwaveable veggies. If I eat the whole package, that's three servings of veggies and only 120 calories. I should bring in one of these every day!
My weight was pretty good the past couple of days--138.8 and 138.4. I didn't weigh myself today since I had one of Those Mornings (you know, when the dog wakes you up and you nearly step in a patch of vomit he left in the living room and your child strips naked and tries to climb out the window and you discover poison ivy on your arm?) and kind of got distracted from my usual routine.
I'm trying to be good today, and seem to be doing o.k. so far. We're out of fresh fruit at home, so I brought in some microwaveable veggies. If I eat the whole package, that's three servings of veggies and only 120 calories. I should bring in one of these every day!
My weight was pretty good the past couple of days--138.8 and 138.4. I didn't weigh myself today since I had one of Those Mornings (you know, when the dog wakes you up and you nearly step in a patch of vomit he left in the living room and your child strips naked and tries to climb out the window and you discover poison ivy on your arm?) and kind of got distracted from my usual routine.
A really good day
Yesterday was my day and I think I got it almost right! I went to the gym and did my normal full routine. At home I ate zero candy corn and no chocolate except for part of a chocolate chip that I licked off my finger after I split the cookie among the kids. I ate enough fruit and not too much starch and just the right amount of protein and dairy. I did not have enough vegetables, but since when is that news? I didn't count my calories as such but I did count food groups so I should have come in around 1200-1400. This morning my weight was 146.5, the first time I've seen that in quite a while. So all told I'm pretty pleased.
Today I've already blown it, though -- I took the kids to a store called "Crumb and Get It." They're a cookie shop and this was their grand opening. You choose your dough and your mixin's and get your cookies hot from the oven about ten minutes later. I only had one little tiny cookie (sugar with M&Ms and marshmallows, the kids' pick) but I also had some scrumptious chocolate milk (but again, not much). I'll try to be better the rest of today, though!
Today I've already blown it, though -- I took the kids to a store called "Crumb and Get It." They're a cookie shop and this was their grand opening. You choose your dough and your mixin's and get your cookies hot from the oven about ten minutes later. I only had one little tiny cookie (sugar with M&Ms and marshmallows, the kids' pick) but I also had some scrumptious chocolate milk (but again, not much). I'll try to be better the rest of today, though!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Still...
I was pondering last night what it feels like to lose weight. It occurred to me that I haven't effectively lost weight in amost two years. The past 12 months I have been actively gaining weight. I was trying to remember what it was like to step on the scale and feel a sense of accomplishment. Actually - I can't say I have been ACTIVELY gaining weight - I am a good 10 pounds up from where I was last fall - which in reality isn't bad considering I quit smoking in the last year. 10 pounds is on the low end of the average weight gain after that. And - I haven't actually gone UP really in about 6 months. So - I have been steadily holding steady.
I met with the nutritionist yesterday. I really like her. I know she is new-agey, hippy, flaky, but so am I, and so it all works out. Anyway - yesterday we were again talking about intuitive eating. Basically, paying attention to what my body is telling me. What to eat, when to eat, how much to eat. Last time I started keep a hunger/fullness journal. Now she wants me to do that still - but also keep track of why I don't eat when I feel hungry, or why I do eat when I don't feel hungry (two of bad habits). She also said that for the next few weeks she doesn't want me to apply any "rules" to my eating. Basically - eat whatever I want. I told her I thought that would backfire... but I would consider it. So, I am considering it... The theory is that if you don't deny yourself anything the craving for the food isn't as great. In reality that may be true in some cases. For example, every year before the TESSCO Holiday party I tell myself that I can/could and should eat anything I want and every year (except last year) I come home having eaten two or three little hors d'oeuvres and that is it. BUT - the difference is that at the party I am distracted - and so I don't eat. Sitting at home reading or on the computer I am not distracted enough.
Anyway - she also wants me to think about what it could be that I am denying myself that I am substituing it with food (comfort eating...). I don't know. She wants me to try affirmations. I am not sure if that will work - but according to her studies HAVE been done that show that on a very basic, physical level affirmations work. So, I will have to think of nice things to tell myself. I guess it IS true - especially in the past 9 months - that I haven't been thinking too highly of myself and maybe I do need to change that.
Finally, she is convinced that my liver needs some support. The fact that I don't have any appetite in the morning - and when I haven't eaten - indicates that my liver isn't funtioning optimally. I need to eat "bitters" for that. Ick. Bitter is the one thing I really don't like. She is making me an infusion that will contain cinnamon and cardamom in addition to the bitter she wants me to take - since I LIKE cinnamon and that is a good counterpoint to bitter (according to her). Or I could drink camomile tea. Yuck.
I met with the nutritionist yesterday. I really like her. I know she is new-agey, hippy, flaky, but so am I, and so it all works out. Anyway - yesterday we were again talking about intuitive eating. Basically, paying attention to what my body is telling me. What to eat, when to eat, how much to eat. Last time I started keep a hunger/fullness journal. Now she wants me to do that still - but also keep track of why I don't eat when I feel hungry, or why I do eat when I don't feel hungry (two of bad habits). She also said that for the next few weeks she doesn't want me to apply any "rules" to my eating. Basically - eat whatever I want. I told her I thought that would backfire... but I would consider it. So, I am considering it... The theory is that if you don't deny yourself anything the craving for the food isn't as great. In reality that may be true in some cases. For example, every year before the TESSCO Holiday party I tell myself that I can/could and should eat anything I want and every year (except last year) I come home having eaten two or three little hors d'oeuvres and that is it. BUT - the difference is that at the party I am distracted - and so I don't eat. Sitting at home reading or on the computer I am not distracted enough.
Anyway - she also wants me to think about what it could be that I am denying myself that I am substituing it with food (comfort eating...). I don't know. She wants me to try affirmations. I am not sure if that will work - but according to her studies HAVE been done that show that on a very basic, physical level affirmations work. So, I will have to think of nice things to tell myself. I guess it IS true - especially in the past 9 months - that I haven't been thinking too highly of myself and maybe I do need to change that.
Finally, she is convinced that my liver needs some support. The fact that I don't have any appetite in the morning - and when I haven't eaten - indicates that my liver isn't funtioning optimally. I need to eat "bitters" for that. Ick. Bitter is the one thing I really don't like. She is making me an infusion that will contain cinnamon and cardamom in addition to the bitter she wants me to take - since I LIKE cinnamon and that is a good counterpoint to bitter (according to her). Or I could drink camomile tea. Yuck.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I'm back...
We had a great trip to Canada/New England on the cruise. Ate a lot, walked a lot, slept a lot. I was up a pound from before I left, which is up like a gazillion pounds from my lowest. I came in at 168 yesterday, but I was 169.5 today. Not up to my fattest ever, but getting dangerously close.
This week is proving to be very stressful and I just don't see organized exercise making it onto my to do list. This week makes me remember why normal people with full time jobs don't get part time jobs. On top of that I have a doctors appt Thursday that is freaking me out--I have to go back to the gyn because my pap was abnormal and the lady is going to root around in there some more to see if she can see what's up given the "early levels of cellular change." And Peter went back to regular duty yesterday, which I didn't think would worry me as much as it has turned out to. Plus his schedule is stretching us too (2 day shifts followed by 2 night shifts, then 4 days off); I imagine we'll adapt to that but right now it sucks.
My eating since I've been back has been odd; the only food in the house is bananas, apples and pears, so that has been breakfast/morning snack for Monday, Tuesday and today. Lunch Monday was a tastycake and dinner was pizza from pizza hut. Tuesday lunch was thai with a client, and dinner was Let's Dish chicken bruscetta. I brought a pudding and a string cheese for lunch today, and I think Peter pulled out pork chops and potatoes from Let's Dish for dinner tonight.
So my first day inthe rotation will be this Friday. I am certain the last 2 Fridays I was not "good" given the amount of food we were eating, although we did walk significantly more than normal. We did 2/3 of the Freedom Trail in Boston last Friday morning, and trapsed around Salem all afternoon. We bought the National Park Passport too. That is a really neat thing--you can get it stamped at a number of the parks and it looks similar to a regular passport stamp. We got 3 on this trip.
This week is proving to be very stressful and I just don't see organized exercise making it onto my to do list. This week makes me remember why normal people with full time jobs don't get part time jobs. On top of that I have a doctors appt Thursday that is freaking me out--I have to go back to the gyn because my pap was abnormal and the lady is going to root around in there some more to see if she can see what's up given the "early levels of cellular change." And Peter went back to regular duty yesterday, which I didn't think would worry me as much as it has turned out to. Plus his schedule is stretching us too (2 day shifts followed by 2 night shifts, then 4 days off); I imagine we'll adapt to that but right now it sucks.
My eating since I've been back has been odd; the only food in the house is bananas, apples and pears, so that has been breakfast/morning snack for Monday, Tuesday and today. Lunch Monday was a tastycake and dinner was pizza from pizza hut. Tuesday lunch was thai with a client, and dinner was Let's Dish chicken bruscetta. I brought a pudding and a string cheese for lunch today, and I think Peter pulled out pork chops and potatoes from Let's Dish for dinner tonight.
So my first day inthe rotation will be this Friday. I am certain the last 2 Fridays I was not "good" given the amount of food we were eating, although we did walk significantly more than normal. We did 2/3 of the Freedom Trail in Boston last Friday morning, and trapsed around Salem all afternoon. We bought the National Park Passport too. That is a really neat thing--you can get it stamped at a number of the parks and it looks similar to a regular passport stamp. We got 3 on this trip.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
226.2
Well - I gained - but it wasn't 4 pounds. That is good. I have been average at best today. I ate a piece of GF toast for breakfast. I had a banana an edamame salad for morning snack - then I had a meeting that ran long. I had an Acai Cooler (mildly caffinated fruit drink from Caribou) for afternoon snack and then nothing yet for lunch at 6:15. So - I have been typical, but far from good! I am going to eat something now - but probably not my lunch.
I planned to go to the gym this evening - and I may still make it, but my long meeting has thrown me completely off today so I will be here at work for another hour or more. Oh well.
I planned to go to the gym this evening - and I may still make it, but my long meeting has thrown me completely off today so I will be here at work for another hour or more. Oh well.
147.5
Well, I lost weight this week, too! Last night Daniel asked for help counting up his calories (he's down about 5 or 6 pounds over the last 2 1/2 weeks) so that inspired me to count my own. I came in just under 1200, so I knew I was allowed a couple of chips and a couple of pieces of candy corn but I was motivated by the low number not to stuff myself with junk. With two lower calorie days in a row and faithful exercise, my weight actually crept downward. It was even 147.0 before my shower. So today I'm trying to keep up with what I'm eating again, and I have a gym appointment in two hours. Yay, me!
139
Whew, I actually lost a bit of weight this week! Not quite a pound, but I'm happy for anything at this point.
Today is my "do-over" from yesterday. I think I ended up staying within my calorie restrictions, but it's hard to know because I have no idea how many calories were in my lunch. But I kept my dinner portion very tiny and didn't snack, so I think I came out o.k. And because I had that big salad, I got a lot of vegetables for the day. But I didn't get to exercise at all, and I didn't take my vitamin, and I didn't even floss. So today I'm going to try again and see if I can hit all of my good behavior stuff.
If I manage to stick with this for the next few weeks maybe I can get back down to my "acceptable" range just in time for Halloween! And then I'll have to start all over again.
Today is my "do-over" from yesterday. I think I ended up staying within my calorie restrictions, but it's hard to know because I have no idea how many calories were in my lunch. But I kept my dinner portion very tiny and didn't snack, so I think I came out o.k. And because I had that big salad, I got a lot of vegetables for the day. But I didn't get to exercise at all, and I didn't take my vitamin, and I didn't even floss. So today I'm going to try again and see if I can hit all of my good behavior stuff.
If I manage to stick with this for the next few weeks maybe I can get back down to my "acceptable" range just in time for Halloween! And then I'll have to start all over again.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wiped out
It's not even 4:00 and I have no idea how I'm going to make it to bedtime. We went to the pool today for the kids' swim lessons and I just played in the water with Cecilia, so it wasn't exercise at all (except for tossing her in the air and lifting her onto the side so she could jump in) but I came home feeling completely drained. Fortunately I have a gym appointment in an hour so that will probably wake me up, if I don't collapse entirely.
Yesterday was a pretty good day, though I didn't do cardio exercise. I did, however, do my 100 crunches, the first time I've done those at home in probably a month or more. Definitely more, since I stopped doing them before I was last in Maryland, and that's been a month. And I stayed out of the candy corn until right after dinner, when I had four pieces and one pumpkin, which is hardly anything. I didn't eat any vegetables yesterday and we had cheeseburgers for dinner, though Cecilia ate a good portion of mine. We had our waffle brunch yesterday and I stuck to one waffle and two pieces of bacon, also better than usual. So I haven't tallied anything up but I showed some restraint where I might not have otherwise, and I did crunches which I know I wouldn't have otherwise, so it was a good day despite its flaws.
Yesterday was a pretty good day, though I didn't do cardio exercise. I did, however, do my 100 crunches, the first time I've done those at home in probably a month or more. Definitely more, since I stopped doing them before I was last in Maryland, and that's been a month. And I stayed out of the candy corn until right after dinner, when I had four pieces and one pumpkin, which is hardly anything. I didn't eat any vegetables yesterday and we had cheeseburgers for dinner, though Cecilia ate a good portion of mine. We had our waffle brunch yesterday and I stuck to one waffle and two pieces of bacon, also better than usual. So I haven't tallied anything up but I showed some restraint where I might not have otherwise, and I did crunches which I know I wouldn't have otherwise, so it was a good day despite its flaws.
I'm not perfect, no I'm not.
No one will get that reference except Emily.
I'm not sure how to rate my weekend. Saturday I ate crap, but not much of it. And I painted the bathroom, which kept me moving (and sweating) for longer than usual on a Saturday. Yesterday was the Grand Prix at work. My job is photographer's assistant, which means I spent the entire day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) walking and walking and walking. I wish I had worn my pedometer! A woman in the business office, who didn't do nearly the walking I did, said that she hit over 10,000 steps on her pedometer. And then I got home from the Grand Prix and took Davey for a walk (2.5 miles). So I was super-active all day, but I also ate to make up for it--normal cereal for breakfast, but then I had two meals at the Grand Prix (hot dog and soda and two cookies; spinach salad, melon, steamed carrots, turkey, roll, piece of cake, beer) and then came home and make pork chops, zucchini, and rice/tomatoes/beans/corn for dinner. By then I really was full an only had half portions for dinner. But I don't even want to count my calories for the day.
And today is supposed to be my "good" day and I think at this point it just isn't going to happen. I started out well--oatmeal for breakfast, almonds for snack. But then our department director took the whole department out for lunch as a thank you for yesterday's work. I had a chicken bruchetta salad and didn't skip the bread as I promised myself I would. And then I came back and had a leftover cookie. And since I went out for lunch, I can't take time to go to the gym later. So I'm thinking that a) I'll have to do tomorrow as my make-up "good" day and b) my weight probably won't be so great tomorrow. I've been hovering in the 139.6 to 140.6 range (which is frustrating since I was really consistently good all last week and exercised a lot, including adding in work on the weight machines on Friday at the gym! I should have been down to 139 even, or lower, by Saturday morning) and thought that if I stuck to good behavior today, I could at least weight in at last week's weight tomorrow, but I'm thinking that probably won't happen now.
I'm not sure how to rate my weekend. Saturday I ate crap, but not much of it. And I painted the bathroom, which kept me moving (and sweating) for longer than usual on a Saturday. Yesterday was the Grand Prix at work. My job is photographer's assistant, which means I spent the entire day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) walking and walking and walking. I wish I had worn my pedometer! A woman in the business office, who didn't do nearly the walking I did, said that she hit over 10,000 steps on her pedometer. And then I got home from the Grand Prix and took Davey for a walk (2.5 miles). So I was super-active all day, but I also ate to make up for it--normal cereal for breakfast, but then I had two meals at the Grand Prix (hot dog and soda and two cookies; spinach salad, melon, steamed carrots, turkey, roll, piece of cake, beer) and then came home and make pork chops, zucchini, and rice/tomatoes/beans/corn for dinner. By then I really was full an only had half portions for dinner. But I don't even want to count my calories for the day.
And today is supposed to be my "good" day and I think at this point it just isn't going to happen. I started out well--oatmeal for breakfast, almonds for snack. But then our department director took the whole department out for lunch as a thank you for yesterday's work. I had a chicken bruchetta salad and didn't skip the bread as I promised myself I would. And then I came back and had a leftover cookie. And since I went out for lunch, I can't take time to go to the gym later. So I'm thinking that a) I'll have to do tomorrow as my make-up "good" day and b) my weight probably won't be so great tomorrow. I've been hovering in the 139.6 to 140.6 range (which is frustrating since I was really consistently good all last week and exercised a lot, including adding in work on the weight machines on Friday at the gym! I should have been down to 139 even, or lower, by Saturday morning) and thought that if I stuck to good behavior today, I could at least weight in at last week's weight tomorrow, but I'm thinking that probably won't happen now.
I'm Proud of Me, I'm Proud of Me, I hope that you are... blah blah blah
I spontaneously went to the gym on Sunday! It entered my mind about half way through the day that I should go to the gym. So I put on my gym clothes, called my gym buddy (she was shopping in Westminster) went to the gym an worked out. Again, I only walked on the treadmill for the whole workout (it took me 22 minutes this time to stop noticing that my shins hurt...). None-the-less, thought became action! So I was proud of me.
My food wasn't great. I alternated between eating everything in sight and not eating at all. Again - PMS is to blame. Yesterday I had an icecream cone followed by a big bowl of green beans. I don't know. It was weird...
My food wasn't great. I alternated between eating everything in sight and not eating at all. Again - PMS is to blame. Yesterday I had an icecream cone followed by a big bowl of green beans. I don't know. It was weird...
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Are you there, Julie?
Your good day is supposed to fall after Amy's and before mine -- so that means today is your day, if you're still interested in the rotation. But I haven't seen a post from you for a while so I hope you're OK!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Late day = no willpower
OK - I was doing pretty well today - except that I was wanting to eat everything in sight! I am PMS-y today I think. So - I ate breakfast at home. Ate my banana at 9:30, then some dried fruit and nuts at 10:45, then ordered my lunch at 11:45 (which I didn't eat until 12:30 after I ran some errands). That was actually less than half of my Burrito Bol because by the time I got back from running around, my eating binge was dwindling. I ate a fraction of the pistachio nuts I brought with me at around 3:00. Then, at 5:30 I ate a PF Soft Cookie... I had been resisting them all week!!!!! I don't know what happened. Then I ate the rest of my burrito... and now I feel uncomfortably full - but I will be going home soon. Hopefully to take a nap. Maybe it is psychological, but I don't know why my brain would have chosen sleepiness as my reaction to gluten (well, and gas too - but the sleepiness is more immediate). Actually I want to go to the gym so I can have a "good" if not perfect day.
Pulled off another good day
Just barely. I had to have leftover green beans as a bedtime snack in order to get in all of my fruits and vegetables! And I had a carrot mid-afternoon, too. I don't much like plain raw carrots, and eating one is like advertising "hey, look at me, I'm on a diet!" But I had to go home midday for a meeting with the contractor and I had only eaten half of my lunch before going (the non-fruit part) and would be stopping by Wal Mart on my way back to work and I didn't want to risk giving in to candy temptation there, so I needed to eat something and the only quick thing we had at home that wasn't unhealthy was this carrot. In all, I had roughly 1350 calories for the day.
Exercise was also tough to get in--the pilates videos are only 20 to 25 minutes so I knew I'd have to do more. I figured I'd just pull out a jumprope, but when I got home in the evening Brian was just getting ready to take Connor for a walk, so I went along. It was pretty leisurely, and we only covered a little over a mile, and that took us most of a half an hour. But I figure that a mile walking is the same, as far as calories burned, as a mile running, so I counted it as my extra ten minutes I needed to hit the 30 minute mark.
Actually, it's kind of shameful how many of my "good" activities happened right there at the very end of the day--exercise, vegetables, flossing, and vitamin. But at least I got them all in. I also promised myself that if I was below 140 today I'd indulge in candy corn this weekend. But instead I was 140.2.
Barring a major catastrophe (unlikely) or general laziness (likely) I'll get to the gym again today, making this the first week in ages that I will have gone to the gym all three days I had scheduled, and making it the fifth time I exercised this week. Isn't that worth some candy corn?
Exercise was also tough to get in--the pilates videos are only 20 to 25 minutes so I knew I'd have to do more. I figured I'd just pull out a jumprope, but when I got home in the evening Brian was just getting ready to take Connor for a walk, so I went along. It was pretty leisurely, and we only covered a little over a mile, and that took us most of a half an hour. But I figure that a mile walking is the same, as far as calories burned, as a mile running, so I counted it as my extra ten minutes I needed to hit the 30 minute mark.
Actually, it's kind of shameful how many of my "good" activities happened right there at the very end of the day--exercise, vegetables, flossing, and vitamin. But at least I got them all in. I also promised myself that if I was below 140 today I'd indulge in candy corn this weekend. But instead I was 140.2.
Barring a major catastrophe (unlikely) or general laziness (likely) I'll get to the gym again today, making this the first week in ages that I will have gone to the gym all three days I had scheduled, and making it the fifth time I exercised this week. Isn't that worth some candy corn?
Striving for Perfection
So - I think today is supposed to be my perfect day. I am going to use today as it anyway - and then I am going to mark every fourth day on my calendar so I will KNOW which days for sure going forward.
Yesterday I did OK. I was bad with gluten. We did go to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch and I order the Thai Chicken Pizza. I got it on the whole wheat crust (no bean sprouts and no cilantro). But that was very gluten-y. Last night for dinner I ate leftover Chinese food - so that was good. I forgot to bring my afternoon vitamins and didn't remember them when I was at home - so I only took half of my vitamins. I think I did a good job with the water - I can't remember how many bottles I drank. I think two full ones and then a 16 oz glass at lunch and 16oz before I left for work.
I WENT TO THE GYM!!!!!!!!!!! This was the first time I think since early July. GACK!
I don't know why I put up barriers for myself. I really don't hate it as much as I think I do. I wasn't fancy last night. I just went and walked on the treadmill for 47 minutes... Actually, I set it for 45 minutes on the Alpine Pass - but you get a 2 minute cool down on that - so it was 47 minutes. I was forced to go because my friend Gloria from work just joined and so she met me there. I didn't want to stand her up since this was her first visit to the gym. Then, once I was there, of course I HAD to do something - and so I did. It was a pretty good. My shins were in agony from about 6 minutes until I hit the magic 20 minute mark. I love that 20 minute thing... Seriously - after 20 minutes I could walk for another hour or more - but up until that time it is pure agony!!!
Today I am off to a pretty good start - I had breakfast (on my deck) and a banana for a morning snack. I drank water and took my vitamins this morning. I didn't floss my teeth because I couldn't find the floss in the bathroom (pathetic!) but I did do a face masque - so my skin is youthfully glowing now... I will floss tonight. I want more coffee now - but I didn't bring an extra thermos today - so often I don't drink the extra coffee I bring, so the past few days I haven't been bringing it. Sigh. I am going to Chipotle today for lunch. You would think I would be sick of beans and rice - but not really. I have been craving it lately. I think beans and rice are the perfect base for a lot of foods.
Yesterday I did OK. I was bad with gluten. We did go to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch and I order the Thai Chicken Pizza. I got it on the whole wheat crust (no bean sprouts and no cilantro). But that was very gluten-y. Last night for dinner I ate leftover Chinese food - so that was good. I forgot to bring my afternoon vitamins and didn't remember them when I was at home - so I only took half of my vitamins. I think I did a good job with the water - I can't remember how many bottles I drank. I think two full ones and then a 16 oz glass at lunch and 16oz before I left for work.
I WENT TO THE GYM!!!!!!!!!!! This was the first time I think since early July. GACK!
I don't know why I put up barriers for myself. I really don't hate it as much as I think I do. I wasn't fancy last night. I just went and walked on the treadmill for 47 minutes... Actually, I set it for 45 minutes on the Alpine Pass - but you get a 2 minute cool down on that - so it was 47 minutes. I was forced to go because my friend Gloria from work just joined and so she met me there. I didn't want to stand her up since this was her first visit to the gym. Then, once I was there, of course I HAD to do something - and so I did. It was a pretty good. My shins were in agony from about 6 minutes until I hit the magic 20 minute mark. I love that 20 minute thing... Seriously - after 20 minutes I could walk for another hour or more - but up until that time it is pure agony!!!
Today I am off to a pretty good start - I had breakfast (on my deck) and a banana for a morning snack. I drank water and took my vitamins this morning. I didn't floss my teeth because I couldn't find the floss in the bathroom (pathetic!) but I did do a face masque - so my skin is youthfully glowing now... I will floss tonight. I want more coffee now - but I didn't bring an extra thermos today - so often I don't drink the extra coffee I bring, so the past few days I haven't been bringing it. Sigh. I am going to Chipotle today for lunch. You would think I would be sick of beans and rice - but not really. I have been craving it lately. I think beans and rice are the perfect base for a lot of foods.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Hibernation
I think last fall we all noticed the fall weight gain effect. There have been studies done that actually PROVE that gaining weight is typical in the fall - and it isn't all just because we aren't as active in the fall. Our bodies are DESIGNED to store fat when it begins to get colder... and we eat Girl Scout Cookies and go to the Renn Fest... and all.
A better day
So I got through yesterday without being terrible. I had my usual breakfast, lunch of tuna and toast, a snack of pretzels before dinner, dinner of grilled chicken (with fat-free white BBQ sauce), green beans, and bread with margarine, and milk to drink at dinner. I ate a banana after dinner to respond to my sweets craving, and it didn't do the trick, so I finally broke down and had about 10 pieces of candy corn after that. But it was still a pretty good day for me, food-wise. As I said, it's easy to be good on Wednesdays!
I also went to the gym and did 45 minutes on the bike plus all the usual extras -- VKRs and chest presses and shoulder presses, but then I couldn't get the tricep press or the leg press. Oh, well. I still felt like it was a good workout and I was glad I added that extra 5 minutes to the bike.
Today I still have a residual "eating well" effect going and I'm at least thinking about exercising, though I don't know what I will actually do. My weight was 148.5 yesterday and 149.0 today. I don't get that! But at least it has been staying under the dangerous 150!
I also went to the gym and did 45 minutes on the bike plus all the usual extras -- VKRs and chest presses and shoulder presses, but then I couldn't get the tricep press or the leg press. Oh, well. I still felt like it was a good workout and I was glad I added that extra 5 minutes to the bike.
Today I still have a residual "eating well" effect going and I'm at least thinking about exercising, though I don't know what I will actually do. My weight was 148.5 yesterday and 149.0 today. I don't get that! But at least it has been staying under the dangerous 150!
Today's the day
My turn to be "good" today (or is it "perfect?" I forget.). I've actually been pretty good all week--got to the gym both Monday and Wednesday, been eating pretty well all week. Yesterday I had a piece of birthday cake at work for a woman's birthday, but other than that I've stuck to healthy, low-fat, low-calorie, blah, blah, blah.
So tell me this--why has my weight gone steadily UP since Tuesday? I was resigned to watching the weight go up when I wasn't exercising much and was eating junk without any limits on my consumption, but it looked like my weight was doing well from last week to this with my new good behavior, but since Tuesday's weigh in, I've gone up each day--140.6 on Wednesday and 141.2 today! Not fair!
Anyway, today's challenge will be to get my 30 minutes of exercise. Thursdays aren't my ususal exercise day, and I don't have a lunch break today (meeting with the contractor instead) so I'll have to do something tonight. Pilates is the obvious choice. That's a habit I really need to get back into!
And it's a good thing I didn't include "get enough sleep" on my list of required "good day" activities--Connor had me up at 4 a.m., and if I exercise tonight that means I won't get to bed early tonight to make up for it.
So tell me this--why has my weight gone steadily UP since Tuesday? I was resigned to watching the weight go up when I wasn't exercising much and was eating junk without any limits on my consumption, but it looked like my weight was doing well from last week to this with my new good behavior, but since Tuesday's weigh in, I've gone up each day--140.6 on Wednesday and 141.2 today! Not fair!
Anyway, today's challenge will be to get my 30 minutes of exercise. Thursdays aren't my ususal exercise day, and I don't have a lunch break today (meeting with the contractor instead) so I'll have to do something tonight. Pilates is the obvious choice. That's a habit I really need to get back into!
And it's a good thing I didn't include "get enough sleep" on my list of required "good day" activities--Connor had me up at 4 a.m., and if I exercise tonight that means I won't get to bed early tonight to make up for it.
Practice Makes Perfect
I am practicing today again for my perfect day tomorrow... So far I managed to eat breakfast at home (gluten free) and take my morning vitamins. I didn't remember to pack my afternoon vitamins, so I will have to remember to take them when I get home tonight. I brought a banana for a morning snack and pistachio nuts for an afternoon snack. I brought leftover Chinese food for lunch - but today is my 8 year anniversary at TESSCO so my team is taking me out to lunch. I know they will ask me where to do - and I will probably pick California Pizza Kitchen because I really like it - but that isn't gluten free. I would do sushi but I think about half of my team doesn't EAT sushi and Grace is pregnant anyway. Chinese food would be the other option - or Mexican - but I already had both of them this week. So - California Pizza Kitchen it is.
I drove by the gym last night. I don't know why I am scared to go. I will go tonight!!!!!!!! PROMISE!
My glider was delivered yesterday - and I got about half way through putting it together. It really needs two people working on it - and Katie went straight from school to signing downtown last night, so we didn't get to do that. Hopefully we will be able to do THAT tonight too. The fireplace probably won't arrive for a few more weeks.
I have to talk to Dave Levey about the deck. It was bothering me yesterday that he only used the composite on the very top surface of the railing instead of on all of it except the posts. I was under the impression that the only visable pressure treated wood would be on the posts - instead he did it everywhere except the very top piece. He had 6 boards left - that he was going to return to Lowe's - but I am going to ask him to switch them out.
I drove by the gym last night. I don't know why I am scared to go. I will go tonight!!!!!!!! PROMISE!
My glider was delivered yesterday - and I got about half way through putting it together. It really needs two people working on it - and Katie went straight from school to signing downtown last night, so we didn't get to do that. Hopefully we will be able to do THAT tonight too. The fireplace probably won't arrive for a few more weeks.
I have to talk to Dave Levey about the deck. It was bothering me yesterday that he only used the composite on the very top surface of the railing instead of on all of it except the posts. I was under the impression that the only visable pressure treated wood would be on the posts - instead he did it everywhere except the very top piece. He had 6 boards left - that he was going to return to Lowe's - but I am going to ask him to switch them out.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Starting another "good" day
Today it should be easy not to eat unhealthy food, because I feel totally gross. I have a cold with enough drainage that my throat is having to stay half-open, which means I feel like I'm going to throw up all the time. Ick. And it's Wednesday, which means we have piano and then the gym this afternoon, so I won't have time to snack during my crucial period.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
149.5
So -- still below 150 and still not very good. Yesterday I went to the gym and did 40 minutes on the bike and usual VKRs and a half-hearted upper body workout. I so wasn't in the mood to exercise yesterday. And it was so gorgeous outside -- it was very dull inside that smelly gym. But outside I don't have childcare (and I don't have reservations to MAKE me exercise).
I'm upping my workouts to four a week. Mary has so much going on on Wednesdays that the MWF plan isn't going to work, so I've added Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of Wednesdays so now I'll get four workouts a week. This week I still have a Wednesday one, though.
My eating has been pretty good -- the perfect-day thing trickles down a bit, like with Amy warming up a day in advance, and after my failed day I made myself be good the next day, which meant yesterday I was coming off two days of dieting and I was still sort of in the diet mentality. And I am today, too. Tomorrow it's back to being my day again, I think. We've all missed a day somewhere so it's hard to tell whether we should be shifting by a day or whether we should stick to the days that we would have had in the original rotation. But I'm planning on being good tomorrow.
I'm upping my workouts to four a week. Mary has so much going on on Wednesdays that the MWF plan isn't going to work, so I've added Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of Wednesdays so now I'll get four workouts a week. This week I still have a Wednesday one, though.
My eating has been pretty good -- the perfect-day thing trickles down a bit, like with Amy warming up a day in advance, and after my failed day I made myself be good the next day, which meant yesterday I was coming off two days of dieting and I was still sort of in the diet mentality. And I am today, too. Tomorrow it's back to being my day again, I think. We've all missed a day somewhere so it's hard to tell whether we should be shifting by a day or whether we should stick to the days that we would have had in the original rotation. But I'm planning on being good tomorrow.
Before or After?
Katie and I were discussing last night if the sleep requirement for the perfect day should be before or after. I concluded that the only way to have a perfect day is to start it off well rested.
That being said - I am off to a HORRIBLE start. Sarah, I kept thinking about you wondering how you manage - because last night I did not sleep. At all. I went to be late - like 12:15. At about 12:30ish, I jerked awake and blamed it on the train whistles... I hear the trains all of the time. However, when I was telling Katie about them (I heard two and they sounded very odd) this morning we both realized about the same time that the trains aren't currently running through because they are working on the tracks at that point. I checked this morning and, yes, that section of road is still closed. I don't know what it was then that woke me up out of not quite sleep - but whatever it was stayed with me all night. All night. It was actually a cross between a panic attack and fever dreams. I was definitely doing the whole fevered sweating, and everytime I started to drift to sleep I would jerk myself awake. I was "hearing" weird things all night... Thumps in the kitchen, shuffling in the living room, the basement door closing, breathing (not mine - I was holding my breath at this point), screams (I figured that was probably cars on 795 screeching). I had panicky impressions - someone standing in my front garden, for example, and later someone was tucking the blankets in around me. I started worrying that there is no phone upstairs - and went so far as to get the phone out of the sewing room and plug it in in my bedroom (although, it is dead - the handset has been dead for months now...). I finally started to relax around 4:30am. I didn't fall asleep though. I know I was looking at the clock at 5:30am and again at 5:56am... However, I think I fell asleep between those two times because I did have some weird light sleep dreams then. Between 6am and 6:30 I watched the clock the whole time, knowing I had to get up no later than 6:30. I finally did get up (mostly because I was afraid that I WOULD drift off to sleep and then be jerked awake in a few minutes by the alarm) at 6:25am. I had to do a presentation at 8am - which meant that I wouldn't be able to get ahold of anyone else to do it for me in advance... So I HAD to go in to work. The reason this wasn't really a full blown panic attack was because my body wasn't responding as though it were afraid. Usually when I have a panic attack my BRAIN is being logical but my body is scared. This time my body was fine, but my brain was sensing attack. I think this was partly driven by thoughts earlier in the evening of securing our main floor a little more (a rod for the sliding glass doors now that there is access to them and figuring out a way to make the kitchen windows close all the way and lock... they don't currently.) These weren't PANICKED thoughts, just plain "grown up" thoughts. But - aparently they were enough, mixed with whatever mild fever I had, to keep me awake.
So - My perfect day did NOT start with me well rested. I did eat a bowl of gluten free cereal with skim milk. I also made myself another breakfast entirely (gluten free toast) at the same time, forgetting that I already HAD a breakfast. Sigh. So Katie ate that. I am about to eat a banana. I took my morning vitamins and - while I didn't floss my teeth I DID clean the toilet upstairs. As I was doing that I was thinking "Man! I should have cleaned the whole bathroom while I wasn't sleeping."
I am hoping to be able to leave here early today. Even if I do some work at home that would help - especially if I can take a nap!!!
That being said - I am off to a HORRIBLE start. Sarah, I kept thinking about you wondering how you manage - because last night I did not sleep. At all. I went to be late - like 12:15. At about 12:30ish, I jerked awake and blamed it on the train whistles... I hear the trains all of the time. However, when I was telling Katie about them (I heard two and they sounded very odd) this morning we both realized about the same time that the trains aren't currently running through because they are working on the tracks at that point. I checked this morning and, yes, that section of road is still closed. I don't know what it was then that woke me up out of not quite sleep - but whatever it was stayed with me all night. All night. It was actually a cross between a panic attack and fever dreams. I was definitely doing the whole fevered sweating, and everytime I started to drift to sleep I would jerk myself awake. I was "hearing" weird things all night... Thumps in the kitchen, shuffling in the living room, the basement door closing, breathing (not mine - I was holding my breath at this point), screams (I figured that was probably cars on 795 screeching). I had panicky impressions - someone standing in my front garden, for example, and later someone was tucking the blankets in around me. I started worrying that there is no phone upstairs - and went so far as to get the phone out of the sewing room and plug it in in my bedroom (although, it is dead - the handset has been dead for months now...). I finally started to relax around 4:30am. I didn't fall asleep though. I know I was looking at the clock at 5:30am and again at 5:56am... However, I think I fell asleep between those two times because I did have some weird light sleep dreams then. Between 6am and 6:30 I watched the clock the whole time, knowing I had to get up no later than 6:30. I finally did get up (mostly because I was afraid that I WOULD drift off to sleep and then be jerked awake in a few minutes by the alarm) at 6:25am. I had to do a presentation at 8am - which meant that I wouldn't be able to get ahold of anyone else to do it for me in advance... So I HAD to go in to work. The reason this wasn't really a full blown panic attack was because my body wasn't responding as though it were afraid. Usually when I have a panic attack my BRAIN is being logical but my body is scared. This time my body was fine, but my brain was sensing attack. I think this was partly driven by thoughts earlier in the evening of securing our main floor a little more (a rod for the sliding glass doors now that there is access to them and figuring out a way to make the kitchen windows close all the way and lock... they don't currently.) These weren't PANICKED thoughts, just plain "grown up" thoughts. But - aparently they were enough, mixed with whatever mild fever I had, to keep me awake.
So - My perfect day did NOT start with me well rested. I did eat a bowl of gluten free cereal with skim milk. I also made myself another breakfast entirely (gluten free toast) at the same time, forgetting that I already HAD a breakfast. Sigh. So Katie ate that. I am about to eat a banana. I took my morning vitamins and - while I didn't floss my teeth I DID clean the toilet upstairs. As I was doing that I was thinking "Man! I should have cleaned the whole bathroom while I wasn't sleeping."
I am hoping to be able to leave here early today. Even if I do some work at home that would help - especially if I can take a nap!!!
Not losing any toes this week
I was 139.8 this morning. Not as low as I'd like (which would be about another nine pounds down!) but a respectable amount down from last week (1.5 pounds, roughly) and the week before, and I think it's "real" weight loss and not weird fluctuation. Oh, and it's below 140, which is also nice.
Yesterday turned out to be a pretty o.k. day for me. I kept my calorie intake to 1400, although I substituted two Berger cookies for my almonds in the morning and yogurt in the afternoon. I told Brian that all I had to do was take a vitamin and a spoonful of Metamucil to make up for it because the calorie count is the same. He said rationalization is the second most important thing in life, right after oxygen. He's probably right. But I exercised and flossed and took my vitamin. I fell short on the fruits and vegetables--I only had four servings instead of five.
On a totally unrelated note, we just found out (like five minutes ago, right after starting this email) that we got our NSF grant--$549,272! Woo-hoo! Pity I can't buy some candy corn to celebrate.
Yesterday turned out to be a pretty o.k. day for me. I kept my calorie intake to 1400, although I substituted two Berger cookies for my almonds in the morning and yogurt in the afternoon. I told Brian that all I had to do was take a vitamin and a spoonful of Metamucil to make up for it because the calorie count is the same. He said rationalization is the second most important thing in life, right after oxygen. He's probably right. But I exercised and flossed and took my vitamin. I fell short on the fruits and vegetables--I only had four servings instead of five.
On a totally unrelated note, we just found out (like five minutes ago, right after starting this email) that we got our NSF grant--$549,272! Woo-hoo! Pity I can't buy some candy corn to celebrate.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Perfect Day Plan
I like this perfect day concept... I haven't HAD one so far (and I blame the existance of candy corn for that!). I have been a lot more aware of my short comings... It really makes me realize that even when I am TRYING to be good, I am not really being all that good.
So - tomorrow is my perfect day, right? I am practicing today. So far I have had one meal (early lunch - burrito bol at Chipotle - rice, beans, salasa, meat, cheese, lettuce, and guacamole - and sour cream, a little bit). I ate about half of it - so I will have the other half for tomorrow's lunch. And one snack (grapes - I had them around 10am when I would normally eat breakfast, but I realized it was only 1.5 hours until my scheduled lunch and so didn't want to eat it then...). I took my vitamins both this morning and with my meal... Just like I am supposed to. I almost flossed this morning - but I remembered that today wasn't my perfect day so I didn't HAVE to, so I didn't. I will figure it out eventually... Katie and I are planning to go to the gym this evening. And I finished one bottle of water and about another 8 oz - so 24 so far today. I will drink more now.
I am feeling hungry again. Actually - it is weird hunger. I still feel full from lunch, but I am having hunger pangs also. That seems odd to me. But maybe I will eat a banana and see if that does the trick. Hey! Maybe this is how I am SUPPOSED to feel. I didn't over eat for lunch. Maybe what I am feeling is just plain hunger - and I just am not used to it. Hummmm. If I eat a banana that will count as a healthy snack! Yay me!
Emily, I don't know how you do it! It is SO hard for me when I am around the house over the weekend. It doesn't matter if I want to our not, I am somehow compelled to eat as much candy corn as I possibly can. I can put it away, make it difficult to get to, brush my teeth multiple times and I STILL can't keep out of it. Sigh.
So - tomorrow is my perfect day, right? I am practicing today. So far I have had one meal (early lunch - burrito bol at Chipotle - rice, beans, salasa, meat, cheese, lettuce, and guacamole - and sour cream, a little bit). I ate about half of it - so I will have the other half for tomorrow's lunch. And one snack (grapes - I had them around 10am when I would normally eat breakfast, but I realized it was only 1.5 hours until my scheduled lunch and so didn't want to eat it then...). I took my vitamins both this morning and with my meal... Just like I am supposed to. I almost flossed this morning - but I remembered that today wasn't my perfect day so I didn't HAVE to, so I didn't. I will figure it out eventually... Katie and I are planning to go to the gym this evening. And I finished one bottle of water and about another 8 oz - so 24 so far today. I will drink more now.
I am feeling hungry again. Actually - it is weird hunger. I still feel full from lunch, but I am having hunger pangs also. That seems odd to me. But maybe I will eat a banana and see if that does the trick. Hey! Maybe this is how I am SUPPOSED to feel. I didn't over eat for lunch. Maybe what I am feeling is just plain hunger - and I just am not used to it. Hummmm. If I eat a banana that will count as a healthy snack! Yay me!
Emily, I don't know how you do it! It is SO hard for me when I am around the house over the weekend. It doesn't matter if I want to our not, I am somehow compelled to eat as much candy corn as I possibly can. I can put it away, make it difficult to get to, brush my teeth multiple times and I STILL can't keep out of it. Sigh.
Better, but not perfect
Yesterday I went for a bike ride with the kids -- not exactly hard exercise, but we did travel 4 miles and I was pulling the trailer with Cecilia in it, so it was something, and I could feel a bit of effort in my legs. I took the kids onto campus which meant using roads for a short piece of the trip. This turned out to be very stressful -- they are inclined to stop dead with little warning, something you can't do that close to traffic! I took an alternate route on the way home that had wide sidewalks pretty much the whole way, until we got to the trail, and it was much better. Now I know.
I ate well all day until around dinner time, even though it was Sunday and we had waffles and bacon -- I stuck to one waffle and ate three pieces of bacon, but we didn't have lunch later so that wasn't really out of control. Then I had a half glass of wine with dinner (not that much, considering), and I snuck into the candy corn later, and broke down and made popcorn while we watched a movie. It was full-fat popcorn but I tried not to overeat. So I suppose yesterday could have been worse, but it wasn't great. Sigh.
My weight was 149.5 this morning. I don't think it's going to do a sudden drop tomorrow! Oh, well!
I ate well all day until around dinner time, even though it was Sunday and we had waffles and bacon -- I stuck to one waffle and ate three pieces of bacon, but we didn't have lunch later so that wasn't really out of control. Then I had a half glass of wine with dinner (not that much, considering), and I snuck into the candy corn later, and broke down and made popcorn while we watched a movie. It was full-fat popcorn but I tried not to overeat. So I suppose yesterday could have been worse, but it wasn't great. Sigh.
My weight was 149.5 this morning. I don't think it's going to do a sudden drop tomorrow! Oh, well!
Good day #2
Usually I let things slide on weekends, but since I had yesterday assigned as my "good" day I wasn't allowed to do that! Since the rest of you have defined what you mean by "good," here's my list:
1) Exercise at least 30 minutes.
2) Eat no more than 1400 calories.
3) At least five servings of fruits and vegetables.
4) Take a vitamin.
5) Floss.
I probably should have "get enough sleep" on that list, but that just sets me up for failure since I can't really control the amount of sleep I get very well.
Yesterday I managed to do all of these things. Brian and I ate vegetarian all weekend, not on purpose but because my garden revived itself so we had lots of peppers and carrots and basil, and maybe some green beans if the weather holds out. Bit chilly today, but we'll see.
In spite of my "good" day yesterday (exercise, btw, was an hour anf 15 minute walk with Davey) my weight was back up above 140 today--140.4. I'm hoping that's the usual Monday morning spike after the weekend, but I always thought that spike was because I WASN'T good on Sundays.
1) Exercise at least 30 minutes.
2) Eat no more than 1400 calories.
3) At least five servings of fruits and vegetables.
4) Take a vitamin.
5) Floss.
I probably should have "get enough sleep" on that list, but that just sets me up for failure since I can't really control the amount of sleep I get very well.
Yesterday I managed to do all of these things. Brian and I ate vegetarian all weekend, not on purpose but because my garden revived itself so we had lots of peppers and carrots and basil, and maybe some green beans if the weather holds out. Bit chilly today, but we'll see.
In spite of my "good" day yesterday (exercise, btw, was an hour anf 15 minute walk with Davey) my weight was back up above 140 today--140.4. I'm hoping that's the usual Monday morning spike after the weekend, but I always thought that spike was because I WASN'T good on Sundays.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Total failure
Having Daniel around is not a good thing when it comes to my diet! He stayed home today because campus (well, really the whole town) was overrun with football morons. He fixed a frozen pizza for lunch and I caved in and ate a slice (but only one). For dinner I planned my heart-healthy Swedish meatloaf with dill sauce, but then everybody came to church with me tonight (instead of tomorrow; I'm cantoring both times) so I couldn't pre-make it and leave it in the oven for them to watch. So when we got home and it was clear dinner wouldn't be until 7:30, Daniel proposed a take-out pizza, and did I refuse? Of course not! (Then he ran errands en route to the pizza place, and since the town was still overrun, we had dinner at... 7:30. But I didn't have to cook.) While he was out I didn't exercise, as I told myself I should; I ate candy corn. And more. Sigh. So tomorrow I'm going to try again for a good day. Maybe I'll eat something chocolate tonight just to close the deal on my bad day!
My goals for a perfect day
I'm not really expecting today to be perfect, just better than average. But I consider it a very good day if:
Yesterday was only a so-so day. We did get exercise even though our evening was pretty busy, but then we went to a paella party where I had two helpings (it was SO good) and a beer and a tiny wedge of cheesecake. When we came home I ate some chips but it was near the end of the bag, so they were so oily I couldn't stand them and I quit. I also ate a couple of pieces of Alexander's huge Toblerone (which he doesn't care for so I've been stealing it) and a bunch of candy corn. Sigh. Today my weight was at 148.5, though; it has been hovering between 148 and 149.5 this week but seems to like the higher numbers better. We shall see if I can make it to Tuesday with a decent weight!
- I get some cardio exercise, plus weight training if I'm due for it.
- I drink no alcohol.
- I avoid sweets (particularly chocolate and candy corn!!), instead eating fruit for snacks.
- I avoid chips, which I don't really even like that much, instead eating almonds for the satisfaction of something crunchy. Better if they're toasted almonds without salt instead of the oddly cheaper dry roasted Emerald Nuts almonds with yummy seasonings.
- I keep my calorie intake reasonable -- maybe 1500. I aim for 1200 which means I end up at 1500ish.
Yesterday was only a so-so day. We did get exercise even though our evening was pretty busy, but then we went to a paella party where I had two helpings (it was SO good) and a beer and a tiny wedge of cheesecake. When we came home I ate some chips but it was near the end of the bag, so they were so oily I couldn't stand them and I quit. I also ate a couple of pieces of Alexander's huge Toblerone (which he doesn't care for so I've been stealing it) and a bunch of candy corn. Sigh. Today my weight was at 148.5, though; it has been hovering between 148 and 149.5 this week but seems to like the higher numbers better. We shall see if I can make it to Tuesday with a decent weight!
Good news/bad news
Good news--yesterday, inexplicably, my weight dropped below 140. Actually, it was 138.4 which is REALLY inexplicable. One pound up or down from one day to the next is pretty normal fluctuation, but two pounds in one day is just weird (and three pounds since Tuesday).
Bad news--I spent yesterday eating like a pig. Or maybe a French person. I was at a conference all day and then one of our department fundraising dinners at night. I did at least eat breakfast at home in the morning so I wouldn't have to eat the inevitable pastries that they put out at conferences for breakfast, so that worked out, and I only had fruit during the morning break. I was expecting the also inevitable sandwich buffet for lunch, but instead they did a sit-down three course plated lunch for 700! Salad, chicken and asparagus and angel hair pasta, and carrot cake. I ate it all. It was really remarkably good, or maybe it just seemed that way because I'm so used to crap at these things. Anyway, as if that weren't bad enough, I then didn't resist the chocolate brownies put out for the afternoon break. Sigh. And then I went to this dinner and ate another big meal, this time four courses if you count the hors d'oeuvres (did I spell that right?). But I only had two (tiny bruchetta and tiny potato thingy with caviar and sour cream. Yum.). Dinner was a very yummy salad, grilled salmon (yuck--you know I don't like that much so I only ate a bit of it), vegetables in a rice wrapper, and way too peppery potatoes (again, only ate a bit of them). Yummy chocolate mousse pyramid thing for dessert. And a glass and a half of wine. Weird that my favorite things from this meal, other than dessert, were the salad and vegetables! But the salad was REALLY good--asian pears, sugared pecans, gorgonzola, green stuff, and port wine vinagrette).
So the good thing is that when you eat meals like this you aren't tempted to snack on junk all evening! But the bad thing was my calorie intake, which I don't even want to consider. At least I got all of my vegetable servings in for the day. Oh, and no exercise of course. Unless schmoozing is exercise.
But today my weight was still below 140, although only by a little bit (139.6). I'm just hoping to hold on to this until Tuesday!
Bad news--I spent yesterday eating like a pig. Or maybe a French person. I was at a conference all day and then one of our department fundraising dinners at night. I did at least eat breakfast at home in the morning so I wouldn't have to eat the inevitable pastries that they put out at conferences for breakfast, so that worked out, and I only had fruit during the morning break. I was expecting the also inevitable sandwich buffet for lunch, but instead they did a sit-down three course plated lunch for 700! Salad, chicken and asparagus and angel hair pasta, and carrot cake. I ate it all. It was really remarkably good, or maybe it just seemed that way because I'm so used to crap at these things. Anyway, as if that weren't bad enough, I then didn't resist the chocolate brownies put out for the afternoon break. Sigh. And then I went to this dinner and ate another big meal, this time four courses if you count the hors d'oeuvres (did I spell that right?). But I only had two (tiny bruchetta and tiny potato thingy with caviar and sour cream. Yum.). Dinner was a very yummy salad, grilled salmon (yuck--you know I don't like that much so I only ate a bit of it), vegetables in a rice wrapper, and way too peppery potatoes (again, only ate a bit of them). Yummy chocolate mousse pyramid thing for dessert. And a glass and a half of wine. Weird that my favorite things from this meal, other than dessert, were the salad and vegetables! But the salad was REALLY good--asian pears, sugared pecans, gorgonzola, green stuff, and port wine vinagrette).
So the good thing is that when you eat meals like this you aren't tempted to snack on junk all evening! But the bad thing was my calorie intake, which I don't even want to consider. At least I got all of my vegetable servings in for the day. Oh, and no exercise of course. Unless schmoozing is exercise.
But today my weight was still below 140, although only by a little bit (139.6). I'm just hoping to hold on to this until Tuesday!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Freaky Talent
I have come to the conclusion that I have an unnatural talent for winning those silly games that women play when they are in controlled situation - baby showers for example. We played a guess the baby food game today... Where you could sniff and taste an unidentified jar of baby food and whoever got the most correct wins the game. There were 6 jars and I only got four right - but that was more than everyone else who only got two or three right. What I don't understand is why didn't they get all of them right? I mean, I got squash wrong and I called peaches apricots (although, initially I guessed peaches and then CHANGED it to apricot). But bananas, green beans, pears and sweet potatoes are all pretty distinct scents (and tastes - although only about half of us actually tasted it...) But it seems to me that I win these games an unusal number of times... Like at bridal showers - ok, the toilet paper dress game makes sense that I would win - but the purse bingo. Why are the contents of MY purse more extensive than others? Or - last year when Julie and I went to Longaberger I KEPT winning the games - and I don't THINK I am a particularly savvy Longaberger person. And, for many of the games I just had lucky guesses. In many other cases I had NO idea that I had won because if I had known I would have given the entry to Julie or Marian or Marian's sister (who I can't remember her name...). Luckily I didn't keep the prizes - but I did get first right of refusal - which I kept refusing until the very bitter end when I couldn't resist the prize. Anyway - regardless - I just realized that this seems to be a reoccurring theme for me - winning silly games. And yet, I haven't won the lottery. Sigh.
Oh! The point of this was I won a Snickers bar which I just ate. SO not perfect!!!
Oh! The point of this was I won a Snickers bar which I just ate. SO not perfect!!!
Past Imperfect
OK - I was beyond imperfect yesterday! I was worse yesterday than I have been in a long time - or maybe it was just because I was trying to be perfect yesterday. I don't know - either way I sucked.
After I posted yesterday I did pretty much nothing else. I don't think I actually ate anything all day yesterday. By the time I was ready to take a break it was only an hour or so until my potato chip tasting session. So - I didn't want to fill up before that. I ate about 8 chips ( 4 samples). Then I went home to see the progress on the deck - which I knew would be a mistake - but I wanted to see the wood in the daylight and it would be dark AFTER I went to the gym. I, of course, got distracted by removing the barrier in front of the doors and standing on my un-railed deck and admiring the view from that particular angle... Then by uploading the Drums of Autumn onto my computer. I finished it last night. In the meantime I ate a chicken panini sandwich. Oh! I forgot to mention on my perfect day list is:
7. No gluten.
So - at that point I decided to give it up as a bad job, planned to do it today instead and proceeded to eat about 8 pieces of candy corn. That was it though. I didn't do any exercise, unless you count walking down to get the trash can - which I don't of course.
At midnight last night I remembered that we were having our dual baby shower today and that I needed to wrap present for two people from me and also ones from Lynne (who is in Florida and couldn't come to the party). That meant that today was ruined as a perfect day because included in it was a team lunch of pizza and coldstone cake. I had just one piece of each and the pizza was white pizza (which isn't better for you, but it is meatless). Both of them were chock full of gluten so now I am yawning fit to split my jaw. I never noticed how tired I got after eating gluten. I wonder if I just didn't notice before or if I was more immune to it. Or maybe I assumed it was just because I had eaten in general and not because of the gluten. I wonder if this might contribute subliminally to me not eating while I am at work at all. Why eat if it makes me so sleepy?
Anyway - so I think I am going to postpone my perfect day AGAIN until tomorrow. From my list however, yesterday I did the vitamin part. I was perfect with that. That was it. Today so far I had two regular meals (breakfast and lunch) icecream cake as a snack. I have consumed about 32 oz of water - actually a little more... closer to 44 I think. I discovered that if I mix the Rheum with water it is actaully paletable. Full strength is really gross!!! I have taken my morning vitamins and will take my afternoon ones when I finish this post. I think I can commit to flossing - but I feel fairly sure I am not going to the gym (the deck is supposed to be finished tonight so I have to check that out!!!) I already blew it on the gluten. Maybe I can convince Katie to help me move the furniture back - so I can do a yoga video in the living room...
After I posted yesterday I did pretty much nothing else. I don't think I actually ate anything all day yesterday. By the time I was ready to take a break it was only an hour or so until my potato chip tasting session. So - I didn't want to fill up before that. I ate about 8 chips ( 4 samples). Then I went home to see the progress on the deck - which I knew would be a mistake - but I wanted to see the wood in the daylight and it would be dark AFTER I went to the gym. I, of course, got distracted by removing the barrier in front of the doors and standing on my un-railed deck and admiring the view from that particular angle... Then by uploading the Drums of Autumn onto my computer. I finished it last night. In the meantime I ate a chicken panini sandwich. Oh! I forgot to mention on my perfect day list is:
7. No gluten.
So - at that point I decided to give it up as a bad job, planned to do it today instead and proceeded to eat about 8 pieces of candy corn. That was it though. I didn't do any exercise, unless you count walking down to get the trash can - which I don't of course.
At midnight last night I remembered that we were having our dual baby shower today and that I needed to wrap present for two people from me and also ones from Lynne (who is in Florida and couldn't come to the party). That meant that today was ruined as a perfect day because included in it was a team lunch of pizza and coldstone cake. I had just one piece of each and the pizza was white pizza (which isn't better for you, but it is meatless). Both of them were chock full of gluten so now I am yawning fit to split my jaw. I never noticed how tired I got after eating gluten. I wonder if I just didn't notice before or if I was more immune to it. Or maybe I assumed it was just because I had eaten in general and not because of the gluten. I wonder if this might contribute subliminally to me not eating while I am at work at all. Why eat if it makes me so sleepy?
Anyway - so I think I am going to postpone my perfect day AGAIN until tomorrow. From my list however, yesterday I did the vitamin part. I was perfect with that. That was it. Today so far I had two regular meals (breakfast and lunch) icecream cake as a snack. I have consumed about 32 oz of water - actually a little more... closer to 44 I think. I discovered that if I mix the Rheum with water it is actaully paletable. Full strength is really gross!!! I have taken my morning vitamins and will take my afternoon ones when I finish this post. I think I can commit to flossing - but I feel fairly sure I am not going to the gym (the deck is supposed to be finished tonight so I have to check that out!!!) I already blew it on the gluten. Maybe I can convince Katie to help me move the furniture back - so I can do a yoga video in the living room...
Thursday, September 13, 2007
No so perfect so far
My day started imperfect. I overslept (well - not really, I woke up 4 minutes before my alarm - but I wanted to wake up 15 minutes before - so that counts as oversleeping to me). So, I was behind for my day and so 1. Didn't eat breakfast and 2. Didn't pack a balanced lunch. I DID manage to think in my head that I would take a lunch break and run to Chipotle to get a bean and rice salad. I haven't done that yet. So - keeping in mind that a pefect day for me is not NOT eating - but actually remembering to eat, I am doing REALLY REALLY badly. I did bring 2 of the gluten free muffins with me and I ate them at about 12:30pm. I also had fruit in the fridge which I brought, but the one grape I ate was very fizzy - so I threw the rest away. Sigh. I think I need to define my "perfect" day - since I seem to have different hurdles from the rest of you:
1. Eat 3 meals and 3 snacks at meal/snack time. Try not to exceed 1800 calories
2. Go to the gym and work out for at least an hour - this can be a combo of cardio and/or weight or a class.
3. Drink 64 oz of water
4. Floss my teeth (this is more of a bonus perfection goal)
5. Take my vitamins both in the morning and at mid day.
6. Get more than 6 hours of sleep... I should shoot for eight, but I think I do better with seven.
Those are my goals for perfection... I think they seem reasonable.
1. Eat 3 meals and 3 snacks at meal/snack time. Try not to exceed 1800 calories
2. Go to the gym and work out for at least an hour - this can be a combo of cardio and/or weight or a class.
3. Drink 64 oz of water
4. Floss my teeth (this is more of a bonus perfection goal)
5. Take my vitamins both in the morning and at mid day.
6. Get more than 6 hours of sleep... I should shoot for eight, but I think I do better with seven.
Those are my goals for perfection... I think they seem reasonable.
My good day
I managed to stick to my good habits yesterday, with only one planned indulgence (popcorn in the evening, one of the mini bags). I didn't count my calories as I used to, but just judging from what I remember from when I religiously counted calories, I probably had about 1400 yesterday. It was my usual food during the day--cereal, coffee, almonds, string cheese, pretzles, a pear, and yogurt. I had grapes when I got home from work instead of overeating junk (and Claire had helpfully polished off the Hershey's Kisses, greedy pig-dog that she is). Dinner was pasta with ham and peas and green beans, milk to drink. Definitely NOT enough fruits and vegetables in my diet, but there never are. Oh, and I remembered to take a vitamin, something I almost never do but really should. I also went to the gym and sweated profusely; not sure why. I usually don't sweat that much. I was having problems with my knees/shins/ankles on the treadmill--this has been gradually getting worse over the past few weeks, and I think it's just time for a new pair of shoes. Anyway, after 15 minutes on the treadmill I stopped and finished up on the elliptical machine since it's not so jarring but gives the same workout.
I need to take a day off to sleep. This week has been particularly sleepless--two nights with Connor just not sleeping (one night he was up until 2:30, and last night he woke up at 3:00, and both times he wanted to PLAY with me instead of leaving me alone to doze on the sofa while he destroyed the house. He likes to play speech therapy, where he says some complicated nonsense thing and I have to repeat it back to him exactly and he'll keep making me do it until I get it right. It's like trying to repeat sentences in Arabic. It's very frustrating until you realize that this must be what every day all day is like for him--all these people making him repeat exactly these strings of sound that make no sense but he has to do it to get the thing he wants. I'd feel bad for him, except he keeps waking me up.) and one night of irritating middle of the night insomnia for no particular reason. Ugh. And being sleep deprived makes you want to eat mindlessly--if you're chewing, you can't fall asleep, right?
I need to take a day off to sleep. This week has been particularly sleepless--two nights with Connor just not sleeping (one night he was up until 2:30, and last night he woke up at 3:00, and both times he wanted to PLAY with me instead of leaving me alone to doze on the sofa while he destroyed the house. He likes to play speech therapy, where he says some complicated nonsense thing and I have to repeat it back to him exactly and he'll keep making me do it until I get it right. It's like trying to repeat sentences in Arabic. It's very frustrating until you realize that this must be what every day all day is like for him--all these people making him repeat exactly these strings of sound that make no sense but he has to do it to get the thing he wants. I'd feel bad for him, except he keeps waking me up.) and one night of irritating middle of the night insomnia for no particular reason. Ugh. And being sleep deprived makes you want to eat mindlessly--if you're chewing, you can't fall asleep, right?
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Perfect Day Rotation
I guess it wouldn't REALLY matter if we overlapped which days are our perfect days - but so we can make and effort NOT to overlap here is how we should do our rotation:
1. Emily
2. Sarah
3. Amy
4. Julie
This means if I do tomorrow, Julie will get Friday (if that doesn't work we can flip flop, Julie.) Emily, you are back on for Saturday, Sarah for Sunday me on Monday and Julie on Tuesday - and so on...
I don't know if I can entirely PLAN to do tomorrow perfectly. I am scheduled to do a taste test at McCormick tomorrow night and it happens to be potato chips.
1. Emily
2. Sarah
3. Amy
4. Julie
This means if I do tomorrow, Julie will get Friday (if that doesn't work we can flip flop, Julie.) Emily, you are back on for Saturday, Sarah for Sunday me on Monday and Julie on Tuesday - and so on...
I don't know if I can entirely PLAN to do tomorrow perfectly. I am scheduled to do a taste test at McCormick tomorrow night and it happens to be potato chips.
Imperfect Day
I didn't go to the gym last night - nor did I go today. I suck. I go through this thing when I haven't been to the gym in a while - I am mildly afraid of it... It is like going to a party where I don't know if I know anyone there. I am taking my gym bag with me to work tomorrow and will make a concerted effort to go tomorrow night...
My food was bad today too. I had an ice cream cone for breakfast (all gone now) and pistachios for lunch. I then had a black bean and spinach, whole wheat quesadilla for dinner and about 10 pieces of candy corn. I haven't been hungry at all and I woke up this morning with an upset stomach. It seems to be gone - but Katie has been sick all day.
I was impressively productive for me on my day off today. I cleaned out all of my drawers and most of my closet. Conveniently, Purple Heart called to ask for donations today right after I finished. Thank goodness since I didn't want this stack to linger around for long. I do have a few things that I am not entirely ready to donate - but the bulk will be well gone by Friday. I also did several loads of laundry. I am now in the process of downloading The Drums of Autumn. It is 39 CDs and I am about 1/3 of the way through.
I should have a deck y Friday night. The deck material FINALLY arrived at Lowe's yesterday afternoon - and Dave delivered it to my house today. He says he will be able to complete the construction over the next two days. Thank goodness! This took much longer than I expected it to!
My food was bad today too. I had an ice cream cone for breakfast (all gone now) and pistachios for lunch. I then had a black bean and spinach, whole wheat quesadilla for dinner and about 10 pieces of candy corn. I haven't been hungry at all and I woke up this morning with an upset stomach. It seems to be gone - but Katie has been sick all day.
I was impressively productive for me on my day off today. I cleaned out all of my drawers and most of my closet. Conveniently, Purple Heart called to ask for donations today right after I finished. Thank goodness since I didn't want this stack to linger around for long. I do have a few things that I am not entirely ready to donate - but the bulk will be well gone by Friday. I also did several loads of laundry. I am now in the process of downloading The Drums of Autumn. It is 39 CDs and I am about 1/3 of the way through.
I should have a deck y Friday night. The deck material FINALLY arrived at Lowe's yesterday afternoon - and Dave delivered it to my house today. He says he will be able to complete the construction over the next two days. Thank goodness! This took much longer than I expected it to!
One only sorta good day
Well, I ate better than usual yesterday -- I had no alcohol and no chocolate (except for a couple of nibbles of the kids' pieces of cakes) and I ate exactly two chips when Daniel broke them out in the evening. I kept portion sizes reasonable and I ate grapes when I was craving sweet (they helped a little, but they weren't chocolate), and I ate carrots when I got munchy in late afternoon and had already eaten enough pretzels to satisfy the maximum servings of starchy foods.
I walked to the car place and back (a slight jog the second time, because I had kids on bicycles to keep up with) but that was all of a mile and a half, and that was it for exercise for me yesterday. Today I'm back to being allowed to be poorly behaved so I'm eating my own piece of cake (it will be gone soon anyway). Even if y'all aren't joining me in the rotation, I'm still going to be good every fourth day. But it would be more fun if I had company in this!
I walked to the car place and back (a slight jog the second time, because I had kids on bicycles to keep up with) but that was all of a mile and a half, and that was it for exercise for me yesterday. Today I'm back to being allowed to be poorly behaved so I'm eating my own piece of cake (it will be gone soon anyway). Even if y'all aren't joining me in the rotation, I'm still going to be good every fourth day. But it would be more fun if I had company in this!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Well, there goes my pinky toe!
I was 141.2 this morning, up almost a pound from last Wednesday. And my skirt today is tight. This is how all of my clothes used to feel, back when I was squeezing a size 14 body into size 12 clothes because I refused to buy any larger. Now at least it's size 10 that is feeling too tight. Definitely time to get serious because I don't think I have much left of my larger clothes.
I started the day well with two boiled eggs for breakfast and a piece of whole grain toast. The pears I got last week are finally ripe enough to eat, so I'll have some fruit today. And it's Back to School night at Claire's school, which will keep me from snacking so much this evening. Oh, and Yvonne (the receptionist) is back at work so I can't dip into the taffy without being noticed! No gym today, though--got a lunch meeting to go to. This is a crazy time of year for me. I have so many deadlines and our major fundraiser of the year is coming up so even though I'm only minimally involved in that I still have more "development" stuff going on each day (as opposed to "grants" stuff which is my actual job). But maybe I'll force myself to do a pilates video tonight. I suspect I need that more than the running anyway.
I started the day well with two boiled eggs for breakfast and a piece of whole grain toast. The pears I got last week are finally ripe enough to eat, so I'll have some fruit today. And it's Back to School night at Claire's school, which will keep me from snacking so much this evening. Oh, and Yvonne (the receptionist) is back at work so I can't dip into the taffy without being noticed! No gym today, though--got a lunch meeting to go to. This is a crazy time of year for me. I have so many deadlines and our major fundraiser of the year is coming up so even though I'm only minimally involved in that I still have more "development" stuff going on each day (as opposed to "grants" stuff which is my actual job). But maybe I'll force myself to do a pilates video tonight. I suspect I need that more than the running anyway.
149.0
So I did actually drop below 150. Today is supposed to be my good day, but I'm off to a weak start -- I ate the gross and slighly high-fat cereal instead of the healthy stuff because I'm trying to use it up. It's not as bad as some other cereals I've had in terms of fat and fiber, but it's not good, either. Ick.
Yesterday at the gym I did 40 minutes on the bike and 100 VKRs, and then I did chest presses at 50 pounds. Daniel was with me, and he did the same stuff (except 70 pounds), when he hasn't done upper body work in many months, so he was wiped out afterwards, so I didn't do more of the workout. I have some good stiffness in my chest today but nothing extreme.
Today I've walked home from the car place (3/4 mile) already and will be walking back later. That's all the planned exercise but I'll try to squeeze something else in. I will be very careful about my eating today despite the cereal!
Yesterday at the gym I did 40 minutes on the bike and 100 VKRs, and then I did chest presses at 50 pounds. Daniel was with me, and he did the same stuff (except 70 pounds), when he hasn't done upper body work in many months, so he was wiped out afterwards, so I didn't do more of the workout. I have some good stiffness in my chest today but nothing extreme.
Today I've walked home from the car place (3/4 mile) already and will be walking back later. That's all the planned exercise but I'll try to squeeze something else in. I will be very careful about my eating today despite the cereal!
165 lbs or was it 165000 lbs this morning?
I can't actually remember, but the scale was either 165 or 165.5. I still feel like I weigh 165,000 lbs. That is better than last week where my weight peaked at 167 for the week. That 1.5-2 lb loss was not achieved through effort though. It just happened somehow.
I am stuck in survival mode right now. I have to live through 3 more days of work and school and then I get to go on vacation. I am looking forward to it in a bad way. I have not promised any of my time to anyone else for 10 days. I can't even think about the gym until I am on the trip or back home. I do plan to go 4 of the 9 days. That should be achievable. I can go the two days wer are at sea, and then pick 2 other days to go as well.
Well, I need to get cracking on work. I am so much more productive at home. I discovered that yesterday.
I am stuck in survival mode right now. I have to live through 3 more days of work and school and then I get to go on vacation. I am looking forward to it in a bad way. I have not promised any of my time to anyone else for 10 days. I can't even think about the gym until I am on the trip or back home. I do plan to go 4 of the 9 days. That should be achievable. I can go the two days wer are at sea, and then pick 2 other days to go as well.
Well, I need to get cracking on work. I am so much more productive at home. I discovered that yesterday.
Totally in a Rut
Despite what Emily said, I am TOTALLY in a rut!! My weight today was 224.4 - the exact same thing as last week - wasn't it? Or maybe it is up from last week. I can't remember now and now that I am not tracking my weight daily I haven't recorded it on my charts. Sigh. I need to get back on board again too.
I need to start exercising again. I am going to the gym tonight if it KILLS me (and it just may). I am going to clean the sewing room up this weekend so my treadmill will be accessable again.
My food hasn't been bad... Or it hasn't been very much - which I think for me is bad. I think I mentioned that the nutritionist wants me to track when I feel hungry, how hungry I feel, and what I do about it. It has made me much more aware of being hungry - but it hasn't (so far) helped me to eat more during the day. At least not much. I HAVE to start eating breakfast before I leave for work again. Yesterday I didn't eat my cereal until 4:30 pm. Of course, I had eaten before that (almonds and some fresh fruit) but that isn't ANYTHING like enough calories during the day. Why can't I eat like a normal person? Then last night Katie and I went for sushi. That kept me pretty full all evening - but I had a small ice cream cone around 9pm. That was my entire consumption for the day. Basically, minimal vegetables but mostly healthy foods (except the ice cream).
I like the idea of one perfect day a week - or rotating through, which gives us closer to 1.75 perfect days a week. I think that may be enough to help get us back into some kind of good pattern.
I need to start exercising again. I am going to the gym tonight if it KILLS me (and it just may). I am going to clean the sewing room up this weekend so my treadmill will be accessable again.
My food hasn't been bad... Or it hasn't been very much - which I think for me is bad. I think I mentioned that the nutritionist wants me to track when I feel hungry, how hungry I feel, and what I do about it. It has made me much more aware of being hungry - but it hasn't (so far) helped me to eat more during the day. At least not much. I HAVE to start eating breakfast before I leave for work again. Yesterday I didn't eat my cereal until 4:30 pm. Of course, I had eaten before that (almonds and some fresh fruit) but that isn't ANYTHING like enough calories during the day. Why can't I eat like a normal person? Then last night Katie and I went for sushi. That kept me pretty full all evening - but I had a small ice cream cone around 9pm. That was my entire consumption for the day. Basically, minimal vegetables but mostly healthy foods (except the ice cream).
I like the idea of one perfect day a week - or rotating through, which gives us closer to 1.75 perfect days a week. I think that may be enough to help get us back into some kind of good pattern.
Monday, September 10, 2007
The best laid plans and all that
I haven't weighed myself since last week when I was 140.4. I'm scared to. I've only gotten to the gym once since then, and I've been eating like it's going out of style. The receptionist has a big bowl of taffy on the desk today. It's right outside of my office and she's actually out sick so I can dip into it without being observed. I've had a LOT of taffy.
"The best laid palns" refer to my inability to get to the gym. Last week was already shortened by Labor Day. I went on Wednesday (and at least I'm back up to my previous speed/distance/duration), but then spent all of Friday waiting for a woman to bring me materials for a grant that was due at 5:00. I got it turned in at 4:20. So no gym on Friday. And then I was supposed to go today, but again I was working on a deadline--had to complete a grant today so it could go to the board chair for approval when he's here at 8:00 tomorrow morning. I just turned it in, then thought "hey, it's only 3:45--I could still go to the gym." And that's when my 15 minute Outlook meeting reminder popped up, telling me about a 4:00 meeting. So no gym today. And I already know Friday is out because I'll be at a conference all day. Maybe I'll go the next three days in a row. Yeah, like that's going to happen.
Where did my motivation go? Unlike Emily, I don't have ANY good days that I can remember in the recent past. I keep eating too much. I keep not making it to the gym. If I go to the gym, I come home and have Oreos and milk. And not just a nice reasonable serving of two Oreos. I eat six. I used to be able to eat 1300 calories a day and it wasn't a big deal. How was I able to do that? Was it just will power? And if so, how do I get that back?
"The best laid palns" refer to my inability to get to the gym. Last week was already shortened by Labor Day. I went on Wednesday (and at least I'm back up to my previous speed/distance/duration), but then spent all of Friday waiting for a woman to bring me materials for a grant that was due at 5:00. I got it turned in at 4:20. So no gym on Friday. And then I was supposed to go today, but again I was working on a deadline--had to complete a grant today so it could go to the board chair for approval when he's here at 8:00 tomorrow morning. I just turned it in, then thought "hey, it's only 3:45--I could still go to the gym." And that's when my 15 minute Outlook meeting reminder popped up, telling me about a 4:00 meeting. So no gym today. And I already know Friday is out because I'll be at a conference all day. Maybe I'll go the next three days in a row. Yeah, like that's going to happen.
Where did my motivation go? Unlike Emily, I don't have ANY good days that I can remember in the recent past. I keep eating too much. I keep not making it to the gym. If I go to the gym, I come home and have Oreos and milk. And not just a nice reasonable serving of two Oreos. I eat six. I used to be able to eat 1300 calories a day and it wasn't a big deal. How was I able to do that? Was it just will power? And if so, how do I get that back?
Monday all day
It feels very Monday-ish to me today. I don't have a good reason. I'm posting just to wake myself up! I have a gym appointment this afternoon, and I'm looking forward to exercising. My weight was 150.0 today and yesterday, so my scale did become just barely unstuck. Maybe I can get back below 150 tomorrow, but I won't hold my breath!
We're all in a rut (except Amy, hooray!) so maybe we should take turns not allowing ourselves to be lazy. I know if I vow to have One Good Day I can usually get through it. But I do my one day, and then the next day I think, gee, I should be good today, too, but I've already lost momentum. But if I could have ONE good day out of three or four that would still be a lot more than I've been doing. I could be good tomorrow, then Sarah on Wednesday, then Amy on Thursday, then Julie on Friday, and then back to me, and so on. Is anybody else interested in being queen of the board for a day at a time, or is this just another pathetic last-ditch attempt?
We're all in a rut (except Amy, hooray!) so maybe we should take turns not allowing ourselves to be lazy. I know if I vow to have One Good Day I can usually get through it. But I do my one day, and then the next day I think, gee, I should be good today, too, but I've already lost momentum. But if I could have ONE good day out of three or four that would still be a lot more than I've been doing. I could be good tomorrow, then Sarah on Wednesday, then Amy on Thursday, then Julie on Friday, and then back to me, and so on. Is anybody else interested in being queen of the board for a day at a time, or is this just another pathetic last-ditch attempt?
Friday, September 07, 2007
Reappearing
I've been gone from the blog since shortly after I got to Maryland -- I didn't have a scale and I didn't have many opportunities to make choices about my food (though when I did, at Macaroni Grill, I went for a dangerously unhealthy pasta dish with shrimp and chicken and prosciutto) and nobody was posting (except Amy every other day or so). We got home on Wednesday night late and spent yesterday dealing with the furniture delivery -- the guys were supposed to come between 12 and 3 and call first, and instead they showed up at 11 without calling. The office was only half ready so I had to frantically pull the computer components to bits to get them moved, and they had to move the big old desk out of the way for me (which they're not supposed to do, but the guy said he hates to leave people stranded with their furniture only half-installed when it's so heavy) because Daniel hadn't gotten home yet (he was going to be home for lunch, a little early, so we could move the stuff). Then everything was in total disarray all day while I tried to figure out where everything ended up and how it went back together. Then I had choir practice. What a day.
Today we got virtually no school done, and then we had Mass and a homeschoolers' meeting to go to, so I didn't get home until 3:30, after which point I had to leave immediately for the gym, and then I visited Daniel. The good thing is that today I barely ate -- I had breakfast and then a small lunch, and then nothing until dinner. But this is my first opportunity to read the blog since we got home.
My scale is stuck at 150.5. It said that yesterday morning and this morning, and before my shower (stark naked) and after my shower and after breakfast. I suppose it's better than seeing it go further up -- I feared I'd be over 153 -- but I would like to know that it's capable of going down. But I, also, am on board the SS Disaster and making no progress. Julie's right. World peace would be easier.
Today we got virtually no school done, and then we had Mass and a homeschoolers' meeting to go to, so I didn't get home until 3:30, after which point I had to leave immediately for the gym, and then I visited Daniel. The good thing is that today I barely ate -- I had breakfast and then a small lunch, and then nothing until dinner. But this is my first opportunity to read the blog since we got home.
My scale is stuck at 150.5. It said that yesterday morning and this morning, and before my shower (stark naked) and after my shower and after breakfast. I suppose it's better than seeing it go further up -- I feared I'd be over 153 -- but I would like to know that it's capable of going down. But I, also, am on board the SS Disaster and making no progress. Julie's right. World peace would be easier.
Still a disaster...
Nothing has changed since yesterday! I didn't get to weigh myself today because I was 30 minutes late getting up and ended up rushing around to be able to get to work on time. I think Harry got fed...
There was no exercise last night--I got home from school at 10 pm and I was beat. Had dinner and went right to bed. Today I have had honey nut cheerios with skim milk, a fruit roll up, a granola bar, and a naked steak burrito from Qdoba. We have baseball tickets for tonight along with a $50 gift certificate to Pickles Pub, so dinner will be something from there.
There was no exercise last night--I got home from school at 10 pm and I was beat. Had dinner and went right to bed. Today I have had honey nut cheerios with skim milk, a fruit roll up, a granola bar, and a naked steak burrito from Qdoba. We have baseball tickets for tonight along with a $50 gift certificate to Pickles Pub, so dinner will be something from there.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Welcome Back!!
I have missed everyone for the past couple of weeks! I really did feel like I was talking to myself.
OK - SS Disaster - Here is what I think. We have all made progress! Like Julie says, we aren't dibilitated by our weight - or at least not completely. Personally, I would be SO HAPPY to weigh either 140.4 OR 167, but even at my much higher rate I still feel predominately like a healthy person. I am aware of what are good food choices are and bad ones - and since I am aware, what FEELS like a lot of bad food choices in reality are pretty good choices. I mean, seriously, when was the last time ANY of us ate at a fast food place because we choose too (not counting travel food - that isn't exactly a choice...)? And soda. How many of you drink regular soda? How often. There ARE people out there that drink 64 oz of regular soda daily. AND choose to eat at fast food places because they LIKE it!!! Ugh! How lucky for them though that if they ever decided to change their habits they have those two (comparatively) easy changes to make.
Speaking of changes. I met with the nutritionist again yesterday. I really like her. I told her about my gluten and wheat reactions. She wanted to know what my response to my reaction would be. Honestly, I don't know. I think I will make an effort to not eat wheat and gluten if I can - but I also know that I have a bunch of Let's Dish foods that have wheat in them. She said she would like to see how I respond to being gluten free for a month at least. She said that if there has be a prolonged irritant (i.e. 40 years) it takes time to fully recover from it. I, however, have already strayed from that. I had a quesadilla last night that was made with a whole wheat tortilla.
We then talked a little bit about eating intuitively. She asked me what the first thing I would go out and eat if I were told that I could eat absolutely anything. I said Coldstone Icecream - but what I am really craving, then and now, is a big, pecan encrusted sticky bun. My intuitive eating would NOT involve vegetables - and probably not a lot of fruit either. I like starchy stuff. She also told me that I need to pay more attention to what my body is saying... Not just what it wants to eat, but when. So, for the next month I have to keep a hunger and fullness log. This has been interesting today because Katie and I ate breakfast before we left for work and I have been feeling hungry today because of that. OR - I have been paying attention to feeling hungry and make myself eat in response. I think I am going to start scheduling time off each day to eat.
Finally, she said that she thinks I have to build up my liver and/or gall bladder. We will address that in our next meeting - but for right now she wants me to take the Rheum daily rather than just as needed. I took it this morning - it was VILE!
OK - SS Disaster - Here is what I think. We have all made progress! Like Julie says, we aren't dibilitated by our weight - or at least not completely. Personally, I would be SO HAPPY to weigh either 140.4 OR 167, but even at my much higher rate I still feel predominately like a healthy person. I am aware of what are good food choices are and bad ones - and since I am aware, what FEELS like a lot of bad food choices in reality are pretty good choices. I mean, seriously, when was the last time ANY of us ate at a fast food place because we choose too (not counting travel food - that isn't exactly a choice...)? And soda. How many of you drink regular soda? How often. There ARE people out there that drink 64 oz of regular soda daily. AND choose to eat at fast food places because they LIKE it!!! Ugh! How lucky for them though that if they ever decided to change their habits they have those two (comparatively) easy changes to make.
Speaking of changes. I met with the nutritionist again yesterday. I really like her. I told her about my gluten and wheat reactions. She wanted to know what my response to my reaction would be. Honestly, I don't know. I think I will make an effort to not eat wheat and gluten if I can - but I also know that I have a bunch of Let's Dish foods that have wheat in them. She said she would like to see how I respond to being gluten free for a month at least. She said that if there has be a prolonged irritant (i.e. 40 years) it takes time to fully recover from it. I, however, have already strayed from that. I had a quesadilla last night that was made with a whole wheat tortilla.
We then talked a little bit about eating intuitively. She asked me what the first thing I would go out and eat if I were told that I could eat absolutely anything. I said Coldstone Icecream - but what I am really craving, then and now, is a big, pecan encrusted sticky bun. My intuitive eating would NOT involve vegetables - and probably not a lot of fruit either. I like starchy stuff. She also told me that I need to pay more attention to what my body is saying... Not just what it wants to eat, but when. So, for the next month I have to keep a hunger and fullness log. This has been interesting today because Katie and I ate breakfast before we left for work and I have been feeling hungry today because of that. OR - I have been paying attention to feeling hungry and make myself eat in response. I think I am going to start scheduling time off each day to eat.
Finally, she said that she thinks I have to build up my liver and/or gall bladder. We will address that in our next meeting - but for right now she wants me to take the Rheum daily rather than just as needed. I took it this morning - it was VILE!
I am a disaster.
I weighed in at 167 today. I didn't check, but I believe that is where I started at 2 years ago. I totally blew my good habits and lower weights from spring of this year. I think I am riding in the EXACT same boat as Sarah. It is the SS Disaster.
I know there are a lot of worse things that life can throw at us than being overweight, and I know none of us like the extra pounds we are carrying on our bodies, but we aren't exactly in dire straits because of our weights either. Yet the thing that just keeps nagging at me is WHY hasn't our little cluster of perfectly intelligent, creatively motivated women been able to conquer this challenge? Do you think we are overthinking this and using our excessive combined brain power against ourselves? I am seriously thinking we'd have a better chance at turning our efforts towards creating a lasting world peace than at losing weight and keeping it off. Maybe that's what's wrong--we are too focused on the problem and we should turn our attention towards some other cause where the side effect will be weight loss? I am feeling pretty hopeless today, so that is the likely source of my ranting. I am actually going to go to Target after work and get one of those gut-squisher garments to take on my cruise next week to smooth my fat situation a little bit for my nice dresses at dinner.
I am contemplating signing up for a marathon or half marathon, with only hopes of finishing it whether it be all walking or running and walking, and trying to raise funds for a charity. Maybe because my attention is focused all on myself I am telling myself it is ok to not reach my goals. Maybe if someone else is counting on me I won't be so quick to settle.
I know there are a lot of worse things that life can throw at us than being overweight, and I know none of us like the extra pounds we are carrying on our bodies, but we aren't exactly in dire straits because of our weights either. Yet the thing that just keeps nagging at me is WHY hasn't our little cluster of perfectly intelligent, creatively motivated women been able to conquer this challenge? Do you think we are overthinking this and using our excessive combined brain power against ourselves? I am seriously thinking we'd have a better chance at turning our efforts towards creating a lasting world peace than at losing weight and keeping it off. Maybe that's what's wrong--we are too focused on the problem and we should turn our attention towards some other cause where the side effect will be weight loss? I am feeling pretty hopeless today, so that is the likely source of my ranting. I am actually going to go to Target after work and get one of those gut-squisher garments to take on my cruise next week to smooth my fat situation a little bit for my nice dresses at dinner.
I am contemplating signing up for a marathon or half marathon, with only hopes of finishing it whether it be all walking or running and walking, and trying to raise funds for a charity. Maybe because my attention is focused all on myself I am telling myself it is ok to not reach my goals. Maybe if someone else is counting on me I won't be so quick to settle.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
I'm here
I've been so awful--just no motivation to stick with eating well and exercising. None. I don't know why I'm going through this. I've never had such difficulties in the past year. Even when I slipped and put on a bit of weight I always got right back on track again. But here I am, totally unable or unwilling to control my diet and making it to the gym maybe twice a week and never doing anything more in the way of exercising other than running a few miles on the treadmill.
I'm maintaining my weight. Unfortunately, I'm maintaining at somewhere between 140 and 142 pounds--ten pounds up from my lowest weight and five to seven up from my top "ideal" weight. Ugh. Today I was 140.4. I keep promising myself rewards if I just lose something, anything in a week but the rewards hardly seem worth it when it's so much more pleasant and rewarding to eat pizza and pasta and hamburgers and cotton candy and cake and cookies right now. Maybe I should start punishing myself? If I don't end up below 140 by next week, I'll have to chop off my pinkie toe. Maybe that would work. You'd think I could manage a lousy half pound, but I don't even trust myself to do that!
I'm maintaining my weight. Unfortunately, I'm maintaining at somewhere between 140 and 142 pounds--ten pounds up from my lowest weight and five to seven up from my top "ideal" weight. Ugh. Today I was 140.4. I keep promising myself rewards if I just lose something, anything in a week but the rewards hardly seem worth it when it's so much more pleasant and rewarding to eat pizza and pasta and hamburgers and cotton candy and cake and cookies right now. Maybe I should start punishing myself? If I don't end up below 140 by next week, I'll have to chop off my pinkie toe. Maybe that would work. You'd think I could manage a lousy half pound, but I don't even trust myself to do that!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
No Doubt
OK - I decided that my stomach was settled enough to do the wheat test... So I cooked up a bunch of Wheatena (a REALLY gross product BTW) and ate the whole serving. As with the bowl of barley to test the gluten, about half way through I started feeling my stomach tightening up and the food felt like a disgusting lump. Very soon after that my colon (or stomach - innards anyway) started vibrating. THIS time, however, I got the very distinct ir-irk, ir-irk sound that my gut makes when my colon spasms. So - gluten, or wheat anyway - it is. Ugh. I don't know exactly what this means for me - because clearly my intolerance is live withable - I have done it for 40 years after all. However, I have to say I have enjoyed NOT having gas for the past three weeks. I don't know either if it will affect my weight loss attempts at all by eliminating gluten from my diet. I have to do a lot more reading about the effects of gluten. However, I have already discovered that there are a lot of wheat free and gluten free products to be had. It is just a matter of rethinking my food choices and preparation. The first thing I am going to do is find a source of gluten free sandwich bread and hamburger buns.
I still have corn to test. That will be tomorrow. I should also test citrus officially - but I have had a harder time keeping lemon, lime and orange out of my diet than I did wheat - believe it or not!
I still have corn to test. That will be tomorrow. I should also test citrus officially - but I have had a harder time keeping lemon, lime and orange out of my diet than I did wheat - believe it or not!
Two Years
This is our two year blog anniversary! All told I have only gained nine pounds in those two years. Sigh. I was 224.4 today - or was it .6. I don't remember. Regardless - also in the past two years I have quit smoking and gotten in MUCH better shape. Of course, my knees and back now hurt - but that probably would have happened sooner had I not improved my diet. I HAVE improved my diet fairly dramatically too. Granted, prior to this I didn't eat horribly, but I didn't THINK about what I ate quite as much as I do now. So I still consider all of this blogging mostly successful.
I am scheduled to meet with the nutritionist tomorrow. I have been testing foods all week. I haven't had any dramatic reactions so far. Gluten made my colon vibrate - and this morning I woke up early with an upset stomach which could either have been the reaction to the spasming colon from the gluten or from the dairy I tested yesterday. I am not sure. I followed the elimination diet instructions - which were to test one new food a day - but I do which I had allowed for a day of rest in between (not in the instructions unless you are testing joint pain...) Also on the day I tested gluten I fell asleep at 10:15. I WOULD have gone to bed at 9:30 - but that was so unnaturally early I couldn't do it. Fatigue is one of the symptoms. But Katie and I also moved the lilac bush that day. It was hard work, but not ridiculously hard. I have done much harder work and not collapsed by 9:30! So - it looks like we have a winner! Gluten. Sigh. I still have wheat to test - which may be redundant considering gluten already failed the test - but I want to see if I have a stronger reaction to wheat. I haven't had any reflux with any of the foods I have tested so far - and reflux is certainly the most immediately noticeable reaction I have to foods - but then, reflux USUALLY is brought on by wheat based foods. I can't check the wheat today since I am still upset from the dairy/gluten test. Maybe I will be able to check it later today.
I am off today waiting for the inspector to arrive to check the holes dug by the deck guy yesterday. Then hopefully the deck guy will also come by and get something accomplished. I am having so much fun "furnishing" my new deck. I have a glider (which I can also get as a swing - but it cost twice as much) picked out...
Mission Glider
I am trying to decide between a few different fireplaces - Fireplace #1 or Fireplace #2 or
Fireplace #3
I am now kind of glad that the deck is going up in early fall. When I had a balcony I sat out on it more in the fall and spring (and winter even!) than I did in the hot summer. My habit was to eat breakfast out there in the mornings. Of course - that was when I didn't have to be to work until 8:30am. Breakfast on my (soon to be) new deck would have to be practically in the middle of the night for me to still make it to work on time!!
I am scheduled to meet with the nutritionist tomorrow. I have been testing foods all week. I haven't had any dramatic reactions so far. Gluten made my colon vibrate - and this morning I woke up early with an upset stomach which could either have been the reaction to the spasming colon from the gluten or from the dairy I tested yesterday. I am not sure. I followed the elimination diet instructions - which were to test one new food a day - but I do which I had allowed for a day of rest in between (not in the instructions unless you are testing joint pain...) Also on the day I tested gluten I fell asleep at 10:15. I WOULD have gone to bed at 9:30 - but that was so unnaturally early I couldn't do it. Fatigue is one of the symptoms. But Katie and I also moved the lilac bush that day. It was hard work, but not ridiculously hard. I have done much harder work and not collapsed by 9:30! So - it looks like we have a winner! Gluten. Sigh. I still have wheat to test - which may be redundant considering gluten already failed the test - but I want to see if I have a stronger reaction to wheat. I haven't had any reflux with any of the foods I have tested so far - and reflux is certainly the most immediately noticeable reaction I have to foods - but then, reflux USUALLY is brought on by wheat based foods. I can't check the wheat today since I am still upset from the dairy/gluten test. Maybe I will be able to check it later today.
I am off today waiting for the inspector to arrive to check the holes dug by the deck guy yesterday. Then hopefully the deck guy will also come by and get something accomplished. I am having so much fun "furnishing" my new deck. I have a glider (which I can also get as a swing - but it cost twice as much) picked out...
Mission Glider
I am trying to decide between a few different fireplaces - Fireplace #1 or Fireplace #2 or
Fireplace #3
I am now kind of glad that the deck is going up in early fall. When I had a balcony I sat out on it more in the fall and spring (and winter even!) than I did in the hot summer. My habit was to eat breakfast out there in the mornings. Of course - that was when I didn't have to be to work until 8:30am. Breakfast on my (soon to be) new deck would have to be practically in the middle of the night for me to still make it to work on time!!
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