I'm two weeks shy of one year being on my new eating plan.
Or am I?
Looking back it's closer to six months on, six months screwing up- but it's still almost a year since I've been trying to live a new eating lifestyle- whether I've succeeded or not. But I'll save those thoughts for my one year post.
I've never been on an eating plan for this long. Most times I'm in for only a few months- many of those tries didn't last more than a few weeks. Past diets I've done included juicing with no solid food (not good for a carnivore), giving up one or more foods (also not good- but this time for a comfort food addict), skipping meals (that worked for a few hours), and even going to meetings where they limit what you eat for you or you buy their prepackaged stuff- and eat only their stuff.
I won't pretend to tell you I've behaved myself this week, because I haven't. I've behaved better this week, but not to the point where I think I lost anything. Since my husband's workplace is closed for the holidays, it wasn't a problem to skip the scale to weigh in- since it's behind locked doors.
The next time I weigh myself will be after my birthday dinner, which happens right before everyone goes back to work on January 4th. My husband is making me his 'typical' five-course birthday dinner, complete with his signature shrimp bisque- the one and only time he ever makes this soup, because my daughter and I are the only ones who will eat it during the rest of the year. I usually have five to six friends over, but this year we both bragged about it so much, I might have as many as ten women over!
As for the dinner? The food itself differs each year. He totally spoils me, and since it's my birthday, I let him.
Course one is an appetizer. Last year it was an awesome chicken, bacon and asiago cheese stuffed eggroll wrapper deep fried to perfection. Not exactly healthy, but super yummy.
Course two is always the shrimp bisque. This is the only item that never ever ever changes.
Course three is a salad- last year he made one with all kinds of greens, and a homemade raspberry vinaigrette.
Course four was dinner. Last year we had cranberry brisket with roasted green beans and mixed roasted root vegetables. Yum city!
Course five is dessert. Last year was Orange Dreamsickle Pie- his own recipe.
I have no idea what he'll make this year, but I don't plan on behaving!
January begins a new year. Most people start dieting. I'm re-starting my eating plan. Why? Because this isn't just a diet; it isn't just a plan- it's a new eating lifestyle. And the only way to lose weight and keep it off, is to take it one day, one month, one year at a time!
The only lesson learned this week is that I need to realize that this isn't some temporary change, and that I really need to pay more attention to what goes in my mouth, every time, every meal, snack, or event. Only then can I truly break the bad habits I fall in and out of every time I'm tempted!
Monday, December 28, 2015
Monday, December 21, 2015
Week Forty Nine: The Dear-God-My-Coat-Is-A-Turncoat! New Eating Lifestyle
I have a winter coat.
This coat fit me twenty or so pounds ago. I never thought it would, but it did- even if it was a teeny bit tight.
This coat is my only winter coat. And since my holiday eating issues, that coat is getting almost to the point where I can't wear it.
Who needs a scale to tell you you're gaining weight? Apparently not me!
I'll confess something. I've been buying snackable candies at this awesome Amish candy store near my second driving job. At first it was semi-good stuff like banana chips, but it escalated quickly into dark chocolate raisins- still good for you (if you don't eat the entire bag in one sitting), if a little calorie-dense.
Then came the jellybeans. I love me some jellybeans!
At first it was a small handful. All was good. I got a taste, and that was enough. But then it became two handfuls, then three...of each. The next thing you know I was eating a bag of each- per week.
I ate the last bite on Friday. I won't be buying any more. It's just too tempting, and I can't seem to control myself completely. Maybe one day, but not today.
This weekend I made carrot chips (just sliced them round and thin instead of the typical sticks) and bought some seedless cucumbers. I asked for an insulated lunch bag for Christmas, so I could keep them cold in the van as I drive- no sense eating them at room temp. Ew.
I also bought a rotisserie chicken and will be going back to chicken, spinach and grape tomatoes this week, with a cobb salad or soup for lunch, with the sliced veggies or a banana or sliced apple for a snack. Dinner is up to my husband.
My coat is a turncoat- but it's a good turncoat. It's helping me realize I'm gaining. Coats can't lie- and to be honest, I really don't want it to.
Getting back on track isn't easy. I won't be rebooting until the first week in January. But the reboot won't be as jolting if I start behaving better now, while the coat still fits!
Lessons learned:
If you can't control it, you shouldn't have it available in more than one serving at a time.
Rest. It's hard to maintain or lose when you're tired and achy from doing too much.
I knew this was going to be a tough fight from the get-go. It took me twenty years to gain all that weight, so why should I complain if it takes a few years to get it all off? Yes, I could've done a lot of things differently, but I'm still ahead of the game almost a year later- and that's better than it has been just a year or two ago.
Thank you for joining me on my weight loss journey- for cheering me on, empathizing when I stumble, and sharing with me your own journeys- I love you all for your support!
This coat fit me twenty or so pounds ago. I never thought it would, but it did- even if it was a teeny bit tight.
This coat is my only winter coat. And since my holiday eating issues, that coat is getting almost to the point where I can't wear it.
Who needs a scale to tell you you're gaining weight? Apparently not me!
I'll confess something. I've been buying snackable candies at this awesome Amish candy store near my second driving job. At first it was semi-good stuff like banana chips, but it escalated quickly into dark chocolate raisins- still good for you (if you don't eat the entire bag in one sitting), if a little calorie-dense.
Then came the jellybeans. I love me some jellybeans!
At first it was a small handful. All was good. I got a taste, and that was enough. But then it became two handfuls, then three...of each. The next thing you know I was eating a bag of each- per week.
I ate the last bite on Friday. I won't be buying any more. It's just too tempting, and I can't seem to control myself completely. Maybe one day, but not today.
This weekend I made carrot chips (just sliced them round and thin instead of the typical sticks) and bought some seedless cucumbers. I asked for an insulated lunch bag for Christmas, so I could keep them cold in the van as I drive- no sense eating them at room temp. Ew.
I also bought a rotisserie chicken and will be going back to chicken, spinach and grape tomatoes this week, with a cobb salad or soup for lunch, with the sliced veggies or a banana or sliced apple for a snack. Dinner is up to my husband.
My coat is a turncoat- but it's a good turncoat. It's helping me realize I'm gaining. Coats can't lie- and to be honest, I really don't want it to.
Getting back on track isn't easy. I won't be rebooting until the first week in January. But the reboot won't be as jolting if I start behaving better now, while the coat still fits!
Lessons learned:
If you can't control it, you shouldn't have it available in more than one serving at a time.
Rest. It's hard to maintain or lose when you're tired and achy from doing too much.
I knew this was going to be a tough fight from the get-go. It took me twenty years to gain all that weight, so why should I complain if it takes a few years to get it all off? Yes, I could've done a lot of things differently, but I'm still ahead of the game almost a year later- and that's better than it has been just a year or two ago.
Thank you for joining me on my weight loss journey- for cheering me on, empathizing when I stumble, and sharing with me your own journeys- I love you all for your support!
Monday, December 14, 2015
Week Forty Eight: The Dear-God-Holidays-Kill-Me New Eating Lifestyle
I am not a pie person.
I am not a cake person.
However, when it comes to cookies and chips, I am a starving, rabid wolverine.
It's the holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas bring out a variety of goodies, and though I can get away with a piece of pie or two, one cannot hide the fact that one ate way too many Christmas cookies. Part of the reason is the weather is too unconditionally warm to hide my fat with a bulky sweater, but the scale doesn't let you lie- even to yourself.
Lost one pound last week, gained two this week. Mayhaps I shall fit myself with the cone of shame like doggies wear, but I have a feeling that sucker will be better to funnel more cookies down my throat.
Sigh.
I really need to stop looking at the "almost fifty pounds lost before this happened" and "almost a twenty pound gain" and look at the behavior instead. Numbers are numbers, and if this was a five pound discrepancy, it wouldn't matter as much.
Part of it is past bad habits come to re-roost. I'm so afraid I'll be hungry later that I "have a little something" before I go back out into the workforce- even if I already have something to eat in my purse. Don't ask me why I feel this way- I have no idea! The funny thing is when I forget to eat the stuff in my bag until later and don't have a snack beforehand, I feel pretty darn good. So this has to be all in my head. And hips.
In between jobs I come home and eat lunch. Then I have a few cookies. Then a bit of this and that. By the time I go out for job number two I'm quite full. Too full. But I do it every single time.
It also didn't help that I didn't have time to buy my rotisserie chicken, and I did ham and cheese sandwiches all last week. Not too bad calorie-wise, but not as good as veggies and chicken! I think bread makes me hungrier. I tend to eat a lot more when I 'sandwich it up' during the week.
Between the holidays and the jobs, there isn't much time left for an eating plan. I didn't even have time to slice up my veggies! Something has got to give soon- I just hope it isn't my waistband!
Lessons Learned:
Put the cookies under a crate in the dryer and pack boxes all around the door so you can only get to them when you really need a cookie.
Make time to cut those veggies and buy that chicken!
If all else fails, do a reboot in January, after your birthday (no worries, I was born early- on the 3rd!)
It's definitely looking like a full reboot folks. To be honest, there are just too many 'Christmas only' foods that I like, and I don't want to say no. Little yeses are good, I just have to make sure they stay little! Denying myself doesn't help matters- it just makes me want them more. So the goal is to still try and lose, but at least maintain and no weight gain.
Pray for me. I need it! :)
I am not a cake person.
However, when it comes to cookies and chips, I am a starving, rabid wolverine.
It's the holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas bring out a variety of goodies, and though I can get away with a piece of pie or two, one cannot hide the fact that one ate way too many Christmas cookies. Part of the reason is the weather is too unconditionally warm to hide my fat with a bulky sweater, but the scale doesn't let you lie- even to yourself.
Lost one pound last week, gained two this week. Mayhaps I shall fit myself with the cone of shame like doggies wear, but I have a feeling that sucker will be better to funnel more cookies down my throat.
Sigh.
I really need to stop looking at the "almost fifty pounds lost before this happened" and "almost a twenty pound gain" and look at the behavior instead. Numbers are numbers, and if this was a five pound discrepancy, it wouldn't matter as much.
Part of it is past bad habits come to re-roost. I'm so afraid I'll be hungry later that I "have a little something" before I go back out into the workforce- even if I already have something to eat in my purse. Don't ask me why I feel this way- I have no idea! The funny thing is when I forget to eat the stuff in my bag until later and don't have a snack beforehand, I feel pretty darn good. So this has to be all in my head. And hips.
In between jobs I come home and eat lunch. Then I have a few cookies. Then a bit of this and that. By the time I go out for job number two I'm quite full. Too full. But I do it every single time.
It also didn't help that I didn't have time to buy my rotisserie chicken, and I did ham and cheese sandwiches all last week. Not too bad calorie-wise, but not as good as veggies and chicken! I think bread makes me hungrier. I tend to eat a lot more when I 'sandwich it up' during the week.
Between the holidays and the jobs, there isn't much time left for an eating plan. I didn't even have time to slice up my veggies! Something has got to give soon- I just hope it isn't my waistband!
Lessons Learned:
Put the cookies under a crate in the dryer and pack boxes all around the door so you can only get to them when you really need a cookie.
Make time to cut those veggies and buy that chicken!
If all else fails, do a reboot in January, after your birthday (no worries, I was born early- on the 3rd!)
It's definitely looking like a full reboot folks. To be honest, there are just too many 'Christmas only' foods that I like, and I don't want to say no. Little yeses are good, I just have to make sure they stay little! Denying myself doesn't help matters- it just makes me want them more. So the goal is to still try and lose, but at least maintain and no weight gain.
Pray for me. I need it! :)
Monday, December 7, 2015
Week Forty Seven: The Dear-God-I'm-Doing-It! New Eating Lifestyle
After being too long off of the weight-loss wagon, it's nice to have a bench seat again.
I closed my eyes and stepped on the scale. I lost one pound.
Not a gain. Not maintaining. Lost. I never knew one pound off could feel so good!
This past week was a series of better choices. I didn't get to walk much, but the eating was much better. I stopped most of the second helpings, and stopped having those calorie dense breakfast sandwiches. Hey, even homemade stuff can be full of calories!
Breakfast consisted of rotisserie chicken, cherry tomatoes and fresh baby spinach. Lunches were either Chic-Fil-A nuggets (once), homemade soup (a lot more than once), and a lean sandwich (once, half the cheese). Soup does a body good!
Dinner was tougher, because there wasn't much time to cook and take-out was the only option at least twice during the week. But I didn't dine at the regular fast food places; I stopped at sandwich or pizza shops and got a hoagie (sub or grinder to some of you non-Philly folks), a freshly made burger, or chinese. Not the best choices, but the best considering fast food!
When I did eat at home, a lot of it was homemade stuff I had previously frozen in single serving containers. Only a microwave required!
Now I just need to find a well- lit place to walk, since the only time I can do it is in the early evening when the sun starts setting. Or maybe pak the car a few blocks away from somewhere I want to go. I'll figure it out!
Lessons learned:
Fast food can be good for you if you look hard enough.
Homemade is better, so prepare ahead in case you can't cook.
Find a place to go (or is well lit) to walk- you need to!
I can't tell you how much difference a single pound can make. It's not even the numbers on the scale- it's the fact that I feel in control of my eating again, and what I'm doing is working. Thank You, God! I couldn't have done this without you!
I closed my eyes and stepped on the scale. I lost one pound.
Not a gain. Not maintaining. Lost. I never knew one pound off could feel so good!
This past week was a series of better choices. I didn't get to walk much, but the eating was much better. I stopped most of the second helpings, and stopped having those calorie dense breakfast sandwiches. Hey, even homemade stuff can be full of calories!
Breakfast consisted of rotisserie chicken, cherry tomatoes and fresh baby spinach. Lunches were either Chic-Fil-A nuggets (once), homemade soup (a lot more than once), and a lean sandwich (once, half the cheese). Soup does a body good!
Dinner was tougher, because there wasn't much time to cook and take-out was the only option at least twice during the week. But I didn't dine at the regular fast food places; I stopped at sandwich or pizza shops and got a hoagie (sub or grinder to some of you non-Philly folks), a freshly made burger, or chinese. Not the best choices, but the best considering fast food!
When I did eat at home, a lot of it was homemade stuff I had previously frozen in single serving containers. Only a microwave required!
Now I just need to find a well- lit place to walk, since the only time I can do it is in the early evening when the sun starts setting. Or maybe pak the car a few blocks away from somewhere I want to go. I'll figure it out!
Lessons learned:
Fast food can be good for you if you look hard enough.
Homemade is better, so prepare ahead in case you can't cook.
Find a place to go (or is well lit) to walk- you need to!
I can't tell you how much difference a single pound can make. It's not even the numbers on the scale- it's the fact that I feel in control of my eating again, and what I'm doing is working. Thank You, God! I couldn't have done this without you!
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Week Forty Six: The Dear-God-I'm-Gearing-Up-For-A-Reboot New Eating Lifestyle
I came, I saw, I ate.
I ate a lot.
I fully intended to walk all last week. I didn't move a toe. But I did eat.
The scale is not my friend. Perhaps I should have weighed in last week- it might have kept me from eating as much. As it stands, I have gained more than eight pounds. This is not good folks.
For weeks I've been fooling myself. That extra this here and extra that there matters. And it's time I really got my head back in the game before I have to start back at square one!
I am now 304 pounds. At my lowest I was 288. That is sixteen pounds of unwanted weight that I need to start controlling now.
I need to reboot. During the holidays. Yikes!
Back to greens and lean meats. Soups and veggie snacks. Back to fruit, nuts, and fish. I've fooled around long enough.
It's not easy. I've started working outside of the home for the first time in eighteen years, and the toll on my family structure shows. My husband and kids miss me, I miss them, and the house is left up to my husband to maintain. I have every confidence in him (because he's so much better at cleaning than I am), but I miss those mornings when I can sew or write in the quiet of my home when the kids are at school.
Now I'm out most of the time. Meals have to change. Snatch and grabs are becoming more common than slower home cooking. I've taken the time on the weekends to cook, and have saved those meals in single serving containers. I have a lot of them now, so it's a good time to reboot.
This week I've taken baggies of cherry tomatoes and spinach, along with another baggie of chicken or leftover turkey. Surprisingly, I can last most of the day if I pack enough of these items. Yesterday I was near a Chic-Fil-A, so I got some chicken nuggets (about 300 calories). I never touched foot in the house the entire day, and came home to a clear soup (one bowl) and went to bed satisfied.
Weekends are going to be busy with holiday baking (which is good, because I hardly eat when I bake!), and I'll also be making a big bag of carrot chips (instead of sticks) and maybe some cucumber slices as well. Both will satisfy the crunch factor, and maybe some fruit for the sweet tooth.
I'd not been packing anything for the afternoon/evening job, and found myself snacking and getting fast food because I got too hungry- despite my healthier menu choices. If I use my own food, not only do I save money, but it's better for me as well.
I'll be investing in a insulated lunch box soon. Bananas don't fare well in my purse!
Lessons Learned:
Always check the scale to stay on track.
Starting over is better than giving up.
When in doubt, work it out with your husband or friends. They can give great feedback and ideas.
Walk whenever possible.
Get a lunch bag.
Replan those menus for bulk cooking on the weekends.
Don't eat the Christmas cookies!
Working so many jobs and writing during the breaks can be a good thing- especially if I can meal plan while in the van! Since I'm stuck waiting in between jobs, I can use that time to work on a lot of new ideas to eat better- including making shopping lists a week ahead of schedule, so I have everything when I need it! It doesn't hurt that my waiting spot is right near a farmers market...
The holidays are hard on anyone trying to eat right and lose weight. Doubly so if you have a lot of job stress and your schedule is higglety-pigglety! Planning ahead seems to be the best way to go for me, and having 'just enough' food in the van without it becoming my personal food truck is a good way to keep off the pounds. Maybe I'll park a few blocks away from the market and get some exercise too!
I ate a lot.
I fully intended to walk all last week. I didn't move a toe. But I did eat.
The scale is not my friend. Perhaps I should have weighed in last week- it might have kept me from eating as much. As it stands, I have gained more than eight pounds. This is not good folks.
For weeks I've been fooling myself. That extra this here and extra that there matters. And it's time I really got my head back in the game before I have to start back at square one!
I am now 304 pounds. At my lowest I was 288. That is sixteen pounds of unwanted weight that I need to start controlling now.
I need to reboot. During the holidays. Yikes!
Back to greens and lean meats. Soups and veggie snacks. Back to fruit, nuts, and fish. I've fooled around long enough.
It's not easy. I've started working outside of the home for the first time in eighteen years, and the toll on my family structure shows. My husband and kids miss me, I miss them, and the house is left up to my husband to maintain. I have every confidence in him (because he's so much better at cleaning than I am), but I miss those mornings when I can sew or write in the quiet of my home when the kids are at school.
Now I'm out most of the time. Meals have to change. Snatch and grabs are becoming more common than slower home cooking. I've taken the time on the weekends to cook, and have saved those meals in single serving containers. I have a lot of them now, so it's a good time to reboot.
This week I've taken baggies of cherry tomatoes and spinach, along with another baggie of chicken or leftover turkey. Surprisingly, I can last most of the day if I pack enough of these items. Yesterday I was near a Chic-Fil-A, so I got some chicken nuggets (about 300 calories). I never touched foot in the house the entire day, and came home to a clear soup (one bowl) and went to bed satisfied.
Weekends are going to be busy with holiday baking (which is good, because I hardly eat when I bake!), and I'll also be making a big bag of carrot chips (instead of sticks) and maybe some cucumber slices as well. Both will satisfy the crunch factor, and maybe some fruit for the sweet tooth.
I'd not been packing anything for the afternoon/evening job, and found myself snacking and getting fast food because I got too hungry- despite my healthier menu choices. If I use my own food, not only do I save money, but it's better for me as well.
I'll be investing in a insulated lunch box soon. Bananas don't fare well in my purse!
Lessons Learned:
Always check the scale to stay on track.
Starting over is better than giving up.
When in doubt, work it out with your husband or friends. They can give great feedback and ideas.
Walk whenever possible.
Get a lunch bag.
Replan those menus for bulk cooking on the weekends.
Don't eat the Christmas cookies!
Working so many jobs and writing during the breaks can be a good thing- especially if I can meal plan while in the van! Since I'm stuck waiting in between jobs, I can use that time to work on a lot of new ideas to eat better- including making shopping lists a week ahead of schedule, so I have everything when I need it! It doesn't hurt that my waiting spot is right near a farmers market...
The holidays are hard on anyone trying to eat right and lose weight. Doubly so if you have a lot of job stress and your schedule is higglety-pigglety! Planning ahead seems to be the best way to go for me, and having 'just enough' food in the van without it becoming my personal food truck is a good way to keep off the pounds. Maybe I'll park a few blocks away from the market and get some exercise too!
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