I definitely need to work on adding more fiber to my diet. Not to get into the too-much-information territory, but my innards are NOT happy and the pressure is increasing my back pain. I have read up on it a bit, and I've found that innards can be like petulant children and refuse to do their job when they don't get what they're used to. It's made worse since I'm taking some pain meds for my back. So I need fiber and lots more water to whip those buggars back into shape and get them to cooperate with my new food choices.
I'll have to find ways to hide the fiber, though. I'm not a big fan of fiber. A friend of mine recommended oatmeal. Now that the weather is getting cooler, oatmeal sounds tasty. I'll never be able to eat it without some kind of sweetness, though. Thank goodness I found stevia. I've used that for a couple of years, and it's a great sugar alternative.
Today I had a chicken and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, two beef patties, lettuce, tomatoes, and two cups of yogurt. Not as much exercise as I wanted, but it's all more than I did before. So I'm doing alright.
The fall weather makes me crave pumpkin. Adam works at a restaurant that makes a really yummy pumpkin frozen custard drink. I mean seriously YUMMY. But I found a pumpkin soup recipe that I'm going to try soon. I think it might help me with the cravings for this tasty veggie, and it looks like it's pretty healthy and low-cal.
Spicy Pumpkin Corn Soup
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1 cardamom pod
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup cauliflower flowerets
1/2 cup sliced carrots
One 12-ounce package frozen corn
Salt And Pepper to taste
1. Put oil in large pot or kettle. Heat until quite warm.
2. Add cardamom and cumin seeds. Cook until seeds crackle.
3. Add Onions, garlic and powders. Sauté until onions are browned.
4. Add remaining ingredients and add enough water to about an inch and a half or two inches above the vegetables.
5. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
I'm not much of a cook. Just about the only thing I do well in the kitchen is soups and desserts. Since desserts are on hold for awhile, I'll have to share more of my soup recipes here.
Bon apetit!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Week 2, Day 4
I should never wait until I'm hungry to eat. I should never eat just because the clock says so, even if I'm not hungry. With either strategy, I end up eating too much. So where does that leave me?
Trick One: I'm learning to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. I used to be pretty good at this, but I got out of the habit. If I think I'm beginning to feel hungry (and it's important to catch this when hunger is just beginning, not full-blown famished), I need to drink a glass of water first and then wait a few minutes. If I'm not hungry anymore, then I was actually thirsty instead of hungry and kept myself from eating calories I neither needed nor really wanted. If I'm still hungry, then the water will have my stomach partially full, and I won't go nuts with the food.
Trick Two: Have food portions prepared ahead of time so when I'm hungry, it won't take long to heat it up. By not having to prepare food when I'm hungry, I'm less likely to go nuts. Jillian talked about this a bit on this past Tuesday's show.
Trick Three: If I'm eating at a restaurant, I need to get in the habit of asking for a to-go box. Not for leftovers. I need to put half my meal in a to-go box as soon as the food arrives at the table. Restaurant portions are huge anyway, and I used to end up feeling miserably full. This way I will not only get two meals out of the trip, but I'll bring the portions back down to reasonable. Of course, all of this will be helped by ordering diet-friendly food, too!
So, what prompted this whole line of thought was not eating until I was famished today. First, I ignored Jillian and Bob's advice to ALWAYS have breakfast. It was about 1:30 this afternoon when I was starved, and I ate a piece of cold pizza instead of fixing something more nutritious. And the worst part of it is that after eating the bread-heavy pizza slice, I was still hungry. I didn't do myself any favor by waiting.
I did better for dinner. I had a great salad with lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and grilled chicken. I had a little bit of honey mustard dressing on it...just a tad. And for dessert later on, I'll either have a few marshmallows or some yogurt. I'm too stuffed right now to eat dessert, though.
I went to the store and walked the aisles for about 20 minutes. Up the candy aisle. Down the frozen dessert aisle. Up the cookies aisle. Down the sugar-sweetened cereal aisle. Through the bakery section, stopping only long enough to order a cake for my daughter-in-laws birthday on Sunday. And I smiled as I passed each temptation. I left the store having purchased only bananas, whole grain bread, chicken, marshmallows (I allow myself a handful a couple of times a week), trash bags, and birthday gift wrapping paper. I'm doing some weight stuff for my arms while I watch TV. I'll do some time on my bike later on this evening.
So, aside from the pizza, I was a good girl today. And I have a goal for the end of next week (a week from this coming Tuesday) -- I want my slacks to start getting baggy by then. Don't laugh...it could happen!
Trick One: I'm learning to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. I used to be pretty good at this, but I got out of the habit. If I think I'm beginning to feel hungry (and it's important to catch this when hunger is just beginning, not full-blown famished), I need to drink a glass of water first and then wait a few minutes. If I'm not hungry anymore, then I was actually thirsty instead of hungry and kept myself from eating calories I neither needed nor really wanted. If I'm still hungry, then the water will have my stomach partially full, and I won't go nuts with the food.
Trick Two: Have food portions prepared ahead of time so when I'm hungry, it won't take long to heat it up. By not having to prepare food when I'm hungry, I'm less likely to go nuts. Jillian talked about this a bit on this past Tuesday's show.
Trick Three: If I'm eating at a restaurant, I need to get in the habit of asking for a to-go box. Not for leftovers. I need to put half my meal in a to-go box as soon as the food arrives at the table. Restaurant portions are huge anyway, and I used to end up feeling miserably full. This way I will not only get two meals out of the trip, but I'll bring the portions back down to reasonable. Of course, all of this will be helped by ordering diet-friendly food, too!
So, what prompted this whole line of thought was not eating until I was famished today. First, I ignored Jillian and Bob's advice to ALWAYS have breakfast. It was about 1:30 this afternoon when I was starved, and I ate a piece of cold pizza instead of fixing something more nutritious. And the worst part of it is that after eating the bread-heavy pizza slice, I was still hungry. I didn't do myself any favor by waiting.
I did better for dinner. I had a great salad with lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and grilled chicken. I had a little bit of honey mustard dressing on it...just a tad. And for dessert later on, I'll either have a few marshmallows or some yogurt. I'm too stuffed right now to eat dessert, though.
I went to the store and walked the aisles for about 20 minutes. Up the candy aisle. Down the frozen dessert aisle. Up the cookies aisle. Down the sugar-sweetened cereal aisle. Through the bakery section, stopping only long enough to order a cake for my daughter-in-laws birthday on Sunday. And I smiled as I passed each temptation. I left the store having purchased only bananas, whole grain bread, chicken, marshmallows (I allow myself a handful a couple of times a week), trash bags, and birthday gift wrapping paper. I'm doing some weight stuff for my arms while I watch TV. I'll do some time on my bike later on this evening.
So, aside from the pizza, I was a good girl today. And I have a goal for the end of next week (a week from this coming Tuesday) -- I want my slacks to start getting baggy by then. Don't laugh...it could happen!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Week 2, Day 3
I did some time on the bike today. I can tell I haven't spent enough time exercising the past several days -- I should be able to do more on the bike by now, but it's still hard and I still can't stay at it as long as I want. On the other hand, my arms are getting a little more toned, I'm sure because of the resistance bands I've been using on them. Long way to go, but it's nice to see even a little bit of progress.
Not much of an appetite at all. I think it's probably because of the pain meds the doctor gave me yesterday. We still have pizza left from last night, so I had a piece of that, a banana, and a cup of yogurt. I know I should eat more or my body will start working against me in my diet efforts. I'll have to work on that and come to a happy medium -- not too little and not too much.
I wish the Biggest Loser had daily advice instead of commercials -- you know, 30- or 60-second bits of inspiration or little nuggets of wisdom. It would help those of us who are diligently watching the show and working along with it, and it would still serve the same purpose as commercials in enticing more viewers to tune in. (And if they ever start doing this, I am totally taking credit for the idea.)
In the meantime, it's time to get back on the bike and see if I can eke a few more miles out of these legs.
Not much of an appetite at all. I think it's probably because of the pain meds the doctor gave me yesterday. We still have pizza left from last night, so I had a piece of that, a banana, and a cup of yogurt. I know I should eat more or my body will start working against me in my diet efforts. I'll have to work on that and come to a happy medium -- not too little and not too much.
I wish the Biggest Loser had daily advice instead of commercials -- you know, 30- or 60-second bits of inspiration or little nuggets of wisdom. It would help those of us who are diligently watching the show and working along with it, and it would still serve the same purpose as commercials in enticing more viewers to tune in. (And if they ever start doing this, I am totally taking credit for the idea.)
In the meantime, it's time to get back on the bike and see if I can eke a few more miles out of these legs.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Week 2, Day 2
The show was great last night. I really like these people, and I appreciate the trainers' advice throughout the show. I don't have a favorite contestant I'm rooting for yet -- I really love them all. And the really neat thing about last night is that NONE of the contestants had to go home. Very cool. :)
"Watching your diet, counting your calories, moving....it works!" --Abby, Biggest Loser, Season 8 contestant.
I went to the doctor today about my back. Not my choice to go. Adam was home yesterday when I was in so much pain, and he insisted that I go. In fact, he made the appointment and then told me he wouldn't take no for an answer. Good son. Since I don't have health insurance and am on unemployment --which isn't a whole bunch of money -- he even said he would pay for the doctor and tests if I couldn't pay. Poor kid. I'm sorry I worry him. He's such a caring person.
Anyway, the doctor gave me some prescriptions for heavy duty pain killers. And he said if they don't work, he will refer me on to a surgeon. He believes there's a possibility that anything beyond what painkillers can handle will be related to my history of scoliosis and will need surgical intervention. So...a bit of a depressing day.
I think I must be one of those people who doesn't handle things well. Stress. Pain. Fear. Depressing stuff. My body tends to react by going to sleep. So I slept a lot today. No exercise, no eating. Just sleep. And frankly, I'd like to be sleeping right now. I'll get over it. I always do. I'm just going to wallow in all this tonight, and then I'll be up and "normal" tomorrow.
There was good news at the doctor's office today. You know, they always weigh people when they arrive. I wasn't looking forward to that. I didn't want to find out that I had gained weight. But I was pleasantly surprised. The scales said 254, which means a 5 pound loss instead of only 3. I'm not going to allow myself to get into the trap of weighing myself each day, though, because I know I'll just end up riding the highs and lows as weight fluctuates from day to day. But it was really nice to see 254 on the scale today!
Food: I had a small pop on the way to the doctor and four tater-tots from Adam's meal from Sonic. I woke up hungry this evening. Adam wanted pizza. I got pizza and a breadbowl pasta for him and pasta primavera pasta bowl for me from Dominos. Pasta, spinach, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. I had a bit of his pizza too...just a small piece. I checked their website , and it says only 543 calories. I realize I could have eaten a lot more and a lot healthier things. But the pasta made me happier. And 543 calories isn't terrible. I'm stuffed now. But I may eat a banana before bed if I get hungry.
Tomorrow I'll get back on the bike and eat well. I need to lose weight before surgery (okay, IF there is a surgery...) so risks are limited and recovery will be easier. Gotta keep moving forward...awake.
"Watching your diet, counting your calories, moving....it works!" --Abby, Biggest Loser, Season 8 contestant.
I went to the doctor today about my back. Not my choice to go. Adam was home yesterday when I was in so much pain, and he insisted that I go. In fact, he made the appointment and then told me he wouldn't take no for an answer. Good son. Since I don't have health insurance and am on unemployment --which isn't a whole bunch of money -- he even said he would pay for the doctor and tests if I couldn't pay. Poor kid. I'm sorry I worry him. He's such a caring person.
Anyway, the doctor gave me some prescriptions for heavy duty pain killers. And he said if they don't work, he will refer me on to a surgeon. He believes there's a possibility that anything beyond what painkillers can handle will be related to my history of scoliosis and will need surgical intervention. So...a bit of a depressing day.
I think I must be one of those people who doesn't handle things well. Stress. Pain. Fear. Depressing stuff. My body tends to react by going to sleep. So I slept a lot today. No exercise, no eating. Just sleep. And frankly, I'd like to be sleeping right now. I'll get over it. I always do. I'm just going to wallow in all this tonight, and then I'll be up and "normal" tomorrow.
There was good news at the doctor's office today. You know, they always weigh people when they arrive. I wasn't looking forward to that. I didn't want to find out that I had gained weight. But I was pleasantly surprised. The scales said 254, which means a 5 pound loss instead of only 3. I'm not going to allow myself to get into the trap of weighing myself each day, though, because I know I'll just end up riding the highs and lows as weight fluctuates from day to day. But it was really nice to see 254 on the scale today!
Food: I had a small pop on the way to the doctor and four tater-tots from Adam's meal from Sonic. I woke up hungry this evening. Adam wanted pizza. I got pizza and a breadbowl pasta for him and pasta primavera pasta bowl for me from Dominos. Pasta, spinach, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. I had a bit of his pizza too...just a small piece. I checked their website , and it says only 543 calories. I realize I could have eaten a lot more and a lot healthier things. But the pasta made me happier. And 543 calories isn't terrible. I'm stuffed now. But I may eat a banana before bed if I get hungry.
Tomorrow I'll get back on the bike and eat well. I need to lose weight before surgery (okay, IF there is a surgery...) so risks are limited and recovery will be easier. Gotta keep moving forward...awake.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Week 2, Day 1
It's only mid-afternoon right now, so I may write more later, after tonight's episode of The Biggest Loser. But I couldn't wait to announce the results of my visit to the scales today. THREE POUNDS! No more than I was able to exercise this week, I'm really surprised and pleased. I really wasn't expecting any loss and thought maybe, instead, I had gained some. There was a time when the thought of weighing 256 pounds was appalling. And really, it still is quite disgusting to have let myself get that big. But for right now today, I'm darned excited about 256 because today it represents a loss and a successful first week. YIPPY SKIPPY -- THREE POUNDS GONE!!!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Week 1, Day 7
Gosh, I can't believe the first week is over already. Everyone has been so kind, leaving the most encouraging comments and great advice on my Facebook wall. No matter how all this turns out, it's already been a huge blessing. Thank you SO much!
Was poking around last night on the Biggest Loser section of NBC.com. Their two trainers, Jillian and Bob, also have Twitter pages, and that's where I learned that all the Season 8 finalists have already been sent home, just waiting for the live finale. I knew there was some lag time between the time the people were actually on the Biggest Loser Ranch and the time the show airs. Even though there is only one week for viewers between the last show on the ranch and the finale, it's clear that the contestants had time at home to continue to lose weight. That's why it's always a surprise at the finale to see who ultimately wins. But I didn't realize it was quite this much time. So essentially, those of us who are viewers have the length of the show to lose our weight, and the contestants have that time plus the same amount of time at home while the show airs. No wonder they end up with such huge amounts of weight lost on the finale show!
So to get an accurate measurement of how I did compared to the Season 8 contestants and an accurate idea of how long this blog should last, I need to continue dieting beyond the finale for the same length of time the show aired. Yes, I intend for this blog to be time-limited. For real success, this new suit I'm creating for myself, a new, healthy body, needs a lifetime of daily maintenance -- and the maintenance part isn't what this blog is about.
Gosh, a lifetime of daily maintenance ... as I read that, it sounds almost like a burden. But of course, it's not. It's just a matter of changing habits and attitudes until they become routine matters of daily life. I think dieting is as much mental work as it is physical. The show gives us a glimpse into that with some of the issues the contestants have. I just need to do like they do and work through my own issues and slay my own dragons as I go through this.
I've read that keeping a daily record of what you eat is supposed to help. That's why this week I've taken time to record it all. I think I'll keep doing that. There have been times when I've wanted to "cheat" and eat something I know I shouldn't. But knowing I will have to come here and record it makes me think twice about it. Accountability is a powerful tool!
Today I had: a small chef salad, a banana, a cup of yogurt, a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread. My back has hurt terribly today -- can't move without pain, so I haven't even gotten on my bike. I probably shouldn't have eaten all those calories that I haven't been able to work off. But I think they were healthy calories, so I don't feel too badly about it.
And now I'm off to slay some dragons before tomorrow's weigh-in. :)
Was poking around last night on the Biggest Loser section of NBC.com. Their two trainers, Jillian and Bob, also have Twitter pages, and that's where I learned that all the Season 8 finalists have already been sent home, just waiting for the live finale. I knew there was some lag time between the time the people were actually on the Biggest Loser Ranch and the time the show airs. Even though there is only one week for viewers between the last show on the ranch and the finale, it's clear that the contestants had time at home to continue to lose weight. That's why it's always a surprise at the finale to see who ultimately wins. But I didn't realize it was quite this much time. So essentially, those of us who are viewers have the length of the show to lose our weight, and the contestants have that time plus the same amount of time at home while the show airs. No wonder they end up with such huge amounts of weight lost on the finale show!
So to get an accurate measurement of how I did compared to the Season 8 contestants and an accurate idea of how long this blog should last, I need to continue dieting beyond the finale for the same length of time the show aired. Yes, I intend for this blog to be time-limited. For real success, this new suit I'm creating for myself, a new, healthy body, needs a lifetime of daily maintenance -- and the maintenance part isn't what this blog is about.
Gosh, a lifetime of daily maintenance ... as I read that, it sounds almost like a burden. But of course, it's not. It's just a matter of changing habits and attitudes until they become routine matters of daily life. I think dieting is as much mental work as it is physical. The show gives us a glimpse into that with some of the issues the contestants have. I just need to do like they do and work through my own issues and slay my own dragons as I go through this.
I've read that keeping a daily record of what you eat is supposed to help. That's why this week I've taken time to record it all. I think I'll keep doing that. There have been times when I've wanted to "cheat" and eat something I know I shouldn't. But knowing I will have to come here and record it makes me think twice about it. Accountability is a powerful tool!
Today I had: a small chef salad, a banana, a cup of yogurt, a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread. My back has hurt terribly today -- can't move without pain, so I haven't even gotten on my bike. I probably shouldn't have eaten all those calories that I haven't been able to work off. But I think they were healthy calories, so I don't feel too badly about it.
And now I'm off to slay some dragons before tomorrow's weigh-in. :)
Week 1, Day 6
I feel pretty good about the 20 minutes on my bike tonight. That offsets the sadness that I couldn't do the walking I wanted to. I went to Walgreens to look for a pedometer and walked up and down each aisle, working my way toward the back corner of the store. I figured I would do likewise, up and down each aisle back across the store and just keep going back and forth across the store for a half an hour or so. But I only made it to the back corner of the store and was in so much pain that I just headed out the most direct route possible. I sat in the car and cried, waiting for the pain to go away before I could drive.
This evening my back was feeling better, so I thought I'd try my bike for awhile. My back hurt a bit when I got done, but I was fine while I was cycling. Go figure. I think I should just try to do that more often. Obviously, the walking thing is just not meant to be right now.
Food was okay today. Two turkey and cheese sandwiches on whole wheat bread, a cup of yogurt, and a bowl of mixed veggies with a little bit of fat-free cheese on top. I'm really craving pasta as I write this. But it's a little after midnight, so I think I can just make myself go to sleep to avoid giving in to the craving.
The best part of the day had nothing to do with dieting, though. I got a call tonight from a friend whose voice I haven't heard for years. Susan and I used to be best buds. Then for reasons too many and too personal to tell about here, we lost track. We both had tried over the years to get in touch with each other, but messages, for one reason or another, just weren't getting through. As time passed, feelings got hurt and each of us began to think the other just wasn't interested in the friendship anymore. A couple of months ago, I made one final attempt to contact her via Facebook. It was then that we discovered some the missed messages and wrong assumptions that had kept us apart. I feel terrible that so many years passed. But tonight the phone rang, and when I looked at the Caller ID, I saw that it was from Maryland. I answered the phone and I heard her voice and we gabbed like miles and time had never come between us. If she ever reads this, I hope she knows how much that call meant to me. And I look forward to many more in the days and years to come.
She's a fan of Biggest Loser, too. And we're going to work on this whole weight loss thing together. I've gotten so many wonderful comments of encouragement on my Facebook wall, and now with Susan working with me on this, I feel invigorated. Okay, so maybe I can't do the walking I want to...yet. And maybe I am blobby right now. But maybe a few months from now, I'll be doing a lot better. :)
This evening my back was feeling better, so I thought I'd try my bike for awhile. My back hurt a bit when I got done, but I was fine while I was cycling. Go figure. I think I should just try to do that more often. Obviously, the walking thing is just not meant to be right now.
Food was okay today. Two turkey and cheese sandwiches on whole wheat bread, a cup of yogurt, and a bowl of mixed veggies with a little bit of fat-free cheese on top. I'm really craving pasta as I write this. But it's a little after midnight, so I think I can just make myself go to sleep to avoid giving in to the craving.
The best part of the day had nothing to do with dieting, though. I got a call tonight from a friend whose voice I haven't heard for years. Susan and I used to be best buds. Then for reasons too many and too personal to tell about here, we lost track. We both had tried over the years to get in touch with each other, but messages, for one reason or another, just weren't getting through. As time passed, feelings got hurt and each of us began to think the other just wasn't interested in the friendship anymore. A couple of months ago, I made one final attempt to contact her via Facebook. It was then that we discovered some the missed messages and wrong assumptions that had kept us apart. I feel terrible that so many years passed. But tonight the phone rang, and when I looked at the Caller ID, I saw that it was from Maryland. I answered the phone and I heard her voice and we gabbed like miles and time had never come between us. If she ever reads this, I hope she knows how much that call meant to me. And I look forward to many more in the days and years to come.
She's a fan of Biggest Loser, too. And we're going to work on this whole weight loss thing together. I've gotten so many wonderful comments of encouragement on my Facebook wall, and now with Susan working with me on this, I feel invigorated. Okay, so maybe I can't do the walking I want to...yet. And maybe I am blobby right now. But maybe a few months from now, I'll be doing a lot better. :)
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