Week 3, Day 4

Last night I was REALLY really hungry by the time I got around to eating dinner. So Adam and I made a late-night run to IHOP. I ordered an omelet with chicken, green peppers, onions, salsa, and cheese on top. When it arrived, I scraped most of the cheese off the top and ate just the sprinkles beside the omelet. Overall, I think it was a pretty healthy choice. Plus, I brought half of it home and had it for lunch today.

No exercise today...yet. I'm about to head out and do some evening shopping at Target. I still need to get a soup pot, and I like their selection. Since they have groceries, too, I can get some ingredients. The walking will do me good. At least until my back starts giving me fits.

Last night I sent the materials to the designer for the newsletter I'm doing for the Brownville Historical Society. That's a bit of stress out the door. The stress will go away completely when it gets back from the printer next month and I find out what everyone thinks of it. For the past 15 years, it's been edited by my high school English teacher. Now I've got the job. I hope this first issue under my direction doesn't embarrass her or me. Usually, I don't worry so much about the things I write -- I'm good at what I do, and I've always nailed exactly what my clients want. But this ...this pro bono bit of work has me sweating bullets. My goal the next few weeks is to try to use the nervous energy on exercise.

The other work-related stress right now is the urgency of my learning how to do website Flash. I've got a client whose site I'm altering, and I've gotten everything done but the Flash on the home page. I've put a couple of months in on it, and the client is getting really upset. Ugh! Why can't I learn faster? My usual pattern is to grab a Milky Way bar or two and get on with it. I can't find the words to tell you how badly I want chocolate right now. Or pumpkin pie. With whipped cream on top.

Ugh. I'm off to walk. I need to do something away from my computer. Maybe the cold air outside will snap me back into diet-sense.

Ciao!

Week 3, Day 3

Good day. Half a chicken sandwich for breakfast, the other half for lunch. I'm not sure what I'll do for dinner, but I'm getting hungry, so I'd better figure it out pretty soon. A big bowl of mixed veggies sounds good!

I got out and ran some errands. The weather is very cool and invigorating. I love autumn weather! The only thing that's not good about autumn is that I have years of pumpkin pies, cranberry bread, Halloween candy, cinnamon ice cream tempting me--- all yummy items that I can't have right now. More than any other time of year, this is when sweet treats tempt me the most.

I'm going out tomorrow to get a new soup pot. I want one with a non-stick interior, but it's got to be big enough to make plenty so I can enjoy it for several days. I used to make soup a lot when the boys were young. It was such a good way to use up leftovers. I'm eager to make some soon. Chicken veggie soup sounds really good on a chilly night like tonight! Hot, healthy, and low-cal -- can't beat it!

Ooo...too much thinking about food right now. I think I'll go make some dinner! Bon apetit, y'all!

Week 3, Day 2

I'm still reeling over the show last night. It was brutal. Seems like this season is more petty than previous seasons. Tracey, the one who had to go to the hospital the first show, got on the other contestants' bad side for game-playing. So when she lost 11 pounds, no one applauded for her. They applauded for everyone else -- it's just what's done during Biggest Loser weigh ins. Plus, she had to endure Jillian yelling at her and crappy things being said to her by her fellow contestants. First time I've seen such bad sports on this show. They forgot, I guess, that The Biggest Loser IS a game. There IS a winner at the end of the season. Two winners, actually: one for the highest percentage of weight lost on the ranch, and one for the highest percentage of weight lost among those who got sent home. Tracey played the game. Good for her. If she ends up losing the weight she wants, too, then doubly good for her. Makes me glad, though, that I'm just doing this for me. No games, just a quest for a better and longer life ahead.

On the flip side, there was a great gesture of selflessness. Sean and Antoine were one of the two teams that lost the lowest percentage. Dan (the really heavy kid from last season who is back to finish the journey) and Shay (the heaviest person on the Biggest Loser, ever) where the other team. Clearly, for Shay this is a life-or-death experience. At well over 400 pounds, she MUST lose the weight or her life will be cut very short. Since other contestants had to vote to choose which of these two teams had to go home, Sean and Antoine requested that they be the team sent home so Shay could stay. Very classy.

Tough episode to watch, though, with such high highs and low lows. It would be interesting to see what the editors of the Biggest Loser left out of the aired show, hoping to increase the drama by slanting how it all appears to the viewers. Too bad. When people aren't being petty, and the trainers aren't being arrogant, it's an extremely motivating and educational show.

I did well today. I got a 6-inch sub at Subway: turkey breast and ham, tomatoes, green peppers, lettuce, on a 9-grain wheat bun. Their napkins have the calorie count of some of their sandwiches, and this one has 300 calories. Plus, I've gotten used to eating less at a time, so one 6-inch sub holds me for 2 meals. Had a banana this evening for a snack. Will have some yogurt later on. Plus, I did some walking, a little time on my bike, and some stair-climbing. Not a terribly long time spent at any one of them -- my back still won't let me do much. But it's more activity than what I used to do, so I'm happy with it.

So...another day done and another step taken toward my goal. Little by little.....

Week 3, Day 1

Today's message is brought to you by the letter "M" and by the numbers 2, 5, and 2. Yes indeed, in spite of myself, I have gone from 259 to 252. Next week I hope to be in the 240's. I wish I could drop the double digits like they do on the show, but I'll settle for what I'm doing. It's so much better than never having started this journey and face the dark future that looms for those who choose to remain too fat. Even though the progress is slow, I am determined to achieve my goals for a healthier and more fit future. And for those who are traveling with me on this trip, working hard to lose their own pounds, thank you -- stay with me. Together we can do ANYTHING!

Week 2, Day 7

The day before my second weigh-in, and I couldn't be further from my goals. We spent most of the day in Iowa at my parents' house, and I ate way more than I normally would and food I shouldn't be eating on a diet. But how do you tell an 80 year old woman that the waffles she just made for breakfast and is so pleased to put on the table are yummies you can't eat? Or that the egg salad sandwich for lunch can't be on the menu? And the beef burrito with rice for dinner? Nope, I'm not going to hurt her feelings, and I'm not going to make a big deal of the diet. I ate, but I tried really hard to eat slowly and eat as little as possible without risking making her think I didn't like her food. I love my mama so very much, and the time with her is drawing far too short. I will find a way to be successful at achieving my health and fitness goals, but I will only do it in a loving way.

We got home late this evening. But I'm going to stay up late enough to put some serious time in on my bike after Adam goes to bed. And I'll brace myself for tomorrow.

Week 2, Day 6

I'm sitting here in a little town in rural Iowa, staying at my parents' house after having just spent the day celebrating my daughter-in-heart's birthday. (I refuse to use the term "daughter-in-law" unless totally necessary...it's such a cold term and doesn't reflect how much I adore her.) She looked especially pretty today, and she seemed to enjoy her gifts. Of course, an ample portion of today was also devoted to being a silly grandmother and playing with my grandbaby, the Mighty Liam. We played pat-a-cake, and we played noise games and tickle games, and we chatted about the doggie. At only 13 months old, he's just now becoming truly interactive and lots of fun. Days like today remind me of why I'm trying to lose weight: I want to be around for many, many more happy occasions with the family I love so very much. And unless I lose this weight, I won't be. 'Nuff said.

I ate well. One half a chicken breast sandwich with tomato and lettuce for breakfast. Then when we got to Iowa, I had a slice of ham, about a half a cup of mixed veggies, and a little bit of the fruity jello Mom made. I did okay with the birthday cake, too. Only a half a piece, and I ate it slowly so I oculd really enjoy each bite. It was good, but I don't think I'll want more dessert this coming week. I don't crave the sweets like I used to, and I'd just as soon have a banana or some yogurt after dinner. I think a major part of that is remembering that sweets only delay my progress on this diet. And why would I want to do that?

And now I'm off to bed. Happy Birthday, Victoria. I love you.