Week 6, Day 4

I walked this evening until I thought my legs were going to spontaneously combust. I forgot to put my pedometer on, though, so I don't know how far I actually walked. But I'm pretty sure it was far enough to do some good. When I get done here, I'm going to also do some weights work on my arms.

Food has consisted of oatmeal for breakfast, grilled chicken with onions, mushrooms, and green peppers for lunch, and a peanut butter and banana sandwich for dinner.

Today I've been wearing a smaller size pair of slacks, two sizes down from what I have worn for several months. It's probably smaller than I ought to wear -- it's a very tight fit. But the size I had been wearing got annoying because I could no longer keep them pulled up enough to not drag on the ground. It's a great problem to have! But wearing too-small slacks isn't great. I definitely need to drop more weight fast enough to make these things more presentable in public.

We did some leaf peeping today, driving around to see the beautiful Fall colors. They're prettier this year than I've seen them for awhile. Next year I want to be healthy enough to see them by taking a long walk through the park. It's kind of exciting to think about doing things like that again in the not-so-distant future! Enough to keep me pushing forward, even on the days that aren't as pretty and uplifting as today. :)

Week 6, Day 3

Another day of vacation, and I only cheated a teeny bit on my diet -- a chocolate chip cookie after dinner. But if anyone has ever had a cookie from Paradise Bakery & Cafe, they'll understand why I couldn't resist! At least I redeemed myself by getting in some walking at Whole Foods. I covered each aisle and did the perimeter of the entire store twice.

While there, I picked up some flourless 7-grain sprouted bread. Sprouting increases vitamin content, neutralizes phytic acid – a substance present in grains – that inhibits absorption of nutrients, and sprouting neutralizes or "predigests" grains through enzymatic activity, thus breaking down amino acid protein bonds to promote digestibility of the entire grain.It's a little more expensive than regular whole wheat bread, but it's very dense and filling. I end up eating less of it, so the price thing evens out.

I live in a 2-story home and have been having trouble with the stairs for quite awhile. My usual way of climbing the stairs has been sort of like a 3-year old -- one step, both feet on the step, next step, both feet on the step, etc. Today I did it like a grown up for the first time in about a year. I was a little winded at the top of the staircase, but I'm making progress. My goal is to be able to get where I can use the stairs as part of my exercise arsenal. I will never be "normal" for reasons to numerous to mention here ("ecclectic" is the word I use to describe my personality), but I'm headed toward the same level of functioning that normal people have. Little by little -- and no giving up. Right? Absolutely!

Week 6, Day 2

I did well eating out tonight. Grilled tilapia over a bed of shoestringed veggies. Very yummy and diet-friendly. Amazingly filling, too. It's three hours since we ate, and I'm still full. In the past, I would never have chosen this dinner, instead going straight for something with pasta or something with sauces or gravy. I probably would have justified it by taking some of it home with me, figuring that it's not so bad if I break it up into two meals. What a shame that all these years I've missed out on really tasty, healthy food.

My back has been killing me today, so exercise has been limited to working on my arms with the weights. I hate it that I have arm wattles, so I'm content to put extra time in on slimming my arms.

Today is Wednesday, "hump day" for many. For us it's the first day of Adam's vacation. Yippy Skippy!! I just need to stay diligent on my diet this week, allowing a few cheats, but sticking with it as much as I can. No vacation from healthy habits!

Week 6, Day 1

Not a great weigh in. But not terrible. I did my best this week, and that's what matters the most. So I'll take 248. For now. And I'll keep working toward my goal.

The Biggest Loser tonight was good. I liked seeing the folks at home and how they lost weight in spite of the struggles and temptations. I forget which lady it was who was out with her family and not happy with the greasy, unhealthy choices her husband was making. I am beginning to see some foods that way. I still love sweets (I had a small piece of pumpkin pie tonight). But I'm not happy with burgers (they now give me diarrhea), and I can't remember the last time I ate a french fry. Even pizza doesn't seem appealing now.

I had the usual chicken and fat-free cheese sandwich for breakfast, a chef salad for lunch, and a yogurt for dinner. A little bit of walking tonight. Tomorrow Adam's week of vacation starts. We don't have anything particular planned, but I hope his being home incites me to greater activity. I can't help but think it will be an easier week without his coming home each night smelling of tempting food! Wish me luck.

Week 5, Day 7

Last night my son Adam said, "You're looking thinner!" He is now my favorite. :) ((Just kidding, Daniel -- I love you and your brother both the same, and I adore your wife as if she were my very own **insert any other applicable Mommy-isms**.)) I don't feel thinner yet, and I anticipate the scales at tomorrow's weigh-in will not show any loss. But it was nice to hear the positive vibes.

I've eaten okay today. A large bowl of oatmeal (thanks Susan for the suggestion!), two chicken and fat-free cheese sandwiches. I need some veggies, too, but I'm not hungry right now. Maybe later for a snack.

Exercise hasn't been as big a thing today as it probably should have. My back hurts, so I've been doing just a bit of work on my sexy recumbent bike and a little time swinging the hand weights.

I keep intending to mention that I am taking vitamins through all of this. I think that's really important. Not just from a healthy weight-loss perspective, but also especially this year with the whole swine flu thing. It's hard for me, though. I'm just great at developing bad habits, but I've always been miserable about the good ones.

Anyway, I take a multivitamin by Shaklee, plus garlic and an herbal blend that goes by the brand name Clear Lungs that I get from Whole Foods. When I remember to, I also take a calcium supplement that has magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in it -- the brand name is Posture-D and I get it from Walgreens. Here's my rationale: Shaklee makes their vitamins from whole foods and cold processes them so the nutrients aren't lost; garlic has long been known to be good for a myriad of ailments; Clear Lungs works great in managing my asthma; and Posture-D has all the goodies I want from a calcium supplement, all in one. ((Full disclosure: years and years ago I sold Shaklee. I still can, but it's not a focus of mine.))

I hope everyone reading this has someone in their lives who tells them they look great, and I hope everyone who is on a weight loss journey does so with their best health in mind along the way.

Week 5, Day 6

Whew! I just got back from a 45 minute walk around the supermarket. Since I no longer shop from the interior aisles, I walk there and can walk at a pretty rapid pace. I had a huge bowl of salad with chicken breast before I went, so I wasn't tempted at all by the yummy stuff -- frozen goodies like peppermint or double fudge brownie ice cream, or the array of candy bars at the checkout. In fact, I must be making progress because I looked at the ingredients and calories-to-serving-size ratio, and I was disgusted.

I heard sometime recently that if something has more than 5 ingredients, beware. Plus, why spend 300 calories on a half a cup of double fudge brownie ice cream when for the same amount of calories I could have a boatload of veggies or three six ounce cups of smooth, creamy yogurt? Unless I'm craving chocolate -- which I'm not today, it's not worth the caloric expense or the health implications of ingesting unhelpful chemicals.

Tip for today: My friend Kathy has a friend who lost 120 pounds in 2 years. Kathy says, "When she first started she also used a sandwich plate as her dinner plate. She said it helped her feel like she was still getting a full plate of food but had smaller portions.". Great idea, Kathy! Thanks for sharing.

Week 5, Day 5

Back to semi-normal today -- I say "semi" because I've never been completely normal. That would be too boring. But I felt good today. Spent some time on the bike several times throughout the day. I forgot to keep track of how many miles. But that's okay. I found it a lot easier to put in time biking doing a few minutes throughout the day rather than try for 30 minutes or an hour all at once.

My goal is to be in good enough shape by Spring that I can get a regular bicycle and go outside biking through the neighborhood. When I was young, I biked all the time, especially during summer break from school. Gosh, I'd go all day, day after day, just biking all over town. I lived in a small town, then. Living in a city now, I would be more careful about the paths I take -- city traffic is dangerous enough when there's a bunch of metal between me and the nut jobs in other cars. Omaha doesn't have bike lanes on the main roads, either. That's one of many things I miss about living in Denver. With so much emphasis on "green" energy and reducing our carbon imprint, you would think more cities would encourage bicycling.

Food today was alright so far -- sandwich with whole wheat bread, chicken, and fat-free cheese, a half a cup of chili, and two yogurts. I am hungry right now for some veggies, so I might have a small bowl of soup for a late-night snack.

Tip for Today: My friend Beth suggests this for conquering the 10:30am munchies --- "Handful of almonds, some dark chocolate morsels and some dried cranberries mid- morning is a great healthy filler." Thanks, Beth!

Week 5, Days 3 and 4

The cloud: the back pain is back in full force and I can barely move. The silver lining: my appetite is reduced to nearly nothing. For two days I've had a couple of sandwiches and a bowl of oatmeal.

My doggie, Cinnamon, has been by my side through it all, snuggling and being very loving. I completely adore her, and I think she's pretty darned fond of me, too. There's something about that kind of innocent love that makes me want to keep trying, even on days like these when it would be so easy to give up. Thank you, Lord, for the love of tiny creatures.

Week 5, Day 2

Still looking for yummy recipes that fit with a weight loss regimen. The best laid plans, as they say.... My soup is crappy because what few noodles I put in turned to mush. Must be a sign to give up even those few noodles. Plus, I need to get a little better with spices because it tastes kind of bland to me.

Had to get creative with the exercise today. More upper body than bothering my legs right now. Adam was right -- my legs needed a day off from walking. But I like doing something each day--anything to keep moving forward. It's a different habit for me, but more and more I feel really good about it.

I had oatmeal for breakfast. I'm not usually a fan of oatmeal until it gets cold out, and today is cold and rainy -- the perfect weather for a hot bowl of oats. Had a banana sandwich with a tablespoon of peanut butter for lunch. And a half a cup of leftovers from last night's dinner by Adam.

Today's Tip: My friend Ann Marie posted something interesting on her Facebook wall today. I had read this before, but it bears repeating. Ann Marie said, "Heard an interesting comment about tv watching and gaining weight. They said those that watched less tv are more likely to keep off the weight they have lost in 1 year than those that don't (2 pounds gained back vs. 9). In fact, they recommend ...less than 10 hours a week."

Week 5, Day 1

I've been at this a full month, and today my weight sits at 249. Ten pounds gone -- not as much as I was hoping for by this date, but I'm okay with it. Not only are 10 pounds gone, but I'm also able to walk more than I could, and I've changed my dumbbells from 5 pounds to 8 pounds. I call that a month of success!

I walked again tonight, the fourth night in a row. I couldn't do as much tonight because I'm really sore. But according to my pedometer, I did a third of a mile, this time with no brief breaks. Add to that the roughly three miles in the three previous nights combined -- not too bad for a previously-sedentary person with a bad back and asthma. :) Adam suggested that I take a rest from walking tomorrow since I'm so sore tonight. We'll see. I'm leaning toward going ahead and heading out to walk anyway since there will be plenty of days in the coming months of winter when I won't be able to go out.

Food...I wasn't such a good girl about that today. I had pasta and chicken with a cheese sauce for dinner. Not a lot of it. My stomach has shrunken, and I can't hold as much as I used to. But still... What happened was that I baked a family-sized package of chicken breasts, and with some of it I made soup, and with the rest of it Adam made dinner. He knows I like pasta, chicken, and cheese and he wasn't thinking about the diet I'm on. He's a really good cook, so it tasted wonderful. He tried something while cooking the pasta that he had learned in a book about the Culinary Institute of America. Not a big deal, but it added some subtle but wonderful flavor to the overall meal -- he put the seasonings in the pasta water so the pasta picked up the flavors of the spices. He wants to much to go to the culinary institute here in Omaha. I wish we were financially set enough that he could do that. Someday... In the meantime, if he makes me something for dinner that isn't diet-friendly, I'm NOT going to refuse to eat it or even mention the diet. He's such a sensitive, caring son -- I'm so fortunate -- and I would never want him to feel bad about something he created for me.

Of course, tonight was another episode of the Biggest Loser. I'm kind of disappointed this season. Most of the contestants seem rather petty. I have yet to see any focus on Daniel, the young guy they brought back from another season to finish his rather daunting journey, or on Abby as she struggles through this (she's the lady who lost her husband and two children in a car accident). Like Abby said earlier, if she can get up every morning and work on her weight loss, anybody can! Instead they focus on the soap-opera-esque squabbles and machinations by all too many of this seasons contestants. I want to be educated and inspired like I was in previous seasons! I used to feel like these were people just like me. This time I'm glad they and I have nothing in common.

Still, for all my disappointment with this season, I did get a good tip tonight. Bob Harper, one of the trainers, suggested a different type of push-ups for those of us who can't do regular push-ups yet. He called them wall push-ups. Stand a bit away from the wall, put your arms straight out in front of you so your hands are on the wall, and push away. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it's less stressful because you're not pushing up against gravity. He said you could also lean onto a desk or table and push away. I'm going to give it a try! If I can do that kind of push-up for now, then sooner or later I'll be able to do the regular kind. And in the meantime, I'll have a little more variety in my routine -- something to do when my legs are too tired from walking. :)

And so it goes... another week of work ahead. Miles to walk, calories to count, and a slimmer, healthier me to pursue.