Week 18, Day 4

I saw a video clip today from the Biggest Loser where trainers Bob and Jillian were discussing what to do to keep Michael on the ranch. I guess it's not so good to appear to favor one contestant over the others, but I think they're worried that if he goes home now -- only 2 weeks into it -- he'll die. He's the heaviest contestant ever, beginning at 526 pounds. I can see why they're concerned. One of the things Jillian said was to cut his calories to 800 and remove all carbs. Wow. That's not a lot of calories at all! She's always the one who says that you shouldn't cut too many calories or your body will start holding on to fat, thinking it's starving. I was worried that maybe I wasn't eating enough, but I think I'm going to aim for about 800, too. For a little while anyway. I think actually that I'm already near there. And I really want to take as many pounds off as I can before we get knee-deep involved in the medical stuff with Dad. We haven't heard yet what the doctor has decided, but no matter what the verdict, it will be hard, and I know I will have a harder time sticking to this diet then. The more weight I can take off now, the better it will be. So...I'll drop my calories as much as I can without driving myself nuts, and I'll increase my exercising from one hour to two -- incrementally, but as quickly as I can tolerate.

Food today -- two yogurts for breakfast, a half a sandwich for lunch, and a bowl of peas and rice for dinner. Exercising isn't done, but it's mostly the usual stuff -- weight work on my arms, recumbent bike, leg lifts. I've had a sinus headache all day, so all I've really wanted to do was lay down and hope the pain goes away. But at least I've gotten a little bit done.

Today's Tip:
I write for a living, and I can tell you for a fact that considerable time, money, and effort is spent in advertising to make you believe. To believe that something containing "natural ingredients" is safe, never thinking that hemlock and arsenic are natural, too. To believe that "fortified" means better, not realizing that products like white bread must be fortified because the heavy processing completely strips all nutrients out of what used to be a wholesome product --and to make you actually believe that Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms are a wholesome, healthy way to start the day because they are "fortified". To believe that "corn-fed" beef comes from cattle romping freely through pristine cornfields instead of being force fed in crowded factory feedlots sub-standard corn that's not fit for human consumption, nevermind that cows are not biologically fit for digesting corn, and thus need antibiotics to offset the ensuing damage. And so today's tip is to never EVER believe the hype on the front of a box or can of food. (In fact, are you sure it's even really "food"? Don't believe it.)

Week 18, Day 3

I was off to a good start this morning. Lots of energy. Did some leg lifts upstairs and some weight work on my arms. I'm still having trouble getting the heavier weights over my head without a LOT of pain, but I'm doing much better with curls and lifts. I intended to go out for a walk this afternoon. But good intentions are only half the battle. The other half never materialized. Adam is still not feeling well, and I just stayed inside with him and worked on the computer. Oh well. The evening isn't over yet. I hope I rev up my internal energy enough to at least spend some time on my bike. I really want to lose that remaining 22 pounds to get me under 200. I just gotta want it badly enough to work at it a little harder. But where'd my energy go? I feel like a deflated balloon right now. ::sigh::

I have eaten okay today -- better than yesterday, for sure. I had a cup of whole wheat cereal for breakfast. A bag of peas and a few noddles for lunch. I'm about to have some yogurt and a half a sandwich. And I'll probably have a bit more yogurt later on. Actually, as I think back to a year ago, I'm eating a LOT better than before. No fast food. A lot more meals at home. And a lot less mindless munching. Yayee!

Today's Tip:
Interested in how many calories you burn in an exercise session? Here's a link to an Exercise Expenditure Chart on Jillian Michaels' website: http://www.jillianmichaels.com/lose-weight/expenditurechart.aspx Exercise Expenditure Chart

Week 18, Day 2

I was escorting my dad all over the hospital today for tests, back and forth, north tower to south tower and back again, and it was really nice to not have to constantly ask every little bit if we could stop and sit so I could recover before we went a little bit further. (We'll know the results of the tests in a few days -- please keep praying for him.) I don't know if he noticed what I could do, but I know he always noticed and felt bad for me before when I couldn't go very far without needing to rest. It's nice to not be obviously worrying him now.

I've eaten well ...and not...today. I had yogurt and a banana for breakfast. Then once the tests were over at the hospital, Dad was hungry and wanted to get lunch. I had meatloaf and mashed potatoes -- no gravy, no butter. I don't know if the potatoes were a good choice or if I should have gone for the green beans or carrots -- the only other veggie choices. But the beans and carrots looked really overcooked. So I felt okay with the potatoes. And then for dinner...and this is where I really failed...I had a soda and a Kit Kat. I couldn't help it. My dad has something wrong with him that he has slim chances of surviving, my mother is getting more frail each day, Adam is sick, I hardly ever get a chance to talk to First Son now that he's busy with Wifey, Little Man, and work (I miss him!), and ...I just needed some chocolate and a fizzy drink. Okay, yes I know I could have helped myself and I didn't actually *need* a soda and a Kit Kat. And tomorrow I won't have either.

On the plus side of my development of my new suit (besides eating only 1 Kit Kat instead of the 6 I wanted to), I did a lot of walking at the hospital today, I did some weight work with my arms (and yes, they still hurt from moving up from 8 pound weights to 15 pound weights, but not as much --yayee!), and I'm going to spend some time on the bike tonight. Not too bad for the day. It helps that my back hasn't been hurting. This is the first day in a couple of weeks that it hasn't hurt. I think the warmer weather has helped. And the lack of pain has helped me be more active. I'm eager for another 50 pounds to be gone -- it's gotta be infinitely easier to move around when I'm not carrying that added weight with me.

Today's Tip:
The fitness DVD that First Son and Wifey got me for Christmas is awesome. For those of us who can't be on the Biggest Loser ranch, this is the next best thing! And now Amazon is having an awesome sale on fitness DVDs. Save up to 50% on Fitness DVDs! Click here to go straight to Amazon before their great sale ends!!!

Week 18, Day 1

A couple of days ago I switched from 8 pound weights to 15 pounds. I was ready, and the added weight isn't impossible to handle. But it's sure not easy. I liked easy. I'll like this better when 15 pounds doesn't hurt so much. In fact, I think I'll do a little bragging about it. I will have earned it. :)

Speaking of earning some bragging rights, I'm at 221 today. Perspective is everything. There was a time when I would have been appalled at weighing 221. Today I'm delighted. Only 22 pounds to go to get under 200! I know for sure I can do that by my birthday. Heck, I'm pretty sure I can do that by Valentine's Day! In Sept 2007 I weighted 279. The thought of being this close to being under 200 completely thrills me!

Last night Adam and I went out to eat with friends. They wanted to go to Cracker Barrel. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that restaurant, it is a place with yummy down-home country cooking, complete with veggies soaked in fat, meats covered in gravies, and king-sized servings of all kinds of goodies that really aren't good for anyone watching their waistline. And I'm a complete sucker for their chicken and dumplings and their blackberry cobbler. Massive quantities of both. Last night was a big test for me. But I was good. I think so anyway. I ordered the meatloaf dinner. I've had the meatloaf there before, and I don't think it's full of a lot of bread and fillers. It has ground beef, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and of course an egg to hold it together. And for the side dishes that come with it --and they don't have much that's healthy to order from since most of the actual veggies seem to be laden in grease -- I ordered corn, hash brown casserole, and dumplings (my favorite thing on the menu). I ate the corn, most of the meat loaf, half the hash brown casserole (which isn't like a full-blown whole casserole, but rather a small dish of cheese covered hash browns), and two bites of the dumplings. Adam ate the rest of the dumplings, and I left the rest of the food behind once I was full. No dessert. I didn't even look at the dessert options. And I was okay with all of it. Actually, I was surprised. I was looking forward to the dumplings, and they tasted kind of like cardboard to me. I don't think they've changed, though. I have. So...I still like Cracker Barrel, and it's a great place to go for comfort food. And now I know that I can go there and not completely blow my diet. It was a good night.

Today's Tip:
Dieting can sometimes be like walking across a field full of landmines on a beautiful Spring day. You have the advantage of knowing where the landmines are, though. You have to be careful or you're going to blow it, but you do know what your temptations are, what foods you ought to stay away from, what places and times of day cause you problems. Be careful and diligent. But also enjoy the scenery as you cross the field, and stop to smell the roses once in awhile.

Week 17, Day 7

OMG OMG OMG!!! I love a bargain, and I just found out that Amazon is having a huge sale on DVDS, including Biggest Loser workout DVDS and some by Jillian Michaels. The prices are awesome, as low as $5.99. I'm glad I have some Christmas money left! Here's the link directly to the page at Amazon: Great Deals on Biggest Loser DVDS!!

I've already spent some time on the bike today and have done some weight work on my arms. I switched to 15 pound weights yesterday, up from 8 pound weights. So I'm making some progress. I'm feeling it, though! Wow, I hurt! But that's okay. As they say, no pain, no gain.

No food yet today. I just haven't been hungry. I know, I know -- I should eat. But so far water has kept me happy, and Adam and I are going out later on. I'll eat then. (Do as I say, not as I do?) :)


Today's Tip:
I saw this in a press release from the American Dietetic Association and was really alarmed by it. If you're counting on food labels and restaurants to tell you the truth about calorie counts, don't! Read the following and take this into account when figuring your caloric intake for the day:

In a study published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from Tufts University found that some commercially prepared foods contained more calories than indicated in nutritional labeling.

Measured energy values of 29 quick-serve and sit-down restaurant foods averaged 18% more calories than the stated values. Likewise, measured energy values of 10 frozen meals purchased from supermarkets averaged 8% more calories than stated on the label.

The commercially prepared restaurant foods and supermarket frozen convenience meals were obtained in the Boston, MA, area. The energy content was measured and compared with nutrition data stated by the vendor or manufacturer. The restaurant chains included both quick-serve and sit-down establishments with broad distribution throughout the United States.

Because the goal of the study was to examine the accuracy of stated energy content of foods typically selected for weight control, specific restaurant menu items were chosen based on three criteria. Selected foods were (1) less than 500 kcal/serving as stated on the label, (2) typical American foods and (3) among those with the lowest stated energy contents on the menu. Supermarket purchases were focused on frozen complete meals that would be alternative choices to eating out.

The authors found a further complication with some restaurant meals. Five restaurants provided side dishes at no extra cost. The average energy provided by these items was 471 kcal, which was greater than the 443 kcal for the entrées they accompanied. Furthermore, some individual foods had discrepancies that were extreme, including three supermarket-purchased complete meals and seven restaurant foods that containing up to twice their stated energy contents.

The authors also note that the US Food and Drug Administration allows up to 20% excess energy content but weight must be no less than 99% of the stated value. This might lead manufacturers to add more food to the package to insure compliance with the weight standards and thereby exceed the stated energy content.

Week 17, Day 6

I thought since the weather was warmed up into the 20s ABOVE zero today -- the first day significantly above zero in quite awhile, that I would be full of all kinds of energy and eagerness to be outside enjoying these nearly balmy temperatures. Not so. I went out, but 20 is still darned cold and I was happy to get back home. It didn't help that I was battling the after-church crowd at the store when I was trying to walk. I'd walk a few steps and wait, walk down an aisle and find the next one jammed up, turn a corner and be cut off. Oh well, better luck tomorrow I guess.

Food: Oops...some junk today. I had some chicken noodle soup with croutons in it. Then I ate the rest of the croutons. I couldn't help myself. Darn. No self-control. I simply can't buy that kind of stuff anymore. I also indulged in a soft drink. Mountain Dew has a new limited-time drink called Mountain Dew Throwback, which is made with real sugar instead of that awful high fructose corn syrup. It was awesome. :) That should do it for awhile, though. It's not like I want to go out and buy a six-pack of the stuff. I hope they keep it around, though. If I ever have another soft drink, I would much rather stay away from HFCS and I'll look for Throwback. I'll have some yogurt and a banana later on. At least something healthy will pass my lips today. :)

Exercise: Leg lifts, walking at the store, weight work on my arms, and some biking tonight.

Today's Tip:
Are you willing to go the extra mile for a friend? I've known Charlotte for over 35 years, and I'd like to know her for 35 more. But she's a smoker. She wants to quit, but like so many others addicted to tobacco, she can't seem to stop. And I guess she could make similar statements about my addiction to crappy food. Charlotte reads A New Suit for inspiration, and she's one of my dearest friends. So as of today, we are committed to conquering our demons together. Each day she will try to not smoke. Just that day. Not a long term promise to never smoke again. Just a promise to not smoke that day. And I am going to do two things: 1) I am going to send her text messages whenever I can to encourage her to stay strong, and 2) each day I am going to ride my bike my usual amount -- that is, until I am simply too tired to ride anymore, and then I'm going to ride one extra mile for Charlotte. Do you have a friend or loved one you can ride the extra mile for? If you do only that one extra mile each day, at the end of the month you will have ridden 30 extra miles, or 365 extra miles in a year. That's a powerful boost to your fitness regimen and a great tribute to your friend or loved one! And maybe knowing you're going the extra mile for them will be the inspiration they need to save their own lives.

Week 17, Day 5

Welcome to the 100th post here at A New Suit! Out of curiosity, I also weighed in today, and I'm at 224 which is a 35 pound loss. Only a gazillion to go to reach my goal--ha! But I'm well on my way and just need to keep going. Can't wait to get below 200! I'm a short, short woman, so it will be nice to not look so darned roly poly. And I think the lack of weight will be liberating and will make everything -- breathing, moving, exercising, LIVING -- so much easier.

Okay, time to fess up. Food: sandwich, yogurt, a cup of mac and cheese. I think I might have a bowl of veggies before bed. Exercise: leg lifts, weight work for my arms, and some bike time. Same old kind of stuff. But tomorrow the weather is supposed to be a balmy 20 degrees ABOVE zero rather than these past many days of below zero temps, so I'm headed out to do some walking. Yippy!

Today's Tip:
Sometimes the lure of fast food is really tempting, isn't it? Maybe even something simple like a fish sandwich. Doesn't have to be a fat-laden cheeseburger. Or how about some chicken nuggets? After all, some places make them with white meat, right? Or maybe a better choice would just be an energy bar or a glass of fruit juice. Well, before you give in to that hankering for the food-like substances served at fast food places, and certainly before you decide to opt for anything else, take a look at this from Eat This, Not That: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/whats-your-food#title Somehow those nuggets just don't seem quite so tempting. Come to think of it, the fruit juice seems a bit dubious now, too. Tomorrow I'll give you some better snack ideas.

Week 17, Day 4

I haven't been out of the house for DAYS. And I think I'm pretty happy about that. Between the snow and ice and temps waaaay below zero and the multiple wrecks out there caused by insane people who don't know when it's a good time to stay home or AT LEAST when it's time to drive slower, I'm okay with being safe inside. I have to go pick up Adam at work tonight, though. The temp will be 24 below zero. The shivering ought to burn a few extra calories. That and having Adam home again will be my silver lining. (He's a neat kid -- I wish you all could meet him.)

I've done pretty well today, both on the exercising and food fronts. I did leg lifts this morning, a half hour of weight work for my arms while watching TV this afternoon, and 20 minutes of biking this evening. I had a half a sandwich for breakfast, the other half for lunch, and a couple of yogurts for dinner. I think I'll have a cup of soup a little later after I get home from picking up Adam. I need to go easy on the reading -- I feel much more upbeat when I'm not spending several hours at one time reading about how awful our food supply is. I think I'll limit it to maybe an hour a day and spend the rest of the time doing something more active. Sounds like a plan!

Today's Tip:
Do you know what your BMR is? I always wondered how many calories it takes to keep this old machine running. My fear was that since I'm not a terribly active person, it's probably something like 300 calories a day and I'm just going to spend the rest of my life either having to starve myself to lose weight or resign myself to the fact that I will continue to gain. Not so!!! I get Jillian Michael's newsletter, and she tells how to calculate your BMR -- basal metabolic rate, or how many calories you burn just at absolute minimum capacity (like me -- the quintessential couch potato). Her explanation and formula for figuring out your own BMR can be found here: http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/BMR-formula As for me, unless I am a complete dolt with math (and that's not too far from the truth), my BMR is about 1670. That's waaaay more than I thought it would be! Not that I'm going to use that as permission to go hog-wild with food. But it does make me feel a lot more hopeful about my chances of actually reaching my weight loss goals.

Personal note:
My dad's having a test this coming Wednesday to help the doctors decide what can be done about his aneurysm. He is too old for them to hold out much hope for his surviving the full-blown repair surgery, and right now they think the aneurysm is too large for a stent to work. Please keep him in your prayers.

Week 17, Day 3

I don't know why lately I can't seem to find food that actually satisfies me. I don't know what I want. Nothing we have in the house, for sure. But even the other day when I was at the grocery store, I couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted. I think it must be partly the curse that comes with knowing that most of what I ate before wasn't really food. It masqueraded as food. The store said it was food. I think most people would believe as I did that it was, indeed, food. But now I know better. And nothing going into my mouth seems to give me the same "ahhhhhh...." feeling I had before. The temptation is to keep eating until I get that feeling. I think that must be what I did before and what a lot of people do. It's not so much hunger as it is a lack of "ahhhhhhh....." from eating.

Do you remember my telling you about the book I was reading, In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan? Well, right now I'm reading his other book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. Same kind of thing, but more detailed in the actual production of so-called food, the travels and travails as it goes from field to table. It's a more challenging book to read, not the quick read that In Defense of Food was. I think that's because I keep having to put it down and digest (serendipitous pun) the information before I can move on and read more. Ugh. I'm so disgusted with the entire food thing. In America, of all places, how did we allow ourselves to get to this point where most of what's in a grocery store isn't really food? The world has looked to us for leadership, and we've let them and ourselves down. All for politics and money. It does give me much more impetus to visit the local farmer's markets this coming Spring and Summer. And it certainly gives me a lot more respect for the actual food I do eat. The way we do our food chain now is disgusting, but the way God intended it is really quite amazing.

Okay, back to the weight loss thing. Exercise: I seem to do the bulk of it in the evening, and as usual, I haven't done much today yet. I've done some leg lifts, and I'll do some upper body work later on. I'll try to put in some time on the bike, too. Food: A couple slices of french toast -- 7-grain bread, two eggs, and a drizzle of organic maple syrup, a turkey and cheese sandwich, and I'll have some yogurt later on.

Today's Tip:
For weight loss to be sustainable and healthy, it needs to be about not just changing your body but also changing your mind. Unless you change your mind about food, thus changing your habits and desires, you will fall back into the same old way of doing things when you reach your target weight. Weight loss, ideally, is about good health and fitness (instead of just a vanity thing). So learning about your food -- indeed, what food actually IS, what your body actually needs, etc. will help you develop a new healthy relationship with your food and establish the eating habits that will help you not only lose weight, but also maintain that weight loss and obtain optimal health as you go through life.

Week 17, Day 2

I must be genetically part bear. The lovable, cuddly kind, not the I'm-going-to-maul-you-to-death kind. Definitely. We got an extra 4 inches of snow on the ground today, and the wind chill is supposed to be 35 below zero. I want to hibernate. Of course, that doesn't bode well for the whole exercise regimen. I'm tired and feel like just wrapping myself up in a blanket in front of the TV. Which is pretty much all I've done today. But I'm determined to put in some time on the bike tonight and do some upper body work. I've also been pretty good about the food today. A banana, two yogurts, a turkey and cheese sandwich. I think I'll have a bowl of soup later. So not too bad.

There's been a lot of talk today about last night's Biggest Loser. The contestants had to do a public weigh in in their home town before going to the ranch. And apparently a lot of viewers thought that wasn't appropriate. Along the lines of humiliating, cruel and unusual punishment, too dramatic, etc. I'm thinking that's kind of no big deal considering they're going to spend weeks of weigh ins on national TV. What are your thoughts about it?

Today's Tip:
Winter weather can easily sidetrack exercise plans. But seldom does a blizzard or ice storm show up out of nowhere. Plan ahead! If you can't get out to the gym or out to do your regular routine of mall-walking --or whatever your usual thing is --, know ahead of time what your snowbound plan is. No exercise equipment at home? No problem! Fifteen minutes of climbing your stairs at home will work wonders. A 5-pound bag of potatoes, cans of veggies, or a 2-liter of soda works for hand weights. Push-ups, leg lifts, jumping jacks...plenty of things don't even require equipment. Be inventive! And enjoy being inside a warm home, safe and sound. :)