So, after days of cold, raw, rainy weather; the heat is on! I took my dog, met up with my friend K. and her dog Marge; and we drove to the woods, where we walked for two hours in unseasonal muggy warmth. Not fast or even very brisk walking; I couldn't sustain that for so long a time, but I didn't sit down.
Of course, my feet ached for hours afterward.
I took a gamble and have stopped eating today before having reached even a 600-calorie count. I don't recommend such a drastic step for most; but I wanted to try to take off another pound. I've had 6 cups of water (48 fl. oz); which for me is a lot; and some Crystal Light lemonade; and three carrots...So far the scale has not validated my gamble; maybe it will tomorrow...
Staples of my particular diet:
1. Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges - in French Onion, Garlic/Herb, and Original flavors. 35 calories per wedge and quite tasty.
2. Kraft Fat-Free Cheddar slices - 25 calories apiece.
3. Cucumbers
4. Tomatoes
5. Fresh peas in a package (not in pods) - only one local store has them; and I just adore the crunchy taste, even though they're about 120 calories per cup.
6. Salad Confetti, which is a local grocery chain's packaged fresh mixed and chopped radishes, cauliflower, and broccoli - I throw some into my salad and/or frozen entrees as often as possible for extra veggie nutrition.
7. Light/Fat-free lemonade - both Tropicana and Paul Newman brands, though the latter seems easier to find; 10-15 calories per 8 fl. oz. I think.
8. TAB and Diet Pepsi of course
9. Bottled water - Fiji (expensive) and Aquafina (less so) and Dasani - the local tap water is not particularly inspiring.
10. Olives - Trader Joe's Queen Sevillano are my favorites
11. Red wine vinegar, sometimes red wine and garlic vinegar
12. various Lean Cuisine and Weight Watchers frozen entrees; though I have tried to cut back on them; eating 2-4 per week instead of more as I used to.
13. Light/Fat-free yogurt (maximum 120 calories per container, usually less) - my favorite brands are Dannon and YoPlait (even if the latter has high fructose corn syrup, necessitating lower amount of consumption of the brand).
14. water-packed canned tuna
15. Road Food - chewy bars of 90 calories each; my favorite is the divine FiberOne Peanut Butter & Chocolate, but SpecialK and Quaker Oats make some nice flavors too. And I also bring along the 100-calorie packets of almonds, and, especially good, 100-calorie packets of mixed almonds and walnuts. The packets don't hold too many nuts, but do make for a nutritious little snack. And the mixed almonds and walnuts can also enliven a salad.
I'm probably not eating enough fruits. I like an occasional apple; but I don't love them. I do enjoy plums and peaches; which will soon be good. I do consume blueberries and/or blackberries a few days per week.
I made my personal Weight Loss Goal for the end of April, weighing in at 204 lbs., two pounds under my expected loss. I do admit to having cheated twice in the last 10 days; but am going to be good for the next week, since I plan to thoroughly enjoy, in terms of eating, Mother's Day. My mother likes all sorts of fattening foods; she'll pick one type of cuisine and we'll splurge. My mother, of course, is not the obese one in the family!
Still a long road to go...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Luck be a Loser!
There's a song in a musical I once heard, "Luck Be A Lady Tonight", sung by a gambler. Anyway, Luck was with the losing for me yesterday (Monday). I've not only reached my April weight loss goal, but exceeded it.
I weigh at night (sometimes in the mornings too - obsessive much?!). Tonight, after falling asleep at 10 pm and awakening around 2 am; I weighed in at about 204 (Ye Olde Temperamental Scale says either 203 or 204, depending where I move it on the tiled bathroom floor). Since my weight loss goal for April 30 was 206, I'm THRILLED!
I meant to eat a little more today; but I was quite tired this evening. Fatigue is the only thing on earth that can lessen my appetite; so being tired does have an up side! I didn't eat much; and I'd had a fairly good walk - an hour, with about 40 minutes of brisk walking within it, including two sets of fast-walking (where I walk for three minutes or so at a faster pace).
Estimated Total Calorie Count for Monday 4/26/10 was 790.
My Weight Loss Goal for 2010 is to have lost altogether 60 lbs. by New Year's Eve.
Monthly Weight Loss Goals:
Start Weight: 228 in late February
Weighed 216 March 30
204 on April 30 (original goal was 206)
196 on May 31
189 on June 30
182-183 on July 31
175 on August 31
169 on September 30
take a break, with less weight loss, since the Fall/early winter is always a difficult weight loss period for me. This may change.
165-167 on December 30
Wish me luck. Wish that I don't get derailed by boredom or frustration or foot injuries. Pray that I don't lose my liking for cucumbers and carrots!
I weigh at night (sometimes in the mornings too - obsessive much?!). Tonight, after falling asleep at 10 pm and awakening around 2 am; I weighed in at about 204 (Ye Olde Temperamental Scale says either 203 or 204, depending where I move it on the tiled bathroom floor). Since my weight loss goal for April 30 was 206, I'm THRILLED!
I meant to eat a little more today; but I was quite tired this evening. Fatigue is the only thing on earth that can lessen my appetite; so being tired does have an up side! I didn't eat much; and I'd had a fairly good walk - an hour, with about 40 minutes of brisk walking within it, including two sets of fast-walking (where I walk for three minutes or so at a faster pace).
Estimated Total Calorie Count for Monday 4/26/10 was 790.
My Weight Loss Goal for 2010 is to have lost altogether 60 lbs. by New Year's Eve.
Monthly Weight Loss Goals:
Start Weight: 228 in late February
Weighed 216 March 30
204 on April 30 (original goal was 206)
196 on May 31
189 on June 30
182-183 on July 31
175 on August 31
169 on September 30
take a break, with less weight loss, since the Fall/early winter is always a difficult weight loss period for me. This may change.
165-167 on December 30
Wish me luck. Wish that I don't get derailed by boredom or frustration or foot injuries. Pray that I don't lose my liking for cucumbers and carrots!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Trying old pants and chicken-cooking
I tried on an old pair of size 20 pants this morning, one that I haven't been able to wear for a few years. I can wear them now; though they're still a bit snug. A few more pounds and I think I can wear them for several hours and not stretch/tear any fabric. They are more more flattering than my size 22 jeans! (the butt is not so big now, though it can still use much improvement)
Weighed in at 206 last night - Finally shed those two stubborn pounds it took like two weeks to dump. Of course, I did cheat and have some salted peanuts last week.
I did cut down on the food yesterday - ended up with an estimated total calorie count of 854; which I know is low for me; and somewhat unrealistic. I've got to be careful not to overdo the eating today; since I am quite hungry. I also walked for over 90 minutes yesterday; but not my usual intense brisk-to-fast walk; a steady walk, with K. and her dog as well as my Rocky, in the woods.
I did find out, over the weekend, that I can cook reasonably tasty skinless chicken, as well as the wings with skin on them for my mother. Skinless thighs, which evidently just have a little bit more calories/fat/cholesterol in them than skinless breasts, really taste yummy. I've always loved thighs and wings more than breasts; and while I'm dieting, I really need to eat them skinless unless I only want to be able to incorporate a pathetically tiny (for me) amount of one oz chicken into my daily eating.
Cooking Philosophy: Everything Is Better With Cheese!
Weight Loss Corollary: Everything Is Better With Fresh Tomatoes and lots of herbs! Well, at least chicken is, for me.
When I'm cooking chicken for my mother; I can slather on the barbecue sauce and drown it in pepper as well as Lawry's Seasoned Salt and garlic powder. I wish I liked pepper; I heard that cayenne pepper is good, healthwise. For my own chicken, I cut up tomatoes and cook them with the chicken, use a cooking spray and one tablespoon of olive oil (for about two or three servings) and season with Lawry's and garlic powder and basil and tarragon.
I am not a cook; and I don't necessarily recommend people try to duplicate any of these. Most people reading this blog have more cooking experience than I do.
Most of my cooking efforts are also tailored to get me OUT of the kitchen as soon as possible; since staying IN the kitchen frequently results in my tasting the products of my cooking or eating other foods!
Weighed in at 206 last night - Finally shed those two stubborn pounds it took like two weeks to dump. Of course, I did cheat and have some salted peanuts last week.
I did cut down on the food yesterday - ended up with an estimated total calorie count of 854; which I know is low for me; and somewhat unrealistic. I've got to be careful not to overdo the eating today; since I am quite hungry. I also walked for over 90 minutes yesterday; but not my usual intense brisk-to-fast walk; a steady walk, with K. and her dog as well as my Rocky, in the woods.
I did find out, over the weekend, that I can cook reasonably tasty skinless chicken, as well as the wings with skin on them for my mother. Skinless thighs, which evidently just have a little bit more calories/fat/cholesterol in them than skinless breasts, really taste yummy. I've always loved thighs and wings more than breasts; and while I'm dieting, I really need to eat them skinless unless I only want to be able to incorporate a pathetically tiny (for me) amount of one oz chicken into my daily eating.
Cooking Philosophy: Everything Is Better With Cheese!
Weight Loss Corollary: Everything Is Better With Fresh Tomatoes and lots of herbs! Well, at least chicken is, for me.
When I'm cooking chicken for my mother; I can slather on the barbecue sauce and drown it in pepper as well as Lawry's Seasoned Salt and garlic powder. I wish I liked pepper; I heard that cayenne pepper is good, healthwise. For my own chicken, I cut up tomatoes and cook them with the chicken, use a cooking spray and one tablespoon of olive oil (for about two or three servings) and season with Lawry's and garlic powder and basil and tarragon.
I am not a cook; and I don't necessarily recommend people try to duplicate any of these. Most people reading this blog have more cooking experience than I do.
Most of my cooking efforts are also tailored to get me OUT of the kitchen as soon as possible; since staying IN the kitchen frequently results in my tasting the products of my cooking or eating other foods!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Greetings!
Hello!
Welcome to the blog of someone who asks daily: Can an overweight middle-aged woman who hates exercise really, finally succeed at losing weight?
I'll be honest. I'm more than overweight. I;m close to a hundred pounds overweight, which probably qualifies as O-B-E-S-E. I'm 54 years old, 5:2, and last night I weighed 207 lbs. on my ancient bathroom scale. And that's a huge improvement!
Back in February, I finally got sick of being so fat. Not to mention sick of having creaky knees and wearing a Size 24-26 in pants and a whopping 3X in shirts/blouses, and having high cholesterol. I don't know what it was that got me started to really try again, for real, for the first time in over ten years, to lose weight - maybe the fear of Diabetes. (I am really a baby about needles)
The biggest obstacle was that I love food and have been a serial cheat for years. I couldn't go more than a few days without buying potato chips, or Fritos, or salted mixed nuts or salted peanuts or corn nuts, or pizza, or a BLT sandwich, or even all of that in one or two days. Not to mention croissants, or occasional other pastries. If it's salty, fried, bacon, or pizza; I want it and I want it NOW.
And I hate exercise! I don't like group exercise, can't remember various exercise moves even if they've been taught to me; and couldn't jog more than ten ft. if you paid me. If it not for my dog, I wouldn't get any exercise at all, but I do take him out and walk at least 40 minutes a day in addition to short outings to let him relieve himself.
I decided, toward the end of February, that I would make some changes.
So I embarked on the diet I've been following since then - heavy on vegetables, cutting back on processed food and red meat as much as possible, watching the calories, drinking more water, not cheating every few days but allowing myself occasional splurges, and pushing myself harder and faster when I'm out walking my dog.
I've lost 20 pounds, which is just a drop in the bucket as far as the weight I need to shed. I'm starting a blog to write down things I eat, my frustrations and (hopeful) triumphs; and hear from anyone who might want to give me feedback.
I saw my doctor a few weeks ago; and we were both pleased by my weight loss. I lowered my cholesterol by 70 points, though it's still just above the normal range; also my triglycerides and (YAY!) my glucose levels (now smack in the normal range). I've gone down one size in pants and bought some new jeans.
I have a long way to go....
Welcome to the blog of someone who asks daily: Can an overweight middle-aged woman who hates exercise really, finally succeed at losing weight?
I'll be honest. I'm more than overweight. I;m close to a hundred pounds overweight, which probably qualifies as O-B-E-S-E. I'm 54 years old, 5:2, and last night I weighed 207 lbs. on my ancient bathroom scale. And that's a huge improvement!
Back in February, I finally got sick of being so fat. Not to mention sick of having creaky knees and wearing a Size 24-26 in pants and a whopping 3X in shirts/blouses, and having high cholesterol. I don't know what it was that got me started to really try again, for real, for the first time in over ten years, to lose weight - maybe the fear of Diabetes. (I am really a baby about needles)
The biggest obstacle was that I love food and have been a serial cheat for years. I couldn't go more than a few days without buying potato chips, or Fritos, or salted mixed nuts or salted peanuts or corn nuts, or pizza, or a BLT sandwich, or even all of that in one or two days. Not to mention croissants, or occasional other pastries. If it's salty, fried, bacon, or pizza; I want it and I want it NOW.
And I hate exercise! I don't like group exercise, can't remember various exercise moves even if they've been taught to me; and couldn't jog more than ten ft. if you paid me. If it not for my dog, I wouldn't get any exercise at all, but I do take him out and walk at least 40 minutes a day in addition to short outings to let him relieve himself.
I decided, toward the end of February, that I would make some changes.
So I embarked on the diet I've been following since then - heavy on vegetables, cutting back on processed food and red meat as much as possible, watching the calories, drinking more water, not cheating every few days but allowing myself occasional splurges, and pushing myself harder and faster when I'm out walking my dog.
I've lost 20 pounds, which is just a drop in the bucket as far as the weight I need to shed. I'm starting a blog to write down things I eat, my frustrations and (hopeful) triumphs; and hear from anyone who might want to give me feedback.
I saw my doctor a few weeks ago; and we were both pleased by my weight loss. I lowered my cholesterol by 70 points, though it's still just above the normal range; also my triglycerides and (YAY!) my glucose levels (now smack in the normal range). I've gone down one size in pants and bought some new jeans.
I have a long way to go....
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