Sunday, October 30, 2011
Product testing
We bought Dr. Praeger's veggie burgers at Costco because they haven't had Boca Burgers for a while. Hoping to save a few bucks from buying them at Target, we thought it might be worth a try. Scott had them once at a work barbecue and thought they were not bad, but without the "atmosphere" he found them a little less tasty. They taste a bit like egg rolls and are really not bad to taste, but I put cheese on mine and that was definitely a mistake. I think they would be a great ingredient to something else, but I would not recommend them as a burger substitute as I would with a Boca Burger. Scott and I are going to try the rest in a few recipes and if we come up with something tasty and low calorie, we'll be sure to fill you in!
Monday, October 24, 2011
More things no one ever mentions...
When you lose a substantial amount of weight, you're left with all this skin. It hangs, puckers, and flops, but just keep remembering, there less fat in there. Aside from aesthetics, though, come the laws of motion.
First we worked on getting out there; going for walks. Next we increased distance. Finally, we felt the need to increase speed, but by now we've lost so much weight that as we move, the excess keeps going. It's a weird and uncomfortable feeling to have your thigh skin and muscles trying to continue backward when it's time to move forward. It's this indescribable annoyance of walking with hanging flesh. It actually feels like you are working against yourself and therefore can't quite reach the high speeds of walking you might otherwise want to do. Interesting. I wouldn't have predicted the feeling...
But who can afford surgery to get rid of it? Certainly not me. Le sigh.
First we worked on getting out there; going for walks. Next we increased distance. Finally, we felt the need to increase speed, but by now we've lost so much weight that as we move, the excess keeps going. It's a weird and uncomfortable feeling to have your thigh skin and muscles trying to continue backward when it's time to move forward. It's this indescribable annoyance of walking with hanging flesh. It actually feels like you are working against yourself and therefore can't quite reach the high speeds of walking you might otherwise want to do. Interesting. I wouldn't have predicted the feeling...
But who can afford surgery to get rid of it? Certainly not me. Le sigh.
Monday, October 17, 2011
DIY Delicious
My newest acquisition is quite exciting, though it will involve more work. I got a meat grinder which means I can grind my own turkey and chicken. Having seen the price per pound rise steadily as people switch to ground turkey and chicken for health reasons while whole turkey and chicken remain about the same (increasing, yes, but not nearly as quickly) I had the thought that grinding my own couldn't be too hard. HA HA! I have taken meat off chicken before, but to do all that, then grind it and see the amount left was a bit exhausting. I am still thrilled, though, because I can add my own seasonings, do a bunch when they are on sale, freeze it, and still be prepared without spending exorbitant amounts. Besides, it give me the freedom to cut away as much fat as possible. I expect industrial grinders throw in everything except the bone so in theory, mine could be a bit leaner. Let's not even mention the possible preservatives and salts that can be added without you really noticing. It's not something I fret about - partly because the same things could possibly be in the whole foods we buy as well - but I will still convince myself that it's a step in the right direction and I'm nothing if not a proponent for baby steps!
I intend to figure out how to make vegetarian or even vegan sausage, etc. as well so we can hit the farmer's market in summer and create beautiful dishes.
We made stuffed peppers for our Halloween party with the chicken we ground as our trial run. Adding a few ingredients, I noticed that almost everyone gobbled it down. At least I can rest assured that it wasn't terrible tasting... YAY!
I intend to figure out how to make vegetarian or even vegan sausage, etc. as well so we can hit the farmer's market in summer and create beautiful dishes.
We made stuffed peppers for our Halloween party with the chicken we ground as our trial run. Adding a few ingredients, I noticed that almost everyone gobbled it down. At least I can rest assured that it wasn't terrible tasting... YAY!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
My obligation ends right here...
Between my husband and myself, we have lost a lot of weight. We have given advice, talked about how we did it, and been a great example. We have shown that two people who are quite obese can lose a lot of weight. We have rebooted out lives.
But our obligation ends right outside our own skin. Lately, we haven't been losing much. Well, Scott's lost a little more, but I've been fluctuating within a ten pound range. Every time we see people, they ask how much more we have lost. Well, not much recently. I know we have been open and seem happy to accept your praise, but I am not thin. Scott is not thin. We are still not obligated to "you" to lose more weight.
Some of the reactions we get - I know are very well meaning - make me feel unacceptable. I don't really care what you think, but at the same time, "sometimes you need a break" is not as supportive as you think. To me, you are saying "You don't look good enough yet. Lose more." Like I care. I do look good. I want to lose more and I know I'll be ready to recommit soon, but I realize I need to stop pressuring myself to make that commitment today or tomorrow.
It's a heady feeling to have people say you look great, but I'm also not obligated to be grateful for every compliment. I'm done with obligations.
I just want it to be really clear that we are allowed to take an extended break. I also hope people out there who may be reading know it's okay to take a break as long as you feel like it's a good place to do so... We've had enough success at this point to appreciate the break.
But our obligation ends right outside our own skin. Lately, we haven't been losing much. Well, Scott's lost a little more, but I've been fluctuating within a ten pound range. Every time we see people, they ask how much more we have lost. Well, not much recently. I know we have been open and seem happy to accept your praise, but I am not thin. Scott is not thin. We are still not obligated to "you" to lose more weight.
Some of the reactions we get - I know are very well meaning - make me feel unacceptable. I don't really care what you think, but at the same time, "sometimes you need a break" is not as supportive as you think. To me, you are saying "You don't look good enough yet. Lose more." Like I care. I do look good. I want to lose more and I know I'll be ready to recommit soon, but I realize I need to stop pressuring myself to make that commitment today or tomorrow.
It's a heady feeling to have people say you look great, but I'm also not obligated to be grateful for every compliment. I'm done with obligations.
I just want it to be really clear that we are allowed to take an extended break. I also hope people out there who may be reading know it's okay to take a break as long as you feel like it's a good place to do so... We've had enough success at this point to appreciate the break.
A few words about depression.
About 5 years ago when I joined Curves, they gave me a book. I brought it home and it sat around for a couple of months before I read it and when I finally did, I found a lot of information I had heard before. After years of being overweight, you become an arm chair expert on losing weight whether you like it or not. Everyone has advice. Pretty soon you start sorting out the information based on source and practicality. The rest of it gets filed away and dismissed because it's a bunch of hooey. Still, you hear it all. The book had very little "new" information to share, but it did start out by offending me with its chapter about how eating is immature because it is giving in. Whatever! It's called survival instinct whether a person overeats or not. It's about limits. Calling eaters immature is a rude, bullying tactic - something I recognize quickly after years of school bullying.
Anyway, at the end of the book, it claimed to be reporting a series of studies showing how exercise affected depression. The source they used had three groups; one that was on anti-depressant medication, one which combined medication and exercise, and the third used exercise alone to control depression. According to them, of course, because we must sell, sell, sell the gym, they reported that the third group had the most success.
I've dealt with depression, too, and have gotten pretty damn good at hiding it. I've heard eating right and exercise is all a person needs to get over it. I've heard many things relating the two, actually. Reading it in that book gave me so much hope - I pinned everything on it.
Today I would like to say to all those people who say exercise will help with depression: You are all liars. LIARS. After a number of months at Curves, the depression started to settle in. I tried doing things for other people. I tried eating better. I tried exercising even more. I feel sure it wasn't related to my weight or weight loss because it wasn't something that came up when I felt bad, nor did thinking about those things make me feel worse. I just felt blue, then down, then worse and nothing helped. Nothing in my life gave cause for this (just to dispell people who think only when bad things happen to a person do they have the right to be depressed) it was just there like a dark shadow.
Well, maybe I have reason now, but my life is pretty good. I have kept exercising great. Yeah, I haven't been perfect on my diet, but I'm not eating a ton of bad stuff (except when I'm at parties. I don't know what it is, but I'm allowing myself to indulge when I'm in a party setting more than I had been). At home and most of the time, I eat within my calories and even when I go over, there are quite a few great things I'm eating so the bad isn't a bunch of Twinkies or potato chips. Still, it's been bad. Bad enough that I look back at that time at Curves and look at things now and have two cases where I can confirm YOU ARE ALL LIARS. It is ridiculous to think a fat person is depressed because of how they eat or how much they exercise. No one would accuse a skinny person of the same thing.
I don't want to talk about it too much, really, but trying to claw my way out is just as exhausting as being depressed in the first place. Still, I think I've pretty well established my reluctance for medical help no matter how bad things get. Hey, next time I almost bleed to death, I promise to go to a hospital.
Anyway, at the end of the book, it claimed to be reporting a series of studies showing how exercise affected depression. The source they used had three groups; one that was on anti-depressant medication, one which combined medication and exercise, and the third used exercise alone to control depression. According to them, of course, because we must sell, sell, sell the gym, they reported that the third group had the most success.
I've dealt with depression, too, and have gotten pretty damn good at hiding it. I've heard eating right and exercise is all a person needs to get over it. I've heard many things relating the two, actually. Reading it in that book gave me so much hope - I pinned everything on it.
Today I would like to say to all those people who say exercise will help with depression: You are all liars. LIARS. After a number of months at Curves, the depression started to settle in. I tried doing things for other people. I tried eating better. I tried exercising even more. I feel sure it wasn't related to my weight or weight loss because it wasn't something that came up when I felt bad, nor did thinking about those things make me feel worse. I just felt blue, then down, then worse and nothing helped. Nothing in my life gave cause for this (just to dispell people who think only when bad things happen to a person do they have the right to be depressed) it was just there like a dark shadow.
Well, maybe I have reason now, but my life is pretty good. I have kept exercising great. Yeah, I haven't been perfect on my diet, but I'm not eating a ton of bad stuff (except when I'm at parties. I don't know what it is, but I'm allowing myself to indulge when I'm in a party setting more than I had been). At home and most of the time, I eat within my calories and even when I go over, there are quite a few great things I'm eating so the bad isn't a bunch of Twinkies or potato chips. Still, it's been bad. Bad enough that I look back at that time at Curves and look at things now and have two cases where I can confirm YOU ARE ALL LIARS. It is ridiculous to think a fat person is depressed because of how they eat or how much they exercise. No one would accuse a skinny person of the same thing.
I don't want to talk about it too much, really, but trying to claw my way out is just as exhausting as being depressed in the first place. Still, I think I've pretty well established my reluctance for medical help no matter how bad things get. Hey, next time I almost bleed to death, I promise to go to a hospital.
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