It is sooo difficult to avoid sweets, not doubt about it, but I do have a new best friend. Extra Desserts gum. The Chocolate Mint tastes like starlight mint from, childhood! Strawberry Shortcake and Orange Cream are nice, but even better I have enjoyed Root Beer Float and Rainbow Sherbet. (Apple Pie, imo, was a disappointment).
Now when are they going to come out with Fudge Brownie? I mean, they have done well at taming the sweet tooth, but sometimes a gal just want CHOCOLATE! Am I right?!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Update
Yes, we've been neglectful. We've actually been back onto good eating habits along with continuing our walks for the last few weeks. My scale broke, but if my pants are an indication, I've lost at least a few little pounds.
Back on track
Things that are hard to get back to resisting: baking (I so LOVE to bake!), putting sauces on food to make them more palatable, and choosing butter OR jam for toast; not both. In comparing stories, I hear much about how people think they are eating better, but can't lose weight. One thing I notice on counting calories is they skip counting cream in coffee, butter on toast, etc, etc. So, this is my official statement to remind people, you must count everything that passes your lips, even if they are hanging on to something else like a little parasite. Low fat, low calorie dressings still add calories to your salad. Nuts may contain good fats, but also a lot of calories. Adding croutons, nuts, raisins, OR bacon bits to a salad can make it more tasty. Adding all of them makes it a hamburger (from the calorie perspective.)
It's all about choices and when you are confining yourself to a strict diet of difficult choices, it makes other things easier to avoid. Today I thought I might treat myself to that leftover cupcake from book club last week. I kept it covered, but took a bite and...it was tasty, but a little dry. Not delectable so I realized that in my moment of weakness I was about to sell out several hundred calories for that disappointment and I threw it away. If I'm going to have a goodie, it better be melt in the mouth, taste-bud party delicious. Otherwise I'll save it for a reliable tasty goodness like my favourite creamer in coffee or a little cheese on my tomato bisque lunch.
Other things: I turned on TV the other day to while away some time while making a Halloween decoration only to be confronted by a certain TV doctor (from over the rainbow?) who I regard highly, but who I do disagree with on rare occasion, touting the evils of artificial sweeteners. Look, I know they aren't good for you, but I still say if you are trying to lose weight, unless you are the rare breed who can change their life completely overnight and not be tempted by anything, then it's a lesser evil. In order to make the whole diet thing doable, I, personally, being a human being with thoughts, feelings, temptations, and weak moments, must have one treat a day to get me through. For me, it's diet soda. Sure I'd do better if I quit the soda, but that's unrealistic. Asking someone to be 100% perfect in how they eat and how much the exercise is the unrealistic bit. For some people, having nutra sweet makes them crave MORE sweets so if that's the case, they shouldn't use this substitute. No one can do our exact diet because it wouldn't work for someone else.
Anyone who wants to eat healthy must hear the news every day and consider becoming anorexic because it's impossible to make sense of one study after another. That being said, This TV Dr. mentioned the cancer risks associated with artificial sweeteners and this bothered me. Just because you've heard something for decades doesn't make it true. The fact is the one study showing cancer risks to mice in the 70s has been dis-proven hundreds of times. I lost the article with the exact numbers, but I assure you it was a reputable source. Besides, artificial sweeteners do not affect diabetes or tooth decay. (I thought it did, but according to a New York Times article comparing sweeteners, they do not! Good to know!)
I have some to realize that the knowledge we gain in high school health class is like basic math. It's find for everyday life, but in order to solve REAL problems (like imbalance, losing weight, gaining weight, making up for allergies, etc) you need to know Calculus Nutrition. I'm becoming a bit more Algebraic Nutritionist with all my research, but the way I live and eat day to day is more remedial. I just feel so bombarded with information saying whatever choice you make is the wrong choice. It's completely overwhelming! Of course, the information they fill our heads with is maintaining perfect nutrition. If you're off, you'll need to compensate, and if you need to lose weight, well, forget it. There really is, imo, no way to lose weight and still eat everything you're supposed to eat. Still, it's better than OVEReating bad fats so I'll only defend the choices to a point.
When you are in a group, especially with women, there will always be that person who has the answer to your problems, too. If you tell them you are doing everything, they will have the key to why you aren't losing weight. They can be wrong, but still convinced because it is what worked for them. There are the ones who convince you it's easy if you just hit the right formula or do this one trick they know.
It does get easier, I'll give them that, but it's not easy. I repeat, is in not easy. Not at any point, and especially at the jumping off point. I think it's the combination of too much BAD information from sources people trust (the news, TV doctors, and uninformed physicians - who act like experts, but let's keep in mind they are required to stay refreshed on their specific specialty and between that, patients, and a personal life are unlikely to become armchair experts in anything else like nutrition), pressure from friends and family, people who make it sound like your social obligation to be thin, and people who make it all sound so easy that sets many people up for failure when it comes to weight loss. At some point, just close your eyes, point, commit to a plan, and follow it no matter what else you learn along the way. Of course if you realize you're not eating foods with potassium, you could adjust your diet to include bananas or if you have low iron, it might be good to pile on spinach to the salad or eat more meat, but every time a study pops up or someone tells you you are doing it wrong is not enough reason to quit or sabotage the plan.
Workouts
Last note, a few weeks ago I was told about a webpage <a href="http://www.skimble.com/">Skimble</a>. It has a great variety of workouts and it's easy to find what you need to focus on. It is designed as a smart phone app, but for those of us who like our phones stupid, it's still easy enough to navigate and do in front of the computer screen. We walk 7 days a week, but I do my other workouts 2-3 times a week (my goal is 3-4, but I have to be proud of every little accomplishment these days!) and I have found mixing these in keeps it lively. Not all require equipment, but many do. It's just another nice resource.
Back on track
Things that are hard to get back to resisting: baking (I so LOVE to bake!), putting sauces on food to make them more palatable, and choosing butter OR jam for toast; not both. In comparing stories, I hear much about how people think they are eating better, but can't lose weight. One thing I notice on counting calories is they skip counting cream in coffee, butter on toast, etc, etc. So, this is my official statement to remind people, you must count everything that passes your lips, even if they are hanging on to something else like a little parasite. Low fat, low calorie dressings still add calories to your salad. Nuts may contain good fats, but also a lot of calories. Adding croutons, nuts, raisins, OR bacon bits to a salad can make it more tasty. Adding all of them makes it a hamburger (from the calorie perspective.)
It's all about choices and when you are confining yourself to a strict diet of difficult choices, it makes other things easier to avoid. Today I thought I might treat myself to that leftover cupcake from book club last week. I kept it covered, but took a bite and...it was tasty, but a little dry. Not delectable so I realized that in my moment of weakness I was about to sell out several hundred calories for that disappointment and I threw it away. If I'm going to have a goodie, it better be melt in the mouth, taste-bud party delicious. Otherwise I'll save it for a reliable tasty goodness like my favourite creamer in coffee or a little cheese on my tomato bisque lunch.
Other things: I turned on TV the other day to while away some time while making a Halloween decoration only to be confronted by a certain TV doctor (from over the rainbow?) who I regard highly, but who I do disagree with on rare occasion, touting the evils of artificial sweeteners. Look, I know they aren't good for you, but I still say if you are trying to lose weight, unless you are the rare breed who can change their life completely overnight and not be tempted by anything, then it's a lesser evil. In order to make the whole diet thing doable, I, personally, being a human being with thoughts, feelings, temptations, and weak moments, must have one treat a day to get me through. For me, it's diet soda. Sure I'd do better if I quit the soda, but that's unrealistic. Asking someone to be 100% perfect in how they eat and how much the exercise is the unrealistic bit. For some people, having nutra sweet makes them crave MORE sweets so if that's the case, they shouldn't use this substitute. No one can do our exact diet because it wouldn't work for someone else.
Anyone who wants to eat healthy must hear the news every day and consider becoming anorexic because it's impossible to make sense of one study after another. That being said, This TV Dr. mentioned the cancer risks associated with artificial sweeteners and this bothered me. Just because you've heard something for decades doesn't make it true. The fact is the one study showing cancer risks to mice in the 70s has been dis-proven hundreds of times. I lost the article with the exact numbers, but I assure you it was a reputable source. Besides, artificial sweeteners do not affect diabetes or tooth decay. (I thought it did, but according to a New York Times article comparing sweeteners, they do not! Good to know!)
I have some to realize that the knowledge we gain in high school health class is like basic math. It's find for everyday life, but in order to solve REAL problems (like imbalance, losing weight, gaining weight, making up for allergies, etc) you need to know Calculus Nutrition. I'm becoming a bit more Algebraic Nutritionist with all my research, but the way I live and eat day to day is more remedial. I just feel so bombarded with information saying whatever choice you make is the wrong choice. It's completely overwhelming! Of course, the information they fill our heads with is maintaining perfect nutrition. If you're off, you'll need to compensate, and if you need to lose weight, well, forget it. There really is, imo, no way to lose weight and still eat everything you're supposed to eat. Still, it's better than OVEReating bad fats so I'll only defend the choices to a point.
When you are in a group, especially with women, there will always be that person who has the answer to your problems, too. If you tell them you are doing everything, they will have the key to why you aren't losing weight. They can be wrong, but still convinced because it is what worked for them. There are the ones who convince you it's easy if you just hit the right formula or do this one trick they know.
It does get easier, I'll give them that, but it's not easy. I repeat, is in not easy. Not at any point, and especially at the jumping off point. I think it's the combination of too much BAD information from sources people trust (the news, TV doctors, and uninformed physicians - who act like experts, but let's keep in mind they are required to stay refreshed on their specific specialty and between that, patients, and a personal life are unlikely to become armchair experts in anything else like nutrition), pressure from friends and family, people who make it sound like your social obligation to be thin, and people who make it all sound so easy that sets many people up for failure when it comes to weight loss. At some point, just close your eyes, point, commit to a plan, and follow it no matter what else you learn along the way. Of course if you realize you're not eating foods with potassium, you could adjust your diet to include bananas or if you have low iron, it might be good to pile on spinach to the salad or eat more meat, but every time a study pops up or someone tells you you are doing it wrong is not enough reason to quit or sabotage the plan.
Workouts
Last note, a few weeks ago I was told about a webpage <a href="http://www.skimble.com/">Skimble</a>. It has a great variety of workouts and it's easy to find what you need to focus on. It is designed as a smart phone app, but for those of us who like our phones stupid, it's still easy enough to navigate and do in front of the computer screen. We walk 7 days a week, but I do my other workouts 2-3 times a week (my goal is 3-4, but I have to be proud of every little accomplishment these days!) and I have found mixing these in keeps it lively. Not all require equipment, but many do. It's just another nice resource.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Easy Peasy?
Okay, we made it sound easy. I made it sound that way, on reflection, but that's because it <i>became</i> easy. Getting on a diet and exercise program without a single cheat is hard. REALLY hard. Damn near impossible. I mean, if it was as easy as it felt after a few weeks, I'd be there already.
Lately I've managed to have several good days in a row, lose nothing, feel crap, and fall off the wagon again for several more days. This is not the way to do it, obviously, but psychologically, I need to see something on the scales or it's not worth it! This is a problem I would like to re-address from the first time we started dieting.
"He's a man" is little consolation for the fact that he started walking a short distance and cutting his diet and started losing tons of weight. I kept cutting my calories more and more, increasing my exercise more and more (doing extra workouts during the day which I just haven't had time to do 2 a day recently!) until I finally started to lose. <i>Then</i> it got easier.
Now I just can't seem to find it in me to be that disciplined. I need to find it, but it's hard.
It's also hard to get started. It's like this large mountain you have to scale, but once you do, you land inside this place that is still fraught with little mountains and obstacles. I mean, it's worth going over the big one to get where it's easier, but it's not like you get over it and into a field of grass and ponds where you can take naps in the middle of the day. It's still a bit challenging and I don't know about you, but working really hard to get TO another obstacle course, well, sometimes it's easier to just sit on this side of the mountain and enjoy life.
Really, if it was easy, would so many resort to surgery, expensive pills, and costly gyms? No. They would just save money and do it the way we've been trying to do it all along; eating better and exercising more.
Yet, when it doesn't come easily and all at once, it's just so easy to say "I'll start tomorrow." Scarlet O'Hara is a woman after my own heart, but she could still squeeze into a tiny corset.
Lately I've managed to have several good days in a row, lose nothing, feel crap, and fall off the wagon again for several more days. This is not the way to do it, obviously, but psychologically, I need to see something on the scales or it's not worth it! This is a problem I would like to re-address from the first time we started dieting.
"He's a man" is little consolation for the fact that he started walking a short distance and cutting his diet and started losing tons of weight. I kept cutting my calories more and more, increasing my exercise more and more (doing extra workouts during the day which I just haven't had time to do 2 a day recently!) until I finally started to lose. <i>Then</i> it got easier.
Now I just can't seem to find it in me to be that disciplined. I need to find it, but it's hard.
It's also hard to get started. It's like this large mountain you have to scale, but once you do, you land inside this place that is still fraught with little mountains and obstacles. I mean, it's worth going over the big one to get where it's easier, but it's not like you get over it and into a field of grass and ponds where you can take naps in the middle of the day. It's still a bit challenging and I don't know about you, but working really hard to get TO another obstacle course, well, sometimes it's easier to just sit on this side of the mountain and enjoy life.
Really, if it was easy, would so many resort to surgery, expensive pills, and costly gyms? No. They would just save money and do it the way we've been trying to do it all along; eating better and exercising more.
Yet, when it doesn't come easily and all at once, it's just so easy to say "I'll start tomorrow." Scarlet O'Hara is a woman after my own heart, but she could still squeeze into a tiny corset.
Friday, June 22, 2012
ARGH!
Every day this week, I do really well, but here's where the dilemma comes in. All advice says you can't expect your family to diet with you; it has to be for yourself, but there reaches a point where it feels like it's more than just doing it for yourself and making your own choices and feeling like someone else in the same house is actually pushing you to fail. I'm seeing a frustrating pattern here. I've already talked to the other person, but it's still happening. I could try to be stronger, but with the particular turn of events and the way it's been going down, it feels ten times harder than just making good choices for dinner.
And we skipped walking twice because of circumstances. I'm so glad I've been doing extra workouts almost every day so it's not a complete failure, but anyone who says that you can't expect the whole house to be on board is either single or doesn't have a spouse with worse habits than their own.
And we skipped walking twice because of circumstances. I'm so glad I've been doing extra workouts almost every day so it's not a complete failure, but anyone who says that you can't expect the whole house to be on board is either single or doesn't have a spouse with worse habits than their own.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Momentum Lost
It seems like it's harder to go back onto a diet than to start one in the first place. One can know it's a successful way and still be unable to make it past those first few days. Really, I think it's those first few days/weeks that are the hardest, then it gets easier.
I have noticed from pictures last year that something interesting happened before. When we see a bone-protruding skinny person, we think they look unhealthy and it's not good. Well, last year compared to know, my weight is the same, but the bones aren't quite so prominent. What made it even out so that the chub on my body reflects on my face, but last year I looked so much thinner except in obvious areas? Makes the point for me that eating so few calories is not normal for anyone. You just can't get enough nutrition from too few calories. It's not something you should do forever.
Just long enough to lose a few more pounds. That is what I would like.
I do need to remind myself to re-focus, though. I suspect three reason why I am having trouble keeping at it. Maybe spelling it out will help.
1. Sleep: I saw a short news clip linking what seems totally obvious, but said in such a way that it really brought the point home. It pointed out that when you are tired, you tend to think you "deserve a treat" and often have more late evening cravings. We already know that people who sleep less tend to weigh more, but notice how that is carefully worded so it doesn't mean people who are fat don't sleep and people who don't sleep are always fat. It's just a trend. I suspect it's more related to the overall idea that if you don't care for your body by giving it enough sleep, you likely don't care enough to feed it all the right things and make sure it gets exercise. Anyway, the point is, maybe there is a connection to feeling tired and dieting in the sense that it's so easy when you are tired or overly hungry to think "Dammit, I deserve a treat/reward/etc." and then eat something out of range. When you count calories, you can have a lot because you find yourself trading that candy bar you desire for a granola bar and an apple. Same calories, much more filling. Again, after the hump at the beginning, those choices get easier to make. Feeling tired might make me want a cheeseburger and feel too tired to substitute it with a veggie burger because of the prep time. It can also just make me want a cheeseburger.
2. Water: Drink plenty of water. It curves certain craving, makes you feel full, and keeps your hydrated so that you don't feel tired and achy and all those things that make #1 happen.
3. Hunger: I did go back to 1200 a day + exercise (which has increased from a year ago to being around 2 miles a day instead of barely 1) for a week and lost nothing still. I think I have to go back to the 800 calories, 2 days a week trick. This is more difficult because what often happens in I have to save as many calories for dinner as I can. Scott doesn't have the same problem, Jane needs a good meal, and I find if I am hungry after dinner, I'm more inclined to say "Screw it. I want nachos." Well, on those days, I'll have my yogurt and occasionally a coffee. Then I ignore the hunger in my stomach until lunch, then I pick out the lowest calories meal I can. After that, I'm trying to ignore hunger all day and then I have dinner. Now I'm at or near 800, still hungry, and tired from trying to ignore feeling hungry all day. Nachos. Cheeseburger. They become all I can think about because this is a 100% in the back of your mind thing where you start to wonder if it's all worth it. It's mentally exhausting. Then the day gets blown out by a little late-evening snacking and all I had was 1200 calories, but now I can't lose anything and the next day is equally frustrating.
So, I'm trying to have a nice cleansing day today and be both reasonable, but also strict. Keep myself busy. Maybe that will help.
I have noticed from pictures last year that something interesting happened before. When we see a bone-protruding skinny person, we think they look unhealthy and it's not good. Well, last year compared to know, my weight is the same, but the bones aren't quite so prominent. What made it even out so that the chub on my body reflects on my face, but last year I looked so much thinner except in obvious areas? Makes the point for me that eating so few calories is not normal for anyone. You just can't get enough nutrition from too few calories. It's not something you should do forever.
Just long enough to lose a few more pounds. That is what I would like.
I do need to remind myself to re-focus, though. I suspect three reason why I am having trouble keeping at it. Maybe spelling it out will help.
1. Sleep: I saw a short news clip linking what seems totally obvious, but said in such a way that it really brought the point home. It pointed out that when you are tired, you tend to think you "deserve a treat" and often have more late evening cravings. We already know that people who sleep less tend to weigh more, but notice how that is carefully worded so it doesn't mean people who are fat don't sleep and people who don't sleep are always fat. It's just a trend. I suspect it's more related to the overall idea that if you don't care for your body by giving it enough sleep, you likely don't care enough to feed it all the right things and make sure it gets exercise. Anyway, the point is, maybe there is a connection to feeling tired and dieting in the sense that it's so easy when you are tired or overly hungry to think "Dammit, I deserve a treat/reward/etc." and then eat something out of range. When you count calories, you can have a lot because you find yourself trading that candy bar you desire for a granola bar and an apple. Same calories, much more filling. Again, after the hump at the beginning, those choices get easier to make. Feeling tired might make me want a cheeseburger and feel too tired to substitute it with a veggie burger because of the prep time. It can also just make me want a cheeseburger.
2. Water: Drink plenty of water. It curves certain craving, makes you feel full, and keeps your hydrated so that you don't feel tired and achy and all those things that make #1 happen.
3. Hunger: I did go back to 1200 a day + exercise (which has increased from a year ago to being around 2 miles a day instead of barely 1) for a week and lost nothing still. I think I have to go back to the 800 calories, 2 days a week trick. This is more difficult because what often happens in I have to save as many calories for dinner as I can. Scott doesn't have the same problem, Jane needs a good meal, and I find if I am hungry after dinner, I'm more inclined to say "Screw it. I want nachos." Well, on those days, I'll have my yogurt and occasionally a coffee. Then I ignore the hunger in my stomach until lunch, then I pick out the lowest calories meal I can. After that, I'm trying to ignore hunger all day and then I have dinner. Now I'm at or near 800, still hungry, and tired from trying to ignore feeling hungry all day. Nachos. Cheeseburger. They become all I can think about because this is a 100% in the back of your mind thing where you start to wonder if it's all worth it. It's mentally exhausting. Then the day gets blown out by a little late-evening snacking and all I had was 1200 calories, but now I can't lose anything and the next day is equally frustrating.
So, I'm trying to have a nice cleansing day today and be both reasonable, but also strict. Keep myself busy. Maybe that will help.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Less update, more rant.
Sometimes it feels like we're all so busy trying to find ways to be offended by other's words and actions that we don't even hear each other anymore. Sometimes is feels like we are all so full of complaints that we don't have any room in our lives to worry about other people's pain.
I'm loathe to say I'm actually offended, but even well intentioned friends and family members can say things that are annoying and upsetting. This is going in this blog mainly because I stand by my opinion that my weight loss is mine and mine alone. Just because it's something you notice outwardly doesn't really give you the right to decide whether or not I'm allowed to put on a couple of pounds.
Word of advice, though. Taking a break seems like a great idea after you've lost 100 lbs, but getting back on the wagon is really, really difficult.
Btw, it is made so much easier (sarcasm alert!) when you over hear conversations about your weight and such or when a friend makes a comment right to you face.
Also, using the excuse that you only care because I (we) seem happier only means you have no idea what's been going on lately. Bullshit that it's about our health or happiness. I don't see you smacking that candy bar out of a skinny person's hand and saying it's about their health and happiness. I still believe people are more driven by what's aesthetically pleasing than really caring about their health.
The fact is, we're eating pretty well, just not perfectly. We're exercising every day. Losing weight is an all or nothing commitment and if you aren't going to count calories and commit to reducing them from previous eating habits, then you can be eating healthy, exercising, and still not lose weight. Some people just have to eat better to drop lbs. For others, it is a 100% commitment of time and energy. This is the exhaustion that led us to our current "break". We treat ourselves too much when we are out with friends, but no one can see how meager we eat at home. It's just not balancing out, but that's still our choices, not yours to make.
I'm loathe to say I'm actually offended, but even well intentioned friends and family members can say things that are annoying and upsetting. This is going in this blog mainly because I stand by my opinion that my weight loss is mine and mine alone. Just because it's something you notice outwardly doesn't really give you the right to decide whether or not I'm allowed to put on a couple of pounds.
Word of advice, though. Taking a break seems like a great idea after you've lost 100 lbs, but getting back on the wagon is really, really difficult.
Btw, it is made so much easier (sarcasm alert!) when you over hear conversations about your weight and such or when a friend makes a comment right to you face.
Also, using the excuse that you only care because I (we) seem happier only means you have no idea what's been going on lately. Bullshit that it's about our health or happiness. I don't see you smacking that candy bar out of a skinny person's hand and saying it's about their health and happiness. I still believe people are more driven by what's aesthetically pleasing than really caring about their health.
The fact is, we're eating pretty well, just not perfectly. We're exercising every day. Losing weight is an all or nothing commitment and if you aren't going to count calories and commit to reducing them from previous eating habits, then you can be eating healthy, exercising, and still not lose weight. Some people just have to eat better to drop lbs. For others, it is a 100% commitment of time and energy. This is the exhaustion that led us to our current "break". We treat ourselves too much when we are out with friends, but no one can see how meager we eat at home. It's just not balancing out, but that's still our choices, not yours to make.
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