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 to Blog

We fell off "the wagon."

Actually, we held hands and jumped off. We still ate reasonably, but no counting calories. Scott went for short walks, I...did what I could, working up to longer walks. This means we gained a few pounds over the last few weeks.

Everyone is surprised I didn't lose weight after surgery. I think that's only for people who spend the first two weeks in hospital, but with this modern age of "drive-thru surgery" as I've heard it termed, we spend more time recuperating at home where lovely friends and family help out by bringing delicious foods. Meanwhile, there's too much pain in discomfort to walk the miles a day I did before. Of course I gained weight. I know some people can keep weight off just by walking a little. We all know people who can keep weight off by eating reasonably even if they don't exercise much. If that worked for me, this diet and activity regimen we are on wouldn't be necessary.

Getting back on the bandwagon can be difficult, too. I don't know why. Every day starts out great, but by end of day, I'm famished and craving things I haven't even craved for a long time. Still, the exercise part has been easy to re-commit to. In fact, this week I walked one mile in the morning and another in the evening. Doing two miles at once would probably be hard on me, but splitting it up means I get a good workout every day without too much discomfort. I'm not quite up to our old speed, but I'm close. Now I've lost all but two of the pounds I put on while I was laid up. It's definitely time to start eating better in the evenings. Even eating a couple things I know I shouldn't each day, I'm still under 2,000 calories (except one or two days where I went to an event and threw caution to the wind) so with exercise it goes to show your body does learn to adjust.

Meanwhile, I've noticed a few things.
1) The three step program. Several commercials, ad campaigns, and books advertise that losing weight is a three step program. Eat right. Exercise. Buy My Product.

I mentioned this to Scott saying it's actually a two step program of eating better and being more active. The whole point I'm trying to make with this blog and with life is that it doesn't take money to do everything. Spending money on a program might make certain people commit to a program, but if you are truly ready in mind and spirit, spending money doesn't have to enter into it. Walking, hiking, borrowing friends' exercise equipment (everyone knows someone with a neglected treadmill!) costs less than a gym membership. Taking the time to figure out what and when to eat costs less than weight watchers. Yes, it's more work and in this busy world, we have to make time for it, but for some, just doing the work makes it enough to commit.

Well, having decided that it was a two step program, Scott and I we saw a billboard with syndicated characters (I want to say Mickey Mouse and friends, but I can't recall for sure now) who had the ultimate three step version which I would gladly endorse.

Eat healthy. Be Active. Have Fun.

Don't forget that last step! It is certainly the most important.

2) Several self-help health "gurus" are really bothering me. The new comment making its rounds is that overeating is immature. They talk about how giving in to a craving is childish and tell people to "grow up".

Of course, I hate it because they are attacking me so I automatically want to disagree, but I do have an argument against their propaganda that I think is fairly sound.

All animals eat. If you put a dish of cat food and a can of tuna in front of a cat, what are they going to eat? The cat food is healthier for them, but we all know they'll gorge on tuna. It's base animal need to eat and it's basic animal instinct to eat what tastes good. This isn't about maturity unless you are going to say a woman desiring sex when she's ovulating is also immature.

What's immature, really, is thinking that we are so important that we have to answer our cell phone calls as soon as they come in - no matter what we are doing. To me, maturity is demonstrated when a person understands and accepts consequences for their actions. Believing you can talk on a cell phone whilst driving and still give 100% to both is ignoring the fact that there could be consequences for your actions. Dismissing a person's human struggles by calling them childish and immature is a bit of a bullying tactic.

The latest "guru" I heard using this tactic was a motivational speaker pushing his book on the news. This isn't news, kids. This is a guy who has worked to make money without working by persuading and probably bullying people into thinking they are stupid if they don't agree with him. Of course, my experience with motivational speakers so far is that you take a dash of charisma, a modicum of logic, and a lot of useless words to convince people you are right when, if you are smart enough (and MATURE enough) to see the bigger picture, you realize their logic is flawed, their charisma is fake, and their words contradict each other as much as they try to hide reality. It is also my opinion that 90% of self-help books are just mass market motivational speaking. "If I write a book with my 'hook' (a line that is useless and nonsensical, but sounds good and is often catchy so people remember it even if it's lame. The Secret springs to mind...) I can reach millions with my garbage and even if it is garbage, I'm $1,000,000 richer so who cares?" They don't care about your health and well being. They care about their money. It's a get rich quick scheme that is sadly working the world over because people need an answer. The want it to be easy and quick so badly that they will pay anything for it.

It's hard to believe that it really is just as easy as eating better and exercising more. I know that. For years I couldn't figure that out because I ate somewhat healthy and exercised some. It just wasn't enough. If it's not working, eat even healthier (cut more calories or substitute more carbohydrate-high foods for broccoli and protein) and exercise even more (find more activities to do or get heart rate a bit higher). Of course, this is still just my opinion. If you listen to it without question, then I'll become one of those loathe-some motivational speakers...