We missed the Wednesday Weigh In! ACK! ACK! ACK!
Okay, we'll just have a Thursday-Friday-pretending-to-be-Wednesday-Weigh-In. Or TFPTBWWIN for short.
For my TFPTBWWIN, I lost .8 pounds. Yeah, point eight. And I'm happy to see the point eight, especially considering I've had all the discipline of a French king these past few days.
How did your TFPTBWWIN do? Report!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
I'm never dieting again
I know, never say never, but this past couple of months has reinforced my attitude that dieting is totally ineffective. As you all know, I started walking with my husband a few weeks ago. I was not trying to lose weight. I wanted to get back in the habit of walking, as I used to when we lived in Salinas. This is the first time in years I exercised without also doing Weight Watchers*. I usually started the food plan, then added the exercise. Well, this time I just started walking and didn't worry about food. I've noticed my appetite is less, and I make sure I don't overstuff myself. I'm not eating any different food from before. The doctor weighed me back when I was getting my shoulder checked out. I weighed myself on my son's excellent scale. I've lost 12 pounds. So, no more eating at a semi-starvation level. I'm just going to keep walking. Keep eating what my body wants. And whatever happens, happens. My husband hasn't lost pounds, but his muscles are tighter, so I suspect he's been replacing fat with muscle.
So--go walking, swimming, biking, skating, dancing. Do exercise you enjoy. Our bodies were designed to MOVE. Move yours and your weight loss will become easier, especially if you don't starve yourself, too. An anecdote about someone I knew a few years ago. She was studying nutrition, exercise, etc. in college. She worked out and followed Weight Watchers. She couldn't lose weight. She went to a nutritionist who said, "Eat more. You're not getting enough calories to fuel the amount of stuff you're doing." She did what he said and started to lose weight. It's not as simple as eat less, exercise more. You have to have the right balance or your body will hang onto the fat as if you're never going to feed it again. I read a rule of thumb the other day that said you need 10% of your weight in calories just to fuel your body at rest, doing nothing. If you're eating less than that, you're starving yourself. I didn't have access to the study he quoted, so I can't verify the data, but if it's even close, I can see why people fail at weight loss. Your body is not going to give up fat if it's being starved.
* I wanted to add that this isn't intended to say anything bad about Weight Watchers. They have, IMO, one of the best plans out there. My point was just that this is my experience. YMMV.
Good luck!
So--go walking, swimming, biking, skating, dancing. Do exercise you enjoy. Our bodies were designed to MOVE. Move yours and your weight loss will become easier, especially if you don't starve yourself, too. An anecdote about someone I knew a few years ago. She was studying nutrition, exercise, etc. in college. She worked out and followed Weight Watchers. She couldn't lose weight. She went to a nutritionist who said, "Eat more. You're not getting enough calories to fuel the amount of stuff you're doing." She did what he said and started to lose weight. It's not as simple as eat less, exercise more. You have to have the right balance or your body will hang onto the fat as if you're never going to feed it again. I read a rule of thumb the other day that said you need 10% of your weight in calories just to fuel your body at rest, doing nothing. If you're eating less than that, you're starving yourself. I didn't have access to the study he quoted, so I can't verify the data, but if it's even close, I can see why people fail at weight loss. Your body is not going to give up fat if it's being starved.
* I wanted to add that this isn't intended to say anything bad about Weight Watchers. They have, IMO, one of the best plans out there. My point was just that this is my experience. YMMV.
Good luck!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
GREEN!
The Weight Loss Word of the Day is GREEN! As in green veggies. Eating more green veggies is a great way to stay healthy and help lose weight. Enjoy celery, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, lettuce, spinach, green beans, spring peas, okra and all other wonderful green veggies available now at your supermarket.
But don't make the mistake of drowning them in cheese or fatty dressings. Enjoy them lightly steamed with a sprinkle of seasoning salt or a no-calorie butter flavored spray. There are many no-fat, low calorie salad dressings out there. I particularly like a raspberry flavored one that the Paul Newman Company produces.
So pick GREEN and get healthy and fit!
But don't make the mistake of drowning them in cheese or fatty dressings. Enjoy them lightly steamed with a sprinkle of seasoning salt or a no-calorie butter flavored spray. There are many no-fat, low calorie salad dressings out there. I particularly like a raspberry flavored one that the Paul Newman Company produces.
So pick GREEN and get healthy and fit!
Monday, July 24, 2006
Wet!
The Weight Loss Word of the Day is WET! No, I'm not saying you're is all wet. I'm saying that when the heat rises, you should get in a pool and exercise there! During the summer heat, many people are unable to even walk briskly outside without risking heat stroke. But water walking is an excellent exercise and easy on your joints. So find a pool and get wet and fit at the same time.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Three tips!
The Weight Loss Words of the Day are THREE TIPS! Okay, that really doesn't make much sense, but hey, here are three weight loss tips that just might help you shed the pounds!
1. Chew gum as you cook. This will help keep you from tasting the food and consuming extra calories.
2. Brush your teeth, floss, gargle, or chew a stick of gum immediately after your meal to stop yourself from eating more.
3. Take a quick shower when a food craving strikes. It will relax you, and keep your whole body occupied and out of trouble until the craving fades.
Voila! Three unusual tips for the day. Now go forth and get healthy!
1. Chew gum as you cook. This will help keep you from tasting the food and consuming extra calories.
2. Brush your teeth, floss, gargle, or chew a stick of gum immediately after your meal to stop yourself from eating more.
3. Take a quick shower when a food craving strikes. It will relax you, and keep your whole body occupied and out of trouble until the craving fades.
Voila! Three unusual tips for the day. Now go forth and get healthy!
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Smoothie!
The Weight Loss Word of the Day is SMOOTHIE! Well, just not any smoothie because a lot of smoothie recipes are loaded with fat and sugar. But here's my recipe for a delicious cold smoothie that's low in calories and can satisfy your desire for ice cream.
Tech's Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Tech's Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
2 cups of strawberries, capped & slicedCool and delicious! Try it on a hot summer day for a refreshing change.
2 bananas, cut into slices
2 Tablespoons of Splenda
1 cup of 1 percent milk
Lots of ice
Mint (as
garnish)
Put milk and strawberries into mixer. Puree. Add bananas and Splenda. Puree. Add ice to fill mixer pitcher. Puree until smooth. Serve in a tall glass with a mint sprig as garnish. Makes 4 servings or more depending on the size of your blender.
You could add low-fat yogurt to the smoothie to increase its creamy goodness, but I like it as is.
Weight Watchers point value:
2 cups Strawberries - 1.5 point
2 large bananas - 4.5 points
1 cup of 1 percent milk - 2 points
ice, Splenda, mint - no points
Total for whole pitcher: 8 points
1 serving - 2 points
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Nada!
I lost nothing this week! I'm at exactly the same weight as I was last week. I even checked my scale to see if it's working. It is. Sigh. Well, I'm sure you're all doing better than me and hurray for you!I'm just going to go over here in the corner and munch on celery now. How did you do this week?
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Cherries!
The Weight Loss Word of the Day is CHERRIES! Prevention Magazine is reporting that cherries are a fantastic cancer fighter. They say that cherries are loaded with perillyl alcohol and quercetin, both of which are apparently potent anti-cancer agents. Cherries taste good, too.
Now we're not talking about those cherries you get in a jar. No, we're talking about fresh cherries. They're in season now so get to your local supermarket and stock up. A half-cup a day is the recommended amount. Basically just a handful.
A friend of mine actually planted a few pits in a planter and has a couple of little trees growing now. Is that cool or what?
So enjoy cherries today. It's a fruit that's good for you!
Now we're not talking about those cherries you get in a jar. No, we're talking about fresh cherries. They're in season now so get to your local supermarket and stock up. A half-cup a day is the recommended amount. Basically just a handful.
A friend of mine actually planted a few pits in a planter and has a couple of little trees growing now. Is that cool or what?
So enjoy cherries today. It's a fruit that's good for you!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Da'hump
Ok. I am not as excited about posting this WWin'sday, but here I am.
And as my excitment is lackluster to say the least. It won't be much of a post at all.
I lost .2 this week. Which does make me an even 48 lbs down. Yeah I know, it's good and all, but I think I am losing a little patience in the getting done part. I don't plan on stopping once I reach 50. I have more to go after that, so I hope I can still be a part of this group. I really do look forward to it each week.
Alright then, how about you?
And as my excitment is lackluster to say the least. It won't be much of a post at all.
I lost .2 this week. Which does make me an even 48 lbs down. Yeah I know, it's good and all, but I think I am losing a little patience in the getting done part. I don't plan on stopping once I reach 50. I have more to go after that, so I hope I can still be a part of this group. I really do look forward to it each week.
Alright then, how about you?
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Walking and a Thought or Two
I'm up to seven laps on the track, three days a week. And a mile and a half on the Los Gatos Creek trail, two days a week. My jeans are getting loose, which is weird because usually when I lose weight or start exercising I notice it in my face, wrists, and ankles first. Not complaining, just observing. (g)
When I was reading Tech's post on patience, a couple of things occurred to me. One good reason to be patient is that it gives you time to see yourself as a normal person. We all think of ourselves as "fat people". Sometimes that image can derail you. It's important to see yourself as you are, not as you were. As you lose weight, take pictures of yourself in clothes that fit well. Post them up and look at them often so your mental image is the smaller you.
You can also use the set of pictures to help you see the weight loss. If you're really big, you can lose a lot of pounds, as reported on the scale, and not really see it in the mirror. But if you have a picture of yourself before you started, you can compare the current picture with the first one you took and you'll see the difference.
Also, even if you have to go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or a consignment shop, as you lose weight, toss your fat clothes and get clothes that fit. Take more pictures. If you're wearing clothes that hang on you and look terrible and don't show your body at all, you can't get an accurate mental image. So you keep seeing yourself in your mind as the fat person who started this weight-loss program. And that's the person you'll keep trying to become. Plus, if you're clothes are too big, it's tempting to let yourself get big enough to look good in them again.
The other thought I had about patience is something my husband reminded me. It took a lot of years to put on these pounds. He's a bit discouraged because he hasn't noticed any weight loss and he walks a lot farther and faster than I do. (An aside: This is funny, since men tend to lose more easily than women. But if we diet, no exercise, he takes it off way faster than I do.) So his comment was that he doesn't expect to lose it quickly. And, he reminded me that it's about good health, not pounds on the scale.
We hope to be like the 90-something grandma of an online buddy of mine who slipped off a stool and broke her hip. She apparently recovered fine. But what's special about that story is that the stool was in front of a slot machine in the Bahamas. I'd love to be in good enough health to be able to travel when I'm in my 90s. And as much as we all want good health now, isn't it really about not being bedridden when we're really old? That's all about the true cliche--use it or lose it. I'm not saying that if we don't get that, it's our own fault. I just think there are things we can do to increase our likelihood of being that way when we're really old.
One more thing about exercise in general. I've been eating less food since we started walking. I'm not dieting or following any particular program. I just haven't been as hungry. That tells me I'm walking about the right pace and distance for me. I'm not overly hungry, as I would be if I weren't fueling the exercise enough. But, obviously, I didn't need as much food as I thought I did, either. It's not a huge change. Just substituting larger portions of salad and veggies for slightly smaller portions of meat and pasta/rice/bread, etc.
Good luck to you all.
When I was reading Tech's post on patience, a couple of things occurred to me. One good reason to be patient is that it gives you time to see yourself as a normal person. We all think of ourselves as "fat people". Sometimes that image can derail you. It's important to see yourself as you are, not as you were. As you lose weight, take pictures of yourself in clothes that fit well. Post them up and look at them often so your mental image is the smaller you.
You can also use the set of pictures to help you see the weight loss. If you're really big, you can lose a lot of pounds, as reported on the scale, and not really see it in the mirror. But if you have a picture of yourself before you started, you can compare the current picture with the first one you took and you'll see the difference.
Also, even if you have to go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or a consignment shop, as you lose weight, toss your fat clothes and get clothes that fit. Take more pictures. If you're wearing clothes that hang on you and look terrible and don't show your body at all, you can't get an accurate mental image. So you keep seeing yourself in your mind as the fat person who started this weight-loss program. And that's the person you'll keep trying to become. Plus, if you're clothes are too big, it's tempting to let yourself get big enough to look good in them again.
The other thought I had about patience is something my husband reminded me. It took a lot of years to put on these pounds. He's a bit discouraged because he hasn't noticed any weight loss and he walks a lot farther and faster than I do. (An aside: This is funny, since men tend to lose more easily than women. But if we diet, no exercise, he takes it off way faster than I do.) So his comment was that he doesn't expect to lose it quickly. And, he reminded me that it's about good health, not pounds on the scale.
We hope to be like the 90-something grandma of an online buddy of mine who slipped off a stool and broke her hip. She apparently recovered fine. But what's special about that story is that the stool was in front of a slot machine in the Bahamas. I'd love to be in good enough health to be able to travel when I'm in my 90s. And as much as we all want good health now, isn't it really about not being bedridden when we're really old? That's all about the true cliche--use it or lose it. I'm not saying that if we don't get that, it's our own fault. I just think there are things we can do to increase our likelihood of being that way when we're really old.
One more thing about exercise in general. I've been eating less food since we started walking. I'm not dieting or following any particular program. I just haven't been as hungry. That tells me I'm walking about the right pace and distance for me. I'm not overly hungry, as I would be if I weren't fueling the exercise enough. But, obviously, I didn't need as much food as I thought I did, either. It's not a huge change. Just substituting larger portions of salad and veggies for slightly smaller portions of meat and pasta/rice/bread, etc.
Good luck to you all.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
The day after
Happy July 5 everyone!
I am making no progress. I am still at 3 pounds below my starting weight those many months ago. Just cannot get my act together -- cannot generate enough desire for the weight loss to motivate myself to take the necessary actions. I've lost something in myself that made that happen (and inside I kind of recognize what that is.)
But I want to hear your success stories! All of you are doing so well! So check in with your report today.
I am making no progress. I am still at 3 pounds below my starting weight those many months ago. Just cannot get my act together -- cannot generate enough desire for the weight loss to motivate myself to take the necessary actions. I've lost something in myself that made that happen (and inside I kind of recognize what that is.)
But I want to hear your success stories! All of you are doing so well! So check in with your report today.
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