Growing my Garden - Getting Rid of my Gut

This weekend was surprisingly easy other than Friday evening when all I wanted to do was eat. I did have victory. I stayed on target. I realize that I forgot to post yesterday so you didn't get my food log, but I did log it on WW. Yesterday I walked/ran and had a good eating day. It seems that the longer I stay away from the garbage, the less I want it. Part of it, I think, is that after working so hard to lose each ounce I'm that much more conscious of how much each bite matters. If I'm taking three steps forward, why would I want to take two steps back. If my goal is to change my lifestyle, I need to embrace the new lifestyle instead of longing all the time for the old one.

The walks and runs help with this. It's hard work. Why would I want to waste all that effort by eating a Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar. A delicious choice, yes, but 10 minutes after I've made the choice to eat or not eat it....I'm not enjoying it whether I ate it or not. Eating is one of those momentary pleasures. I'm determined to let those crisis moments pass and find something else to do instead of pining for poor food choices. I figure that my garden is going to look great this year if I even take half the time I spend focusing on food and turn that effort toward my garden. I should do before and after pictures of the garden and myself!

Oh, here's Saturday's Log:

Morning
1 Tbsp peanut butter
2
1 sl df ww bread
1
Subtotal
3
Midday
1 cup cooked brown rice
4
1 Tbsp asian stir-fry sauce
1
1 Tbsp soy sauce
0
1/2 cup carrot(s)
0
3/4 cup cabbage, all varieties
0
1 medium green pepper(s)
0
1/2 clove garlic clove(s)
0
1 Tbsp ginger root
0
1/2 cup onion(s)
0
1/2 cup zucchini
0
sausage 1/2 link
4
Subtotal
9
Evening
1 6-inch SUBWAY® Restaurants Turkey Breast Sub
5
1 3/4 Tbsp SUBWAY® Restaurants Fat Free Honey Mustard Dressing
1
11 items Lay's Baked Original Potato Chips
2
1 item Bob Evans® Dill Pickle
0
1 large carrot(s)
0
Subtotal
8
Snack
1/2 medium mango(es)
1
2 small clementine
.5
Subtotal
1.5
Total Food POINTS values used
21.5
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
+0.5
Exercise
50 min walking, brisk
3
Total Activity POINTS values earned
3

Friday

Catchy title, huh? Still hanging in there! I can't believe how much it helps to have a little contest going! There are times I think about eating something and then I remember how much I don't want to 'lose face' and I'm able to kick myself right back into killer weight-loss mode.

New topic. I bought an exercise ball (swiss ball) around Christmas time. So did Jim. The most these things have see of our behinds is when we happen to walk by them. I decided that until I start putting time in on it doing crunches & stuff, I'll at least sit on it while I'm using my laptop or doing other sitting chores. Maybe I'll actually be overcome with guilt and start using it in earnest. Maybe I'll just look funny sitting at the table.

Also in exercise world----I just wanted to state, for the record & Ames, that I am completely incapable of doing even one measly pushup either. I seek to remedy this so I am starting out with what my son calls "girl push-ups". I call them knee push ups but what does it matter. He's also got me doing tricep push-ups. Oh DO try them. Especially if you're a bit of a masochist.

Morning
1 item egg
2
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
.5
4 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Strawberry Yogurt
1
1 sl df ww bread
1
Subtotal
4.5
Midday
1 item whole hard-boiled egg(s)
2
1 Tbsp Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise
1
1 cup mixed baby greens
0
1/2 large jalapeno pepper(s)
0
1/2 tsp mustard
0
2 Tbsp onion(s)
0
2 sl df ww bread
3
Subtotal
6
Evening
2 item whole hard-boiled egg(s)
4
1 Tbsp Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise
1
1 tsp mustard
0
1 small jalapeno pepper(s)
0
2 Tbsp onion(s)
0
11 items Lay's Baked Original Potato Chips
2
2 sl df ww bread
3
Subtotal
10
Snack
2 tsp peanut butter
1.5
2 sl df ww bread
3
1 serving chicken stew
5
Subtotal
9.5
Total Food POINTS values used
30
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
-8
Exercise
50 min walking, brisk
3
Total Activity POINTS values earned
3

I went 8 points over today, swapped activity points for 3 of them, took the remaining 5 out of weeklies.

Thursday's Lament

Wow. It's all a matter of perspective. I'm usually generally dissatistied with the way I look. I don't lose weight easily, my behind is too large, my chest too small, my skin too blotchy......or whatever my perceived flaw du jour is. Today my brother-in-law was diagnosed with MS. I think I should shut up and stop my complaining.



I had to ponder what types of things would be going through my head if I were to receive a diagnosis like that. What would become important, what would wane in priority? Would I suddenly miss the opportunity to engage in intense exercise (heating the body up exacerbates MS symptoms) instead of looking at it as a burden?



My healthy body is not something I can take for granted any longer. It's not an entitlement.



I realize that MS isn't caused by poor personal choices, but so many diseases can be. We can choose to eat right. We can choose to exercise. We can choose to give our brain a work out. All these things help us to prevent cancer, diabetes, alzheimer's, and an endless list of other maladies.



So I guess that's my lament for today......that I haven't been grateful for the less than perfect body I have. It's treating me well and I should be glad I have the opportunity to reciprocate.

What I put in my stomach on Wednesday:


Morning
4 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Blueberry Yogurt
1
1/2 cup General Mills Fiber One
0
Subtotal
1
Midday
2 tsp Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise
1
1 item egg
2
1/2 tsp mustard
0
2 Tbsp onion(s)
0
1/2 average jalapeno pepper(s)
0
1 large carrot(s)
0
1 sl df ww bread
1
1/2 serving coleslaw
1
Subtotal
5
Evening
1 serving(s) Applebee's® Cajun Lime Tilapia
6
1 item McDonald's® Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone
3
Subtotal
9
Snack
1 cup Kellogg's Special K Red Berries Cereal
2
1/2 cup fat-free skim milk
1
1/2 cup General Mills Fiber One
0
4 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Strawberry Yogurt
1
Subtotal
4
Total Food POINTS values used
19
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
+3

Wednesday Weigh-In

I'm at least back to where I should be. I anticipate I might actually see a weight I haven't seen in about a decade before the end of May. That prospect alone should keep me motivated.

I ate more than what I was gastronomically comfortable with yesterday but I didn't exceed my weekly point allotment. I still always feel a little guilty dipping into weekly points although it's part of the program. It's actually one of the things that keeps it doable.

Nothing else of interest to report.

Tuesday's Feasts {{eye roll}}
Morning
2 slices Wasa Light Rye Crispbread Crackers
1
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Original Flavor
1
Subtotal
2
Midday
1 item egg
2
1/2 Tbsp Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise
.5
1 1/2 large carrots
.5
1 cups strawberries
0
1/2 tsp mustard
0
2 cup mixed baby greens
0
2 slices df ww bread
3
1/2 packet ff ital. dres.
0
Subtotal
6
Evening
1 item bell pepper
0
1/2 cup cooked onions
.5
1/3 clove garlic clove
0
1 link italian sausage
8
Subtotal
8.5
Snack
1 1/2 cup Kellogg's Special K Red Berries Cereal
3
1/2 cup fat-free skim milk
1
1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans
2
15 items Tostitos Baked! Scoops tortilla chips
2
4 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Strawberry Yogurt
1
lame boneless rib- wasn't worth the points
5
Subtotal
14
Total Food POINTS values used
30.5
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
-8.5
Exercise
30 min walking, leisure
1
Total Activity POINTS values earned
1
Swapped 1 activity point
Used 7.5 weekly points.
Still had 24.5 weekly points remaining
Week resets on Wednesday.

Boring Food Day

Morning
6 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Blueberry Yogurt
1
1/2 cup General Mills Fiber One
0
1 cup black coffee
0
Subtotal
1
Midday
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Original Flavor
1
1 large cooked sweet potato
3
Subtotal
4
Evening
6 oz cooked trimmed pork loin
7
1 cup cooked brown rice
4
1 cup cooked sweet green pepper strips
0
1 Tbsp canned tomato paste
0
Subtotal
11
Snack
1 small banana(s)
1.5
1/2 cup General Mills Fiber One
0
1 tsp peanut butter
1
8 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Raspberry Yogurt
1.5
1 large carrot(s)
0
Subtotal
4
Total Food POINTS values used
20
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
+2
Exercise
Total Activity POINTS values earned
0

Ahhhh Relief at Last

Alrighty then. I went for two months essentially without losing a thing. I was up several pounds in a day sometimes, the down two, up three, over 5, whatever...but never with a net loss. This 49-year old was getting a bit nervous. Hmmmm. No 'cycle' for two months. Unexplained inability to lose weight even while doing vigorous exercise. Do you see where I'm going with this? I was too chicken to go get a pregnancy test. I wasn't quite prepared to see the result if it was a yes. Anyway, I guess it's just that time in my life. Wahoo! I am now most assuredly NOT pregnacious and for that I am very grateful. Not that I don't LOVE children.....I just think I've already produced my quota.

So, apparently my body is just whacking out on occasion which apparently is normal at my age. I am now down a few pounds from where I was a week ago but at least I feel like there was a hormonal reason for my lack of a loss and intense appetite increase.

Got some walking in today. Jim went, too. Went a few miles, cooled down at Starbucks with a Passionfruit Iced Tea (unsweetened, of course), came home and ate dinner.

Here's today's food choices:


Morning
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
.5
sample box of bran cereal
1
Subtotal
1.5
Midday
2 tsp mustard
0
8 items Tostitos Baked! Scoops tortilla chips
1
1 hot dog
4
1 sl. df ww bread
1
Subtotal
6
Evening
1/2 Tbsp Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise
.5
1/2 tsp mustard
0
1/2 large jalapeno pepper(s)
0
1 pkg light ramen
5
tuna
1.5
1 slice df ww bread
1
Subtotal
8
Snack
1/2 cup General Mills Fiber One
0
1 large carrot(s)
0
5 cups reduced-fat microwave-popped popcorn, 94% fat-free
1
16 oz Dannon Light 'n Fit Nonfat Yogurt Strawberry Yogurt
3
1/2 pbj on dfww
3
Subtotal
7
Total Food POINTS values used
22.5
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
-0.5
Exercise
30 min walking, brisk
2
20 min walking, leisure
1
Total Activity POINTS values earned
3

Yesterday's Log and Today's Question

What are those foods that you just CAN'T have in your house because they are too overwhelmingly tempting? Don't worry, I want to win this BAD, but I'll refrain from having double cheese pizzas and 3-liter bottles of Coke delivered to your domiciles.

Here's mine: This cornbread recipe is deadly, as are homemade macaroni & cheese, grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches, and carrot cake.

What foods are the things that make your plan doable? I have a few of those. 'Fried' Rice is one of them. I cut up a huge pile of vegetables (usually cabbage, onions, carrots, pea pods, fresh ginger & garlic), 'fry' them in my non-stick pan(no oil whatsoever), throw in about a 1/2 to 1 cup of leftover brown or wild rice, and a little soy sauce. It also works great with leftover whole wheat pasta. I sometimes put shrimp in it if son#3 isn't eating it.

The other 'magic' food for me is yogurt. I mix in a little Fiber One and some fresh fruit. Although I prefer cooking from scratch, a convenience food that I use LOTS on this diet is canned soup for lunch. The vegetarian vegetable, tomato prepared with water, chicken noodle, and minestrone are all SO low in points and convenient that it makes lunchtime less temptation-laden.

Yesterday's choices:

1 cup cooked oat bran
1
Subtotal
1
Midday
1/2 pbj ww df
3
tomato soup w water
4
Subtotal
7
Evening
1 6-inch SUBWAY® Restaurants Turkey Breast & Ham Sub
5
1 3/4 Tbsp SUBWAY® Restaurants Fat Free Honey Mustard Dressing
1
15 items Tostitos Baked! Scoops tortilla chips
2
1/2 cup salsa
0
Subtotal
8
Snack
1 grande latte , made with fat-free milk
3
5 cups reduced-fat microwave-popped popcorn, 94% fat-free
1
1 ww df bread
1
1/3 cup spaghetti sauce
1
Subtotal
6
Total Food POINTS values used
22
Food POINTS Balance over (-) under (+)
0