Weight Loss Journey, Walked Alone!

I have to brag -- I just walked 2 miles by myself! The horizon showed signs of rain, but I went anyway. It was pleasant, cloudy, and breezy most of the time. When I got in the car, I saw a drop on the windshield. I thought it might be from the tree I was parked under. By the time I got out of the parking lot, it was coming down -- huge drops. I was afraid it might be hail, but the sky wasn't the right color. It rained the whole way home. As a matter of fact by the time I got home, it was a gale with lightning and thunder.

I thanked God for waiting until I finished the walk. I don't have to tell you that I'm pretty proud of myself.

The food I made yesterday -- the macaroni salad and black-eyed pea salad are delicious. But the raw green peppers and onions don't agree with me. Darn :(

A friend told me I was inspiring her to get back into a walking routine. If I'm inspiring you to do anything, please add a comment to my blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, if you have a comment about the food or anything else, please comment.

Food:
2 servings oatmeal (didn't finish it all) with 1 serving unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon (6 + 1)
1 small gala apple (1)
8 baby carrots (or so) (1)
1 serving macaroni salad (3)
1-1/2 serving black-eyed pea salad (3)
1-1/2 serving beef stroganoff (15)
1 pkg wholewheat crisps (2)
1 peppermint (0)

32 points (6 over). If I lose another pound, I'll lose a point. Hmmm
Look at this -- I'm counting points! I figured it was just a matter of time ;O)

Exercise:
Walked 2 miles ;O) I have to if I'm going to continue to eat like this.

Weight Loss Journey, Playing Hookey

Today is Sunday, and I'm playing hookey from life. I've been reading a Janet Evanovich novel about Stephanie Plum (Fingerlicking Fifteen), and I'm cooking for next week. So far I've baked 4 small potatoes and a batch of Potato and Kale Soup. Later today I'll make Salisbury Steak. I can't find the written list for what I bought groceries for, so I'll probably have to go back to Sunday's blog post to see what I listed. Maybe another goal should be to be more organized.

Sunday's post had the list I needed. I made the Black-Eyed Pea salad, Macaroni Salad, and Salisbury Steak. I still didn't have Worchestershire Sauce, so I tried Soy Sauce instead, and I didn't have red wine, so I tried red wine vinegar instead. I don't know that the vinegar was a good sub for red wine, but the soy sauce was OK.

I ended up with lots of BLTs (bites, licks, and tastes), so I probably went over my points for the day. But I have lots of stuff for lunch next week!

Food:
1 egg with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread (not grilled) (6 pts)
1 small baked potato with 1 tbsp lite margarine and salt and pepper
2 servings Potato and Kale soup (YUM!)(4pt/serv and 10/2 serv)
2 serving black-eyed pea salad (2 pts each)
1 serving macaroni salad--had to make sure they tasted OK ;O) (3 pts)
1 serving Salisbury Steak (6 pts) with 2 serving instant mashed potatoes
1-1/2 glass chocolate milk
2 peppermints (1)
34 points (8 over)

Weight Loss Journey, Guided Meditation

I started today at 5:00. I've been sleeping in lately. But today I was ready to get up when my alarm sounded. I tried something new today: Guided Meditation for weight loss by Belleruth Naparstek. I listened to 22 minutes of the 60-minute CD in the morning. Then, at night, I listened to the whole CD.

Food:
Sandwich of whole wheat bread, 2 egg whites and 1 slice of HEB lite cheese
Chicken and Rice (leftovers)
1 snack pkg of salted peanuts
1 small ice cream cone from Sonic (yum!)
1 Sourdough Jack and small order of fries
chocolate bar from the Credit Union

Exercise:
I did 12 situps on my bed. That's not much exercise, but it's something.

Weight Loss Journey, Fighting for Control

I feel like I was out of control last night. I ate way too much for dinner, and I had a craving for something, anything to eat.

Today was pretty routine, so nothing exciting to report.

Food:
2 servings of oatmeal with 3 tsp of sugar
12 baby carrots
1 chicken thigh with rice (leftover from last night)
15 green grapes
3 slices Little Caesar's large pepperoni pizza
16 oz. chocolate milk

Exercise:
Walked 2 miles after work

Weight Loss Journey, Back to a Routine

Well, today is another day. I started out with the usual. I'm back into a routine. I do better eating wise with a routine.

I've had a couple of opportunities to walk today. It's hot, but it doesn't bother me like it used to. When I started Weight Watchers, I decided to walk to the meetings, rain or shine! Then I started walking to every meeting, within reason. Actually, the only meetings I haven't walked to have been in Bldg. 209, which is just a little farther than the building I walked to today at lunch. Maybe I'll walk to it next time I have a meeting.

I planned to make Beef Stroganoff for dinner but found some chicken thighs that needed to be cooked. So I fried 6 skinless, boneless thighs, no breading, just fried on a pancake griddle. Then I put the remaining 4 thighs in a casserole dish with a cup of brown rice and a can of cream of mushroom soup. YUM! The dinner probably set me back a day or so, but it was delicious ;O)

Food:
2 servings of oatmeal with 3 tsp of sugar
1 small gala apple
1 serving Scallops with Pesto
1 serving carrots
23 grapes
4 cups water
1 small red leaf lettuce salad w/light ranch dressing
3 chicken thighs
rice with mushroom soup
16 oz skim milk with lite chocolate

OK, so I didn't do so well today. I was really hungry when I got home, and the food was really good. Not a good combination. I hope the walking will offset the bad food choices this evening.

Exercise:
Walked to and from Bldg. 171 during lunch (11:30 & 1:00)
Walked to and from Bldg. 263 (3:00)

Weight Loss Journey, Preparing for the Journey, 10-07-18

I weighed when I awoke, and according to my scale (not official mind you), I weigh 220. I actually weighed about 225 yesterday on my scale (not official). So, I'm already making progress.

This weight loss journey is so much like taking a trip. First I had to decide where to go, and if it was worth the trouble, planning, work, etc.

Now that I've decided to go to 135, I have to pack. Picking out recipes and preparing a shopping list is much like packing for a long trip. Once I picked out several new recipes, my first thought was to get all I needed. But history tells me that too much is not a good thing. Like taking too many clothes, buying too many fresh ingredients is not smart. I usually tire of cooking something new every night, and the rest of the food spoils.

I culled my list of new recipes and made a list of groceries to get for those. I've spent about 3 hours just planning the menu for this week! Now I'm ready to shop. I have my calculator and budget. Shopping will take at least an hour or more. It's kind of exciting to see what I actually end up with. Hopefully I'll have enough for several good new meals. I've decided on the Salisbury Steak, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Parmigiano, Black Beans with Rice, Pasta Salad, Oatmeal Scones, Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Macaroni Salad, Fettuccine Alfredo, Ricotta-Parmesan Pasta, Scallops with Green Pesto, and Italian-Style Swiss Steak

After 1-1/2 hours of shopping, I finally got home with lots of goodies, overspending my budget by $40! The only thing I didn't have with me was my Weight Watchers Points counter.

I decided to fix the Scallops with Green Pesto from the Weight Watchers Favorite Homestyle Recipes cookbook. I liked it. I chose to buy the pesto instead of making it, and the brand I chose didn't have much flavor. I used to buy a packet that I added olive oil to, but I couldn't find it this time. My son didn't like the crunchy of the almonds which contrasted with the "squishy" scallops and pasta. Once I added salt, I thought it was delicious. There's lots left, so I hope it tastes good as leftovers ;O).

Scallops with Green Pesto

Pesto (I used a jar)
1 c chopped scallions
1 c fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 c fresh basil leaves
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil

Scallops
1 lb, 2 oz bay scallops
1 packet low-sodium instand chicken broth mix
2 oz. toasted slivered almonds
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
4-12 cups hot cooked tricolor fusilli pasta (I used whole wheat)

1. To prepare pesto, in blender, combine scallions, parsley, basil, cheese, garlic, and oil until just blended; set aside.
2. In large skillet, bring 1 cup water to a boil; add scallops. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallops just turn opaque, about 3 minutes.
3. With slotted spoon, transfer scallops to large serving bowl; reserve poaching liquid. Add remaining ingredients, pesto, and 1/2 cup reserved liquid. Toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

6 Servings

Per serving: 294 calories, 22 g protein, 11 g fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 146 mg calcium, 306 mg sodium, 31 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber.

Weight Watchers points: 6

Pinto Beans
I decided to make some pinto beans last night, so I soaked them overnight. I started cooking them first thing when I got up. Then I headed to the store and forgot about them being on the stove. By the time I remembered them, the water had cooked away. I'm eating them anyway. I have never made a good pot of beans. They are supposed to be so easy to make. Even my Dad makes good beans. But, alas, the bean cooking gene skipped me.

I grew up with beans and cornbread, so I decided to make cornbread to go with my beans. When I got to the milk in the recipe, I realized the carton was bad, so I used water instead. Not a good substitute. The cornbread is completely tasteless.

At least one meal worked out OK! ;O)

Food:
2 servings Oatmeal (need the fiber and quality to lower cholesterol) with 3 tsp sugar.
17 green grapes
1 serving of the Scallops with Green Pesto
1 apple
3 cups of homemade pinto beans
1 serving of cornbread
2 spoonfuls of Scallops
1 pkg of WW Cheese Twists
16 oz skim milk with lite chocolate

Exercise:
15 minutes on exercise ball

Weight Loss Journey, The Continuing Story, 10-07-17

Those who know me know I've struggled with weight problems since I was 8 years old. I went from too skinny to too fat in one year (most likely over the summer). It changed from people telling me I needed to eat to people telling me I had to stop eating.

So, here I am, 50 years later, struggling once again to get to the perfect weight. In 7th grade, I was on my first official diet -- I had to take tenuate (sp?) 30 minutes before lunch. Lunch consisted of diet jello, soup, vegetables. Then over the next few years, I tried Ayds (a caramel-like candy that you chew before each meal). I ate sauerkraut once until I got sick, same with spinach. I drank my weight in grapefruit juice and ate nothing until I ended up in the hospital. I took Desoxyn (sp?), even tried speed.

Then I started weight reduction programs like Weight Reduction Medical Center where I got a weekly vitamin B shot and added protein powder to caffeine-free drinks along with 4 ozs of protein and a small salad. I had to keep my body in ketosis. I got really weak doing that. The next one was Nutrasystems. I did really well with that program. But it was very expensive and I quit. Then I gained all the weight back and then some.

I joined Weight Watchers hundreds of times it seems. I'd do well then I'd start "cheating" and losing interest. In 2006, my cardiologist suggested I try LA Weight Loss. LA was like Weight Watchers on steroids. We followed a very similar eating plan and weighed in 3 times a week. It was very expensive, and we had to pay for some LA Lite bars that were tasty (once you got used to the chemical taste). The bars were a great way to feel like I was indulging myself, and they helped fill in the gaps between meals. I did very well -- lost 40 lbs (of 110)! Then they changed the plan and the weight loss stopped immediately, and a year later, I was still struggling to lose more. I stuck with LA until 2008 when they closed their doors, owing me 40 boxes of bars! It happened right after I had my first knee surgery and wasn't able to drive. I was very disappointed.

Then for a new year's resolution, I decided to once again lose weight. But I started on my resolution early by joining Weight Watchers Dec. 22, 2009, so I'd be armed for the holidays. It helped a lot! I actually lost weight during the holidays! Then a friend started a Weight Loss group that works through "The Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook." By May 13, I'd lost 20 lbs! And, here it is July 17, and I'm still at that 20 lbs loss!

What's going on? Why do I sabotage myself? I'm certainly not happy at this weight! I don't like the way I look in clothes. I get tired of people not wanting to sit next to me at conferences or meetings. So what's going on?

I've been blessed with a mentor who is working through a personal development program with my son and me. Today we got down to the nitty gritty. Since we started this in April, I've mentioned that I want to weigh 135 by Christmas 2010. Well, here it is 3 months later, and I've lost a couple of pounds and 3 months. He finally asked today if that was truly something I wanted to do. I said it was. So, we discussed how I HAD to eat less and move more. Duh! But why don't I do that?

I have to forget the past. Put it behind me. Jim Rohn said something like You can't change your life overnight, but you can change the direction of your life overnight. I have to think about the future. I have to work through the times that I don't feel like doing anything. Three struggles I have are procrastination, laziness, and busyness, oh, and stinking thinking. I'm always telling myself that I can start again tomorrow and I give myself permission to eat something I shouldn't or to skip exercising. I'm basically a slug, so it doesn't take much to talk myself out of being active. Then I get busy and before I know it, it's late and I haven't had time to exercise.

So, I'm starting fresh today (not tomorrow). I'm going to use this blog as a way to track what I eat and my exercise. I still go to Weight Watchers and weigh in every Thursday, so on Thursdays, I'll post my weight and whatever we discussed at the meetings. I walk on Tuesdays and Thursdays with my friend and accountability partner.

Please have patience with me, encourage me, and help me through this journey. I was originally going to call it a struggle. But that sure puts a negative connotation on this. It is a journey, and I'm excited about the side trips and fun times we can have on this journey.

I don't remember exactly what my weight was Thursday -- I don't have my book with me. I think it was 222.8. I bought 2 boxes of 2-pt snacks (a first): I got cheese curls and original wheat crisps. I'm hoping these will help me through the "gotta have something" times.

I just went through 3 different cookbooks -- Weight Watchers favorite Homestyle Recipes, LA Weight Loss (no nutritional info; I'll have to plug the ingredients into the Weight Watchers website), and Better Homes and Gardens Low-Fat Meals (no fiber info) -- looking for food that my son and I can eat that's tasty, healthy, and low fat/cal. Then I made a grocery list.

The recipes I found are:
Salisbury Steak
Beef Stroganoff
Potato/Kale soup (like the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden)
Chicken Parmigiano
Swiss Steak
Black Beans with Rice
Vegetable Lasagna
Pasta Salad
Oatmeal Scones
Breakfast Pie
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Macaroni Salad
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ricotta-Parmesan Pasta
Denise's Pasta Supreme
Easy Manicotti Florentine
Scallops with Green Pesto
Betty's Fried Rice
Itanlian-Style Swiss Steak

Weight: 222.8
Exercise: walked to and from library, 1:30, 95 deg., 1.1 mile (I'm pretty proud of myself)
Food: 2 servings of Oatmeal with 3 tsp of sugar (9 pts)
Bill Miller salad/ranch dressing (dipped fork in dressing)
fruit salad
1/2 chicken dark (no skin)
2 captain's wafer crackers
1 roll (Biller Miller)
1 pkg cheese curls (2 pts)
2 chalupa shells (2 pts)

My Weight Loss Journey, The Beginning

The Beginning

I weighed 6lbs-2ozs when I was born. I was a picky eater, thin, and active as a young child. But for some reason, family and friends equated fat babies as healthy babies.

To make me "healthier," my immediate family rearranged the seating at the dining table to put me next to someone who intimidated me into eating. Their plan worked! After several times of sitting at the table until hours after the meal because I didn't want to eat something, I finally got the message and ate everythying. After a while, I not only ate everything -- I liked everything -- except beets and pickled pigs' feet. Oh, and Limburger cheese. These were favorites of my grandfather, and he tried to get me to eat these. But no matter how big or mean he tried to be, he couldn't get me to eat those.

My German grandmother was one of those who equated fat with healthy, so she had lots of goodies for us to eat. We helped her bake cookies, pies, and cakes. Of course, we helped her eat them as well. I can't tell you how many times we sat in front of the TV watching Bugs Bunny eating powder sugar or brown sugar with a spoon. So, needless to say, it wasn't long before I jumped from too thin to too fat. The summer I turned 8, I stepped over that line.

Then, before I knew it, I was being called "Fatty" by everyone. Talk about confusing!

The struggle started.