Blah

That is how I feel, blah. I'm up 3 pounds, probably all water weight as I am trying to stay hydrated. I either caught a virus or food poisoning as my stomach as been in a knot for the past two days, I feel nausea and TMI I have constant diarrhea. You would think I would losing weight as I can't stomach the idea of eating much of anything. I graze when I am feeling well, but a few minutes later I am back to feeling yucky again. Guess who won't be eating very much at X-mas dinner. Humm....maybe that is a good thing.

Auto-Pilot

This was suppose to be day one of my 7-day juice fast. My husband injured his back. What does this mean for me? I didn't go grocery shopping for any of the things I needed for the fast. Poor thing was unable to pick our son up and I was afraid to leave them alone. I could have taken my son with me, however he was sick all weekend and since it snowed here it's a lot colder out now and I didn't want to risk him getting sicker or getting anyone else sick. I decided last night that instead I would do a 3 day water fast and then start the juice fast. That didn't happen either. Why? Auto-Pilot. I always make coffee for my husband in the morning and now that he doesn't have to be into work until 8am, like myself, I poured myself a cup of coffee as well, without really even thinking about it, and sat down to watch the news with hubby, enjoying the warmth provided by the coffee.

I doubt coffee is allowed, but I am still going forward with the water fast. Coffee has always helped with my other health issues, so I am not stessing it today, I'll just do it starting tomarrow, and I'll try to remember to turn the auto-pilot off.

Weight Loss hits another slump

Every time I think I am doing well I start to relax my grip on eating and I gain back 10 pounds in a matter of a week. I slowly start to eat more, get busy and skip a meal or two, or eat things I shouldn't. I don't want to feel like I am depriving myself of anything, but yet I overdo it most of the time, in the back of my mind a little voice is screaming "put down the fork and back away from the plate" as I go for a second helping of something I found partially delish when I am already full from putting to much on my plate to begin with. I don't listen to it.

I am a compulsive eater. I'm like a deal shopper who bought something just because it was on sale whether I actually needed it or not. The 8 pieces of chocolate I ate already today and the half bag of honey roasted peanuts will confirm. Why did I eat them, I certainly didn't need them and I had a modest breakfast so I was exactly hungry either. I ate them because frankly they taste good, especially the chocolates. I have a severe sweet tooth and add that to the need to snack on something crunchy the peanuts got added to the mix.

Even now as I sit and type this my stomach is screaming at me for even considering another trip to the break room for the dreaded but surprisingly wanted chocolate confections and for even thinking about lunch, which my break happens to be in 20 minutes. This conflict of emotions between my body, brain and stomach lead me to a web search on juice diets.

What lead me to juice diets or juice fasting is the craving for something sweet. I love apples, oranges and the such but seldom eat them for one reason or another....more likely because I just don't want to eat them plain or go through the trouble of peeling them. I also like to have something to drink all the time but I get bored easily with water and well I shouldn't be drinking coffee all day. So I found an interesting article by one Jason Vale, "the juice master". It outlined a 7 day juice fast that consists of drinking up to 5 juices a day. I was intrigued by it because it included cold juices made from fruits and vegetables as well as hot teas. There are a few ingredients that may be difficult to procure like wheat grass and spirulina as the closest health food place is 2 cities away and usually closed by time I consider making the trip into town. I would also need to find a cheap juicer.

I'm not sure what my husband will think of this diet or if I can even handle it as I will still need to fix normal meals for him and my son. Snacking will still be an issue but I recall something the author wrote and that is that I am making this decision on my own accord, no one is forcing me to choose this method over another so it is up to me to stick to it. Those are good words of wisdom. Since the grocery list is vast as I don't have most of the ingredients on hand my goal for starting this diet is Monday the 7th. Wish me luck. It is my hope that this will help jump start a change in my lifestyle and decrease my sugary cravings. My willpower is out there somewhere.

From Apple Bottom to Muffin Top

This post originally posted by Kelley of the Neurotic Mom. Check her out, she's one funny gal and loves to give things away from time to time. (Photo's removed from this posting). Oh and don't be depressed Kel....your daughter will be beautiful, just like her mother.

From Apple Bottom to Muffin Top

I'm sure this is a subject that many moms (and some dads) can relate to.

I used to be a size 6. Nothing spectacular, but I could squeeze my cute ass into a pair of low rise jeans without a problem. I didn't have a flat stomach, but the little pooch that I was always trying to get rid of would be a nice change from what I have now. (See skinny me over there? That was me on April 28, 2006. The night before my wedding. I looked good then.) I could shamelessly wear a bikini and feel confident about it. I even contemplated going topless on the beach on our honeymoon. The Hub wasn't so keen on that idea.

The pool was never an issue for me. Neither was laying out and basking in the warm sun. I didn't care if the bottom of my shirt barely met up with the top of my pants. Not that I went around baring my belly for all to see, but if it happened to make a guest appearance, I wasn't concerned.

And might I just say that my ass wasn't all that horrid to look at either. In fact, it was the first thing that The Hub noticed when we first met. I know, degrading to women, blah blah blah. But at the time I didn't care. I was proud. I still am proud of the way I used to look.

After having Bubby, I managed to shed the pounds. I actually got down to 5 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight. So why could I not get back into my clothes? Simple.

Muffin Top.

That's right, I now have a muffin top. I hate to admit it and I hate even more trying to hide it. Nothing ever fits right. Before I was trying to find clothes that would best show off my ass(ets). Now I'm desperately trying to find clothes that are big enough to cover them up.

It's a shame that I have to donate all the clothes that are in the "skinny bin", but I just can't stand looking at it anymore. (That's me and one of my very best friends, Sean on New Year's Eve 2005. See how skinny I used to be? That sweater is in the skinny bin. It used to be big on me.) And now that I'm pregnant again, I will be getting bigger before I get smaller.

And I won't even touch on the stretch marks. That's a whole different post all together!

Now when someone says "Hey, baby!" I assume they are talking about an actual baby.

Maybe by the time I can fit in those clothes again they will be back in style. Then my 21 year old daughter can wear them. I'm depressed now.

Fruit Leather Recipe

I was doing research for a class today and came upon a recipe for making fruit leather. Fruit leather is basically thin dried out fruit puree and can be made from apples, peaches, apricots, you name a fruit it can probably be made into leather. I personally think this is a great treat as you can control what is going into the treat like sugar and it gives you a nice snack when you are craving something sweet. Think I am going to make me a batch of apple leathers tomorrow.

Here's the link - Enjoy!
How to Make Fruit Leather

Up, Up, and Away

No I don't wish I were light enough to float. I need to set some goals for myself and actually stick with them instead of letting them fly out the door like an escaped canary. Every time I say, "I'm going to start jogging" I wake up in the morning and I decide I am to tired for a morning jog and that it is to cold, I'll go after work". The work day ends and I do it again, make excuses. It's always, "I'm too tired". Having had that checked out by a doctor I think the phrase should be, "I'm to lazy". There I said it. I'm a severe procrastinator and I just don't want to do anything. I KNOW I need to get in shape, I KNOW I want to be healthy, but something in my brain is not clicking as the motivation is just. not. there.

Anyone have a treadmill? Seriously, perhaps having the ability to run in the comfort of my own home would be motivation enough because really....it is to cold.

Walking Day 1

I woke up and made coffee as usual...Hubby and I don't do well without it. Jumping into the shower I contemplated my day knowing that a better part of the office would be out doing one thing or another, meaning I had lots and lots of time for blogging, school work, and internet surfing ailments that I think I might have. That was a long shower.

I had decided a few days earlier that I was going to start walking to work again this year. Last winter I walked the months of November, December and January for the same reason I am walking this year......my car won't start. Yeah got to love a car that is even more stubborn than myself and even less of a morning "person".

So I poured myself a large cup of coffee and waited for my father to arrive to watch my child. I love having in home daycare, especially free. A few minutes after he came in I was on my way to work. Why do I have to decide to walk in 30 degree temperatures in dress shoes?

Actually the walk was quite nice and I only tried to lose my shoes twice. With a broke down car I don't have an excuse to not walk daily, I just need to motivate myself to do it on the weekends as well. Now lets see how many times I fall on my butt this year, got to love ice. Last years record was 10 times and no broken bones.

On menu items

Last night I went to the big city to pick my dad up from the airport. His flight wasn't scheduled to come in until a little after 9pm and being thrifty as I am I convinced hubby that he needed to come with me and turn the 1 1/2 drive into a window shopping trip. Needless to say that meant that we left the house around 5:45 with no dinner in our tummies. With enjoying our shopping we didn't get around to stopping for food until after my dad arrived. I had to break my rule of no eating after 8pm....I was starving.

So we decide on Chile's after my suggestion of Olive Garden was shot down. Looking over the menu I spied something that perked my interest and I figured would fill me up....a half turkey sandwich with soup. That sounds healthy only we came in so late they didn't have anymore soup. I look over the rest of the menu and see their "Guiltless Grill" with names like guiltless chicken....what is so guiltless about it? The fact it is served with non-fat dressing or comes with black beans instead of fries? Oh I look back on it now and think I should have gotten over my fear of saying the word guiltess and should have ordered the Guitless Chicken Platter instead I ordered the Cajun Chicken which had a lot of kick to it. I only ate about half the fries....oh I love their fries and of course had to have 2 Top Shelf Margarita's which hubby shared with me thankfully.

So do I feel bad for eating this today....so far no because for once I didn't over do it, the sandwich wasn't too large and there are fries in the fridge for me to eat for lunch today....yea I know I am evil.

Mini Challenge

My weight loss group is doing mini challenges this go around to help keep us motivated through the holiday season. Challenge #1 was to declare our goal for this challenge and then to accomplish it. My goal is to lose 9 pounds by the end of the challenge which is December 28th. We'll see how much I can get accomplished with such a lofty goal.

Challenge #2 is to do some cleaning. Not just any cleaning but that closet or room we've been avoiding because it is just to much work. I have many closets and rooms that really need to be cleaned so I thought it would be best to list them off and then cross them off as I completed them. We have until the 18th to clean at least one room/closet.

1. My son's closet - Go through sizes, get rid of old clothes, put away clothes that are in laundry baskets.
2. My closet - Fold and put away all clothes, get rid of any I just haven't or will not wear.
3. The mud room - Clean off couch, sweep and mop floor, clean ferret cage and change out bedding for turtles.
4. My computer desk - Shred old paperwork, put up books, put away files
5. Basement - Clean up water from leak, check for mold and fungus, organize boxes and find Fall and Christmas decorations.

I think that about does it. Something to do every week.

Found a reason

For women the upcoming arrival of her monthly visitor, aka: Aunt Flo (AF) signals a lot of changes in her body. Bloating, weight gain, big boobies....you get the point we are uncomfortable. For the past week I have noticed these changes and in the past two days noticed the weight gain. It seems that 2 days prior to the arrival of AF I retain 5 pounds in water. Monday I weighted in at 155.4, yesterday and today I came in at 160.8! Yeah I know I had chinese for dinner yesterday but come on!! At least now I know why I was craving pork fried rice last night.

Going down hill

I think I need to throw the yo-yo away. I can't stand seeing my weight drop one week to going right back up the next.

So okay this week there is probably a good reason for my weight gain. I've had a recent loss of another kind in my life, my grandmother, who at 81 succumbed to the battle of cancer. I knew it was coming, I'd prepared myself months ago for the inevitable but that still doesn't make it any easier. I said for her I am going to get healthy and instead upon the news of her death all I wanted to do was down the crown royal and vodka my dad had sitting on the stove. I didn't. A few days later through my urge for comfort food over came me and to make myself feel better I got my skinny husband to join me in eating chips and ice cream and drinking coke.

The ice cream is almost gone, the chips are gone and the soda is beginning to make me sick. I want to go jogging today, I really do, but mother nature decided we needed rain, a lot of it. I need something to do inside the house to keep me away from the store since most of the junk food is gone...again.

Results

My 8 week weight loss challenge has come to a close. The results are in and I managed to loss 3.8 lbs! Though not amazingly fantastic numbers, it's still a loss and better than I have done in past challenges.

The next challenge for our group starts on Nov. 3rd and runs through Dec.29th. Just the thing I need to get me through the holidays. Now if I can just get past Halloween and all this candy.

How it went

I decided to give the banana diet a try, what could I lose? Yeah yeah I know I hate puns too. So Wednesday evening I went and bought a bunch of banana's. Thursday morning I ate one and a glass of room temperature water just like the diet suggested. Lunch came around and amazingly my alarm clock of a stomach was not growling. I was hungry, but not extremely like normal. I did the same thing for Friday and same results. Saturday I had a normal breakfast because I had company in town and they wanted to try my waffles. Yum-o. Sunday I went back to the banana diet. I needed to test this diet further though. This morning I had a bagel with butter since we only had one banana left and I thought it best to leave it there as a snack for my son.......point???

I"M STARVING. My alarm clock of a stomach is going off at 11:15am, 45 minutes before I even get to go to lunch and and hour before I will be able to eat anything. I think I am going to be buying banana's this evening......I haven't stepped on the scale so I don't know if it resulted in any weight loss, but at least it curved my hunger pains.

Bananas: A weight loss wonder food?

Posted in it's entirety from:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735981a19716.html

Bananas: A weight loss wonder food?

By MINDY LAUBE - SMH | Wednesday, 22 October 2008

A new diet said to result in fast, stress-free weight loss has taken Japan by storm.

The Morning Banana Diet is possibly the world's easiest diet to follow - except in Japan where its intense popularity has led to the nation's worst-ever banana shortage.

Banana importer, Dole Japan Company, has increased supplies by 25 per cent over the corresponding period last year but is still struggling to meet demand.

Consequently, banana prices are soaring but with the celebrity endorsements and more than 600,000 copies of the diet books sold, demand for the fruit shows no signs of slowing.

Adherents of the diet love it for its simplicity and reported success.

Essentially, the regimen requires dieters to start the day with a raw banana and a glass of room-temperature water. After that, they're free to eat whatever they want for the rest of the day - except for sweets.

Desserts with meals are banned and just one sweet snack in the mid-afternoon is allowed.

Alcohol consumption is discouraged and early dinners (before 8pm) and taking to bed before midnight are the diet's only other strictures.

But perhaps the diet's greatest appeal lies in its laissez-faire approach to exercise. It counsels weight-watchers to work out only if they want to and then to exert themselves in the least stressful way possible.

The craze reached a new zenith last month when the Tokyo Broadcasting System aired a television program in which the very hefty former Japanese opera singer Kumiko Mori attributed a sudden seven-kilo weight loss to the diet.

Bananas have been in scarce supply on Japanese supermarket shelves ever since.

The Morning Banana Diet was developed by an Osaka pharmacist with a keen interest in Chinese herbal medicine.

Sumiko Watanabe devised the dietary regime for her husband, who had become exasperated by his inability to lose weight by more orthodox means.

Mr Watanabe is now a lean 59 kilos at 175 centimeters and attributes the diet's magic to its stress-free approach.

Nutritionists are divided on the efficacy of the diet but bananas are a rich source of resistant starch, a type of fiber found in carbohydrate-dense foods such as potatoes, corn, barley and bananas - especially slightly unripe fruit.

The indigestible starch is being touted as a wonder diet food by advocates as it is said to help induce feelings of saiety and increase the body's fat-burning capacity.

Update

I weighed myself yesterday for my week 7 check-in and came in at 151.4! That's only .2 pounds from my ticker....now to remember what date I imputed that weight on......off to check ticker factory (so glad they save this information).

Okay back

Seems I weighed 151.2 on August 8th. Wow! I still can't believe I let myself gain back 4 pounds in a month. That should have been a loss but I have been dealing with other forms of loss like the loss of an uncle, the notice that my grandmother has inoperable cancer and not long to live....it's all hit me hard and I have turned to comfort foods and snacking to keep my mind off the negative.

Even now I am having difficulties concentrating at work because financially I can not go to see my grandmother though I long to. My father will be heading there next week sometime. I wish I could be on that flight with him...we all do...it's just not possible.

So I sit typing here, listening to my thoughts and ponder what I can do. Mostly I know my grandmother would want me to be healthy. When she was still healthy enough for travel she came to visit and I told her about my health issues and the goals I had set for myself. She was impressed with what I had done, especially my eagerness to go to the dentist. She's been wearing dentures for years now and knows just what kind of pain they are and told me to take care of my teeth always. I know she wants me to be happy and for my family to be happy and she kick my butt if she knew I took something away from my family just so I could afford to fly and see her. So again I ponder and now it's about money and food and how I have neither...I so need to go grocery shopping but I have like $60 for the next two months. Guess that will keep me on my diet since I can't afford to by anything extra. At least we have meat in the freezer from our very successful hunting trip.

Maintaining

Last night before going to bed I thought I'd weigh myself.....157!! Yikes I'd gained 4 pounds since Friday. I blame it entirely on the visit from my not so favorite aunt...or mother nature however you want to look at it. She must be leaving because for fun I stepped on the scale this morning and I came in at 153.2!! This is the same weight I was last Tuesday (Sept. 23rd). I'm quite excited and knew all my weight gain had to be water weight as I have been really watching what I eat. I've had a few not so good for you snacks, but I haven't gorged on them and I am doing really well with my portions and food choices. This week I've done quite well, breakfast's and lunches were quite small....here's dinner.


Saturday
Hahaha - Can't remember

Sunday
Eggplant Parmasan
Green Salad w/ Ranch
Birthday Cake

Monday
Thin Cut Steak
Green Salad with Ranch Dressing

Tuesday
Grilled Salmon
Spinach w/garlic and ginger sauce
Keystone Light

Wednesday
Beef Round Steak
Chayote (mexican squash) w/ginger and lime sauce
Southern Style Cornbread w/margarine

Thursday
Baked Chicken Breast
Cauliflower

Friday
Green Salad and Fruit

I opened my weekly discovery health email to find this quote:

"I have a washboard stomach. It's just that mine has about two months' laundry
on top of it."
- Shawn Burr

I really think it sums up how I feel about my body. I know under these layers of fat lies an undiscovered 6 pack, now I just have to find a way to bring it out.

Update

I'd like to be able to report that I am still bike riding, but sadly no. We have a lot of puncture vine around here and the tot trailer just couldn't handle it. I put that green goop in them and aired the tires back up and less than 12 hours later the tires were flat again. I think I am going to have to by new tires, perhaps those no flat kind if I can find them in the right size. Then again I may just hold off since in about 3 weeks my father will be staying with us for the winter and I will have my live in babysitter once again....then I can just ride my bike or walk to work. Right now I drive my son to daycare and then drive to work. At lunch I've been walking home for a bite and then walking back to work. So I am still getting in some exercise, just not as much as before.

AF showed up on Friday, so I am retaining some water. Yuck but at least I have a valid reason for some weight gain. I'm hoping in a few days it will be gone and I will get to see some actual weight loss. I've been eyeballing the local 24/7 gym. They have a special going on where I can join for less than $1/day. Is that good? I've only peered through the windows as I drive by, but they seem to have a lot of equipment but I don't know if they have any trainers. It would be nice to splurge the first month and hire a trainer. My hair salon is also offering aerobics classes now, I've got to check on the price for that too. With having my dad as a sitter until March that's $200+ a month that I will have for other things, why not something for myself? It would be nice to get some bills paid off early too though....we'll see what hubby has to say.

Ditching the Car

I watched all week as my gas tank slowly dwindled down to nothing. My gas light came on once but then went out, so that means I still have some gas, though I couldn't tell you how much. I was contemplating parking the car and riding my bike for the rest of the month, or to go get $5 of gas....I don't really have $5 but I figured I could make it work. Lovely hubby suggests yesterday that I try out the bike and trailer for a little while since our big hunting trip is coming up and I need to work up my stamina for that. He takes the trailer attachment off his bike and puts it on mine. After a few adjustments and getting our son situated in the trailer we were off. It is said, "you never forget how to ride a bike" but there is nothing said about how to shift the gears. I don't know why I always have problems with this, I can handle a standard vehicle with ease but is it up, down what when I want to go to a lower or higher gear on a bike. After a little coaching (ie. nagging) from my husband I was getting back into the swing of things and started to enjoy my ride.

My goal now is to leave the car parked and I will only go and get fuel when I have to go get major groceries or go out of town, which ever comes first. I left the house around 7:30 am to get my son to daycare on time and showed up there 15 minutes later. Not to shabby. Realizing I didn't have the bike lock and even in my small town I still feel I need to lock my bike up when out in public I decided to take it back home. The trip home only took 10 minutes and then it was a nice 5 minute walk to my office. I just love being in a small town.

Motivation to Exercise

I was so excited yesterday. The collars I bought for my dogs came in the mail!! Now I have two out of control, drag you down the road, bull-headed dogs. I was looking online for training aids and came across some head leads. After reading the reviews at 3 different sites I decided to order them. I took the first one out of the package, read the directions/advice booklet and set off to see if it would work. OMG, it was unbelievable!! She shook her head for a little while and pawed at her face and really gave me a fit once we took off, she practically rolled like a crocodile. After perhaps 10-15 minutes though I finally had a dog walking at my side with no pulling! I went back and tried the other dog, same results. I am so happy I can finally walk my dogs...together even. I took a chance and put my son in the stroller and strapped them to it and felt such joy to have a dog at each side and to be able to talk my son along. We are still far from perfect, but I think now I will be getting out more to walk. Last night I think we walked for a total of an hour between the 3 trips out.

Now I have the motivation to get out and exercise.

I made it through my first week of my weightloss challenge. Whew, that wasn't to bad. This week I focused on eating right and even though a couple brownies passed my lips and a huge plate of nachos ( hey I added tomatoes and lettuce) I lost 1.2 pounds! At this moment I am exceeding my first goal of 1 pound of week. I think for this week I will continue to focus on watching what I eat, as well as adding at least 1 day of jogging to my 2 days of walking. Now to just chose the day.

I stumbled upon the links to the side and just had to add them to this site. I love the "Skinny Songs" They are upbeat and very inspirational. I just may need to break down and by the CD. Check it out. The lyrist also created a line of inspirational/motivational shirts. These could be worn to the gym or to a picnic. The "do not feed" shirt is expecially funny and the mirror shirt is something I am considering buying once I find the time to go to a gym.

I found the site above thanks to a blogger who has a blog jam packed with information...so check her out as well. If you have any motivational products you would like seen here let me know, as well as any interesting blogs.

New inspiration?

I have feeling like mush lately and completely exhausted. My eating overall has been better, but I've been snacking more then I should. On Monday, I got on a scale AFTER having a doughnut with breakfast and I was 202, this is 2 to 3 lbs. less then I have been for the past few monthes...
Kind of a nice reminder that the weight can come off. I am really trying to up my exercise and a co-worker is helping me with that. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we are going for a swim or a walk.

A couple things I've been doing differently in the past few weeks and eating a bowl of grapenuts with a low fat yogurt for breakfast. I've also started drinking a large bottle of milk on the way to work, this seems to help curb the munchies:)

Shannon

Food Pyramid

So one of my goals is to start eating a more balanced diet. I'm a meat fanatic! I feel bad when I serve something without meat to my family, I feel protein is such a major building block that going without it horrible. I will try to make it up by serving some sort of bean, but it just doesn't seem the same. I'm also big on vegetables, mostly the frozen variety. I've been trying to get in more fresh stuff now that the harvest is going on, but it seems to much easier to just grab a can of corn. Fruit on the other hand normally is wrapped in bread, as in a nutrigrain bar. Can I even call that fruit? Again since the harvest has been going on I have been trying to get in more fresh fruit like peaches, nectarines, etc.
What is there that you have been trying to change in your diet?

I participate in a weight loss forum and they have a biggest loser challenge every 6 weeks. There a two different challenges you can participate in. The is the points/team challenge which I have been doing for the past 18 weeks, and then there is the weight loss/individual challenge which I opted to do this time. The points challenge basically helps you to learn to eat right and get yourself motivated. You can achieve a total of 30 points daily. Here's how the points work out:

• 12 points for exercise - 1 point per 10 minutes for a total of 2 hours
• 12 points for water - 1 point per 8 oz for a total of 96oz
• 1 point for checking in/supporting your team members
• 5 points for sticking to your food plan

I did well on this for awhile. I've definately changed my habits, but now I need more motivation. With the weight loss challenge I am on my own. It is with hope because of the things I have learned/changed while participating in the points challenge that I will be able to motivate myself. I am "competing" against other people to see who can lose the most weight in 6 weeks. Therotically I could lose 2 pounds a week, we'll see what happens. Now to try and exercise, that is the golden ticket right there.

Wake-up Call

So for the past few months I have thought I've been doing pretty good. Sure I had gained some weight back, but I'm losing it again so no big deal. WRONG! I was browsing a weight loss site I was using to calculate my BMI, track my goals, etc. The last time I had checked in with my weight and measurements was March 31st. Since that date I have gained 4 pounds, 1 inch around my waist, 2 inches around my hips and half an inch around my neck. So much for thinking I had improved.

This is so sad. I know my problem lies in my snacking, especially my late afternoon snacking. My lack of real exercise is a culprit I know as well. I'm getting out on Sundays and walking a good hour or two, but that's not nearly enough exercise. I think I need to sit down and get a little compulsive about my scheduling. I say I never have enough time, but I know for a fact that I waste a whole lot of it watching t.v. and surfing the net.

My heartburn is returning as well, a definate sign my body is not liking the foods I am putting into it. I always say I am going to do better, and I do. It just only lasts a few days, sometimes weeks if I really set my mind on it. I've been told it takes 6 weeks straight to make something a habit.....well here I go to try again.

I've noticed lately that I tend to just want to eat and eat when I get home from work. Mornings are fine, I eat a bowl of cereal, a nurtigrain bar, or make double of whatever I am making for my son, be it waffles, eggs, or toast. Lunch is usually good too. I try for a salad and a sandwich with some sort of fruit. After work I'm hungry, but not ready for dinner so I'll grab a bowl of cereal. I don't stop at just one bowl though, it turns into two and I'm not done there. I start to rummage through the cabinets looking for something else. Luckily I've learned not to buy these something elses so I end up getting frustrated with myself for even looking, grab a glass of water and plop myself on the couch. Really I should be out weeding my garden or flower beds, taking a walk or doing homework. Instead I am watching tv, usually the shows I have recorded from days before. My procrastination is horrible. I was excited that one of my teachers had need to extend the due date of an assignment that was due yesterday. I actually thought about not turning it in, even though I was only a paragraph from finishing it. I managed to talk myself into completing and turning it in, but boy was it tempting.

So you see this problem is in all aspects of my life, even work. I should be looking for something to do work related, but instead here I blog about my "issues". Perhaps this is a wakeup call that I should heed, or maybe my bosses just need to get me some more work.

Priorities

This weekend was our local festival, some family and friends competed in a 5K run/walk. I had Karl in his stroller and off we went. A 5K is just over 3 miles. The course was made of different terrains and different elevations. It was a challanging course with a large hill at the end. Our friend Mary, Karl and I took off walking at a brisk speed. It was nice conversation and a good speed. We didn't lack conversation and we finished shortly before the 60 minute mark. It felt great to do this and I wonder why I don't do this more often. I guess it all boils down to priorities. After working full-time, getting super made, can I fit in some exercise before going to bed? Sure I can, but I think I need some sort of commitment. Finding that commitment is the hard part.

Introduction

I just wanted to give a short introduction about myself. My name is Shannon. I am a 30 year old woman, married, working fulltime and mother to a 15 mo. old named Karl. In high school I swam and did track and field. My first year of college I swam. I made great strides in my times and was in great health. In the end my grades suffered, and I found my priorities didn't lie in the same place as my teammates (drinking and partying each weekend). I still found ways to keep active, but not nearly as much as swimming 15 hours per week. I meet my husband in July of 2000. It was a long distance relationship. I found myself commuting 2 hours each way to see him and spending lots of time eating out. We both loved (and still do) food. Slowly the weight crept on until I was over 200. During my pregnancy, I managed to keep my weight gain to 29 lbs. 6 weeks post partum and I was below my prepregnancy weight. My goal is to get down to 160 and a healthy BMI. I want to do this for myself, my husband and my son. I have had some ups and downs in this weight loss quest, but I am making some life changes.

I just have to shout out loud....I DID IT!!! I finally found my willpower, lets hope it stays around for awhile.
So a little back ground, I've mentioned before I work part-time at a convenience store. Yeah to convenient I say. The two nights I work a week I almost always miss dinner at home. I make it, I just don't have time to eat it. So tonight was another typical day, work at the office for 8 hours, pick up my son, have 10 minutes to myself, go to my other job. I managed for the first time to not eat anything (purchased) from the store, no bahama mamas, not cheetos, no nachos, nada. I had some huckleberries the girl from the shift before left me, but that was it, oh and coffee, got to have coffee.

So yes I did it, feels good to type that out.

10 Reasons You're Not Losing That Weight

10 Reasons You're Not Losing That Weight

By Nancy Gottesman, Women's Health
http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100213228&GT1=31036

If losing weight were simple, Spanx would be just a screen name in an S&M chat room. But dieting is complicated: There are even ways to screw up without realizing it. For instance, who would ever think that working out in the a.m. or cranking the AC might be the reason you're not slimming down? Luckily, once you've ID'd these flubs, fixing them is nowhere near as hard as pulling on a pair of control-top hose.

Roadblock No. 1: Always a go-getter, you work out at 6 a.m.

What's wrong with that? Morning workouts are great—if you go to bed at 10 p.m. In a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, women who slept seven or more hours a night were less likely to put on weight than women who didn't. Those who slept only six hours a night were 12 percent more likely to gain substantial weight—33 pounds on average over the course of 16 years! (Women who slept a measly five hours had a 32 percent chance of gaining 30 or more pounds.) Other studies have linked lack of sleep to a higher BMI and have found that it negatively affects levels of the appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin.

Detour: Don't sacrifice your snooze time—not even for an extra-long run. And quality matters more than quantity, so taking a siesta later won't help. "In a 20-minute power nap you don't get into the deep-sleep stage," says Donna Taliaferro, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who conducts research on sleep and circadian rhythms. "You need to go through the cycles of sleep over a few hours to get the restorative rest that allows your body to work properly." Bottom line: You're better off sleeping through your workout every other day than stumbling to a sunrise Pilates class on too few z's.

Roadblock No. 2: You're a teetotaler (or a sot!).

What's wrong with that? Alcohol may not be the diet kryptonite you thought it was. Recent research showed that those who have a single drink a couple times a week have a lower risk of becoming obese than either teetotalers or heavy drinkers. Those who consume more than four drinks daily, on the other hand, boost their odds of obesity by 46 percent.

Detour:Go ahead and have a drink; just avoid belly-busters like a 245-calorie piña colada. Instead, raise a glass of heart-smart merlot (123 calories per 5 ounces), Bud Light (110 calories per 12 ounces), champagne (88 calories per 4 ounces), or sake (39 calories per ounce). Or mix a 100-calorie cocktail, like vodka and diet tonic or tequila and club soda. "Just make sure you drink it with some healthy food, such as raw veggies with low-fat dip or whole-wheat pita and hummus," advises Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Eating slows the rise of alcohol in your blood—and cuts the odds you'll drunk-order the deep-fried mozzarella sticks.

Roadblock No. 3: You crank the AC.

What's wrong with that? Al Gore wants you to lay off the thermostat to save the planet. Here's how it can save (the shape of) your own ass, too: In a study published in Physiology & Behavior, researchers found that exposure to temperatures above the "thermoneutral zone"—the artificial climate we create with clothes, heating, or air conditioning—decreases our appetite and food intake. "At a slightly uncomfortable 81 degrees, the women in the study experienced a 20 percent decrease in appetite and ate 10 percent less than at 72 degrees," says lead author Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga, Ph.D., a professor of food-intake regulation in the department of human biology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Detour: Instead of cranking the air conditioner every time you feel a little warm, learn to endure slightly steamier conditions. Hitting the "off" button is well worth a little discomfort if it helps you lose the saddlebags.

Roadblock No. 4: You log extra miles on the treadmill to make up for giant meals.

What's wrong with that? When it comes to dieting, success isn't 90 percent perspiration. You can't achieve lasting weight loss via exercise alone. But a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that dieting can shrink your fat zones just as effectively as dieting plus exercise.

Detour: If you try the diet-only approach, you need a clear idea of how much you should be eating. Multiply your weight by 10, then add your weight again to that sum: That gives you the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight without activity. For example, 135 pounds x 10 = 1,350 + 135 = 1,485 calories. Eat more than that regularly, and your "loose-fit" pants won't anymore; eat less, and your muffin top will start melting away. But not so fast—before you burn your gym membership, read on about sarcopenia.

Roadblock No. 5: You ignore sarcopenia.

What's wrong with that? Sarcopenia, in case you weren't paying attention to your medical TV dramas, is age-related muscle loss—and it can start in your 30s. If you don't take action now, you could begin to lose as much as 1 to 2 percent of your muscle mass by the time you hit 50. Less muscle means you burn fewer calories and store more of them as fat.

Detour: The key to stopping muscle meltdown is to strengthen your back, shoulders, arms, and thighs. "When you increase lean muscle mass, you burn more calories, even when you're sitting down doing nothing," says Amy Campbell, M.S., R.D., education program manager for health care services at the Joslin Diabetes Center of the Harvard Medical School. Find a strength workout in "Secrets of the Nation's Top Trainers" and start sculpting at least twice a week. And keep it up after you reach your goal weight: Studies show that if you don't exercise regularly (60 minutes of moderate physical activity a day), the pounds can creep back on.

Roadblock No. 6: You're shooting for a realistic size 6 instead of a near-impossible 2.

What's wrong with that? We know size 2 jeans look like they were made for a 10-year-old, but, according to a study of 1,801 people published in the International Journal of Obesity, women who set unrealistically high weight-loss goals dropped more weight in 24 months than those who kept their expectations low.

Detour: The study authors concluded that having an optimistic goal motivated women to lose more weight. And the participants who failed to reach their magic number did not quit trying to drop the weight. Could aiming for Sienna Miller's figure really help you reach your goal weight healthfully? "If you're a driven person and a lofty goal motivates you," says Blatner, "it can work."

Roadblock No. 7: Ever since the recent headlines, you've been popping M&Ms like they're Advil.

What's wrong with that? You've heard the news: Cocoa can lower blood pressure; reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and dementia; and possibly even prevent cancer. But the research isn't as delicious as it seems. The cocoa-bean products used in the studies are a far cry from the highly processed chocolate candy you find on the shelves of your local store. "Milk chocolate contains about 150 calories and 10 grams of fat per ounce," says Campbell.

Detour: The key here is small doses. Dark chocolate, which retains more of the bean during processing, generally has slightly less fat and fewer calories than milk chocolate—plus, it's richer, so less goes a longer way. We like CocoaVia's Crispy Chocolate Bar (90 calories, 5 g fat) or Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Stick (60 calories, 3.5 g fat). If dark doesn't do it for you, opt for low-cal choices such as a half-cup of Breyers French Chocolate Double Churn Fat Free Ice Cream (90 calories, 0 fat).

Roadblock No. 8: You think "water-rich diet" means more trips to the cooler.

What's wrong with that? Water in your glass is good, but water in your food can have serious slimming power. In a new American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, obese women ages 20 to 60 were told to either reduce their fat intake or increase their intake of water-rich foods, such as fruits and veggies. Although they ate more, women in the water-rich group chose foods that were more filling—yet had fewer calories—so they still lost 33 percent more weight in the first six months than the women in the reduced-fat group.

Detour: Fill up on food that's high in H2O. Some good choices in addition to fruits and veggies: broth-based, low-sodium soups; oatmeal and other whole grains; and beans. For other filling options, consult The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories, by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D. (Harper Paperbacks, 2007).

Roadblock No. 9: You give up junk food today but put off joining a gym until January.

What's wrong with that? Tackling one goal at a time is supposed to help you succeed. But new research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine bucks that conventional wisdom. In a study of more than 200 people who smoked, had high blood pressure, and weren't extremely active, one group was asked to quit the butts, cut back on dietary sodium, and increase physical activity all at once. Another group addressed one bad habit at a time. The group that tackled all their problems simultaneously had the higher success rate after 18 months.

Detour: Combining your goals may work for the same reason job negotiations do: When you ask for everything, you're more likely to get something. Put this thinking to the test by creating a healthy eating and exercise plan and throwing all your energy into following both.

Roadblock No. 10: You never think about potassium.

What's wrong with that? A recent Canadian study concluded that getting more potassium might help lower your weight and blood pressure. Levels measured in study participants were proportional to their diet and weight. "That makes sense," says Blatner. "The richest sources of potassium are beans, vegetables, and fruit, so the person with high potassium levels is consuming a lot of these foods, which are low in calories and are the most filling."

Detour: You should aim for 4,700 milligrams of potassium each day. Supplements may help you hit that target, but doctors don't recommend them for everyone. Try filling up on white beans (1 cup: 1,000 mg potassium), winter squash (1 cup: 494 mg), spinach (1 cup: 840 mg), baked potato with skin (926 mg), yogurt (1 cup: 600 mg), halibut (4 ounces: 566 mg), and orange juice (1 cup: 473 mg).

Well it's been a hectic two weeks for me. All this running around has resulted in a meer one pound loss, but I'll take it. I weighed in yesterday at 152.6! Still not my lowest since I started this challenge, but with the set backs I've had it's nice to see the scale falling once again. This training my body and mind to eat healthier is starting to finally work. My cravings for sweets is dwindling and I rarely go for seconds on anything. I'm beginning to be able to go longer on smaller portions before feeling hunger, though I am trying to avoid the hunger feeling by eating small healthy snacks throughout the day. My willpower is showing its face once again.

Here's a tip I have for eating out. If you don't feel like cooking....find someone else who does. If you are close with a neighbor or have family near by, suggest that you come to visit once a week for a meal and chat. My husband and I do this every week. We go to my in-laws for dinner and just catch up and they get to spend some time with their grandson. About once or twice a month they come to our house. It's a nice time to get together and helps with portion control and the costs of food, since going to a restraunt for even the 3 of us is more than picking up a few extra things at the grocery store to feed a couple extra mouths.

I'm reaching out for support. All you mommies out there that would like to include your weight loss success or not so successful stories....please drop me a line, I'd love to have you as an contributor. Contribute a little or contribute a lot it doesn't matter as long as you think someone will gain some knowledge for the better from what you post.

Is there such thing as "post - menstrual syndrome"? If there is I think I have it. I can't get enough of the sweet stuff, all I want to do it eat, and I am an emotional wreck. If I hadn't just gotten done with my period I would swear I was pregnant.

I'm suppose to be working right now, you know the kind of work you get paid for, and I just can't focus. It's taking my much more time than it should to complete a tax return. I'm hot and then I am cold. I have focus and then I have none. How in the world am I going to get my school work done this evening??

Hubby and I should go for a bike ride but that would just give me another excuse not to get my school work done and then I really will fail these classes. Today is the last assignment due date and they have to be done TODAY! I also have about 2 late assignments in each class.....here comes passing barely...again...that is if I get the damn things done.....were is my will-power when I need it. If anyone finds it please let me know, I miss it dearly.

Wow it's been nearly 3 weeks since I last posted....has it really been that long??

So for the quick version I've lost a few more pounds...mainly due to a food poisoning bout on the 28th that lasted through the 29th. I was not a happy camper. :( Unfortunately my husband also got it (he got it first) and since we couldn't figure out what was making him sick I unknowingly ate the same thing for lunch and 3 hours later it hit me hard.

So since last week I have been really watching what I eat, especially if it comes out of my fridge. I still need to get in there are clean as something is smelling and it's permeating into the freezer, yuck. Just makes your stomach churn, but it kinda acts like one of those oinking pig alarms, so that everytime I open the fridge and smell that smell I lose my appetite or forget why I opened the door in the first place and promptly shut the door again....think I need that for my cabinets too.


Oh yes, we were in the big box store the other day and found a nice bike trailer for my son. We had one given to us when I was pregnant and didn't find out until last month that we were missing the parts needed to attach the trailer to our bikes...more likely still on the old owners bike. So since then we have been either a) looking for the parts or b) looking for a new trailer which ever came up first. The trailer went together fast and my husband hooked it up to his bike last night and after airing up a few tires, buckling in my son, and a phone call to my mom to talk shop we were finally off. It was nice to be on my bike again...been over a year really since we had gone cycling. Good thing it's not one of those things you forget easily. We did a nice 20 minutes around town, as we went out close to dusk and didn't want to get caught out in the dark. This may become our new nightly routine...when we have time that is.

I hate PMS. Now I am not one of those grouchy ladies when I am post-menapausal, I am all about the food. I crave sugar and usually give into it. I don't know why, it just happens before I even think about it. Today hasn't helped as I had to miss my lunch break so I could work a couple hours at the gas station BBQing hotdogs and of course after I was done cleaning up I had to buy one for myself. Not a small one either, figured it I am going to eat a hotdog I'm going to really eat a hotdog. We have what we call Bahama Mama's. 7 inches of cheesy, jalepeno goodness on a bun. Of course I have to dress it with tomatoes (got one veggie in there), sweet salsa and just a hint of mayo. All and all this baby cost me 520 calories. Not bad given I allow myself about 400 calories per meal. Here's the kicker, I bought candy. Not just one thing of candy but 3!! Dang 3/$1.00 special. So because I had it on hand I consumed in a matter of 2 hours, 1 Baby Ruth bar (280 Cal), 1 Butterfinger Crisp (250 Cal), and a box of Gobstoppers (150 Cal). This brings my grand total so far today to 1505 calories counting breakfast. Ouch and not even really healthy calories.

Just goes to say that I am flawed and I am not ashamed to admit I have weaknesses. Tomorrow thankfully is another day........

Turns out my digital ear thermometer is reading temps wrong. Tested it on DH last night and it kept coming up low on him as well. So I broke out the digital one that goes in ones mouth and tried that. I still have a lower temperature but not as low as 93 degrees. More like 97.6 which is nothing in my mind to call the doctor about. I'll continue to take my temperature for a few more days and if nothing changes I'll call and cancel my follow-up doctors appointment and leave my findings with the receptionist for the doc to go over. If he thinks a low temp is something to talk about, I'm sure he will give me a ring.

On to weight loss news, I am doing quite well with water since buying a 1/2 gallon jug to suck on. The first day I got in my recommended 96 oz and some. Yesterday I only got in 64 oz, kinda forgot about it on the kitchen counter. Today so far no water, I left the jug at home. I have a couple 16 oz bottles I should go fill for the time being. Going to be taking a half day from work so I can go shampoo my carpets and move some furniture around so my house looks great for my grandmothers arrival on Thursday..though she probably won't see the house until Friday or even Saturday. At least I'll get in a lot of exercise this way...still have tons of yard work to do as well. Hoping for at least an hour of activity today.

Sorry I am just getting to this, I felt like actually doing something yesterday so I went to the store and bought some flowers for my bare flower bed. I went for a walk with my son...well actually I pushed him in the stroller and then he helped me weed the flower bed and plant 4 plaits of Begonia's. They look so pretty, now I just need to measure the space and go buy some pavers for the border.

On to the good news.......

My doctor gave me a clean bill of health! Okay this is good and bad. Good because I do not have a thyroid condition, any signs of diabetes, good overall cholesterol levels, great motor function. I do have gallstones, but he says what I am doing seems to be controlling it fine. My LDL was a little high and my HDL's were a little low, he wasn't concerned but I figure it's something I can work on as I know gallstones are created from cholesterol...I'll work on getting those LDL numbers down....cheerios anyone? :)

So the bad part is neither my doctor or the intern can determine what is causing my fatigue and my weight gain or inability to lose weight. He says that my metabolism may have decided to slow down early, which still doesn't explain the fatigue. He also said I could have a rarer form of thyroid malfunction that is not picked up through bloodwork. He says it is characterized by higher than normal core body temperatures and that I am to take my temperature first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. Funny thing is I took my temp this morning and I actually have a lower than normal core. Normal or average is 98.6...I had an average of 93.9 after taking my temperature 4 times!! Don't know what that means, maybe I'll google it. We'll see what it is this evening.

Build a Better Burrito

Are you and your family craving that spicy, south-of-the-border cuisine? Well, skip the local burrito joint. Those "burritos as big as your head" can contain more than 1,000 calories--and more depending on how many fixings you add. Instead, round up the muchachos and throw a build-your-own burrito fiesta! These quick and easy Mexican delights take just minutes to prepare and are sure to please the pickiest of eaters.

The basic building blocks of burritos are tortillas and beans, which provide a healthy amount of protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. By applying these burrito-building tips, you can trim the excess calories, fat, and sodium, but keep the flavor. With these healthy and tasty burritos, your family will be singing your praises and shouting "Ole!"

Cut the Calories and Fat

• Replace ground beef with ground round or ground turkey.
• If you don't want to swap your ground beef, brown and drain the meat. Then place the beef in a colander and rinse well with hot water. This method reduces both fat and calories.
• Use fat free refried beans or canned beans of your choice; avoid beans canned with lard.
• Use reduced fat cheeses. Cheeses with stronger tastes (like sharp cheddar) allow you to use less without sacrificing flavor.
• Enjoy a small dollop of guacamole. Avocados provide healthy, monounsaturated fat.

Season without Salt

• Use fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes labeled "no salt added."
• Try a taco or burrito seasoning, labeled 30% less sodium.
• Use corn tortillas, which have less sodium, instead of flour tortillas.
• Select reduced-sodium cheeses or use less cheese.
• Add flavor with cilantro.

Increase Fiber

• Add extra beans for flavor, protein, and fiber.
• Make your own salsa with fresh tomatoes, beans, corn, avocados, and onions.
• Instead of tortillas, enjoy 100% whole-wheat pitas.

Round out the Meal

• Add lettuce and tomatoes to your creation--the colors are appetizing, plus they add flavor without all the extra calories.
• For a side dish, serve red beans and rice or Spanish rice.
• End your meal with a sweet guava, papaya, or mango for dessert.

I'll come back and update for the past few days later. Have a doctors appointment at 3:30 and want to include the details.

Happy Monday

Wow I missed a day of blogging. That's what actually having work to do will do to you. So I sat watching educational accounting videos all day. I had a couple mugs of coffee just to get me through the morning session and then switched to water after lunch. I did well for food. French toast sticks for breakfast and leftover lasagna and pudding for lunch. Did up a nice seven bone steak for dinner and combined it with spinach salad and corn on the cob. The 3 cookies I had during the videos almost ruined my day, but I skated by with just under 1550 calories by not having any other snacks.

On Wednesday I discovered I need to have more self control or just buy some baggies and portion out my snack crackers. I told myself I would just have one serving at lunch while watching TV, one serving turned into 8!!! Needless to say I didn't eat the rest of the day....really not on purpose either. When I got home from work at 5 my DH (dear husband) wasn't home yet and I waited to cook dinner. He calls an hour later and tells me to come over to a co-workers house. I got a beer there and that is all I had other than a bottle of water (my 96th oz of the day!) When we finally came home DH wanted food so I made him an fried egg sandwich and made myself....nothing. I will not from now on eat after 8pm.....it was 11pm.

Ah yeah I weighed myself this morning and I was an even 154. Drats I gained weight.

I did well yesterday, stuck to my guns and didn't snack on anything unhealthy. My lasagna and pudding turned out so-so. That's what I get for following a low fat, low salt recipe. My son loved them though, so that is good. I managed 68 ounces of water before I had to start my fast for my lab work today....which also went well. I'll find out results on that and my ultrasound on Monday.

I started today off with a YoPlus yogurt, suppose to be good for my digestive system. I had several coupons when I went grocery shopping. I bought some nice healthy cereals, no more sugary stuff for me, save that for my son. I also bought lots of yogurt and I could have done better on fresh fruits and veggies, but at least I got some cauliflower, baby carrots and spinach. Fresh produce is just so spendy, I mean 6 weeks ago I was getting bananas at 33 cents per pound and now they are up to 69 cents per pound!!

Well off to fill my water mug.....happy losing!

After yesterdays food fiasco I am really tightening the reins on my snacking and meals. I've done well for the day and I'm working on my second 20oz of the day, only 56 more...3 large mugs will do it. I've picked out a heart healthy and calorie friendly dinner for tonight, zucchini lasagna. At only 250 calories I can do a nice dessert of rice pudding at 160 calories and still have calories to spare for a few nice healthy snacks. I go grocery shopping this evening so I will keep all this knowledge in mind.

Here's the recipes for the lasagna and pudding if you want them:

Lasagna - http://recipes.sparkspeople.com/recipe_details.asp?nutrition_id=390777

Pudding - http://recipes.sparkspeople.com/recipe_details.asp?nutrition_id=221452

Cut Calories Without Dieting

Cut Fat and Calories Without Deprivation

-- By Nicole Nichols, Health Educator & Fitness Instructor

The word diet doesn't always mean eating less to lose weight—although that’s what we commonly associate it with today. Someone "on a diet" is trying to eat less, or stop eating sweets to fit into a smaller pant size.

Diet has another meaning. It also describes the food that you normally consume—following a vegetarian diet, an American diet, or "My diet consists of meat and potatoes." Improving your normal diet by making gradual, but permanent changes is a healthier way to lose weight than by just restricting calories.

Low calorie and fad diets can have serious health implications—insufficient vitamin and nutritional intake, lethargy, slowed metabolism, hormonal effects, and even dehydration. Dieters commonly experience intense feelings of hunger and deprivation, which can lead to "cheating" or bingeing over time.

Here are a few tips to help you decrease your caloric intake without "dieting" or feeling deprived.

Don’t eyeball it
Studies show that people tend to underestimate how much they really eat every day. In doing so, we consume too many calories without realizing it. Research shows that keeping a log by recording exercise and food intake is one of the best predictors of successful weight loss.

• A written record can point out your eating patterns (eating in front of the TV or in the car, eating the same breakfast every day), triggers (stress, sadness, boredom, time of day), and areas where nutritional changes can be made. You may find that you are eating less fruits than you thought or drinking too much soda, for example. Then you’ll know where you can implement healthy changes.
  
• Reading food labels is key to healthy portion sizes. At a quick glance, a bottle of juice (or bag of chips, candy bar, or frozen entrée) may appear to contain 100 calories, but a closer look will reveal that the package includes two or more servings, which doubles the caloric content.
  
• After familiarizing yourself with portion sizes, be sure to measure. Be exact if cooking at home, but when eating out, think about common objects. Two tablespoons of peanut butter, mayo, or dressing is about the size of a golf ball. A serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. A medium piece of fruit is similar to a baseball.
  
• Having trouble stopping at one serving of pretzels or chips? Buy single-serving packages of your favorite foods for built-in portion control, or measure out single servings into baggies or containers.

Hold the fat It’s important to remember that not all fats are bad. Certain oils (olive, canola), and nuts are nutritious and healthy to eat. However, fat does have more than twice the calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein (9, 4, and 4, respectively). And generally, people consume too much and the wrong kinds of fats, which means excessive calories.

• When cooking, limit the amount of oil you use by using a non-stick pan. You can also use spray-able oils (avoid substitutes and go for the real olive and canola oil sprays) to coat your pans with virtually zero calories. A MISTO sprayer, available in department stores, can evenly distribute 1/2 teaspoon of oil or salad dressing, compared to the 2-3 teaspoons that you would usually pour on for the same purpose—a savings of 100 calories.
  
• Skimp on butters, dressings, and creams, using just enough for taste. Try a baked potato flavored with salsa rather than butter, and forgo the "secret sauce" on your favorite burger. Search for lite or reduced-fat versions of certain condiments, like dressings and sauces. One serving of lite mayo has less than half the calories (85) of regular mayo (200), but is almost identical taste and texture.
  
• Blotting the fat from greasy foods like cheese pizza or burgers is also worth the effort. One could easily soak up a teaspoon of grease, 5 grams of fat, and 40 calories from two slices of pizza alone.
  
• Add flavor to foods without excess calories and fat by using herbs, fresh or dried. An added bonus: studies show that spicy foods, flavored with red peppers or chili peppers, may boost metabolism and help you to stop eating sooner.
  
• When cutting out high-fat and high-calorie foods, replace them with fruits and vegetables. These essentials are low in calories, but high in volume, fiber and nutrients, which can give a feeling of fullness. They make great snacks and are easy to pack. Stick to whole foods as much as possible. A potato is a better option than an order of fries, just as an apple is healthier than a slice of apple pie.

Drink water, not alcohol
Not only does alcohol contain 7 calories per gram, but it also lowers self-control when it comes to food. Limit your alcohol intake and your body will thank you. Save alcohol for a post-meal indulgence, rather than drinking it before or with food. Studies show that alcohol lowers inhibitions and control when it comes to eating, causing people to eat more than those who waited to drink after finishing a meal.

Drink water throughout the day, before, and during meals to help curb your appetite. Oftentimes, people think they are hungry when they are actually thirsty or dehydrated. Dehydration can slow metabolism, but the process of drinking water and warming it to body temperature involves energy and burns calories. Plus, being well hydrated gives body at least 10 minutes more energy for exercise, according to a study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine.


To lose a healthy one pound of fat per week, all it takes is a 500-calorie deficit per day (which can be achieved by reducing calories, exercising more, or a combination of both). For a healthy lifestyle, not a diet, that is easy to stick with, try incorporating some or all of these easy strategies to reduce calories without giving up the pleasures of eating.

View original article here:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=336

When I am at home all I can think about it eating!!! I finished off the last of the pound cake I made for the 4th of July so at least that temptation is gone. I don't feel any worse for it at least, most times when I cave in I feel sick later, lots of heartburn. I only have a little bit now. I guess we'll find out if that Prevacaid is going to work or not.

I have a new found taste for beer. At least domestic beers. I've always enjoyed a good dark beer off tap, not to fond of bottles and cans. Well canned Bud Light is my new favorite. We must have gotten ahold of a newer brew because I haven't liked Bud since I over did it on Bud when I was 19! Yep I was an early drinker, thank my husband.

So dieting is going to be harder than I planned. Thank goodness for my dogs, they keep me from eating off my sons plate since they are right there giving me those great big eyes and begging. I just give them his leftovers.

Well I am off for the night, 2 posts in one day is over doing it for me....haha...yeah right. Oh make sure you check my food log to the right to see how I progress into eating right. True dieting never has worked well for me, but writing down and admitting what I really eat throughout the day really helps me to think, "hey, should I really be eating this"?

So the eggs and toast are not settling well today. I feel bloated and gassy. Perhaps it was the peanut butter. Time to cut that out I guess and try it in a few weeks. I don't eat eggs a lot, so I don't know if it would be them causing me grief.

My doctors appointment went well. I think I got more information than I normally would have because my doctor had a student with him today. They are both thinking what I was thinking and that's thyroid imbalance. So I have to start fasting at 8pm on Tuesday and I go in at 8 am for blood work to check my thyroid and to check my cholesterol and blood sugar. I follow that up with a trip to the hospital for an ultrasound of my gallbladder. I'm not going to be doing the flush I had planned just to make sure they can tell if there is a problem....and I know there is I just want to see how big of a problem. My doctor says changing my diet was about the only thing other than having it removed that can help my gallbladder. I'm so glad he is with me on my self diagnosis. I thought he might think me crazy. He also gave me some previcaid (sp?) and told me how to take it to see if it may help with the cronic heartburn.

I'm just one big ball of problems, at least they are small (I hope).

So today is the day I really start this diet. I did very well today, plenty of water...though I did have one Bud Light. I'm nervous about my doctors appointment tomorrow, but I am very curious for any answers to my health issues.

So I stepped on the scale last night and I was down to 153.2 Not my lowest in the past 12 weeks, but an improvement from the latest weight. I'm working on cutting out the sweet cappuccino drinks, easier now that I am not working from midnight to 6 am. My water consumption is still way down, but I've picked up on tea consumption....oh how I love my sun tea.

So I took a few days off from posting....life got in the way. I haven't weighed myself since my inital post and honestly I don't think I'd see a difference. I've been looking at my eating habits and though not excellent, they are not really unhealthy. There is room for improvement like incorporating more fresh fruits and veggies. I have to eat whole grains as I have digestive issues so I'm good there and because of those same issues I can't have fried foods. So it's back to portion sizes again. I don't over eat unless it's something sweet, so even with fruits in mind I could go over board. I'm trying to work on incorporating more walking into my daily routine...it's tough when you have to be to work by 8am but are up at 7am to make lunch for your husband and feed your 1 year old breakfast before being whisked off to daycare. I am late to work most mornings.

So I had a huge confidence booster the other evening. One of my customers point blankly called me HOT! I was dumbfounded and flabbergasted. I couldn't even sputter out a "thank you" or "no I'm not". His buddies even looked at him funny, like it's not something he says to a woman often and they weren't laughing like it was a joke. The conversation continued like this:

• Him: Are you married?
• Me: Yes
• Him: Happily?
• Me: Very much so
• Him: Good for you, you've got a lucky husband

So I know looks are not everything...so I wonder how lucky my husband thinks he is? I haven't gotten to rehash this converstation with him yet...he's not a morning conversationalist so I will bring it up this afternoon after we both get home from work. He's always on me about my weight and has only called me beautiful once in my life....though I do wonder what he is thinking when his eyes glaze over as he is looking at me when he doesn't think I am looking at him. This the man that calls me fat and then laughs. On the other hand, I just think it's funny that someone would think me hot, not just so so, or pretty or beautiful but hot! Probably won't ever hear that one again. Oh yea and this wasn't an ugly man saying this either. Wonder what he would think when I lose this stubborn weight and tone up.

To end this post I finally scheduled an appointment with my doctor to have my thyroid checked. Sluggish thyroid (I know there is a proper name for it) runs in my family. My mother was diagnosed finally when she was in her late 40's. I've developed issues she has much earlier than her so why not develop this one as well. We'll see what the doctor has to say on Monday.

8:03 am - So today is starting off on the wrong foot. I haven't been to sleep since I woke up yesterday morning at 7 am. I worked midnight to 6am and have been chugging cappuccino's since the day started. I also nursed a 44 oz Dr. Pepper between Midnight and 2 am and ate 2 burrito things (we call them Tornado's), at least they were baked. I am so exhausted and will probably do nothing productive today. I am at the office now, have some paperwork to do, hopefully I can get done by noon so I can go home and sleep for a few hours before I have to go pick my son up from daycare, cook dinner, and go to work again. Oh at least I chugged a water when I got home at 7 am. That's a better start than I thought, but still not great.

Food for the day:
Breakfast - Half cappuccino, half coffee and a banana
Lunch -
Snack -
Dinner -

Try try again

This is my first step in losing the last of my weight. As of tonight I weigh 155.2 lbs. That's 23.2 lbs to my goal weight of 132. Haven't seen that since I was 20! I've been working for the past 18 weeks and have lost a total of 10.8 lbs to date. Yes it's slow, but it's easier to maintain weight this way as I am teaching myself better eating habits. Together with some friends I think we have lost close to 100 lbs!!
I'll post a "before" picture tomorrow.