Yup! I quit! I am tired of the scale. So I'm going to quit using it! I went "scale free" for a few weeks but made hubby weigh me in so I'd still have a record. Six weeks and I lost 7 pounds (but five of that was the first week so technically, I only lost 2 pounds in that length of time). Then in ONE week, I gained back 6 pounds!?!?! Ummmm...yeah. My initial reaction was to beat myself up because I'm really good a that. But then I decided that I need to not define me by what that stupid number says!
So, I'm going to....
...track my eating
...make better food choices
...exercise
....because those are the things I can control.
BUT...
...the scale will not define me anymore!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Day 10
(Apologies in advance. This post is a big disjointed ramble! But I wanted to get SOMETHING posted while a had a couple of minutes!)
So much for doing a daily post!
When I started this, everything I read said once you start this, you'll never want to go back. You feel fuller, have more energy and just feel good about the way you're eating.
Well, I made it to day 10 (still have to complete day 10 though). My overall impression - BLAH! I think I went a little overboard with the no preservatives or additives thing. I did cheat a little on dairy and ate dairy that only had vitamins added. The only way to get dairy without doing that is to drink raw milk and I didn't have access to raw milk!
Okay, I have to admit, I really didn't do the research I should have BEFORE I started so I really didn't know what I was doing. This led to quite the eating rutt....
I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to eat many vegetables. Funny thing, I actually ate more vegetables before doing this. The thought of vegetables right now makes me want to gag. Not sure why. So I have been living off of fruit (LOTS of fruit), almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, oat bran, homemade all natural bread, brown rice, chicken, dehydrated refried beans, roast, vegetables (but not very much unfortunately), museli, milk, sour cream, and cheese sticks. Oh, and I've used lots and lots of honey! Gotta have my sweet!
Does that sound blah? Well, it is blah! I am so ready to be done with this. Honestly, it may seem pretty healthy, but I have been taking vitamin supplements and I still feel drained and hungry all the time! I'm obviously doing something wrong! I know one thing that would have definitely helped would have been to incorporate more beans. The only problem is that the canned ones have additives and the only way I know how to cook with dry beans is to add stuff that has...additives!
So where do I go from here? About half way through this, I thought "If I just go back to the way I was eating, isn't that just taking a step backwards nutritionally?" And that is definitely not where I want to go. But I also can't keep eating like this! So, as I have researched and thought, I have decided that I'm not going to step backwards. I'm going to take a step sideways!
Right now (referencing my 10 day experiment), I am NOT doing well in the nutrition department. Straight up, there is just not enough variety in my diet. So, I am going to add more healthy things in (beans, more vegetables) but continue to limit (not completely eliminate) the processed foods. In other words, I'll use spices and chicken broth, but cut out white flour and vegetable oil. I'll cook more from scratch, and less from a box. We'll eat more at home, and less at fast food.
And that means....more dishes....but it's worth it right? :)
While this little experiment didn't necessarily have the effect I thought it would have, it has definitely made me take a step back and take a closer look at my eating habits!
So much for doing a daily post!
When I started this, everything I read said once you start this, you'll never want to go back. You feel fuller, have more energy and just feel good about the way you're eating.
Well, I made it to day 10 (still have to complete day 10 though). My overall impression - BLAH! I think I went a little overboard with the no preservatives or additives thing. I did cheat a little on dairy and ate dairy that only had vitamins added. The only way to get dairy without doing that is to drink raw milk and I didn't have access to raw milk!
Okay, I have to admit, I really didn't do the research I should have BEFORE I started so I really didn't know what I was doing. This led to quite the eating rutt....
I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to eat many vegetables. Funny thing, I actually ate more vegetables before doing this. The thought of vegetables right now makes me want to gag. Not sure why. So I have been living off of fruit (LOTS of fruit), almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, oat bran, homemade all natural bread, brown rice, chicken, dehydrated refried beans, roast, vegetables (but not very much unfortunately), museli, milk, sour cream, and cheese sticks. Oh, and I've used lots and lots of honey! Gotta have my sweet!
Does that sound blah? Well, it is blah! I am so ready to be done with this. Honestly, it may seem pretty healthy, but I have been taking vitamin supplements and I still feel drained and hungry all the time! I'm obviously doing something wrong! I know one thing that would have definitely helped would have been to incorporate more beans. The only problem is that the canned ones have additives and the only way I know how to cook with dry beans is to add stuff that has...additives!
So where do I go from here? About half way through this, I thought "If I just go back to the way I was eating, isn't that just taking a step backwards nutritionally?" And that is definitely not where I want to go. But I also can't keep eating like this! So, as I have researched and thought, I have decided that I'm not going to step backwards. I'm going to take a step sideways!
Right now (referencing my 10 day experiment), I am NOT doing well in the nutrition department. Straight up, there is just not enough variety in my diet. So, I am going to add more healthy things in (beans, more vegetables) but continue to limit (not completely eliminate) the processed foods. In other words, I'll use spices and chicken broth, but cut out white flour and vegetable oil. I'll cook more from scratch, and less from a box. We'll eat more at home, and less at fast food.
And that means....more dishes....but it's worth it right? :)
While this little experiment didn't necessarily have the effect I thought it would have, it has definitely made me take a step back and take a closer look at my eating habits!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Day 2
I had every intention of sitting and doing a detailed post of every thing I have learned in the past 24 hours but in reality, it's a lot! And for some reason, I just really don't feel like posting. So I'm going to keep it a little more basic and short for now.
I wasn't quite as tired or hungry today. I tried some almonds today and I was shocked and how filling they actually were. Right now, my learning is focused on good vs bad fats and oils and what a difference they can make. Well, that and finding a variety of foods that I can eat so I don't find myself in an eating rut with the same old foods!
Part of my problem could be my attitude. I actually am kind of liking this way of eating and realizing that it really isn't as hard or weird as I thought it would be. It is definitely different and has a learning curve to it but not as horrible as I anticipated. So I sat down with hubby last night just to see what his reaction would be to joining me. It wasn't good. So I kind of got the excitement knocked out of me. This is definitely not something I can see doing alone while the other 6 members of my family eat the same old way!
He is very skeptical that this is just another diet craze. I tried to explain to him that I'm really not following any sort of prescribed diet plan. I'm just trying to stick with foods that don't have all the additives and preservatives in them. I brought up the possibility of eating organic (to avoid the pesticides and such) and he really went off on that one! He is convinced that is just a marketing scheme and there is no difference between organic and regular produce. I'm not sure I really buy into the whole organic thing myself, but I am really convinced there is something to not eating all the additives and preservatives. I guess we'll have to give it time and see what happens.
Would I ever go completely organic, whole, fresh everything? At this point, I would say no. I think even greatly reducing the additives is a great start.
I wasn't quite as tired or hungry today. I tried some almonds today and I was shocked and how filling they actually were. Right now, my learning is focused on good vs bad fats and oils and what a difference they can make. Well, that and finding a variety of foods that I can eat so I don't find myself in an eating rut with the same old foods!
Part of my problem could be my attitude. I actually am kind of liking this way of eating and realizing that it really isn't as hard or weird as I thought it would be. It is definitely different and has a learning curve to it but not as horrible as I anticipated. So I sat down with hubby last night just to see what his reaction would be to joining me. It wasn't good. So I kind of got the excitement knocked out of me. This is definitely not something I can see doing alone while the other 6 members of my family eat the same old way!
He is very skeptical that this is just another diet craze. I tried to explain to him that I'm really not following any sort of prescribed diet plan. I'm just trying to stick with foods that don't have all the additives and preservatives in them. I brought up the possibility of eating organic (to avoid the pesticides and such) and he really went off on that one! He is convinced that is just a marketing scheme and there is no difference between organic and regular produce. I'm not sure I really buy into the whole organic thing myself, but I am really convinced there is something to not eating all the additives and preservatives. I guess we'll have to give it time and see what happens.
Would I ever go completely organic, whole, fresh everything? At this point, I would say no. I think even greatly reducing the additives is a great start.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Day 1
Noon -
So far so good. I went grocery shopping this morning to get a better idea of what was available for me to eat. It is possible that I should have done this (and maybe a little research) BEFORE I jumped into this... :S ... But I figured if I was in the mood to jump in with both feet, I might as well do it. Otherwise, it just stays on the backburner where it has been for last couple of years!
I decided that since I am supplementing with vitamins anyway, milk with added vitamins isn't going to kill me. I didn't incorporate any straight milk today but I did buy cheese sticks and sour cream (found a brand that is all natural) to use today. They did have organic milk but I had a hard time paying $6 a gallon for it! I found some nuts and beans that should help out a lot with the nutrition side of things.
When I have attempted stuff like this in the past, I get SUPER gassy/bloated. I usually last about two to three days and then quit because it is so bad. But this time, I decided to give it a full 10 day trial - NO MATTER WHAT! Yesterday was kind of a half day and it was awful! So I braced myself for the worst today. So far, it hasn't been bad. BUT, I also haven't eaten any vegetables yet today! I'll have to see how the rest of the day goes....
In review...
Well, I made it through the day...almost. I made rice for a neighbor (she just had a baby so I was taking dinner to her) and out of habit, I taste tested it to see if it was done. I caught myself almost doing that several times during the day. It was interesting to me how many additives white rice has while brown rice doesn't have any. Unfortunately, I was making white...
I've read that this type of eating gives you more energy and leaves you feeling fuller (mostly from cutting all the complex carbs that our body digests so easily). That was most definitely NOT my experience yesterday! I was totally and completely drained. I went to bed at 9:30 (I'm a night owl and usually don't hit the sack until after 11:00). I felt hungry all day long. Maybe my body just has to adjust to this type of eating. We'll see...
I did find a bunch of new recipes that I want to try out. I found that I really didn't have many grains in my diet yesterday so I am going to work at incorporating more of those into my day.
I definitely feel better about the way I am eating. I just need to make some tweaks and adjustments to get my body to feel better about it! :)
So far so good. I went grocery shopping this morning to get a better idea of what was available for me to eat. It is possible that I should have done this (and maybe a little research) BEFORE I jumped into this... :S ... But I figured if I was in the mood to jump in with both feet, I might as well do it. Otherwise, it just stays on the backburner where it has been for last couple of years!
I decided that since I am supplementing with vitamins anyway, milk with added vitamins isn't going to kill me. I didn't incorporate any straight milk today but I did buy cheese sticks and sour cream (found a brand that is all natural) to use today. They did have organic milk but I had a hard time paying $6 a gallon for it! I found some nuts and beans that should help out a lot with the nutrition side of things.
When I have attempted stuff like this in the past, I get SUPER gassy/bloated. I usually last about two to three days and then quit because it is so bad. But this time, I decided to give it a full 10 day trial - NO MATTER WHAT! Yesterday was kind of a half day and it was awful! So I braced myself for the worst today. So far, it hasn't been bad. BUT, I also haven't eaten any vegetables yet today! I'll have to see how the rest of the day goes....
In review...
Well, I made it through the day...almost. I made rice for a neighbor (she just had a baby so I was taking dinner to her) and out of habit, I taste tested it to see if it was done. I caught myself almost doing that several times during the day. It was interesting to me how many additives white rice has while brown rice doesn't have any. Unfortunately, I was making white...
I've read that this type of eating gives you more energy and leaves you feeling fuller (mostly from cutting all the complex carbs that our body digests so easily). That was most definitely NOT my experience yesterday! I was totally and completely drained. I went to bed at 9:30 (I'm a night owl and usually don't hit the sack until after 11:00). I felt hungry all day long. Maybe my body just has to adjust to this type of eating. We'll see...
I did find a bunch of new recipes that I want to try out. I found that I really didn't have many grains in my diet yesterday so I am going to work at incorporating more of those into my day.
I definitely feel better about the way I am eating. I just need to make some tweaks and adjustments to get my body to feel better about it! :)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Pre Day 1
Here I am blogging twice in one day! I wanted to document all of this so I can go back and look over it. So bear with me!
I planned out my eating for Day 1...and found that I was seriously lacking in several key nutrients! I'm thinking as I learn more, I will be able to get what I need from the foods I am eating, but for now, I am going to have to supplement with vitamins. I'm struggling with that because it kind of defeats the point (or at least my point) of getting all the nutrients I need by eating the right kinds of foods. And as I look through the ingredient list on the vitamins, there are a lot of weird things on there! Honestly, I think one of my biggest problems is that I DO NOT do seafood! And that is where all the nutrients are that I am missing! UGH!
Which actually brings me to my next "issue". I mentioned before I would only be eating single ingredient foods. I did modify that a bit to eating only foods that have "normal" ingredients listed on the can/box. For example, I am using Minute Maid orange juice (in a box) but the only ingredients are orange juice from concentrate and water. I'm not sure about some listings. Like on black beans, all of the ingredients are whole foods but one of them is "prepared black beans." What exactly does that mean? And some other foods say "natural flavors". Again, what does that mean? I'll have to make some decisions....
My supplements definitely break all the rules in the "normal" ingredient requirement! I am going to make a trip to the store to see what single ingredient vitamins are made up of....
Update to come! Here's to healthy eating!
I planned out my eating for Day 1...and found that I was seriously lacking in several key nutrients! I'm thinking as I learn more, I will be able to get what I need from the foods I am eating, but for now, I am going to have to supplement with vitamins. I'm struggling with that because it kind of defeats the point (or at least my point) of getting all the nutrients I need by eating the right kinds of foods. And as I look through the ingredient list on the vitamins, there are a lot of weird things on there! Honestly, I think one of my biggest problems is that I DO NOT do seafood! And that is where all the nutrients are that I am missing! UGH!
Which actually brings me to my next "issue". I mentioned before I would only be eating single ingredient foods. I did modify that a bit to eating only foods that have "normal" ingredients listed on the can/box. For example, I am using Minute Maid orange juice (in a box) but the only ingredients are orange juice from concentrate and water. I'm not sure about some listings. Like on black beans, all of the ingredients are whole foods but one of them is "prepared black beans." What exactly does that mean? And some other foods say "natural flavors". Again, what does that mean? I'll have to make some decisions....
My supplements definitely break all the rules in the "normal" ingredient requirement! I am going to make a trip to the store to see what single ingredient vitamins are made up of....
Update to come! Here's to healthy eating!
An update and an experiment
Things are good here. I gained about five pounds but I have managed to take it back off. My new goal that I working toward is hitting 129.8. Weird? I haven't seen 129 on the scale in like, ever. So I want to do it just to do it. I don't necessarily want to stay at that weight. I know, weird. But I'm going to try it. BUT, I have always used the scale as a crutch. So I haven't been weighing, sort of. I have been weighing because I am OCD and I have to have my "log" so hubby has been looking and tracking while I turn my head! So there's the update.
Now for the experiment. I have been wanting to try going strictly whole foods for a while. No boxes, no preprocessed stuff. I don't think my family will respond well so I've decided to try it on my own for a while to get some ideas of how to make stuff before I throw them into the fire! I'm not going full-on vegetarian whole foods. I just want to go back to the basics-one ingredient foods (or multi-ingredient foods made by me from single ingredient foods). So here's the plan. I 'm going to eat fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, and I need to look into the dairy thing. Most of it has additives which I am trying to avoid. So for now, the plan is really scratchy but I'll try to keep you posted on what exactly I end up doing and how it goes!
Now it's in writing, so I have to do it! Right?
Now for the experiment. I have been wanting to try going strictly whole foods for a while. No boxes, no preprocessed stuff. I don't think my family will respond well so I've decided to try it on my own for a while to get some ideas of how to make stuff before I throw them into the fire! I'm not going full-on vegetarian whole foods. I just want to go back to the basics-one ingredient foods (or multi-ingredient foods made by me from single ingredient foods). So here's the plan. I 'm going to eat fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, and I need to look into the dairy thing. Most of it has additives which I am trying to avoid. So for now, the plan is really scratchy but I'll try to keep you posted on what exactly I end up doing and how it goes!
Now it's in writing, so I have to do it! Right?
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Still here
I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. Just been spending most of my time over at My Fitness Pal.
It was working really well while the kids were in school. Now that they're out, and I have five kids ages 2 to 9 at home...I kinda quit.
Bad, I know. I haven't gained weight. But I feel blah. I haven't been eating right. I haven't been exercising. I think the exercise thing stems more from being too dang hot to exercise than anything.
Now the hubby is going out of town for 9 DAYS!! Ugh.....
My goal is to make it through July, without going over 135. There. I put it in writing. Now I have to do it! Right?
Kinda lame post, but I wanted to let you know that I'm still here (all one of you that actually still read this) :).
It was working really well while the kids were in school. Now that they're out, and I have five kids ages 2 to 9 at home...I kinda quit.
Bad, I know. I haven't gained weight. But I feel blah. I haven't been eating right. I haven't been exercising. I think the exercise thing stems more from being too dang hot to exercise than anything.
Now the hubby is going out of town for 9 DAYS!! Ugh.....
My goal is to make it through July, without going over 135. There. I put it in writing. Now I have to do it! Right?
Kinda lame post, but I wanted to let you know that I'm still here (all one of you that actually still read this) :).
Thursday, May 19, 2011
New find
If you're looking for a good dressing to liven up your salad, I have found one!
All I can say about this stuff is YUM!!!
We have served this dressing at two separate parties at our house and it was a major hit with everyone who tried it! I was having a hard time eating salads but this stuff makes me walk to the store to buy lettuce (and anything else I can dream of to put on a salad) just so I can have the dressing! It is 70 calories per serving but I have found a half serving to be plenty for an average salad.
Today, I had a GINORMOUS salad for lunch and only used one serving and it was plenty. Just in case your curious, here's what else I put on my deliciousness:
2 1/2 cups spring mix lettuce (my new favorite lettuce blend)
6 grape tomatoes
1/4 green pepper
a few slivers of onion
2 sliced strawberries
2 slices deli turkey
McCormick Salad Toppins (another of my salad favorites)
My plate was hugely overflowing, I am stuffed, and the total calorie count? 200 CALORIES! I am so in heaven right now!
All I can say about this stuff is YUM!!!
We have served this dressing at two separate parties at our house and it was a major hit with everyone who tried it! I was having a hard time eating salads but this stuff makes me walk to the store to buy lettuce (and anything else I can dream of to put on a salad) just so I can have the dressing! It is 70 calories per serving but I have found a half serving to be plenty for an average salad.
Today, I had a GINORMOUS salad for lunch and only used one serving and it was plenty. Just in case your curious, here's what else I put on my deliciousness:
2 1/2 cups spring mix lettuce (my new favorite lettuce blend)
6 grape tomatoes
1/4 green pepper
a few slivers of onion
2 sliced strawberries
2 slices deli turkey
McCormick Salad Toppins (another of my salad favorites)
My plate was hugely overflowing, I am stuffed, and the total calorie count? 200 CALORIES! I am so in heaven right now!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Another 5K!
I completed another 5K! Notice I still didn't say "ran"! BUT, I beat my last time by 4 minutes and 30 seconds! Go me! Okay, I guess I should spill it and post my actual times.
First 5K - 40:00
Second 5K - 35:30
Not a fabulous time by any stretch of the imagination but I'm still excited about the improvement!
First 5K - 40:00
Second 5K - 35:30
Not a fabulous time by any stretch of the imagination but I'm still excited about the improvement!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Switching to maintain
I have really liked My Fitness Pal (have a mentioned that before?). One thing that I really like is that it gives me guidelines for maintaining my weight loss. That has been one area that I have really struggled with before - "Okay, I lost the weight, now what?"
When I started MFP, I had a couple of pounds that I wanted to get off and it was working so well that I wanted to just keep going! But I finally decided that 135 is great. If I happen to take off another pound or two, great. But if I don't, that is fine too! I'm good where I am.
So here's to maintaining....for real this time! :D
When I started MFP, I had a couple of pounds that I wanted to get off and it was working so well that I wanted to just keep going! But I finally decided that 135 is great. If I happen to take off another pound or two, great. But if I don't, that is fine too! I'm good where I am.
So here's to maintaining....for real this time! :D
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Pretty sure I've been here before....
....and it sucked last time too....
Yeah, I went a *clears throat* little overboard with my eating this week. It was our anniversary, we went out of town (childless) and I just didn't care. I ate whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I wanted. That was Thursday and Friday. And I still feel like complete and total CRAP. And, yes, I have done this before. And, yes, I felt like crap then too.
So why did I let myself do it again? Dunno...
But seriously, every part of my body feels BLAAAAAHHHH! If you really want to see how bad I did, go check out my MFP log. WARNING: It's UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGLLLLLLYYYY!!
BUT, I actually AM glad that I logged it. Seeing those numbers instead of just thinking "yeah, I did bad but I'll get over it" was a good thing. I am completely disgusted by those numbers!
So here's to getting back on track and getting back into an exercise routine and feeling BETTER!
Yeah, I went a *clears throat* little overboard with my eating this week. It was our anniversary, we went out of town (childless) and I just didn't care. I ate whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I wanted. That was Thursday and Friday. And I still feel like complete and total CRAP. And, yes, I have done this before. And, yes, I felt like crap then too.
So why did I let myself do it again? Dunno...
But seriously, every part of my body feels BLAAAAAHHHH! If you really want to see how bad I did, go check out my MFP log. WARNING: It's UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGLLLLLLYYYY!!
BUT, I actually AM glad that I logged it. Seeing those numbers instead of just thinking "yeah, I did bad but I'll get over it" was a good thing. I am completely disgusted by those numbers!
So here's to getting back on track and getting back into an exercise routine and feeling BETTER!
Friday, March 11, 2011
So excited!
My hubby loves me. Wanna know how I know? Guess what he got me for our anniversary? I'll give you a little hint:
Yup! I have so been wanting one of these but couldn't justify the expense so he gave it to me for our anniversary yesterday! Now I can really track how many calories I burn when I exercise instead of just guessing! I already used it today and I have to say I was a little disappointed. NOT disappointed with the watch, just the results. I wasn't burning as many calories as I thought I was! BUT I am GLAD that I know how many I am really burning now!
Oh, am I am really liking My Fitness Pal...in case anyone was wondering....
Yup! I have so been wanting one of these but couldn't justify the expense so he gave it to me for our anniversary yesterday! Now I can really track how many calories I burn when I exercise instead of just guessing! I already used it today and I have to say I was a little disappointed. NOT disappointed with the watch, just the results. I wasn't burning as many calories as I thought I was! BUT I am GLAD that I know how many I am really burning now!
Oh, am I am really liking My Fitness Pal...in case anyone was wondering....
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The plan....
I am going back to planning my food. A few blogger let me know about this site. Thanks Tiffany!
I am going to give it a whirl but kind of in reverse. Rather than tracking what I eat, I am going to plan out my eating for the next day. I may change and go to tracking what I do eat...I don't know. I'll play it by ear.
It really seems like a cool website. Wish me luck!
I am going to give it a whirl but kind of in reverse. Rather than tracking what I eat, I am going to plan out my eating for the next day. I may change and go to tracking what I do eat...I don't know. I'll play it by ear.
It really seems like a cool website. Wish me luck!
Rethinking my way of thinking....
So I did this whole weight loss thing "naturally", you know, no pills, shakes, etc. I made "sustainable lifestyle changes" to get the weight off. Right? Well....now I'm thinking...not so much. I still eat most of the same foods, just in smaller quantities. I did make some ingredient substitutions (ie., low fat, reduced calorie, etc) and cut out some really bad stuff (like almost all of our fried favorites), BUT for the most part, the foods are still the same.
And it is starting to bite me in the butt! I don't want to cut quantities any more. The food is there and I just want to eat whatever I want! That doesn't work well for weight loss (or maintenance). Yup, still struggling....
I've been thinking a lot lately about the need for me (and my family) to really change the way we eat. We need to cut the complex carbs WAY down and WAY increase the fruits, vegetables and whole grains. When I think about it, it seems simple. Trying to put it into practice is a completely different ball game!
We have a huge food storage FULL of the crappy foods that I am talking about eliminating. Not to mention the fact that those foods have a better shelf life anyway making them more practical for food storage. It also makes it easier on the budget because when that stuff goes on a really good sale, I can buy 6+ months worth of it. It is a little harder to buy 6 months worth of fresh fruits and veggies!
I know, freeze it, can it. I have issues with freezing. One problem is the space. I don't have 50 cubic feet of freezer space. In fact, my freezer space is quite limited. I also have issues with freezing because what happens if the power goes out in the middle of summer? Yeah, my aunt (who has two full sized freezers) had that happen to her and had to throw out ALL that food!
Canning....BLAH! I know, stop whining and do it.
My other major issue is the kids. I have five kids ages 2 to 9 who have become accustomed to eating like crap. That's not exactly something that can be changed overnight. "Hey kids, I know you're used to eating Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes for breakfast every morning but from now on, we'll be eating tofu and muesli. Ummmm....yeah.
I have been taking baby steps but I get frustrated with baby steps. I know that baby steps are steps and I just need to keep plugging along. I wish I could just throw everything out and start over but from a budget standpoint, that would be suicidal!
Anyway, enough with the whining.
I made a list of vegetables and put an "x" (* means we tried it since making this list) by all the ones we as a family have tried at one point or another. This list isn't comprehensive. I took off all the herbs, beans, and anything that brought up a photography website when I googled it (that really happened BTW). I was actually surprised at how many we had tried. Let me emphasize "TRIED". We don't by any means eat all of the "x"-ed ones on a regular basis.
So our new baby step is to try everything on this list! Wish us luck!
And it is starting to bite me in the butt! I don't want to cut quantities any more. The food is there and I just want to eat whatever I want! That doesn't work well for weight loss (or maintenance). Yup, still struggling....
I've been thinking a lot lately about the need for me (and my family) to really change the way we eat. We need to cut the complex carbs WAY down and WAY increase the fruits, vegetables and whole grains. When I think about it, it seems simple. Trying to put it into practice is a completely different ball game!
We have a huge food storage FULL of the crappy foods that I am talking about eliminating. Not to mention the fact that those foods have a better shelf life anyway making them more practical for food storage. It also makes it easier on the budget because when that stuff goes on a really good sale, I can buy 6+ months worth of it. It is a little harder to buy 6 months worth of fresh fruits and veggies!
I know, freeze it, can it. I have issues with freezing. One problem is the space. I don't have 50 cubic feet of freezer space. In fact, my freezer space is quite limited. I also have issues with freezing because what happens if the power goes out in the middle of summer? Yeah, my aunt (who has two full sized freezers) had that happen to her and had to throw out ALL that food!
Canning....BLAH! I know, stop whining and do it.
My other major issue is the kids. I have five kids ages 2 to 9 who have become accustomed to eating like crap. That's not exactly something that can be changed overnight. "Hey kids, I know you're used to eating Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes for breakfast every morning but from now on, we'll be eating tofu and muesli. Ummmm....yeah.
I have been taking baby steps but I get frustrated with baby steps. I know that baby steps are steps and I just need to keep plugging along. I wish I could just throw everything out and start over but from a budget standpoint, that would be suicidal!
Anyway, enough with the whining.
I made a list of vegetables and put an "x" (* means we tried it since making this list) by all the ones we as a family have tried at one point or another. This list isn't comprehensive. I took off all the herbs, beans, and anything that brought up a photography website when I googled it (that really happened BTW). I was actually surprised at how many we had tried. Let me emphasize "TRIED". We don't by any means eat all of the "x"-ed ones on a regular basis.
So our new baby step is to try everything on this list! Wish us luck!
| Artichokes | |
| Arugula | |
| Asparagus | |
| Avocado | x |
| Beets | x |
| Beets, Yellow | |
| Bok Choy | |
| Broccoflower | x |
| Broccoli | x |
| Brussel Sprouts | x |
| Butter Beans | |
| Cabbage, Green | x |
| Cabbage, Purple | |
| Cabbage, Red | |
| Carrots | x |
| Carrots, Purple | |
| Cauliflower | x |
| Celery | x |
| Chard | |
| Corn | x |
| Corn, White | x |
| Cucumber | x |
| Eggplant | |
| Endive | |
| Escarole | |
| Fennel | |
| Green Beans | x |
| Greens, Collard | |
| Greens, Leafy | x |
| Greens, Mustard | |
| Jerusalem Artichoke | x |
| Jicama | |
| Kale | |
| Kohlrabi | |
| Leeks | |
| Lettuce | x |
| Mushrooms | x |
| Okra | x |
| Onion | x |
| Onion, Green | x |
| Onions, Red | x |
| Onions, White | x |
| Onions, Yellow | x |
| Parsnips | x |
| Peas | x |
| Peas, Pod | x |
| Peas, Snow | x |
| Peas, Sugar Snap | x |
| Pepper, Green Bell | x |
| Pepper, Orange Bell | x |
| Peppers, Chili | x |
| Peppers, Hot | x |
| Peppers, Red Bell | x |
| Peppers, Sweet | x |
| Peppers, Yellow Bell | x |
| Potatoes, Purple | x |
| Potatoes, Red | x |
| Potatoes, Sweet | x |
| Potatoes, Yellow | x |
| Pumpkin | x |
| Radicchio | |
| Radish | x |
| Rhubarb | |
| Rutabagas | |
| Sauerkraut | |
| Shallots | x |
| Spinach | x |
| Squash, Acorn | x |
| Squash, Ambercup | x |
| Squash, Autumn Cup | |
| Squash, Banana | x |
| Squash, Butternut | x |
| Squash, Carnival | x |
| Squash, Chayote | |
| Squash, Crook Neck | x |
| Squash, Delicata | |
| Squash, Fairytale Pumpkin | |
| Squash, Gold Nugget | |
| Squash, Hubbard | x |
| Squash, Kabocha | |
| Squash, Pattypan | x |
| Squash, Spaghetti | x |
| Squash, Sweet Dumpling | |
| Squash, Turban | |
| Squash, Yellow | x |
| Tomatillo | x |
| Tomatoes | x |
| Tomatoes, Cherry | x |
| Tomatoes, Grape | x |
| Tomatoes, Pear | x |
| Turnips | x |
| Watercress | x |
| Yams | x |
| Zucchini | x |
Monday, February 7, 2011
It's official....
I am OUT OF CONTROL!!! I need to nip this in the butt like NOW!! No more excuses. No more waiting.
"Oh, it's the Super Bowl party on Sunday. I'll wait until after that."
"Oh, Valentine's Day is coming. I'll wait until after that."
And then anniversary....March Madness....birthdays...Easter....
I'm not even going to post how much I have gained in the last week and a half but rest assured, it is PATHETIC!!!!! I can't even believe how stinkin' hard it is and long it takes to take weight off but how easily and quickly it comes back on! BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!!
I started out my day good. I exercised. Then I had a piece of homemade, whole wheat bread and a glass of juice (that equaled a serving of fruits and a serving of veggies). Go me! Then I ate leftover pizza and brownies from the party yesterday.....and it's only 8:25!!
No more excuses!! Change starts NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Oh, it's the Super Bowl party on Sunday. I'll wait until after that."
"Oh, Valentine's Day is coming. I'll wait until after that."
And then anniversary....March Madness....birthdays...Easter....
I'm not even going to post how much I have gained in the last week and a half but rest assured, it is PATHETIC!!!!! I can't even believe how stinkin' hard it is and long it takes to take weight off but how easily and quickly it comes back on! BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!!
I started out my day good. I exercised. Then I had a piece of homemade, whole wheat bread and a glass of juice (that equaled a serving of fruits and a serving of veggies). Go me! Then I ate leftover pizza and brownies from the party yesterday.....and it's only 8:25!!
No more excuses!! Change starts NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Yummy treat
My cousin has a recipe blog where she posted a recipe for a Green Machine Smoothie Dream. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical. BUT we decided to try it out for Super Bowl Sunday (you know, in an attempt to justify all of our horrible eating by eating something somewhat healthy). I have to say, it wasn't bad. I wouldn't say it was my favorite thing in the world but it is a fabulous way to get a hefty dose of a variety of fruits and veggies! The best part was that when I made it and split it in two (shared with the hubby) it was only three WW points (on the old program, I'm clueless as to how the new program works). Here is the exact recipe we did tonight (so the nutrition information below it will be accurate if you decide to make it based on that information):
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup frozen berry mixture (strawberries, blueberries, red raspberries & blackberries)
1 frozen banana
1/2 orange without peel
5 baby carrots
1/2 container Yoplait french vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup fat free milk
Oh! And we got our first basket of fruits and vegetables. I should have taken a picture. We got quite a haul! I was very excited. For the first time in a long time (okay, maybe EVER), my fridge is literally overflowing with fruits and veggies!! WAHOO!!
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup frozen berry mixture (strawberries, blueberries, red raspberries & blackberries)
1 frozen banana
1/2 orange without peel
5 baby carrots
1/2 container Yoplait french vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup fat free milk
Oh! And we got our first basket of fruits and vegetables. I should have taken a picture. We got quite a haul! I was very excited. For the first time in a long time (okay, maybe EVER), my fridge is literally overflowing with fruits and veggies!! WAHOO!!
Friday, February 4, 2011
A two year snapshot
It is so weird to think that it was two years ago that I started this journey. Two years ago, I weighed over 180 pounds. A few years before that, I was over 200 pounds. But that was before I was keeping track! This little snapshot kind of makes me laugh, but not really. Notice the three major spikes in the first year? Those were the times when I wasn't involved in some sort of competition. Pathetic really. BUT, I have been able to keep the weight off WITHOUT external motivation (okay keep it off until this week). Not too shabby!
Well...I did it...
Can you sense the excitement oozing from me? Okay, it's probably harder on a blog to sense my sarcasm. But if I was really, truly excited, that title would have looked something more like "WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And it would have come seconds (instead of almost a full week) after my weigh in.
But you'll notice, it didn't. Because while I did make it one full year with my Saturday weigh ins being at or under 136.6, my "celebration" was....well....pathetic! To celebrate, I went out to lunch, at over a dozen cookies, and had a milkshake...ALL IN ONE AFTERNOON! Hello! Did I learn nothing! And the rest of this week hasn't been much better! According to the scale this morning, I have gained...are you ready for this?.....THREE pounds in less than a week. Awesome. Pure. Awesomeness.
I even decided at the beginning of the week that I needed to go back into full on diet mode to get things back on track. The first day, I lasted until dinner. The second day, I lasted until lunch. The third day, I lasted until I woke up!
I think I have decided my eating on the weekends and watching it during the week is really biting me in the butt. It's kind of like someone trying to quit smoking. "I'll quit smoking, but just smoke on the weekends." Yeah, let me know how that goes for ya.
And while I have made some good strides in the eating healthier department, I know I still have TONS of room for improvement! Most of what I have done is modified ingredients to be lower calorie/fat and decreased portion size but I am still eating a lot of the same foods I did before. I won't say that was a necessarily a bad thing though. For me, it worked to get the weight off, and it worked for a year to keep it off.
But now, I need to get serious. My husband wants to lose weight. He has lost weight before but then puts it right back on. I am not feeding my kids healthy foods. I was at the grocery store the other day and as I passed through the produce section, it hit me like a ton of bricks that my kids probably couldn't tell you what even half of the produce even is! That is scary!
So we need to make some big changes. We need to eat healthier so I can teach my kids how to eat healthier, so my husband can take the weight off and keep it off, and so I can keep my weight off naturally (without relying on the scale to tell me what and when I can and cannot eat).
I'll have to keep you posted on how we do it. I know it is going to take some research and some major changes.
Step 1 (baby steps): I have signed up for a food coop in our community. Each week, I can go pick up a basket (or two, we'll see) of 6 different fruits and 6 different vegetables. Some will be familiar but some will be new. It will be fun to incorporate this into our diet! I am hoping that we enjoy it and eat it enough that soon we will be buying two baskets every week!
Here's to some major changes....a little at a time!
But you'll notice, it didn't. Because while I did make it one full year with my Saturday weigh ins being at or under 136.6, my "celebration" was....well....pathetic! To celebrate, I went out to lunch, at over a dozen cookies, and had a milkshake...ALL IN ONE AFTERNOON! Hello! Did I learn nothing! And the rest of this week hasn't been much better! According to the scale this morning, I have gained...are you ready for this?.....THREE pounds in less than a week. Awesome. Pure. Awesomeness.
I even decided at the beginning of the week that I needed to go back into full on diet mode to get things back on track. The first day, I lasted until dinner. The second day, I lasted until lunch. The third day, I lasted until I woke up!
I think I have decided my eating on the weekends and watching it during the week is really biting me in the butt. It's kind of like someone trying to quit smoking. "I'll quit smoking, but just smoke on the weekends." Yeah, let me know how that goes for ya.
And while I have made some good strides in the eating healthier department, I know I still have TONS of room for improvement! Most of what I have done is modified ingredients to be lower calorie/fat and decreased portion size but I am still eating a lot of the same foods I did before. I won't say that was a necessarily a bad thing though. For me, it worked to get the weight off, and it worked for a year to keep it off.
But now, I need to get serious. My husband wants to lose weight. He has lost weight before but then puts it right back on. I am not feeding my kids healthy foods. I was at the grocery store the other day and as I passed through the produce section, it hit me like a ton of bricks that my kids probably couldn't tell you what even half of the produce even is! That is scary!
So we need to make some big changes. We need to eat healthier so I can teach my kids how to eat healthier, so my husband can take the weight off and keep it off, and so I can keep my weight off naturally (without relying on the scale to tell me what and when I can and cannot eat).
I'll have to keep you posted on how we do it. I know it is going to take some research and some major changes.
Step 1 (baby steps): I have signed up for a food coop in our community. Each week, I can go pick up a basket (or two, we'll see) of 6 different fruits and 6 different vegetables. Some will be familiar but some will be new. It will be fun to incorporate this into our diet! I am hoping that we enjoy it and eat it enough that soon we will be buying two baskets every week!
Here's to some major changes....a little at a time!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A New Challenge
I decided that I need to spend less time sitting and more time moving. I wouldn't say that it is a "New Year's resolution" because I have a tendency to self-sabotage myself when something has that label!
So here's the deal. In order to watch TV, I have to "pay" for my time. If I have worked out for the day, I have to "pay" 100 jumping jacks (without stopping to rest) for every hour of TV that I watch. If I didn't work out that day, I have to do the same thing for every 30 minutes. It seems to be working. I have been watching less TV which has given me more time to get things done around the house. And when I have watched TV, I get a little bonus workout!
I should probably do the same thing for my computer time. I would be doing 1000 jumping jacks a day! Okay, not really, but I would be doing a lot. Baby steps...for now, I'll stick with TV.
So here's the deal. In order to watch TV, I have to "pay" for my time. If I have worked out for the day, I have to "pay" 100 jumping jacks (without stopping to rest) for every hour of TV that I watch. If I didn't work out that day, I have to do the same thing for every 30 minutes. It seems to be working. I have been watching less TV which has given me more time to get things done around the house. And when I have watched TV, I get a little bonus workout!
I should probably do the same thing for my computer time. I would be doing 1000 jumping jacks a day! Okay, not really, but I would be doing a lot. Baby steps...for now, I'll stick with TV.
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