I am pathetic at sticking to things I try to do. My formerly-daily blog has become once a week. I started cleaning the basement, but found a bunch of other things I'd rather do. I haven't exercised with Richard Simmons for 2 weeks!! I was mentally flogging myself for that this morning, and to really add to the masochism, I got on the scale. I almost fell off it when I saw that I am down 10 pounds since I was weighed before my colonoscopy on January 14th! How did that happen??!
I guess I was focusing so much on the things I haven't been doing that I didn't give myself credit for what I have done. I walk the dogs almost every day, and with the weather warming up that is much easier to get motivated for. I've been eating more fruits and vegetables and have rediscovered the goodness of an apple. (Usually I'm a banana girl.) We have a spinach salad with every dinner and have hardly gone out to eat in the past month. I've only baked something once since Katie left for Ireland, and I know that anything sweet is my Achilles heel. Maybe cheating once in awhile keeps me from completely blowing it. I'm trying to eat when I'm actually hungry instead of when I'm bored, lonesome, or craving something during PMS week. I also discovered that I can eat walnuts--which I love--and they will reduce my bad cholesterol; dark chocolate is also good for the heart and the sweet tooth.
My sisters, Mom, and I usually take our picture at every family get-together and call ourselves "The Lardettes." My sister Kelley is now doing a medically supervised diet and has lost 9 pounds since Monday! My mom is doing the Mayo Clinic Diet and is down 3 1/2 lbs. this week. My sister Tracey, like me, is trying to eat healthier and exercise more. With each other's encouragement, maybe we can take a picture at Erica's wedding in four months and change our name to the Sexy Mamas!
Last Friday I did some shopping for my trip to Ireland, and I had my usual foot-stomping, hair-tearing time in the Kohl's fitting room. But at bowling last night, my jeans kept sliding down, and I was afraid I might need to borrow Fred's suspenders! So something good is happening. I just have to stick to it.
Showing posts with label Dieting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dieting. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Food Orgy
Saturday we are having some friends over, so I've been thinking about what kind of meal to make. Planning food for an occasion normally isn't a traumatic experience, but that was before THE DIET. I used to skim through cookbooks, the recipe box, and cooking magazines with a general idea of what I was looking for. I'd pick out the recipes I wanted, make a grocery list, and that was that. But now things are a little different...
Instead of flipping through the pages of Taste of Home, I turn them s-l-o-w-l-y, taking in the full-color photos of all the bad, naughty foods. First I see Fiesta Lasagna. The thick, melted cheese is sensuously drenching three layers of noodles, meat, sauce, cottage cheese, and the secret ingredients: salsa and taco seasoning. A crispy slab of golden garlic bread, soaked in butter, accompanies the pasta centerfold. Now I'm sweating.
Next I slide my finger across the glaze on the Chocolate Party Cake, imagining the taste of that sweet icing on my tongue. I savor the list of ingredients with passionate longing: Devil's food cake mix...chocolate pudding mix...milk chocolate chips...It feels like the chocolate is melting beneath my hand. Oh no. I drooled a little.
Turning the soggy page, I find Caramel Apple Bread Pudding--a sweet, filling, comfort food. Gloomily I consider the ingredients: unsweetened applesauce, chopped apple, day-old bread, fat-free whipped topping, fat-free caramel ice cream topping...Hey, I can eat this! The nutrition info is provided, and the dessert is 187 calories per serving. It's a treat that won't make me feel guilty about cheating on my diet. After all, I promised to be faithful till fat do us part.
I'm still no closer to knowing what I'll serve Saturday, but I know I can find some healthy, tasty options that won't cause me to overeat or feel deprived. Here is the recipe for Caramel Apple Bread Pudding: 1 c. unsweetened applesauce; 1 c. skim milk; 1/2 c. packed brown sugar; 1/2 c. egg substitute; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 5 c. cubed day-old bread; 1/2 c. chopped, peeled apple; 1/2 c. fat-free whipped topping; 1/2 c. fat-free caramel ice cream topping
In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla, and cinnamon. Fold in bread cubes and apple. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped topping and caramel topping. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 8 servings.
Sara, (a reader in Montana, :) also sent me a recipe for Black Bean Brownies that sounds really yummy. Today I bought the stuff to make them--after taking a circuitous route through the grocery store to avoid the bakery. Let me know if you'd like the recipe. And be good--those magazines have more than just pictures in them, you know. Read the articles instead.
Instead of flipping through the pages of Taste of Home, I turn them s-l-o-w-l-y, taking in the full-color photos of all the bad, naughty foods. First I see Fiesta Lasagna. The thick, melted cheese is sensuously drenching three layers of noodles, meat, sauce, cottage cheese, and the secret ingredients: salsa and taco seasoning. A crispy slab of golden garlic bread, soaked in butter, accompanies the pasta centerfold. Now I'm sweating.
Next I slide my finger across the glaze on the Chocolate Party Cake, imagining the taste of that sweet icing on my tongue. I savor the list of ingredients with passionate longing: Devil's food cake mix...chocolate pudding mix...milk chocolate chips...It feels like the chocolate is melting beneath my hand. Oh no. I drooled a little.
Turning the soggy page, I find Caramel Apple Bread Pudding--a sweet, filling, comfort food. Gloomily I consider the ingredients: unsweetened applesauce, chopped apple, day-old bread, fat-free whipped topping, fat-free caramel ice cream topping...Hey, I can eat this! The nutrition info is provided, and the dessert is 187 calories per serving. It's a treat that won't make me feel guilty about cheating on my diet. After all, I promised to be faithful till fat do us part.
I'm still no closer to knowing what I'll serve Saturday, but I know I can find some healthy, tasty options that won't cause me to overeat or feel deprived. Here is the recipe for Caramel Apple Bread Pudding: 1 c. unsweetened applesauce; 1 c. skim milk; 1/2 c. packed brown sugar; 1/2 c. egg substitute; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 5 c. cubed day-old bread; 1/2 c. chopped, peeled apple; 1/2 c. fat-free whipped topping; 1/2 c. fat-free caramel ice cream topping
In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla, and cinnamon. Fold in bread cubes and apple. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped topping and caramel topping. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 8 servings.
Sara, (a reader in Montana, :) also sent me a recipe for Black Bean Brownies that sounds really yummy. Today I bought the stuff to make them--after taking a circuitous route through the grocery store to avoid the bakery. Let me know if you'd like the recipe. And be good--those magazines have more than just pictures in them, you know. Read the articles instead.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Willpower
A person's will is an amazing thing. It can make a runner reach that finish line even though his legs are noodles and he's gasping for breath. It gives a woman the strength to push just once more and bring that baby into the world. And it keeps me from eating the things I shouldn't.
"Mind over matter" really is a saying that a dieter must take to heart--and maybe tattoo on her arm. So much of losing weight is about what's going on in our heads, not our stomachs. I have needed to lose weight for the past 6 years, but my heart hasn't really been in it every time I've made a New Year's resolution or faced another Monday. A week ago I decided it's time to really get sensible and start making better eating choices, both for my health and my appearance--and just like that, I had a resurgence in willpower that I haven't experienced in years. I haven't been tempted to eat things I shouldn't because I just say NO! Bad choice! If I can convince myself that the thick, frosting-covered brownie is not good for me, then that's it; I walk away and think about something else. So far it has been working--but I haven't had to deal with PMS week yet...
It's like giving myself a constant pep talk, visualizing the fat cells being chewed up by the monster growling in my stomach. So it's not a question of being able to do it or needing to do it--you have to want to do it. Really want to. Where there's a will there's a way. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Never give up. Eat, drink, and be merry. Oops! Scratch that last one.
My friends Cathi and Cheryl are also trying to shed pounds with me. Cheryl was told by a fitness trainer that if you eat cereal for breakfast, it increases your metabolism by 4%; if you eat protein, your metabolism goes up 30%. Cheryl has cut back fat in her diet and lost 9 lbs. in 2 weeks! Way to go! Cathi is doing well, too, and we are going to share tips in a phone call later today.
Until then, I have a new guy in my life, holding my hand through the hard times. His name is Will Power, and don't tempt him. You'll lose.
"Mind over matter" really is a saying that a dieter must take to heart--and maybe tattoo on her arm. So much of losing weight is about what's going on in our heads, not our stomachs. I have needed to lose weight for the past 6 years, but my heart hasn't really been in it every time I've made a New Year's resolution or faced another Monday. A week ago I decided it's time to really get sensible and start making better eating choices, both for my health and my appearance--and just like that, I had a resurgence in willpower that I haven't experienced in years. I haven't been tempted to eat things I shouldn't because I just say NO! Bad choice! If I can convince myself that the thick, frosting-covered brownie is not good for me, then that's it; I walk away and think about something else. So far it has been working--but I haven't had to deal with PMS week yet...
It's like giving myself a constant pep talk, visualizing the fat cells being chewed up by the monster growling in my stomach. So it's not a question of being able to do it or needing to do it--you have to want to do it. Really want to. Where there's a will there's a way. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Never give up. Eat, drink, and be merry. Oops! Scratch that last one.
My friends Cathi and Cheryl are also trying to shed pounds with me. Cheryl was told by a fitness trainer that if you eat cereal for breakfast, it increases your metabolism by 4%; if you eat protein, your metabolism goes up 30%. Cheryl has cut back fat in her diet and lost 9 lbs. in 2 weeks! Way to go! Cathi is doing well, too, and we are going to share tips in a phone call later today.
Until then, I have a new guy in my life, holding my hand through the hard times. His name is Will Power, and don't tempt him. You'll lose.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Battle of the Bulge
Ok, it is time to get serious. Erica's wedding is less than a year away, and I have to lose some weight. I'm announcing this for public consumption in the hopes that some of you will help keep my nose to the grindstone--and my head out of the refrigerator--by questioning my progress and offering encouragement.
I know what I have to do; I've done it before. It just seems harder to get motivated the older I get. Seeing myself in pictures is more depressing than motivating, as is shopping for clothes.
So here we go. These are the things I plan to do, starting now:
--eat fruits and veggies like there's no tomorrow
--drink water by the gallon and limit myself to one Diet Dew per day
--no fast food AT ALL; limit eating out as much as possible
--no baking for Fred and me
--eat dark chocolate for a treat when I need one
--don't skip lunch so I'm starving by supper
--eat smaller portions and no seconds
--make decent meals even when Fred's not here
--continue walking the dogs 5 times a week
If anyone has more suggestions, please share. I will report here once a month and let you know how I'm doing. If I haven't achieved a reasonable weight loss by December 12th, my nephew Ryan's wedding, there will still be time to get hypnotized, have my jaw wired shut, or go to a fat farm before Erica's. (haha, just kidding)
If you want to do this with me, misery loves company. E-mail me and we'll make a plan: The Biggest Loser with no trainers and no televised weigh-ins. In the meantime, I'll go shred my recipe for cookie dough brownies and make a sign for the fridge: "50 years/50 lbs."
Wish me luck!!
I know what I have to do; I've done it before. It just seems harder to get motivated the older I get. Seeing myself in pictures is more depressing than motivating, as is shopping for clothes.
So here we go. These are the things I plan to do, starting now:
--eat fruits and veggies like there's no tomorrow
--drink water by the gallon and limit myself to one Diet Dew per day
--no fast food AT ALL; limit eating out as much as possible
--no baking for Fred and me
--eat dark chocolate for a treat when I need one
--don't skip lunch so I'm starving by supper
--eat smaller portions and no seconds
--make decent meals even when Fred's not here
--continue walking the dogs 5 times a week
If anyone has more suggestions, please share. I will report here once a month and let you know how I'm doing. If I haven't achieved a reasonable weight loss by December 12th, my nephew Ryan's wedding, there will still be time to get hypnotized, have my jaw wired shut, or go to a fat farm before Erica's. (haha, just kidding)
If you want to do this with me, misery loves company. E-mail me and we'll make a plan: The Biggest Loser with no trainers and no televised weigh-ins. In the meantime, I'll go shred my recipe for cookie dough brownies and make a sign for the fridge: "50 years/50 lbs."
Wish me luck!!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Healthy State of Mind
Yesterday I wrote about the difficulty of losing weight after 40. Not only does my genetic make-up conspire against me in the battle of the bulge, but I also live in Wisconsin. The food pyramid here has a base of fried cheese curds, layered with brats and beer, topped by the Friday night fish fry. Sure, you could have the fish broiled and substitute a baked potato for the fries. But if you're going to ruin it that way, you might as well stay home and gnaw on a chunk of tofu.
Living in Rhinelander will also make dieting harder. Usually, fitting into summer clothes is an added incentive to shed some pounds. But here, I'll probably have two weeks of shorts weather and then it will be winter again. I'll need that extra flab to keep warm.
Fred and I are not each other's best support group when it comes to losing weight. I love to bake, and he complains that I'm sabotaging his diet. "We don't need that stuff around here! And don't buy ice cream, either!" A couple nights later while watching TV, he'll ask, "Do we have any ice cream?" I've lived by two misguided credos: Food is Love, and Always Clean Your Plate. I know in my head that the first isn't true and the second isn't necessary, but habits of a lifetime are so hard to change.
Ok, yes, I'm making excuses. After doing a little research at calorielab.com, I learned that in 2007 Wisconsin ranked 22 in the U.S. for overweight people--which is actually down 4 spots from the year before. 62.3% of us Badgers are overweight or obese!!! WOW--though if you've ever gone to a Dells waterpark in the summer, that number probably doesn't surprise you. The fattest state is Mississippi (let's see what Brett Favre looks like in a couple years!) and Colorado has the thinnest citizens--probably from all that mountain climbing and pushing vehicles out of snowbanks. Does it really matter where you live? I think being slim is a state of mind, and until you hit bottom with a loud thud and leave a big-butt-sized crater, nothing will change.
I seem to have struck a chord with my readers when I mentioned wanting to do a 5K yesterday. Both here and on Facebook I have received encouragement and suggestions to make it a reality, not just a vague goal in the far-off future. Thanks, everybody! I have to keep reminding myself that making changes starts with small, steady steps--they don't happen overnight. So today I will start by not eating any sweets--and I'll research upcoming 5Ks in this area. Stay tuned...
Living in Rhinelander will also make dieting harder. Usually, fitting into summer clothes is an added incentive to shed some pounds. But here, I'll probably have two weeks of shorts weather and then it will be winter again. I'll need that extra flab to keep warm.
Fred and I are not each other's best support group when it comes to losing weight. I love to bake, and he complains that I'm sabotaging his diet. "We don't need that stuff around here! And don't buy ice cream, either!" A couple nights later while watching TV, he'll ask, "Do we have any ice cream?" I've lived by two misguided credos: Food is Love, and Always Clean Your Plate. I know in my head that the first isn't true and the second isn't necessary, but habits of a lifetime are so hard to change.
Ok, yes, I'm making excuses. After doing a little research at calorielab.com, I learned that in 2007 Wisconsin ranked 22 in the U.S. for overweight people--which is actually down 4 spots from the year before. 62.3% of us Badgers are overweight or obese!!! WOW--though if you've ever gone to a Dells waterpark in the summer, that number probably doesn't surprise you. The fattest state is Mississippi (let's see what Brett Favre looks like in a couple years!) and Colorado has the thinnest citizens--probably from all that mountain climbing and pushing vehicles out of snowbanks. Does it really matter where you live? I think being slim is a state of mind, and until you hit bottom with a loud thud and leave a big-butt-sized crater, nothing will change.
I seem to have struck a chord with my readers when I mentioned wanting to do a 5K yesterday. Both here and on Facebook I have received encouragement and suggestions to make it a reality, not just a vague goal in the far-off future. Thanks, everybody! I have to keep reminding myself that making changes starts with small, steady steps--they don't happen overnight. So today I will start by not eating any sweets--and I'll research upcoming 5Ks in this area. Stay tuned...
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