I'm having a lot of trouble with cravings, some of which are related to what I see others eating. The rest all seem to come up from nowhere and wreak havoc with my plans. I must admit to being hungry all of the time, as well. Last night, I was awakened by Jack, our new dog, at about 4 a.m. Once I got him settled down, I noticed that my stomach was actively growling. Now, I didn't skimp on food last night. I had edamame, a chicken breast and several steamed vegetable pot stickers (140 cal. for 6) and then, a little later, had a small bowl of chocolate frozen yogurt. I felt satisfied and was pretty happy with my meal -- totally on the fly. So why was I so hungry?
Today, I did great as well. Grapefruit without any sugar (who needs sugar on grapefruit anyway?) and then soup for lunch. I feel satisfied right now, but I know that about 3 p.m., I'll be starving. I'm trying to keep it down to a dull growl by snacking at 2 p.m. on some veggies and a protein, but by dinner time I'll definitely be hungry -- actually, probably by 5 p.m.
My friend Tracie Hittmann, a nutritionist and owner of Tracie Hittmann Nutrition, says she's been adapting an eating plan from a California scientist (at least I think it's California) and she has lost 12 pounds off her already perfect frame and never has cravings and feels great. I'm going to continue the way I have been for this weekend, then I'll weigh in on Monday and start her plan then. She says it's 180-degrees different than anything she's told me in the past. But it's especially suited for people with thyroid problems. As readers may know, I have Hashimoto's Disease, which basically means my immune system is attacking and killing my thyroid. I already have a goiter, which is an unpleasant way of saying my thyroid is enlarged.
So I'm game to try it. So far, its been a really rough time, especially living in the country and the weather too cold to get outside for much exercise other than shivering and dashing from car to house door.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Children and food, Take 1
Boy, this cooking-what-I-want-to-eat thing while children are here is hard! Even as I page through cookbooks looking for what I feel hungry for, I'm constantly editing based on what I think the kids will eat. Last night, it came down to what we had in the cupboard. I decided on the low-fat creamy herb pasta pre-mix that has been sitting around for a while. I defrosted some chicken breasts and added some frozen green and red peppers and onions to the mix as well as frozen broccoli stir fry. In winter, I rely on high quality frozen veggies from Brennans more than fresh because the fresh just don't taste all that great out of season. It was terrific with lots of veggies and, surprise, the kids loved it! But what they really loved was Colin's birthday cake. I used a vanilla cake mix in a bundt pan, then I poured a fat free instant chocolate pudding around the ring in the center. It baked (took a little longer than usual), but most of the pudding went to the bottom and made it come out unevenly. But it was a really moist bit of cake. I did have a small piece.
On Sunday night, I made a terrific lo-fat soup. I cut up a bulb of fennel (one of the fresh veggies I will use in winter) and cooked it in four cups of chicken broth. I added some garlic and onion and a little curry powder, salt and pepper. When it was soft, I blended it it. It was delicious! And totally fat free. I made Tim some turkey soup with orzo and had a bit of that as well. It was also delicious and low fat.
Today I have several meetings at coffee shops. I'm just going to have tea at both meetings and eat dinner when I get home--probably frozen Lean Cuisine, which I like. For lunch I'm going to load up on a salad with lots of veggies.
I still need to do better on getting my exercise in. The problem is that when it's really cold, I have a hard time lately getting out as my back and legs ache. But I have to do it. I also have to start taking vitamins.
On Sunday night, I made a terrific lo-fat soup. I cut up a bulb of fennel (one of the fresh veggies I will use in winter) and cooked it in four cups of chicken broth. I added some garlic and onion and a little curry powder, salt and pepper. When it was soft, I blended it it. It was delicious! And totally fat free. I made Tim some turkey soup with orzo and had a bit of that as well. It was also delicious and low fat.
Today I have several meetings at coffee shops. I'm just going to have tea at both meetings and eat dinner when I get home--probably frozen Lean Cuisine, which I like. For lunch I'm going to load up on a salad with lots of veggies.
I still need to do better on getting my exercise in. The problem is that when it's really cold, I have a hard time lately getting out as my back and legs ache. But I have to do it. I also have to start taking vitamins.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Woo-hoo!
I lost 2 pounds this week and I'm thrilled! It's not much, but it's a real move in the right direction!
Last night Tim and I went out for fish and I discovered that one of my challenges will be not to feel like I must 'treat' myself with food when I feel a little down. I had some bluegill and a baked potato and salad. I didn't eat all of anything.
For lunch yesterday, I had a sub sandwich on the go and some pretzels (not enough veggies!). For breakfast I had fruit and cottage cheese.
Tonight, we are having friends over for cards, and I am making fajitas with shrimp and chicken so people can make their own -- I'll set up a little buffet. I'm going to have a big salad for lunch with only veggies to make up for the fish fry last night -- even though I only had a little, it was still fried. They didn't have anything that wasn't! Still, I could have just had a potato and salad, but I'm not quite there yet.
Great day anyhow! I'm more motivated than ever.
Last night Tim and I went out for fish and I discovered that one of my challenges will be not to feel like I must 'treat' myself with food when I feel a little down. I had some bluegill and a baked potato and salad. I didn't eat all of anything.
For lunch yesterday, I had a sub sandwich on the go and some pretzels (not enough veggies!). For breakfast I had fruit and cottage cheese.
Tonight, we are having friends over for cards, and I am making fajitas with shrimp and chicken so people can make their own -- I'll set up a little buffet. I'm going to have a big salad for lunch with only veggies to make up for the fish fry last night -- even though I only had a little, it was still fried. They didn't have anything that wasn't! Still, I could have just had a potato and salad, but I'm not quite there yet.
Great day anyhow! I'm more motivated than ever.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Dining out hurrah
Went out to dinner tonight with friends. Overall, it was an OK day, but my big problems seem to crop up when I leave the house. One of the best bits of living in the country is that it's a long drive to fast food. But the minute I leave the house, my mind goes into overdrive thinking about the naughty junk I can nosh. I did have a diet soda at Home Depot and some crackers, but not too bad. I bought a grapefruit at Copps that I'm very excited to eat for breakfast tomorrow. I had fruit and a salad for lunch (and a salad for dinner last night).
Tonight Tim and I went to dinner with friends at the delightful and delicious Bistro 101 in Mount Horeb. I had pheasant, which was supposed to come with veggies. No such luck. I peeled off the skin and the pheasant was delicious. It did come with potatoes, but not many. I'm happy to report that I wasn't stuffed at the end. I also had two glasses of red wine. The best part, though, is that I didn't have dessert until I got home, when I had a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich (peanut butter and chocolate, yum!).
Tomorrow I must exercise. I rode my horse and took a long walk with him yesterday, which has left my leg muscles sore. Tomorrow I vow to do some snow shoeing with Tim -- a lovely evening hike or something.
Below is Bob Green's chart that helps you guage how hard you are working from his Web site, thebestlife.com. As you can see, you should be working out at Level 7, otherwise you're just playing around. I try to get up to 10 for a few seconds several times in the workout (OK, that's a laugh, but that's my fantasy).
0 This is the way you feel at rest. There is no fatigue and your breathing is not elevated.
1 This is how you feel while reading or sitting at your desk. There's no fatigue and your breathing is normal.
2 This is what you feel like as you get dressed. There is little or no feeling of fatigue, and your breathing is still normal.
3 This is how you feel while walking across the room to turn on the TV. Your breathing is slow and natural. You might feel this way in the beginning of a workout.
4 This is the way you feel slowly walking outside. There is a slight feeling of fatigue and your breathing is slightly elevated, but comfortable. You should experience this feeling at the start of your warm-up.
5 This is how you feel while walking somewhere at a normal pace. You're aware of your breathing, which is now deeper, and there is a slight feeling of fatigue. You should experience this feeling at the end of a warm-up.
6 This is similar to how you feel when rushing to an appointment. Your breathing is deep and you're aware of it. This is how you should feel as you transition from warm-up to your regular exercise session.
7 This is the zone—try to maintain this level throughout your workout! There is a feeling of fatigue at this level, but you can maintain the intensity for the rest of your session. Your breathing is deep and you're aware of it.
8 Your breathing is very deep, and though you could carry on a conversation, you don't feel like it. You should only try to exercise at this level after you're feeling comfortable enough at level 7.
9 This is what you feel like when exercising very, very vigorously. Your breathing is very labored and it's tough to carry on a conversation. Take it down a notch.
10 This level is all-out exercise, so difficult that you can't maintain it for very long.
Tonight Tim and I went to dinner with friends at the delightful and delicious Bistro 101 in Mount Horeb. I had pheasant, which was supposed to come with veggies. No such luck. I peeled off the skin and the pheasant was delicious. It did come with potatoes, but not many. I'm happy to report that I wasn't stuffed at the end. I also had two glasses of red wine. The best part, though, is that I didn't have dessert until I got home, when I had a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich (peanut butter and chocolate, yum!).
Tomorrow I must exercise. I rode my horse and took a long walk with him yesterday, which has left my leg muscles sore. Tomorrow I vow to do some snow shoeing with Tim -- a lovely evening hike or something.
Below is Bob Green's chart that helps you guage how hard you are working from his Web site, thebestlife.com. As you can see, you should be working out at Level 7, otherwise you're just playing around. I try to get up to 10 for a few seconds several times in the workout (OK, that's a laugh, but that's my fantasy).
0 This is the way you feel at rest. There is no fatigue and your breathing is not elevated.
1 This is how you feel while reading or sitting at your desk. There's no fatigue and your breathing is normal.
2 This is what you feel like as you get dressed. There is little or no feeling of fatigue, and your breathing is still normal.
3 This is how you feel while walking across the room to turn on the TV. Your breathing is slow and natural. You might feel this way in the beginning of a workout.
4 This is the way you feel slowly walking outside. There is a slight feeling of fatigue and your breathing is slightly elevated, but comfortable. You should experience this feeling at the start of your warm-up.
5 This is how you feel while walking somewhere at a normal pace. You're aware of your breathing, which is now deeper, and there is a slight feeling of fatigue. You should experience this feeling at the end of a warm-up.
6 This is similar to how you feel when rushing to an appointment. Your breathing is deep and you're aware of it. This is how you should feel as you transition from warm-up to your regular exercise session.
7 This is the zone—try to maintain this level throughout your workout! There is a feeling of fatigue at this level, but you can maintain the intensity for the rest of your session. Your breathing is deep and you're aware of it.
8 Your breathing is very deep, and though you could carry on a conversation, you don't feel like it. You should only try to exercise at this level after you're feeling comfortable enough at level 7.
9 This is what you feel like when exercising very, very vigorously. Your breathing is very labored and it's tough to carry on a conversation. Take it down a notch.
10 This level is all-out exercise, so difficult that you can't maintain it for very long.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The New Adminisetration
Yes, I'm absolutely happy there's a new president in the White House. But there's also a new administration in charge of managing my life. Basically, I'm commander in chief of my weight loss. And today in this war, a guerrilla war, I'm doing pretty well. Yesterday, I was glued to the television, so food did not tempt me away. For breakfast, I had a low-fat sloppy joe that was leftover from the lunch Tim made the kids. I didn't know they were low-fat until he told me. Then I had two glasses of champagne for lunch as well as some tangerines. Weird, but I was at a friend's house for most of the afternoon and the only other option was pretzels. Finally, I went to a party and I brought some focaccia, sausage and olives for others to enjoy. I basically had one bit of some hummus and pita and one piece of focaccia (they were small -- 2 bites) dipped in some olive oil. There were no veggies and I didn't have time to bring my own. But I did avoid the cheese, the olives, the drinking and the chips that were there. So that was great. I did wake up starving, so I had a piece of fat free cheese at about 2 a.m.
This morning, I'm feeding myself as if I were a guest at a thin person's spa. I had an egg white omelette with broccoli and a pinch of parmesan cheese and green fat free salsa. I'm also having a tangerine as we speak. For lunch, my goal is to have salad. Then I'm going to go for a long snow-shoe outing with Tim. Tonight we are having date night and I expect to be having something healthy like shrimp or salmon and a vegetable.
I did receive my first issue of Cooking Light. It includes a list of 9 Nutritional Essentials for 2009, and since they seem very practical and good sense, I'm sharing them here. 1. Eat a predominantly plant-based diet that includes variety, proteins low in saturated fat and getting in exercise (no duh). 2. Select carbs from whole grains, legumes and vegetables that satisfy such as quinoa, kidney beans and sweet potatoes. 3. Get vitamin bang for your buck by choosing fruits and vegetables high in vitamins (spinach, citrus fruits, cranberries, etc.) 4. Enjoy sweets, but make sure they are nutritionally sound (nuts, unsweetened hot chocolate with fat free milk, blender drinks with yogurt and fruit). 5. Watch the salt - basically no more than 2,300 mg which is equal to one teaspoon. 6. Eat foods that are good for the planet - fruits, grains and veggies cost the earth less to produce. 7. Watch your portions. 8. Choose top quality proteins with best nutrition (black beans, lentils, beef tenderloin, organic chicken breast). 9. Don't worry about percentage of fat in your diet, just make sure it's the right kind (avoid trans fat, keep saturated fat low, unsaturated fats are ok).
There are also some great week night menus from which to choose that replace what might be fast food options -- healthy burger and fries, pizza, cajun, Asian and fried chicken. Fun! Most recipes look easy and fun.
This morning, I'm feeding myself as if I were a guest at a thin person's spa. I had an egg white omelette with broccoli and a pinch of parmesan cheese and green fat free salsa. I'm also having a tangerine as we speak. For lunch, my goal is to have salad. Then I'm going to go for a long snow-shoe outing with Tim. Tonight we are having date night and I expect to be having something healthy like shrimp or salmon and a vegetable.
I did receive my first issue of Cooking Light. It includes a list of 9 Nutritional Essentials for 2009, and since they seem very practical and good sense, I'm sharing them here. 1. Eat a predominantly plant-based diet that includes variety, proteins low in saturated fat and getting in exercise (no duh). 2. Select carbs from whole grains, legumes and vegetables that satisfy such as quinoa, kidney beans and sweet potatoes. 3. Get vitamin bang for your buck by choosing fruits and vegetables high in vitamins (spinach, citrus fruits, cranberries, etc.) 4. Enjoy sweets, but make sure they are nutritionally sound (nuts, unsweetened hot chocolate with fat free milk, blender drinks with yogurt and fruit). 5. Watch the salt - basically no more than 2,300 mg which is equal to one teaspoon. 6. Eat foods that are good for the planet - fruits, grains and veggies cost the earth less to produce. 7. Watch your portions. 8. Choose top quality proteins with best nutrition (black beans, lentils, beef tenderloin, organic chicken breast). 9. Don't worry about percentage of fat in your diet, just make sure it's the right kind (avoid trans fat, keep saturated fat low, unsaturated fats are ok).
There are also some great week night menus from which to choose that replace what might be fast food options -- healthy burger and fries, pizza, cajun, Asian and fried chicken. Fun! Most recipes look easy and fun.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Baby Steps, Baby Steps
Ok. The bummer that was the week I only lost .2 pounds is over and now I'm ready to kick some ass--mostly my own. So at my dinner party last night, I cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts with lemon, herbs and white wine. I made a huge salad with tons of veggies for the vegetable and I also made potatoes for those who needed the carbs. Edamame was the appetizer and it as a huge hit. The sad part is that we had turtle sundaes for dessert (a friend bought), but I did a good job by just using my frozen yogurt instead and only put a dab of sauce and some nuts on top.
Today I had a major McDonalds craving even though all the food there tastes the same—bad. So I didn't have any, although I did have a diet soda. Then I had grabbed a salad at Willy Street Coop since I was on the run unexpectedly later. Not bad!
I also promise not to overindulge in celebration tomorrow!
Today I had a major McDonalds craving even though all the food there tastes the same—bad. So I didn't have any, although I did have a diet soda. Then I had grabbed a salad at Willy Street Coop since I was on the run unexpectedly later. Not bad!
I also promise not to overindulge in celebration tomorrow!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Frustration! Weigh in No. 2
OK. I have made serious changes in my eating. I no longer feed until I'm full. I'm frequently hungry, in fact. I'm having much healthier breakfasts and lunches and only occasionally flub up. Yet when I weighed in today, I had only lost .2 pounds. Yes, at least it went down, but I really need to make serious weight loss changes in order to lose the weight. I need to recommit to exercise and really making changes. Rats. I had hoped I could fake it for the first few weeks, but I guess not.
OK. So here's my commitment for today. I will have a salad for at least one meal. Two-thirds of my plate will be vegetables for the meal that is not salad. I will not have dessert that isn't healthy. I will closely monitor my amounts.
OK. So here's my commitment for today. I will have a salad for at least one meal. Two-thirds of my plate will be vegetables for the meal that is not salad. I will not have dessert that isn't healthy. I will closely monitor my amounts.
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