Pounds lost this week: 1.5
Total pounds lost: 6.5
Pounds to go: 33.5
Confessions
I did a little better at tracking points in my head, but still not perfect. On Friday night, our family rediscovered the "pizza house" - Cici's Pizza. We use to go there all the time in Lawrence (really cheap pizza buffet), and found one here. I did pretty well, but I did indulge in a brownie. I think it cursed me, because I got a cold the next day and it's been plagueing me since. Last night I made a "double shot" of the single-serving cake recipe Megan shared, and even added frosting. Doh!
What Worked for Me
I actually stuck with my exercise plan, with the exception of my Saturday workout! It felt good to get that in every day. I also made a trip to Costco and invested in a huge box of veggie burgers. They really aren't that bad; you just have to eat it knowing that it's not really a beef replacement. I tried Mom's chicken slow cooker recipe that she posted on here, and that was very tasty. I've been looking at my sugar consumption ever since Matt's post and sheesh! It is hard to find things with less than 4g of sugar per serving! But it was a great post, because now I am trying to keep it down. I also cut out dessert many nights.
Goals for This Week
I am really going to stick to my exercise plan this week, even though I feel like chud today. It's just good for me all around. And, I am going to up my water intake and write down points.
Good luck, everyone!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Emotional Eating
I thought I'd post on here something I wrote up a while ago in my journal that has been a good reference for me as I've tried to lose weight. I am DEFINITELY an emotional eater!! Maybe it can help some of you...
Emotions that can trigger eating:
Emotions that can trigger eating:
- sad
- happy
- nervous
- angry
- stressed
- bored
If you're SAD and you want to eat, instead try:
- prayer
- calling a trusted friend
- posting on this blog
- writing someone an email
- going window shopping
- sitting in the sun
- downloading a song & listening to it over and over.
- putting on some happy, nostalgic music.
HAPPY moments that may trigger eating, and what to do instead:
- watching t.v. or a movie - focus on the movie or show!
- parties - start a conversation with someone there. keep a drink in your hand to sip on.
- playing games/friends over - snack on veggies instead of m&m's.
- out to eat - just stay in your points range, or eat half.
- going on vacation - focus on other fun things to do that do not involve food.
If you're NERVOUS and you want to eat, instead try:
- biting your nails!
- preparing, not procrastinating
- prayer
- neck rolls, deep breaths
- put on piano music
If you're ANGRY and you want to eat, instead try:
- resolving the anger with who it involves, if possible
- prayer
- take the five minutes to tend to the person who needs you at the moment
- walk on the treadmill (or outside) for five minutes - FAST.
- take a drive
- put on hymns
If you're STRESSED and you want to eat, instead try:
- reassess the situation - do you really need to be stressed about it?
- prayer
- neck rolls, deep breaths
- put on Enya
If you're BORED and you want to eat, instead try:
- write down five blessings of the day
- sing & dance (alone or with the kids)
- sew something/quilt
- put on Christmas music
- read
- do laundry or dishes
- do a project with the kiddies
IF NOTHING ELSE WORKS....put the offending food down the garbage disposal!!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Week 4 - What a bore
Pounds lost this week: 1.2
Pounds lost total: 8.4
Confessions:
I just wasn't as dedicated this week as I should have been. I had several stressful situations to deal with. I am realizing that stress is my downfall when it comes to dieting! When I am under stress, I just don't want to worry about what I eat, hence I eat what I want! I can either eliminate stress out of my life, which is not realistic, or I have to learn how to deal with it in another way. If anyone has some ideas, please send them my way.
What worked:
Having food in the house that I like and is on my plan is a big help. I also think that going to my meeting every week has helped to keep me on track. I always get some good ideas from the other members, and it helps to associate with people who are dealing with the same issues I do.
Recipe:
This looks like a fun valentine dessert thats healthy and yummy too!
Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 4
Ingredients
12 medium strawberries, hulled
2 oz. shortcakes, quartered (use two 3-inch shortcake dessert cups)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
Instructions
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Alternately, thread 3 strawberries and 2 shortcake quarters onto each of 4 wood or metal skewers.
Combine chocolate chips and margarine together in a small saucepan; melt over low heat, stirring until smooth and well blended. Drizzle chocolate mixture over kabobs. Refrigerate until set, about 4 minutes.
Yields 1 kabob per serving.
Goals:
Pounds lost total: 8.4
Confessions:
I just wasn't as dedicated this week as I should have been. I had several stressful situations to deal with. I am realizing that stress is my downfall when it comes to dieting! When I am under stress, I just don't want to worry about what I eat, hence I eat what I want! I can either eliminate stress out of my life, which is not realistic, or I have to learn how to deal with it in another way. If anyone has some ideas, please send them my way.
What worked:
Having food in the house that I like and is on my plan is a big help. I also think that going to my meeting every week has helped to keep me on track. I always get some good ideas from the other members, and it helps to associate with people who are dealing with the same issues I do.
Recipe:
This looks like a fun valentine dessert thats healthy and yummy too!
Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 4
Ingredients
12 medium strawberries, hulled
2 oz. shortcakes, quartered (use two 3-inch shortcake dessert cups)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
Instructions
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Alternately, thread 3 strawberries and 2 shortcake quarters onto each of 4 wood or metal skewers.
Combine chocolate chips and margarine together in a small saucepan; melt over low heat, stirring until smooth and well blended. Drizzle chocolate mixture over kabobs. Refrigerate until set, about 4 minutes.
Yields 1 kabob per serving.
Goals:
I am going to try to think of some way to deal with little stressful situations in a different way. I also need to up my water consumption. I want to fine tuning my eating plan to be more careful about counting my points correctly. Have a good week!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
RH Week 1
Initial Weight: 228.8
Current Weight: 228.2
Weekly Pounds Lost: .6
Total Pounds Lost: .6
Soooo. I was doing pretty good with working out and stuff, but then I went to Costco. For many weeks now I have driven my shopping cart past the Otis Spunkmyer cookie dough and Rhodes Cinnamon Roles. I have always wanted to try them, but knew I shouldn't....well this time I was weak. I only bought the cookie dough, not both, but I have made a couple of batches and ate them before I go to bed, again probably not the best move. What can I say...I like food.
My goals for this week is to work out more and watch what I eat and when I eat.
Current Weight: 228.2
Weekly Pounds Lost: .6
Total Pounds Lost: .6
Soooo. I was doing pretty good with working out and stuff, but then I went to Costco. For many weeks now I have driven my shopping cart past the Otis Spunkmyer cookie dough and Rhodes Cinnamon Roles. I have always wanted to try them, but knew I shouldn't....well this time I was weak. I only bought the cookie dough, not both, but I have made a couple of batches and ate them before I go to bed, again probably not the best move. What can I say...I like food.
My goals for this week is to work out more and watch what I eat and when I eat.
Food Label Headaches
If you are like me, you are a bit lost when you go to the store. All these labels claim so many things, I begin to believe none of them are true. "Made with real juice" is always interesting to me, because they will put that on just about anything fruit flavored, and then on the ingredients, it is one of the last things on the list, usually with artificial flavors and sugar preceding it. My biggest frustration is that I'm lead to believe something is "healthy" or full of some good thing I know I need, but the chemicals and other tricks they use to make it "better" sometimes really make it fattier or more dangerous for the consumer! Anyway, for those who are interested, here are a few tips on current "food label trends" (or if you feel that "ignorance is bliss," feel free to skip this post):
Twelve Tricky Food Labels
When you head to the store, you might be misled by some of the labels on the foods you buy. You think you're getting healthy food, but it's not always true.
February 4th, 2008 @ 8:44am
Registered Dietitian, Melanie Douglass sorts through 12 of the common traps waiting for you in the grocery store.
1. "Natural"
a. If a food has sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, OR more than 4 grams of sugar or 3 grams of fat per serving, then "natural" means nothing. Sugar is natural, lard is natural… and they are a far cry from "healthy".
b. Foods to watch out for: cheese (high in fat), yogurts, beverages, fruits, etc (high in sugar)
2. "Vitamin C-Boost"
a. If a food has more than 500 mg of Vitamin C, then it's not worth the extra money. Your body can only absorb 500 mg at a time. Plus, if you have to drink/consume 200 - 400 calories just to get that vitamin C boost, then it's not worth it. Go for a calorie-free Vitamin C supplement instead.
3. "Yogurt-covered"
a. Yogurt coating is full of saturated fat. An ity-bity 2 tbsp. serving of yogurt-covered raisins packs 7 gram of fat and 6 of those are saturated. Ouch. Don't buy anything yogurt coated.
4. "Dried Fruit"
a. Only buy dried fruit that is soft and made without added sugars. Dried fruit that is rock-hard (like banana chips) is full of saturated fat. In a ¼-cup serving of banana chips, you'll get 7 grams of fat and 6 of those are saturated. Double ouch.
5. "0 gram Trans Fat"
a. Just because a food has 0 grams trans fat doesn't mean it's also low in saturated fat - the other heart-damaging fat. Cookies with 0 grams trans fat are still cookies—packed with sugar, calories and artery clogging saturated fat.
6. "Sparking Water with Natural Flavors"
a. Natural flavors in water-type beverages often means it's sweetened with Acesulfame K or Aspartame—two non-nutritive sweeteners that are far from natural in my book.
7. "98% Fat-free" meats
a. 98% fat-free hot dogs and bologna are often made with "mechanically separated" meats. I'm not a fan of mechanically separated meat because it can contains bits and pieces of spinal cord. Here's a good explanation: i. "Mechanically separated meat is a paste produced by compressing carcasses, much like a used car is crushed into a dense block of metal" (Nutrition Action Healthletter, June 2001)
8. "2% Reduced Fat" flavored milks
a. Just because it's reduced fat doesn't mean it's healthy. Flavored milks are really high in sugar. 10 teaspoons per convenience-store bottle! (That's as much added sugar as you should have in an entire day.)
9. "No Cholesterol"
a. Margarine never had cholesterol in the first place. Just because a margarine or butter spread says "no cholesterol" doesn't mean it's healthy. Look for spreads higher in monounsaturated fats and lower in saturated and trans fat.
10. "with Vitamins & Minerals!"
a. Snacks like Poptarts, that have "7 vitamins and minerals!" often only provide 10% or so of mostly b-vitamins that most people aren't deficient in anyway. It's not much of a help—and certainly not a good reason to eat more sugar or fat.
11. "Full Serving Vegetables!"
a. If you have to drink a beverage laden with extra sugar and 1/3 of your day's sodium (480 mg) just to get a "full serving of vegetables", then that is not a good trade. Regular vegetables have 20 - 60 calories and no added sugar or sodium… unlike most beverages.
12. "Made with Whole Grain"
a. A food needs to have at least 16 grams of "whole grain" on the label in order to make a dent in your whole-grain intake and improve your health. Don't confuse "whole grains" and fiber. 8 grams of whole grain usually only has 1 gram of fiber. Foods like snack crackers and cereals usually have 5 - 10 grams of whole grain per serving. Whoopee. I prefer to shop for foods by fiber content and not the elusive and tricky "whole grains". Look for foods with 3 - 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Twelve Tricky Food Labels
When you head to the store, you might be misled by some of the labels on the foods you buy. You think you're getting healthy food, but it's not always true.
February 4th, 2008 @ 8:44am
Registered Dietitian, Melanie Douglass sorts through 12 of the common traps waiting for you in the grocery store.
1. "Natural"
a. If a food has sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, OR more than 4 grams of sugar or 3 grams of fat per serving, then "natural" means nothing. Sugar is natural, lard is natural… and they are a far cry from "healthy".
b. Foods to watch out for: cheese (high in fat), yogurts, beverages, fruits, etc (high in sugar)
2. "Vitamin C-Boost"
a. If a food has more than 500 mg of Vitamin C, then it's not worth the extra money. Your body can only absorb 500 mg at a time. Plus, if you have to drink/consume 200 - 400 calories just to get that vitamin C boost, then it's not worth it. Go for a calorie-free Vitamin C supplement instead.
3. "Yogurt-covered"
a. Yogurt coating is full of saturated fat. An ity-bity 2 tbsp. serving of yogurt-covered raisins packs 7 gram of fat and 6 of those are saturated. Ouch. Don't buy anything yogurt coated.
4. "Dried Fruit"
a. Only buy dried fruit that is soft and made without added sugars. Dried fruit that is rock-hard (like banana chips) is full of saturated fat. In a ¼-cup serving of banana chips, you'll get 7 grams of fat and 6 of those are saturated. Double ouch.
5. "0 gram Trans Fat"
a. Just because a food has 0 grams trans fat doesn't mean it's also low in saturated fat - the other heart-damaging fat. Cookies with 0 grams trans fat are still cookies—packed with sugar, calories and artery clogging saturated fat.
6. "Sparking Water with Natural Flavors"
a. Natural flavors in water-type beverages often means it's sweetened with Acesulfame K or Aspartame—two non-nutritive sweeteners that are far from natural in my book.
7. "98% Fat-free" meats
a. 98% fat-free hot dogs and bologna are often made with "mechanically separated" meats. I'm not a fan of mechanically separated meat because it can contains bits and pieces of spinal cord. Here's a good explanation: i. "Mechanically separated meat is a paste produced by compressing carcasses, much like a used car is crushed into a dense block of metal" (Nutrition Action Healthletter, June 2001)
8. "2% Reduced Fat" flavored milks
a. Just because it's reduced fat doesn't mean it's healthy. Flavored milks are really high in sugar. 10 teaspoons per convenience-store bottle! (That's as much added sugar as you should have in an entire day.)
9. "No Cholesterol"
a. Margarine never had cholesterol in the first place. Just because a margarine or butter spread says "no cholesterol" doesn't mean it's healthy. Look for spreads higher in monounsaturated fats and lower in saturated and trans fat.
10. "with Vitamins & Minerals!"
a. Snacks like Poptarts, that have "7 vitamins and minerals!" often only provide 10% or so of mostly b-vitamins that most people aren't deficient in anyway. It's not much of a help—and certainly not a good reason to eat more sugar or fat.
11. "Full Serving Vegetables!"
a. If you have to drink a beverage laden with extra sugar and 1/3 of your day's sodium (480 mg) just to get a "full serving of vegetables", then that is not a good trade. Regular vegetables have 20 - 60 calories and no added sugar or sodium… unlike most beverages.
12. "Made with Whole Grain"
a. A food needs to have at least 16 grams of "whole grain" on the label in order to make a dent in your whole-grain intake and improve your health. Don't confuse "whole grains" and fiber. 8 grams of whole grain usually only has 1 gram of fiber. Foods like snack crackers and cereals usually have 5 - 10 grams of whole grain per serving. Whoopee. I prefer to shop for foods by fiber content and not the elusive and tricky "whole grains". Look for foods with 3 - 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Week 4 - Need to Lose More!
Pounds lost: 0
Pounds to go: 35
Confessions
Again, the points are not being tracked. I didn't feel much like it when I was still down and out from illness. Also, watch my blog for a soon-to-be-posted excursion last Saturday to my latest discovery - the Chocolate Cafe. Need I say more?
What Worked for Me
I bought the Magic Bullet! Again, check out my blog for details. It helped me to make healthier choices because we made so many yummy fruit smoothies, instead of fattening treats. When the fruit starts to go bad, I chunk it up and stick it in the freezer. I'm going to be braver this week and try and sneak some veggies in the smoothies, and flax seed. My rheumatologist told me I need 3 g of Omega 3's everyday!
Also, Peter and I hit Whole Foods again and got a few more products sans "all the bad stuff." I really like Edamame (soy beans) in the dishes I'm preparing - very healthy for you and tasty!
Goals for This Week/Month
The clock is ticking for me....beach week is sneaking up in May. So, I've decided that February is my month. Here's my exercise plan:
Walking at 3 mph on treadmill
Week 1: walk 1 mile a day for six days
Week 2: walk 1.5 miles a day for six days
Week 3: walk 2 miles a day for six days
Week 4: walk 2.5 miles a day for six days
I'd like to eventually get up to walking three miles a day, at 4 miles an hour. This is a good start.
Also, I'm getting back on the points, for REAL. And still trying to omit the yuckies.
Good luck, all!
Pounds to go: 35
Confessions
Again, the points are not being tracked. I didn't feel much like it when I was still down and out from illness. Also, watch my blog for a soon-to-be-posted excursion last Saturday to my latest discovery - the Chocolate Cafe. Need I say more?
What Worked for Me
I bought the Magic Bullet! Again, check out my blog for details. It helped me to make healthier choices because we made so many yummy fruit smoothies, instead of fattening treats. When the fruit starts to go bad, I chunk it up and stick it in the freezer. I'm going to be braver this week and try and sneak some veggies in the smoothies, and flax seed. My rheumatologist told me I need 3 g of Omega 3's everyday!
Also, Peter and I hit Whole Foods again and got a few more products sans "all the bad stuff." I really like Edamame (soy beans) in the dishes I'm preparing - very healthy for you and tasty!
Goals for This Week/Month
The clock is ticking for me....beach week is sneaking up in May. So, I've decided that February is my month. Here's my exercise plan:
Walking at 3 mph on treadmill
Week 1: walk 1 mile a day for six days
Week 2: walk 1.5 miles a day for six days
Week 3: walk 2 miles a day for six days
Week 4: walk 2.5 miles a day for six days
I'd like to eventually get up to walking three miles a day, at 4 miles an hour. This is a good start.
Also, I'm getting back on the points, for REAL. And still trying to omit the yuckies.
Good luck, all!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Week 4 - Fatty Fats Galore
Pounds lost: JACK SQUAT!!!!
Pounds to go: 14.5
Confessions
HOLY POO!!! Trying to lose weight while living with someone who is trying to gain 20 lbs is getting harder. I was doing really good about not eating anything after dinner, but Lisa has had crazy cravings for taquitos at like 11 pm. Every night the smell of hot corn tortillas became a greater temptation, and I finally caved. The crappy part is, once I eat those, I figure I might as well keep going.
Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I had two meetings where lunch was going to be provided, so I ate a healthy sandwich before I left so that I wouldn't eat a ton of pizza at the meetings. Well, I still ate a buttload of pizza at both meetings, and then went and got a huge thing of frozen yogurt during one of the breaks. I suck.
What worked
NOTHING!
Goals
Bet you can't guess. EXERCISE! I hope fast Sunday will help me get back on track with my eating.
Pounds to go: 14.5
Confessions
HOLY POO!!! Trying to lose weight while living with someone who is trying to gain 20 lbs is getting harder. I was doing really good about not eating anything after dinner, but Lisa has had crazy cravings for taquitos at like 11 pm. Every night the smell of hot corn tortillas became a greater temptation, and I finally caved. The crappy part is, once I eat those, I figure I might as well keep going.
Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I had two meetings where lunch was going to be provided, so I ate a healthy sandwich before I left so that I wouldn't eat a ton of pizza at the meetings. Well, I still ate a buttload of pizza at both meetings, and then went and got a huge thing of frozen yogurt during one of the breaks. I suck.
What worked
NOTHING!
Goals
Bet you can't guess. EXERCISE! I hope fast Sunday will help me get back on track with my eating.
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