Sunday, August 29, 2010

Vacation

So, I have this goal weight I want to be before we go on vacation in a couple of weeks. I hit that weight for one day last week. This will be the weight at which I bought my last bathing suit. You see why I need to do this, don't you?? I don't want to go buy a BIGGER bathing suit!! Who wants to fall into that trap of ugliness and disgust? So...a few more solid pounds...not sodium, but pounds, and I should be good for our little va-ca to Eureka Springs.

I am having a hard time admitting it, but there are starting to be things out there...food things...that I don't want to eat anymore. Don't tell anyone, it would ruin my image ;-)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Second Month

Despite my efforts to rebel and revolt, I have lost more weight :-) I've had an interesting ride for the second month. Called rationalizing in the grief process, I have somehow fought and won the battle of emotion trying to take over logic. I've stopped exercising because of time constraints and it's just freakin' HOT out there. I've had my eating rampages. Still, I've lost weight. PHEW...I guess :-) So, I've lost 14 pounds now, and have 19 more to go. I'm really impressed with how well this is working. It's good to know I can have a pouty moment, and still come out ahead. I'm learning the restaurants and quantities. I've cut down on several things I do enjoy, but not cut them out. So onward I go, into month 3! Holla!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Taking it Back

I think I'm just going to gain back the 13 pounds I lost. I'm not sleeping well, so I get tired after my 11 hour work day, then I am so pooped I don't feel like cooking dinner. So, out to eat we go...ugh...Calories are ok-ish, however the sodium intake is so much that I'm starting to gain some back. UGH...didn't I say that part already? So, forget the whole thing, I'm going back to the way it was...OR...maybe a melatonin to help me sleep, and try again tomorrow.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Yeah...that worked...

So, not even one meal since I wrote the epiphany about "breaking up with food" I went straight to Weinberger's Deli and had a Reuben with chips, pickle, and root beer. There's just nothing better than food to lift your spirits when people and life fail you!! And...that's what happened, so I ate a Reuben for lunch. What else is left when food isn't there?? I guess I'm not ready to answer that question. I told you I was bad a breakups :-)

Keep Going!!

College story:

I went to ACU, and living on campus, I had a curfew. Freshman year, during finals week, several of my friends and I decided to sneak out of the dorm and go meet the boys to "study" at The Kettle. The room we chose to sneak out of faced the security building. We timed the rotation of the security guards as they passed the window in their car, so we could make our escape in stealth mode. Why I remember this part, who knows, but it was 11 minute intervals. So, the security guard passes by, we have 11 minutes to break free. We all made it out the window, started running toward my car, and it was like we all hit a brick wall. We didn't notice there was a guard on foot. We made it about 10ish steps before running into him. Out of sheer determination to make it work, I yell, "KEEP GOING!!!" We all did, and made it to The Kettle unscathed.

Forward to today:

Trying to find this determination for this lifestyle change. Honestly, it's mentally exhausting. I know it's good for me. I know it will keep me from having medical problems. I like the food I'm eating. AH HA!!! Maybe I'm not good a breakups!!! LOL!!! I should think of this like a breakup! I'm breaking up with fat, grease, fried whatever. I was once told that the time it takes someone to get over a boyfriend is twice as long as the relationship lasted. OH BOY...I'm in trouble. I've had a very long relationship with fried, greasy, cheesy goodness. Breaking up with food...who knew?!?!?

Friday, August 20, 2010

They Said WHAT?!?!?

I'm almost 2 months into this "life change" and I've lost 13 pounds!!! Only 20 more to go!! So, by my estimation, when I go back to the doc in December, I should be at my ideal weight. Hopefully, this will help my cholesterol and blood pressure. I have a question...WHY DECEMBER??? Doesn't he KNOW that's when we all eat not just more, but more of the bad stuff that tastes soooooo goooood?!?!?! Anyway, all of this is still working. One of the most peculiar parts of this whole thing is what books and people will say about weight loss, for instance (and btw, I hear all of these sayings in a high-pitched, sarcastic voice):

"After a couple of weeks, you won't crave the foods you used to eat."
"I tried eating my old food, and I don't even like it anymore."
"You'll feel so much better."
"Oh, you're dieting again..."
"I wish I could eat healthy like you do"
"Is it working?"

All I have to say to all of this is, "SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?!?"
I still want pizza, BBQ, Taco Bueno, Coke, fried chicken, etc., I still LOVE all the old food, I feel the same, Not a diet...eating healthy, here...have a cucumber, and geesh, can you not tell I've lost weight yet???? I can tell, why can't you??!!

I think these people/books come from and are aliens. Certainly real people are in the same boat I'm in. Anyway, it's interesting to read/hear the things people say about it all. I think on some level, people are overwhelmed with all the hype out there for losing weight. I like what I'm doing. It's my decision on what to eat, and gives me control over the whole thing. I'm not following someone else's regimen. And, it's not just about losing weight. It's also about lowering my cholesterol and getting my blood pressure down. Anyway...people are funny...looking!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Popcorn Trick

Take 2 TBS of popcorn kernels, put them dry in a brown paper sack (lunch sack), pop for 2 - 2.5 minutes, and you have a no-fat, no-salt, tasty treat that crunches :-)

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Beef and Noodle Casserole Dijon

This is a very tasty comfort food dish from the American Heart Association!

8 oz lean ground beef
8 oz frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup water
1 cup fat-free, no-salt-added beef broth
1/2 can low-fat, reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 TBS Dijon mustard with horse radish (I used Jack Daniels brand)
1/2 tsp salt free Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 oz dried no-yolk egg noodles
2 TBS plain dry bread crumbs
1 TBS shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a stock pot on the stove top over medium-high heat. Cook the beef for 8-10 minutes, or until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Pour into colander and rinse under hot water to remove excess fat. Drain well. Return to the stock pot.

Stir in vegetables, water, broth, soup, mustard, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Stir in noodles.

Transfer to a casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.

Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and Parmesan.

Back in the Saddle

I think I really needed a day like yesterday. I've been so high strung lately with crazy work stuff, emotional roller coaster about several other things (missing mom when we registered for the baby, dad starting to date, the fact that we now have the money for the adoption making it that much more real) that I needed a day to not think about any of it. We went to Chocktaw for Kevin's birthday, and I mindlessly sat in front of the Star Wars slots, won absolutely nothing, but didn't lose either, and got to watch Kevin not win or lose at Let it Ride. Well, that's not entirely true...when we counted it up at the end of the day, we were up by $31. Neither of us kept track enough to know who won what...lol! Point being that I now have the mental energy to get back on track with my new "learning experience."

Let's see how long this ride lasts :-)

Friday, August 13, 2010

TOTALLY Off the Wagon :-)

First of all, I'm SOOOO EXCITED!!! Today, I fit in the shorts that I could not get into at the beginning of the summer!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!

So, not only am I learning about eating well, blah, blah, blah, I'm learning interesting insights to myself. By the way, I've been off the wagon for about a week now. Ate out every dinner this week...and why?? I'll tell you why!! The Yankees came to town, and that started the whole thing...sorta. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch my boy Berkman play, and I ate, and I ate, and I ate...it was .45 cent wing night for crying out loud :-) YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

Then, we registered last weekend and it caught up to me about Tuesday. All the emotional stuff that goes with that, and I caved. I was excited, I was freaking out, I was sad my mom wasn't around, and I was eating like a banshee. Taco Bueno, Texas Roadhouse, Red Hot and Blue, Babe's Chicken Diner, and did I mention the Snickers, Doritos, and Cokes :-)

So, I THINK I have it out of my system. AMAZINGLY (is that a word?), I only gained 1.5 pounds this week. I still haven't been to the gym now in 3 weeks! Whatevs!! We'll see, because today is Kevin's birthday and we are both off work, and ready to play. Again...Whatevs!! :-)

Sunday, August 8, 2010

12 Days of Busy, Busy, Busy

In the last 12 days, I have done nothing light of hard labor...for me anyway. I've rearranged furniture to be able to steam clean most of the carpet in the house. I've done rounds, standing on my feet all day long, for 6 of these days, one of which was a 15 hour day. I've now done the baby registry, which lasted from 9-3...with a Red Robin lunch break. And I took two days to make a 16th birthday cake for 70, three tiered.

(Had to show it off, ya know :-) )

All this to say, I haven't been to the gym in two weeks because of all this busyness and I continue to lose weight...YEAH!!!! I've now lost 12 pounds total in 6 weeks. Not too shabby. It seems longer..HA! Onward and upward...march!