I'm down 5 pounds so far. Pretty darn good for eating whatever I want. Of course "what I want" is now different! Last night, all I could think about was having delicious salmon and salad for dinner. Really, that is what sounded like the perfect meal and that is, in fact, what I did have.
Of course I am feeling guilty this morning.....but not about what I ate but how much I paid for it! I paid $19.99 lb for wild-caught salmon last night. Yikes! I know, I know, I should have waited until it was on sale. I've gotten wild salmon for $6.99 lb before. But I've been craving it for about a week now and I just HAD TO HAVE IT!
Oh and it was soooo delicious....I over cooked it by like a minute or two but it wasn't ruined. The salad was heavenly also. Spring greens with cucumber and the sweetest organic grape tomatoes. Topped with homemade ranch dressing. Mmmmm, I'm still dreaming about it. I only wish there was enough for lunch today! The 2 kids in the house who do like salmon and I finished it off!
The good news is, my husband and 1 of my kids don't like salmon so that made the meal a little cheaper. They had a lovely steak and salad. No, the steak wasn't grass fed but I'm working on that......
I've found a local rancher who sells grass-fed beef at a price I think we can afford (eek). I also found a local chicken and pork farmer that I think we can afford (eek again). It will mean revamping our budget and making some different choices but I am determined to get the most wholesome food into me and my family's bodies!
I will let you know how it goes with the search for local, grass-fed, free-range, naturally raised meat! For now, I continue onward (or rather downward in pounds). I am LOVING this way of eating. I feel good, I am not hungry, I'm not feeling deprived in the least and the scale is moving in the right direction.
Finally!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Yeah, What They Said....
I was tooling around the internet today trying to find information on flax seed oil, seeds and ground flax when I came upon this statement:
"The best way to lose weight is to eat nutritiously -If your body is getting the nutrients it needs, then it will not crave the "bad" or nutrition-LESS food that are empty calories that easily cause weight gain."
Yep, that is exactly what I have been experiencing. I have been eating healthy, enjoyable foods. I don't have a list of "good" and "bad" foods. I don't exert my willpower over my portions to make sure they are small. I just eat. I make sure I have P.O.L.F. at every one of the 3 major meals of the day and then I don't think too much about what I'll eat at snack time, I just eat.
But the funny thing is, at snack time I CRAVE healthy foods. I'd rather have an apple than a bag of chips. Really, me! Now, I've had a craving or two for "something sweet". And if I do, when I do, I eat something sweet. About an hour ago I wanted some chocolate. I ate a See's candy chocolate ball that is about the size of a nickel and enjoyed it and WALKED AWAY SATISFIED.
I didn't have to fight not eating another one (and there were more) I just was satisfied with one. And I totally forgot about the chocolate until just now as I'm typing the example. And now that I remember they are over there I don't feel the irresistible urge to go get another one. As a matter of fact, I just picked up a banana to eat. I am not forcing myself to eat a banana over chocolate, I prefer the banana over chocolate. Did you hear what I said? I PREFER A BANANA OVER CHOCOLATE!!!!
I don't know if you realize how MONUMENTAL this is for me!!!!!
During the past 2 weeks I have not exerted my willpower much at all. And when I do have to use a little self control, (like when my taste buds wanted me to keep eating the delicious sausage and risotto stuffed bell pepper I made the other night but I was full and it was time to stop) I find it easy to do. Really, only 2 weeks of eating nutrient dense food (and I'll be honest some junk but not much) and I can easily say "no more" when I'm full!!!!! Not stuffed full but satisfied.
Okay what about the results so far? I would still say they are good. I continue to feel good and have lots energy. My moods are more even also. I swear my shirts are less tight around the tummy. My husband even noticed that they seemed looser and I didn't mention it to him that I thought they were fitting differently.
And the "big" question? (pun intended) The scale? It moved a pound and a half down today. One pound isn't really proof that this is working for shedding weight yet but I'm still optimistic. I still am holding to the belief that my body needs to heal a bit from the nutritional famine I've made myself experience and then once my body hears the message that there is plenty of nutrition to go around the weight will snowball off of me.
Stay tuned......
"The best way to lose weight is to eat nutritiously -If your body is getting the nutrients it needs, then it will not crave the "bad" or nutrition-LESS food that are empty calories that easily cause weight gain."
Yep, that is exactly what I have been experiencing. I have been eating healthy, enjoyable foods. I don't have a list of "good" and "bad" foods. I don't exert my willpower over my portions to make sure they are small. I just eat. I make sure I have P.O.L.F. at every one of the 3 major meals of the day and then I don't think too much about what I'll eat at snack time, I just eat.
But the funny thing is, at snack time I CRAVE healthy foods. I'd rather have an apple than a bag of chips. Really, me! Now, I've had a craving or two for "something sweet". And if I do, when I do, I eat something sweet. About an hour ago I wanted some chocolate. I ate a See's candy chocolate ball that is about the size of a nickel and enjoyed it and WALKED AWAY SATISFIED.
I didn't have to fight not eating another one (and there were more) I just was satisfied with one. And I totally forgot about the chocolate until just now as I'm typing the example. And now that I remember they are over there I don't feel the irresistible urge to go get another one. As a matter of fact, I just picked up a banana to eat. I am not forcing myself to eat a banana over chocolate, I prefer the banana over chocolate. Did you hear what I said? I PREFER A BANANA OVER CHOCOLATE!!!!
I don't know if you realize how MONUMENTAL this is for me!!!!!
During the past 2 weeks I have not exerted my willpower much at all. And when I do have to use a little self control, (like when my taste buds wanted me to keep eating the delicious sausage and risotto stuffed bell pepper I made the other night but I was full and it was time to stop) I find it easy to do. Really, only 2 weeks of eating nutrient dense food (and I'll be honest some junk but not much) and I can easily say "no more" when I'm full!!!!! Not stuffed full but satisfied.
Okay what about the results so far? I would still say they are good. I continue to feel good and have lots energy. My moods are more even also. I swear my shirts are less tight around the tummy. My husband even noticed that they seemed looser and I didn't mention it to him that I thought they were fitting differently.
And the "big" question? (pun intended) The scale? It moved a pound and a half down today. One pound isn't really proof that this is working for shedding weight yet but I'm still optimistic. I still am holding to the belief that my body needs to heal a bit from the nutritional famine I've made myself experience and then once my body hears the message that there is plenty of nutrition to go around the weight will snowball off of me.
Stay tuned......
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Instant Gradification Takes Too Long.....
My new method of weight loss, or "telling my body to lose weight by eating nutrient dense food" is going well. I am still amazed at the lack of cravings for sugar and junk food I have. I actually crave healthy foods. I feel good and I'm eating smaller portions. But I haven't lost a pound yet and I'm frustrated. I keep reminding myself that I haven't even given this a full week yet and no losing weight in the first couple of weeks is in line with the method I'm using. I do still trust that this is the right way to go. I still trust that if I keep feeding my body nutrient dense food it will shed the pounds effortlessly but......
It's hard to wait to see that scale move down! I know, I know, it's only been 5 days but like I've said before when I've "dieted" I usually see a 2-4 lb weight loss in the first 5 days! Of course then the scale goes up 10 pounds but whose counting? I know I am. I just want some confirmation that I'm going to get smaller doing this! I have confirmation that the food I'm eating is good for me, I feel fantastic! I have almost no sugar cravings and I'm eating smaller portions without trying to. BUT I WANNA SEE THE SCALE MOVE DOWN!!!!! NOW! NOW! NOW!
Breathe kiddo, breathe....
The other frustrating thing about this method is the emotional shedding component. The thinking is that some people have an emotional reason why they hold on to weight. You have to figure out why you keep a fat layer on for emotional reasons and then you somehow get over it and the weight just flys off your bod. Well, I zeroed in on what makes me want a fat layer of protection around me but now I don't know what to do with that information. I talked to my sister about it because she is awesome and my very best-est female friend. It was good to talk about it but I don't feel it's resolved and if it's not resolved THE SCALE ISN'T GOING TO MOVE DOWN!!!!
Breathe girl.....
I need to just trust God. Trust Him that He will help me release this pain, this darkness with in me in His time. I really haven't given Him much time. I only figured out what my "problem" is a couple of days ago, although it's been years in coming to me. I've been processing my "heart pain" since I was 20. I can remember talking to my roommates at college about it when I first realized that my heart or chest hurts all the time. I guess if it took me and God almost 20 years just to tell me what is wrong maybe it will take another 20 to get rid of it....but I doubt it. Whatever it takes, 20 hours, 20 days or 20 years if I am in the palm of His hand.....it's all good. BUT WHY CAN'T I BE GETTING SMALLER IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND?????
What did I tell you about breathing.......
Writing this post has really shown me how totally impatient I am being about this. Okay, okay...I'm going to go breathe some more now and practice patience.
I still love this method of losing weight. I still trust it will work but more importantly, I trust God gave me this plan and will guide me through it.
She takes a deep breath in and slowly lets it out.......
It's hard to wait to see that scale move down! I know, I know, it's only been 5 days but like I've said before when I've "dieted" I usually see a 2-4 lb weight loss in the first 5 days! Of course then the scale goes up 10 pounds but whose counting? I know I am. I just want some confirmation that I'm going to get smaller doing this! I have confirmation that the food I'm eating is good for me, I feel fantastic! I have almost no sugar cravings and I'm eating smaller portions without trying to. BUT I WANNA SEE THE SCALE MOVE DOWN!!!!! NOW! NOW! NOW!
Breathe kiddo, breathe....
The other frustrating thing about this method is the emotional shedding component. The thinking is that some people have an emotional reason why they hold on to weight. You have to figure out why you keep a fat layer on for emotional reasons and then you somehow get over it and the weight just flys off your bod. Well, I zeroed in on what makes me want a fat layer of protection around me but now I don't know what to do with that information. I talked to my sister about it because she is awesome and my very best-est female friend. It was good to talk about it but I don't feel it's resolved and if it's not resolved THE SCALE ISN'T GOING TO MOVE DOWN!!!!
Breathe girl.....
I need to just trust God. Trust Him that He will help me release this pain, this darkness with in me in His time. I really haven't given Him much time. I only figured out what my "problem" is a couple of days ago, although it's been years in coming to me. I've been processing my "heart pain" since I was 20. I can remember talking to my roommates at college about it when I first realized that my heart or chest hurts all the time. I guess if it took me and God almost 20 years just to tell me what is wrong maybe it will take another 20 to get rid of it....but I doubt it. Whatever it takes, 20 hours, 20 days or 20 years if I am in the palm of His hand.....it's all good. BUT WHY CAN'T I BE GETTING SMALLER IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND?????
What did I tell you about breathing.......
Writing this post has really shown me how totally impatient I am being about this. Okay, okay...I'm going to go breathe some more now and practice patience.
I still love this method of losing weight. I still trust it will work but more importantly, I trust God gave me this plan and will guide me through it.
She takes a deep breath in and slowly lets it out.......
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
And Now....For Something Completely Different!
I haven't blogged in a while because, well, I haven't been losing weight or even trying to. Since this is a weight-loss blog I haven't written because I haven't had much to say on the subject...until now. I have stumbled onto a new weight-loss idea and have started following the recommendations. It is going, very, very well and I haven't even lost any weight yet =}!
Here are the basics of the plan/idea:
Those of us who are overweight are that way because our bodies want to be fat. We have told our bodies to keep fat on us. Fat people's bodies are holding on to fat for one or both of the following reasons:
1) We have told our bodies to hold on to fat because we are starving ourselves of nutrients or calories (yo-yo dieting) thus putting it in a "famine state" and God designed our bodies to conserve fat in a famine.
and/or for some people,
2) We have told our bodies to create and keep a fat layer to protect us from emotional/physical harm.
The hypothesis of this weight loss idea (it's not a "diet") is if you give you body plenty of nutrient dense food your brain will stop thinking there is a "famine" and shed the weight. However, if your heart is holding on to the fat also you need to address the emotional reason(s) why you feel the need to protect yourself with extra physical layers or the weight will not come off.
There is more to the plan than this but this is the first step: Eat! Eat often! Eat plenty! And when you eat, eat the best most nutritious foods possible. Tell your body with every bite that there is plenty of food and it has the nutrients the body needs to function properly. The first habit to form is, at every meal your plate must have P.O.L.F. (Protein, Omega 3's and Live Food). I made up the acronym, ain't it cute?
So, for the past 4 days I have eaten whenever I am hungry, for the most part whatever I want until I am full as long as at every meal on my plate there is P.O.L.F. There's that cute acronym again! I have focused on foods I enjoy and tried to eat in line with the Weston A. Price Foundations guidelines for nutrient dense foods.
Folks, I feel FANTASTIC! I have energy and my mood is pretty good and even. Eating this way makes me feel good but there are two things which I am just AMAZED at. Within the first 48 hours of eating this way 1) it is EASY for me to stop eating when I am full and 2) my sugar cravings are GONE! I am not using my "willpower" at the table, my body doesn't want too much food and it doesn't want 10 pounds of sugar daily. I'm stunned. Stunned.
I will blog later about some of the habits I've begun that help me to stop eating when I've reached satiety but the habits have almost installed themselves. I will also talk about my sugar cravings and current lack there of in a later post. Now since I am fat for both reasons number 1 & 2 I listed above, I have been working on the emotional component to my fat layer (because I soooo have one) and I don't know when or if I will publicly go into details on that. We shall see but for now, dear friends, I am happy, satisfied and feeling good. I may have found the key to the best possible health for me.
Prayers for me in this area of my life are requested and best; happy thoughts and wishes are always appreciated.
Here are the basics of the plan/idea:
Those of us who are overweight are that way because our bodies want to be fat. We have told our bodies to keep fat on us. Fat people's bodies are holding on to fat for one or both of the following reasons:
1) We have told our bodies to hold on to fat because we are starving ourselves of nutrients or calories (yo-yo dieting) thus putting it in a "famine state" and God designed our bodies to conserve fat in a famine.
and/or for some people,
2) We have told our bodies to create and keep a fat layer to protect us from emotional/physical harm.
The hypothesis of this weight loss idea (it's not a "diet") is if you give you body plenty of nutrient dense food your brain will stop thinking there is a "famine" and shed the weight. However, if your heart is holding on to the fat also you need to address the emotional reason(s) why you feel the need to protect yourself with extra physical layers or the weight will not come off.
There is more to the plan than this but this is the first step: Eat! Eat often! Eat plenty! And when you eat, eat the best most nutritious foods possible. Tell your body with every bite that there is plenty of food and it has the nutrients the body needs to function properly. The first habit to form is, at every meal your plate must have P.O.L.F. (Protein, Omega 3's and Live Food). I made up the acronym, ain't it cute?
So, for the past 4 days I have eaten whenever I am hungry, for the most part whatever I want until I am full as long as at every meal on my plate there is P.O.L.F. There's that cute acronym again! I have focused on foods I enjoy and tried to eat in line with the Weston A. Price Foundations guidelines for nutrient dense foods.
Folks, I feel FANTASTIC! I have energy and my mood is pretty good and even. Eating this way makes me feel good but there are two things which I am just AMAZED at. Within the first 48 hours of eating this way 1) it is EASY for me to stop eating when I am full and 2) my sugar cravings are GONE! I am not using my "willpower" at the table, my body doesn't want too much food and it doesn't want 10 pounds of sugar daily. I'm stunned. Stunned.
I will blog later about some of the habits I've begun that help me to stop eating when I've reached satiety but the habits have almost installed themselves. I will also talk about my sugar cravings and current lack there of in a later post. Now since I am fat for both reasons number 1 & 2 I listed above, I have been working on the emotional component to my fat layer (because I soooo have one) and I don't know when or if I will publicly go into details on that. We shall see but for now, dear friends, I am happy, satisfied and feeling good. I may have found the key to the best possible health for me.
Prayers for me in this area of my life are requested and best; happy thoughts and wishes are always appreciated.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Scale is Moving in a Downward Direction
Monday the scale read 252.0 so I'm moving in the right direction.
I just wrote for about a half and hour and then lost it all. I don't have the energy to post it again now but I'll get back to the thoughts later.
Right now I'm hungry and need to...eat! Yummy Lean Cusine. Chicken Carbonara tonight!
I just wrote for about a half and hour and then lost it all. I don't have the energy to post it again now but I'll get back to the thoughts later.
Right now I'm hungry and need to...eat! Yummy Lean Cusine. Chicken Carbonara tonight!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Ante Had Been Up-ed
Three words, High School Reunion. My twentieth. I just got a "Friend Request" from our High School historian on Facebook today and I knew just why. I also got a message from her (surprise) and it was an announcement for...the reunion of course! I didn't go to my 10th and I had no desire to but for some reason I find myself wanting to go to this one. I haven't decided why I want to go. The reason I skipped my 10th had nothing to do with my appearance, I wasn't terribly overweight 10 years ago. I didn't want to go because I didn't like high school and I had no desire to revisit it. So I don't know why I want to go to this one. I think it's for the people. I think after 20 years I would like to see my friends again. Although, I don't need to "catch up" with any of them. I know quite a lot about their lives through Facebook! But it would be nice to hug them and have a bite to eat together. However, like probably at least 75% of the women I graduated with, I want to lose some weight before I even consider going!
And I don't care if I don't look like a runway model as I walk through the doors to the reunion, I'm a mother of 3 for crying out loud and my name ain't Heidi but........I don't want to look like a beached whale either. I want to look how they all thought I might look. I was 10-15 pounds overweight in High School, I don't think anyone would be surprised if I was 20-30 pounds overweight now but 100 pounds??? Yeah, I think that would be noticeable. . I just don't want anyone at the reunion to whisper to someone, "Can you believe how fat Abby got?"
So, this could be a good thing. A High School Reunion in my future could get me through some of the days where I just want to throw in the towel. An upcoming event like this could inspire me to keep going past the 220lb mark (in the past I've always had trouble getting down under 220 for some reason I always quit diets at this weight!). It could be helpful to have this pressure on me to lose weight. It's a gentle pressure. I'm not desperate to go to the reunion so if I feel comfortable with my weight, I won't go.
I guess we'll see.....
And I don't care if I don't look like a runway model as I walk through the doors to the reunion, I'm a mother of 3 for crying out loud and my name ain't Heidi but........I don't want to look like a beached whale either. I want to look how they all thought I might look. I was 10-15 pounds overweight in High School, I don't think anyone would be surprised if I was 20-30 pounds overweight now but 100 pounds??? Yeah, I think that would be noticeable. . I just don't want anyone at the reunion to whisper to someone, "Can you believe how fat Abby got?"
So, this could be a good thing. A High School Reunion in my future could get me through some of the days where I just want to throw in the towel. An upcoming event like this could inspire me to keep going past the 220lb mark (in the past I've always had trouble getting down under 220 for some reason I always quit diets at this weight!). It could be helpful to have this pressure on me to lose weight. It's a gentle pressure. I'm not desperate to go to the reunion so if I feel comfortable with my weight, I won't go.
I guess we'll see.....
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Mayday,...mayday...we are going down!
It kinda crept up on me slowly. About 11 am I was hungry. Not that big of a deal, lunch was around the corner but I didn't want to wait too long to eat so I had a snack. Then about 12:30 I wanted to eat again, I didn't feel hungry but I wanted to eat. I decided to wait until I felt hunger to eat. Good plan, right? About 1:30 I felt the burning at my midline that indicated my body would like some fuel. Also, I noticed myself feeling a bit anxious. Let me back up a bit to this morning to explain the anxiety....
This morning I read an article about Dr. Andrew Wakefield and the vaccine controversy. It really upset me and made me feel anxious. I won't go into details but I don't vaccinate my children the same way the AMA recommends and although I stand by that decision, every time I hear arguments on either side of the Vaccination Controversy I have to rehash my decision all over again. So I spent the morning searching the internet and reading articles on the pros and cons of vaccinations. The whole thing left me very anxious and feeling unresolved. I didn't realize until just now how this part of my morning is effecting me now.
Back to now....so I ate lunch, my allotted calories, and still felt hungry. Hungry and anxious. I racked my brain to come up with another alternative to eating more but couldn't. So I ate more of the same thing I ate for lunch. Still hungry and starting to crave sugar soooo, I made Warm Chocolate Soothers for the kids since it's 43 degrees outside and they are walking home from school and....yep, drank some myself. Here were my rationalizations:
So, 1 fall off the wagon in the first week. It wasn't too bad. I did choose something healthy to fall off with, something that will build up my body instead of tear it down but.....it's still a deviation from my plan. Onward and upward! Leave the past here and get back on track!
PS If you have never had a Warm Chocolate Soother give it a try if it fits into your diet plans! It makes 4 servings and per serving contains 270 calories, 8 gms protein, 25% of your daily calcium. By the by I used Sparkpeople to figure out the calories.
This morning I read an article about Dr. Andrew Wakefield and the vaccine controversy. It really upset me and made me feel anxious. I won't go into details but I don't vaccinate my children the same way the AMA recommends and although I stand by that decision, every time I hear arguments on either side of the Vaccination Controversy I have to rehash my decision all over again. So I spent the morning searching the internet and reading articles on the pros and cons of vaccinations. The whole thing left me very anxious and feeling unresolved. I didn't realize until just now how this part of my morning is effecting me now.
Back to now....so I ate lunch, my allotted calories, and still felt hungry. Hungry and anxious. I racked my brain to come up with another alternative to eating more but couldn't. So I ate more of the same thing I ate for lunch. Still hungry and starting to crave sugar soooo, I made Warm Chocolate Soothers for the kids since it's 43 degrees outside and they are walking home from school and....yep, drank some myself. Here were my rationalizations:
- Chocolate soothers are good for you, it contains protein, low sugar and it's filling.
- It's a necessary evil for me to feel better.
- It's okay to fall off the wagon sometimes.
- I will hop right back on the wagon tonight.
So, 1 fall off the wagon in the first week. It wasn't too bad. I did choose something healthy to fall off with, something that will build up my body instead of tear it down but.....it's still a deviation from my plan. Onward and upward! Leave the past here and get back on track!
PS If you have never had a Warm Chocolate Soother give it a try if it fits into your diet plans! It makes 4 servings and per serving contains 270 calories, 8 gms protein, 25% of your daily calcium. By the by I used Sparkpeople to figure out the calories.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)