I'm soooo excited to hear about the successes that people are having on Bo's plan! Have you seen this note from Teri?
"Hi Bo
I went for my yearly physical, my doctor recommended that I go off my high blood pressure medication. I will cut it down for several weeks but he thinks all will be well so I can stop using it completely. I have been taking it for about 13 years so I am really excited. Thank you for a great food plan and your encouragement.
Teri"
(I don't know Teri, but I'm VERY excited for her! Way to go!)
I had lunch with my mom yesterday. She is down 20 pounds and is wearing clothes that she has not been able to fit in for a very long time. Yipee!
I had surgery last week to take out my gallbladder and gallstone. I have been hitting the Empower shakes and soups pretty heavily since then, as I need to stay away from fat until my body gets adjusted to life without a gallbladder...and solid food does not currently agree well with me.
The good news in all of that is that FINALLY I am back on the plan...after a month on my "hundred mile diet" and then two weeks on business trips. (I took my food with me, but, you know. When someone else is buying lunch, it's hard not to order something.) And then my surgery. It has been quite the autumn, so far.
The other good news is that FINALLY I am down into the 160's! When I look back at my records, I see that the last time I was this weight is when I briefly dipped into the 160's in April and May of 2001. I remember that spring. We took a Caribbean cruise during Easter break. I spent the previous fall, winter, and spring on a low-carb eating plan and OXYCISE. (Oxycise is a breathing and isometric exercise regime and it worked really well for me that year. I was just thinking yesterday that I may need to pull out the old VHS tapes to get my tummy muscles in shape after this surgery.) After getting back from the cruise, my intensity wore off, and then, after 9/11/2001 happened, it was comfort food all the way.
2001 was a long time ago. Before that, it was 1995 when I was at this weight. It's nice to finally see you again, 160's. You're just in time for a new decade. You're welcome to stick around a while.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
A little detour
I had an ultrasound yesterday. NO!!! Not THAT kind of ultrasound! I'm almost fifty, remember?
On a couple of business trips over the past three weeks, when I've eaten out in restaurants (read that: pigged out in restaurants) I have had severe pain in my upper abdomen, as well as nausea and vomiting. After extensive online google research, and after conferring with friends who have had similar symptoms, I self diagnosed and went to the doctor to have my self-diagnosis confirmed. Gallstones. Right there on the ultrasound, clear as day, before God and everybody.
Risk factors include: obesity (check), age (check), female (check), sedentary (check), North American (check), family history (check), rapid weight loss (HAPPILY check).
Did you know that about a third of people who have bariatric surgery develop gallstones in the rapid weight loss phase right after the procedure? Well, I have not had bariatric surgery, but I've lost weight at a rate that is kind of similar to people who have had surgery.
Apparently, when you have a very low fat diet, the gallbladder doesn't have to do its work of squirting out bile for fat digestion. The bile (and it's component parts) hang out in the gallbladder and the parts can start forming gallstones. (There are other ways gallstones form, too, but this seems to be the one related to low-fat diets.)
Most of the articles I read emphasize that the risks posed by obesity outweigh (no pun intended) the risks posed by gallstones. One of the articles suggested that adding some fat occasionally might help prevent them, and most of the articles said that moderate physical activity would help prevention.
Chances are, I've had gallstones for quite a while (I have one over 1 inch in size...I'm sure that didn't develop recently!), but the lack of gallbladder activity caused more "sludge" buildup and it showed symptoms after a heavy, fatty meal.
"But wait", you say, "what are you doing eating a heavy, fatty meal?" What indeed! Just excuses...business trip, conference lunch, no way of easily mixing up an Empower meal for lunch, yada, yada, yada. (To try to justify myself, I will say that I did NOT eat the very tempting bread and butter, nor the chocolate covered creme brulee...but the chicken alfredo did me in!)
I don't know what my next steps are. I'm waiting for a phone call from my doctor to discuss the ultrasound results. In order not to have another attack, I'll need to limit my fat intake. But no problem there, I have a cupboard full of low fat Empower foods!
On a couple of business trips over the past three weeks, when I've eaten out in restaurants (read that: pigged out in restaurants) I have had severe pain in my upper abdomen, as well as nausea and vomiting. After extensive online google research, and after conferring with friends who have had similar symptoms, I self diagnosed and went to the doctor to have my self-diagnosis confirmed. Gallstones. Right there on the ultrasound, clear as day, before God and everybody.
Risk factors include: obesity (check), age (check), female (check), sedentary (check), North American (check), family history (check), rapid weight loss (HAPPILY check).
Did you know that about a third of people who have bariatric surgery develop gallstones in the rapid weight loss phase right after the procedure? Well, I have not had bariatric surgery, but I've lost weight at a rate that is kind of similar to people who have had surgery.
Apparently, when you have a very low fat diet, the gallbladder doesn't have to do its work of squirting out bile for fat digestion. The bile (and it's component parts) hang out in the gallbladder and the parts can start forming gallstones. (There are other ways gallstones form, too, but this seems to be the one related to low-fat diets.)
Most of the articles I read emphasize that the risks posed by obesity outweigh (no pun intended) the risks posed by gallstones. One of the articles suggested that adding some fat occasionally might help prevent them, and most of the articles said that moderate physical activity would help prevention.
Chances are, I've had gallstones for quite a while (I have one over 1 inch in size...I'm sure that didn't develop recently!), but the lack of gallbladder activity caused more "sludge" buildup and it showed symptoms after a heavy, fatty meal.
"But wait", you say, "what are you doing eating a heavy, fatty meal?" What indeed! Just excuses...business trip, conference lunch, no way of easily mixing up an Empower meal for lunch, yada, yada, yada. (To try to justify myself, I will say that I did NOT eat the very tempting bread and butter, nor the chocolate covered creme brulee...but the chicken alfredo did me in!)
I don't know what my next steps are. I'm waiting for a phone call from my doctor to discuss the ultrasound results. In order not to have another attack, I'll need to limit my fat intake. But no problem there, I have a cupboard full of low fat Empower foods!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
I'm baaaack...
Well, I’m back from my month long “100 mile diet”. Not a weight loss diet, you understand, but an “eating local” diet.
My husband and I, along with a few other people from church, only ate food that was grown within 100 miles of our town. It was a fun thing that we had planned for the past year. It went well. Lots of potatoes (from our garden), local corn and donut peaches (from a fruit stand), blackberries from a nearby vacant lot, zucchini (also from the garden), and very expensive meat and chicken. Oh. And milk and butter from local dairies.
Sound fattening? Surprisingly, for the amount of food I ate, there was minimal weight gain. Like 2 pounds. Other people in our group (people who hadn’t been on a strict empower foods plan before the 100 mile experiment) actually lost weight. I’ve got to think that it had to do with eating fresh, whole foods. I need to think through the implications for when I am on a maintenance plan.
Today I’m back on Bo’s plan. I am looking forward to seeing this through until my 50th birthday in early November. You remember that I agreed to try Bo’s plan from June until my birthday…just to see what would happen in that time frame. Kind of like a science experiment.
The experiment worked great for me. 19 pounds from June 14 to August 15, is a pretty successful experiment, in my book.
Other results. I went through the whole summer without having any allergy attacks. Most summers I have very bad hay fever from about July 1st to August 15, but this year, no hay fever. Most summers I’m popping claritan or zyrtec ever day with little effect.
Is it a coincidence that my only no-hay-fever summer in forever is the same summer that I’m on the Empower foods? I don’t know. But I like it!
I’ve heard stories of other people’s results (beside the weight loss): cholesterol levels coming in way lower than before and and not having to take as many Tums or Prilosec. If you have any stories about side benefits to this Empower foods journey, post it in the comments below.
The best things about being back on the plan? 1) The convenience of not having to make everything from scratch and 2) snacks at 10 am !
My husband and I, along with a few other people from church, only ate food that was grown within 100 miles of our town. It was a fun thing that we had planned for the past year. It went well. Lots of potatoes (from our garden), local corn and donut peaches (from a fruit stand), blackberries from a nearby vacant lot, zucchini (also from the garden), and very expensive meat and chicken. Oh. And milk and butter from local dairies.
Sound fattening? Surprisingly, for the amount of food I ate, there was minimal weight gain. Like 2 pounds. Other people in our group (people who hadn’t been on a strict empower foods plan before the 100 mile experiment) actually lost weight. I’ve got to think that it had to do with eating fresh, whole foods. I need to think through the implications for when I am on a maintenance plan.
Today I’m back on Bo’s plan. I am looking forward to seeing this through until my 50th birthday in early November. You remember that I agreed to try Bo’s plan from June until my birthday…just to see what would happen in that time frame. Kind of like a science experiment.
The experiment worked great for me. 19 pounds from June 14 to August 15, is a pretty successful experiment, in my book.
Other results. I went through the whole summer without having any allergy attacks. Most summers I have very bad hay fever from about July 1st to August 15, but this year, no hay fever. Most summers I’m popping claritan or zyrtec ever day with little effect.
Is it a coincidence that my only no-hay-fever summer in forever is the same summer that I’m on the Empower foods? I don’t know. But I like it!
I’ve heard stories of other people’s results (beside the weight loss): cholesterol levels coming in way lower than before and and not having to take as many Tums or Prilosec. If you have any stories about side benefits to this Empower foods journey, post it in the comments below.
The best things about being back on the plan? 1) The convenience of not having to make everything from scratch and 2) snacks at 10 am !
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
10%
Just a note to say that I have reached the 10% milestone. I've lost 19 pounds, which is 10% of my starting weight. So I'm only 90% of the woman I was 57 days ago!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Results and plans
Another pound lost this week. 173.2. That is 18.4 pounds lost in a bit less than two months (I got the calculator out for that one). I was hoping for another half pound, so I could say I'd lost 10% of my body weight. Next week, maybe.
The bloodmobile was at work this week, so I stopped by to do my part. I often get disqualified at the "do you have enough iron in your blood" booth, so I was curious what the impact of this diet would have on my iron levels. I thought it might be on the low side since I'm not eating a ton of red meat (nor regularly taking multi-vitamins, if the truth be known). Happily enough, my iron levels were nice and high. Blood pressure was good and my pulse was nice and low.
I got up on the table and they poked my arm...nothing. They probed around a bit...still nothing. Called for the supervisor and did a bit more probing...no luck. So we got on the table facing the other way and they started in on the other arm. Couldn't find a vein there, either, despite four of them giving it a try. So they bandaged me up and sent me on my way. And since I'm such a good girl, I didn't even take one of their cookies! Ironically, the blood bank called the next day to tell me they needed my blood. I told them that it really wasn't the best day for them to call me...that they should try again in a few weeks.
It's not the first time something like that has happened. I had kind of hoped that drinking all the water that I do on this diet would have made my veins nice and plump and hydrated. Didn't turn out that way. I guess I really need to be very diligent about getting in all my water.
Next week-end, I am going to go on a pre-planned, month-long hiatus from the empower foods diet. For about a year, my husband and I have been planning to do a "100-mile challenge diet" from August 16-Sept 15. We will only eat food that is grown within 100 miles from our house. There was a TV show on the food network that followed a group of people doing this, and the idea caught our imagination. We have invited a few friends to join us and we have been hitting the farmers' markets in the area to see what is available.
It looks like it will be mostly veggies, berries, eggs, (small amounts of very expensive) meat, and dairy. There is no sugar grown in the Pacific Northwest, so I don't think refined carbs will be a big problem. (Also, no coffee or tea!) We found some locally grown and ground whole-grain flour and bought a small amount. There is also some greek yogurt made around here that I might try. It is denser than regular yogurt and high in protein. My plan is to stick to a high protein, low carb plan and not gain any weight. Portion control will be key. I have some basil, dill, and cilantro in the garden. Salads and eggs will be my friend.
I will go back on the Empower foods diet on September 16 and carry it through to my 50th birthday in November. Then we'll see where I am and what the plan going forward should be.
The bloodmobile was at work this week, so I stopped by to do my part. I often get disqualified at the "do you have enough iron in your blood" booth, so I was curious what the impact of this diet would have on my iron levels. I thought it might be on the low side since I'm not eating a ton of red meat (nor regularly taking multi-vitamins, if the truth be known). Happily enough, my iron levels were nice and high. Blood pressure was good and my pulse was nice and low.
I got up on the table and they poked my arm...nothing. They probed around a bit...still nothing. Called for the supervisor and did a bit more probing...no luck. So we got on the table facing the other way and they started in on the other arm. Couldn't find a vein there, either, despite four of them giving it a try. So they bandaged me up and sent me on my way. And since I'm such a good girl, I didn't even take one of their cookies! Ironically, the blood bank called the next day to tell me they needed my blood. I told them that it really wasn't the best day for them to call me...that they should try again in a few weeks.
It's not the first time something like that has happened. I had kind of hoped that drinking all the water that I do on this diet would have made my veins nice and plump and hydrated. Didn't turn out that way. I guess I really need to be very diligent about getting in all my water.
Next week-end, I am going to go on a pre-planned, month-long hiatus from the empower foods diet. For about a year, my husband and I have been planning to do a "100-mile challenge diet" from August 16-Sept 15. We will only eat food that is grown within 100 miles from our house. There was a TV show on the food network that followed a group of people doing this, and the idea caught our imagination. We have invited a few friends to join us and we have been hitting the farmers' markets in the area to see what is available.
It looks like it will be mostly veggies, berries, eggs, (small amounts of very expensive) meat, and dairy. There is no sugar grown in the Pacific Northwest, so I don't think refined carbs will be a big problem. (Also, no coffee or tea!) We found some locally grown and ground whole-grain flour and bought a small amount. There is also some greek yogurt made around here that I might try. It is denser than regular yogurt and high in protein. My plan is to stick to a high protein, low carb plan and not gain any weight. Portion control will be key. I have some basil, dill, and cilantro in the garden. Salads and eggs will be my friend.
I will go back on the Empower foods diet on September 16 and carry it through to my 50th birthday in November. Then we'll see where I am and what the plan going forward should be.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Well, I had hoped...
I had hoped to be able to tell you that I was at my drivers license weight this week. I hoped to be able to tell you of the years of renewing my license at the DMV and laughing nervously when asked if there was anything that had changed. Of looking wistfully at the drivers license weight and knowing that I would likely never touch that again. I wanted to title my post "drivers license weight!!!", but I can't. Why? Because I slid RIGHT PAST that weight and am now LOWER! I think I have had the same weight on it since I moved here 14 years ago...and I probably rounded down then! So, in case anyone is counting, I've lost 17 pounds so far, from June 14 to July 31. Whoohoo!
My clothes are starting to look a little ridiculous on me, being so baggy, so I took a little trip through my closet. (I should mention that I hate to spend money on clothes, so rarely throw anything out.) There are a number of suit jackets that have been too uncomfortable to wear for a couple of years, being too tight through the arms and shoulders. All of them are nice and loose, now, and some are too loose. Unfortunately, it's not really suit jacket weather right now, so it will be a few weeks before I wear them to work. There is one double breasted jacket that I have worn hanging open, unbuttoned, for years. I was able to button it comfortably today. Last summer, I did a very unusual purging of my closet and got rid of a few things that I wish I had now. Oh well.
I would recommend this empower food plan to anyone who needs some extra help to lose weight. To those who feel that weight loss is really beyond your grasp; who feel that it would be nice, but you know in your heart that it's just not going to happen. Well, it's happening for me, and it could for you, too.
(There is a link to Medical Weight Loss Center's facebook page in the heading at the top of the blog.)
My clothes are starting to look a little ridiculous on me, being so baggy, so I took a little trip through my closet. (I should mention that I hate to spend money on clothes, so rarely throw anything out.) There are a number of suit jackets that have been too uncomfortable to wear for a couple of years, being too tight through the arms and shoulders. All of them are nice and loose, now, and some are too loose. Unfortunately, it's not really suit jacket weather right now, so it will be a few weeks before I wear them to work. There is one double breasted jacket that I have worn hanging open, unbuttoned, for years. I was able to button it comfortably today. Last summer, I did a very unusual purging of my closet and got rid of a few things that I wish I had now. Oh well.
I would recommend this empower food plan to anyone who needs some extra help to lose weight. To those who feel that weight loss is really beyond your grasp; who feel that it would be nice, but you know in your heart that it's just not going to happen. Well, it's happening for me, and it could for you, too.
(There is a link to Medical Weight Loss Center's facebook page in the heading at the top of the blog.)
Monday, July 26, 2010
Cheats =(
I just got back from a half-hour walk during my lunch hour at work. It is the first walk I've taken in a long time. One of my goals was to walk 10,000 steps every day, but I just have not done it. That is my main cheat of the week. Really, lack of exercise is my downfall, and has been over the years. I'm not sure how to re-program the brain to like to move. I was a sedentary baby, a sedentary child (report card said "Brenda reads too many library books. Needs more physical exercise."), a semi-sedentary teen (does drill team count for exercise?) and, you guessed it, a sedentary adult (although now they call it couch potato).
There are a couple forms of exercise that I like: snorkeling - I can snorkel for hours in the Caribbean and not get tired of it. I joined the YMCA to be able to use the pool, but they had the pool full of swim lessons when it was convenient for me to go. And I don't think mask and snorkel are encouraged there. dancing - I love, love, love wedding receptions where there is a DJ and dancing. My daughter took me to a couple of zumba classes, but they were a bit outside my stamina zone. I was good for the first 20 minutes, but they go a whole hour. And after the last one, where there was a very defined "bump" in one of the routines, my hip hurt to walk for a month. I liked drill team, where you got to use your brain to memorize a routine (touch back, touch front, touch back, around the knee...you Highland Scots will recognize that!). Maybe I need to find a class where they work on a routine, but then do not perform it (no audience needs to see thunder thighs). Ideas are appreciated.
The food program is going very well. Virtually no cheats there. My husband has jumped on the band-wagon and is just finishing up his first week. This program is great for those who need significant food intervention.
Oh! I lost a couple more pounds this week. Yipee!
There are a couple forms of exercise that I like: snorkeling - I can snorkel for hours in the Caribbean and not get tired of it. I joined the YMCA to be able to use the pool, but they had the pool full of swim lessons when it was convenient for me to go. And I don't think mask and snorkel are encouraged there. dancing - I love, love, love wedding receptions where there is a DJ and dancing. My daughter took me to a couple of zumba classes, but they were a bit outside my stamina zone. I was good for the first 20 minutes, but they go a whole hour. And after the last one, where there was a very defined "bump" in one of the routines, my hip hurt to walk for a month. I liked drill team, where you got to use your brain to memorize a routine (touch back, touch front, touch back, around the knee...you Highland Scots will recognize that!). Maybe I need to find a class where they work on a routine, but then do not perform it (no audience needs to see thunder thighs). Ideas are appreciated.
The food program is going very well. Virtually no cheats there. My husband has jumped on the band-wagon and is just finishing up his first week. This program is great for those who need significant food intervention.
Oh! I lost a couple more pounds this week. Yipee!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
It's the little things!
I lost another pound this week. That makes about 13 pounds in the last 34 days. (I hope my math is right! Did it in my head.)
My last summer's regular jeans are my holey gardening jeans this year. Last summer, I had to go a long, long time between washing them in order to get them buttoned. The shrinkage in the dryer was just too much. THIS summer, straight out of the dryer, I can pull them down without unbuttoning/unzipping. Not a very useful skill, I know, but STILL. Like I said, it's the little things!
Another little thing. In three more pounds, I'll be at the weight on my driver's license. I've been perjuring myself for years. =)
My last summer's regular jeans are my holey gardening jeans this year. Last summer, I had to go a long, long time between washing them in order to get them buttoned. The shrinkage in the dryer was just too much. THIS summer, straight out of the dryer, I can pull them down without unbuttoning/unzipping. Not a very useful skill, I know, but STILL. Like I said, it's the little things!
Another little thing. In three more pounds, I'll be at the weight on my driver's license. I've been perjuring myself for years. =)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Pssst...
shhh....I don't want to say it too loud, because it might go away...but...today...the scale STOPPED before getting to the 180's. Yep. 179. I haven't been in the 170's since 2004!.
You know how a digital bathroom scale always bounces around the numbers before it actually stops on today's weight? Well, the last few days, the 178s and 179s have been showing up in the numbers show. (I was excited that the scale was even THINKING about the 170s.) Today it settled on 179 Whoot, whoot!
Remember I said I usually have a 20 pound range that I bounce around in? For the last few years my range has been 180 to 200. After last Christmas, I was at 200. I did an loose Atkins-type diet from January to March trying to get below last year's weight for my health screening at work. (If we don't meet a certain health score, we are not eligible for the lowest priced health insurance. Weight and waist circumference play into it.) On that diet, I went from 200 to 187, lost another pound over the next month, and then in May, on vacation, I gained 5 pounds back. You see what I mean, when I say I bounced around in the range? It was in June, when I was around 192 that I visited Bo and decided to give her Empower Foods plan a try. That was LESS than one month ago!
I feel VERY empowered to have broken through the bottom of my 20-pound range! It is very encouraging and motivates me to keep on. Thanks Bo!
Edited to add: This success comes after a week with 1) 4th of July potluck at church, 2) wedding on Monday AND 3) wedding on Friday! It helps to keep a bar and a proticinno drink in my purse when I go to functions. It's nice to have something sweet to eat or drink while everyone is eating wedding cake.
You know how a digital bathroom scale always bounces around the numbers before it actually stops on today's weight? Well, the last few days, the 178s and 179s have been showing up in the numbers show. (I was excited that the scale was even THINKING about the 170s.) Today it settled on 179 Whoot, whoot!
Remember I said I usually have a 20 pound range that I bounce around in? For the last few years my range has been 180 to 200. After last Christmas, I was at 200. I did an loose Atkins-type diet from January to March trying to get below last year's weight for my health screening at work. (If we don't meet a certain health score, we are not eligible for the lowest priced health insurance. Weight and waist circumference play into it.) On that diet, I went from 200 to 187, lost another pound over the next month, and then in May, on vacation, I gained 5 pounds back. You see what I mean, when I say I bounced around in the range? It was in June, when I was around 192 that I visited Bo and decided to give her Empower Foods plan a try. That was LESS than one month ago!
I feel VERY empowered to have broken through the bottom of my 20-pound range! It is very encouraging and motivates me to keep on. Thanks Bo!
Edited to add: This success comes after a week with 1) 4th of July potluck at church, 2) wedding on Monday AND 3) wedding on Friday! It helps to keep a bar and a proticinno drink in my purse when I go to functions. It's nice to have something sweet to eat or drink while everyone is eating wedding cake.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Woohoo! Someone noticed!
Two different people commented today that it looks like I'm losing weight! I love it when that happens! Usually I need to lose about 25 pounds before anyone notices.
I'm getting into the swing of things with the diet. It is becoming normal life. I still am hungry in the late afternoons, but am learning that if I get my mind on something else, I just push through it. It's kind of like pushing on in the half-marathon even though my legs or feet hurt.
Being able to eat a morning snack and an afternoon snack is kind of like having a nice surprise every day, "Oh, goody, it's 10:00. I get to eat my snack!"
I'm getting into the swing of things with the diet. It is becoming normal life. I still am hungry in the late afternoons, but am learning that if I get my mind on something else, I just push through it. It's kind of like pushing on in the half-marathon even though my legs or feet hurt.
Being able to eat a morning snack and an afternoon snack is kind of like having a nice surprise every day, "Oh, goody, it's 10:00. I get to eat my snack!"
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Results...first 18 days
I was able to visit Bo this past week and step on the Tanita scale again. The results for the first 18 days...drum roll, please...9.80 pounds! (I'm an accountant and like to round my numbers, so 9.8 sounds a lot like 10 pounds!)
The breakdown of the weight loss is: 3.8 pounds of FAT (picture chicken fat, blechk), 4.6 lbs of water (remember, I guessed that about 5 of my first week 7 pound loss was water), and the remaining 1.4 pounds from muscle and bone.
Since the diet is pretty high protein, and since I am moving a lot more than I used to, I doubt that much muscle will be lost in the long term. Maybe I need to add in some strength training to make sure? (Strength training sounds impressive, but really, I have to start with very light weights...like tuna cans!)
The breakdown of the weight loss is: 3.8 pounds of FAT (picture chicken fat, blechk), 4.6 lbs of water (remember, I guessed that about 5 of my first week 7 pound loss was water), and the remaining 1.4 pounds from muscle and bone.
Since the diet is pretty high protein, and since I am moving a lot more than I used to, I doubt that much muscle will be lost in the long term. Maybe I need to add in some strength training to make sure? (Strength training sounds impressive, but really, I have to start with very light weights...like tuna cans!)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
miscellany...
Turns out that my DAD and I have the same metabolic age! Age 64. I'm 49 and he's 79! He has always been an outdoorsman and active; Bo takes after him. My mom's metabolic age is 14 years higher than her chronological age. I take after her.
Well, I turtled on week two. That is the term they use in TOPS when you don't lose any weight from one week to the next. (Why that term? I have no idea!) You remember that I lost 7 pounds the first week, so wasn't expecting the same results the second week. Toss in the half-marathon with the carbo-loading, and well, the scale didn't change. Still...two weeks, seven pounds is nothing to sneeze at. I visit Bo in a couple days to see what the change in my body composition looks like.
My pants are looser. In fact, that American Idol song "Pants on 'da ground, pants on da ground, lookin' mighty silly with your pants on 'da ground" keeps going through my head.
The tape measure shows that I have lost an inch around my waist. I'm always a little bit suspect of the tape measure readings because I am so "doughy" that it is hard to get the same measurement twice. But, looser pants tell the same story, so I'm hopeful.
Well, I turtled on week two. That is the term they use in TOPS when you don't lose any weight from one week to the next. (Why that term? I have no idea!) You remember that I lost 7 pounds the first week, so wasn't expecting the same results the second week. Toss in the half-marathon with the carbo-loading, and well, the scale didn't change. Still...two weeks, seven pounds is nothing to sneeze at. I visit Bo in a couple days to see what the change in my body composition looks like.
My pants are looser. In fact, that American Idol song "Pants on 'da ground, pants on da ground, lookin' mighty silly with your pants on 'da ground" keeps going through my head.
The tape measure shows that I have lost an inch around my waist. I'm always a little bit suspect of the tape measure readings because I am so "doughy" that it is hard to get the same measurement twice. But, looser pants tell the same story, so I'm hopeful.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Feelin' my metabolic age
My husband and I walked a half-marathon together this morning, and I'm feeling mighty sore. According to the Tanita scale print-out, my metabolic age is 64...and I feel every bit that, and more. In reality I'm 49...but a 49 year old with the body type of a 64 year old. (Another health screening I had recently said that my heart age is 42, so I'm not too worried.) I looked up the 'metabolic age' on the Tanita website, and basically it shows the age they would expect someone with my readings (bodyfat, muscle mass, etc.) to be, based on the many, many measurements they have made over the years.
Aside from the soreness, I feel pretty good, and felt good throughout the race. I stuck to the Empower food plan until yesterday when I "carb loaded" with brown rice, as per Bo's advice. This morning, I started with oatmeal (still following Bo's instruction), but had a bagel at the beginning and end of the race route. During the race, I had water every time they offered it and, also "Cytomax", the sports drink of the Rock and Roll Marathon...oh, and a half a cliff bar.
Now its back to the plan. I wonder what impact this event will have on my weight loss this week...or on my Tanita scale readings later this week?
Aside from the soreness, I feel pretty good, and felt good throughout the race. I stuck to the Empower food plan until yesterday when I "carb loaded" with brown rice, as per Bo's advice. This morning, I started with oatmeal (still following Bo's instruction), but had a bagel at the beginning and end of the race route. During the race, I had water every time they offered it and, also "Cytomax", the sports drink of the Rock and Roll Marathon...oh, and a half a cliff bar.
Now its back to the plan. I wonder what impact this event will have on my weight loss this week...or on my Tanita scale readings later this week?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Changing tastes...hmmm....
Funny thing, taste. Something I didn't much care for last week tasted great today.
I've been on the Empower Food for 11 days now. As Bo says, "all are nutritious; some are more delicious than others". I had the Vegetarian Chickn Fajita for lunch today and, I am happy to report, I have upgraded it to 4 stars on my infamous 5 star rating system. Congratulations are in order for Vegetarian Chickn Fajita! Take a bow!
I find the best way to prepare the 'just add water' lunch meals is to add water (go figure) from the hot water tap on the coffee pot at work, stir, put a lid on it, and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. It seems to turn out better than trying to heat it up in the microwave. I add a little more water than it calls for, and it turns out well.
I also zapped the chocolate chip cookie for a few seconds in the microwave to heat it up. Yummy!
Has anyone come up with creative ways to prepare or serve any of the Empower Foods?
Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot to write about my breakfast creation! I made an iced coffee...with the vanilla shake mix, coffee and ice. It was very, very good. 5 stars, in fact. I just went to make one for my snack tonight, but alas, I have no more vanilla shakes until I visit Bo in another week. So sad.
I've been on the Empower Food for 11 days now. As Bo says, "all are nutritious; some are more delicious than others". I had the Vegetarian Chickn Fajita for lunch today and, I am happy to report, I have upgraded it to 4 stars on my infamous 5 star rating system. Congratulations are in order for Vegetarian Chickn Fajita! Take a bow!
I find the best way to prepare the 'just add water' lunch meals is to add water (go figure) from the hot water tap on the coffee pot at work, stir, put a lid on it, and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. It seems to turn out better than trying to heat it up in the microwave. I add a little more water than it calls for, and it turns out well.
I also zapped the chocolate chip cookie for a few seconds in the microwave to heat it up. Yummy!
Has anyone come up with creative ways to prepare or serve any of the Empower Foods?
Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot to write about my breakfast creation! I made an iced coffee...with the vanilla shake mix, coffee and ice. It was very, very good. 5 stars, in fact. I just went to make one for my snack tonight, but alas, I have no more vanilla shakes until I visit Bo in another week. So sad.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Medical Weight Loss Center Programs
Here are some of the specifics of the program - the cost and what's included (as of June 2010 - these may be introductory prices, but it gives you an idea):
The Programs include:
Empower Food (you will need to supplement with veggies and protein at dinner and a salad at lunch)
Weekly group support session
Weekly Body Composition & Analysis (at your group support session)
Exercise Programs
Individual support sessions are available upon request ($25 for 1/2 hour session)
Costs:
Initial Consultation
$29 - Sign up with a support partner and both receive 10% off your first week.
Induction Weight Loss Program (Until 85% of weightloss goal is achieved) - 5 meals/snacks per day
$74 per week if you buy a 4 week package ($296)
$87.50 per week, without the package
Essential Weight Loss Program (Until 100% of weightloss goal is achieved) - 4 meals/snacks per day
$70 per week if you buy a 4 week package ($280)
$84 per week, without the package
Lifestyle Maintenance Program - 3 meals/snack per day plus maintenance menus
$62.50 per week
Weekly support groups
Monday - 12-1 or 7-8
Tuesday 5:30 - 6:30
In terms of cost, it is comparable to a NutriSystem or a Jenny Craig...but you get Bo, which is priceless! I find I don't spend a lot on the food that I use to supplement the meals...a few bags of salad/spinach and some frozen chicken breasts.
The Programs include:
Empower Food (you will need to supplement with veggies and protein at dinner and a salad at lunch)
Weekly group support session
Weekly Body Composition & Analysis (at your group support session)
Exercise Programs
Individual support sessions are available upon request ($25 for 1/2 hour session)
Costs:
Initial Consultation
$29 - Sign up with a support partner and both receive 10% off your first week.
Induction Weight Loss Program (Until 85% of weightloss goal is achieved) - 5 meals/snacks per day
$74 per week if you buy a 4 week package ($296)
$87.50 per week, without the package
Essential Weight Loss Program (Until 100% of weightloss goal is achieved) - 4 meals/snacks per day
$70 per week if you buy a 4 week package ($280)
$84 per week, without the package
Lifestyle Maintenance Program - 3 meals/snack per day plus maintenance menus
$62.50 per week
Weekly support groups
Monday - 12-1 or 7-8
Tuesday 5:30 - 6:30
In terms of cost, it is comparable to a NutriSystem or a Jenny Craig...but you get Bo, which is priceless! I find I don't spend a lot on the food that I use to supplement the meals...a few bags of salad/spinach and some frozen chicken breasts.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Half marathon advice
Here's what I got from Bo regarding how I should change the diet for the half-marathon I will be walking this weekend.
"Here are a couple of ideas:
Dinner options-- (the night before)
Rice and chicken w/veggies
Pasta with marinara sauce
Breakfast options--(the morning of)
1/2 whole-grain bagel with natural peanut butter and a banana
Bowl of oatmeal and piece of fruit- still having your protein by cooked egg whites on the side or mixing a little bit of vanilla protein powder in the oatmeal.
During your walk-
cliff bar
energy gel packs
LOTS OF WATER or sports drinks
BTW, are you taking a multi-vitamin? You should be. Also with your weight loss last week I'm worried about your electrolyte balance. make sure you salt your dinner and it would be a good idea to supplement 200 mg OTC potassium & magnesium during Induction. OTC usually come in 99 mg so do one in the morning and one in the evening. "
"Here are a couple of ideas:
Dinner options-- (the night before)
Rice and chicken w/veggies
Pasta with marinara sauce
Breakfast options--(the morning of)
1/2 whole-grain bagel with natural peanut butter and a banana
Bowl of oatmeal and piece of fruit- still having your protein by cooked egg whites on the side or mixing a little bit of vanilla protein powder in the oatmeal.
During your walk-
cliff bar
energy gel packs
LOTS OF WATER or sports drinks
BTW, are you taking a multi-vitamin? You should be. Also with your weight loss last week I'm worried about your electrolyte balance. make sure you salt your dinner and it would be a good idea to supplement 200 mg OTC potassium & magnesium during Induction. OTC usually come in 99 mg so do one in the morning and one in the evening. "
Monday, June 21, 2010
Results! week one down 7 pounds
SEVEN pounds! In 7 days.
(Bo isn't as concerned with pounds as she is with the other readings that she gets from the Tanita scale: visceral fat, percentage of body fat, etc. Most people will get a weekly readout when they go in for their consultation, but I live three hours away...and pounds are the only thing I can measure on my bathroom scale.)
On Bo's Tanita scale, at 11:30 in the morning, fully clothed, my beginning weight was 192.7 after she adjusted for the weight of my clothes. The morning I started the diet, my bathroom scale showed 191.5. This morning it showed 184. That's 7+ pounds!
To be fair, 5 of those pounds were ones that I had gained over a vacation last month. I find that pounds that go ON quickly over a short period of time also come OFF quickly when you put your mind to it. So I'm kind of discounting the first 5 pounds. I would not expect next week to have such a marked loss.
So my questions for Bo: Are 7 pounds OK? Is it too fast?
(Bo isn't as concerned with pounds as she is with the other readings that she gets from the Tanita scale: visceral fat, percentage of body fat, etc. Most people will get a weekly readout when they go in for their consultation, but I live three hours away...and pounds are the only thing I can measure on my bathroom scale.)
On Bo's Tanita scale, at 11:30 in the morning, fully clothed, my beginning weight was 192.7 after she adjusted for the weight of my clothes. The morning I started the diet, my bathroom scale showed 191.5. This morning it showed 184. That's 7+ pounds!
To be fair, 5 of those pounds were ones that I had gained over a vacation last month. I find that pounds that go ON quickly over a short period of time also come OFF quickly when you put your mind to it. So I'm kind of discounting the first 5 pounds. I would not expect next week to have such a marked loss.
So my questions for Bo: Are 7 pounds OK? Is it too fast?
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Wow, what a weekend!
It has been a wonderful weekend, with amazing wedding festivities. Congratulations to Luke Dunnivan and Katie Graves. May God bless you with a long life together...and as the father of the bride said in his toast, "May your greatest dreams be the least you receive".
More good news on the diet front. Due to planning ahead, I was able to enjoy the meals at all the festivities and still be faithful to the diet.
For the co-worker's birthday lunch, we went to Mexican. I had a Chicken Taco salad, no sour cream. I forgot to ask for no guacamole, but was able to push it over to the side.
That night at the wedding rehearsal, I had baked salmon, caprese salad, ceasar salad, and a little chicken. I skipped the wild rice and bread. There was cheesecake for dessert(!)...but I pulled out a pack of Proticinno and mixed it up in my water glass. The creamy, chocolaty mocha was a perfect substitute.
Wedding reception. I had both a Proticinno and a Rocky Road protein bar in my purse, just in case the meal was all pasta. Fortunately, there were plenty of good choices. I had spinach salad, lots of asparagus, and a chicken breast. I passed by the rolls, potatoes, and the fresh fruit. (Fruit probably would not have been a deal breaker, but it's not on the list). When the cake came around, I pulled out my Rocky Road protein bar and had it.
Since I wore a dress to the wedding, I didn't have a waistband to clip my pedometer to count my steps. I clipped it to the waistband of my pantyhose and hoped that all the movement on the dance floor was counting as steps. Sure enough, when I got home and could actually look at it, I had almost 11,000 steps! Must have been the Macarena and Electric Slide that put it over. :)
More good news on the diet front. Due to planning ahead, I was able to enjoy the meals at all the festivities and still be faithful to the diet.
For the co-worker's birthday lunch, we went to Mexican. I had a Chicken Taco salad, no sour cream. I forgot to ask for no guacamole, but was able to push it over to the side.
That night at the wedding rehearsal, I had baked salmon, caprese salad, ceasar salad, and a little chicken. I skipped the wild rice and bread. There was cheesecake for dessert(!)...but I pulled out a pack of Proticinno and mixed it up in my water glass. The creamy, chocolaty mocha was a perfect substitute.
Wedding reception. I had both a Proticinno and a Rocky Road protein bar in my purse, just in case the meal was all pasta. Fortunately, there were plenty of good choices. I had spinach salad, lots of asparagus, and a chicken breast. I passed by the rolls, potatoes, and the fresh fruit. (Fruit probably would not have been a deal breaker, but it's not on the list). When the cake came around, I pulled out my Rocky Road protein bar and had it.
Since I wore a dress to the wedding, I didn't have a waistband to clip my pedometer to count my steps. I clipped it to the waistband of my pantyhose and hoped that all the movement on the dance floor was counting as steps. Sure enough, when I got home and could actually look at it, I had almost 11,000 steps! Must have been the Macarena and Electric Slide that put it over. :)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Tough day tomorrow
Tomorrow I have a couple of diet challenges...a co-worker's birthday lunch at a Mexican restaurant PLUS a catered rehearsal dinner in the evening. I called Bo for HELP!!! She helped me think about planning ahead. I will have a salad at the Mexican place. I checked on the menu for dinner and I think a bit of salmon and salad will be a good choice.
Today went pretty well. No cheats, but I was hungry, hungry, hungry. On the positive side, it kind of...maybe...feels like my face is thinner. Maybe not to look at it, but my skin feels tighter on my face. It's a good thing.
In 9 days I will be walking a half marathon, so I'll need to check with Bo on the eating plan for the days leading up to it.
Today I had: Honey Nut Soy O's cereal (4 stars), Rocky Road bar (5 stars), Chicken noodle soup (4 stars), Cheddar double bites (4 stars), and the PB&J bar (4 stars).
Today went pretty well. No cheats, but I was hungry, hungry, hungry. On the positive side, it kind of...maybe...feels like my face is thinner. Maybe not to look at it, but my skin feels tighter on my face. It's a good thing.
In 9 days I will be walking a half marathon, so I'll need to check with Bo on the eating plan for the days leading up to it.
Today I had: Honey Nut Soy O's cereal (4 stars), Rocky Road bar (5 stars), Chicken noodle soup (4 stars), Cheddar double bites (4 stars), and the PB&J bar (4 stars).
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Food rating system
Bo wants some feedback on the food she provides as part of the weightloss program. I've come up with the following scale - from one to five stars:
Five Stars - Excellent. I'm cravin' it!
Four Stars - Not too bad. I wouldn't mind eating it again.
Three Stars - Tastes OK, but I'd rather be eating something else.
Two Stars - I didn't gag, but it's not very good.
One Star - Please, please don't make me eat that again.
So far -
Five Stars - Proticinno - the chocolatey mocha drink is to die for!
Four Stars - The oatmeal snack bar, the chocolate mint snack bar, the smoothy drinks, the pancakes (although we need to find an acceptable topping), the cinnamon chocolate crisps, the fruit drink.
Three Stars - Vegetarian Chick'n Fajita, Cheesesteak Pasta, Chocolate chip cookie.
Two Stars - Vegetable Beef Pasta
One Star - Bacon cheddar powdered eggs.
Five Stars - Excellent. I'm cravin' it!
Four Stars - Not too bad. I wouldn't mind eating it again.
Three Stars - Tastes OK, but I'd rather be eating something else.
Two Stars - I didn't gag, but it's not very good.
One Star - Please, please don't make me eat that again.
So far -
Five Stars - Proticinno - the chocolatey mocha drink is to die for!
Four Stars - The oatmeal snack bar, the chocolate mint snack bar, the smoothy drinks, the pancakes (although we need to find an acceptable topping), the cinnamon chocolate crisps, the fruit drink.
Three Stars - Vegetarian Chick'n Fajita, Cheesesteak Pasta, Chocolate chip cookie.
Two Stars - Vegetable Beef Pasta
One Star - Bacon cheddar powdered eggs.
More ancient history
What a hoot! I found some old records I kept of various diet attempts over the years. They range from 1995 to 2006.
In 1995, we had an exercise bike in Alaska and I was pretty diligent from January to May of that year. It was also the first year that I started noticing occasional heart palpitations, so I had a column in my exercise log about whether or not I had a heart palpitation that day. Looks like I went from 175 to 163 lbs during that time. I think I read Susan Powter's book and got inspired.
By July 1998, after having moved and gained the expected 10 plus pounds I was at 179, although I think that is down from a few months earlier. I read Protein Power around this time and had a good few months on that program.
In Fall 2000, my husband and I both started on a low-carb plan. I also discovered "Oxycise", a breathing/exercise regime that I followed through May or June 2001. Between the oxycise and the low-carb, I got down to a size 12 for a brief shining moment. It is the lowest and smallest I've been in the last 10 years. If I reach my current "by age 50" goal, I'll be about a size 12 again. (I'm size 16/18 now).
I did Jenny Craig from February - June 2006 and went from 200 to 180 pounds. I've been bopping around that 20 pound range ever since.
My usual mode is to start a diet at the first of the year and carry it on successfully through lent. After Easter, things seem to go downhill. It will be interesting to see how this process will go, since I'm starting the diet during the time of year that I usually gain the most weight.
In 1995, we had an exercise bike in Alaska and I was pretty diligent from January to May of that year. It was also the first year that I started noticing occasional heart palpitations, so I had a column in my exercise log about whether or not I had a heart palpitation that day. Looks like I went from 175 to 163 lbs during that time. I think I read Susan Powter's book and got inspired.
By July 1998, after having moved and gained the expected 10 plus pounds I was at 179, although I think that is down from a few months earlier. I read Protein Power around this time and had a good few months on that program.
In Fall 2000, my husband and I both started on a low-carb plan. I also discovered "Oxycise", a breathing/exercise regime that I followed through May or June 2001. Between the oxycise and the low-carb, I got down to a size 12 for a brief shining moment. It is the lowest and smallest I've been in the last 10 years. If I reach my current "by age 50" goal, I'll be about a size 12 again. (I'm size 16/18 now).
I did Jenny Craig from February - June 2006 and went from 200 to 180 pounds. I've been bopping around that 20 pound range ever since.
My usual mode is to start a diet at the first of the year and carry it on successfully through lent. After Easter, things seem to go downhill. It will be interesting to see how this process will go, since I'm starting the diet during the time of year that I usually gain the most weight.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Some background
Thought I'd give you some background on my diet history over the years to give some context to this effort.
Short story is that I just never outgrew my baby fat! But those rolls of fat on the thighs do not look quite so cute once you are out of diapers. Okay, okay, it is not quite that bad, but the truth is that I have struggled with weight my whole life.
I was a chunky kid. Not real fat, but chunky. I slimmed down in my teens, but was always 'fluffy' or 'doughy' or, as my brother used to say, 'like a marshmallow'. I gained 20 pounds or so the year I was an exchange student in Australia (whole milk with cream to blame), lost it, and gained it back my freshman year of college. Lost it with the Scarsdale diet between my freshman and sophomore years.
I maintained my weight pretty well through the rest of college, wedding, and the couple of years before my first pregnancy at age 24. I lost most, but not all, of the pregnancy weight during the 11 months of nursing my daughter, but got pregnant again before the weight was all gone. While nursing my son, I was in a diet group at church called "Diet, Discipline, and Discipleship" (based on the American Diabetic Diet). Lost much, but not all of the weight before we moved.
We moved a lot during my twenties, and it seemed that each time we moved, I would immediately gain 10 - 20 pounds. Probably from the disruption in schedule and new foods to try at new places. When the kids were pre-schoolers, I went to Weight Watchers. My weight at my first weigh in was about 35 pounds above my 'baseline' college age weight, and I was turning 30. I lost maybe 15 pounds on Weight Watchers before we moved to Sitka, Alaska.
I don't remember being on any particular structured diets in Sitka (although there were many attempts at dieting on my own), and by the time we moved again 4 1/2 years later I was up to 50 pounds above my college weight. I was 35.
Short story is that I just never outgrew my baby fat! But those rolls of fat on the thighs do not look quite so cute once you are out of diapers. Okay, okay, it is not quite that bad, but the truth is that I have struggled with weight my whole life.
I was a chunky kid. Not real fat, but chunky. I slimmed down in my teens, but was always 'fluffy' or 'doughy' or, as my brother used to say, 'like a marshmallow'. I gained 20 pounds or so the year I was an exchange student in Australia (whole milk with cream to blame), lost it, and gained it back my freshman year of college. Lost it with the Scarsdale diet between my freshman and sophomore years.
I maintained my weight pretty well through the rest of college, wedding, and the couple of years before my first pregnancy at age 24. I lost most, but not all, of the pregnancy weight during the 11 months of nursing my daughter, but got pregnant again before the weight was all gone. While nursing my son, I was in a diet group at church called "Diet, Discipline, and Discipleship" (based on the American Diabetic Diet). Lost much, but not all of the weight before we moved.
We moved a lot during my twenties, and it seemed that each time we moved, I would immediately gain 10 - 20 pounds. Probably from the disruption in schedule and new foods to try at new places. When the kids were pre-schoolers, I went to Weight Watchers. My weight at my first weigh in was about 35 pounds above my 'baseline' college age weight, and I was turning 30. I lost maybe 15 pounds on Weight Watchers before we moved to Sitka, Alaska.
I don't remember being on any particular structured diets in Sitka (although there were many attempts at dieting on my own), and by the time we moved again 4 1/2 years later I was up to 50 pounds above my college weight. I was 35.
Monday, June 14, 2010
June 14 - Go!
Day 1.
So far, so good. No cheats. Did my walking. Didn't eat at the computer, but got a funny look from my boss for leaving my desk to eat my morning oatmeal bar snack.
For breakfast, I had pancakes. Pancakes. That's all. No topping, no butter, just pancakes. I figured they were like bread, so I let them cool and then ate them in the car on the way to work. Ill have to look into options for toppings.
For 1st snack I had an oatmeal bar. It was good, but needed coffee, since it was pretty sweet. I had about a quarter cup of coffee - black - with it.
Lunch was Vegetarian Chickn' Fajita. I'm not sure what it was supposed to look like. I guesstimated the 7 oz of hot water and it turned out like thick soup. Since it had mexican flavorings, I put it on top of my lettuce salad, to make a taco salad kind of thing. Not bad, on the salad, but by itself, the look of it could be off-putting. Lumpy taupe with corn and beans.
The Proticinno was excellent! It is a mocha type drink. It really hit the spot in the middle of the afternoon.
More later.
So far, so good. No cheats. Did my walking. Didn't eat at the computer, but got a funny look from my boss for leaving my desk to eat my morning oatmeal bar snack.
For breakfast, I had pancakes. Pancakes. That's all. No topping, no butter, just pancakes. I figured they were like bread, so I let them cool and then ate them in the car on the way to work. Ill have to look into options for toppings.
For 1st snack I had an oatmeal bar. It was good, but needed coffee, since it was pretty sweet. I had about a quarter cup of coffee - black - with it.
Lunch was Vegetarian Chickn' Fajita. I'm not sure what it was supposed to look like. I guesstimated the 7 oz of hot water and it turned out like thick soup. Since it had mexican flavorings, I put it on top of my lettuce salad, to make a taco salad kind of thing. Not bad, on the salad, but by itself, the look of it could be off-putting. Lumpy taupe with corn and beans.
The Proticinno was excellent! It is a mocha type drink. It really hit the spot in the middle of the afternoon.
More later.
June 13 - Ready, set....
June 13, 2010
Well, I’m getting ready to start the diet tomorrow. I’ve packed up my lunch packet (chik-fajita), my snack packets (an oatmeal bar and a protoccino drink), my salad, and I have picked out pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes. The food looked awfully small. Of course, there is the salad. I bought a bag of cut up lettuce at Costco and threw in some mushrooms and a few cherry tomatoes. I don’t have any of the zero-everything salad dressings that are allowed, so I put in some minced garlic and herbs and mixed it all up in a big baggie. It should taste good. I often take a salad for lunch, so this won’t be much different.
Well, I’m getting ready to start the diet tomorrow. I’ve packed up my lunch packet (chik-fajita), my snack packets (an oatmeal bar and a protoccino drink), my salad, and I have picked out pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes. The food looked awfully small. Of course, there is the salad. I bought a bag of cut up lettuce at Costco and threw in some mushrooms and a few cherry tomatoes. I don’t have any of the zero-everything salad dressings that are allowed, so I put in some minced garlic and herbs and mixed it all up in a big baggie. It should taste good. I often take a salad for lunch, so this won’t be much different.
June 12 - Family get-together...it all starts
June 12, 2010
Today, I was at my sister’s house for a family get-together. She lives about three hours away, so I don’t get to see her very often. She’s always been interested in nutrition and exercise, and in spreading the word about healthy living. She is starting a weightloss coaching/consulting business in a local doctor’s office. She took some of us down to see it. She has a Tanita scale. It is very cool. You step on it, barefoot, and it measures, not only weight, but a LOT of other things as well, such as % muscle mass, % body fat, the amount of visceral fat (the fat that is packed around other organs in the gut), your metabolic rate and your metabolic age. I won’t share with you my body fat percentage, but let’s just say, there is a good reason that I float very well in the pool! And my metabolic age is 64. I am really 49, so that is a big difference.
I told her that she needed a success story, so we took some before pictures. (I have a lifetime of “before” pictures…but not too many “after” ones.) She gave me a questionnaire about my health and eating/dieting habits, and she set me up on the “induction” food plan. In this plan, I eat pre-packaged food for breakfast, lunch, and three snacks, and I eat lean-protein and veggies for dinner. The lunch also has you add in veggies. And, of course, I will be drinking lots of water.
We also set a behavior and exercise plan. I am keeping it simple. Two rules: 1) I am not allowed to eat while at the computer and 2) I have to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Both of these will require a change in my behavior and, in conjunction with the food plan, should get my weight on a downward trend.
At first, I said that I wanted to try it for a set period of time, like four months, to see how it went. (I can usually stick to a diet for four months without much trouble.) Then we realized that my 50th birthday is just a couple weeks more than four months away, so I decided that I would extend the commitment until then.
Today, I was at my sister’s house for a family get-together. She lives about three hours away, so I don’t get to see her very often. She’s always been interested in nutrition and exercise, and in spreading the word about healthy living. She is starting a weightloss coaching/consulting business in a local doctor’s office. She took some of us down to see it. She has a Tanita scale. It is very cool. You step on it, barefoot, and it measures, not only weight, but a LOT of other things as well, such as % muscle mass, % body fat, the amount of visceral fat (the fat that is packed around other organs in the gut), your metabolic rate and your metabolic age. I won’t share with you my body fat percentage, but let’s just say, there is a good reason that I float very well in the pool! And my metabolic age is 64. I am really 49, so that is a big difference.
I told her that she needed a success story, so we took some before pictures. (I have a lifetime of “before” pictures…but not too many “after” ones.) She gave me a questionnaire about my health and eating/dieting habits, and she set me up on the “induction” food plan. In this plan, I eat pre-packaged food for breakfast, lunch, and three snacks, and I eat lean-protein and veggies for dinner. The lunch also has you add in veggies. And, of course, I will be drinking lots of water.
We also set a behavior and exercise plan. I am keeping it simple. Two rules: 1) I am not allowed to eat while at the computer and 2) I have to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Both of these will require a change in my behavior and, in conjunction with the food plan, should get my weight on a downward trend.
At first, I said that I wanted to try it for a set period of time, like four months, to see how it went. (I can usually stick to a diet for four months without much trouble.) Then we realized that my 50th birthday is just a couple weeks more than four months away, so I decided that I would extend the commitment until then.
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