Maybe I Should *Not* Have Gotten a New Scale...

My old scale actually fell apart when I picked it up the other day, so yesterday, I went out and bought a new one. Nothing fancy, just functional. And according to New Scale, I weigh 5 pounds more than I did with Old Scale. Yep. Back up over 200 pounds. Which makes me feel like this...

But, it's all about progress, not perfection, right?

Right?

Maybe I should take both scales (no, I haven't thrown away the broken one, because my son might want to take it apart the rest of the way), and do a side-by-side comparison... Or I can just go with New Scale and work all that much harder!

Anyhow, last night I read a good article on simple, easy, doable ways to help your weight loss along: 15 Small Changes for a Leaner, Healthier You. I'm a longtime fan of Real Simple magazine, though I haven't been able to subscribe in a long time...

Now, some of the tips they offer are things I already do. Fruits and veggies, especially veggies, get free reign in my house (#2). I load up meals with them to help fill me up (think Volumetrics). For example, last night I made a pretty awesome chicken enchilada casserole, of which I had a moderate size portion. To fill the plate out, I had a small green salad, and some yummy roasted cauliflower with smoked paprika and a squeeze of lime juice. It was filling, satisfying, and I still got to eat the cheesy, saucy casserole, so I didn't feel deprived. This is something Andie Mitchell has addressed too, in her post on How to Roast Broccoli:

        "But slowly, that changed when I began eating more veggies. When I started pairing whatever meal I craved with a mound of vegetables, I found that I felt the fullness I needed and wanted while also satisfying the craving.

        I started filling half of my plate with vegetables, and then eating those first. And I didn’t just quarantine any green thing on my dinner plate and promise myself I’d eat it for health’s sake; I found out which vegetables tasted best to me and experimented with different methods of cooking them. I bought a new and different veggie each Sunday at the market. I used herbs and spices. I learned that roasting vegetables in a burning hot oven makes for sweetness without added sugar.

       Each night as I cooked dinner, I made sure that I paired that perfect square of lasagna, those two slices of my favorite spicy caramelized onion pizza, the two tacos — with at least double that of vegetables."

Now, back to the article...

I'm getting pretty good at number 3. Last time I went to a movie, I didn't eat anything. I just watched the show! And if I don't really like something, I tend not to eat more of it. I'm getting better about drinking water (#10). One of my "tricks" these days is to use my 20 minute commute to down a bottle of water with a squirt of fresh lemon juice. Then, by the time I get to work and really want that travel mug I filled with coffee, I already have 18 ounces of water down! And cooking at home (#14) is a no brainer. I do this daily, in part because I like knowing what's in my food, and in part because hey, eating out costs a lot of money! (Okay, unless you're eating off the dollar menu, but EEEWWW)

And of course, I vary on some of them. I do regard my morning break walk (one mile!) as a pleasant task. It gets me outside, in the fresh air (#11). I get to walk by a small creek, and listen to the wind in the trees, the birds singing... However, I'm not as lighthearted about other exercise, and believe me, I know I need more than that little stroll! Maybe if I actually download some music to my iPhone, that would help! I'm pretty good about sleep (#8), because otherwise I am a cranky bitch. There are some nights I get less than my ideal 7 hours, but I think that happens to everyone!

I like #12, and I think I might just make a list I can carry with me, if I can think of ten things I like to do that don't involve food (and that's just kind of sad, isn't it?). And I'm not good lately about #1. The thing is that I am not sure how much protein I really need. Not even the "experts" seem to know, though this Harvard article is decent, and I think 20-25% is probably pretty good. I could buy protein powder to up the protein in my favorite oatmeal, but I very much prefer real, whole foods, like all my morning go-to menus. Hmmph.

So there we have it. I think I am making progress, but I could be making more. I just need to DO IT!

Final note/edit: Adding in a link to ways to easily cut calories, so I can come back and read it later!

Stats Update

I totally meant to do this every week, just as I have meant to eat a healthier diet, and exercise more.

So at long last, I will update, though there is unfortunately not much change to report (I guess that goes along with the eating healthier and exercising more).

Original Versus Now (Nov. 20, 2015 vs. Jan. 22, 2016):

Weight: 200.6... 196.8 (-3.8)

Bust: 43 inches... same

Waist: 39 inches... 37 inches (-2 inches!)

Hips: 45 inches... 44.5 (-0.5 inches)

Thighs: 25.5 inches [each]... same

Upper arms: 14 inches [each]... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)

Neck: 14 inches... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)

Clothing size: 14/16... same

Of these, I am most stoked about the waist change! Two inches is pretty good, especially since my efforts have been somewhat lacking. And none of my measurements have gone up, which seems good!

You see, as anyone who reads my homeschool blog knows, I tend to an all or nothing approach. It has taken me years of homeschooling to adopt a more moderate path. And now I see I need to do the same with my health. I know I won't eat a perfectly clean, organic, balanced-down-to-the-last-calorie diet. I know I won't be running 5 miles a day any time soon.

What I know I can do, is this. First, a balanced approach to eating. I do like healthy foods overall. They make me feel better. I can eats lots of veggies, buy whole grains/whole grain products, drink my water/herbal tea. I can cook healthy meals that the whole family enjoys, and find good dessert options. I can take a break at work each day, and walk a quick mile. I can make better use of all the fitness equipment I have... a treadmill, a Bowflex, Wii Fit, a bicycle... I also know that too much protein makes me feel constipated (I know, sorry... TMI), and that I need to have a sweet treat at bedtime, or I'll want to snack endlessly.  (which is why I'm always on the hunt for healthy, low cal, yummy desserts).

I get Shape magazine, and read a really good article last night: The 10 Rules of Weight Loss That Lasts. Basically, the article nails moderation... be moderate in food choices, balance cardio with strength training, be reasonable. Or, look at it this way...

I think I'll limit my stat posts to once a month, so I can actually see some progress. In the meantime, I think I might make myself a star chart for instant feedback... I could do one sticker for healthy eating, a second for getting in my fluids, and a third for workouts! That way, I have a great visual reminder of what I've done, and what I have yet to do.

Have a good weekend!

Working at This...

When you start your day with 50 incline push-ups, you know you're on the right track! At least, that's how I feel after doing the aforementioned exercise while waiting for my coffee water to boil this morning.

And I planned my food today! Here's a quick run-down of today's menu:

Breakfast: "light" whole grain English muffin, topped with 1 Tbsp. mayo (my avocado was bad), and 2 sliced hardboiled eggs; coffee with whole milk; small banana

Lunch: BBQ-ranch chopped salad with some leftover NY strip steak and black beans

Dinner: Boneless pork chop with basil, lemon, and garlic; salad w/walnut oil and lemon juice; roasted broccoli

Snacks: a serving of Three Cheese pretzel thins; 2 Riesens Chocolate caramels (nighttime treat)

And I have some exercise planned, beyond the incline push-ups. I want to re-start C25K tonight, and do some squats.  I so didn't do this.

Life is keeping me busy these days -- I have a lot going on with my elderly father -- but I need to make self care a priority, and part of that is eating right and moving more. I can see from my plans above that at least I am moving in the right direction!

And I'm down a total of 12 pounds now! Only 50ish to go.

Hope you're having a good week!

Another Week...

I almost typed in "Another Monday" before realizing that this is indeed Tuesday. Obviously I have not yet had that second cup of coffee!

This is, sadly, probably pretty accurate!

I've been holding steady, which is disappointing in that I am not losing weight, but I am trying to think of it in the terms that at least I am not gaining weight either! I have a few friends that have started a weight loss accountability group, so that might help me stay on track. I need to go back to logging food and exercise too. Plain and simple... I know it works! I did take M and the kids for a 5 mile bike ride yesterday, for the first time in too long. Not a hard ride, but I was breathing hard at some points!

And I think I might need a new scale, or at least a new battery for mine. It told me three weights today, with a total range of about 20 pounds!

Today's major goal is to drink enough water. I'm also logging my foods, and planning to get a good workout in. That's it! One day at a time....

A Fresh Start...

Here's to 2016!

On the first (I know, very cliché), I started what I hope will be a major lifestyle change. I went to an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. I was really nervous about going, but M seems to having great success with AA, so I thought it was worth a try. And we can sort of work the twelve steps together—I say "sort of" because I'm sure we'll move through them at different rates at times.

It's been four days of "abstinence" at this point. So far, I am only following their "3-0-1" recommendation... three meals a day, zero binge foods (and snacks), and then am following intuitive eating for actual meal times. So far, so good. I am trying not to weigh myself too much either..maybe once a week? I'm enjoying my meals, and am learning more about feeling when I am actually hungry, versus wanting to eat because I am bored, or something else. I'll gradually work on making those meals healthier. I do want to read The Hunger Fix: The Three-Stage Detox and Recovery Plan for Overeating and Food Addiction for some ideas on how to move forward. And I want to strat tracking on MyFitnessPal again, which I have gotten very lax about doing.

I don't have a sponsor, at least not yet. I do have several numbers I can call or text from the meeting I attended, which, by the way, was small with only 7 or 8 people. They were very welcoming, and didn't make me share yet, or anything like that. I'll do that later on!

One of the reasons I chose OA versus Food Addicts Anonymous, etc., was that they don't have a specific diet plan. This is my journey, and I do poorly with following limitations set by others, at least when it comes to food!

Anyhow, that's where I am now. I'm working on eating to care for my body. I am working on keeping moving, though the rain doesn't help.

Here's today's inspiration... and Happy New Year!