YUMMY!

It's about time I tried this stuff and DAMN it's good.  Remember how I told you about my love for the Yoplait Creamy Vanilla yogurt.  Forget about it.  This tastes so good and it's better for you in that there is more protein and way less sugar.  Holy Mother of Mary...  my new addiction. 

Today's breakfast was the same as yesterday and it won't vary all that much.  One protein, one dairy, one fruit and protein drink.

Snack was pnuts and an iced coffee.

Lunch was shrimp (6 oz), steamed green beans (one cup), and 1/2 pear. 

Snack was protein bar.

Dinner:  Pork chops cut into thin strips and stir fried in EVOO.  Added some pea pods (OH YUM!!), some bell pepper (I used orange tonight) and some red onion and fresh garlic..  I got this recipe off of the back of my honey mustard jar - I substituted pork for chicken and made a half recipe of the sauce which called for 1/3 cup of honey mustard, 1/3 cup of bbq sauce, and 1/2 cup water.  Even with only half that, it was too much sauce so next time I'll make even less, but I'm tellin' ya - tasty!!!  Those pea pods; maybe that was just a really great batch that I picked out but they tasted so good.    Oh, I also steamed some baby potatoes for my starch and they melted like butter in my mouth.  Even got a thumbs up from Brian! 

I had to fight off some urges today.  Convenience stores are the work of the devil, I swear.  A healthy eater's nightmare...  Donuts, corn dogs, pizza, "fresh" baked cookies, chips, and entire aisle of chocolate.    All I wanted to do was use the ATM....  Martha Focker that was hard to resist and I felt myself get instantly tensed and crabby.  I went home and had a big water and a protein bar and I felt better.  Haven't thought about it since. 

So try the Chobani if you get a chance.  And want to.  Or don't.  No pressure.  Looking forward to hitting the farmer's market tomorrow. 

p.s.  It's the first day of school tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anne



These were Anne's food choices today.

If you're at all curious...

Breakfast:  1 scrambled egg, 1/2 pear, 1/2 C milk and my protein drink... it's just water with a protein powder mixed in - tastes sorta like Sunny D.

Snack: 1/2 C pnuts and an iced mocha (8 oz).  I brew my own flavored coffee and add some hot cocoa protein powder mix.  Chill and serve over ice.  Suck it, McDonalds!

Lunch:  3 oz turkey breast, 2 cups raw veggies (cukes and the last tomatoes from my patio planter), the other half of my pear, and more "Sunny D"

Snack:   8 oz iced mocha (change in the weather/caffeine headache combo today) and a protein bar.

Dinner:  Turkey sausage (about 3 oz) sauteed in a little olive oil.  Removed from pan and used the "drippings" to stir fry bell peppers, shrooms, garlic and zucchini.  Mixed it all back together, thru in a little baby spinach and a splash of spag. sauce.(I can have 1 C cooked veggies)  Served it over 1/2 C quinoa (keen-wa... google it) for my starch (which is also a good protein source) instead of pasta.   DA-LISH!  Brian even liked it!  The quinoa looks like the bird seed that we used to feed our parakeets.  It just takes on the flavor of whatever you put it in.   Doesn't sound like much, but I had plenty on my plate and it was very satisfying.  

Here I am at 9:00 pm and I'm not craving sugar; I'm not hungry at all.  I have had about 130 oz of water and I'm still thirsty.  I wake up in the middle of the night and I'm parched.  In the morning, I need 2 glasses of water to get my brain booted up.  Yeesh, I never ever (unless I was hungover) reached for a glass of water first thing in the a.m.  What is up with that??? 

Meal planning sucks ass!  But it seems that when I simply break it down into one protein, one starch, one veggie...  suddenly it isn't so overwhelming.  Might not be the most exciting meal, but it does always taste good. 

I'll try to keep posting what I'm putting into my fat burning machine of a body to help give ideas to anyone who might like some help.  And please please please do the same for me!  I don't want to burn out!

G'night!

Hi Lisa!

Anne, I'm excited that Lisa will be looking in on our little blog.  I look forward to reading some of her professional tips.  I especially would like to know why it is that even though I feel better, look better, am healthier, and enjoy life more when I'm down a few pounds and in an exercise routine; why why WHY am I so compelled to stop doing it?  It makes no sense to me.  It is the most frustrating thing about this whole endeavor.

I just got back from a weekend away and I'm feeling a bit depressed anyway, and with that on top of dealing with family all weekend, I ate like a hog.  I ate so much sugar that I actually felt sick.  I woke up today feeling full so I have been under control today, and I even exercised and now I'm kind of excited and relieved to be home to re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-restart my healthy-eating plan.  I wish there was a weight loss narcotic because I really like narcotics and I really like losing weight so if they were combined it would be so great.  Alas, I'll have to wait until I have another root canal before I get more narcotics, but I suppose I can start losing weight. Sigh.

Anne, I totally hear ya about the fixing-food-for-the-family thing.  I hate that I'm in charge of food.  It only makes sense that I am because I'm pretty much a housewife and it's part of the house, but if I could get rid of one housewife chore it would be food.  I don't like shopping for it, putting it away, throwing away the bad stuff, cleaning the fridge, and especially meal planning.  I hate meal planning.  And my family isn't even picky.  If they were I'd probably slit my wrists.  I'm just not very good at it.  It bugs me that a person can spend hours getting a meal on the table (counting the shopping and everything) and then it gets eaten in 15 minutes and then it's time to clean up and prepare for the next meal.  Nobody is ever just fed, already! 


Okay, that's enough from me for now.  I'm a healthy-weight-loss soldier starting first thing tomorrow!  Wish me luck!

Ever feel like you're being watched?

Well, we sort of are.  I gave our Chunkerson's blog link to my Guru.  She thinks it's great and "really enjoys the writing of the cynical one"...  hmm, wonder which one of you that is??

Don't fret now; she said that she might even contribute with her own posts so let's all welcome Lisa with open arms and open minds.  Sounds silly, but even she struggles and goes thru what we do, too.   P.S. Have I mentioned that she's a whole bunch of awesomeness all wrapped up in a fit and trim package.

I'm realizing that all my excitement for this journey that I'm on may be a turn off for others.  I can understand that not everything works for everyone, and you're ideas and practices might not for for me but they do wonders for you.  I think that's what we're all out here for; to share our frustrations, joys, accomplishments, and guilty confessions. 

This plan that I'm on is "easy" for me because I am able to be at home so sitting down to the table to plan meals, then cook them, then eat them isn't all that difficult.  Even with the 8 year old running around me.  If I'm out of a certain ingredient or completely change my mind about what my protein choice for tonight is I can force my kid to get back in the car and off to the grocery store we go.  I don't have to wait until break time or clear it with the boss or run after work.   If I had a nine to five like most people do, well for starters  I might not have gotten into the predicament with my weight gain in the first place, but also I fear that I'd be to darn exhausted to even attempt this project.  So to all of you working women - geez, give yourself some credit!   It's hard!!

Also you should know that my family is supportive - to a limit.  They are happy for me and give me pats on the back etc; but nobody wants to really do this with me.  Nobody else is saying "hey could we work in a little da-ta-da in our meals" or "wow, I also want to cut back on my carbs - how can I do that?",  OR "Hey, we should all go for a long walk/bike ride/canoe trip etc... because we all need more exercise."  Or "I'm going to get a refill on my water, do you want one too??"

When I started this, I asked for Brian's support and "Oh yeah! I'll be in your face!" but then I had to throw down some rules like #1, no asking me if I want ice cream at 8:30 at night.   So far he's been good about that.  And if he's not interested in eating what I cook, he's on his own.  Corine is always on her own anyway, so that's not an issue really.

Now other's situations may be different and it could be difficult to change eating habits because the majority in the household doesn't wanna.  Then you end up being the short order cook and even more exhausted and resentful than before.

And not putting yourself a little higher up on the totem pole of importance for the sake of others.  While that's incredibly sweet and unselfish of you, um it really might not be what's best.  Because when you turn the tables, isn't it rather selfish of everyone else to just take advantage of the fact that you'll just do what is better for them, never minding how it makes you feel?  Since when does the title of wife and/or mother mean "doormat"?  Where's the respect?  I'd love to take care of you, as long as there's reciprocity.  (that's a pretty big word for me.)

One of the hardest things about changing your habits is that it forces others to change, too.  Like it or not.  At the very least, it causes others to have to THINK about changing their habits, too.    About 10 years ago, Brian and I decided to start some of our own holiday traditions.  These new traditions didn't necessarily include other family members and in certain situations, it didn't sit all that well with others.  You know why?  It's because it meant a change in how they carried out their traditions.  After some time, all I know is that WE are happier because of the changes that WE made and that's really all that matters.

I was watching an interview with George W. Bush the other night.  It was all about the day of 9/11 and what he experienced that day and the next few after.  He commented at one point it came to him "How did we NOT know that this attack was about to happen?"  But rather than waste time and energy on figuring out how this slipped thru the cracks right this minute, they instead decided to focus on the now and near future instead.  In that critical moment, it didn't make sense to waste time looking back.

Now isn't that something that can be applied to everyday life?  Kristin spent a lovely weekend at her cabin.  She said it was so nice and very much needed time away.  But yet, she's feeling sooo guilty about the amount of smore's she ate.  Treats should be enjoyed...  unless you're eating smores daily...  go for it.  Lisa has said that it's when that bowl of ice cream goes from being a real special treat to a habitual no-no that there is a problem.  Let's stop beating ourselves up for enjoying life, and get back on track ASAP.    It's OK!  We are going to live a loooonnnngggg time, so we should allow the occasional free weekend or whatever. 

Social events are going to happen...  dinner out with friends, movie night, girl's weekend, going to Mom's.  We could either become completely anti-social and hate life, or plan accordingly and pay attention to ourselves and get out of the house.  Say I know we're meeting friend for a night out...  before the event, I'll eat and drink the good stuff and make a mental note to control myself when I'm out.   Perhaps it's easier said than done, but after a few tries, I have to think it will become easier.

Whoa - maybe this is too much talking from me. 

Go get a glass of water and peace out!
Anne

Starting week 3 of Anne's new life...

IT IS A FLIPPIN' AWESOME MORNING!!   I don't know, I just feel good and wanted to get my point across.

For starters, I had a superb meeting with the Guru this morning and I have to say that I'm doing way better than I expected.  Down almost 8 lbs (almost 8 lbs just sounds better than 7.6 - hey whatever works) and have lost 9.25 inches total.  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph where did it go??  My neck - it's there!!  One chin!  I'm down to only needing a training bra for my back fat.   YES!!  I don't jiggle and wiggle non stop.

And I'm not starving all day long.  NOT starving.  NOT just dying for a Mtn. Dew.  NOT finishing off the cookie that my daughter didn't eat. 

Don't get me wrong... sometimes I'll be going along minding my own business and BAM! a craving will just jump out at me like a crazy flasher from behind the bushes.  Except when he opens up his trench coat (why is it that only men seem to be flashers...) instead of seeing genitalia, it's a can of Mtn Dew.  What the hell?  NO!  Gross!  Put that away!

We have been discussing how certain sounds or activities can trigger us to turn into full addiction mode.  The other day at the beach, it seemed that all the other moms were opening one can of Diet Coke after another.  Just the sound of the pressure releasing itself from the can makes me want to have one or two or five.   Or like at the movies when everyone else in the theatre is munching on their tubs of popcorn and slurping up whatever is in their 2 liter size cup with ice sloshing around...  oh man, get me a thing of popcorn with extra "butter" and a box of plain M&M's with a 40 oz Pepsi to wash it down.  (mmm, chocolate and Pepsi... it's a beautiful thing)  I actually feel the shakes coming on and start to salivate like a dog.

GET CONTROL OF YOURSELF, ANNE!!  You've got to dig deep!  Protein cuts the carb cravings - so I indulged in a little more steak on Saturday night before going to see the movie.  I was full, I was satisfied, and not even the least bit interested in the consessions stand.  I went with the thought that if I got to the theater and still really wanted a treat, I should just do it instead of depriving myself.  A bag of popcorn is not going to hurt, really.  So I think it was a combo of eating the good stuff at home, and not telling myself to avoid the snack bar at all costs that helped out the will power.  AND much much much thanks to Lisa for her help and guidance via text messaging, too.  I tell ya, I couldn't do this without her on my side and in my head. 

I'm thinking to the days ahead knowing that the real challenge is yet to come.  This is all new and exciting and I'm super motivated.  I catch myself worring about three months from now and how hard will it be.  I have to change my thinking there and just worry about today. 

Here's to today - make it count!

Self-Control Gods, Give Me Strength This Weekend!!!

Hi Ladies!  Kristin here.  We're off to our cabin for the weekend in a couple hours, but I wanted to stop here to suck up some motivation before I leave on my three-day-cabin-food-odyssey.  So thanks, girls!  It helps, it helps, it HELPS.

I'm going to do my very best not to blow it this weekend.  I have never really pigged out when we're up at the cabin, but life is different up there...it's all about relaxing, de-stressing, and feeling happy.  COMFORT FOOD CENTRAL, in other words.  Being the emotional eater that I am, I know what this often means at the cabin:  Wine coolers.  S'mores.  Bacon or sausage for breakfast, washed down by Coco Wheats.  And pancakes.  (LOL)  Chilled macaroni-peas-mayo"salad."  Fresh-caught, pan-fried walleye.  (YUM!)  Hot cocoa.  Chewy granola bars (which I don't fool myself into thinking are "healthy"), grilled burgers (which, without the fluffy white-flour buns and butter-soaked grilled potatoes and brown sugar baked beans next to them, would be just fine...)  And did I mention wine coolers?

It's tough.  I'm going up there planning to be drastically disciplined, compared to the above description.  I want to have fun, and I don't want to be crabby from depriving myself of all of my favorite cabin foods, BUT I also would give just about ANYTHING to not wake up Monday morning to a 5-pound weight gain, after coming off such a great week of really hard effort.  So I'll be struggling I'm sure, but hopefully I will not crumble.

I hope y'all have a great weekend of strength and success!!!  I've set a goal for myself:  I want to lose at least 10 pounds by my 43rd birthday, which is September 17th.  I KNOW I can manage that - if I stay on track.  It won't happen if I follow my healthy eating plan two days on, then two days off, etc. etc.    !!!!!!!  Stay strong, ladies!!!  Talk to you in a few days!!!
 

How many sticks of butter is that??

Hello - it's Anne.  I'm on day 11 of my new "life style" and there is 5.8 lbs less of me!   According to my new BFF's fancy scale, 3.8 of those pounds was fat loss.  YAY!! 

The new BFF is Lisa - my guru at Physician's Weight Loss Center (or PWLC).  I haven't known her all that long, but she's like a girlfriend that I've had for years.  Some of the issues we talk about get very real.  And of course that means we talk about poop.  (and not the poop outta my kid's bottom, either.)  So weird to have that trusted person that I can tell these things too and she is not weirded out and gives me funny looks.  Going thru this change is hard to do and a person feels good, bad, sick, mad...  you really do need counsel to get you thru it all.  It's not just about what you're eating (or not eating) it's also how you feel mentally.  You have to be honest with yourself and be able to vent it to someone that knows what you're going thru and can "talk you off the ledge", if you will.   Lisa has experienced this all first hand and can also give me a heads up of what's to come.

Back to the poop... or maybe I should say "backed up poop".   Whoa, change in the diet means things can slow down a bit there.  Lisa advised me to go to GNC and get some "Super Colon Cleanse".  Whenever I hear the words colon cleanse, I always think of the "Nutty Professor".  (tee hee hee hee - that bathroom humor gets me every time!)

Wow, it works.   And I mean wowitreallyworks.  (To quote Fat Bastard from Austin Powers..."I don't remember eating corn!")

Last night I was planning on grilling some burgers (yes! I can have a hamburger!), but the grill wouldn't stay lit as we were experiencing hurricane force winds.  So plan B.  I didn't have a plan B and I was frustrated, hungry, tired and wanting a Mountain Dew with a side of cereal topped with a scoop of ice cream.  Not good.  Brian suggested we just go out, and I thought "YOU IDIOT!  I'M ON A DIET AND I CAN'T GO OUT FOR DINNER!!  WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO SABOTAGE ME!  I HATE YOUR MOTHER!!"

Deep cleansing breath in....  and let it out...

Why can't I go out for dinner?  If this is my new "life", I'm going to have to be able to go out into the world and eat in a restaurant at some point.   So we went to Applebees and I took time to really look over the menu.  I knew I needed a lean protein, veggies, and a starch.  I had a 1/2 size grilled southwest chicken salad with just a little bit of guac, and a little bit of my hubby's potatoes and an ice water.  (I also had a couple of spoonfuls of my daughter's dessert, but it was just enough to satisfy my sugar craving.)  We're good. 

(for the record, I don't think my husband is a sabotaging idiot, and I really don't hate his mother. It was the stress talking.)

I'm still struggling with the planning.  I am OK to plan today, but I need to work on things like "plan b" and maybe think out a day or two in advance so I'm not running to the grocery store every morning.   Baby steps.  And my/our meals still may seem a little too simple or plain, but as I'm learning how to plan, I am also learning to stir in a little of this and use more spices.  And I don't beat myself up about not having a perfect Betty Crocker-ish dinner table set every night.

Still detoxing a little, but not nearly as crazy as it was at first.  I'm done with soda, but still have some caffeine in my coffee.  I'm cutting down on that too, so still having some caffeine withdrawl headaches.  I did have a massage last Saturday, and I think I'm going to do that again soon! 

It's crazy how much water I'm drinking.  I have a 2 qt pitcher of water in the fridge and I go thru 2 of those a day (more if I've be active outside).  The kicker is - I'm actually still thirsty.  I feel thirsty all day long and crave water. 

Lisa always says, "I'm asking you to insert a new program into the Matrix."  Not only is the Matrix one of my favorite movies, she's totally right.  Need to think differently. 

Mike Rowe, the host of Dirty Jobs on TLC (and a total hotty) always says, "It's important to know where your food comes from."  and not only is he good looking, he's right.  I think if we really knew, we might not want to eat that.

I say, "Garbage in, garbage out." 

Fight the good fight girls!  You'll know when you're really ready.

Pizza, Indian Curry, and WATER

Fads are bad, fads are bad, fads are bad.  Right?

It's true.  The faddier a diet, the less successful it usually is.  I've proven this true with lots of them.  Carb-Addict's (though I'm absolutely a carb-addict by their definition...), The Zone, South Beach, Atkin's, Cabbage Soup, blah blah blah.  Those are a few I've done, with initial results that turned into even more pounds gained after I fell off the wagon.

The permanent lifestyle change-thing is the only real way to go, but it's one thing to say it - quite another to DO it, permanently.  I know we're supposed to figure out our own personal food triggers; the reasons WHY we over-eat, or why we're emotional eaters, etc. etc.  I eat when I'm bored, I eat when I'm stressed, I eat when I'm depressed, I eat when I'm happy.  I eat whenever, whatever, wherever.  I LOVE TO EAT.  I love food, and I always have.  Thoughts of food and cooking and baking and grocery shopping infuse every aspect of my life.  I understand that as human beings, we can't exactly get away from this...we have to either eat or die.  But I still know plenty of people who don't obsess the way I do.

Somehow I've lost 5 pounds (according to my scale) in the past 48 hours.  I still document the calories in every bite I eat, so out of stunned curiosity, I read my last two days' lists.  I guess I'm not shocked to discover that yesterday, I was so busy that I literally forgot to eat; at least as often as I normally do.  The other thing was that the items I actually DID eat were extremely healthy, rather than on-the-fly, portable crap food.  I grabbed water bottles instead of pops, and I heated up some Indian curry-spiced "chili" and ate it before taking the teenager to the mall in the evening - which eliminated my craving for Pretzel Time and liquid cheese.  I came home, drank a cup of tea rather than eating anything more, and voila! - down five pounds since Monday morning.  

This is bizarre, but it has made me want to dust off one of my old methods of weight-loss, which I'm almost never disciplined enough to do over a sustained period of time:  Only Eat When I'm Truly Hungry.

Don't laugh.  This is REALLY tough to do.  Food is everywhere; food events never stop.  I NEVER pass up the opportunity to eat when others around me are eating, whether I'm hungry or not.  But I have to say...this is probably the single greatest piece of diet-lifestyle-changing advice I've ever tried.  

I try to add one more thing to that advice when I'm trying to drop pounds:  At the first sign of a hunger pang, I do what the books say you should do - drink a tall glass or 20-oz. bottle of ice-cold water.  Supposedly, the colder your drinking water, the more calories you burn trying to warm it up in your stomach.  OK, I guess that's logically sound.  The other thing I do is, after drinking that water, I ask myself:  Are you so hungry that you HAVE TO eat something RIGHT NOW?  Or can you wait 30 minutes?  Or even an hour?  When I do this, every time I feel a little hunger pang, I obviously stretch my eating out more over the course of the entire day, and I consume far less calories over-all simply because the day ends, and I run out of time to eat anything more!  Try it ladies, it really works!!!  

P.S.  Note on PIZZA:  I crave pizza more than anything when I'm limiting my fun foods.  So now I'm eating a Lean Cuisine mushroom pizza almost every day, which is only 300 calories, and they totally help me feel less deprived!  They're great - and I feel like I'm cheating the Diet Gods with this indulgence.

P.P.S.  I have succeeded in giving up POP - regular AND diet.  I am only drinking COLD water, fridge-brewed fruit-flavored ice teas with a teaspoon of sugar, a variety of hot teas (Lipton black, Lady Grey, honey-lemon green tea, white tea...), lime or black cherry-flavored mineral water (aaccckkk), and random cups of coffee if I'm dragging.  Anyone who knows me understands that this is the single-most amazing accomplishment of my entire life.

So Disappointed with Myself

I KNOW I can do this, and the reason I know it is because I Have DONE IT BEFORE.  It's not impossible.  It doesn't even FEEL impossible!  I'm not sitting here banging my head against the wall saying, "What am I doing WRONG?!" Because I already know the answer.  I am so bogged down by my life.  I feel like everything in my life and my crazy-ass schedule and my responsibilities to my husband and two kids are all working against me and my potential for weight-loss.  I KNOW what I'm supposed to eat every day, and how much I'm supposed to eat of it.  I have the information - I am ridiculously well-informed and have done the research needed to succeed!  And I know that I need to get on my treadmill and elliptical if I'm going to lose anything, at least 4 times a week.  I also bought the big squishy ab ball, with a booklet of exercises included, and it hasn't been touched ALL SUMMER.  It sits there, mocking me.  As though to say the hard abs are there for the taking, now "why don't I just TAKE them already?!"

I'm hate complaining to others about crap that gets me down.  My husband knows how frustrated I am, but there isn't anything he can do to change our crazy lives.  His own schedule is even busier than mine.  I had wanted to lose 40 pounds by the beginning of June, and I managed to lose 21.  But the in the past  month, I've gained EIGHT of that back!!!  This has me in a tailspin right now.  We just completed yet another family eat-a-thon over the weekend, with the toddler's 3rd birthday bash.  Which of course, as you all know, means a fridge full of leftover baked beans, veggie and chip dips, at least 5 cans of Coke Classic, two half-cakes, and half-full family-sized bags fo Cheetos and Doritos.  And did I mention the Hershey bars?  Piles of mini-Hershey bars and chocolate money (toddler's faves for the party, ya know...).

I have started today with perfect intentions, as I start every day.  I'm sipping fridge-brewed raspberry iced tea as I type this, though what I really wanted was a Coke.  So, this is good.

This is bad.

Two seconds after I typed the above sentences, my husband walked into the office and asked me if I wanted to go out to breakfast at Perkins!  Yes, of course I do.  What a question!!!  So we went.  I was as good as I could have possibly been at Perkins.  I ordered a "Build-Your-Own" omelette with mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and onions.  NO cheese.  No fried potatoes or hash browns.  DRY whole wheat toast, which I smeared with peanut butter.  A little dish of fruit that was mostly honeydew melon.  And a Diet Coke, because my ice water just wasn't cutting it for me, and which also gave me an INSTANT headache.  Which I am paying for now.  These are the random "food events" I'm always complaining about.  It seems as though they happen non-stop in our life.  And most of them aren't events that I can just say, "Sorry, not me, not today, maybe next time...!"  All I can do is try to eat as little as possible or choose the healthiest thing available when it happens.  


I'm so stuffed right now that I can barely type.  So much for Monday!  Treadmill tonight...

Note to self...

String cheese, good.  Lowfat or "Light" string cheese, not good.  Don't bother with it!   When your dealing with withdrawl symptoms and already in a not great mood, the last thing you want to eat is dried up cheese.

You're welcome!
Anne

Detox sucks.

But I'm on my way out of it (hopefully).  Seems my "drug" of choice, a.k.a. Mountain Dew (the sweet, sweet nectar of the Gods), is one of the hardest of the sugars to quit.  Of course it is!  Why would I pick something easy?? 

My new "diet" calls for more protein, and moderate levels of good carbs and minimal starches.  On the bad carb list are cereals, breads, and soda...just to name a few.  All three are my faves.  Sometimes I'd eat them all at the same time in one sitting.  Then get the shakes an hour later and binge again.

So, I've cut those things out and WHAM!  Headache, body aches, irritability (well, much more than normal) were driving me down and trying to have their way with me.  I told my food counselor from sent from Heaven, Lisa, that if there was a can of pop sitting on the table next to us, I seriously would not be able to focus on anything that she was saying to me.  THAT's how strong that addiction to sugar is.  It's the "precious". 

Lisa promised me that all of this would pass, and I'd feel so good afterward.  Dammit, she was right.  Yesterday at about 10 a.m., I snapped out of this funk and holy shit, I don't think that I have ever felt this good before.  Or at least not for a long time.  Have you ever experienced a runner's high or anything like it?  That is how I felt.   Seriously, I felt so good that I had a hard time going to sleep.

So I started this on Monday, and today at my nine o'clock meet with the guru, I weighed in and lost a total of 3.4 lbs.  I know you're thinking "well, it's all water weight", and you're probably right, but hey - I don't jiggle when I walk so I could care less if it's water weight, jello weight, feather weight, poop weight... 

I'll share with you my daily meal plan...  it's kept very simple, so I don't get overwhelmed and I can be as creative or as boring as I want it, as long as I stay within the plan:

Breakfast - protein (1 egg), fruit (1/2 C raspberries), dairy (1/2 C milk), protein supplement (this fruity powdery protein stuff that I mix with water)

Snack - 1/2 C nuts (any kind) or string cheese.

Lunch - 3 oz of protein - chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, shrimp... veggies (2 cups raw or 1 cup cooked), fruit (half cup to 3/4 C of whatever fruit)

Snack - A protein bar from the guru, or a glass of milk, or a string cheese...

Dinner - One good starch like potato, brown rice, corn, quinoa, wild rice (3 oz to 3/4 cup), 4 oz protein (same meats as lunch), same amount of veggies as lunch.

Evening - if I'm hungry, I have more of that protein drink stuff, or a protein bar from my guru.

Water, water, water, water, water, water, water.....yuck, right?  64 oz is the minimum, the guru pushes more esp. in this detox phase.  I keep a 2 qt pitcher of water in the fridge and keep drinking off it throughout the day, and you  know it's really not that hard to hit my mark.  In fact, I've been doing 2 of those pitchers a day no problem and I actually still feel thirsty.

You'd think I'd feel so hungry all day long, but so far I haven't.  I don't experience that drop in blood sugar that would make me sick.  Literally, I'd feel nausea and have the shakes so bad before that I would just binge on food to make it stop.   Then I'd feel tired, and 2 hours later it would repeat. 

I would not be able to do this without my nutritionista, Lisa.  She texts me up to 4 times a day to remind me - "hey, how's the water going down?" - or "hey, time for a protein snack!" or "Look at what we're having for dinner" and gives me the recipe.

She and her husband follow this diet so they walk the talk.  They know how it feels.  They make mistakes, too - yes they are human.  She also has celiacs, so she's uber vigilant about gluten free products etc...  I don't have celiacs, but I reap the benefit of that kind of diet.  My skin is clearing, my scalp isn't so oily, my knees and joints don't hurt. 

I also don't like to call it a "diet"...  it's not a fad.  It's a life style change.  It's a meal planner.  "Well, what's for dinner?  Let's see, I need a protein - I got some round steak.  I need a starch - how about new baby potatoes.  Veggies - well, either fresh off the vine tomatoes or steamed green beans, or stir fry some onions and peppers with my steak."  Done.

If Brian doesn't want what I eat, he makes his own.  But so far, he hasn't really minded what I've been making.  I feel better that the pressure to make a tasty meal that we can all enjoy is off of my shoulders.  If he doesn't like veggies, then he either goes without or makes something else for himself.   Not my problem and he's totally OK with it.  THANK YOU BRIAN.

I'm not deprived.  Last night, I grilled hamburgers (real hamburger - not veggie burger), baked my own homemade potato wedgies with sea salt, grilled some red onion for my burger and had beans from the farmers market.  So, it's not yucky diet food.  It's real fresh food that I can find in a normal grocery store.  I don't  take any magic pills - although that stuff is available.  Lisa is just fine not to push that stuff on me. 

I realize that I'm all excited and that this is something new and wonderful.  A month from now, I may not feel so motivated, but that's why I have a helper.  I can see Lisa everyday if needed.  She answers my texts right away.   

Caffiene is OK!  I have coffee and add a chocolatey protein powder to it instead of cream and sugar.  It's awesome.  I refridgerate some of it and make my own iced coffee for my afternoon treat.  Sorry Mickey D's. 

Too much information?  Hope I didn't tune you all out.  If you need any inspiration, I'd be happy to try and help out.  I told Lisa about the diet blog and she thinks it's awesome.  If you have any questions, I could pass them along to her.

Oh, and P.S.  I don't have to exercise until I drop, either.  All she asks me to do right now is get out and walk.  If I can get 2 miles in, she's happy.  This very beginning part of my diet is not designed for me to go out and run 5 miles.  That will change as my weight drops more...    My reward is a "mommy-free" day and a delightful massage appointment at 4:00.

Hang on girls!  It's gonna be a wild ride!  - Anne

Count me in.

Soooooooooooooooo with you here.  I've been eating all the same crappola.  Summer fun?  Who knows.  I chalk it up to the fact that DIETING SUCKS ASS, and after 11 MONTHS of it, I'm sick of thinking about food every minute of my life, much less trying to find the time to care about keeping track of what I'm eating. 

Ah, hell.  Here goes round 27.  If you ladies are game, I'm game.  Can't hurt.  I need something to get me happy. I'm 24 pounds away from my original goal.  I lost the first 16 fairly quickly, when I was sticking to my plan every minute of every day.  I guess that's all I really have to do.  Right?

I still can't eat breakfast without gaining.  It's a weird anolmaly with me.  If I eat before 11:30 or noon, I gain that day.  I have to stick to my one cup of tea in the morning and hold off until I'm starving before eating actual food.  I know, I know.  "My metabolism will stall, my fat-burning furnace won't activate, blah blah blah."  News flash:  My fat-burning furnace has been on the blink since I turned 39.  I don't hold any illusions that eating an egg at 9:00 a.m. is going to magically fix it.


I am still totally on the frozen meal kick.  They keep me on-track with the calorie counting.  Some days I'm so lazy that I just eat three frozen meals and drink tea.  It sounds stupid and boring as hell, but those are the days I lose the most weight!!!  I end up at something like 1000 calories for the day and I'm down 2 pounds the next morning.  Bonus!


Biggest news:  I'm quitting pop.  ALL pop.  It's impossible.  But I'm trying.  I have been so achy and have had such horrible headaches from the artificial sweeteners that I finally gave up diet pop - and the headaches and aching joints COMPLETELY disappeared.  Now if I'm craving a "real" pop I have one - but I don't need it like I used to.  I try not to keep it on hand at home, and I save it for a special occasion like a movie.  This is a HUGE deal for me!  I've been brewing my own raspberry ice tea (LOVE it) and drinking lots and lots of hot teas - all kinds.  It's helping.


The exercise piece SUCKS.  I still can't find time to do the 4 workouts each week that I want to.  It seems that "4" has been my magic number.  If I manage to get 4 workouts in (treadmill or elliptical), the scale drops.  If I only do 3 or less, it doesn't seem to affect the scale in the least.  So, I've been falling into the, "I don't have 4 days available this week, so I'll do ZERO - because less than 4 doesn't do squat for me!"  This, of course, is screwy logic.  


It's also helping me IMMENSELY to take one day at a time, and at the end of the day, wipe my "slate" clean, so to speak.  I wipe away all guilt (if I happened to not do so well with the calorie count that day), all the written evidence of my day's eating (I toss my little calorie-counting paper in the trash when I go to bed, whether it was a perfect day or an awful one...), and then tomorrow is a new day.  This practice is weirdly-empowering.  But it's true - it's helpful to remind myself that each new day can be a new attempt, and a renewed effort on my part.  In this way, if I blow it one day I no longer use it as an excuse to blow a whole week, or more.  I start each day with the intention to make that day a great one... 1100-1200 calories, lots of protein, only healthy carbs, lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, no junk food, no fast food, no crappola.  It's all helping!  

My goal is to lose 24 pounds by September 17th, which is my 43rd birthday.  I realize it's probably a little too lofty.  But I'm still shooting in that direction.  

Soldier on, ladies!!!

I'm back on, I guess.

Anne, I like your positive attitude.  I'm back on as well.  I just spent the last two weeks eating like a total moron and I feel like crapola so I'm back to eating for health instead of eating for fun.  Boooooorrrrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnngggg. But maybe this way I won't have as much diarrhea.  That would be good.  I'm going to have boring, time-tested meals for breakfast (oatmeal) and lunch (lean cuisine) and then eat like a reasonable person for dinner.  I'm going to write down everything I eat and try to get some kind of semi-strenuous exercise several times a week.  No more big macs, corn dogs, chips, ice cream (I think I'm lactose intolerant which might explain all the diarrhea) (TMI?) french fries, cookies, etc etc.  (Now I'm making myself kind of hungry!)  Okay.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Hello ladies!

Anne's back and I'm going to kick some ass.

Whoa.... I have been such a slacker when it comes to watching my weight.  I haven't been paying any attention at all to my diet this summer.  (and even before than, OK - there, I admitted to it!)  I thought I was doing OK, though.  I didn't think I looked that horrible.

Then I saw a picture of myself from the backside. 

Okay!!  Time to take charge.  Way back when, you know when Sarah got us started on this adventure together, I researched my diet options and decided that I didn't need to pay money to someone else for me to lose weight.  That CLEARLY doesn't work as I can't be trusted.  So, I went back to all my information that I had collected and decided to go with Physician's Weight Loss Centers.

I know, sounds like a crack pot.  But, this place is the best option for me.  It's a husband and wife team who practice what they preach.  He's a chiropractor and she's a nutrition freak.  The thing is, I KNOW what I need to do.  I know I can't drink 3 cans of Mtn. Dew a day.  I know I need more protein and less carbs.  I just need someone to hold my hand, show me a meal plan of exactly what I can eat today and when to eat it and then call me out on it if I don't follow the rules. 

Lisa, my "consultant" is awesome.  She's great about sending text messages throughout the day reminding me and the other losers to have our snack, or what's for dinner, or "here's a picture of what I made for lunch".   I need that angel/devil on my shoulder.

This diet is less of a trendy diet, but more about a life style change.  More proteins, no bad carbs only moderate levels of good carbs and starches...  and water.  Lots of water.  ugh.

No more soda for me, but I can have coffee!  That is helping me with my caffeine addiction.  And I have been keeping a 64 fluid oz pitcher of water in the fridge...  I know I have to drink that everyday, and it's easier to track just how much I've had this way rather than counting glasses. 

Lisa is not a huge pusher when it comes to the supplements, either.  I'm a little leary of taking any "special vitamins" or magic pills...  I really believe she has my best interest in mind, and not just her bottom dollar.   They are really into teaching about how to eat for life...  well, this is 40 years of not the greatest eating habits to undo so I'm taking it seriously. 

And I'm actually excited to do it!  I've done weight watchers, with some success, but I was always starving.  All I could think about was food and "how many points is that??"  With this plan, so far I haven't been left feeling hungry (probably all the increased protein), and I don't have to worry about counting calories as long as I follow the plan and the portions that I'm allowed.    And no blood sugar roller coaster.  Yay! 

Brian is supportive, and I've already told him that I'm making dinner for myself.  If he wants to eat it, great.  If not - he has to take care of himself.  This is the one thing that I get to do for myself...  I can't take care of everyone else all of the stinkin' time.

I'm not checking the scale at home everyday.  I will get weighed again in the next week or two at the center and hopefully I'll have some pretty positive results to share with you. 

To be continued....

Day 1: Already a Bust.

I HATE Pop Tarts.  Really, really HATE them.  They sit there in their little vending machines, looking all innocent and delicious.  I had an oil change this morning.  I made the mistake of leaving the house with an empty stomach, forgetting that the service place has this chock-stocked vending machine and a pop machine next to it that actually has Dr. Pepper.  (Dr. Pepper?!  I can NEVER find a Dr. Pepper in a machine when I want to.)

So I had a twin-pack of frosted fruity Pop Tarts (410 calories) and a can of Dr. Pepper (150 cals.) for "breakfast" at 9:45.  Naturally, by the time I got to work at 11:00, I was STARVING because of my @#$%* insulin-response being spiked by the @#$%* Pop Tarts.  So I nuked my Lean Cuisine Mushroom Pizza (fabulous little things at only 300 calories!) two hours before I was gonna eat it for lunch.  An hour later, my Greek yogurt (120 cals.) is also gone.  Dammit.

Tonight is looming.  Harry Potter with the teenager at 6:30.  I wonder if I can go the rest of the day without consuming anything...and then eat an apple and drink a bottle of water at the movie???  ROTFLMFAO.

Looks like I'd better figure out a way to get on the elliptical at 11:00 tonight...