Sunday-The Beginning of a New Week

Calories-1392

Exercise- 160 calories burned making it 1232 calories

Carbs- 68

Net Carbs-48

Fat-50

Protein-135

Looking at this you can see I stayed within my calorie range, stayed within my carb goal, went over on my fats, and almost made my protein goal.  I made some notes on my fitness pal of what I can see I need to do:  Increase my protein, lower my fats and carbs, increase my fiber, and stay focused on drinking that water.  

    But are you ready for the big news?  Yes, I have lost weight.  I have lost 6 lbs. this week!!!  And I would have to say that was with very little exercise.  I think I walked 3 times this week.... remember my pulled back and vertigo.  So from now on I will post on Sundays what my weight loss  (or gain) was for the previous week, and it will look like this -6 lbs.  or +1lb. or stayed the same.

   Keeping this diary has most definitely stopped me from mindless eating.  If it is going in my mouth be it food or drink I am knowing that I am going to have to write it down.  Yesterday I had something that would not be considered a food on a diet.  My husband sorta chided me about it.  I told him that I had to be able to allow some things or I would totally quit.. remember I am trying to make this a lifestyle.  It is not going to end on December 31.  I want to always consider what I am eating and then I can make that choice.  It was at the end of the day, and I knew how many calories it would be, and if I could stay within my range my having it.  I am so into reading labels these days so I can make good choices.  

   Now my goals for the week- eat more protein, fiber; eat less carbs and fat; drink more water; and get that exercise in!!

Trim Healthy Mama

Calories- 1349
Carbs-177
Net Carbs- 136
Protein-86

   Yesterday was an an okay day.  I stayed within my calories, but my carbs are still too high even with having 31 g of fiber which is a great plus!!  The recommended amount of daily fiber is 35g or close to that.  But late in the evening I am just wanting something sweet.  And I am not even a huge sweet eater.  The reason I am not a huge sweet eater is I do not keep it here in the house.  Because I am an addict when it comes to pie, cake, cookies, or candy bars.  I cannot stop at one!!! I have friends that can have a bowl of Hershey kisses in a pretty bowl on the coffee table...not me!!  They would be gone in no time.. by me and my husband... we have the same problem.
   That all being said leads me to the subject of today.. Trim Healthy Mama.. or to be known as THM. This is a program that two sisters have studied and researched and worked on for several years.  The program is presented in a 600+ page book.  Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett are not nutritionists or scientists or doctors.  They have gone through all kinds of diets that are out there.  One of them was even a vegan at one time.  And from all of their own experiences, lay studies, and trial and error, they have come up with this plan.  This is not a diet, but a different way of eating.  I will only tell you a few concepts because you need to buy the book.  You can have fat and carbs, but they are limited in the kind of meal you choose.  If you have a fat meal it is a satisfying meal known as an "S" meal.  If you choose to have less fat and more carbs, it is called an energizing meal known as an "E" meal.  For me there is a lot to learn, so I do not have it down yet.  But there are many women not only in this country but all over the world that are doing this program and losing lots of weight.  There are several right here in my hometown that are doing it, and yes, they are having great success.
   I say all this about THM because they have some delicious desserts that can be eaten.  So... I am going to have to get those ingrained in my memory so I can go whip one up when I have those evening sweet cravings.  I looked the book up on Amazon, and I saw that you can purchase the book for $35.  I paid over $50 for mine.  Go check it out!!

Get Back on the Saddle

Calories 1626
Carbs-129
Net Carbs-90
Fat-76!!!!!!
Protein-54

   Some days you just get off track, and you fall off the wagon, or horse... and you just have to get back on that saddle.  For me that is what happened yesterday.  I started out really good, and there were lots of positives in my day.  I drank all my water yesterday.  Since I was going to be home all day this made it fairly easy.  I had almost 39 g of fiber yesterday.  I only had 90 net carbs.  Now the bad part.. I went over my calories by 226;  I went over my fat just about double!!  And due to me still not feeling up to par, the weather being bad, and me being busy with quilting projects I did not get in any exercise.  My big eating problem occurred after dinner when I proceeded to have late night snacks.  Well, I ate too much of it, and I ate the wrong thing.  The only thing sweet in my house would have been some fruit.  Now that is what I should have had.  But instead I opened the pantry and took out a package of sweetened coconut and ate bite after bite after bite!!!  I had to chew and chew and chew on it which was good or no telling how much I would have eaten.
    What I learned... reach for the fruit if you want something sweet or get busy doing something else or say my goals to myself!!  If I have many nights like last night I will not reach my PUSH goal.  But here I am today tracking my food and keeping up with this blog.... so I am definitely back in the saddle!!

Pills, Walkers, Oxygen, Wheelchairs and Golden Corral

Calorie- 1397
Carbs-101
Net Carbs-77
Fat-41
Protein-118
Exercise- burned  238 Calories

    So I had a discussion with a friend today about medicare, social security, insurance policies, etc.  Both of our husbands will be turning 65 this year so this is how we had this discussion.  We also talked about ourselves and OUR insurance because neither of us will be 65 for a few more years.
   Now this is in no way meant to be offensive to anyone who takes a lot of medication or is on oxygen, or needs a walker, or is in a wheelchair.  And so I do not need a bunch of comments about reasons or excuses or bad talk about this.  We cannot prevent many ills and diseases and infirmities coming into our lives.  HOWEVER... we can alter our lifestyles to keep some of these at bay.. How?  With watching our diet, moving more, and losing weight.   You all know I have these exact struggles. I know what is right and true, and I just don't always do it.. why else would I be writing about all of this and the small successes and failures that I have concerning this topic.  My friend had gone to a medicare meeting at Golden Corral, and she mentioned how bad the majority of the people looked and that most of them had one of the above that I mentioned.  I told her that I got to see the same thing when I went to the Heart Institute with my mother.. again.. I know that all problems are not caused by lifestyle choices, so don't be offended.  AND... I do know that aging is going to bring many of these on no matter what choices you make.. But we both agreed that going to Golden Corral or the Heart Institute was a good "negative" motivator to have you live differently.
    Now here is the funny part... her husband who is a runner and very lean told her that he would go to the meeting but he did not want to eat at GC... I had to laugh because someone  I know has been begging me to go with them to GC.  I have said I will not go because I know me.. I will see all those different entrees and desserts, and totally be helpless to resist!!  Maybe later I can get to the point where I could go and only have a healthy portion... but not today!!

It's Up to You

When it comes to health, fitness, diet, etc.  it is up to YOU! I have realized that I am a very good encourager for other people.  I can compliment them, provide information, and be their cheerleader... but when it comes to me... I am a discourager.. so I am changing that..  I am saying to myself what I would say to others.
     You cannot blame anyone else for your lack of or failure or inadequacies, etc.  You also cannot make someone else get on board with you either.. it is not up to you!  That is up to that individual.  I feel the biggest battle of most things begins in your mind... remember the negative talk you give yourself.. or you may even give yourself positive false talk, " oh you don't look so bad. " Or.. "after all, you are not young anymore, you can be overweight."  Whatever... I have said them all to myself at some time... and I still do!!  I am gonna say don't talk negative and don't necessarily call your talk positive... unless you can call your talk truthful talk.  You can turn any negative statement into a positive truthful talk.   Here are some of the words I have come up with:
1.  I inherited this body type from my father...INSTEAD since I have a tendency to put weight on in my middle I am going to work on limiting my carbs, or fat, or whatever to improve my body.
2.  You are always gonna be fat... INSTEAD.. you are improving yourself everyday with your healthy diet and extra physical activity.
3.  Everyone else looks better than you... INSTEAD... I am looking better than I did 3 months ago.
4.  I can't do that cardio or pushups or whatever... INSTEAD.. I am going to do what I can today and tomorrow shoot to do more.. walk a little faster or walk a little longer or do one more pushup or jumping jack or squat or lunge or whatever.
   You get the gist of what I am saying... In a nutshell.. don't compare yourself to others.. Do what YOU can do.  Don't be the food police with others... that is up to them to change, not YOU!!
Make your goals and move forward doing the best YOU can do...no one can be a better you than YOU!

Five Seconds of Pleasure

Calories- 1367
Carbs-103
Fat-42
Protein-100

So I was thinking about the brownie I had the other night at the meeting I attended.  I looked at all the terrible yet absolutely delicious and addicting food- chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate bars, chocolate brownies with caramel sauce, cake, chips and dips... oh gosh... and I resisted for a good while and then the temptation overcame me, and I got a half of a brownie.  Later I thought to myself was the 100 calories of loaded carbs and fat really worth five seconds of pleasure???  I have to keep reminding myself that if I want to reach my PUSH goal there will be sacrifices and times of being tempted and times of being uncomfortable.  So yesterday I had another meeting... again there was various cakes, cookies, chip, dip, nuts, and fruit.  So I walked over there and got about 3 strawberries.  Yea!!  They were absolutely delicious, and I ate them slowly.  That is a major accomplishment for me that I resisted that temptation, and I also did not think , " oh I will just do it today and not tomorrow."
     Listen.... this is not going to be easy!!  I am going to war with my brain and my body!!  But I am determined to beat myself into submission!!
    Yesterday faired well for me although I ran out of time before I could walk in the morning, and then in the afternoon there were too many things to do.  I see now that I MUST get up earlier to start my day.  The same thing has happened today.  Unless I can hurry and get to the mall to walk I will miss it today.  I think 28 degrees outside is just too cold for me.  I also have not been able to do my strength training due to my pulled back.  I know I will be at it as soon as I can twist my body and squat without coming to my knees.
      I stayed in my boundary for my calories, carbs and protein, and I just barely went over (3g) with my fat intake.   I am just thrilled that I am making myself keep this food diary.  I think this will be the success of my weight loss... keeping that food diary.  I am so reluctant to have a bite of this or that because I will have to write it down.  I could go by that cashew can and grab a bunch without a thought... so writing it down keeps me from doing that.
   I welcome anyone reading this to get on board, and we can be an encouragement to one another.  Set your goals and make a plan.  My plan is personalized to me... make your plan YOUR plan.
 

Eating Mindfully

Calories- 1403
Carbs-108
Fat-67
Protein-82
Exercise- 160 burned (walking 3.5 mph for 32 min)

   So I really did have plenty to eat yesterday.  One of the things this diary is helping me on is eating "mindfully".   I don't know if any of you have this problem, but I will grab a chip or a cracker and just pop it in my mouth without even thinking about it.  And you know that joke, " the calories don't count if you did not put the food on a plate."?  Well... of course I don't believe that, but I ACT like I do!!  Like yesterday when I went to Sam's..... And the venders were there giving samples.   You could quickly eat 300 calories by visiting each station.  I stayed away from them.  And I had a meeting last night,  and there were so many delicious snack desserts that people brought.  I stayed away!!  And then temptation won, and I had one small brownie.  The best brownie in the whole wide world!! But how long did that pleasure last?  Grrr.... I should have said in my head my PUSH goal over and over and I probably could have abstained.  Well, I won't beat myself up too much.  But I will learn from it!
     And yesterday I did manage to go walking for 32 minutes and get in around 2 miles.  My Nike sensor is wrong so it shows I walk faster and get more mileage than I really do.  I have repeatedly try to get it accurate, but it is either showing me walking at 15.22 mph or 22.15 mph (something like that), so I just gave up.  I know my pace is around 17 mph.  And I was more interested in time than mileage.  So that cancelled out 160 calories.  I could have had 1560 yesterday.  I so hope I can continue this blogging because it makes me so acountable.  I plan to keep going forward!!