Choice

from my sparkpeople.com daily calendar:

"Everything is a choice. You choose to watch TV instead of walking, or to de-stress by eating instead of talking to a friend. Try to deal with setbacks head on so you don't end up paying for them later."

Citrus Honey Salmon -- from SparkPeople

Marinate four 4-oz salmon filets in a plastic bag with 1/3 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup honey, 1/3 cup chopped green onions, and minced garlic and ginger to taste. Grill fish until flaky and simmer sauce in saucepan to reduce. Serves 4. 300 calories, 9 grams fat.

to this I say "HA!"

People say things all the time that can be hurtful, spiteful and mean… and then not remember that they said or did anything wrong. I am sure I do so every day. I wonder how much of a lasting impression those conversations or actions have on the other person??

The reason this is on my mind is because of something one of my managers at work did a couple months ago. I was just starting out my new lifestyle, and was doing some basic work out moves at my desk between calls. I was probably doing some lunges or squats or something that looks funny. He walked by and laughed, just a little chuckle.

At the time I was a bit indignant. I was like “I have to lose the weight, so what if he laughs.” But, it stuck with me and has apparently been lurking in the back of my mind. I remember it each time I am working out at my desk.

2 months have gone by since then. I am still working out at my desk, and still eating better, still going to Jazzercise 3-5 times a week, plus have started walking on breaks and lunches. I even woke up at 630 on Sunday morning, a day it was suppose to get to over 100 degrees, and went for a 3 miles 1 hour long walk to get it done before it got too hot.

I am so proud of my accomplishments and I can’t help but talk to everyone about it. I even told my direct supervisor 2 times about my Sunday walk, because I could not remember if I had told her already!

So, to get back to the point that I wanted to make: I stepped into the managers office Friday afternoon on my way out of the office and said “Remember you were laughing at me while I was working out at my desk a while back?” … he looked confused, didn’t remember it at all... “I lost 21 lbs in 2 months because of it…”

Sometimes the things that hurt us can make us stronger. I think one of the major motivators for me to continue was so that I could say to him… “Look at me now, buddy! You laughed at me but look what I have been able to do, in spite of it.”

LOST! and not the TV show!

I lost 2.5 inches off my hips so far!!! Does anyone know where they went? Don't tell them where to find me cause I don't want them back...

Beginning Week 3

Three weeks ago yesterday I started going to Jazzercise classes! Today is the beginning week 3 of my Spark life. I am still down 10 lbs. and my measurements have not changed much, but I am not giving up hope like I would usually do. I know this will be an ongoing battle. I did not gain all this weight and become unhealthy in 2 weeks and so I will not get healthy and lose the weight that quickly either.

I have been attending Jazzercise Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday. Two of the classes are morning, the other 3 are evening. This has been a real adjustment for me. I am use to going home after work and sitting on my butt for the entire evening. Now I go home, get ready for class, take the class, come home, MAKE dinner, eat, WASH the dishes right away... then and only then will I let myself sit down.

I have started to eat breakfast every morning, making lunches every day, and cooking dinner. I have started to go shopping for groceries and making smart choices. I have been to a fast food drive thru only twice, and I knew what I was going to get before going so that I would be within my calorie range. I have bought a food scale and am using it, and the measuring cup/spoons... EVERYTHING that goes on my plate is portioned.

The first 2 weeks were easy. My son was off to his grandfather's home for that time. It allowed me space to get in a groove. He came home on Sunday and so far so good. I have told him that I am doing this. Explained why and told him that if he wants he can come with me to the class site. I gave him the option to sit and watch the class (which he did on Tuesday), or he can get a basketball and play hoops on the court in the park, or just hang in the car and listen to his music or whatever.

I have food on hand that an 18-y.o. boy will like. He can make himself his regular food-stuff during the day like usual, but he can either eat the food that I make at night or not. His choice.

He complained about the pot roast that I served last night. He just does not like steak/roast. I told him he didn't have to eat it but if he wanted something else he would have to scrounge for it. He really like the 7-grain mix that I cooked, so I am going to go and get more of it. It was really nutty and crunchy, with great flavor.

I took him shopping with me Monday night and we picked out some healthy food together. Luckily I got him drinking Silk a few years ago and so he really likes that (I don't drink milk), and yogurt he loves. I know he won't touch my cottage cheese, nor the fruits and veggies that I have bought. He will eat the veggies if I cook them, but he won't do it on his own.

Overall he is being very supportive, and maybe I will start setting some sort of example to him.

Wish me luck as I begin week 3!

Update

Well, the "diet" is history. It lasted longer than most and less than is necessary. I am still watching what I am eating, though it has levelled out. The weight loss plateau'd and I stuck at 242. I am still there even after a couple weeks of not "dieting"... so that is a good thing.

Idol happiness: Kristy Lee got the boot. I really thought Carly would be going this week but she has stuck it thru. I hope that she sings "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" ... is that an Andrew Lloyd-Webber ?? If not oh, well.

My vote for the next Idol would have to be David Cook. He is a natural, even though his head is unnaturally shaped. He said it first, and it made me notice. David Archuletta is good but a little too stiff, and a little too young. I think he will be a star but not the next Idol winner.

Charlie update: he is failing his senior year in high school. I think he will have to repeat or go to summer school to finish up. Out of 6 classes currently he has F's in 3 of them, and is not passing his senior project, which was suppose to be presented.... Yesterday! sigh ... oh well, things will work out, one way or the other.

as always,
In His Loving Arms

Weight Update

Just a quick update.

Total lbs lost so far: 14
Percentage of amount hoped to lose: 25%

Still to go: 41

It is a long shot but I am hoping the odds are good.

Week 3 and counting...

i had this written and it did not save! i am not going to do it again

i am sticking to it, that's all

2 Weeks

2 Weeks since the start of my new eating habits.
I have lost a total, as of this morning... drum roll please... 13 lbs.
I have gone from 255 to 242.
My goal is 200.
I have done the math and I am at the 24% mark.

I even ate out at Spaghetti Factory on Friday, and did not have any bread. I had soup and Caesar salad with chicken. In the minestrone they put some potato and macaroni. I picked all those out. I did eat the few croutons from the salad.

Yesterday before church, Charlie and I went to Denny's. All their breakfast items include hash browns and pancakes. I got an omelet and had them leave both starches off my plate. I loaded the omelet with ham, bacon, and sausage. Not the most lean omelet but very high in protein. I even ate the eggs that Charlie picked off his Moons Over My Hammy sandwich.

I now have to add exercise which of course is the hardest of all. But, I figure, I have gone this far eating properly, I think I can add at least 2 days a week of exercise to start, then build up.

On nice Sunday's I will walk after church. If it is rainy I will have to find something else to do. I bought a bunch of work out DVD's when I moved into the apartment over a year ago, so maybe I will break those out. Or, maybe talk Charlie into going to the apartment gym once in a while. He went last night after doing his laundry, and spent about 20 minutes. I am going to try working my way up, starting slow, because I know if I try to go gung-ho I will burn out quicker.

In His Loving Arms

the I have not's and the I have's

I have been feeling really good about losing the 11 lbs in the first week of my “not a diet but a change in eating habits” thing. Everyone keeps reminding me that “it is probably just water weight” or something along that line. I know that the weight loss will not be that way every week, and probably not even close to it, and was reminded of that when I stepped on the scale this morning to see it a couple pounds more than it was on Monday morning!

I think the biggest thing for me is changing my eating habits. I mean, yeah I could stand to lose the weight, and I think I will do so, but in order to do that I HAVE TO CHANGE. I have to change how I think about food. I have to change how much I eat. I have to change what I eat. I have to change where I eat. NOW, WHO MOVED MY DAMN CHEESE!?!

Oh, yeah I can’t have cheese. At least not like I would like to. I did have some on my salad on Sunday, some yummy blue cheese…. yyyyuuuummm... *thinking of cheese* ... Ok, snap back to reality now.

CHANGE IS HARD. Gee, am I or not the first person to say so?? NOT. Ok, so it has been a week and a half. The positives other than the bit of poundage off my frame are these:

1. I have not had Chinese food, not even at church where I may have been “forgiven?!?”
2. I have not had PIZZA… mmmm cheese again.
3. I have not had Mexican food, that’s even been hard because I love going to Cilantro’s downtown and having a tostada with carnitas.
4. I have not had any candy. When I feel like breaking down and breaking open the bag of Kisses in the cabinet, I have settled for sugar-free gum. I even have it sitting just on the counter in the kitchen, right under that blasted cabinet with the Kisses.
5. I have not had any sugar, neither in my tea nor coffee. I have been sweetening my tea with Splenda, and my coffee with either Splenda or sugar-free flavored syrup.
6. I have not had any bread, tortillas, pasta, rice, or potatoes of any kind.
7. I have not had dairy (which I am allergic to by the way) meaning no ICE CREAM, no cream in my coffee, no yogurt, no cheese (other than the aforementioned).
8. I have had no cookies, crackers or chips.
   
   And also these other positives:
   
   
9. I have reintroduced myself to vegetables, with little or no butter/mayonnaise/dressing added.
10. I have started cooking at home. I was previously eating out at least 3-4 times a week. More if you count breakfast from the roach-coach each morning.
11. I have started eating fruit again. It is actually quite tasty. Blueberries frozen and straight from the bag, these are awesome, even if it turns my teeth purple.
12. I have learned that frozen pineapple and its juice is even better than just from the can.
13. I have been CLEANING my kitchen, learning that if I have to cook, then it has to be clean, or at least the dishes do.
14. I have started an avocado plant with a pit from one of my yummy avocados.
15. My son now knows that I can cook eggs, scrambled, that taste good.

Wow, I think this is a very impressive list.

*Patting myself on the back.*

Remaining in HIS loving arms…

Weekend Over

I made it thru the weekend, stuck to my diet. I went shopping for more fruits and veggies, even ate out and stuck to it! I walked quite a few blocks downtown after church yesterday, went to a new yarn shop. Looked at the fountain in front of the state capitol building, saw a guy who brought his 3 bunny rabbits to the capitol park to nibble on grass. It was a very nice Sunday!

I avoided the Chinese food that was served at church during fellowship hour.

My lunch was at the Hard Rock Sacramento, and I had a Citrus Grilled Chicken Salad, very yummy!

The scale this morning shows a total of 11 lbs less than it did last week at the same time!!!!

Needless to say: I am very happy with my progress.

WILL-POWER, WILL-POWER, WILL-POWER.

I have to stick to it

IN HIS LOVING ARMS

Diet Day 5...

OK… I have made it this far. Now the really tough part – THE WEEKEND. I am really going to have to be strong to make it thru the weekend. A lot of time on my hands, time to think and eat.

I have to admit: I have not exercised at all this week, in place of exercise I have gone to sleep to avoid eating, no change there! But, I avoided the chocolate and Chinese and Pizza for 5 whole days!

Total weight loss in the 5 days is 8 pounds though, so that gives me incentive to stick with it…. I hope! I am going to try to talk myself into walking when I feel like eating, just to get out of the house, and I have to get active anyways so that will be a start. It is a lot easier going back to bed and sleeping, rather than going outside and walking, no matter how beautiful the day may be.

I have a couple of brag moment to talk about. Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and I didn’t eat any of the candy that came across my desk. I kept it, but put it in the drawer for a later time, maybe when I lose some more weight. Or will end up throwing it away or giving to someone else.

The other thing that happened yesterday is that one of the supervisors brought in Valentine’s Day cookies. The really rich yummy ones from the store. Towards the end of the day someone walked around from person to person handing them out and I reached in and grabbed one, without even thinking. They smelled soooooo gooooood. There the cookie was, in my hand, and starting towards my face, when I remembered. I said outloud “OH, CRAP… what am I doing? I can’t have this.” Then I got rid of it quickly to another associate who was passing by.

I treated myself last night to half a cup of International Flavored Coffee, and I only put 2 small scoops in the cup, instead of the normal 4-5 heaping scoops.

I am feeling really proud that I have gone the 5 days. A co-worker said she can tell that I have lost some weight. Another added benefit, my skin breakouts are a lot less this week.

The song “Onward Christian Soldier” just popped in my head, as I was thinking about having will power for over the weekend.

Dieting...

I started a new diet on Monday. I have only tried real, planned, diets a couple of times before, because I do not like to plan things out. Traditionally, I have just tried to eat less, or eat out less, or exercise more … but nothing really thought out.

I got the diet from Health magazine and it seems pretty easy to follow, so far. The diet claims that you NEVER feel hungry. It suggests not eating dairy, grain or soy products, or eating very limited amounts. I am suppose to have at least 10 ounces of water with each meal.

I have to admit I am craving ice cream and candy. It is hard to not miss my favorite foods: Chinese and Pizza. Actually I have eaten more food in the past 2 days than I usually eat in one day, it is just very different type of food, and it is through out the day.

This diet is heavy on fruits and vegetables, with protein at every meal too.

I am feeling a little cranky and hungry, even though I am not really hungry. I believe it is just sugar withdrawals. I really wanted to eat some candy last night, I have bags of Kisses in the kitchen, but I had some will power and didn’t. Instead I fixed myself a cup of mint tea and used Splenda in it for the sweetness.

This is what my diet has looked like so far:

Monday breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, ½ cup blueberries, 1 banana
Monday break: 1 large orange
Monday lunch: lettuce wraps with turkey breast (abt 3 oz), ½ avocado, 1 roma tomatoe, mustard
Monday afternoon break: 1 apple with 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
Monday dinner: 4oz of steak, pan seared with Hoisin sauce, cooked in olive and sesame oil, 1 cup brussel sprouts
Monday evening snack: 1 cup of grapes

Tuesday (I didn’t go to work and slept til almost noon): 2 scrambled eggs, 2 lean turkey sausage patties, ½ avocado, 1 roma tomato, salsa and a smidge of sour cream
Tuesday dinner: leftovers: steak and brussel sprouts
Tuesday evening snack: grapes and 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Wednesday breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, 1 cup blueberries, ½ cup peaches
Wednesday break: orange
Wednesday lunch: 4 oz tuna fish, with 1 hard boiled egg, 2 tomatos, 3 celery stalks
Wednesday afternoon break: ½ cup baby carrots, 2 tablespoons peanut butter

I don’t know what I am going to have for dinner yet, probably chicken salad.

The diet also comes with a 20-25 minute workout, which I have not brought myself to do yet. But think I may start that this afternoon, as well as going to the gym at the apartment to do some treadmill or elliptical machine for a little bit. I am going to start slow on the exercise, because I really HATE it.