Sunday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Not a lot of exercise - Ouch. Too many things scheduled indoors. We had some booming thunder along with a swish of rain to rid the walks of most of the snow. Warmed up above 60 F - enough to start worrying that the trees will get seduced to bud too early. I did make it to the supermarket where I replenished our salad makings. We were flat out of lettuce and mushrooms both. DW thinks mushrooms in our salad have some major health benefit; I think they're tasty so we're both happy.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, including snacks to make the streak 53. I'm going to continue counting my streak since that's been nearly magic for me in breaking the snackies. Dinner was the last of DW's huge pot of Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup. We have bean soup from several different mixes but Bob's is always the best. We were out to a play last night so avoiding snacking wasn't difficult. Watched some young folks buying large New York style pretzels at intermission - can't imagine how many carbs in one of those.


onebyone – Love the dipped left hand and the turned left foot of your dancer in bunny slippers. Yay for earned movies. Our next is August: Osage County - Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts both.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Now I want me some "goat cheese tart with fresh fennel" which I will arbitrarily assume is better for me than Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – It's so strange that you've had extreme heat down under while we've had extreme cold in North America. LOL that your pups are posed as African wildlife. Kudos for those 11,620 steps. I don't know why the calorie counting programs suggest extra calories to fill the void created by some exercise. I like the notion that 518 calories means a seventh of a pound had to melt away to support that.

maryann - I hate, hate, hate the reality that we need less food as we age. I was even thunder-struck eight years ago when I read that I needed less food as I lost weight. I have occasion to pass by the dining room of an assisted living facility; the servings are tiny and the residents appear to be nibbling around the corners of that. [ /Rant] Good luck with your 49's down in North Carolina this afternoon.

nationalparker – Yay for healthy Thai food. Wondering what are "healthy lettuce cups." LLBean mail order is one of the best. DW and I both get all our turtle necks from there and both wear their winter coat. I don't know why we're so hard on ourselves about food; you're right, eating early is not a crime.

ForMyGirls - Kudos for raising a DD who can be "super excited to be allowed to have a whole cob of corn all to herself." As well as Kudos for separating yourself from needing to eat your kids brownies.

systemsaddict - Joyous thought, "as I realise more advantages of eating well. They are accumulating daily." Kudos for building up your freezer for tough days.

AZtricia - We don't plant the Flowering Kale because DW says that it bolts sooner than the other. Maybe I can buy some when the Farmers' Market opens this summer. LOL at food disappearing quickly with 3 boys. My adult DS stopped by the other day while we were eating dinner, so made himself a bowl of cereal to chat with us. Then had another. Wow! - two bowls of cereal before his dinner was his teenage behavior.

Readers -

Hi Coaches!

I continue to follow everyones' progress which does help me lots, even though I'm having a difficult time posting. Thank you all!

I continue to try and find a balance between real work, our project, my moms many medical appts. and my own personal care. DH and I are pretty tired these days, yet we both stay in a good frame of mind and know we need to keep going. "Food" is not being planned in advance, yet my knowledge of "my plan" and my practiced ability to keep our home stocked with OP foods has made these "unplanned meals" pretty easy. Sometimes I bring something home from work for DH and find something simple for myself. We are sleeping at odd hours, knowing we need more rest than usual, too. Yesterday was a difficult day at work....I snacked on toast (more than my usual allotment) but can find credits; I had a healthy breakfast sandwich and stayed away from all goodies and designated "bad foods". I continue to weigh everyday and remain in my maintenance zone. credit.

I'm off to the project again this morning. There IS no rest for the weary. lol. I was willing and ready to take today off but we are close to finishing another milestone and coworkers wanted to finish. I do anticipate it to be a short day which will give me time for rest.

Take care all! I look forward to being a more active participant here one of these days.

Good Morning, Coaches.

OP day included sushi. A little bump in weight this morning due to sodium. Not too bad and it was a nice treat. i was excited about my first time cooking quinoa - a great recipe with steam broccoli, orange sections and sesame oil. DS liked it. Nice walk planned for today. This will be a good balance to sitting on my behind during the football game.

gardenerjoy: Have you reviewed Wheatbelly? I just saw the book in the library.

nationalparker: The Boys and I tried a new sushi place and that was fun. I want to encourage locally owned places as well. My calorie count has always been aimed at 1600. That's why I lost only .5 a week but at least it came off.

AZtricia: Credit for the Kale. That is one food I just can't cozy up to. I wish I could.

systemsaddict: Credit for checking in. I know I will only be posting 3-4 days a week when school starts for me tomorrow.

ForMyGirls: Super Credit for not rationalizing a bite of brownies. Eating does not prove love.

BBE: Thanks for the luck with the 9ers. I think we will need it.

Lexxiss: Thinking good thoughts about a possible easy day.

Just a quick visit to show that I'm still in the game. I have a busy day to get ready for a busy week. Today includes a rare Sunday grocery run so that I don't end up having to make choices among bad options later in the week. I'll lay in good options today.

WI: NA kg, Exercise: +35 570/1400 minutes for January, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

maryann: I've heard good things about Wheat Belly. Bread, baked from scratch in a bread machine, is a big part of my healthy diet and identity. So, I tend to avoid the no-carb / low-carb books. But I recommend books to others when I hear good things. It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig helps a lot of people get going on Paleo.

Starting off with the thought of how absolutely wonderful having a courtyard would be, Seadwaters! Please appreciate it even a bit more today, knowing how glorious I picture that to be and how many dream plans I have in mind for one. Despite the fact that it would most certainly not "go" with my dream log home. But dreams are fun. :)

Very gloomy day has turned sunny and for that I'm thankful because for some unknown reason (not the Colts' loss; I am not that deeply invested) I am in a major funk today.

This was the weekend I'd set to take down the Christmas decor, which is minimal this year, and in a rustic, pioneer/winter vein. Last night DH mentioned it and I got upset, saying I have been worried that my mom would just make it through the holidays and I think in my mind I feel if I officially end Christmas here (of course it IS ended), that it will not bode well. Completely unreasonable and I know that, but ... I will leave it up and tackle it tomorrow evening alone as he works.

Have wandered to the pantry, oh, about 23 times so far today, and luckily I keep coming away empty-handed for the most part. Have carrots and onions roasting in the oven with a bit of olive oil/s+p and they smell wonderful.

Bill - My lettuce cups (http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/...-lettuce-cups/) are ones I'm looking forward to trying - with a few modifications of diff/less oil and less meat/more veggies. Bought hoisin sauce for the first time. Edited to add: Used ground turkey since I had that in freezer, removed a third of the meat to save for another recipe, used double carrots and a bit less of the hoisin and soy sauce to cut sodium a bit ... sent it in with DH to work and I had for dinner as well. This was good and will stay in the montly rotation. Will look to add diff veggies.

Maryann - Thank you for the insight of your 1,600-calorie method because I was feeling rather guilty going to 1,400 ... my sister is drastically cutting back on ww and the pounds are just dropping off quickly, yet I know we're approaching this two different ways. But I'd LOVE a week with two pounds down :) Ah well, we're all different.

OneByOne - Love the dancer with bunny slippers - It made me smile. Thank you for attaching it. I look forward to see it in its next stage, as well, and like your insight of liking those projects at each stage as you don't know that it'll make the next stage intact. I feel that's an analogy for us all in our life ventures, no? Let us know what movies you choose! I want to see the one Bill's listed, but also want to see Monuments Men ... at times there are no movies out for ages that I want to catch; other times, many.

Hello on this Sunday afternoon. I'm still doing well tracking meals. Dog slept till 5:30, so I have hopes of not being groggy sometime soon. Need to exercise as I've missed a couple. I will be able to get a good workout in tomorrow while the boys swim, and the mail today had a coupon for 3 individual coach sessions which I plan to redeem soon to learn more about what I can do and the facility.

nationalparker Understand the need to vent. It is a process to learn the "Oh well" and giving credit. Eating early is not all bad if you are able to eat less and an article from WebMD I saw at the doctors office said that those people who've lost weight and kept it off tended to eat most of their calories early in the day.

onebyone Congrats! Have you picked your movies yet? So great that your MRI was negative. Have a great session with your trainer!

systemsaddict Great job on building up healthy meals in the freezer. :) We'd all pay $$$ for an advantages pill, bummer that there is no easy way. Hope you were able to read another Beck day as they all have such great information and encouragement.

ForMyGirls Mmmm, hot chocolate sounds yum. Great job resisting cookies, brownies, & seconds! LOL about your daughter's corn cob.

seadwaters Hurray for 3 OP. three in a row. I had to look where you are when you posted about the heat...have you always lived in Australia? I will have to look into the Kefir as I know someone with extra grains. It is great that your sister is able to garden and share kale with you. I've a recipe for kale chips but have never tried them.

BillBlueEyes Glad to hear it is warming up there. Credit to you for finding a way to break the snackies. Funny about the cereal. With my oldest it is eat a whole meal, then have a couple thick slices of our whole grain raisin bread.

Lexxiss It is great that you now have the ability to stock healthy foods and maintain without conscious effort. I hope you are able to find balance in your life.

maryann Can you share your quinoa recipe? I have some and would like something my guys will eat. You might like the flowering kale better because it is more stem than leaf and sweet, not as strong a flavor. (picture: .willowaynurseries.com/gallery/photos/kale_peacock_red.jpg

gardenerjoy Great job setting your week to start on the righ foot with planning and groceries. Baked from scratch (in a bread machine) has made a huge difference in our healthy diet. We grind fresh grain, soak it, and run the machine. Oldest loves it with raisins and chia seed inside.

again.
 

Coaches

I feel like I went down the rabbit hole today. Wow. I ended up in "competitive eating mode" or something that felt like it as DH was eating candy I wanted some and he gave me some and then I wanted my own and I got it and ate it and gave him some and then the neighbour brought us food, kibbes, and I just simply ate those and I have now stopped.

Every time I succeed, I sabotage the weight # I see on the scale pretty much that day or the next day. I need lots of outside voices to help counter the inner urges. I am really really hoping seeing myself return to the gym and work with a trainer and check in here and focus on my health, that slowly all these positive actions will help counter the messages I have that urge me to stay as I am. It's very frustrating. Although, I can tie it to feelings of pressure: pressure to make things to a schedule, to make not just good things, but GREAT things--this is the evil of perfectionism in my work life--plus a trip to Ottawa coming up and seeing lots of people. I also had to contend with my brother's stuff and that has stirred up feelings. So, emotional eating/stress eating. I still don't choose to do something else. I continue to choose to use food to soothe me. I need to work on this or I will never become the fit, healthy, long-lived vital person I know I can be.

I'm also not sure how to overcome the internal image I have of myself. When it comes to being successful losing weight, I try to see it but I can't. I have no experience of being an adult at a normal weight. I don't even know what it is like to feel all of your bones under your skin with a normal amount of flesh over them.

I've got a lot of internal work to do. I'm going to do it.

Have a good evening everyone.

I survived the cake experiment! :D Will write more tomorrow . :)

**LIKE :carrot: Moebug"I survived the cake experiment! :D Will write more tomorrow . "

Hi all,

Today is Day 32 of my 'recording everything' streak. It was also an OP day with good choices and an afternoon walk!

I just finished planning next week's meals and making tomorrow night's grocery list. It's a pretty short list since DD and I inventoried the freezer before the Big Party and I used that to plan the meals. The primary shopping items are all produce. The entrees are going to be from the freezer.

I'm starting to plan the next Big Party. (I also committed to a Small Party in February--that's just an ordinary evening party.) The Big Party in March is actually held at a hotel and my BFF and I are in charge of the food. For now, I'm doing planning--I love spreadsheets--and making sure that looking at all the items we're buying/making doesn't send me into craving snackland!

After I finish posting, I'll go pack tomorrow's lunch and afternoon snack and enter all of tomorrow's food into MFP. I really do follow it best when it's all in there the night before.

Moebug: Way to go on the cake experiment--let us know what you decided to do!

onebyone: Congrats on your first movie goal, but this is such a hard journey. Can you identify what is most difficult for you? Are you planning and sticking to a plan? Or not planning and making choices as you go? Can we help?

AZtricia: Credit for tracking your food! I'll be interested in knowing what 'coach sessions' turn out to be.

nationalparker: Credit for empty-handed retreats from the pantry. Pantries can be dangerous. I saved the lettuce cup recipe--I think I'll try it when we finish the freezer contents!

gardenerjoy: Credit for making the grocery run, even off schedule, to make it easier to make good choices during a busy week!

maryann: Yum to sushi! How did the quinoa come out? I have a box in the pantry but aren't sure what to do with it!

Lexiss: Thinking of you as your project moves along--real credit for being in the groove of OP foods for not planned in advance meals! I would think that's what we'd all like to get to some day. (I don't know if that's "enlightened" or just "not struggling".)

BillBE: 53 days--that's awesome. I hope the trees don't bud early--I'm always so disappointed when they bud and freeze. (Oh, and I let DD have both buckeyes!) (Credit for that because I love buckeyes.)

seadwaters: Credit for 3 days of planned and OP in a row! I see on MFP how well you're doing. Everyone raves about kale chips. I guess I ought to try making it.

ForMyGirls: You're off on your trip--I hope your special holiday response cards are speaking to you. Big credit for facing down cookies and brownies--and seconds at dinner. That's major!

systemsaddict: Reporting 11 days of OP eating is fantastic! Figuring out regular planned exercise is hard--especially with kids to work around.

maryann: DD is in college--but she wants to transfer, hence another visit and another decision. I don't wanna think I can't have 3 meals a day in maintenance :-( -- but you're probably right!

I'm off to pack lunch and then get some sleep!

Yesterday was more challenging for eating, after a morning in the lovely vbut cold garden my planned salad seemed hugely unappealing! So I had soup instead, which wasn't completely OP (had some carbs in) but not far off; need to find an OP soup to keep on hand for such days. But apart from that, was OP the rest of the day, despite kids being majorly challenging, and was rewarded by not feeling completely exhausted in the evening and managing to get to bed at a reasonable time.

nationalparker lettuce cups! I used to do these when eating controlled-carb before and I'd forgotten how great they are, thank you!

onebyone I know that stress / perfectionism / pressure eating well, and it can hit you just when you least expect it too. Have you got any specific strategies for when you are offered candy? I have a box on the kitchen counter that I put candy in when I want to eat it, and then fit it into my planned eating at another time. (Or take it out if I don't want it any more.) I have learned from my son's psychologist (he has Aspergers) the importance of real physical visual cues for 'you can't have this now, but you can have this later' for handling frustration.

Monday evening
 

Coaches/buddies

Another day of on-plan eating (day 4). I planned to go to a paleo hamburger joint for lunch where I could refuse the bun and have small chips (fries) and I did exactly that. I have one more week on leave during which I have my birthday as well. So I am planning outings for food that don't put me over the edge. I am trying to consolidate my fermenting practices before I go back to work so that it is manageable with limited time. I have really enjoyed putting my interest in food to some productive and healthful end. This morning I had my first kefir and protein smoothy and it felt, and tasted, good. Unfortunately todays kefir ferment went to the dogs as it was overfermented by about 3 hours (cheese) - they did enjoy it. My dill pickles actually taste like dill pickles - amazing! My evening meal is all prepared and I am looking forward to finishing the day on plan.

I found a more lively and in character photo of my girls fighting over a ball - they look happier doing that than pretending to be alpha African animals

Credit for doing my steps and kilometres
Credit for planning and being on plan
Credit for planning food for tomorrow
Credit for logging all my food today on MFP in an unbroken streak of 45days

BillBE - Glad today's excerpt is about sensible goals - it reminds me to firstly set them, and secondly make them relevant and realistic. REALLY hope the trees don't bud - the weather is crazy
Debbie (Lexxiss) - waving - credit for staying on plan and on project in some challenging circumstances
Maryann - Quinoa is great but there are debates about whether it is Paleo/primal so I avoid it. I used to make Quinoa based tabbouli (replace the wheat with quinoa) which was fabulous - love tabbouli.
Nationalparker - I do apreciate my courtyard :) and so do the dogs otherwise they would be locked in a unit all day. But it is small! I have filled it with herbs and lettuce and tomatoes and chard. It is great. Sorry for your thoughts of your mother - this was the first christmas without either parent and it was indeed different. Credit for not raiding the pantry
AZtricia - Glad the dog is sleeping in! Good luck with the gym and exercise. The free sessions with coaches are always worth it! Yes I have always lived in Australia - have travelled a little bit but not enough! Kale chips are yummy
Moebug - YAY for surviving the cake experiment - totally wonderful
Beth(FromDayton) - Yay for 32 days streak of recording everything. You are so organised with meal planning way ahead of time. I may be doing well with planning and logging but I am still the same weight - it is not moving! Makes it hard to maintain focus
Systemsaddict - couldn't imagine a winter without soup so hope you are successful in finding one - they are out there

Monday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Exercise was a bird walk, CREDIT moi, with a whole bunch of folks who wondered what would be out on a chilly January day. Three Red-tailed Hawks rewarded us as well as the usual. The nearby lake was frozen so water fowl weren't around.

Another day of eating on plan, CREDIT moi, including snacks to increment my streak to 54. Temptations included a table of socialization-snacks that included the beginning of the month of Girl Scout cookies being brought to groups by folks who don't want to eat them. Our bird walk included Fig Newtons that I ignored; I'm want to think of them as fruit to justify eating a handful.


onebyone – Ouch for tension and stress and for the feeling that food will release it. You've faced this barrier before; you've got the stuff to cross it.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for daily bread in moderation.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Energizer Bunny you are. Continued Kudos for staying away from all the visible food at your work.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – I feel more relaxed looking at your playful pups instead of the "alpha African animals." Neat that you're conquering this fermenting business.

maryann - Yay for Sushi. Double Yay for locally owned Sushi places since I want to see the eyeballs of the person preparing raw fish for me. Congrats on your 49'ers victory yesterday. Perhaps our Patriots will meet them in the Super Bowl - if those pesky Seahawks and Broncos don't interfere.

nationalparker – Continue to send supportive thoughts for your mom. Kudos for 23 trips to the pantry that resulted in carrots and onions roasting - when there were likely some bad choices available. Thanks for the lettuce cups recipe. I do love Butter Lettuce - that we call Boston Lettuce.

Beth (bethFromDayton) – Kudos for cleaning out the freezer by planning meals around it. [Some gratitude is due your DD for her sacrifice of eating both Buckeyes to spare her mom.]

systemsaddict - Any day survived with "kids being majorly challenging" is worthy of Kudos. Do you make soup from scratch or based on packaged or can?

Maura (Moebug) - Kudos for planning your cake confrontation and surviving.

AZtricia - Yay for individual training sessions to learn your facility. I wish that I'd use a trainer ever visit to force me into correct form.

Readers -

My busy week starts with a family business appointment, four hours away. I’m looking forward to one aspect, though – we’re taking a nephew with us. He’s the first of the next generation to take an interest in the business so it will be fun to introduce him to it and to spend that much time with him.

I have a plan for where we’ll stop for lunch, a big question mark for a snack, and a plan for supper with food that I prepped last night so that we could pull it together quickly and easily when we get home.

I’m also committed to doing at least 15 minutes of stretches when I get home so that I don’t break my streak of daily exercise, currently at 177 days.

Thanks to whoever mentioned (was it on this thread or another?) that Girl Scout Cookies can be purchased to be donated to someone else without my ever seeing them. With modern technology, I didn’t even see the Girl Scout! I got email with a link to place my order with the Girl Scout in my life. Presumably, I’ll see her, or her mother, at some point when they want the money.

WI: NA kg, Exercise: +30 600/1400 minutes for January, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

One more time
 

Beth(FromDaylton) - I went off to find my kale chip recipe to send to you and somehow got distracted and didn't post a personal. Not sure I would go to buy kale just to make them but it sure is a good way to use up a glut of it. Let me know if you want a recipe I found which is one of the better ones I've tried. Credit for another day on plan and with a walk. It must be warming up a bit is it? Yet more party practice coming up! You will soon be expert at hosting and surviving them unscathed

Systemsaddict - was reading this paleo recipe for Kombu Ginger Chicken Soup on Marks Daily Apple and wishing it was winter. You might like it