Two days in a row I didn't get my mega smoothie in before having to leave house. Credit for making my desperation smoothie. LOL. The solution today was to make my smoothie before I got busy with other things. Done. Potluck tonight Bringing smoked salmon, cheese and crackers. I have a plan for dealing with the multitudes of food. Spontaneous exercise this morning was walking a block in the dark to the community dumpster since the trash man can't get through our road anymore. I believe, that will be an all Winter event.
Ticker slipped up a pound. I believe it is due to a new lunch item I have been adding. So today I will pass on it. Certainly TGIF. Today I will walk a little more slowly, take time to sit with the kids, breathe deeply.
Hello. This was day two of waking up to a dusting of snow on the car. Ugh.Thankfully the weather forecasts are calling for warmish temps for the next few days. I'll take it.
Some things are happening that can't be ignored.
Our request for my mother to be moved to a different room in her long term care residence has happened. We had 24 hrs notice to get her extra items packed up and removed. The furniture needs to come out today. It could go into very short term storage but DH is on holiday so today we will get a van of some kind to deal with the three furniture items from my mom's room. There is a needlepoint chair with pillows. A sideboard/buffet that goes with the cabinet I have (1930's era) and there is a 6.5' glass curio cabinet with a light inside at the top.
Right after emptying my mom's room I developed a toothache. But it's not my tooth it's my gums and after ignoring/avoiding/postponing a trip to a periodontist I now have to go. I was at the dentist last night just to see if there is an abscess or if it is a tooth. Nope. Gum issue. Still hurts too. *insert Big Long Sigh here.*
And I am now 2 days behind getting specific info back to my new employer who has hired me to teach art to a group of disabled adults on the campus of the University of Toronto starting two weeks from now. Two people are waiting to hear back from me. The previous instructor is just not helpful, even to the point of being unwilling to simply tell em what size canvas the students worked on last time. So I move forward on my own with this.
And my own already-on-the-schedule xmas shows and sales begin in November as well. My work toward them has just come to a standstill. My consolation is once December comes all this frenzy will be smoothed out and I will be in some sort of routine. That will be good.
Foodwise. Not too rigid. Not binge eating, but not choosing well. But could be worse. Hovering between 269-271. Weight loss is not #1 priority=not happening. Oh well. It will come.
Make a plan. Another day with difficult decisions to fit into the hours that I have, not the hours that I wish I had. Okay, done, including the food plan that fits best around the day -- all excellent choices for light and healthy eating.
Remember that hunger is not an emergency. I was actually hungry before breakfast. That's a good sign that I'm achieving light and healthy eating, but it also may signal that this will be a hungry day. Herbal tea and water are my best solutions for hunger at inconvenient times. I also want to be strategic about when I have my snack around errands. I'm much better off if I don't leave the house hungry, even if that means eating my snack a little earlier than I like because I know that it will leave me hungry before supper. But, hunger isn't an emergency.
Be happy. I got a lot of things done this week and everything on today's list is reasonably pleasant if I remember that I signed up for these things because I wanted to do them.
Weigh-in: NA kg
Exercise: +40, 1125/1300 minutes for October
Food: 100% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
BillBlueEyes: Thanks for the shout-out to the Arch!
Last edited by gardenerjoy; 10-28-2016 at 11:23 AM.
A bit (well, a lot) worried about my brother who is having some tests today, and since I don't want to pester him, I'm waiting for him to call as he said he would. I thought he'd call right after the appt., but I guess he's calling after work. Fingers crossed it's something easily remedied.
Up early to make/bake the treats for DH's office pitch-in ... he texted me that they were a hit and had a half dozen people swing by to ask about them, which I know shouldn't, but does make me feel good. I saved one for myself and enjoyed that one. I think mentally saying, I'm planning to enjoy a couple, allowed me to really enjoy the one that was sufficient.
157.6 on the scale this morning. Pleased with it, even though I'm tailing down to about a pound per week but that's more than what I would have had at ww, where I seemed to average a half-pound each week. I think between us, we have only eight more pounds to go to get to "our" 60 down by Christmas. Thanks mainly to DH who has really done great!
Wearing a pair of size 10 Levi's that I'd not fit into in YEARS. I know bc I bought them and left the tags on because I couldn't fit into them WHEN i bought them. I'm finagling a credit out of that somehow.
Dinner will be turkey italian sausage medallions with sauteed onions and peppers and sweet potato cubes for the main dish. This is the phase where we amp up on healthy fats, so I'll be sauteeing them in olive oil and savoring them. Have to stop at the market for more veggies this evening and will do my main run on the weekend. We're enjoying the honeycrisp apple harvest as well ... now that they've come down from $4.99/pound to $0.99/pound in our area.
Bill - We did the exact same thing, thinking we'd get fun pencils/erasers/small toys ... and i figured I could donate the leftovers to the school where I volunteer - they don't want the kids getting a bunch of candy, but pencils are always needed and BOY do the kids love mechanical ones But at this point, I think we're just going the hershey's/reese's bags but I don't want this to get us off track at ALL. I'm fine with enjoying a couple favorites and calling it good. I think our USO at the airport would take candy donations.
Lexxiss - I admire your patience with the road project that will have you out in the ice/snow slogging your garbage to the community dumpster. I need to be more patient on some things in my world - acceptance.
Karen - Hope you're having a grand time with your company. You have more company in a year than we have ever!
Maryann - Peace to you this weekend ... hoping it's a time for good recharging! Credits to you for keeping sane through all of the challenges that have faced you this year. Good luck with your brother's issues. How difficult for you all.
Joy - I just reread your goal story this week ... to get a sense of your excitement when reaching goal. I hope to find that one day. It seems so long since I wasn't trying to lose weigh at least a few times a year - even just to knock off five pounds.
Food is pretty good. It helps that my friend who is here visiting is also trying to watch what she eats. We had planned to walk this morning, but it was pretty warm even first thing, so we went to the Y instead. My friend has a Y membership in WA, and my Y has a reciprocal agreement where she can go 7 times a year for free and after that it would be a small fee. I'm happy about that.
We didn't get to the movie yesterday cause a couple of other friends are in town from MN and a large group of them were at the pool yesterday, so we joined them for some visiting in the pool. We thought about going today, but Lynne didn't sleep well and we have happy hour with my former co-workers today, so she is trying to catch a nap. We still have a couple of days to see the movie.
Nationalparker I hope you hear from your brother soon and that he is going to be fine very soon. There is nothing more important than our health and it is such a worry to think there might be a problem. My two brothers are younger than I am and so far healthy.
GardnerJoy It's a good reminder to me that hunger is not an emergency. I had almost forgotten that, seriously. I still feel like I got home, had jet lag and just barely was getting over that and now have company. I don't feel organized or like I have had the time to refocus like I need to. Slowly I will get there. Your planning and saying what you are doing is helpful to me.
Onebyone Snow? Holy night, I'm just hoping for temps below the 90's. Seems crazy, huh?
Maryann TGIF! I hope you have some relaxation planned for the weekend. You know I so admire the job you do and the care you take of the kids you teach. They are so lucky to have you.
Lexxiss I'm looking at a food plan to follow called the Zero Belly Diet. There are smoothies for once a day. Do you use protein powder in yours and if so what kind?
Bill So I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'll let you know. I haven't purchased the Halloween candy yet either. I typically wait until the very last day so it isn't around to be a temptation.
Since I have a little quiet time I think I'll see what I can learn about the diet I'm thinking of trying. I'll let you know what I learn.
Saturday - Black Tuesday stock market crash (Wall Street, 1929)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Dental appointment with a different hygienist went well - the lecture to floss more was milder, LOL. Bad news is that one of my tooth caps needs to be replaced with a dental crown. I had thought that a tooth cap was for life if done properly. Oh well. Against all rational notions, the dental receptionist gave out fun-sized candy bars. Caught off guard, I gobbled one. At the supermarket I bought the standard candy bars for Trick-or-Treat. The good news is that they don't temp as long as the outer bag isn't opened.
My great achievement was to weave five errands into one journey. That included an hour+ charging my car at the FREE charging station while my teeth were cleaned - $1.25 worth of FREE electricity (that I have no idea who pays for). Dropping a book off at the library had the unfortunate, but should be predictable, effect that I walked out with a new book even though my stack is too tall already. Just have to read TED Talks to understand how they get so many neat folks to give killer good 18 minutes talks of such interest. I'll be ready just as soon as I do something to get invited on the show.
onebyone – Sending supportive thoughts as you deal with gums; I just wish they'd just sit there and do their job.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Gotta remember, "not the hours that I wish I had" when making the to-do list.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Gotta love the terminology: "mega smoothie, desperation smoothie." Kudos for "I have a plan for dealing with the multitudes of food."
maryann - Good plan for the day - sounds sane.
nationalparker – Sharing your tension waiting for medical news about your brother. ($0.99 per pound for Honeycrisp apples is better than I've ever seen around here.) Congrats on those Levi's.
Karen (karenrn) - Neat when a reciprocal Y gym agreement spans the continent. Congrats for thinking about a new diet.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8 Holiday Traps
#6: The Big Day Trap
You overeat on the holiday itself.
Hors d'oeuvres start at noon on Thanksgiving Day at Kathleen's house, and the family sits down for their big meal at one o'clock. In years past, Kathleen skipped her usual breakfast and dinner and just snacked. She was ready to try a different plan.
To eliminate snacking, Kathleen decided to start off with her normal breakfast. She wasn't sure what to do about the hors d'oeuvres, though. "It will be hard to eat them slowly and mindfully," she said, "because I'm either running around being the hostess or having such a good time talking to people that I barely notice what I'm eating." She decided to save two of her favorite hors d'oeuvres in the kitchen and eat them as part of her Thanksgiving lunch, when she'd be sitting down and could really appreciate them. She also decided that she would take only moderate portions of food, fitting everything (including the hors d'oeuvres and bread) on one plate without heaping it high, and would definitely skip seconds. She would also have a slightly smaller than usual dinner with one piece of her favorite dessert.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 165
Make a food plan. Lunch is at a restaurant, but that's not much of a challenge because I know exactly what I'll order -- a yummy salad that I've enjoyed many times before. The challenge will come in the mid- to late- afternoon. I'll end up with a dangerous combination of hunger and fatigue.
Make a plan to handle the afternoon. I have a couple of projects to choose from -- both are low-energy but highly satisfying. That will help. I'll drink herbal tea and water (dehydration is often a problem on Saturday, too). I'll allow myself to eat my snack as early at 3pm if I'm truly hungry. I seem to tolerate before-supper hunger better than mid-afternoon hunger.
Remind myself that hunger is not an emergency.
Weigh-in: NA kg
Exercise: +40, 1165/1300 minutes for October
Food: 100% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
We're enjoying a late summer weather day today - house is open for a bit before I run a couple of quick errands. Lunch to be bruschetta again - that worked well with our food plan last time. DH will pick up the sprouted grain rolls to slice very thinly and toast - will eat later so packing my snack for the road - carrot sticks and raw almonds. Our servings are generous so I have to measure because I keep shorting my portions on the healthy fat/proteins. Every now and then I think, oh let me cut that back but that's not how it work.
News from my brother wasn't great but still more testing to continue. Nothing will really be known for another two weeks until next round of tests are complete and he meets with the hematologist, already set up.
Scale bumped up to 158.2 - now used to the three days of gains today, Sun and Mon, before the losses get rolling again. The familiarity of the cycles is comforting now.
The holiday trap today in the Beck pullout spoke to me - I think I'm cutting all hors d'oeuvres for our Thanksgiving. There's plenty of food at the meal, which is mid-afternoon. Perhaps I'll just do mixed nuts and hummus/bell pepper and rice crackers for them .. then it's stuff on our plan and can fit in with the snack time, but nothing fancy schmancy like years before - homemade cheese straws, sausage/cheddar balls, etc. Well, not FANCY, but ...
Bill - Smiling at your library "exchanges" ... I keep checking out books but never finding the time to even start a few before they're due back. I have to start a list of books to keep in mind. Our library doesn't have a feature that lets me see what I've checked out before.
Karen - Good luck with researching the new food plan - and that you find the one that will work best with your lifestyle, activity level.
Joy - Can you add add'l protein and healthy fat to the salad or as a side to help with feeling fuller longer into the afternoon and taking water with you to drink on the way to/from the lunch? I find that I drink a lot in the car and not even really aware of it until I hit bottom. I consciously try to drink more on the weekends because I'm not sitting near my water like I am during the week.
Last edited by nationalparker; 10-29-2016 at 12:00 PM.
Wow. I just wrote a page long post and it was swallowed alive. DRAT!! It was pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself
Now you guys get the barebones:
Reframe thought of the day: I embrace change. Change is alchemic: relationships, places and patterns that were not serving me well are going through a painful process right now but they will come out golden. Exhibit A: Family. Reunions that would send me into a vat of mac and cheese now don't exist. Instead I have individual relationships with members that are healthier and I am four pounds from goal. Painful but, in the end, healthier. Exhibit B: Work. I left the middle school where I was the darling to go to a high school where I have been hounded by a union and crazy parents. But DH and DS have seen me through making those relationships stronger. And there is some success if I look kid by kid. Yesterday one of my soph kids ( failed Frosh English last year) said in class, "What have you done to me? I found myself accidentally reading my book this morning!)
So credit for walking the walk.
Tonight, I get to go to the new Sacramento Kings arena. We have had season tickets for years. This makes a date with DH every week in the month of Oct. This is a good thing. I will eat before I go. There is nothing there that will help me stay OP. I'll treat myself to a Decaf latte.
nationalparker: How exciting to get into those Levis. There is not a better feeling. I remember that chapter in Beck that reminds us every success is directly due to effort. It is not due to magic or chance.
Lexxiss: The road situation sounds like chaos. Super credit for not falling into useless resentment.
BBE: That is a riot to be offered candy at your dentist. While i have lapsed at work with some Tootsie rolls, I have left the devil chocolate to others. This is the first year I have completely ignored Halloween. I think we will go to the movies instead.
onebyone: Credit for caring for your mother. What a godsend you are to her.
gardenerjoy: Thanks for the herbal tea reminder. Often I am not hungry, just dehydrated.
KarenRn: Do tell about your investigations into the new diet.
Calories were right at the top yesterday and will likely be there again today. Lynne and I did get out for a 90 minute neighborhood walk today. It was 67 degrees so that was nice. It was at least 10 degrees warmer by the time we got back which was pretty warm for her, but okay for me. I have lots of nice walking areas on the green belt and along the golf course. Mid-way we stopped at Starbucks for the ice tea, which was also nice for a change.
We did go see A Man Called Ove and both just loved it. I had read the book and Lynne hadn't. I think most people would like it and even though there were some sad parts, it was quite funny and no tears.
This afternoon we have our UW Husky's playing football, so I'm kind of watching them and Lynne took the car to go shopping. We have good shopping here if a person is into that sort of thing.
I'm still looking into the new diet plan. I found a list of foods in the Zero Belly Facebook group, so that is helpful. It focuses a bit more on plant based, limits red meat and says to avoid processed foods, saturated fat, sugar, refined grains, wheat, dairy, canned foods with BPA lining, fruit juice (eat whole fruit), and white root vegetables as well as gas producing foods.
I think I'll make a few recipes from the cookbook, find a smoothie recipe for a stand-by and see how it goes. It isn't so different from how I try to eat except the limit on dairy and wheat (which I do try to limit some).
Maryann I love that the kid admitted to reading his book. In the movie I saw today, the main character's deceased wife was a well loved teacher. There is more to it than that; I think you would like it.
Nationalparker I was just talking about Thanksgiving with my friend today and admitting I'm too lazy to make all the things I used to make. She said, "Good, most people don't want all that anyway." And you know what, I think that is true.
Just got up to get another water, as I read your post GardenerJoy. I know thirst is my problem some of the time and I have not been good getting in enough water.
Bill It sounds like you had a very productive day. 5 in 1 errands is super. I hate those unexpected dental procedures too. It seems in my mouth there is always something. Luckily nothing too serious yet.
Sunday - War of the Worlds broadcast (Radio, 1938)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Exercise was a bird walk, CREDIT moi, looking for fall migrating ducks. There were a bunch, including one lone Double-crested Cormorant and one lone Yellow-rumped Warbler which must intend to winter over. The ducks were the expected for the season.
Eating was OK; I had a lot to do that faced deadlines so I did all of my snacks. Good news is that evening snack was a Honey Crisp apple that was as good as it gets. Yay for apples!
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Recognize this, "dangerous combination of hunger and fatigue."
maryann - Wonderful story, "accidentally reading my book" - you've planted something, like there's more than one farmer in your household. Congrats for choosing to see a close victory over the Timberwolves.
nationalparker – Good idea - hors d'oeuvres just add calories consumed (not replace calories) so cutting them out is pure savings.
Karen (karenrn) - Neat to do 90 minutes of walking with your friend. Your food list leaves plenty of room for veggies and squash.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8 Holiday Traps
#6: The Big Day Trap
Kathleen though it might be difficult to avoid taking seconds, so we did some problem solving and she made the following reminder card:
Remember, I have a strong tendency to fool myself.
I think I'll have 1 or 2 more things and then stop.
But I don't. This year will be different! This time, if I
want seconds, I'm going to fix myself a second plate
and save it for dinner.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 166
A phone check in this morning as I have been called into work. I was certain the boss lady could fill the spot and was just looking for someone so she could stay home. I voiced to her that I had taken on a big project this week planning around my days off and I had already been called in on Wednesday. We agreed that I would go in early and she would come in by 10. Credit for stating my needs. It's part of my codependent recovery which is definitely connected to food, for me.
We are having what I am calling a second Spring here. After having several killing frosts, the weather has been in the high 60s and mid 70s for weeks. Since there is no active yard maintenance; watering or mowing, a rare opportunity has presented itself.
At my DH's suggestion we started scraping and painting our porch Wednesday, before I got called into work. We have an old Victorian wraparound porch with weathered spindles. The deck is original fir tongue and groove and some of it is pretty rough shape. I don't think the porch was original but the house was built in 1887. He sanded most of the porch and got overwhelmed about some other stuff and bailed on the project. Since I am really trying to cross some projects off the list, and since we have such beautiful weather, I decided to pace myself and proceed forward. This will be such a huge accomplishment having it finished headed into Spring. I have made great progress and have picked a reasonable stopping point going up the structural posts. There's no way I can complete all the ornate work up top this year.
This project has sidelined my yard efforts, my goal being to have new beds tilled and ready for planting this Coming Spring. i believe that with all the weeding for the past few years and with my road project soil replacement plan this is a realistic goal, again with the nice weather we're having. I think I can finish the porch on Wednesday then move into the yard.
Food planning has gone downhill however I am making pretty decent choices. I thought long and hard and have decided I am going to work long and hard on these projects until it freezes ( I have at least 10 days! ) and then settle into a indoor, winter based weight loss plan. I am maintaining my lower weight right now and recognize just how rewarding it will be for ME to accomplish both of these projects. Credit. Again, so food related for me. I did, however, make bison meatballs this morning with diced veggies added. A pound of bison made 34 meatballs. I counted. I vacuum sealed half for down the road and will enjoy meatballs with marinara and spaghetti squash for the next three days.
So mom just called. I need to walk over and put her compression socks on before work.
Karen, I make my own protein blend as I am not fond of whey. I mix Chia seeds, hemp seeds and ground flax and equal portions. In addition to my veggies and fruit( in moderation ) I add a greens powder. The product is called green vibrance. I have used it for years and notice the extra cake I get from it it. I add a hefty piece of ginger root and my smoothie is definitely not for taste. Pure nutrition.
Start with a plan. My weeks work best if I make Sunday all about planning and all about being cozy at home. But, I will need to get to a grocery store today. That could make lunch easier if I pick up something, but that's one of the things that took me off course a couple of weeks ago. If what I pick up is a salad bar with a little protein, that could work. (It's the sandwich that caused the problem last time). So, I'll plan on a good salad for lunch. Today is a bread-baking day -- that can be tricky for me, but an extra-light lunch opens up options for me. That will help.
Enjoy the spirit of Sunday, new moon, eve of Halloween.
Make a good plan for the week. I never managed that last week and it added to my challenges.
Weigh-in: +0.6 kg
Exercise: +40, 1205/1300 minutes for October
Food: 100% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
I'm with Joy - My Sundays have all been about planning - first for the marketing list, which now is pretty standard, so I said I'm going to come up with it and then just mark out what I don't need. Have been on my feet all day except now, sitting down to get an hour of office work in before hopping in a hot bath, hopefully. A coworker is out tomorrow so I have his data to handle as well, no biggie, but wanting to get a head start on it. Got the pasta sauce made for tomorrow and next Monday, the breakfast apple bars baked and portioned out, turkey burgers grilled and two frozen for mid-week (have really spiced them up and like them now). Surprisingly I don't miss the buns at all. Roasted Brussels sprouts again this Sunday evening (and took my beano first - learned my lesson), along with diced spiced sweet potato cubes and pork (DH) and turkey burger (me).
I slept (or didn't) horribly last night, managing about two hours until 6 a.m. Aiming to sleep hard tonight. I left our windows open because the temps were great and lke the fresh air. Coyotes were LOUD last night, and were hunting and catching things and to hear the screams and yipping was unsettling. I don't mind their vocalizing - but at one point it was so close that our pooch got in the window and started woofing - just low "woof" ... "woof" ... and our kitty was so scared she was under the bed, growling. Then after the dog went back to sleep, she was crying in her sleep. Such a strange night. A long way around of saying windows will be closed and I took a benadryl and fingers crossed for sleep.
Scale stayed the same today - typically it's up a bit more today and even more on Monday. We'll see how the rest of the week goes. Goal is 156.x by Friday morning.
three
Saturday - Black Tuesday stock market crash (Wall Street, 1929)
