Blogging is hard for me. I'm not a writer. I'm a mathematician. Give me numbers and calculations, and I am good. Make me write something, and I run the other way. I just thought the easiest way to share with you this adventure in weight loss, will be to make some fun little lists! Who doesn't love a good list!
Things That I Have Learned While Losing Weight: Part One
1. It's not as hard as I've made it out to be in the past. It just takes discipline!!! Something I don't have enough of sometimes.
2. I love to cook! It is really a lot of fun. I have enjoyed learning new flavors and new techniques. My next goal is to buy a food processor and learn to make my own hummus!
3. Working out is not something I enjoy. I just hate it. End of story.
4. I do hope to like it one day. I've tried losing weight before and nothing works like good old diet and exercise.
5. Skinny people suck! Okay. Not really. My three best friends in my hometown are a size 8 and TWO size 0's. Seriously, how does one become a size 0. In mathematics 0 is the number that indicates the absence of any or all units or the value at which a function vanishes. So how does that become a jean size! :D I'm kidding, I love my friends they are amazing and are an excellent support system. But when we go out and I am sucking down waters and lettuce, while they're chugging on my beloved Dr. Pepper and chowing cheesy goodness, I get a little upset. But, moving on.
6. I have come to terms with the fact that I'll never be able to eat like I have in the past. I'm okay with that, and allow myself the occasional indulgence. Speaking of indulgences, my favorite aunt made my family as sweet potato pie yesterday. SWEET POTATO PIE! That has been my favorite fall dessert my entire life. I didn't have any yesterday, but I'm not making any promises for tonight!
I've tried to lose weight so many times. Nothing has worked permanently. All I want is to be healthy (and to look killer and a short dress!) I want my life. I want to be able to do whatever I want without my weight holding me back. I am sick of planning around my weight. So, I am going to do whatever it takes to take of the weight this time.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Notes From the Anti-Puritan of Food
The past few days interesting things have happened.
One thing I've learned about my own psychology is that when I feel deprived of something I get obsessed with having it. So if I swear off any food, I become fixated on it. It's sort of childish, but it's true. Because I don't like to feel boxed in, in any form. So I've learned to have a little of what I want, count the calories, healthy-side it up, and move forward.
This week I went out to get a fried chicken breast. Yes, fried. I was going to get one piece of chicken and come home to make a few healthy sides. Control the craving. All that. When I got home and opened the box they had given me an entire fried meal. Not the chicken breast I hoped for. I should probably mention I had just gotten home from a stressful, long day at work and was ravenous. Enter chicken strips, potato wedges, and biscuit. It's sort of like the feeling I imagine people have when they find $100 on the sidewalk. You know that's not yours; you know you will not be able to find the person who lost it; you have to question what the right thing to do would be. I devoured it. And it was 880 calories of goodness. Then I went to the gym to burn off most of the extra calories once I had finished thoroughly licking my fingers. The point? Life happens. We don't always eat the celery sticks. It is going to be ok. Because our outcomes are ultimately about trajectory, not each and every point and stop along that trajectory.
Things that have been helpful for me this week:
**Mint Green Tea (tea: 0 calories; 1 tbsp honey: 60 calories)
Hot tea, for me, is a comfort drink. I think my blood pressure drops 10 points just to sit and have a mug. And that's without consideration of the health benefits it touts. My favorite way to have it is with a little honey. If you're not a huge green tea fan, try mint green tea. It has more flavor and zest than most options.
**Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles (73 calories per truffle)
It's amazing how far one piece of chocolate can go. I have a close guy friend who parks himself on my couch on a regular basis. Lately he has been subject to my new product sampling. Even he only ate 3 truffles (which is a serving) before he was satisfied. And the man can eat.
**Special K Protein Shakes in French Vanilla (180 calories per bottle; 10 oz.)
If you're a fan of malts and shakes, this is for you. The texture is not the same but something about the taste is. And since I've been working out I really feel better having one of these now and then since there's 10g protein. 5g fiber.
**Mini Bags of Popcorn (most brands have a 100 calorie version, mine has 4g fiber)
You can dress popcorn up so easily depending on your mood. A little parmesan cheese. Cayenne pepper or red pepper. Cinnamon. A little imagination and Google will help you out here.
**Wheat Sandwich Thins (100 calories, 5g fiber)
They're so simple but so satisfying. I tried a sandwich thin with peanut butter for breakfast this week. Yes, please! It just works. I bought carving board turkey for the next round.
**Smart Ones Breakfast Quesadilla (220 calories)
It's crispy. It's cheesy. It has tons of flavor. Now, if I can manage not to burn myself out on them.
**Subway Kid's Meal
Some days you want something quick, easy, and small. This is it for me. A 4" sandwich with a bag of apple slices and a low-fat milk. It's enough, but it's not over the top.
**Half a Sandwich and a 120-calorie bag of Funyuns
I stumbled on this childhood favorite by accident. On a particularly busy day, I had to go grocery shopping before I had a chance to eat. So I bought a pre-made turkey sandwich on wheat bread in the deli. And, on a whim, picked up a bag of Funyuns near the checkout. Talk about flavor.
**Mini Bags of Chips
That last one brought up a good point. Pre-portioned bags of chips will always be a worthy buy for me. Like I said, I'm not into deprivation. But there has to be balance, too. I bought the fixings for my lean, vegetable-laden chili this week. And a few mini bags of Fritos. Because who doesn't want a portion-friendly Frito chili pie sometimes?
One thing I've learned about my own psychology is that when I feel deprived of something I get obsessed with having it. So if I swear off any food, I become fixated on it. It's sort of childish, but it's true. Because I don't like to feel boxed in, in any form. So I've learned to have a little of what I want, count the calories, healthy-side it up, and move forward.
This week I went out to get a fried chicken breast. Yes, fried. I was going to get one piece of chicken and come home to make a few healthy sides. Control the craving. All that. When I got home and opened the box they had given me an entire fried meal. Not the chicken breast I hoped for. I should probably mention I had just gotten home from a stressful, long day at work and was ravenous. Enter chicken strips, potato wedges, and biscuit. It's sort of like the feeling I imagine people have when they find $100 on the sidewalk. You know that's not yours; you know you will not be able to find the person who lost it; you have to question what the right thing to do would be. I devoured it. And it was 880 calories of goodness. Then I went to the gym to burn off most of the extra calories once I had finished thoroughly licking my fingers. The point? Life happens. We don't always eat the celery sticks. It is going to be ok. Because our outcomes are ultimately about trajectory, not each and every point and stop along that trajectory.
Things that have been helpful for me this week:
**Mint Green Tea (tea: 0 calories; 1 tbsp honey: 60 calories)
Hot tea, for me, is a comfort drink. I think my blood pressure drops 10 points just to sit and have a mug. And that's without consideration of the health benefits it touts. My favorite way to have it is with a little honey. If you're not a huge green tea fan, try mint green tea. It has more flavor and zest than most options.
**Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles (73 calories per truffle)
It's amazing how far one piece of chocolate can go. I have a close guy friend who parks himself on my couch on a regular basis. Lately he has been subject to my new product sampling. Even he only ate 3 truffles (which is a serving) before he was satisfied. And the man can eat.
**Special K Protein Shakes in French Vanilla (180 calories per bottle; 10 oz.)
If you're a fan of malts and shakes, this is for you. The texture is not the same but something about the taste is. And since I've been working out I really feel better having one of these now and then since there's 10g protein. 5g fiber.
**Mini Bags of Popcorn (most brands have a 100 calorie version, mine has 4g fiber)
You can dress popcorn up so easily depending on your mood. A little parmesan cheese. Cayenne pepper or red pepper. Cinnamon. A little imagination and Google will help you out here.
**Wheat Sandwich Thins (100 calories, 5g fiber)
They're so simple but so satisfying. I tried a sandwich thin with peanut butter for breakfast this week. Yes, please! It just works. I bought carving board turkey for the next round.
**Smart Ones Breakfast Quesadilla (220 calories)
It's crispy. It's cheesy. It has tons of flavor. Now, if I can manage not to burn myself out on them.
**Subway Kid's Meal
Some days you want something quick, easy, and small. This is it for me. A 4" sandwich with a bag of apple slices and a low-fat milk. It's enough, but it's not over the top.
**Half a Sandwich and a 120-calorie bag of Funyuns
I stumbled on this childhood favorite by accident. On a particularly busy day, I had to go grocery shopping before I had a chance to eat. So I bought a pre-made turkey sandwich on wheat bread in the deli. And, on a whim, picked up a bag of Funyuns near the checkout. Talk about flavor.
**Mini Bags of Chips
That last one brought up a good point. Pre-portioned bags of chips will always be a worthy buy for me. Like I said, I'm not into deprivation. But there has to be balance, too. I bought the fixings for my lean, vegetable-laden chili this week. And a few mini bags of Fritos. Because who doesn't want a portion-friendly Frito chili pie sometimes?
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