I started to write an email to my sister and then I thought let me go ahead and post it here.
I started to apologize to her for constantly ranting about my weight struggles. I then started to get into one of the things I think is causing a large part of my problem. That's when I stopped and decided to post it here....airing some dirty laundry so to speak.
Stress. My mother always seemed to be worried about something when I was growing up. I used to joke with her that she wasn't happy unless she had something to worry about. It has occurred to me on more than one occasion that I'm just like her in that regard. I stress over my weight for sure. I tend to stress over money as well.
Not sure why I'm stressing over money. I'm not independently wealthy, but I have enough money to cover the bills each month and put a bit into savings. We live a comfortable life. I've been at my job for 13yrs and there's no indication it's going to end anytime soon. Yet I still worry.
Growing up my family did struggle with finances. My father became disabled when I was 8yrs old. My mother had to go back to work and there were times when things were tight. Not that we fully understood when we were young, but you don't forget trying to drink powdered milk. Looking back on those events I wonder how they influence my thoughts today. I don't think its a fear of not having enough. I think its simply stress makes you feel hungry.
As a child and young adult I was active enough that I could get away with eating anything I wanted. I played various sports, rode my bike, swam, hiked, etc. Then I got a desk job and that cut into the activity level, but I still played sports. Slowly as I got older those sports fell by the wayside as I worked two and three jobs to make ends meet....there's that financial stressor again. Now I'm 52 and 70lbs overweight.
I never got back to playing sports and now everything aches. The arthritis some days makes going up and down the stairs difficult. And my money fears, although unfounded, have followed me. Not sure where this leaves me. Maybe by airing this 'dirty laundry' I start to work towards letting go of unnecessary stressors. Yeah I understand I could lose my job tomorrow and those stressors become real, but why invite unnecessary stress into my life.
I'm going to make a concentrated effort to let go of needless worry. I'm going to try and accentuate the positive steps I make and not turn it into a rant about my weight issue. I don't expect sunshine and lollipops overnight, but each day I can take steps to curtail those thoughts/stresses as they come up. And I can start increasing the intensity of my exercise....who knows maybe I'll be able to play softball again.
I'm sure there will be more rants to come though....but maybe this is a tiny first step in self improvement.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Not as expected
Yesterday did not go as expected. Upping the protein and the fiber did not help me feel full. I don't think this is something that needs time to build up in your system, it's something that should either work or not. In this case it did not. I was constantly hungry and ended up noshing multiple times. Other than a handful of carrot sticks with blue cheese I stuck to no carb options though.
Today I went back to previous habit. I made a high protein/zero carb breakfast of eggs and sausage. An hour later I'm having a high protein shake. This seems to be working a lot better. I feel satisfied and my carb count for the morning is 8.
In the past I've noticed that if I eat a large breakfast I tend to do better throughout the day. I'm going to revert to that strategy again.
Dieting sucks. No two ways about it. I like the food I eat, but I hate feeling the hunger pangs all the time. It just gnaws away at me. And it's hard to control portions when you're hungry.
I'm at a point where I'm mildly entertaining the thought of bariatric surgery. Please understand that I don't believe in it personally. I've known several people that had the surgery and then ate their way back to obesity one piece of candy at a time. I'm not a candy person, but my portions are out of proportion. Here's my thinking on the bariatric: When you've tried everything you can think of to lose weight, but have yet to find a permanent solution you then have to look at what you haven't tried, even if you don't agree with it. Bariatric does work for some folks and even for the ones that it didn't I applaud them for trying to find a solution.
I'm not throwing in the towel yet, but I'm starting to at least entertain some options in my head.
Today I went back to previous habit. I made a high protein/zero carb breakfast of eggs and sausage. An hour later I'm having a high protein shake. This seems to be working a lot better. I feel satisfied and my carb count for the morning is 8.
In the past I've noticed that if I eat a large breakfast I tend to do better throughout the day. I'm going to revert to that strategy again.
Dieting sucks. No two ways about it. I like the food I eat, but I hate feeling the hunger pangs all the time. It just gnaws away at me. And it's hard to control portions when you're hungry.
I'm at a point where I'm mildly entertaining the thought of bariatric surgery. Please understand that I don't believe in it personally. I've known several people that had the surgery and then ate their way back to obesity one piece of candy at a time. I'm not a candy person, but my portions are out of proportion. Here's my thinking on the bariatric: When you've tried everything you can think of to lose weight, but have yet to find a permanent solution you then have to look at what you haven't tried, even if you don't agree with it. Bariatric does work for some folks and even for the ones that it didn't I applaud them for trying to find a solution.
I'm not throwing in the towel yet, but I'm starting to at least entertain some options in my head.
Monday, September 21, 2015
A New Week
I've spent a lot of time reflecting on what I posted yesterday. A couple things come to mind.
1. I need to find something constructive to do and get involved in. I'm going to start looking at various classes and clubs.
2. I've had in my mind the past several weeks trying something different for a diet that my help provide quicker short term results.
I've tried Juicing in the past and there's way too much sugar for my liking. Seems like everything calls for apples in order to make the drink palatable. I've also tried using my Bullet and making kale/spinach/honey/cayenne drinks, but they still leave me hungry. I've never figured out what that magic combination is for feeling full/satisfied. I know it's got something to do with carbs as when I cut them out I feel a nagging hunger. I know it's got something to do with calories for the same reason. They say fiber and protein help to make you feel fuller longer. Based on that I'm going to try something.
I recently did a bit of searching around the web for a different protein shake. My current one has 17g of protein and 11 net carbs. I found one that has 34g of protein and 4 net carbs. I'm going to try using this new protein shake and a 1/4 cup of Chia seeds, which have 14g of fiber and only 2 net carbs to see if I can get by on a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch and then eat a healthy dinner.
My hope is that I'll consume a lot fewer calories, but still get the necessary nutrition. And with the amount of fiber and protein I'm hoping it'll satisfy my hunger. I'll let you know how it goes.
Tonights dinner is going to be salmon with lemon and dill along with zucchini fries for a side dish.
Not sure how my demons will play into this, but hopefully if I can find something significant to get involved in I can distract myself enough. I do plenty of projects at home by myself, but I think I need to increase my social interaction. Working from home certainly limits your social time.
Anyway, I'm currently drinking my first protein shake and we'll see how I feel in the next few hours. Here's hoping the combination of high protein and high fiber provides the satiety I need to make this work.
1. I need to find something constructive to do and get involved in. I'm going to start looking at various classes and clubs.
2. I've had in my mind the past several weeks trying something different for a diet that my help provide quicker short term results.
I've tried Juicing in the past and there's way too much sugar for my liking. Seems like everything calls for apples in order to make the drink palatable. I've also tried using my Bullet and making kale/spinach/honey/cayenne drinks, but they still leave me hungry. I've never figured out what that magic combination is for feeling full/satisfied. I know it's got something to do with carbs as when I cut them out I feel a nagging hunger. I know it's got something to do with calories for the same reason. They say fiber and protein help to make you feel fuller longer. Based on that I'm going to try something.
I recently did a bit of searching around the web for a different protein shake. My current one has 17g of protein and 11 net carbs. I found one that has 34g of protein and 4 net carbs. I'm going to try using this new protein shake and a 1/4 cup of Chia seeds, which have 14g of fiber and only 2 net carbs to see if I can get by on a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch and then eat a healthy dinner.
My hope is that I'll consume a lot fewer calories, but still get the necessary nutrition. And with the amount of fiber and protein I'm hoping it'll satisfy my hunger. I'll let you know how it goes.
Tonights dinner is going to be salmon with lemon and dill along with zucchini fries for a side dish.
Not sure how my demons will play into this, but hopefully if I can find something significant to get involved in I can distract myself enough. I do plenty of projects at home by myself, but I think I need to increase my social interaction. Working from home certainly limits your social time.
Anyway, I'm currently drinking my first protein shake and we'll see how I feel in the next few hours. Here's hoping the combination of high protein and high fiber provides the satiety I need to make this work.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
It's never easy
Haven't posted for a few days. The diet has been an off and on thing. I just miss white bread sometimes and once I break the diet a bit, then Katy bar the door, I'm gonna get my fill before I go back on the diet.
I read something today by a gentleman who is apparently 100lbs overweight and his journey mirrored mine in so many ways. He lost the weight and then put it back on, same as I've done twice. His method was similar to mine as well, count calories and exercise religiously. He wrote is own program to track calories and exercise. I used an Excel spreadsheet, but the end result was the same. He also echoed the same sentiments I feel. It works for awhile, but after a period of time tracking everything gets old and falls by the wayside.
Each time I 'diet' my patience grows shorter for tracking things. I have fitness trackers and accounts on websites to track calorie/food intake, but after awhile it just feels repetitive. I've done this so many times I can pretty much tell you the calorie count of everything I eat without looking at the label, and if I don't know something websites like MyFitnessPal do.
My frustration level is very high. I really do enjoy eating healthy and not overdoing it. I sleep better and overall I feel better. When I'm skinnier I really enjoy bike riding, hiking, etc. But something holds me back. Something inside me causes me to sabotage me. Sometimes it's boredom/lonliness. Sometimes I'm just tired of eating my own cooking and I want to go out for a meal. Sometimes it's just the general frustration of being on a 'diet'. And when it's one of those 'sometimes' no pep talk is going to change my mind. I'm going to have the burger and fries and then follow it up with a stop at the grocery store for some snack I can munch while watching tv.
I used to say when I was younger 'just shoot me if I get fat'. It was the worst thing I could imagine. And I've become the worst thing I can imagine. I'd like to say 'funny how that happens', but it's not funny to me. It's frustrating and it's holding me back from so many things.
It's scary really. I'm 52 years of age, and I'm 288lbs. I need to work several more years, but I'm looking forward to retirement. I don't want to go into it unhealthily. I don't want to have a heart attack or become diabetic. Yet I sabotage myself. Why?
What is it in my nature keeping me from becoming the best possible version of myself? I love to go for a bike ride. I used to love playing volleyball. I love tinkering on my scooters. But bending over puts so much pressure on my lungs I can barely breathe.
Today is a day of frustration. I was hoping writing about it would help me feel a bit better or I'd let slip some snippet of truth that would help me better understand myself.
I've read and reread this post and all I get is the sense of frustration, but no answers come forth.
Actually I do see the snippets of truth in the 'sometimes' things I listed, but I don't see the answer as to how to banish those times.
It's time for lunch and then I think I'll tinker in the garage and lube up my bicycle. Maybe that'll motivate me to go for a ride.
I read something today by a gentleman who is apparently 100lbs overweight and his journey mirrored mine in so many ways. He lost the weight and then put it back on, same as I've done twice. His method was similar to mine as well, count calories and exercise religiously. He wrote is own program to track calories and exercise. I used an Excel spreadsheet, but the end result was the same. He also echoed the same sentiments I feel. It works for awhile, but after a period of time tracking everything gets old and falls by the wayside.
Each time I 'diet' my patience grows shorter for tracking things. I have fitness trackers and accounts on websites to track calorie/food intake, but after awhile it just feels repetitive. I've done this so many times I can pretty much tell you the calorie count of everything I eat without looking at the label, and if I don't know something websites like MyFitnessPal do.
My frustration level is very high. I really do enjoy eating healthy and not overdoing it. I sleep better and overall I feel better. When I'm skinnier I really enjoy bike riding, hiking, etc. But something holds me back. Something inside me causes me to sabotage me. Sometimes it's boredom/lonliness. Sometimes I'm just tired of eating my own cooking and I want to go out for a meal. Sometimes it's just the general frustration of being on a 'diet'. And when it's one of those 'sometimes' no pep talk is going to change my mind. I'm going to have the burger and fries and then follow it up with a stop at the grocery store for some snack I can munch while watching tv.
I used to say when I was younger 'just shoot me if I get fat'. It was the worst thing I could imagine. And I've become the worst thing I can imagine. I'd like to say 'funny how that happens', but it's not funny to me. It's frustrating and it's holding me back from so many things.
It's scary really. I'm 52 years of age, and I'm 288lbs. I need to work several more years, but I'm looking forward to retirement. I don't want to go into it unhealthily. I don't want to have a heart attack or become diabetic. Yet I sabotage myself. Why?
What is it in my nature keeping me from becoming the best possible version of myself? I love to go for a bike ride. I used to love playing volleyball. I love tinkering on my scooters. But bending over puts so much pressure on my lungs I can barely breathe.
Today is a day of frustration. I was hoping writing about it would help me feel a bit better or I'd let slip some snippet of truth that would help me better understand myself.
I've read and reread this post and all I get is the sense of frustration, but no answers come forth.
Actually I do see the snippets of truth in the 'sometimes' things I listed, but I don't see the answer as to how to banish those times.
It's time for lunch and then I think I'll tinker in the garage and lube up my bicycle. Maybe that'll motivate me to go for a ride.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Day 8: Feeling Good
Day 8
First a recap of yesterday:
I didn't log my food, but I didn't cheat either. I had a small breakfast, plus a protein shake. Lunch was some leftover chicken. As a side I had some celery and carrots that I dipped in blue cheese. Dinner was a single filet of blackened Mahi, with a spinach salad and steamed broccoli. I had some spaghetti squash that I tried to steam in chicken broth, but I steamed it too long and it turned to mush. I was planning on using that instead of rice as a base for the fish.
Overall I'm liking what I'm doing. I feel good. I'm sleeping a bit better and not getting the afternoon drowsies. Not that I'm against a nap, but it's not a priority.
Really my changes have been minimal. I've eaten well for a long time, but I got into the habit of snacking into the evening and those snacks were crackers, chips, cookies, etc. All I've done is cut those out and I'm a bit more conscientious about my carbs. Instead of pasta I'm using spaghetti squash. Instead of a potato I have a piece of Chompies bread with butter. Instead of a taco shell I use a lettuce leaf.
I haven't consumed sodas for years. Yeah on the rare occasion I'll have one, but I don't consume a six pack in a year. I still drink coffee, water and the occasional tea, but I get it unsweetened. I probably should cut back on the coffee, but it's part of my morning routine....the dogs typically have me up at 5am so I sit on the back patio with them and enjoy the quiet. It's a good way to start the day. And having my cup of coffee makes it pretty damn perfect.
Todays Meals:
Breakfast:
Not feeling overly hungry so I'll probably just have a protein shake this morning.
Lunch:
Turkey Sandwiches with sliced tomato. I'm also going to roast up a turkey breast I purchased from Sprouts. Later today or tomorrow I'll make up a batch of turkey salad.
Dinner:
Hamburgers, green beans and a nice big bowl of spinach with homemade blue cheese dressing. And I may treat myself to a piece or two of multigrain toast.
I do still struggle with nighttime hunger. It typically hits around 8:30pm. Sometimes I can ignore it until bed time, but once every 3 or 4 days I'll succumb and have a couple pieces of cheese and turkey. Hoping as time goes on that becomes less of a distraction.
First a recap of yesterday:
I didn't log my food, but I didn't cheat either. I had a small breakfast, plus a protein shake. Lunch was some leftover chicken. As a side I had some celery and carrots that I dipped in blue cheese. Dinner was a single filet of blackened Mahi, with a spinach salad and steamed broccoli. I had some spaghetti squash that I tried to steam in chicken broth, but I steamed it too long and it turned to mush. I was planning on using that instead of rice as a base for the fish.
Overall I'm liking what I'm doing. I feel good. I'm sleeping a bit better and not getting the afternoon drowsies. Not that I'm against a nap, but it's not a priority.
Really my changes have been minimal. I've eaten well for a long time, but I got into the habit of snacking into the evening and those snacks were crackers, chips, cookies, etc. All I've done is cut those out and I'm a bit more conscientious about my carbs. Instead of pasta I'm using spaghetti squash. Instead of a potato I have a piece of Chompies bread with butter. Instead of a taco shell I use a lettuce leaf.
I haven't consumed sodas for years. Yeah on the rare occasion I'll have one, but I don't consume a six pack in a year. I still drink coffee, water and the occasional tea, but I get it unsweetened. I probably should cut back on the coffee, but it's part of my morning routine....the dogs typically have me up at 5am so I sit on the back patio with them and enjoy the quiet. It's a good way to start the day. And having my cup of coffee makes it pretty damn perfect.
Todays Meals:
Breakfast:
Not feeling overly hungry so I'll probably just have a protein shake this morning.
Lunch:
Turkey Sandwiches with sliced tomato. I'm also going to roast up a turkey breast I purchased from Sprouts. Later today or tomorrow I'll make up a batch of turkey salad.
Dinner:
Hamburgers, green beans and a nice big bowl of spinach with homemade blue cheese dressing. And I may treat myself to a piece or two of multigrain toast.
I do still struggle with nighttime hunger. It typically hits around 8:30pm. Sometimes I can ignore it until bed time, but once every 3 or 4 days I'll succumb and have a couple pieces of cheese and turkey. Hoping as time goes on that becomes less of a distraction.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Weekend and start of Day 7
Recap of the weekend:
Did you know Pot Roast is a low carb meal? Leave out the potatoes and carrots and it is. I put a pot roast in the crock post with a can of cream of mushroom soup, a packet of onion soup mix and a bit of water. And I added some green beans. The only carbs are in the soup, the mix, and the green beans, but most of the soup stays in the post. Excellent meal.
Sunday I did weigh myself and from Wednesday to Sunday I lost 5.4lbs. That's not totally accurate because Wednesday I weighed myself mid-morning after coffee, but it's definitely a trend down. I'm now at 288.6lbs.
Sunday evening we went out to buy a dress for homecoming and my daughter wanted Olive Garden. I figured what the heck, not going to worry about one meal. It tasted great, but I couldn't each much - the bread and pasta just felt heavy and I was just blah afterwards. Honestly it didn't sit well either.
Monday(Day 7):
Breakfast.
4 links of sausage on 2 slices of Chompies
Protein shake.
Lunch
chicken leg quarter
celery and carrots with homemade blue cheese
Dinner
Blackened Mahi Mahi on a bed of spaghetti squash noodles
Spinach Salad with blue cheese dressing and a couple slices of tomatoes
Broccoli
Up until Sunday morning I was getting hungy, but Sunday morning I made a 2 carb breakfast and I couldn't have the protein shake because I was just full. When lunch came around I ate a bit, but felt very full. Hoping this trend continues. As much as I like planning my meals it's nice not to constantly be hungry.
Another interesting meal tidbit. Friday night I took some leftover spaghetti squash 'noodles' and sautee`d them in a pan with a bit of butter and garlic. I then sprinkled parmesan on top, My daughter loved it and is already requesting it again. This is so much better than the package alfredo noodles she usually wants - my version is less than 6 carbs. The package has 45 carbs. Big difference!!
Did you know Pot Roast is a low carb meal? Leave out the potatoes and carrots and it is. I put a pot roast in the crock post with a can of cream of mushroom soup, a packet of onion soup mix and a bit of water. And I added some green beans. The only carbs are in the soup, the mix, and the green beans, but most of the soup stays in the post. Excellent meal.
Sunday I did weigh myself and from Wednesday to Sunday I lost 5.4lbs. That's not totally accurate because Wednesday I weighed myself mid-morning after coffee, but it's definitely a trend down. I'm now at 288.6lbs.
Sunday evening we went out to buy a dress for homecoming and my daughter wanted Olive Garden. I figured what the heck, not going to worry about one meal. It tasted great, but I couldn't each much - the bread and pasta just felt heavy and I was just blah afterwards. Honestly it didn't sit well either.
Monday(Day 7):
Breakfast.
4 links of sausage on 2 slices of Chompies
Protein shake.
Lunch
chicken leg quarter
celery and carrots with homemade blue cheese
Dinner
Blackened Mahi Mahi on a bed of spaghetti squash noodles
Spinach Salad with blue cheese dressing and a couple slices of tomatoes
Broccoli
Up until Sunday morning I was getting hungy, but Sunday morning I made a 2 carb breakfast and I couldn't have the protein shake because I was just full. When lunch came around I ate a bit, but felt very full. Hoping this trend continues. As much as I like planning my meals it's nice not to constantly be hungry.
Another interesting meal tidbit. Friday night I took some leftover spaghetti squash 'noodles' and sautee`d them in a pan with a bit of butter and garlic. I then sprinkled parmesan on top, My daughter loved it and is already requesting it again. This is so much better than the package alfredo noodles she usually wants - my version is less than 6 carbs. The package has 45 carbs. Big difference!!
Friday, September 11, 2015
Day 4: Still Fat
Not sure why, but that just strikes me funny. I guess it's because we live in an instant gratification society and not many are willing to put in the effort to change. I'm only 4 days in so I cannot say I'm willing either, but today I will try.
Recap of Day 3.
Cals: 1470
Carbs 33
Protein 122
Todays Menus
Breakfast(I was really hungry this morning so I had extra, but made it zero carb and I cut out calories in a couple other spots):
2 eggs scrambled
4 pieces of bacon
Protein shake
Lunch
2 Chicken Salad sandwiches
Dinner
Roast chicken leg quarter with skin
Spinach salad with homemade blue cheese dressing
Spaghetti squash sauteed in olive oil and tossed with paremsan( I have no idea if this will be any good, but I have 1/2 a spaghetti squash left over from the other night so I thought I'd try this as an alternative to a pkg of alfredo noodles. The package has 46 carbs per serving and there's only 2 servings in a package. With the spaghetti squash there's less than 6 carbs per serving....you do the math)
Overall this only puts me up to 1750 calories for the day I think....I'll double check my math later, but it's close. And honestly I'm just hungry this morning so having the extra is hopefully what will keep me on track today.
Really I'm not craving anything. Typically I want bread, but there's no specific craving, right now it's just hunger. Still need to have my protein shake and I'll sip it slowly and hopefully that'll do the trick.
Not sure why, but that just strikes me funny. I guess it's because we live in an instant gratification society and not many are willing to put in the effort to change. I'm only 4 days in so I cannot say I'm willing either, but today I will try.
Recap of Day 3.
Cals: 1470
Carbs 33
Protein 122
Todays Menus
Breakfast(I was really hungry this morning so I had extra, but made it zero carb and I cut out calories in a couple other spots):
2 eggs scrambled
4 pieces of bacon
Protein shake
Lunch
2 Chicken Salad sandwiches
Dinner
Roast chicken leg quarter with skin
Spinach salad with homemade blue cheese dressing
Spaghetti squash sauteed in olive oil and tossed with paremsan( I have no idea if this will be any good, but I have 1/2 a spaghetti squash left over from the other night so I thought I'd try this as an alternative to a pkg of alfredo noodles. The package has 46 carbs per serving and there's only 2 servings in a package. With the spaghetti squash there's less than 6 carbs per serving....you do the math)
Overall this only puts me up to 1750 calories for the day I think....I'll double check my math later, but it's close. And honestly I'm just hungry this morning so having the extra is hopefully what will keep me on track today.
Really I'm not craving anything. Typically I want bread, but there's no specific craving, right now it's just hunger. Still need to have my protein shake and I'll sip it slowly and hopefully that'll do the trick.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Day 3. Hanging strong.
First my recap of Day 2:
Calories 1400
Carbs 33
Protein 95
These are estimates. I ended up tinkering out in the garage most of the night so instead of the dinner I planned I just put some homemade chicken salad over a bed of spinach. Quick and easy. I wasn't hungry whilst I was working on the my project, but after I stopped and sat down I was hungry, but it was late and I resisted temptation to eat.
Today's Meal Plan
Breakfast:
2 slices Chompie bread with butter
Protein shake
Lunch:
2 turkey sandwiches with mayo and jalapeno
Dinner:
Homemade Hamburgers(special request from daughter)
Broccoli
Spinach Salad for me/Sweet Potato for daughter.
Over the past 3 days I'm averaging under 1500 calories and overall the hunger isn't bad. I've got the carbs under control and I think if I can keep away from processed foods I may start to actually break this carb addiction.
It's funny, but last year my sister mentioned her husband was watching what he ate very carefully and would only eat certain foods. He's always been thin, exercised and in good health. I didn't think much of it, but recently I've noticed I'm becoming more and more conscious of what I eat, not because of my weight, but because of my health. I think it has to do with age/mortality. The older I get the more I realize I want to enter my 'golden years' in some semblance of health. I think eating good quality foods will go a long way towards that goal, and hopefully a side benefit will be a healthier weight.
Have you ever noticed that one moment you're not hungry and you think 'great', but two minutes later you're like 'man I'm hungry' That happens all the time to me. I'm trying to be more conscious of it and if I've just eaten try to ignore it, but if it's been awhile I'll think about it before I just eat to see if it passes. Typically it doesn't, but I have noticed I'm satisfied with less. Maybe it's age, maybe it's just being aware. Either way I'm trying to make positive changes.
No eating 3hrs before bed.
Drink water all day.
No process food(no crackers, cookies, chips, packaged side dishes,etc)
Concentrate on Single name foods(beef, broccoli, chicken)
Watch out for carbs. Make them from natural sources.
First my recap of Day 2:
Calories 1400
Carbs 33
Protein 95
These are estimates. I ended up tinkering out in the garage most of the night so instead of the dinner I planned I just put some homemade chicken salad over a bed of spinach. Quick and easy. I wasn't hungry whilst I was working on the my project, but after I stopped and sat down I was hungry, but it was late and I resisted temptation to eat.
Today's Meal Plan
Breakfast:
2 slices Chompie bread with butter
Protein shake
Lunch:
2 turkey sandwiches with mayo and jalapeno
Dinner:
Homemade Hamburgers(special request from daughter)
Broccoli
Spinach Salad for me/Sweet Potato for daughter.
Over the past 3 days I'm averaging under 1500 calories and overall the hunger isn't bad. I've got the carbs under control and I think if I can keep away from processed foods I may start to actually break this carb addiction.
It's funny, but last year my sister mentioned her husband was watching what he ate very carefully and would only eat certain foods. He's always been thin, exercised and in good health. I didn't think much of it, but recently I've noticed I'm becoming more and more conscious of what I eat, not because of my weight, but because of my health. I think it has to do with age/mortality. The older I get the more I realize I want to enter my 'golden years' in some semblance of health. I think eating good quality foods will go a long way towards that goal, and hopefully a side benefit will be a healthier weight.
Have you ever noticed that one moment you're not hungry and you think 'great', but two minutes later you're like 'man I'm hungry' That happens all the time to me. I'm trying to be more conscious of it and if I've just eaten try to ignore it, but if it's been awhile I'll think about it before I just eat to see if it passes. Typically it doesn't, but I have noticed I'm satisfied with less. Maybe it's age, maybe it's just being aware. Either way I'm trying to make positive changes.
No eating 3hrs before bed.
Drink water all day.
No process food(no crackers, cookies, chips, packaged side dishes,etc)
Concentrate on Single name foods(beef, broccoli, chicken)
Watch out for carbs. Make them from natural sources.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
More Day 2:
Instead of having the chicken salad I had a couple turkey sandwiches with tomato and jalapeno. It's amazing what a difference adding a spicy pepper and a thin slice of tomato makes. I was really hungry and those sandwiches were so satisfying...I'm stuffed.
I did get up the courage to weigh myself. 294lbs. There I said it. Sigh.
Now with that said. I won't be weighing myself daily. I will weigh myself once a week. Also, I'm 6ft and big boned. In high school I was considered very skinny, but I weighed 205lbs. I don't expect to get back to that weight. If I get below 250lbs I'll consider that as doing good. If I get below 235lbs then I'll consider that a victory. At 52yrs of age if I'm carrying a bit of extra weight I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I will however beat myself up a bit for allowing it to get so far out of control that I almost hit 300lbs.
So....I'll set my initial goal at losing 60lbs. I'll adjust it downwards as time goes on, but the first major step is breaking 250lbs(for the umpteenth time!).
Instead of having the chicken salad I had a couple turkey sandwiches with tomato and jalapeno. It's amazing what a difference adding a spicy pepper and a thin slice of tomato makes. I was really hungry and those sandwiches were so satisfying...I'm stuffed.
I did get up the courage to weigh myself. 294lbs. There I said it. Sigh.
Now with that said. I won't be weighing myself daily. I will weigh myself once a week. Also, I'm 6ft and big boned. In high school I was considered very skinny, but I weighed 205lbs. I don't expect to get back to that weight. If I get below 250lbs I'll consider that as doing good. If I get below 235lbs then I'll consider that a victory. At 52yrs of age if I'm carrying a bit of extra weight I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I will however beat myself up a bit for allowing it to get so far out of control that I almost hit 300lbs.
So....I'll set my initial goal at losing 60lbs. I'll adjust it downwards as time goes on, but the first major step is breaking 250lbs(for the umpteenth time!).
Day 2
First a recap of Day 1
Total Calories consumed: 1500
Protein: 98
Fiber: 30
Carbs total/net 78/48*
* I'm shooting for low carb and while the above numbers aren't high I'd like to get them lower. All the carbs are from veggies and not from processed foods so I don't feel too bad about it, but I am going to try and keep them low.
Breakfast was a protein shake. Not sure I believe all the hype about 'exotic super foods', but it's filling and I can use it as a meal replacement.
Lunch was a couple of turkey sandwiches with mayo. I use Chompies multigrain bread. It's tasty and is very low in carbs - 1 net carb per slice. Mayo has zero carbs, but is all fat and has a lot of calories so I use sparingly.
Dinner was a vegetarian dish. It's called No-Cream Pasta Primavera. Instead of pasta I use spaghetti squash. The recipe is zucchini,squash,carrots,asparagus,green beans, onions, garlic with Italian seasoning, basil and Parsley. You roast all the veggies except onions and garlic and then sautee everything in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's a great way to get a ton of veggies on your plate.
Todays plan:
Exercise was not an option due to thunderstorms this morning. Supposed to continue all day. If I get a chance I'll take a long walk this evening.
Breakfast will be the protein shake.
Lunch will be homemade chicken salad - I baked a few chicken breasts last night and they're chilling in the fridge. I'll use the food processor and add some onion and celery. I'll use mayo to bind it all together. It doesn't take a ton of mayo either and it's a delicious and quick sandwich. I'll probably add a tomato slice as well.
Dinner is going to be roast chicken leg quarter, spinach salad with homemade blue cheese and a side of broccoli. I may have a piece of Chompies toast with butter since I'm not having a potato.
I don't know who reads this, but if you have questions about my recipes or about the content of the blog, just ask. I'm not quite ready to post my weight, but with a bit of encouragement I would. I can tell nowadays how I'm doing by the way my clothes fit.
First a recap of Day 1
Total Calories consumed: 1500
Protein: 98
Fiber: 30
Carbs total/net 78/48*
* I'm shooting for low carb and while the above numbers aren't high I'd like to get them lower. All the carbs are from veggies and not from processed foods so I don't feel too bad about it, but I am going to try and keep them low.
Breakfast was a protein shake. Not sure I believe all the hype about 'exotic super foods', but it's filling and I can use it as a meal replacement.
Lunch was a couple of turkey sandwiches with mayo. I use Chompies multigrain bread. It's tasty and is very low in carbs - 1 net carb per slice. Mayo has zero carbs, but is all fat and has a lot of calories so I use sparingly.
Dinner was a vegetarian dish. It's called No-Cream Pasta Primavera. Instead of pasta I use spaghetti squash. The recipe is zucchini,squash,carrots,asparagus,green beans, onions, garlic with Italian seasoning, basil and Parsley. You roast all the veggies except onions and garlic and then sautee everything in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's a great way to get a ton of veggies on your plate.
Todays plan:
Exercise was not an option due to thunderstorms this morning. Supposed to continue all day. If I get a chance I'll take a long walk this evening.
Breakfast will be the protein shake.
Lunch will be homemade chicken salad - I baked a few chicken breasts last night and they're chilling in the fridge. I'll use the food processor and add some onion and celery. I'll use mayo to bind it all together. It doesn't take a ton of mayo either and it's a delicious and quick sandwich. I'll probably add a tomato slice as well.
Dinner is going to be roast chicken leg quarter, spinach salad with homemade blue cheese and a side of broccoli. I may have a piece of Chompies toast with butter since I'm not having a potato.
I don't know who reads this, but if you have questions about my recipes or about the content of the blog, just ask. I'm not quite ready to post my weight, but with a bit of encouragement I would. I can tell nowadays how I'm doing by the way my clothes fit.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Confession of a Glutton
As a youth I couldn't gain weight. Whenever I got sick I'd drop ten pounds and it'd take months to put it back on. In my early 30's I started to put on a bit of weight, but nothing serious until I looked down at 35 years of age and realized I was more than 50lbs overweight. I'm now 52 and the weight issue has not gotten better. I've successfully taken the weight off twice only to put it back on. The first time I went back up to my original 'heavy' weight. This last time I've added an additional ten pounds.
I'm a glutton. I eat too much and snack late at night. I blame it on hunger and I am hungry, but shouldn't I have a bit of self control? Why do I eat past the point of satiety? I've improved some areas of my diet, but the snacking and cheating undermines my improvements. Lately it seems like I cheat more than I actually follow any serious regime. I wish I understood why. My life is good. I have so much going for me and you'd think that realization would be enough, but it isn't. I have a stable job. I have a beautiful/happy/healthy daughter who's a wonderful young person and not a problem teen. I have the house of my dreams, etc. etc. Life is great and I don't want to muck it up by being obese and ruining my health.
Hopefully by posting this I'll find a bit of fortitude to stick to my plan. I've done most diets and of the two that were successful in the short term, the one I designed myself was the easiest and healthiest. At the time I looked at my weight and figured out how many calories I needed to maintain that weight. There are calculators on the internet to help you figure it out. Next I looked at the food pyramid and the FDA will tell you how many servings of each category you should have. Once I had those two pieces of information I was able to build a calorie restricted diet that had plenty of food.
Since that diet I've wanted to improve it a bit. It contained a lot of carbohydrates and I've been trying to cut down on the amount of sugars in my diet. So we'll call this diet Version 2.0. Here's the plan:
1. Drink water, lots and lots of water(not a problem, I carry a water bottle with me all the time)
2. Each morning after my first cup of coffee, take a 30 minute walk.
3. Little to no processed foods.
4. Proteins, fiber, and a variety of veggies.
5. Keep carbs to 30gr or less each day
6. Keep calories to no more than 1800 a day. This will promote at least a 1 lb/week weight loss
7. Besides the morning walk find an activity that raises my heart rate a bit 3 times a week.
8. Not beat myself up when I slip, and I will slip now and again.
9. Hold myself accountable for my actions/choices.
10. Keep varying my menu so I don't get bored.
11....etc. To be added to as I get on this journey(again).
What do I have going for me:
1. I already walk quite a bit and I enjoy it.
2. I'm a decent chef and I have a lot of ideas for tasty meals
* veggie primavera
*low cal/carb meat sauce with spaghetti squash noodles
*fish taco's using lettuce leaves for shells
*I have a great chicken lettuce wrap recipe
*I grill a mean steak and I can live without the potato
* I make an awesome chicken fajita salad with fresh pico
* I even make my own blue cheese dressing - that with some wings and celery and I've got a meal that only has a couple carbs....and I can even add a carrot and not do any carb damage
* I found a recipe for a cauliflower pizza crust I want to try.
3. I already follow a lot of good habits, but I have to cut out the cheating. No more excuses.
4. I always enjoyed biking and it's time to dust off the mountain bike and get my heart rate up a bit.
I'm a glutton. I eat too much and snack late at night. I blame it on hunger and I am hungry, but shouldn't I have a bit of self control? Why do I eat past the point of satiety? I've improved some areas of my diet, but the snacking and cheating undermines my improvements. Lately it seems like I cheat more than I actually follow any serious regime. I wish I understood why. My life is good. I have so much going for me and you'd think that realization would be enough, but it isn't. I have a stable job. I have a beautiful/happy/healthy daughter who's a wonderful young person and not a problem teen. I have the house of my dreams, etc. etc. Life is great and I don't want to muck it up by being obese and ruining my health.
Hopefully by posting this I'll find a bit of fortitude to stick to my plan. I've done most diets and of the two that were successful in the short term, the one I designed myself was the easiest and healthiest. At the time I looked at my weight and figured out how many calories I needed to maintain that weight. There are calculators on the internet to help you figure it out. Next I looked at the food pyramid and the FDA will tell you how many servings of each category you should have. Once I had those two pieces of information I was able to build a calorie restricted diet that had plenty of food.
Since that diet I've wanted to improve it a bit. It contained a lot of carbohydrates and I've been trying to cut down on the amount of sugars in my diet. So we'll call this diet Version 2.0. Here's the plan:
1. Drink water, lots and lots of water(not a problem, I carry a water bottle with me all the time)
2. Each morning after my first cup of coffee, take a 30 minute walk.
3. Little to no processed foods.
4. Proteins, fiber, and a variety of veggies.
5. Keep carbs to 30gr or less each day
6. Keep calories to no more than 1800 a day. This will promote at least a 1 lb/week weight loss
7. Besides the morning walk find an activity that raises my heart rate a bit 3 times a week.
8. Not beat myself up when I slip, and I will slip now and again.
9. Hold myself accountable for my actions/choices.
10. Keep varying my menu so I don't get bored.
11....etc. To be added to as I get on this journey(again).
What do I have going for me:
1. I already walk quite a bit and I enjoy it.
2. I'm a decent chef and I have a lot of ideas for tasty meals
* veggie primavera
*low cal/carb meat sauce with spaghetti squash noodles
*fish taco's using lettuce leaves for shells
*I have a great chicken lettuce wrap recipe
*I grill a mean steak and I can live without the potato
* I make an awesome chicken fajita salad with fresh pico
* I even make my own blue cheese dressing - that with some wings and celery and I've got a meal that only has a couple carbs....and I can even add a carrot and not do any carb damage
* I found a recipe for a cauliflower pizza crust I want to try.
3. I already follow a lot of good habits, but I have to cut out the cheating. No more excuses.
4. I always enjoyed biking and it's time to dust off the mountain bike and get my heart rate up a bit.
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