Big Butt!

Well I was wicked busy today and a bit stressed out with all the phone calls I had to make concerning my daughters wedding, SO I really didn't get a chance to eat that much and now I'm STARVING! Even though I had my usual lunch salad with cottage cheese and 2 cups of homemade chicken soup for dinner, I know that wasn't enough and now I am climbing the walls with another sugar craving! I think I'll make a cup of tea. That always seems to curb my hunger. I was too distracted to even remember to put the pitcher of water out. I think I only had a cup of coffee and a bottle of water today. That is NOT good.  I will try to make up the fluid loss tonight before I hit the sack.  I didn't ride the bike either. I suppose I could get really down on myself, but I won't. The day wasn't a total loss because I didn't over-eat.  So I will focus on making tomorrow a better success.  Gotta keep moving forward...refuse to look back. There's nothing there but a big Butt anyway!   Until tomorrow.......

Climbing the Walls....

So I did pretty good today. I didn't over eat although I had a really weak moment around 8 pm tonight. I wanted to eat everything including the dog! My body was craving sugar so bad so I ate a few candy corns and decided to make myself a salad instead of eating Cheetos and a chocolate bar. The craving waned enough for me to exercise what little will-power I had at the moment. It was a huge VICTORY for me.
I rode my incumbent bike today. That was a big deal too. I also starting looking into a water aerobics program. I know it's important to speed up my metabolism so I can burn calories easier. It's not easy at my age. But I figure any amount of exercise is better than no exercise at all. My Physical Therapist only gave me the go for 10 minutes of bike riding at a time. I am still healing and I need to be wise.
I decided to have breakfast today although it seems to activate my appetite which makes it more challenging. I ate 1/2 cup of grape nuts, with 1/2 c skim milk and some dried cranberries. For lunch I had a huge salad with Boston lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cabbage slaw. I topped it with low fat raspberry dressing. I also had a 1/2 c of homemade chicken soup and a cup of tea. I am never really thirsty so drinking is not something I think about. I think I will put out a pitcher of water so that it is in my face. Hopefully that will help increase my fluid intake. For snack I had a Clementine. For dinner, I ate the same thing I had last night. 1 c Wheat pasta with diced tomatoes, olives and artichoke hearts. Later I snacked on some low fat microwave popcorn and then I ate another salad when I started craving sugar AGAIN. I know it will take about a week or so to break that craving. Overall, I feel I did well despite the overwhelming urge to eat my house!. I am hoping tomorrow will be successful also. Hope you did well! Please feel free to post comments, concerns, struggles or prayer requests. Don't be shy, we are all in this together.

My Grocery List

Compiling a grocery list ahead of time is imperative for successful dieting. A lot of the time, we eat naughty foods because we do not have the available choices. Like I said before, I tend to eat a lot of the same things, so grocery shopping is pretty easy for me. On- line grocery shopping such as Peapod can be a great resource for the busy person. I use it once a month or so. Anyway, you will want to buy lots of fruits and vegetables. Set a side a little time to chop all the veggies up and seal them tightly in plastic baggies or containers. Fold a piece of white paper towel and put it into the baggie. This helps keep the vegetables fresher, longer. I like to chop onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Also, buying packaged salad mix helps to save time. I find if you have the food readily available, then there is a tendency to eat the right things. Otherwise we will forage and eat anyting in sight! It takes a little more work but it proves to be worth it in the end. So, add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to your grocery list! Here's a sample of my own.

Apples
Bananas
Clementines
Grapes
Berries for cereal
Dried cranberries for cereal
Bag of Boston lettuce mix
Head of Romaine
Head of Iceberg
Bag of broccoli slaw
Bag of shredded cabbage
Bean spouts
Baby carrots
Cucumber
A green and red pepper
Onions
Tomatoes
Any fresh or canned vegetables needed for sides with dinner.
Bag of green peppers....for stuffed pepper recipe
Honey Turkey sliced thin
Low- fat Swiss cheese
Low-fat bologna
Feta cheese(don't buy the fat-free. It's GROSS!)
Grated fresh parmesan and Romano cheeses
Finely shredded Mexican blend or mozzarella cheese ( I keep in freezer)
Low fat salad dressing...Kens is best
Chicken breasts and/or tenders (no skin)
Lean beef for Fajitas
Ground Turkey ( I buy the 94% and the 99% and mix them together)I make stuffed peppers and buffalo turkey burgers. They are both actually delicious.
White fish....I hate fish, but u can buy it!
Tomato or vegetable juice
Light hamburger rolls(for buffalo turkey burgers and sandwiches)
Whole wheat angel hair pasta
4 cans hunts diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
2 cans diced tomato Mexican style( I pour these over canned string beans with a little grated cheese and pop them in microwave)
Can of artichoke hearts quartered
2 cans black olives
2 packs of brown gravy mix..I use McCormacks
Bottle of Franks or Kens buffalo sauce
Salsa or sauce for Fajitas
Seasoned breadcrumbs
Low- fat hellmains mayo or miracle whip
Low fat tortillas
Low fat sour cream
Fat- free cottage cheese ( I always eat a half cup with my salad)
Eggs ( you can hard boil a few at a time and store in fridge) have for breakfast or on salad)
Cremora...I use this in stead of cream in my coffee and tea. I also carry some in my purse.
Skim milk
Non- fat yogurt ( I like diced cucumber in plain yogurt with dill weed, salt and pepper)
Jars of pickles, lupini beans, pickled peppers, pepperacini, banana peppers, olives...all good to put on salads.
Non sugared cereal...I like grape nuts because they are filling.
Low fat ice cream (slow churned is best) and ice cream bars like fudgesicles
Low fat microwave popcorn( I eat one every night while watching the news)

A lot of this food can be stored tightly in plastic bags in the freezer. Even deli meat and cheese. I write my name on the boxes and bags in bold magic marker so my kids dont devour them.  Believe me, they KNOW when Mom is trying to lose weight!
If you want any of the recipes mentioned above, just ask and I'll send them to you. They are tried and tested!

Ideas for everyday meals

I've done this a few times before so I'll just go by memory. Went to the grocery store and picked up some essentials.  Breakfast is NOT my favorite meal so a bowl of non-sugared cereal with some dried or fresh fruit OR a hard boiled egg will suffice. On Weightwatchers you can eat as many fruits and vegetables as you like without counting them.  However, that does not include fruit juice.  Now, dinner is my favorite meal so I tend to eat light for breakfast and lunch so that most of my points are saved for evening.  I also have no problem eating the same thing for a few days in a row.  Because of this, meal planning is probably easier for me than for the picky eater.  For lunch I usually will chose a salad.  I love to pile on different vegetables along with a few olives and lupini beans. I buy a good variety of low-fat salad dressings to mix things up a bit. A little trick I use with the creamier dressings from KENS (my favorites) is that I add a little water and stir well.  It coats the entire salad and allows you to use less dressing.  If your heaviest meal is usually lunch then add grilled chicken, or fish. You can also add a hard boiled egg, or turkey from the deli.  If you need cheese like I do then use only coursely grated romano or parmasean from the cheese bazaar.  Don't be afraid to fill your bowl. Remember none of the veggies count.  With this diet you tend to want to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables which is so healthy for you. You will NOT be lacking Fiber! When i get tired of the salads which doesnt happen too often because there are a million ways to make one, I might have a turkey sandwich on lite bread with low fat mayo. Pile on the lettuce and tomato!  Another option for busy people might be a lean cusine meal but keep the points to 7 if you are more of a dinner eater.  The internet is a great resource for low calorie lunch ideas.  If you are a member of W.W. then you have access to TONS of meal ideas that are both quick and easy.  Now dinner is where I tend to be more creative. I'll share my ideas in the next blog.  As for today, I have done pretty good thus far.  I skipped breakfast (which is OK for me dispite what others may say) and for lunch I made a giant salad with boston lettuce, broccoli slaw, cabbage slaw, green olives, lupini beans and banana peppers. 
For dinner I made one of my favorite low calorie meals. Whole wheat angel hair pasta topped with diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives and romano cheese. I am not much of a meat eater (although I do enjoy an occasional rare slab of beef) however, you can add some cubed chicken to the dish.
NOW, for the tough time of day......8pm.  I reserved a weightwatchers yummy icecream bar and a low-fat bag of popcorn sprinkled with cheddar cheese seasoning.  Day One down and I made it!  Hope you did too.

I'm Fat and I Can't lose Weight!

So, I decided to start this blog because I have packed on the pounds and everytime I want to lose weight, I wind up gaining more!  What's up with that?!  The older I have gotten, the less disciplined I have become.  Maybe it's because there is a little voice inside saying "you're older now, who cares what you look like".  But the fact is that we DO care what we look like. We would be lying if we said otherwise.  Who wants to look fat and blubbery? Who strives to gain weight?  It's just that it's SO much work and it always seems to eventually comes back!   I just hate bending down to tie my shoe and having my belly get in the way!  It's gross and uncomfortable. I hate looking at myself in a mirror.  I hate having to get dressed up and go out into public.  I'm mad at myself for allowing myself to get this heavy. It makes me miserable.
So Today I will start Weightwatchers for the umpteenth time! I'll move my stationary bike into my bedroom and I will look into joining water aerobics.  I have 30 pounds to loose and I want it off by my daughters wedding.  I really do not want to be a frumpy mother of the bride.  Those pictures are forever!  I figured if I started a blog, then I would have accountability.  I will be compiling and posting low-fat recipes and grocery lists. Weightwatchers on-line is an excellent tool because you write down everything that enters your mouth.  I'm a snacker and sometimes I really don't realize how much I have consumed, especially if I am distracted with the phone or computer.  I'll just keep eating and eating. The other problem I have is late night eating.  I dont get hungry until 1 or 2 pm. But my favorite time to eat is 8......NOT GOOD!  I will need to make good choices for my nighttime munchies.  If you would like to join in with me or just follow along, then please do. It would be nice not to be miserable alone! LOL