I AM DOSEd... SAY WHAT?

This blog is about MY journey through weight loss...
plans, diets, products...
Sensa, WW, NutriSystem, Slimfast, 24 hour fasting, all liquids, no liquids, all veggies, no veggies...

You name it, I've tried it ...
And written about it here...

Well, I have been doing DOSE for about 6 weeks.

I didn't want to post anything until I was sure there was something worth posting...
( Be glad I didn't write about that all veggies all the time diet ... It was NOT pretty!)

For those not in the know...

DOSE is a natural supplement taken daily in the form of either a cup of Happy Coffee or Happy Chocolate and a supplement capsule...

The proprietary blend of botanicals in the coffee  and chocolate and  capsule work together to let your brain naturally release the hormones YOUR body needs in the amounts that YOUR body needs them...


D = Dopamine
O = Oxytocin
S  = Serotonin
E  = Endorphins

So if you are stressed and run down...

     Your body may need more Dopamine to help you stay calm, manage emotions, feel pleasure and improve memory ...

So that is what your brain releases...

Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and just discombobulated?

  Then your brain may need to release Oxytocin which may help you to feel more focused and less anxious...

And it IS called the Love Hormone so...

It may help you to love yourself and others...

Are you sad or depressed? 

Do you binge eat that entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey?

( Yep that was me... At least 3 times a week because you know it's almost always a buy 2 get 1 free sale!)

Are you lying in bed desperately trying to sleep, but your brain won't shut off? 

( Again...me!)

Well then...

Maybe Your brain needs a little more Serotonin to help regulate your moods, get that emotional eating drive to halt and get your brain to shut down and stay that way so you can get a full night's sleep!

And then we have pain...

And lack of energy...

And just feeling blah...

You could eat a pound of dark chocolate and then your brain will release a ton of Endorphins that make you feel energized, less pain and more... Happy and satisfied...

Or, you could get the same effect from working out in the gym... 

You know the Runner's High or extreme feeling of satisfaction and general well being you have after a good workout, bike ride or kayaking?

( Ok, ok... The bike ride and kayaking are my activities of choice... Running? the gym?... yeah, NOT happening)

Me?

I get MY Endorphins boosted by drinking my Happy Coffee and taking my capsule and then ..

I have the energy and the drive to DO STUFF!

Like kayaking, biking, cleaning my room, going to work...

And then...

I FEEL better...

More relaxed ...

More IN CONTROL of MY life...

The best part...

My brain is making, and releasing, these essential hormones naturally...

Not because of chemicals that are forcing production like those in antidepressants, antianxiety and anti-inflammatory drugs.

And MY brain is only making and releasing what MY BODY needs to function properly to make me healthy AND happy!

Oh... And the side effects of DOSE?

Because every action has a reaction, or effect...

Right?

Side effects I have are...

Feeling good

Less pain from my fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus...

Oh... And weight loss...

Yep...

THE SIDE EFFECT is I am losing weight... 

Slowly, but surely a pound or so a week...

Down 9 pounds in 6 weeks...

But even more astonishing ???

I am down from size 16 ( ok some 18s were in my regular jeans rotation) to size 14s...

Like, I had to try on 3 pairs of jeans to find a pair I could walk across the room in without mooning anyone!!!

So, FOR ME, this DOSE stuff is working ...

I am feeling comfortable in my own skin..

And even more importantly...

in my own Head!

Want to learn more about Happy Coffee and DOSE?

www.colormethin.us

Please remember... I am only telling you what I am experiencing on DOSE... Everyone needs different things so everyone's experience is as unique they are!

There is all kinds of WEIGHT to lose...

I began blogging on Dawneing in an attempt to figure out where I am supposed to be in life.

Then I began blogging here to find a way to lose weight.

In my mind...
They were different goals...

But now I realize...

They are actually different approaches...
To REACHING THE SAME GOAL!

There is weight...
and then there is WEIGHT...

Weight in pounds...
Weight in your past...
Weight in your Guilt...
Weight in responsibilities...

WEIGHT THAT AFFECTS EVERY PART OF WHO YOU ARE!

Well, through this blog...
which will be host to recipes and success stories of those who are
SHEDDING THEIR WEIGHT....

And DAWNEING...
Where I will continue my journey to FIND MYSELF...

I hope others will SHED THEIR EXCESS WEIGHT...
And find the PERSON THEY ARE MEANT TO BE...

There is all kinds of weight...
But it doesn't have to WEIGH YOU DOWN!

Failing to Plan means...

You've all heard that one...
Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail!

But wait...
Maybe we did make plans and they were thwarted...
you know, those powers that be stepped in and made a huge mess of everything?

It happens.

No, honestly...
IT DOES!

Like the time I went to the doctor for my GI check up...

Needed a colonoscopy and endoscopy...

Apparently they want you to have one more than once every 10 or 12 years...
especially when you have stomach issues...
Go Figure.

So I went.
I got scoped.
I got biopsied.

I got diagnosed with Celiac disease.

I got put on the Gluten-Free diet.
I also got put on the Dairy-Free diet.

What I REALLY got put on was the ....
NO TASTE ...
NO CHOICES...
NO EATING ANYTHING GOOD...
Diet

And that is how the powers that be...
Life and all the stuff that goes with it derails your weight loss plans.

Plan To Succeed.... Go ME!

Failure to Plan is Planning to Fail

I have no idea where I saw that, but it has stuck with me for years.

I have applied that concept to many areas of my life...
But never to losing weight and getting healthy.

How dense am I?

My Fitness Pal  (MFP) is working for me so far.
I have made a new friend...
I have joined an online community of women of like age and life experiences and goals...
I have a place to post my food and exercise that holds me accountable for all of my choices...
OKay, not all, but the ones pertaining to weight loss and fitness.

I have been weighing myself daily but only logging in the weight once a week.
I see a definite pattern in my weight and how I feel in the mornings.
When I am stiff and sore with swollen joints and feeling bloated and yucky...
my weight is up as much as 5-6 pounds in one day!
Conversely, when I wake up feeling good and ready to get right to the day...
I am down that same 5-6 pounds and then some.

I have noticed that ICE CREAM IS NOT MY FRIEND...
Nor is bread...
Or pasta...

So, gonna have to stick to my guns and not eat those.
( I know... like they should be in my diet to begin with)

I am taking my vitamin and nutritional supplements daily...
A HUGE SUCCESS...
which means that I am remembering not to forget to take them! 

So...
MFP seems to be working pretty well for me...
So far.
But, it has only been 2 weeks...
and the problem that most of us have with this losing weight thing...
is longevity.

I'll keep you posted and we'll find out together if MFP is good for the long haul!

Weight Loss is so.... HARD!

Yes, Weight Loss is hard.

And as this blog shows, for me at least...

Not all Diet regimes, fads or latest and greatest gimmicks work for everyone.

So...
Back to the drawing board.

My Fitness Pal.
Yep, that's what I am using to try to make this ...
THE LAST TIME I TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT

Because, of course this time I WILL LOSE WEIGHT!

My Fitness Pal ( MFP) is more than an App for your phone, tablet or computer...
It is a community with many sub-communities that are designed to let YOU find a place with people that you feel comfortable with.

Me?
I found a forum for women age 50 +...
Yeah, I hate that I am 50...
But I hate that I am 50 AND fat even more.

So- I got the App on my tablet free from Google Play Store on April 13th.
I added it to my phone ( android) about a week ago.
And yesterday I went to the actual website and added the App to my computer.

It is a very simple concept.
You log in and record your food intake for each meal or snack ...
the database is phenomenal and even has Aldi brand and Organic foods that I use already there!
Then you add your water intake and your daily activities...
General gardening
Walking
cleaning house...
they are all in there!
Once you finalize your days food and activity it tells you what you are on track to lose in the next 5 weeks.

It keeps track of your calories, protein, fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, etc...

So far I have been a little high on my fat and sugar intake but it is much less than it was so...
That is a win for me.
AND I have lost 6 pounds since April 13th so...
ANOTHER WIN FOR ME!

As with the other attempts to lose weight I will continue to keep track of my progress here on
COLOR ME THIN...
because in no time at all that is what I will be...
THIN!

Health and Happiness... at the same time?

Can a person be both Healthy AND Happy...
At the same time?

That is a question that anyone who has ever been on a diet, weight loss or physical fitness program has probably had at one time or another.

I was reading something the other day...
Actually, I was reading a book- I tend to read a lot of those since I can get the free eBooks for, well, free....
Anyway, while reading one of the eBooks on my reader...
Please do not ask which one as I read at least a book every few days and they do tend to run together...
So, to paraphrase something the character said...

If you want to be happy you must first like yourself...
To be healthy you must first like yourself...
because if you like yourself you will treat yourself better...
and when you treat yourself better you will make choices that will make you happier and healthier without even realizing it.

That was the basic gist of the statement and it really does make sense in a round about sort of way.

I have been trying to eat better...
I have been trying to be more active...
and I still feel like I am getting nowhere.

The scale moves down 3 pounds....
then up 4.
I feel wonderful one day...
and achy and exhausted the next.

Nothing seems to make a difference...
Except perhaps, my attitude.

I have been feeling like I did not fit in at work, even though I was trying to.
Like I do not really fit in with the Moms of my children's friends, and I have been trying there too.
Like I do not really fit in anywhere...

So perhaps I need to just find a way to feel like I fit in with my self.

This was not a great week career-wise.
I am stressed about money.
I am stressed about the volunteer stuff I do with the high school... mostly that's because I have to rely on others to do their part and ... waiting for someone else to do something is not one of my strong points...
I am stressed about being stressed!

In an attempt to take some control over things before it all goes careening into total chaos...

1- I have begun to take some dietary supplements -- you know the ones that women of a certain age are told to take to prevent bone loss and a healthy heart and stomach and whatnot...

2- I have been looking at jobs online... not that there are any that I want, nor for which I am qualified...

3- I have been researching alternative career paths and options for someone with my background...
You know...
For mothers who have raised 6 children; are self taught to crochet, knit, paint and make jewelry; who have a flair for interior design and decorating; who can speed read and tend to critique, proof read and edit the books she reads; can put on a fundraiser dinner for over a hundred people; can create and print programs and newsletters; remembers random facts and trivia along with the birth dates of people she went to elementary school with- but cannot remember if she ate dinner last night or where she put her daughter's senior portrait photos; and can corral 100 football players into some semblance of order to say grace before the meal she prepared them... and has taught those same football players to edit their behavior and language knowing they will not get a bite of food if they say or do anything she would find offensive...
By the way... as yet, no such career has been found requiring those talents.

And,  I have started to write again.

As evidenced by this blog post... ( and the one on Dawneing and some lengthy Facebook posts)

The result?
This week I have lost 5 pounds without even trying.

Weird, huh?

Maybe, just maybe, there is something in what I read about liking yourself and treating your self well first...

This week it seems to have made a difference...
I am hopeful that next week will prove the same...
And maybe, just maybe, someone will be looking for that mother of 6 who can do all the things that I can do...

Health AND Happiness...
It looks like it CAN happen at the same time...
As long as one is willing to try.

So today I found a new diet...

I know, I know....

Not another DIET!?

This is what happens when BusyMom is up earlier than everyone else in TheBusyFamily...

She watches PBS and sees an interesting show on a diet that is new to her...
but apparently, not new to everyone else in the world!

It is The Fast Metabolism Diet ( FMD) ...
And after careful research...
Meaning I looked at the support community webpage, some blogs by people who did this program, and researched the book and the author and ...

Well, you get the picture....

I spent an hour at the grocery store picking up quinoa, brown rice, fruits and veggies...
while waiting for SIX to be done with lacrosse practice...

Side note- now I know how they do spring training for LAX and Baseball up north...
They do it in the high school court yard!
It was funny to see the baseball team trying to practice running pretend bases while trying not to run into snow mounds along the edges of the courtyard walkways...

So, healthy groceries in hand, I made my way home and into the kitchen.

Where, I started a pre-diet day by eating, as the 1st meal of the day, some lentil soup.

Hey, it was already noon and all I had today thus far was coffee so...

Soup for lunch and in just a little while I will be having a snack of grapefruit since this is a plan
that has a meal or snack every 3 hours.

I will start the day right with breakfast and everything tomorrow, but being a huge procrastinator, I decided that I would go ahead and jump right in....or else I am sure I would find a reason to consume horribly unhealthy stuff the rest of today...

I'll be getting back to you with regular updates on how this works, recipes I try and any weight loss that happens along the way!

The Gym is my...

Oyster?
Happy Place?

Nemesis!

Yeppers, that's the right one.

But not in a bad way...
More like a I can take whatever you send my way...
And then some kind of way.

Met with a personal trainer today.
It was part of the gym membership for new members in January so...

HeMan Hubby and I took advantage of what they were offering.

Me?
I have 70 pounds to lose.
Yes...
I said seven-zero.

And 4 inches to grow!
Well, it sure would be easier to manage my weight/height differential if I was 5' 9.5" tall.

My workout includes...
Nothing that uses the right arm or shoulder...
Nothing that will cause harm or damage to come to the right arm or shoulder...

Which, amazingly enough, leaves several very effective exercise options for strengthening my core and losing weight at the same time!

I can do the core machine thingy...
the one where you secure your feet and do stomach crunches with weight resistance.

I can do the leg lifting machines...
the one where you push weight up...
and the other one...
the one where you push the weight down.

And squats...
I can do squats.
I hate squats.
I mean, really, really, hate squats.

And step ups.
I can do those too...
which I also hate.

But, I can do them.
And I will get stronger.
And I will lose weight.
And I will become healthier.

And I will...

I can...
I Am...

Get ready to call me Hot Momma...
Okay...
NEVER call me hot momma ...
or anything else even remotely like it.

Just get ready to see a new me...
who eats healthier and exercises and lives better than ever before.


Oh, and unlike other people...
I don't do pictures...
of myself so...
No before photos...
but there will be after ones...
I think.

Mexican Chicken... Yummy

And Healthy...
But don't tell the children!

I was combing through the cupboards in an attempt to find something that the kids would eat that was easy, quick and somewhat nutritious...

because I do want TheBusyFamily to live long, healthy and productive lives and hope that some of what they are learning here in TheBusyFamilyHome will follow them when they finally leave...

They will all leave, eventually, right?

Chicken Mexican 

1 lb frozen grilled chicken strips  or raw chicken cut into bite size pieces
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomatoes and green chiles or a can of tomatoes, okra and corn...
1 can black beans - rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 tablespoons chia seeds
olive oil
shredded cheddar cheese
plain greek yogurt
cherry tomatoes
tortilla chips of your choice

heat olive oil in a pot then add chicken and taco seasoning. Once chicken has browned add all the canned goods and the chia seeds...
bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until sauce thickens- about 10 minutes or so




While the chicken is simmering place a handful of chips in the bottom of 4 bowls...

Once the sauce has thickened up spoon the chicken mixture over the chips...

add shredded cheddar , yogurt and cherry tomatoes and ENJOY!      

 I substitute fresh cherry tomatoes- whole into the pot they go- for the canned diced tomatoes when I have enough on hand...
I also use frozen corn and low sodium salsa in place of canned tomatoes and corn when I can to make it a little healthier...

The beauty of this recipe is that I can add or substitute all kinds of things depending on what is actually in the fridge or pantry when I start making dinner...

Because we all know that what I thought was in there when I started out never really is!

A New Year... AND Another Birthday!

Yeppers!

My birthday is in 3 days...

And this is shaping up to be THE WORST ONE EVER....

Okay...

I can let it be the horrible year or...

I can turn my health woes around and...

make this THE BEST YEAR EVER!

I choose to make it THE BEST.

As some of you may know...
Eleven months ago I tore my rotator cuff at work.
MISERABLE is what the last 11 months have been.
And, unfortunately, the shoulder is not yet healed enough to return to normal activities.

BUT WAIT.... There's More....

I threw my back out just after Christmas and it turns out that I have...
wait for it...
multiple herniated and evulsed discs in my lumber spine...
and am waiting for the insurance to allow me to get the MRI of the neck and upper spine ...
probably so I can find out my spinal column is ridiculously out of whack...

And then...
I was diagnosed with MRSA.
This is a Staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics in the Penicillin family...
probably a post-op infection , but...
The nurse liaison at worker's comp said I could have gotten it in line at the grocery store...
"it's every where these days"...
Sure. That's exactly where I got it.... (can you hear the sarcasm dripping from my words?)

So, as you can imagine, these health issues hitting me at once just as we are about to embark on the adventure that is 2015...
well, I admit to being a little depressed and my self-esteem took a serious hit.

Luckily for me, the antibiotic seems to be working...
MRSA on the way out!

The spine doc had a cancellation so I got seen yesterday...
a whole week early...
and I have to lose weight (well, duh!)...
and get moving to get my core strength back...
and I am allowed to start exercising again...
YAY!!!!

I also started a new medicine for the back pain that is supposed to not be as caustic to my very sensitive stomach... so far it seems to be okay and the pain is bearable...
Another YAY!

Today I walked 3 miles.
How did I do this with 3 inches of snow and ice on the ground?

I used the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds video.

This is easily tailored to any fitness level and really easy to do.
You just walk!
Okay, some arm movements and some side steps and leg lifts are thrown in there too...
But, seriously, just about anyone can do this.
And she makes you feel like you can, even when you're out of breath and sweating like crazy...

And I wore my new walking shoes...
Sketchers EZ-Flex Intensify in PINK...
Yes, I actually bought PINK shoes on purpose...
I figure they will help perk me up even when I am feeling blue...




And then I got out my Bullet...
it's one of the original ones from about 20 years ago so it's called The Bullet instead of the NutriBullet...
and the mugs and jars are smaller than the new one...
which makes no sense since serving sizes are important when watching your calories and eating healthy so why have 18oz cups when the 12 oz ones are perfect for a single serving breakfast smoothie?
Hey, if they want to send me a NutriBullet for free so I can give a real review...
I'm all in...
until then, my Original Bullet will be just fine.

Today's weight is... 218...
almost what I weighed the day I gave birth to SIX...
UGH!

Join me on my NEW YEAR NEW ME JOURNEY into 2015...
Getting healthy, inside and out...
with the approval of my doc...
which you should make sure you get before starting any exercise or diet program please...

To start you out right here is my breakfast smoothie recipe:

1/2 cup kale/spinach mix  (or one or the other is fine too)
3 whole strawberries with greens on
a handful of blackberries
2-3 tbs greek yogurt - plain or vanilla works
2 tbs Chia seeds
1/2 cup of almond or soy or low-fat milk
 OR
a splash of fruit juice- I like V8 fruit punch or Pomegranate Blueberry

Blend until thick and smoothe and YUM!

I buy fresh strawberries and freeze them whole with the stems on to make the smoothie thicker and colder, but you can use whatever is handy for you.

Blueberries or raspberries can be swapped out for the blackberries...

Basically, get whatever looks good in you grocer's produce section.

Add 1/2 a banana and a scoop of protein powder for an after work-out booster shake...

There you go...
a healthy and tasty way to start your day...

You Are Welcome!

Update... Post Torn Rotator Cuff...or Something Like That

Today is June 29th.

Today is the last day of high school for my 4th child, TeenBoy.

It has been a long time coming...
13 1/2 years, since the first day of kindergarten, to be exact.

And I am very sad to report that today...

I weigh more than I did the day he was born 18 1/2 years ago.

I weigh more than I did when child number 5, BratChild,  was born 17 years ago.

I weigh almost what I did the day I gave birth to SIX 15 1/2 years ago.

Just how much do I weigh today, right now, this very minute????

Let's just say that I have to lose  more than 10 pounds to be at 200.

A year ago I was holding steady between 190 and 195.
Working nights and not spending as much time running in the pool last summer had my weight creeping into the 200-zone by September.

The abnormally cold and snowy/icy/yucky winter saw me sitting around 205 by February...

And then disaster struck.

I injured my arm and tore the rotator cuff.

Did you know that you cannot walk on a treadmill without tipping over or being  in excruciating pain with a torn rotator cuff?

Neither did I.

And sleeping is best done sitting up on the sofa with pillows to prop the affected limb and keep it from moving during the night.

And doing any sort of aerobics is out of the question...

just swinging the bad arm to maintain balance is painful...
and then the neck and upper back/shoulder blade pain and limited mobility...

Well, suffice it to say, it sucks.

Steroid therapy added weight in days.
A cortisone injection a few  weeks later probably did not help.
Two months of  "let's see if therapy helps..."
It. Did. Not.

So, surgery was done  in April.
I spent 2 weeks with the arm in a sling and not doing anything to undo the repair.
And then Physical Therapy began.

And let me just say that I HAD NO PAIN AFTER SURGERY!!!!

None. Nada. Nyet.

And then...
4 weeks and a day into my, ahead of schedule,  rehab...

Pain, and the inability to move my arm in any direction, hit.

PT was stopped and another cortisone injection was done.

Apparently, bursitis had developed...
which happens in 50% of post-surgical patients with my type of injury...
according to the surgeon...

Yeah Me!
Not.

So, back to PT after 2 weeks of rest and...
I  am still in excruciating pain.
I am still unable to use my arm normally.
I am resolved to get in shape regardless.

The weather has broken and finally I can get in my pool.
I can run in the pool because...
Water supports my bad arm while I run and allows me to move it gently through the water without too much pain.

Yesterday I ran for an hour and a half before going to PT.
My arm hurts like heck since PT...
but after 2 weeks without it I expected nothing less.

So, I am starting from square one...
I am still sleeping sitting up on the sofa...
3 1/2 months into this and the words of a co-worker come to mind...
"the healing...it is a process"

Yes.
Yes. It. Is.

Coffee...It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Watching Kelly and Mike on TV this morning I heard them mention coffee consumption.

So, of course, I perked right up because...

I drink coffee....A Lot Of Coffee!

According to some statistics they had, the coffee consumption in the U.S. per person has gone down by more than half what it was right after World War II.

But!
The amount of caffeine consumed per person annually has risen by nearly double that of World War II.

What?

So...in my caffeine induced sense of clarity I thought to myself...

Wow! How did they get more caffeine in the coffee?

And then I realized that it's not just from coffee because...
SODAs have tons of caffeine...
And ENERGY DRINKS have tons of caffeine...
And WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS have tons of caffeine...
And HEADACHE  MEDS have tons of caffeine...

Dr. OZ says that cutting out coffee and drinking Green Tea instead....thereby cutting out or greatly reducing caffeine consumption...will help to shrink fat cells.

But maybe it's not really the coffee that is the problem?
Cutting out all those other things makes sense too...
Right?

So if I cut out soda and energy drinks and weight loss supplements and headache meds...
I can keep drinking my coffee, right?

Great!

Too bad I don't use any of those other things, isn't it.
So...I am reducing my coffee  intake to 1/2 a pot...
and those who know me know that I drink a whole pot before HeMan Hubby even gets out of bed!

To help meet this goal I have found a few tricks that seem to work...
and I'll share because they may  help you too.
( and I'm nice like that)

1)   Only make 1/2 a pot or use single-cup servings to reduce the temptation to keep topping off your cup

2)   Use a smaller cup...wean yourself down if needed...I had to and here's how I did it:
my normal 52 oz jug was replaced with the 32 oz super-sized mug...
which was then replaced by a giant 20 oz mug...
which was then replaced by a big 14 oz mug...
which has now been replaced with a regular sized 10 oz mug

3)   Stick to your guns! If you are only having 1/2 a pot figure out how many refills in your size mug that is and
ONLY HAVE THAT MANY CUPS OF COFFEE!
- down-sizing your mug  helps...
 because I can have 3 cups of coffee in the smaller mug instead of 1 or 1 1/2 cups in the bigger mugs...
 and it's still just 1/2 a pot--it just tricks me into thinking it's more!

4)   REPLACE COFFEE WITH WATER!!!
For every cup of coffee you drink- drink 2 cups of water.
Coffee is a diuretic.
It makes you get rid of water...
but not just the excess making you weight 3 pounds more than you did yesterday...
but all water, even the water your body needs to function properly...
And this can lead to severe dehydration..
.which makes you retain water and the vicious cycle continues!

5)   Don't drink coffee past early afternoon. 
Caffeine does affect your ability to sleep Restfully!
Not enough sleep or poor quality sleep makes it harder to lose weight...
and that adds to your stress and that leads to stress eating and that leads to...
Well you know what that leads to.

Now that I have cut back my caffeine intake...
per Dr. OZ's 2 Week  Rapid Weight Loss Plan...

I just have to work on cutting out wheat, white sugar, alcohol, dairy, and eating between 8pm and 8am...

Yeah...I'll let you know how that works out...

Diet Update or UnDiet Update...It's Your Call

I was going to make Saturday my weigh in day...

Big emphasis on WAS.

Then I realized that even though I was eating healthier foods...
I was still eating...A Lot!

So...new plan.

I am eating health foods.
I am  just eating less of them...
I mean smaller quantities...
and less often.

I also noted I have been drinking more coffee...
black, no sugar, but none the less caffiene laden coffee...
than I have of water or as I call those pour-in-a-bottle powders...
colored-flavored-water...

I was drinking nearly 4 quarts of colored-flavored-water a day...
and now, barely 2 quarts.

So.
New Plan in place.

Drink more water-like beverages---check
Drink less coffee---check
Eat healthy foods, just less of them---check

Alrighty then...Update Complete.

I'll  let you know how this one goes next week!

When IS Enough...enough? ( And a RECIPE)

I  refuse to get on the scale until Saturday.

That is now my official weigh in day.

Why?

Because why on earth would I want to weigh in the day after the weekend???
Weekends are filled with Pizza and Ice Cream and Oreos ( we even had real ones!) and ...

Well, you get the picture, right?

So, instead I will weigh myself on Saturday mornings.
After a week of healthy eating and drinking the right amount of water and doing the exercises that I can do with only one arm...

Maybe then I will see a difference in not just my weight, but my attitude about my weight.

A change for the better...

Oh, and for those of you who do give up something for LENT...

I am giving up PIZZA and ICE CREAM...

Yep, last year I gave up everything white...
Potatoes, bread, rice, dairy...
So not ever doing that again!

I am also thinking about keeping a food diary...
I'll let you all know how that one goes!

RECIPE FOR HEALTHY CHICKEN FAJITAS

We had these for dinner last night and they were yummy

I use corn tortillas for me but the kids use the flour ones... the small ones, not the huge ones!
1 bag pre-cooked grilled chicken strips...unbreaded people
taco seasoning-- about 2 tbs
salsa- about 1/2 cup---or you can throw in a handful of cherry tomatoes and chopped onions and cook until the tomatoes pop open and the onions are see through
Just throw all those things in a skillet and simmer until the meat is saturated with the seasoning...add a couple tbs of water to keep meat from drying out.

Now just build your fajita...
we used sour cream...but the low fat option is PLAIN GREEK YOGURT!
and lowfat shredded cheddar
and fresh shredded lettuce

and fold
and eat.

Yum!

Half The Battle... just not sure which battle I'm winning

Well, the last dose of prednisone has been taken...
and my arm is feeling...better?

Okay-to clarify- it feels better than it did but still is not feeling so great.

So,  where does that leave me?

No longer on steroids ...YAY!
And...
I actually lost 3 pounds during the week of steroid therapy!

YAY ME!

But I have been eating junk for the last 5 days...
BBQ chips
A Wendy's double cheeseburger and fries ( and large frosty)
Pizza ( home made but still...)
ice cream-- in multiple forms...
root beer floats
brownie fudge sundaes
coffee milkshakes

Yeah... Ice cream is my achilles heel...

But, today I am able to move with only a little pain...
as long as I move carefully and limit the amount of movement...

My Weight Loss Hero- no, really!

And my  legs feel just fine.

So, walking in place is the plan.

What? I know it's on your lips to ask, but...

In the words of the GREAT SUSAN POWTER...

"Keep moving, keep breathing..."

That is how you win the battle...
One  breath,  one step at a time...

And, hopefully, without any more steroid therapy!

Not Getting Any Thinner... Maybe I Should Do Something About It?

Like I don't know I'm a bit over weight.
Thanks Doctor's office paper work that spells it out...

BMI-33
Morbidly Obese

Again, Thanks!

Okay, this time I really mean it.

That 15 pounds I have gained since September has been bothering me.
And I have intended to do something about it.

Once I wasn't  so tired all the time.
Once I had better weather to go walking in.
Once...oh, who am I kidding.
Just like planning the perfect time to have a kid--- you can NEVER afford them on paper  no matter how much money you  make!
There is never the perfect time to start a diet and fitness routine.
There's always something that will deter you...

IF YOU LET IT!

So I am not going to let the snow or the ice or the ankle deep water from the glacial melt deter me...
Or the steroids I was put on this week for my shoulder injury...

Okay...that might be a deterrent...
Cuz steroids are hell on everyone's weight...

But No!
I will lose weight in spite of a week of steroid therapy...

I WILL!

I will let you know how this works out...

And the winner is... ????

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men...ummm, yeah

 I sure hope they do a better job of it than I've been doing!

Yup...

Lennie and George LooneyTunes characters
modeled after Of Mice and Men novel

As one would think, as indicated by the title of this post, my weight loss plans are not going as I had hoped.

In fact, there is no weight loss going on at all.

However, on the good side, there has been no weight gaining going on either, so...

I really have to get off my rear and get it in gear!

I had a goal to lose 9 pounds in the month of October.

Ummm, well, that did not go so well.

So, New Plan!

I will lose 10 pounds in November.

That's it.
The End...

Okay, not really.
I will start walking on the treadmill...
And doing some aerobics videos...

And I will turn the second spare room in the basement ( now empty since ManBoy moved out in August- YAY) into an exercise room...

So I will need to...
1) vacuum and dust
2) move a tv stand and tv in- note to self- do not forget the dvd/vcr combo unit!!!
3) move the treadmill and weight bench in
4) move the loveseat and end table in to make a nice reading area/ relaxation after workout space
5) move the mini fridge in to keep water and yogurt and other healthy snacks in to prevent junk food attacks

Okay... Now that I have a plan I need to decide when to start said plan ...

Decided! Today is that day!
If I get the room in shape today/ tomorrow it will be set up just in time to get the month off to an awesome start and get me back on track ...

Hey, if Mice and Men can make plans
then I sure as heck can plans...
And stick to them!

Let's Get Started... or at least start to get started

When ONE wishes to lose weight ...
ONE must actually DO something to make the weight go away...

Okay...
sounds simple, right?

Well, you would be WRONG!

In order to lose weight ONE must first have the proper accoutrements in which to aid ONE's path to a thinner ONE...
In this case feel free to substitute ME or YOU or GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT for the word ONE at any time...

To get started on the road to losing weight ONE must first decide upon the road on which they plan to travel...

IE: find a gym and procure a membership... or...
purchase home gym equipment like a treadmill or stair climber...
(although you can walk up and down your own stairs for free anytime you want... unless you live in a rancher or ground floor apartment... okay I see why someone may need a stair stepper thingy)...

find a workout buddy...
shouldn't be too hard, I mean everyone is trying to get fit these days...
it just has to be someone who lives in the same area as you, has the same work schedule as you, can get the same free-time away from the family as you AND wants to work out when and how you do...
like I said- Piece of cake... or pie, if you prefer...

find some workout clothes that fit in a way that allows for free movement and air flow to important parts...
like your lungs...
while not making you look like you have either:
1) borrowed clothes from the homeless Sasquatch in yonder woods;
or 2) have painted on your clothes so that every dimple of cellulite is visible in all it's jiggly glory and your muffin tops have actually become full-on muffins-- the giant ones you get at the bakery...

find a diet that you can stick to...
because it tastes good and is easy to fit into your hectic life would be ideal...
but probably because you actually do lose some weight...
which is probably because it tastes like sawdust or dried grass and is easy to grab and go...

And last but by no means least...
ONE must decide why it is that ONE wishes to lose weight in the first place.

This sounds like a no-brainer, I know, but really, it's not.
ONE must figure out why they want to lose weight ....
and be truthful to oneself in the process or NOTHING WILL WORK!

Losing weight because someone else wants you to...
because you want to fit into a special outfit for a special event...
because everyone else in the family is skinnier than you...
These are all real nice...
but they do not have staying power as motivation when the carrot cake is calling your name!

And believe me...
that carrot cake and his friends red velvet and chocolate brownie will be ready and willing to pick up the slack when your will power ebs...

So, let's start to get started losing weight by...
Identifying the reasons why you want to, need to, hope to, wish to...
Lose 10 or 20 or 30 pounds or more...
and be honest...
because you'll only be fooling yourself...

And really, do you want to make yourself look like a fool...
and a Fat Fool at that?

Yeah, me neither...

You Are What You Eat...

I guess that makes me a Spring Mix salad with low-fat small curd cottage cheese and Poppy Seed dressing...

Or a soft pretzel...
Or a handful of dried fruit...
Or a bowl of low-fat chicken soup...
Or fresh strawberries and fat free yogurt...

Yeah, I am not getting much of a variety in my diet these days.

But, it is true that you are what you eat.

I mean, what else would you be?
All your vitamins and minerals and nutrients come from your food...
right?

Wrong!
You get a lot of that stuff from your water too...

So the saying should really be...
You Are What You Eat AND Drink!

But then there are the little things that you breathe in like...
residue from acid rain and toxic fumes from car exhausts and factories...

So the saying should be...
You Are What You Eat and Drink AND Breathe !

And then there are the things that you absorb through your skin...
chemicals and toxins that leach into your system from contact without even knowing...
ingredients in soap and lotions and cheap crayons like formaldehyde and lye and lead...

So the saying should be...
You Are What You Eat and Drink and Breathe and PUT ON YOUR SKIN!

I am a Spring Mix Salad with low fat small curd cottage cheese and poppy seed dressing.
I am Mango-Peach Green Tea.
I am fresh strawberries and fat free yogurt.

I am going to have to REALLY read the labels on everything that I put IN or anywhere NEAR my body from now on...

I'm thinking that perhaps having a limited diet isn't such a bad thing after all?

Weight Loss... past present and future

I originally started this blog to document my weight loss while using the Sensa program.

I started off really well....
And then...

Well, after a few short months the weight loss was at a stand still and...

Then my gall bladder became an issue.

Since November of last year...
Thanksgiving Day to be exact...
I have lost nearly 30 pounds.

I was at an all time high of 222 pounds that day and while shopping the all-night sales at the outlet mall on the Eastern Shore I began to have severe abdominal pain.

Please note...
When I say the pain was excruciating it really was.
This from a woman who gave birth to a 10 pound child without drugs without any problem...

I would have rather given birth to a 15 pound breech baby than go through the pain I had that night...
and for the next 3 weeks until my gall bladder surgery on December 16th.

Since the surgery, just over 8 months ago, I have lost about 20 pounds.
This sounds great except that it has been lost because I can't eat much of anything.

And when I say anything, I mean that quite literally.

Apparently I am one of those people whose body has trouble adjusting to being able to digest food without a gall bladder.

Lucky me!...
NOT!

I spent the entire summer walking about 5 miles a day at the mall...
I did not lose an ounce...
but I did lose inches so there was something good going on...
an interesting side note is that in doing so I also was able to see how a casino is built.

I have gotten into the habit of eating whatever I want...
as long as I will be within steps of a bathroom...
which means I only really eat at home.

Over the summer that is fine since I am home all day long.
But with the coming of this new school year...
and a new job as the school nurse in a local elementary school...
I will once again be forced to abstain from eating all day.

My go-to food of choice is Progresso Lite soup.
I buy it by the case at Sam's Club or Costco and can eat the chicken varieties in relative safety.

Although the lentil is my favorite, it evidently does NOT feel the same way about me.

I am going to continue to track my weight loss journey...
My struggles...
My milestones...
and hopefully will be able to reach my goal weight by sometime next spring...

Okay, my first goal is to lose 20 pounds by Christmas...

Weight Loss Rule #1:
Set small, realistic, attainable goals
this will help to keep you motivated and on track instead of getting discouraged and depressed...

Weight Loss Rule #2:
Eat what you crave... every now and then...
depriving yourself of special treats is a surefire way to sabotage any progress you have made...
and may lead to the ruination of your entire weight loss program.

Remember... Moderation is The Key!

Weight Loss Rule #3:
Get up and MOVE!
In the words of Stop the Insanity Susan Powter... breathe deeply and just move... even if you can only walk in place that's more than you were doing sitting on the couch!

That's all I have for today...
But hopefully for you and me...

It is enough to get back on track and re-focused on this weight loss journey to a healthier and happier ME!