Measured Steps

I have been eating the same breakfast every day for the last two weeks.  Bran flakes with no sugar added, and one container of 1.5% lightly sweetened yogurt.  Today I jazzed it up with 1/4 cup of blueberries.

I do that a lot with my food - get into a routine.  I tend to have the same breakfast every day, a choice of 2-3 options for lunch, and then dinner is my one original meal.

The breakfast before my current one was three slices of low calorie bread, toasted, with cream cheese and tomatoes.  Peanut butter was the cream cheese's predecessor.  That one I ate for months, while the cream cheese only lasted a few weeks.

This simplifies my life and keeps me from feeling as though my life revolves around food and dieting.

When I first started losing weight, I measured here and there to give myself an idea of what my portions should look like.  Then I got lazy, and hey - I was losing weight anyway, so why bother?

I have begun measuring again, now that I'm on the last fifteen pounds, and the weight is not coming off as easily.  This time I am weighing and measuring everything.  My bran flakes get weighed each morning, and instead of using a serving spoon to ladle out my starches, I use a measuring cup.  It serves and measures in one easy step.

Aside for knowing that I really am sticking to the correct portion sizes, I have noticed another benefit.  A transformation has begun.  It is as though by showing myself how serious I am about reaching my goal weight, my discipline and will power have gotten stronger.  Every time I pull our my scale I strengthen my resolve and keep the motivation where it needs to be.

This is a new habit that really surprised me with its ability to affect the other areas of my dieting, and one that I hope to keep around for a long time.

Beware The Weekend

After a full week of being careful, the weekend is looming scarily before me.  I have stayed on my eating program this week, and thanks to my good friend BZ, I have used the treadmill four times this week, logging a total of 20k!

Structure is the dieter's best friend.  We have it all worked out during the week, set eating times, we know when we'll get hungry and need a snack.  Our water bottles are on our desks at work, or the kitchen counter at home... and we have our busy lives to take our mind off food in between.  Then the weekend hits and we are lost.

We feel as though we are "off duty".  I don't work on the weekends, the kids don't have to rush anywhere, lounging in their pajamas, why should I have to be on duty with my diet?  Can't I eat like a normal person once a week?  I guess the answer is no - but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy your weekend.

Is that piece of cake really worth messing up all your hard work?  Maybe, but then make room for it by cutting out elsewhere.  And make sure you sit down and enjoy each bite.

You can enjoy the weekend responsibly.  Just stay strong, fill up on as many safe foods as you can.  Cut up fruits and veggies and store them in the fridge before the weekend begins.  And those splurges you feel you need to enjoy your down time?  Choose them wisely.  Ask yourself if it will set you back, and if this is the thing you want to splurge on.

So Weekend, here I come... here's hoping I stay on my game.

When Success Doesn't Taste So Sweet

I have already established that a large part of successful dieting is planning.  Limiting the amount of self-discipline needed in a food crunch is crucial when you don't have any food-related control.

I was planning an afternoon trip with my kids yesterday, and I knew pizza at the shop was on the menu after our hike.  When I am very hungry, piping hot pizza is irresistible.  To be honest, even when I'm only slightly hungry... At the same time, I don't even enjoy the calorie splurge.  There are times when I treat myself to a great cut of beef, prepared by a master chef in a high end restaurant.  I arrange myself ahead of time to make sure I save enough calories, and I savor each tender morsel.  I feel great afterwards, knowing I can enjoy food like other people as long as I do it responsibly.

I don't do this for pizza.  It's not worth it, I don't want to waste my food allotment for a cheesy slice that doesn't leave me with long term satisfaction.  This is a case of needing to abstain.

I put my plan into action.  Before we left I washed, chopped and peeled.  I left the house loaded with sliced apples, carrot and celery sticks, cucumbers and water.  I was sure I would sail through the pizza problem unchallenged.  I was wrong.

I can proudly say that I only ate one bite of my baby's crust (which I dutifully logged in my food diary).  But I was wrong to think it would be easy if I came prepared.

The pizza was served, and I didn't want to eat any more produce.  I felt like a rabbit, crunching on my unappetizing veggies while my kids chowed down on greasy, cheesy goodness.

So it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, but without the planning and executing of the bunny munchies, I wouldn't have had a chance.

It will always be hard, and I need to recognize that.  But hopefully, that knowledge will make it just a little easier.

It Isn't Easy.

When my eldest was about two years old, I began reading "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk" by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.  Its a great book, and a staple in the home of anyone attempting to raise children.

I remember being surprised at a point they made in the book.  They bring an example of a small child who is trying to accomplish something.  For example making his bed.  I don't know about you, but many of us, myself included, would try to encourage him by saying something like "You can do it!  Its not that hard...".  I quickly learned that this is the wrong thing to say.

Making the bed is hard for a child.  If you tell them it should be easy, then it discourages them completely.  Even if they do persevere and accomplish what they set out to do, they don't feel like it was worth all the effort since they only managed to do what you think is "easy".  It devalues all their hard work.

I don't know why I never thought of it, but it makes so much sense.  If I walked into my kitchen after hosting thirty people for a dinner party, I would feel overwhelmed by the mess.  Hearing my husband say something like "Its not that bad, you can clean this up easily" would not feel good.  I would probably dump the job on him and tell him I was going to sleep.

I find most of us do this with weight loss.  We oversimplify the challenge and in doing so, set ourselves up for failure.

How many times have we said, "That's it, tomorrow I'm going on a diet!" as though its something we can do without any preparation?  I wouldn't show up to climb a mountain without food and water, a first aid kit, and dressed in high heels and a pencil skirt.

We tend to break the shedding of pounds into two simple tasks.  "I'll diet and workout".  Each of those tasks are truly categories with many tasks involved.

To diet one must always have the right foods available at all times.  This might include having your fruits and vegetables washed and chopped in advance, on top of always having your groceries in the house and handy.  Writing down everything we eat and calculating the calories/points/credits...  Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day.  Planning ahead, measuring and weighing... the list goes on.  Working out also entails planning a program that works for your body, schedule and bank account.

When we are realistic and say - "I am about to undertake a serious challenge, let me sit down and work out the logistics." we acknowledge the enormity of the challenge.  This helps us prepare ourselves, giving us a much higher chance at success.  It keeps us motivated, knowing big projects can take awhile, but that success is that much sweeter.

To Carb Or Not To Carb.

I have done some crazy things in my dieting past (can anyone say Lemonade Diet?), but cutting out carbs was never one of them. 

I know many people who have declared the starchy stuff their sworn enemies for life.  They claim if you stay away from carbs you can eat as much protein as you want.  Now this may be true, I wouldn't know.

I like a good slice of bread, pasta, rice, cous cous, potatos, fruit... need I go on?  A diet that cuts out an entire food group doesn't work for me.  I do however find great benefit in what I call "selective carb cutting".

About a half hour before my kids begin arriving home (the three year old finishes at one), I prepare a nice sit down lunch for myself.  This is the meal where I try to cut out carbs on most days.

Lunch usually consists of a large salad, with either salmon, tuna salad, or most often - grilled chicken.

When I don't have a lot of time I buy the ready-made grilled chicken, cut up some lettuce, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.  I mix a bit of honey and dijon mustard together, and drizzle on less than a tablespoon.  It's delicious, filling, and lets me enjoy a nice side of carbs later on with my dinner.

The weeks where I manage to cut carbs at lunchtime usually yields greater weight loss, as well as forcing me to pack more veggies into my day.

Could I cut carbs out of my life?  Never, but here is a small way for me to get the best of both worlds.

Quarter Pounder, Please - To Go!

The first week has passed since I began this blog, and I have lost... a quarter of a pound.

My initial reaction was a mix of "Phew, I didn't gain." and "What?  That's it?"

After reflecting on it a bit, I realized that this is a victory and I must recognize it as such.  In the past seven months, where I didn't make much headway, I could have a week where I lost three pounds followed by a week where I gained three pounds.  But last week I did not lose any weight, and this week was the quarter pounder.

If I want to reach my goal weight, then what I need is consistency and patience.  Any week where I lose or stay the same is a positive week, no matter how small the loss.  All those quarter pounders add up!

I cannot allow discouragement or frustration in or I will be looking at a gain, and that will keep me from getting to where I want to be.

So here's to losing, and keeping the faith!

Be Honest And Open And Those Extra Pounds Won't Be A Mystery.

Today I will write down everything I eat.

My good friend Mandy was struggling with her weight, but couldn't seem to lose much.  She claimed she ate well, but thought she just had a slow metabolism.

I felt for her, but didn't necessarily agree.  I tried convincing her to keep a food diary of everything she put in her mouth.  She said she didn't need to, insisting that she knew what she ate every day.
She had her thyroid tested, but that came back normal.

Later on, she needed to keep a detailed food diary while trying to solve the mystery of what was causing a possible allergic reaction.  She lost weight.

In case you're wondering, I DID NOT say I told you so!  I was just so happy for her, knowing she had just acquired the number one tool for weight loss.  To quote Mandy - "I never realized all the little extras before and how they really add up."

This inspired me to take my own advice.  Sometimes when you have been dieting for so long, you feel like you have it under control.  Well, I don't, so write I shall.

The beginning of the day is easy.  The kids are in school/camp, the baby is napping... Later in the day, when the baby wants to be held, the kids need bathing, feeding, playing, feeding, gotta change that load of laundry - oh the kids are hungry AGAIN?!?!  Writing, or even thinking about what goes in my mouth doesn't really happen.

Solution: Strategize

Eat a good lunch BEFORE the kids get home, and plan what snacks you will have mid-afternoon (with my iced coffee, of course), so you don't end up deciding with your stomach instead of your head.

If you know you will be out of the house later, make sure to wash an apple and stick it in your bag with a bottle of water.

And on those days when you eat cake?  Don't get discouraged, WRITE IT DOWN.  It will probably keep you from eating three pieces, knowing that it will end up on paper.

Every cheerio, pretzel, or cracker that you pop into your mouth needs to be written down.  Sometimes knowing you will have to go to the effort to write it will keep you from eating it altogether.  And even if you do eat it, by writing it down you will honestly know how much you are consuming in a day.

Finishing off that bit of rice and one extra meatball that got left in the pot, 6 pretzels midday, a piece of crust from your kids toast at breakfast, and you have already added close to 200 hidden calories to your day.  That's fine if you put it down in your food diary so it's accounted for.  Otherwise you are looking at 1400 mysterious calories by the weeks end and wondering why you aren't losing weight.  You might even think of testing your thyroid ;).

So even though we all think we know whats going into our mouths, humor me, write down for a week or two, and let the scale decide for you.