I feel like I've cheated and it's time to come clean. I tell you guys about something off plan that I ate and you all rally around me with support and you're so wonderful - I mean, really, really wonderful!
But here's the thing, I don't feel bad eating those things. Let me explain: I am a total novice around diets. Even though I have been overweight for 16 years, before starting Nutrisystem in March, I probably didn't spend more than a whole month of my life dieting. When I started NS, I made a complete lifestyle change, giving up my Pepsi habit and choosing to eat right on a daily basis, and that has worked well for me.
But I plan on eating this way for life, and for life, I'm still going to have birthdays, anniversaries, family dinners, movies, and all manner of opportunities to eat off plan. My goal is not to shun these foods for the rest of my life - I could never, ever be successful doing that. In fact, I truly believe that shunning foods like that permanently would be my downfall. My goal is to eat on plan 95-99% of the time for the rest of my life, so that the other 1-5% of the time I can enjoy the special occasions without guilt. And in moderation of course - not too small to leave me wanting more, but not greedy either.
I know that while trying to get the weight off now, by eating these things, I am slowing my weight loss down. That's just a compromise I choose to make - because I feel that if I completely say no to these things, I will go the opposite direction and that's not where I want to be. It just so happens that the summer holds many of these special occasions for us - there's another one this weekend.
My way of eating won't work for everyone, and could be the exact thing that causes someone to completely lose control. It's just what works for me.
I just really love you guys, and felt I had to come clean about my philosophy. Like I said before, I'm really a novice to the whole weight loss and dieting thing, and in the end, this may all blow up in my face and prove me a total numbscullhead, as my DH likes to say.
So, last night hubby wanted Chinese food, and, uh, yeah, I blew it. Then today is my daughter's birthday, so it was homemade chicken pot pie (divine!) and homemade chocolate chip cookie doughcheesecake! I escaped scale consequences this morning, but we'll see tomorrow.
Uh, yeah, hoosier girl - that deceptive invincible feeling? I've been there! Few times. Yep.
Oh yeah, and the van is acting up again!! You know, the one we just got back??
But we are all healthy, well fed (LOL!), have a roof over our heads and clothing to wear, and I thank God for that.
Our van is finally done - yes! I have been stir crazy around here the past couple of weeks. So glad that's done!
I did get out and walk yesterday, and then came home and did some jump rope - I'm getting better at it. I found I can do it in the kitchen and watch the clock to see how long I go. I felt so much better yesterday after my walk. Both of my shoulders started hurting, and still do, but it's pretty mild. Makes it kind of a pain to get dressed.
I was going to go walking this morning but was kept awake by a hurt shoulder, and at 5:30 when I would normally get up, I was both tired and still in pain.
Let me explain the shoulder thing. I have told you (though if you're new to my blog you've probably not seen) that I have rheumatoid arthritis. I am on medication that lets me live a normal life right now (thank the Lord - seriously), though probably not as busy as yours. Occasionally, though, I get these seemingly random pains. Usually it's after a day of overdoing it (on my feet too long, clean the house, etc.). I cannot figure out what I did yesterday to get this pain today. I've hardly been moving this week (well heck, maybe that's it).
I am not complaining, mind you - it could be alot worse and I'm truly grateful that it's not. When my oldest children were still in diapers, I could hardly change those diapers because my hands were in so much pain. A few years later, my hands better, I had a calligraphy business. I love calligraphy but it ruined my hands. They are now permanently deformed. Not horrifically - I don't scare little kids or anything like that. You can sort of see in my before picture.
So anyway, these random pains make me want to sit and do nothing, and stay in bed. And since the sugar overload, which I have dearly paid for this week, my RA has acted up a little. Interesting, huh? Maybe it is the sugar.
You guys are so wonderful - your encouragement is such a blessing! I still have been eating right, getting in all of my water. And I'm going to go for a walk right now. I'll check on you all when I come back.
I'm drawing a blank today for my blog. I just haven't been feeling great since the cake incident. I'm getting better but not there yet. Eating-wise I've been back on track and the weight is coming back down, but exercise has been tough. I think I'm going to try doing some jump rope again - that is quite the workout! I can only do it for a few minutes but I hope to build up stamina there. And like hoosier girl, I'm going to focus on my strength training. But I just don't have the oomph for my walk right now.
Not to be a downer for everyone. You all are so great, the encouragement here is tremendous!
So I had my wonderful anniversary all-day date with DH on Wednesday and ate off plan (although I didn't "overeat"). I had a caramel frappucino, but no other dessert. Oh, and one glass of Pepsi. Then I had my anniversary cake on Saturday, and saved a piece for Sunday. I skipped some carb servings each day so I could "afford" the cake. I also have been eating, every so often, 100 calorie packs for my evening dessert, which on Nutrisystem is supposed to be around 150 to 200 calories and include a full protein serving (7 grams). I usually have these with a glass of fat free milk for the protein part. And I've been eating Zone Fudge Graham bars recently to replace Nutrisystem's Fudge Graham bars that I love so much.
The problem is that all of these things have sugar, and so suffice it to say this week I've been eating too much sugar. The NS bars have less sugar, the NS desserts and many of my other choices have less or no sugar. Of course, Pepsi and frappucinos are extremely rare to say the least, and cake too.
Well, the sugar overload has sent my body into a tailspin. If you know anything about yeast you can probably guess what I have (oh joy). I haven't had this since I changed my eating habits in March. Also, yesterday I ate my piece of cake too early. For me, that was a big mistake. I was trying to finish out my food for the day and was snooping around for something besides yogurt and milk and cheese for a protein serving, when I decided to eat leftover stir fry. High sodium, too late at night, you do the math.
So here's to the word moderation - yes, I can do all those things, but, hello, duh, probably not a good idea to do all those things in one week.
On another note, the stars were cool, but there was too much light pollution, so the "100 or so an hour" was just not a reality for us. We're going to try again on Wednesday morning when we'll have our car back from the shop and DH is off, and drive out somewhere to see the stars.
I am a sky lover. Got it from my mom. I have been known to drag my kids out of bed in the middle of the night to drive out to somewhere where the sky is clear and watch a meteorite shower, or some planetary phenomenon.
Tonight you can see the Perseids. Best viewed between 1 and 4 a.m. (at least Pacific time), this is such a cool thing to watch! The beauty of nature always amazes me. The kids and I are planning to camp out at around 2 or 3 to watch the show.
But if you miss it tonight, you can still see falling stars for a few more days, again, best viewed in the wee hours of the morning.
And then if you miss it altogether, there are always the Leonids or some of the many other meteor showers that occur throughout the year.
So I was digging through my old pictures trying to find a good before (is there ever any such thing?) and I came across my old wedding invitation. The front reads:
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12
Today is our 17th anniversary. Man how the times flies! One day you're all googly-eyed and then the next you're watching your youngest get married. Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself - we're not quite there yet!
Anyway, 17 years! I cannot believe it. What a true blessing to be married to my best friend.
DH and I had a blast yesterday! He was hungry the minute we got there though. We had Mexican food for lunch, and though I did eat some chips and salsa (they were warm!), I had a terrific Mexican grilled chicken caesar salad, which DH finished. Doctor's visit was quick. At one point he said to me, "thin people like you". That was cool.
Shopping was fun, everything that I tried on fit me. I was kind of overwhelmed with the choices, usually I go into Anthropologie and I'm lucky to find 2 things that I can even get on me - let alone fit right. I bought some denim bermuda length shorts with a cuff at the hem, so they are what I used to refer to as knickers. Absolutely adorable! And, drumroll please.... they are a size 10! Yes, my friends, they are a teensy bit snug, like the jeans I told you about the other day. I almost wore those same jeans yesterday, but decided in favor of comfort instead. Anyway, I can wear the shorts now, but they will look better in a week or two.
And dinner was amazing! The place, called The Lime Lite, was very romantic, dark and quiet, and had wonderful service! We got the impression that many of the people were regulars, a comforting thought. We tried the fried calamari (neither of us had ever had that before) - which was incredible! I had a delicious summer salad with slices of red onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers topped with blue cheese, and a New York steak with fries. Yep, fries. I had decided since this was a special occasion, that I wanted fries, since I can eat red potatoes fixed other ways any time and rarely eat fries. But I ate maybe 1/3 of the steak and even less of the fries before I was stuffed (had to have been that calamari). Both of us were so full we didn't have any desire for dessert, which surprised me because I had been looking forward to it. We made a decision to get a rum cake from our local bakery on our anniversary instead, which, if you've never tried one (and I think it is a local specialty so you probably haven't), I both pity and envy you at the same time. It's the absolute best cake I've ever had. In fact, the perfect cake for special occasions like this. I will, no doubt, be skipping my carbs for a couple of days to enjoy it, because this one is worth it.
Anyway, back to our date, after having my steak and taters packaged up, we went to Whole Foods to get some soy-free mayonnaise and some palm oil shortening. My MIL likes to make pie but uses shortening which, as you know, is trans fat - the real evil. DH bought some salmon and I got some organic salad greens. And we paid an arm and a leg, but oh well. There was another restaurant that I had been considering in the same parking lot as Whole Foods, apparently very popular. DH and I were glad I did not choose that one as it was very loud.
So, there you have it, that was our wonderful day sans kids, not to be repeated for another year (except that I have another appt in January).
Now, back to eating right! Let's see, how can I portion that steak out... 3 meals?...1 dinner and two protein servings?... I think I'll give the fries to the kids... unless they're totally crummy now...
Ack! If I hear that word one more time, I am going to scream! I have banned my almost 12 YO daughter, Ivory, from saying it around me, and she's been doing pretty good. But when her friend comes over that's all I hear. Gah!
Ican'twaittilltomorrowIcan'twaittilltomorrow! You don't think I need to get out more do you? LOL! Dear husband and I are going to the big city (not really that big except that I live in the middle of dairies and farms and a bunch of hayfields) sans kids! It is a rare treat for us to get away for a whole day without our kids, who we love dearly and enjoy traveling with. We have dinner reservations and intend to shop at leisure all day, because, you know, there is no such thing as shopping at leisure with 5 kids who tend to crowd me.
