Yesterday I was bad. I think I need to list what I actually ate to see what went on.
1 c. cheerios, no sugar, 0% milk = 120 calories
1 cup coffee with non dairy creamer = 40 calories
1 huge salad with about 2 T dressing and added vinegar = 200 calories
1 small grilled hamburger = 200 calories
another small grilled hamburger = 200 calories
a large bowl of pasta salad, about 1 cup = 200 calories
one pork rib = 300 calories
all the left-over dip and crackers = ??? calories - maybe 500 calories
I guess that's about 1760 calories for the day. Well, not what I wanted to do. But at least I didn't put the hamburgers on buns with mayo and cheese. And I did only eat one pork rib. All things considered I'm not going to jump on myself too much.
Now it's today. A fresh day with things to do. I'm going to work on my web comics and try to get them ready to post by next weekend. I almost have the web site ready to go. Just need to do a few more painting sessions. Next weekend is a pretty ambitious goal but I might be able to do it.
I'm also working on some photos that will list on eBay tomorrow and there are 2 new paintings for eBay tomorrow.
Mom's CD's sold pretty well and she is going to list some more of them.
OH! I also am going to get pictures of me in my dress up dresses that I'm shrinking out of and sell them on eBay. I have several very nice dresses that I hope I can sell. But since I've already lost almost 30 pounds, they are probably already baggy on me. Got to get pictures while I still can so that they will sell. Isn't that just a wonderful problem?
I dearly love my mamma and I am delighted to have her living with us. I've gained 60 pounds since she moved in several years ago. Mamma does good old Southern style cooking. For example:
Last night I ate a grilled hamburger and some collard greens. I asked her how she seasoned the collard greens. "A little sugar and some bacon grease." The night before: carrots with butter and honey and lima beans with bacon grease. I mean, what am I supposed to do? I guess that's why God gave someone the smarts to create frozen diet meals.
Today I did good. I was training with some of the other techs and we all went out to lunch at Wendy's. Not much choice at Wendy's. I had a grilled chicken sandwich with no bread and no sauce and a plain baked potatoe with salt and pepper.
It's been hard the last few days. I saw a different doctor for my follow-up on the phentermine and his prescription was not for the time-release version. These don't last all day and I'm real hungry at night. I suppose I need to get used to it a little because I can only take these for 4 more months.
I've learned two secrets. First: nothing tastes as good as feeling good feels. The second: 10 minutes after I've eaten it, the taste is gone and all that matters is that my tummy feels good.
These two things have been a revelation to me!
I went to the Dr. for my follow-up on the Phen. He asked me what I was doing and, really, thinking about it, all I've done is cut back on serving sizes and cut out (completely) butter, mayo, sour cream, and sugar. The sugar was not even a sacrifice, I am not a big sweet eater. I've also never snacked on chips and such. Sour cream was so-so important. But butter and mayo!?!?!? I would have never believed I could do without THEM. And I really don't even miss them.
I really need to get busy and start exercising. I've increased my activity, but that's not exercising. I was sort of waiting until I hit a plateau and then figured that the exercise would get me past that. But I just need to start. I'm going to Chicago for 2 weeks the end of February for training, maybe I could start then since I'll be stuck in a motel alone. (Anyone here in Chicago?)
I've lost a total of 26 pounds!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!
Once, years ago, I lost 24 pounds. That was over a 6 month time frame and I was dieting severely and also swimming laps for 1 hour at a time, 3 times a week.
I'm so HAPPY!
The last few days I've been doing real good with what I've been eating. Breakfast is 1/2 c. cheerios with no sugar. Lunch is spread out through the day usually ranging from 10:30 to 2:30 and it's 1/2 sandwich with 1 slice deli turkey sliced thin and lots of lettuce, 1/2 c cottage cheese, a small teaspoon of peanut butter (Prevention magazine says diets work better if you eat peanut butter), an apple, and a 12 oz bottle of V-8. Supper is a lean quisine meal which is under 300 calories. (Went out and bought some of those after mom made the fried pork chop and baked sweet potatoes meal. That way she can cook whatever she wants and I can eat whichever I want.)
Wonderful day!!!
I'm tired now. Worked 74 hours last week and this week is starting out as bad, over 12 hours both yesterday and today. So it's out to hot tub and then to bed.
You know, it's absolutely wonderful that mamma lives with us. She does almost all the cooking and it's so unspeakably good to come in from a long, hard day of work and dinner is on the stove, smelling good. But I gained 50 pounds in the years mamma has lived and cooked in our home. Then tonight she fixed fried pork chops and mashed sweet potatoes. Now I ask you, is that what I want to eat? Really? I was good. I ate vegetable soup. I was so proud of myself.
My brother and his wife were here for a week. We haven't seen them in years and we had such a good time. Unfortunately, one of the things we did is that they took us out to eat several times. I was SO bad. So very bad. But, now it's time to get back to the real world and get back on my diet. It will all come off again. No more cheating.
I am so thankful that I have so many interests that consume my thoughts. The last few months have been so stressful that I can't even begin to say. So much fear and sorrow have entered my life as my youngest son (20 years old) has made seriously bad choices. But on the other side are so many things to keep me joyful and involved (and keep my mind off food). My husband and mamma are my best friends and we have a beautiful home. Our dogs are a constant source of laughter. Painting feeds my soul. When I paint I don't even notice time passing. (If you want to look at my paintings, go to valry.com or search for valry on ebay.) Some paintings take up to 6 or 7 hours for a small 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch painting and I don't even look up until I'm done and notice that hours are gone. The same thing happens when I practice my music (I play concert recorder). I love my work which is challenging and interesting. Mamma does most of the cooking since she moved in with us. That's a mixed blessing since it keeps me away from grazing as I cook but also I've gained 50 pounds from her good Southern food! Mamma is learning to cook differently for all our sakes and I'm learning that I'm the only one who can control how much I eat.
Well, that's enough for now I guess. It's time to get ready to go to that job.
Celebrating is in order, I lost another 4 pounds which brings my down 22 pounds all together. My BP was 175/80 which is not particularly good but not exceedingly worrisom either. Mamma is making another pot of her EXCELLENT vegetable soup so will be able to fill up as full as I want on that tonight.
Mamma's Vegetable Soup: 4 cans of tomato stuff (chopped, stewed, etc.), 8 beef bullion cubes, 2 c frozen peas, 2 c frozen corn, 2 c frozen lima beans, 2 c frozen green beans, 2-3 cups chopped fresh cabbage, 2 c chopped fresh carrots, 1 c chopped fresh celery, 1 c chopped fresh onion, any other vegatables on hand except potatoes, salt & pepper to taste. Dump all together (preferably put longer cooking vegetables in first) and simmer until just barely tender-crisp.
I know a lot of those are vegetables that are higher in carbs, but since there is no meat in it we feel like that is a good trade off in the way of fat/calories. (I'm not trying to do low carb, just balanced, sensible, low fat/calorie.)
Anyway, I LOVE the vegetable soup and stuff myself with it at least 3 nights every week.
What a day. I fixed 13 computers today - we're supposed to average 5 a day. So tired. What's more, I'm on call this week. I really need the overtime so I hope I do get called out. I guess I'll just stay tired.
Had to go to the Dr. this morning before work for a UTI. The bad news was that my weight was back at 238. The good news was that my BP was 120/78!!!!!
I wanted to come home tonight and paint but I think I'm too tired. I didn't paint yesterday, in fact, I've only had one good painting session since before Christmas and that was the paintings that were donated to the charity auction in Belgium. Got to get some stuff onto eBay. Oh well.
I stayed with my eating plan today. At least so far. Haven't had time to eat anything else. Mamma is fixing dinner now. I don't really feel like eating, I just want to sleep. This can be a good thing.
Today I weighed and got my BP taken. 237 pounds - only lost 1 pound this week but that's okay since last week I had lost 5 pounds in one week and that was way too much so I was actually trying to eat more. Then again I was at home all week and had two episodes of sitting on the sofa eating crackers and cream cheese spread. My BP was 160/80. Again, mixed news. The 160 is a little high but it's the bottom number that matters and that was lower than usual. So that's okay.
Last night I watched the Biggest Looser. In a way that show is inspiring, but then again, those people are isolated from real life and have nothing to do all day except focus on their weight loss and exercise. That's not real life and that's definitely NOT my life.
So far today I've done real good about staying with my eating plan. Had my breakfast cereal and then ate all my lunch except the apple. I'm feeling totally stuffed. Oh, and today was the first day I fixed my sandwich with no mayo - just mustard. I like the mayo so much more but had been cutting it down and down and down so I didn't even taste the difference. I think it's just vegetable soup tonight for supper.
That's about all today. I'm going to spend some time painting and get my mind off food. (Another happy thing today was shipping two of my pieces to Belgium for a charity art auction that I was invited to participate in. That was WAY COOL.)
