Ups and Downs

I made macaroni and cheese yesterday for lunch with a friend - kept my portion small, but I also had bread and butter and a skinny piece of cheesecake.

That wasn't too bad. But I had more macaroni and cheese last night with Charlie.

Charlie and I went to the Olive Garden today. I had soup and salad - skipped the breadsticks.

The ups are that I'm eating moderately and getting a lot of exercise through dancing, walking, and swimming. I'm active every day.

The downs are that the scale doesn't move.

I look better, and today I noticed that the waistband around my shorts was loose. But please, please - I want the number on the scale to move!

Making Choices

I was really impressed with a recent magazine article about a research study focusing on maintaining  weight loss. People who had lost weight in a medically supervised program were divided into three groups and monitored to see if they regained the weight they had lost. Two groups regained the weight; one didn't. The difference? The successful group had been taken to a grocery store and shown how to make choices that prevent weight gain.

I have been thinking about that article and those people a lot. This week I have been grappling with two problems. On Tuesday I went to lunch with friends AND went for my weekly pizza outing with Charlie.

My original plan was to eat half my sandwich with my friends. I had to abandon that idea when I bit into the sandwich - it was just too good. The solution was to skip the pasta salad that came with it and the hot garlic bread (sob) that the server brought to our table.

The other problem this week has been fatigue and hunger - along with, perhaps, a silver lining: I've been swimming, walking, and dancing, so maybe there's a reason I've been tired.

Bottom line: I made some choices. I even skipped PB&J a couple of times in favor of a slice of cheese on a whole-wheat roll.

Progress!

A Good Day

Yesterday morning a 90-minute dance lesson had me covered with sweat, and last night I had an hourlong ballet class that was fun to do and very active.
Negatives (sort of): Charlie and I didn't get to do our daily walk yesterday. (The dancing more than made up for it). We went to the Olive Garden, which turned out to be not-so-bad: I skipped the wine, had a small portion of ziti (the Olive Garden is having a Pronto Lunch promotion with downsized servings), and brought half of it home to eat later.
One-and-a-half cookies yesterday. I wrote "alas" and then deleted it. Cookies are one of the joys of my life.
Last week I read Helen Gurley Brown's book Wild Again (a book reflecting on her life and an assortment of topics). We are sisters in our attitudes towards candy (not at all important) and cookies (central to our happiness and well-being).
I think I can eat a cookie or two every day and do fine as long as I'm vigilant in other ways.

Starting Up Again

I've taken seven trips already this year - four for pleasure, and three for a consulting job - and my weight has crept up again.
The good news is that I weighed myself at the gym this morning, and I'm down a pound-and-a-half from last Sunday.
Today I walked with Charlie, swam most of my laps (thunder got me out of the pool early), went to the gym, and did my workout at home.
I'm looking forward to progress - and a pound less next Sunday.

Progress!

I am one pound away from my First Magic Number.
I am seeing signs of progress in addition to the almost-lovely number on the scale. (First Magic Number is my first mini-goal.)
I ran into a former student who noticed that I'd lost weight.
I look better when I look at myself in the mirror.
And the pictures from the December competition came back, and I look great in my dance dresses. So even back then I was making progress.
The extra walk is a big help. I am also allowing myself to be a little bit hungry once in a while - putting off a snack until later, for example.
I am eating foods I enjoy. Today I had a generous piece of crumb cake. I do not feel guilty - I also took two good walks, did a tap class, and did a private ballroom lesson.
Often I spread a treat over two eating sessions. I'll have half a cookie or pastry at a time. (Well, I didn't do that today with the crumb cake - but I didn't have any other treats either.)
I am putting walnuts into my yogurt and salad. It's a wonderful treat, it's healthful, and it's satisfying. (I leave some of the strawberry jelly at the bottom of the yogurt container - Charlie likes to eat it later, and it saves me a few calories.)
I'm still measuring my salad dressing and coffee creamer.
I am thrilled that I can enjoy life, eat foods I like, and lose weight. I can do this.

Day 28

It's hard to write when nothing noteworthy is happening!
I weighed myself at the gym today and had moderately good news: I weigh three pounds less than last time I weighed myself, and I'm down from my high point last year.
I worked out at the gym and at home and did a walk. I had one and a half cookies at the donut shop (I was hungry).
It's been a good day.

Day 25

Three good days.
Busy days.
I did ballet, zumba, a double dance lesson, and a walk on Monday.
Tuesday I did tap and my home workout. (I realized I can't do zumba anymore: It's too exhausting.) I also did my walk.
Today (Wednesday) I did a walk, my home workout, and a dance lesson.
Eating has been good. We had pizza Monday - I took it easy and ate lightly the rest of the day.
No problems today and yesterday.
Tomorrow: dance lesson.

Day 22

I'm trying halves.
Yesterday I ate half of my Olive Garden lunch - today I had the other half.
We went to a cafe this morning, as we always do on Sunday, and I had half a pastry (threw the other half away).
I had half a cookie at the Donut Shop.
Charlie bought a big bag of pretzels. He ate many of them - I had a handful - and then we threw the rest of the bag away.
I took two walks and did my workout.
I'm going to keep getting on the scale and keep plugging away.

Stuck on Day 21

I took two walks today and did my workout. We (sigh) went to the Olive Garden. I ate half my lunch, and Charlie and I split a piece of cheesecake. This evening I had a salad and some cantaloupe.
I'm planning to keep plugging away, taking it one meal at a time. Weighing myself more often might help. I'm going to hang in there.

Day 20

Two walks today (hooray!), dance practice, and a Pilates session.

Charlie and I went to Publix to pick out a snack for my book club, which met in our living room this afternoon. Our first choice was a bakery package of Italian cookies that I knew I wouldn't be able to resist. We put them back and selected some chocolate cookies that I didn't like. (I ate one.)

My sister's nonpareils are a problem, but not a big one. I had one nonpareil today.

A potato chip, some trail mix - I even skipped the chocolate chip cookies that one of my friends brought. Not a bad day.

Day 19

Still tired.
Not much junk today. I had a cookie from Richard's and a few nonpareils.
Went for a walk with Charlie, walked to the library for my writing group meeting, and had a very energetic ballroom lesson.
I need to keep visualizing myself as a dancer to stay energized in my quest for the new look I want so much.


LATER Did my workout! Yay!

Day 18

I am TIRED.
Yesterday I walked, had coffee with a friend, did my workout, took a tap class, and did a zumba class. Then I stayed up until 11:30 watching the J.D. Salinger documentary.
Did I mentioned that I'm tired today?
We walked, I went out to lunch, and I worked at the computer. I did not attempt a workout today.
Tomorrow will be busy: dance lesson and writing group.
No eating temptations.
Today I ate some junk in an attempt to get some energy. It didn't work.

Day 16

A good day. I had a 90-minute dance lesson. We went out for pizza, and I left some pizza and some of the cannoli for Charlie. Alas, later I had 1 1/2 cookies and a few nonpareils. Still - not bad. I went for a walk and did my workout.
Tomorrow's challenges: Breakfast at the Igloo (I'll have a biscuit with honey or jelly rather than butter) and McDonald's (I'll have coffee). I have a tap class and zumba class tomorrow, plus Charlie and I will walk to the Igloo.

Day 15

Now we're talking.

I went to the monthly dance today. There are always refreshments: pizza, cookies, fruit, and some special treats. Today it was a cream pie.

I had two cookies and a couple of grapes.

I also walked, did my workout, danced, and had a good day.

Tomorrow's challenge is our weekly pizza outing. The good thing tomorrow is an extra dance lesson. I'll report in tomorrow.

Day 14

A good day: We walked, I ate moderately (we ate the last couple of Christmas cookies), and I did my workout. I'm tired!

Day 13

I looked at myself in the mirror during my Pilates session today. I was not happy with what I saw. I really want to knuckle down and solve this problem of my weight.
The Pilates session itself was strenuous, and I'm really pleased at some of the things that I can do that were impossible when I started working with my trainer. (I used to scream when I tried some of the "long box" exercises, and I couldn't do teasers.)
I did a walk today - that's a plus - and some dance practice. I didn't take a second walk (didn't have time - we took "Bogie" to the vet). I ate some caramel popcorn with Charlie.
Tomorrow will be a day for real effort.

Day 12

Did a good walk this morning, and I walked to and from the library for my writing group this afternoon. I did an hour-long ballroom lesson.
Charlie wanted to out for pizza. I had less pizza than usual (necessary because I'm still trying to get back on track after my trip to Nashville).
Tomorrow is looking like a good back-to-normal day.

Day 11

Back from my trip. It was wonderful!

I left all my wonderful eating habits at home. And I didn't go overboard very much. One thing I've learned in recent years is how to splurge without going crazy.

Tonight I did my at-home workout, and Charlie and I did a good walk this morning.

I'm back.

Day 8

Two walks plus my workout at home. Finished that chocolate-chip cookie in the freezer, but otherwise it was a good day.
Busy day getting ready for tomorrow's trip to Nashville.
No eating or exercise plans - I'm going to try to use common sense and enjoy the trip. (No pizza in the airport, alas!)
Next weekend I'm going to weigh myself, see how I'm doing, and regroup.

Day 7

Spent much of the afternoon and this evening watching the US Figure Skating Championships. More skating tomorrow, plus I need to finish getting ready for my trip to Nashville on Monday.

Charlie and I went for pizza today because I'll be away on Monday, our regularly scheduled pizza day.

I did two good walks and my at-home workout. It was a good (not great) day eating. I desperately wanted to finish the chocolate-chip cookie in the freezer - and then later it didn't appeal to me at all.

Last week I watched a short Gordon Ramsey video about making scrambled eggs, and I've been cooking them for breakfast every morning. They are wonderful and very satisfying.

The Nashville trip is going to be a challenge. I'm going to have a good breakfast Tuesday morning - hope to go to Taco Bell Monday afternoon (it's close to my hotel). Wednesday morning I'll eat at McDonald's. Having good meals to look forward to might help me avoid overeating at other times.

Day 6

Despite my good intentions, I had half a chocolate-chip cookie at Panera Bread. It was, I'm sorry to say, a BIG cookie.  My friend's mother was there, and treated us, and I wasn't about to sit there with a just a piddling cup of coffee.

Not a bad day, though. I walked twice and did a private Pilates session, and I climbed stairs when I went to the college library to pick up a book I'd requested. Two long flights (and down again). I did them fast - I'm in pretty good shape.

And I did some dance practice.

Day 5

Walked, did at-home workout, had a wonderful dance lesson. No snacks between breakfast and my usual Thursday lunch at Taco Bell (fresco bean burrito and diet Coke).

Had a cookie at the Donut Shop. At home I had my usual salad, along with two extras: Indian pudding + ice cream (finished the can) and a cheese roll (nice low-calorie snack that Charlie invented: whole-wheat roll, slice of cheese, relish, mustard).

Gingerbread latte at Richard's (we go there twice a week when our laundry is going through the wash cycle).

Tomorrow I'm meeting a friend and her mother at Panera Bread. The fun is over: I'm just having coffee tomorrow. Back on the wagon.

On my way to my dance lesson today I listened to a Diane Rehm Show discussion of fasting. It sounded like a marvelous way to lose weight, stay healthy, sharpen your brain power....

And I'm not going to do it. I need regular infusions of food.

Day 4

The Chinese buffet place where I had lunch with a college friend was serving...my favorite ice cream.

I like ice cream. I don't love it the way, say, I love chocolate chip cookies.

But then there's chocolate chip ice cream. I haven't had any in maybe 20 years. And the ice cream today (even though the chocolate chips were minuscule) was exactly like what I remembered.

I had two small dishes. I also had a serving of Indian pudding (my sister sent three cans for Christmas) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

On the other hand, I skipped the garlic bread today (before I knew about the ice cream). I did two walks, a good dance practice, and my at-home stretching workout.

Overall, a good day. I enjoyed the foods I really like, had only a salad tonight, and got some exercise.

Day 3

The writing group that I facilitate had a post-holiday party today: lasagna and a strawberry-lemon tart (delicious!). I had two cookies for a snack.

Confession: Last night, after I finished blogging, Charlie and I had some leftover Christmas chocolate.

Back to today. Despite the lasagna and dessert, it was a pretty good day. Charlie and I walked this morning (chilly for Central Florida - 36 degrees). I did a mat class and took a tap class. No dance practice today - I met a friend at the Donut Shop right after the mat class (a time that I normally do dance practice).

Tomorrow's challenge is lunch with my friend Jackie - an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, including ice cream.

Strategy: Skip the foods I don't care much for, and remember that ice cream will always be there - I don't have to eat it tomorrow (or more than a spoonful or two).

Day 2

Good day today. Not spectacular, but I'll take good. It helped that yesterday I made a realistic assessment about what today would be like.

We went for pizza, as expected, and I showed some restraint with the cannoli (not, you'll note, with the pizza - but we always share three pieces, so that was normal for us).

Charlie and I went for a walk, I did a good dance practice session by myself this morning (hooray!), and I took a ballet class.

Something major I forgot to mention under negatives yesterday is that I dislike (to put it mildly) structure. For this go-round at least, I'm not counting or recording anything.

Back to plans. Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to a mat class. It's going to be very cold (for Central Florida, at least - 30s). We're hoping to do at least one walk.

Major issue: A lasagna dinner with my writing group. But that doesn't have to be a disaster. I'm this for the long haul. And I can eat wisely the rest of the day.

Getting Started

I want to lose weight this year. I've set an initial goal of reaching 125 pounds.

First: WHY.

Stephen Covey says you can make a dramatic improvement in your life by asking yourself this question: What one new thing could you do on a regular basis to improve your personal life?

My answer (maybe it doesn’t exactly answer his question, but it’s on target for me): LOSE WEIGHT.

There’s an awful lot of negative energy trapped inside the extra weight I’m carrying with me.

I’m not happy with the way I look or the clothes I wear.

Here’s something that really alarmed me: I looked at a Debbie Allen videotape yesterday. She was teaching a line dance that my dance group is learning. She looked AWFUL.

OK, I don’t look that bad. But I could look much better.

Second: HOW.

Two ways: Overcoming negatives and maximizing positives.

To put it differently: I need to begin by listing the plus factors that I have going for me:

my basic eating habits are good ones

• I lost a few pounds last year (hooray!)
• I'm an active person
• I've successfully met weight-loss goals in the past
• I'm always surprised and delighted when I lose a few pounds
• I'm close to my goal
• I'm a self-disciplined person
• I have some good eating habits (measuring coffee creamer and salad dressing, eating one piece of candy or one cookie most of the time)
• I'm conscious of food choices and quantities
• I don't have a binging problem or eating disorder

On to the negative factors:

• I love sweets
• I'm into "I'll do better tomorrow" thinking and behavior
• Upcoming events are going to present challenges
• I sit at this computer a lot

On to specific strategies I can use:

1.  Realize that it's not now-or-never with foods I like. There will be more chocolate-chip cookies in February.

2.  Realize it's OK to be hungry. Often the feeling goes away in a minute or two.

3.  Increase my physical activities

4.  Make an eating plan when a social event comes up

I'm going to assess today (it's about 8:00 pm) and then make some plans for tomorrow:

Overall my eating today worked out well. I'm pleased that I did two walks today and went to the gym for the first time in several months. I'm going to do my at-home workout in a few minutes.

Plan for tomorrow:

• dance practice on my own at the ballet school
• ballet class
• one walk (I probably won't have time for two, but maybe...)
• one cookie
• moderation with pizza and cannoli
• keep positive

I just looked at that "pizza and cannoli" comment. My husband and I go out for pizza every Monday. That's got to be an obstacle to losing weight - and yet last month I really did lose weight despite those weekly outings.
I need to keep my awareness high and not get tricked into my habitual "tomorrow is another day" self-deception.

More tomorrow!