Postive Healthy Eating and Exercising

August Is An exciting Month as

2008-08-13T22:23:00.001-07:00

August is an exciting month as my body continues to change with all the exercising, walking, tread-milling , weight lifting, Swiss ball balancing, crunching I have been doing since January 2008.

It's exciting too in that I am going to my son's wedding this weekend and when shopping for clothes I had to buy a size smaller than I was wearing in January and this makes me happy. It feels good too. I feel more fit than I did then.

Today my office colleague Gina, who is a massage therapist next door to my therapy office, and who is extremely fit with not an ounce of body fat anywhere on her body, well toned etc. asked me today if I had "gotten fit for the occasion of my son's wedding?"

"No", I said, a bit taken a back.
I told her emphatically that this was FOR LIFE, my life plan. The fact that I am smaller, more fit now than before is just a nicety, but I will continue after the wedding at the same pace I was doing it before the wedding. The fact that I will look better in my wedding wear than I would of had I not been doing this, is just an added plus in my book.

Gina responded: "Good answer!"

Staying Firm After a Months Long Vacation

2008-07-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

I am happily amazed that after a month away from home...on the road, eating out of our camping coolers for most of three meals a day; eating out in restaurants twice, and in peoples homes approximately a dozen meals total, I came home, got on the scale and weighted exactly the same as I did the day we left on this car trek.

We had far more time traveling in the car than we had outside walking around. It was often too cold (we saw snow in Yellowstone; rain storms in MN; and only really hot weather just before we got home. I did exercise for the five days we were with family in MN. We did take a few short hikes in beautiful places we visited, but for the most part it was a fairly sedentary vacation.

What I did not do was cheat. I really stayed true to myself and my life plan.
I did not go to Dairy Queen when my DH did. (He BTW lost six pounds on this trip, go figure!) I didn't even eat the little birthday cake my dear son gifted me with, but I did appreciate the candle and thought. "More for them", he said!

So today, 29 days after leaving home, I can proudly say: I weigh 130 lbs, and my jeans still fit!
And yes although sometimes a bit difficult, (saying no thanks to Umquoa Espresso Madness ice cream in Oregon was the hardest of all), I'm glad I did it.

Checking in from the road

2008-06-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know if the changes in my body can be seen in this photo, (of me on the right with my mother-in-law taken today) but I can see them, and they are good. I started in January and now it is June...five months: I am proud to say I have dumped 15 pounds. I see it mostly in my face, which has changed from round and fat to long and thin. Then in my abdomen, which has changed from round and fat to much flatter and thinner. Other parts of my body are dropping fat too...my back, my sides, my thighs...It just feels good.

Food temptations are greater now than ever, while I am away from home traveling.
I had to say no to a plate full of French Fries today that came with my mushroom burger. I was quite satisfied eating the meat and mushrooms and leaving the bun, and fries on my plate. I ate the lettuce, onion and some veggies off my SILs plate instead. I am not having any trouble watching others eat chocolate, ice cream, or other treats around me. Do they look tempting? Well, yes. But then I think about my goal and it's easy to say no thank you. I just keep doing it and it's a mantra now.

I hope you are having equally easy times keeping to your goals.

Today I attended an hour long exercise class at a gym where my SIL teaches arobics here in Minnesota. This particular class was for body strenghtening. I did steps and I lifted weights; I stretched pullies, and I sat on a ball and rolled around stretching muscles I didn't know I had. I will be sore tomorrow, but it was a good workout... I was also able to use the treadmill in the gym tonight and a couple of days ago too... Otherwise I am trying to get walking in during our travels. I feared that all the driving would cause me to gain weight...so far this is not the case.

The scale here says I am on task. In fact it is one pound lower than when I left home 10 days ago.

Happy eating, happy exercising and remember it is a life plan.

One Size Smaller Dress for the Wedding!

2008-05-26T17:42:00.000-07:00

My sweet cousin Judy lent me a dress...she is tiny, petite, and exercises daily either taking long walks, swimming or doing yoga! She is a great role model. This is her dress and I have to tell you I was afraid to try it on. But I am excited to tell you now that it fits! And it looks very pretty on me too. I will be the proud well dressed mother of the groom come August!

Dress size? Oh, it's a ten. I was a L or 12 last year! ;-)

And my weight has been a steady 133 this past week or so...

13 pounds and one size smaller

2008-05-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's only been four short months since I started my Healthy Eating and Exercise Plan for Life.
And already I am seeing terrific results.

I am impressed with my ability to stay on course with exercise (not my favorite thing to do) and eating better. (smaller portions, NO refined sugar, healthy choices, lots of raw and cooked veggies and fresh fruit in season).

Exercise continues to be walking on my treadmill 30 minutes in the morning at least four days sometimes five days a week. And often walking another half hour at noontime. This may have to stop when it gets too hot to do as we are fast approaching summer here.
I have added some use of 5 pound free weights for arms (biceps) and pull down weights for bi and triceps and hopefully strenghtening my back muscles.
I do 100-200 crunches daily too.

The most noticeable results is the tummy going down and getting into pants one and more sizes smaller than usual. From a large to a medium, from a 12 to a six (in one case, which I hope isn't a mis-labeled pair of jeans) LOL

I feel great too. Have had no cravings for sweets/chocolate/ice cream. Or anything else for that matter.

The trick will be to keep this going on our upcoming road trip vacation. Wish me luck.

Passing Desire Tests

2008-05-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

On two social occasions lately I had the opportunity to test my will.

Will I eat that decadent dessert or will I pass on it?

I passed the test.

I passed on the desserts.

The first time out friends wanted to help me celebrate my recent good fortune of getting my art shown in a juried art show at our local gallery. They wanted to take us out for dessert after the show. I agreed to go as long as we went somewhere I could order fresh fruit.

We wound up at Bakers Square and my friends sat eating Carmel covered pie a mode and apple cheese cake. Both were picture perfect examples of decadent desserts. I ordered a cup of fresh fruit. The hour was late, and although they cajoled me, I let them know I hadn't tasted sugar since early January and was not going to break my sugar fast. I left feeling satisfied in both tummy and mind.

Then this past weekend my cousin served up a beautiful strawberry short cake dessert in honor of my aunts birthday we were celebrating. I looked at it, I asked if by any chance the whipped cream was sugar free, no, it was not. I passed on the cake and cream and just ate the strawberries. Again I left feeling good about myself and my decision. Memories of enjoying those desserts in the past were far out- weighed by enjoying my new smaller body and energy sans sugar highs.

It's easy, just say "No thank you!"

Walking

2008-03-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

I bought a pedometer and am measuring my steps. Yesterday we took a day in SF and walked along the lagoon and ocean side. I walked 14,000 steps!!!!!!

Reading Bob Greene's book Complete Body Makeover! Time to revamp my exercise program and start strength training in earnest!

Bob Greene

2008-03-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

Years ago I read Bob Greene's book he wrote with Oprah called Making the Connection and it worked well for me then. This weekend I picked up another more recent of his books about "Best Life Diet" meaning no dieting, but eating healthy, and exercising. Just what I am doing.
Interesting to read why I am doing it the way I am doing it and how to continue to continue to get the good results over time.

Also fun to find out many foods I am eating, like Fiber One cereal, have the Best Life Diet sticker on them that B.Greene apparently got companies with healthy food choices to use. Thus helping us who want to do it right to have a way to find the foods that are in fact good for us.

Today I walked on the treadmill for half an hour in the morning and then took a half hour walk at noontime, part of which had me climbing a steep hill. I like the energy gained from this activity and love that my body cries out to do it. It's no longer a "You need to go take a walk Lynn." It 's more I can't get my tennis shoes on fast enough to get out of the office and get going!

Ah, Exercise! Who knew?

Walking, walking, sweating...

2008-03-13T19:44:00.001-07:00

Today I walked at noontime again. Spring is here as I mentioned before and today was more of the same. I walked a huge circle around our downtown area on busy streets...going up hill several times and then down hill and then flat surfaces. By the time I returned to my office, 30 minutes later, I was dripping wet. Well not soaking wet, but praying my deodorant was working well that is for sure. No clients wrinkled their noses so I guess it wasn't noticeable.

What is noticeable is that I no longer feel I have to "cover up" my belly. In fact my pants are loose at the waist and I can grip a hand full of cloth in front showing how much room I used to fill out but don't any more. Yes, I am bragging, I am proud of this accomplishment.

Still holding fast to my new years decision for an on going healthy life style! Yippee. I feel GOOD!

Absent but not Still

2008-03-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

I have been moving...my body...the treadmill calls me most mornings and this week I jacked my time up to 45 minutes on one day...and most days I am also adding minutes walking outside at lunchtime. Today I did just that, for thirty minutes...a beautiful walk on a sunny spring day, taking in all the flowers in bloom in this wonderful street I walk on, the one with the elephant leg trees! (mentioned in my other blog).

My weight is staying steady around 136 (on old scale); my tummy is flatter than I remember it in years...not all gone yet, but mostly gone. Nice to look down on a fairly straight line than a big round ball. I feel good. I love the walking.

The eating is easy now, normal. Still with small portions, still with healthy choices, still with no sugar, no chocolate...in the third month of that! Who knew? Nothing about this is difficult.

Excited about life.
Happy.
And feeling good.
Hope you are all of that too and then some.

I Passed the Supreme Test

2008-02-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I was given the supreme test of wills. I was dishing out portions of ice cream for my grand children' dessert after dinner. It was Starbucks Coffee Crunch full of chocolate pieces, my absolutely very favorite in the past!

I did not take any for myself.
I did not lick the spoon.
I dutifully replaced the container in the freezer.
I watched them eat it every so slowly.
I watched them pick up their empty bowls and lick the bottoms of them clean.
My joy was seeing their sticky sweet faces rimmed in ice cream.

But I did not eat a lick myself.

I felt smug, proud, relieved. I didn't crave it. I did not feel jealous. A tiny ping, not even a pang of wishful thinking. I simply remembered how sugar had started to make me feel when I finally decided I had to stop eating it. (rummy in the head, spinning, out of control). No more, those feelings are gone. I do not NEED SUGAR!

Update on my progress with exercise and eating healthy

2008-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Reporting in today:
Morning: Eating my usual breakfast: Fiber one, Cheerios, blue berries half banana nonfat milk fortified with Vit. A.

Did treadmill 30 min...highest speed 3.4 mph.
Did pull downs weights for backs of upper arms (flab)
Did try on cords. Still too tight, but closed.

New Scale after exercise, before shower, before wet hair, before pill and water taking: 138.2
after taking pill and water: 138.4
after pill and water and shower and wet hair: 138.6
Funny?

So on old scale: 136!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One more pound to go to first goal accomplished. Ten pounds!
Tummy looks so much smaller I no longer feel I have to cover it up with a vest or sweater when around other people. No more tummy shame!

This is happening and it is GOOD! I feel so energized.

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A friend told me about a web site called FITDAY.com where you can journal your eating and exercising, see how many calories you are burning and just keep tabs on yourself and progress.
It's fun. [I avoid all the ads there and will not buy anything, I just use the FREE download]

It was fun to learn that my sitting and talking to people all day at work burns calories.
As does walking up and down stairs, reading a book, vacuuming the floor, etc.

Check it out, it might be fun for you to do too. It's also nice to see the graph showing my decline in weight over time.

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Funny Weigh in Day

2008-02-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

This morning after getting off the treadmill having put in my thirty minutes at a ten percent incline and after having done my 100 crunches (50 of which were "cross overs" elbows to opposite knees), I got on the scale. New scale said 139.4 lbs. So old scales was at 137 lbs. Whoopie! Wow! Then I drank some water. Then I took a shower. And with wet head and water inside I got back on the scales. New scale now read 140.2. Oy. What a difference a little water makes?

Just so you know I am going with the first weight of the day! LOL ;-)
It IS going DOWN!

Happy Valentines Day. This will be a chocolateless Valentines day in this house!
And I can honestly say I have had no cravings for it. Or anything else sugared.
I am totally satisfied with fresh fruit for sweet taste and fiber cereal which also tastes sweet to me.

Happy and Healthy eating and exercising to you.

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Todays Health Flash from the news media: Eating fast food hamburgers can be hazardous to your liver! Beware!

Update on New Scale

2008-02-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Well, the new scale with its huge numbers I can see really well says I am two pounds heavier than the old scale says. Personally I believe the old scale. :-)
However, I will keep both, standing first on the new scale, getting it's too high number, subtract two and get on the old scale and will have a better idea of my True Weight!
I am sure you GET my reasoning here.

No woman is going to believe a scale that lies to her no matter how big and readable the numbers!

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In the meantime, I continue to exercise, eat small portions, and have energy flowing like crazy!

Pants that were tight are loser, cords that I couldn't button now button... I am seeing dents or indentations in spots where none lived before. Today I felt ribs sticking out. Hi ribs. Hadn't seen them in eons. Things they are a changin'.

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I wish you all healthy eating and exercising. Wash hands often, there are some nasty germs out there and lots of folks I know have bad colds or the flu. Try hard not to catch either.

Just Say No Thank You and Buying a New Scale Event

2008-02-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

I said no thank you twice in the past two days.

First was last night after having dinner at my daughters' home. First I had to remind myself that I could take from the blessed Challa (bread) but I didn't have to eat it. I just ate a tiny pinch. Dinner was easy, I had a slice of white chicken breast, a very very small helping of mashed potatoes, and two helpings of salad with balsimac olive oil dressing (full of raw carrots, cherry tomatoes, avacodo, cucumbers and of course lettuce). I drank water.
Then came dessert. I was offered a cookie plate and I said "No thank you." And it was easy.

Today, we were at a thrift store paying for our purchases when the propriator offered us a chocolate heart. Again I said "No thank you." And again it was easy.

I am finding it easy now to eat at home, to bring my lunch to work that I prepare myself, eat in a resturaunt (done once since beginning of Jan.) and to turn down treats.

Today I bought a new scale.

I know, I know. Sylvain says I oughten weight myself at all. My brother, another guy, said I should weigh myself once a month on the same day of the week, time of day, etc.
But Cris and I believe we should or NEED to weigh ourselves daily. I do chose to do it the same time of day, right after exercising in the morning before and after my shower! Maybe the dirt in my hair added a fraction of an ounce you never can tell! ;-)

This particular scale has a huge digital readout. And it adds ounces too. Now you must take into consideration that I am "getting up there in years" and I am very aware that my eye sight is not as good as it once was. So the little lines between the numbers 140 and 160 or the little lines now under the 140 are so tiny they are hard to see. So it's hard for me to know if I now weight 139 or 138 lbs and it's driving me crazy. Is it? Has it gone down? Does that look like the same tiny line as yesterday?
Thus the new scale with the huge and I mean they must be two inches tall numbers is a must.

I can't wait for "after exercises" tomorrow to weigh in.

First Lunch Out!

2008-02-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

We went to lunch today and I have to tell you I was scared.

It was my first time to eat for lunch out in a month. What would I have? What would be offered? Well we went into this Grill in old town. And I thought ohm god we have not picked the right place at all. People were sitting in front of plates piled high with French fried foods, huge hamburgers that looked like sloppy Joes from grade school cafeterias, heaping plates of eggs and huge potatoes. I started to panic. I'd drink water I thought.

But then I calmed down, looked at the menu and they had a section called On the Lighter Side. I ordered a turkey patty with sliced tomatoes, and fresh fruit. It came on a plate, just that. A very large round turkey patty grilled. About five slices of tomato. A pickle. And a bowl of fruit: fresh strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon and banana slices. The turkey was delicious but it was huge so I ate some and left about a quarter of it there. I ate a tiny bite of the pickle but it was way too salty. And then I ate the fruit. I felt so satisfied, so fulfilled and I had not gone astray from my new eating habits. It was great.

Glad to know it is possible to go out socially and dine healthfully too!

Today is National Wear Red Day!

2008-02-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

This morning while walking on my treadmill I watched a show that hosted two women from the American Heart Association. Did you know that women get more heart attacks than men?
Did you know that your risk for heart attacks increase if your father had his first heart attack before age 55? Or your mother had a heart attack under the age of 65? I was interested because my dad had his first attack at fifty. I also have genetic high cholesterol. So diet and exercise are very important for me to maintain a healthy heart. I am listing below some diet information I found on the AMA website:

Alert
Today is National Wear Red Day. Join the Go Red For Women movement and fight the No.1 killer of women!

What You Can Do
Excerpted from the Stroke Connection Magazine January/February 2005 article "When Risk Factors Unite"
Although heart disease and stroke account for the vast majority of deaths each year in America, you can do things to lessen your risk:

Eat a healthy diet. Healthy food habits can help you reduce three risk factors for heart attack and stroke — high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and excess body weight. The American Heart Association Eating Plan for Healthy Americans outlines a healthy diet. It’s based on these dietary guidelines, which are easier to follow than you may think:

Eat five or more servings per day of fruits and vegetables.

Eat six or more servings per day of grain products, including whole grains.

Eat fish at least twice a week, particularly fatty fish, such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacoretuna and salmon.

Include fat-free and low-fat milk products, legumes (beans), skinless poultry and lean meats.

Choose fats and oils with 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving (1 tablespoon). Examples are liquid and tub margarines, and canola, olive, corn, saffl ower and soybean oils.

Limit your intake of foods high in calories or low in nutrition, including high-sugar foods like soft drinks and candy.

Limit foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and/or cholesterol. Examples include full-fat milk products, fatty meats, tropical oils, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Egg yolks are high in cholesterol.

Eat less than 6 grams of salt per day. That’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Exercise and Fitness

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and most Americans are not physically active enough to gain any health benefits. Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or many other activities can help your heart. Whether it's included in a structured exercise program or part of your daily routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart.

According to the latest joint American Heart Association/American College of Sports Medicine guidelines on physical activity, all healthy adults ages 18-65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five days of the week. However, there are additional guidelines for those 65 and older, or for those 50-64 with chronic conditions or physical functional limitations (e.g., arthritis) that affect movement ability or physical fitness.

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I was wondering how much more I would weight the next time I go for a health physical than I weight on my scale at home. I normally weight myself after exercising before I get into my shower sans clothing. Of course at the doctors office they weight you fully clothed. So I was curious how much my clothing weighted. Weight did not change wearing underwear and a t-shirt. But my jeans came to an extra pound. Good to know! ;-)

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Why does the scale go down and up and down again?

2008-01-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

I am wondering why the scale sometimes goes down and then up and then down again in just a days time? Did I eat dinner later one night and did that matter? Was it that very small half of potato? Did I exercise more the next day and that did the trick? Who knows?
I probably should weight myself less frequently, but I am curious and want to see what changes occur from my continuing efforts.

Some habits changed include no longer eating much at all after dinner. Last night I was able to eat nothing. Dinner was late, as DH gets home later than I do now and he is in charge of fixing dinner. Sometimes there is food left over and I can eat that a bit earlier. But as it was late yesterday I was determined not to snack before bed and didn't. I couldn't find my bubble gum either which was frustrating, but I was pleased to realize I didn't NEED it.

It's getting easier to not be bothered by the smell of DH's popcorn snack he fixes for himself.
I keep reminding myself what Cris told me that popcorn turns to sugar in the stomach. So it's not such a great choice of snack afterall.

I am coming to the end of the third week of this Life Plan and I feel good. I have had no cravings at all for things I've eliminated from my eating plan. I have been able to keep up with daily exercing without much effort or resistance of any kind. I can even get up earlier in the morning on the days I have to be to work an hour earlier and still get the exercise in as I did today.

Looking forward to week number four and the changes it will bring.

Wishing all a good and healthy week.

It's Frustrating When...

2008-01-30T08:05:00.000-08:00

It's frustrating when you look at the scale after it's been slow but kind to you going steadily down and then all of a sudden goes up again. Just a pound. And I have to admit the 139 was fleeting and the 140 is solid-sure. This would have been the time in the past when I'd say "it ain't going to happen", but not this time. I don't know what if any food, what if any exercise or lack there of, or water input or output, or gained muscle mass (maybe?) ;-) made this happen. But it's just a blip on the scale and I will continue on my plan (for life remember) and carry on.

The usual morning crunches are showing up as a stomach getting flatter. Not flat yet mind you but definitely flatter than it was. Hey, five pounds does make a difference. I have so much more energy now I have to make myself go to bed at my usual time or like two nights ago I stayed up way past that and then slept too late into the morning, which in turn cut into my exercise time.

I packed my lunch last night, am eating a healthy breakfast now, and am looking forward to a noontime walk, as the sun is shining again today. We are between rain storms they say.

Life is good.

Enjoy your day!

And don't let the numbers on the scale get you down!

Foods touted for "flattening tummies"

2008-01-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

[My personal care taking today included morning stretches, and crunches. Because I got to bed at midnight, and up later than usual I saved walking for noontime only. Did walk in the drizzling rain and it felt good. I have more power in my stride each day. Then back to my desk for a healthy lunch of tuna with scallions, baby carrots, raw broccoli, kiwi, and cucumber slices.
My dinner was part of a left over turkey thigh, a tiny bit of potato and peas. Two prunes for dessert.]

I found these gems on line yesterday touting great ways to "flatten your belly".
Several of these are already regular foods in my eating routine. I will consider adding some of the others. Am still a on hold regarding the chocolate, but good to know if the time comes and I decide to add it back in there are some good reasons for doing so. I'll just have to be very careful regarding amount. ;-)
And today, my Buddy in P.E. & E., Cris called this site to my attention again. So here they are.

Almonds
The MUFAs and vitamin E in almonds work together to cut cholesterol. Almonds are also a great source of vegetable protein and fiber.

Avocado
Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy MUFA. These delectable green orbs also contain more of the cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol (a beneficial plant-based fat) than any other fruit. Beta-sitosterol may reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. The Hass variety, grown principally in California, contains more MUFA than the Florida variety.

Mash a 1/4 cup Haas avocado with lime juice, salt, and pepper and serve with baked chips or raw vegetable.

Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Chocolate or more specifically, cocoa powder made from ground, defatted cocoa beans -- contains compounds that have the potential to protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes and contains substantial amounts of antioxidants. Dark chocolate -- not milk or white -- contains as much antioxidant capacity as red wine.

Melt a 1/4 cup of dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Drizzle over fresh strawberries for a belly-flattening dessert.

Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is the best plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and helps reduce systemic inflammation, which researchers believe may lead to heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Flaxseed oil should never be heated, so use in salad dressings or smoothies or as a condiment drizzled into vegetable soups. Look for cold-pressed organic flaxseed oil, and store in the refrigerator.

Stir 1 tablespoon into a smoothie as a healthy afternoon snack.

Macadamia Nuts
Eating nuts and seeds can yield heart-health benefits. Macadamia nuts also contain fiber to help with digestion and a small amount of the trace mineral selenium, an antioxidant that some studies show may help prevent cancer.

Crush 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts. Dip one 3-ounce portion of chicken breast or 4 ounce piece of fish in low-fat milk, then press nuts to adhere. Bake at 350°F for 10-20 minutes or until done.

Natural Peanut Butter
A serving of peanut butter has 3 mg of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208 mg of muscle-friendly potassium, and 0.17 mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Research shows that eating peanuts can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.

Toss a half-cup cooked soba or other whole grain noodles with 3 ounces cooked shrimp, a few minced scallions, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper. Dress with a mixture of 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 tablespoons warm water and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. So long Chinese takeout.

Olive Oil
Olive oil is the best all around for cooking and salads because it contains mostly MUFA, which lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol without affecting "good" HDL cholesterol. Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. The greener the oil, the more antioxidants, so go for extra-virgin.

Basil pesto and sundried tomato paste are also good sources of olive oil, and make excellent pasta sauces and marinades.

Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are packed with B vitamins, which play an important role in protecting against inflammation. They are also an excellent source of vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are also great for curbing hunger.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of toasted sunflower seeds in your salad.

Pistachios
Pistachios contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that help protect against age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. They may also help improve cholesterol levels.

Stir 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios into 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese with 2 teaspoons honey and 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips for a sweet snack.

Walnuts
Like seafood and flaxseed, walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect your heart and preserve brain health.

Toast 2 tablespoons and sprinkle on your favorite salad.

Noon Report Food and Exercise for Today

2008-01-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

My breakfast was my usual which I love, half a bowl of cereal with half Cheerios and half Fiber One. Topped with a big handful of fat blue berries and half a banana, topped to the fill with non fat milk. Delicious.

Now I am at my computer desk at work...eating lunch: tuna with green onions, cucumber slices, baby carrots, broccoli...kiwi...in my lunch bag is also half a banana and a tangelo for snacks later if needed and almonds. Almonds (w/good fat) are a great protein pick me up in late afternoon I have found).

I only took time to walk 15 minutes on the treadmill this morning so I am just back from a brisk 20 minute walk outdoors. It is sunny here today, dry finally, and I saw all sorts of beautiful things on my walk. One house that always sports a lovely spring garden between sidewalk and street had a few very bright orange and yellow flowers blooming. They are definitely spring flowers. Another house up the street had Iceland Poppies in bloom. So spring is breaking into winter here.

I walked down a street that I have driven down many times but never felt the majesty of these extremely tall palm trees on either side of the side walk. I swear they have to be 20 feet tall or more. And their trunks huge.
I felt like a queen walking down a promenade between gigantic elephant legs.

By the time I returned to my office after pocketing fallen pecan nuts along the way I had walked 25 minutes! Wow. That's a total of forty minutes of exercise today.

At home I also did my usual stretching exercises, leg lifts and cat yoga movements.
Cris. I had described the cat to you recently, but left out an important part. I am going to describe it again here:

On the floor on my knees with hands out in front under shoulders on floor in cat position. I then move my head and chin in toward my chest (back is down) and then extend my chin out as far as it can go at the same time arching my back up. Hold that pose. And then bring chin in again to my chest dropping my back to concave position hold, with chin all the way in, arch back and chin moves out forward again. Repeat. It really loosens up my spine and feels wonderful. I inhale while pulling in and exhale while pushing out my chin. I hope this is clear.

Have a healthy upbeat day!

My Myths

2008-01-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Myths that kept me stuck for so long.

Let me say first off that this is not the first time I have set out to lose weight.
Like most Americans, and maybe people in other cultures too, I have done the yo-yo back and forth, up and down routines of being into healthy habits and then back sliding to not so good habits over the years.
In general I did not eat badly. I just ate too much. And I did eat my own fair share of junk, especially chocolate, cookies, baked goods.

But let me get on to the myths that kept me heavy this time.
1. You are an aging woman and aging women gain weight each year of their lives.

a. True, but they can do something about it, and I am.

2. I am over 60 yrs old so who cares how fat I am?

a. I care!

3. I am over sixty and don’t have that much longer to live I may as well live it up! (And eat all I want)

a. I want the rest of my life to be as healthy as possible and “living it up” with bad foods will not bode me well at all.

4. If I keep weight on it will protect me if I fall down.

a. Now that is really funny.

5. I don’t look that bad.

a. It’s not about how I look. It’s more about how I feel and how it affects my overall health.

I am sure there are more things I told myself to let it be okay to eat half a box of truffles over the holidays.

6. Oh, it’s a gift you can’t throw it out.

a. Oh YES YOU CAN and I DID!!!!

7. A little bit won’t hurt you.

a. Well, for me a little bit meant going back and back for a little bit more and a little bit more, until it wasn’t such a little bit anymore. Especially sugar. I really believe it affects me like a drug. Much the same as alcohol used to. I gave up drinking any alcohol about 20 plus years ago. It only took a very small amount to make me tipsy. It finally became clear that I could not afford to be tipsy each time I drank a glass of wine. So I stopped.
It seems to be the same with sugar for me. I just may need to stop…100%.

b. I was really starting to notice how sugar was affecting my “head”. I would feel like I was spinning inside my head. (Not so unlike being tipsy maybe?) Conscious eating really promotes healthier choices.

8. We are on vacation it's okay to go off your healthy eating routine.

a. Yeah, if you want to gain five more pounds like I did over this last vacation!

Something to think about: What are your myths that keep you eating what you know it would be best not to eat?

And now it is time to go exercise.
Enjoy your day!

**********************************************************************************

Health Fact: "...Dr. Tobias Pischon, lead author of a recent study that focused on the correlation between abdominal fat and colon cancer, stated in a Reuters Health report that this type of fat is more alarming. Belly fat is "metabolically active" and could possibly increase colon cancer risk by raising levels of certain hormones that affect cell growth, including the growth of cancer cells. Consequently, waist-to-hip ratio (a measurement of waist size divided by hip size) is a more reliable gauge of your risk factors for certain diseases, such as heart attacks. A ratio of above 0.85 for women and above 0.90 for men is higher than average and typically indicates greater risk. And when it comes to a disease such as colon cancer, women have the highest risk. Female participants of the study with the most abdominal fat had a 48 percent greater chance of developing colon cancer, with men at a slightly lower chance of 39 percent."

Just measured. I am at the 0.8125 mark...too close to risk area...all the more reason to keep doing what I am doing.
************************************************************************************

*** Sunday night dinner: I ate part of my turkey thigh. I love this new eating Cris. I put away the dinner plate DH had taken out for me. I took a salad plate instead. I cut meat off that thigh and cut the very end off the baked potato, took some string beans. I ate slowly. The plate looked full. But I wasn't. Just satisfied. All tasted so good. I think I appreciate food more now too.
Really appreciate it.

Know I didn't eat too much.

January 21-26 Feeling Great!

2008-01-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

January 21, 2008

Two weeks ago Cris in Oregon and I joined up as a buddy team to support each other in our desire to change some not so great life style habits for some better ones. We hoped to drop a few pounds in the process, but maintaining a healthy life style for the rest of our lives is our main goal.

We are each using our own modes for doing this, each in her own way, but sharing thoughts, feelings, ideas, and support is helping each of us stay committed to our own journey.
So far it is a very exciting journey. We both have started seeing some changes in our bodies and habits because of the new things we are doing (eating smaller, lighter, healthier, exercising, talking, sharing feelings, etc.) and it's working!

We invite anyone interested to add our logo to their side bar and join in the fun.
Promote positive healthy eating and exercising for a healthy life!

January 23, 2008

This new way of eating, smaller portions, bringing my lunch to work is saving me money.I figured that as I was spending an average of $6 a day for lunch four days a week, sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less depending on where I went to eat, I am now saving approximately $48 in these first two weeks. Multiply that out for the year and it will be $1248 take away my vacation time...still a good sum of money saved! Think of the fabric I can buy, the paints, the sketch pads!This is so good.I continue to feel good. Find eating this new way satisfying, am not craving anything.I even am comfortable in the evenings when I used to snack. Now not eating after dinner is easy and comfortable. I do chew sugar free bubble gum if an urge, old habit bubbling to the surface, occurs. And am fine.I just took a noontime walk...20 minutes...my nose and toes feel froze (n).

Our dinner now. Pork chops. Potato and frozen peas. I cut half the pork chop, half the potato for me. And peas.
I'll eat the other half for lunch tomorrow. At noon I had packed tuna salad (very small amount) peas in pods, carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers. I ate almonds for snack. At my request DH brought home Low Fat cottage cheese. Is there NON fat cottage cheese?
I forgot to be specific. This has 2% milk in it. Will probably taste really rich to me.

Well guess what. I got done eating and thought that wasn't very much food and I am going to be hungry. Guess what? I actually feel a bit full. Funny. My stomach must be shrinking. Hope I don't turn anorexic. Just kidding. Not a chance. Might drink tea for a warm up/fuller up feeling.

Chewing gum, but could toss it now. Got past the thinking I needed something more. After dinner ate one prune.
I think that is the sweet tooth calling. These sweet dried fruits seem to do the trick for me. Thank goodness.

Jan. 22, 2008

I had a snack around five while watching a movie. I was hungry. I had a cup of cinnamon tea, a tangelo and a bit of cheddar cheese. Now I feel full.

I hope dinner is at least an hour from now.

I drank more water today in those little cups and peed a lot between client hours. ;-) But it's not the eight 8 ozs. But better than before.
I feel so good about what we are doing.

I wonder when we will be taking it for granted and just maintain and no longer need to check in three, four, five times a day with each other?? It's really funny when you think about it. But it helps so I am fine with it for now. Maybe when we both reach our goal weights and maintain them for some time. I am not even sure what mine is. I will just watch and see where this takes me.

Dinner is done here too and I am full. Oy.
I swear my stomach has shrunk. Now I just have to remind my head of this each time I sit to eat something.
I feel like those people who get the stomach by-pass surgery and only need teeny tiny portions of food.
I can see how that works now.

My snack was probably enough but somehow I felt I SHOULD eat dinner too.
Two hours later wasn't late enough but I did not want to eat LATE, late either.

I had the other half of the pork chop cut up small from last night (maybe a table spoon or 2 of meat) with some Chinese rice (also about 2 table spoons), pea pods, cucumber slices. That's it. Ugh. Too much too much.

January 23, 2008

Remember we have the rest of our lives to make this happen...relax, it is happening...
I'm starting to see some new indentations in my cheeks too on my face like you. Its small improvements, but they are exciting.
A hint of more to come.

I slept in today. Will go up soon to exercise. Just came down to wake up a bit
In from work, just warmed up a little Chinese rice and some s/w pork...small portion. Added peas in pods. Felt good to eat something warm. Satisfied.

I started to look for something to nibble on tonight long after dinner and then stopped myself, said no; it's too late, and drank some water and got my bubble gum out instead. I will probably have very exercised jaws as well as everything else. ;-)

PS I wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say: "Are you skinny yet?" LOL
I really think my tummy is tightening up, although it is still THERE. But less of it I believe.
And face is thinner, not thin yet but getting those indents in the cheeks. I do believe I will have cheek bones when this is all over.

Jan. 25, 2008

I want to encourage you to stop worrying about the weight. I am proud that you are at three weeks. I do agree things have to change eventually and they will. I know that the most significant difference for me is (NO SUGAR) and much, much smaller portions. Do you think you have significantly made your portions of food smaller than how you used to eat? I am pretty darn sure I have shrunk my stomach to the point that I can be very satisfied with small portions. (Meat the size of my curled up fist, and I have small hands; half the bowl of cereal I used to eat; etc.) I've also had no bread, very few carbs in the past two weeks for me. Just things to think about.

...done exercising. Want to tell you while on treadmill I watched The View. They had this guy on who had been 600 pounds, and he got in contact with another guy, a trainer from some local TV station, who agreed to help him lose weight. He did it solely by exercise and watching what he ate. He lost 400 pounds in four years and looks great. He is becoming a trainer himself now. Cris, if he could do that with that kind of weight we can surely lose 10, 15 even 20 lbs in a year or less. I feel so confident in this now.
The trainer said something about having this guy eat six times a day to keep his metabolism working all the time. I need to look into that.

His bad habits were drinking soda all day long and binging on heavy foods at night. Lots of pizza, etc. junk.

We do not have those habits.

We are two relatively small women who can lose this weight and stay healthy and thus keep it off.

I am determined to do this.

Today I look in the mirror and I see a thinner faced Lynn.
Without clothes I still look a lot like the dough boy ads.
But "he" is getting less than he was. I no longer feel like I HAVE to wear a vest to cover my stomach up.
The scale yesterday was on the high side of 140. This morning it was on the low side of 140. Still at 140. But hopefully heading down.

I did a lot of floor exercises this morning. I did your side to sides, leg lifts from laying on one side, leg lifts straight up laying on my back, legs brought into my chest and stretched out again...I did some yoga cat moves arching my back while on all fours and bringing it down and up again. That feels real good on my back. It might be called the lion. I am not sure.
Then I did some bicep curls with the five pound wts.
Then on treadmill for 30 minutes building up to 3.1mph and then 3.2 mph...Then after 30 minutes I went down to 2.8 and dropped another mph for each minute for the next ten minutes of cool down walking, but kept walking for 40 minutes total at a 10% incline. My most time yet.

Then I got on the work bench and did a couple of pull downs and then did my legs on the rollers pulling them up all this while watching The View and seeing that guy who went from 600 to 200 lbs in four years. What inspiration he is.
He literally saved his own life.

PS. I measured my cereal this morning and it was 2/3rds cup without fruit or milk.

Well that was a strange lunch.
I decided on Tuna.
The can says 60 calories.
I am not sure if that is the whole can or per serving but there are only 2 plus a tad more serving in each can, so whichever it is I got very few calories by eating the whole can of tuna.
I mixed it with non fat mayo that is 10 calories per tablespoon and I added one and a half teaspoons. So what's that one and half or two calories? Nothing.
Then I mixed in two scallions.
And then...
I heated it in spray on oil, also no calories, in a frying pan as I wanted tuna patties. Something warm.
They didn't stick together well.
But it tasted good, and it was warm.
Henry loved the watery tuna from the can. And licking my plate when I got done.

So far that is lunch.
I may snack on some fruit later.

Did have a couple of orange slices as part of breakfast as there was no fruit here to put on my cereal.

I am having chicken tonight too. DH brought home one of those already baked chickens yesterday. I didn't eat it then as I was at class. I really don't like them as they are very fatty. But will just eat a little. I ate 5 almonds for a snack just a bit ago so not starving now, was then all of a sudden. Better now. Interesting how food affects the brain.

I had dinner. I also realized by putting food on a salad plate instead of a large dinner plate it looks like more food than it is.
Clever huh?
One slice of white chicken breast meat. Removed the skin.
Half of a very small red potato.
Peas.

I was rummaging around the kitchen after I had finished eating. Saw a bag of pretzels open in a basket on the counter. Wanted to check if it was empty so I could throw it out. It looked empty. Reached my hand in and found about four little parts of broken pretzels.
I ate them. Oops. LOL Not enough to be a problem I am sure.

Then later still feeling like I needed SOMETHING. I got the cottage cheese out and ate a small amount of that. Now I feel totally satisfied. Sometimes I think it is the texture of foods one needs. The cottage cheese did it for me.

Not at all hungry any more. No cravings.

Telling dough girl goodbye.

Okay, weight loss must start in the face...full cheeks leaving...good bye full cheeks.
Indents coming in. Cheek bones coming in. We will have bony faces! Yippee.

No more chemicals. No more fake stuff. Just good unadulterated food that is GOOD for us.

It is interesting how much more food tastes good and bad stuff doesn't. We are experiencing food as it deserves to be tasted.

January 26

I got up and exercised. I am proud to say I have not missed a day...(last Sunday walked the headlands for an hour at Bodega Bay so that counted too)

I was busy at home today sewing...ate my usual breakfast of cereal. Still need to replenish fruit supply from grocery store... lunch was a quick bit of cottage cheese (low fat)... almonds and orange slices for snack...and dinner was wonderful. We had coho salmon ( I had a nice thin half of a whole fish slice), half an artichoke, and a half of a small red potato. I felt like it was a lot of food for some reason, maybe because the artichoke was so big and took up a lot of the plate. Felt very satisfied after this meal.

Drank a lot of water today.

Janurary 2008 It's a slow beginning...1st 20 days

2008-01-26T21:51:00.000-08:00

If you are here for the first time you may want to scroll way down to the first post for explaination of what this is all about. This post is VERY LONG and is a journal of my first 20 days of eating right and exercising...after a bit of getting into it. The next post up will be from Jan. 23 on.

January 1, 2008

Just home from our trip to MN where I ate WAY TOO much sugar and other junk:
The following are excerpts from my journaling...

Home is a fridge full of fresh fruit and vegetables (instead of chocolate and sweets) and a scale that says I ate way too much of the latter and not enough of the former. Doing my best to get back to healthy eating...

The paragraphs that follow in smaller font are from letters between me and my support buddy…even before she became my support buddy.

January 5, 2008
(Letter to a friend): Dinner is cooking so we'll eat soon. Thank goodness. I have been eating veggies (raw) and corn chips (shame on me!) had some cream cheese on a cracker around noon. It's nearly seven PM now. I need PROTEIN.
LOW blood sugar screaming loudly.

January 11, 2008

Also just ate my second bon-bon of the day...good chocolate some neighbors gave us at Christmas.
I am way too fat.
This is not helping.
But it is oh so good.

Drinking a small glass of milk with it.
Calcium.
That's good for me. Non fat. LOL
I am laughing at myself.

Jan. 12, 2008

I am the same height as you. I think I am 5' 3. I was originally 5'4". My weight skyrocked at Christmas time this year. Oy. The scale hit 150. That's a new high for me.
I was 143 when we left for MN. I really pigged out there and did not move. So maybe we need to diet together. I told you my weight now tell me yours so I don't feel so alone. Unless you weight 130 then don't bother to tell me. LOL
Congrats on losing five pounds. How do you feel you did it? I have a hard time losing when I ride my treadmill religiously even.
But I know this doing nothing is not the ticket either. Maybe I should throw that box of chocolates away. Oy.

Oy, he brought home groceries and a big bag of M & Ms. I said: "I thought we were on a diet". He said I'd been complaining we didn't have any goodies in the house. I told him NOOOOOOOOOOOO, go hide them. So he did. They are gone now. They are my fav.

As to the weight and dieting and exercise. I know I NEED to exercise. For health! For energy. And yes, for weight loss.
I have done it in spurts over the years sometimes quite regularly. I've just let the room with the treadmill get over crowded and not attractive (again) and need to fix that and get back to where I was before.

I have never gone on an official diet. Frankly I do not believe in them. I believe in eating in moderation as far as portions are concerned and eating well balanced, healthy choices of food. Now that is what I BELIEVE. I do not always practice what I believe. And as I have gotten away from it the weight has gone up, and I do believe age adds to that. But it's not surprising that my eating the amount of junk we ate in MN daily added some five pounds to my body. Yuck.

And it is not dropping off having come home.

So I need to make this more of a priority, as the pounds go on easily, but come off very slowly for me.

I will be your buddy in weight loss if you like. And together we can cheer each other on with good habits! Good luck to both of us.

Okay, about weight. You do it your way, I'll do it mine and we'll see how we do. Not a competition, just a support group of two of us. Good luck. I like the support and appreciate it. I started chewing sugarless gum tonight when I wanted chocolate. Yippee for step one. (There is no plan on my part to change another person. Anyone doing this "plan" does so at their own volition and own way. )

Jan 13, 2008

Okay: Day One of losing weight!
Or getting in Shape, same thing.

So glad to have a buddies system going.
A first for me. Always did it alone before.
Too intimidating to tell someone.

Reporting Morning activity:
I did 100 crunches. Fifty on my back with knees bent. Fifty more with butt up against tall dresser with legs straight up against dresser drawers. (I learned about that on some weight loss program years ago, apparently it tightens the muscles higher up on the abs.)

I then got on the treadmill and did thirty (30) minutes at a 10% incline, between 2.7 and 3.0 mph.
I do feel revved up from doing this.

I’ve been buzzing around the house tidying up.

Oh the scale: I may have misread it previously. This morning I noticed there are two big dots between the 140 and 160 lbs. I think I thought I was at 150 when I may very well have been at 145. Whatever it was a definite 145 this morning, so I think that is my true starting weight. *Then I only gained 2-3 lbs in MN. if that's the case.
(That was a fast five pound loss. NOT!!!! LOL)

Breakfast: I filled my cereal bowl with fewer Cheerios and more Fiber One, but less in total than usual. I added half of a banana and ample fresh blueberries filled the whole thing with non fat milk. I feel very satisfied.

Onward.

He did make a dent in the treadmill room. (It's the master bedroom of this house, but we have used it as a gym for years sleeping in one of the small bedrooms instead.) Better use of space. We also have a weight pull down machine, and a skier. I do not use the latter and sometimes have been known to use the former. But the weight machine is piled high in kid’s books right now. Something for me to move to somewhere else.

I ate some food around one thirty...was hungry so ate an orange, half a banana and some almonds. Then around 3:30 I ate a piece of cheddar cheese and three low fat pretzels. I feel fine now. I think this grazing kind of eating is good as long as it's small and few calories right? And fruit is A-okay? Like I said before I have never followed a "diet-diet" so I am just hoping what I am eating is less and good but do know it’s all good for me.
Just finished dinner. Feel a bit full.
I ate one medium sized pork chop. Lean meat right?
We don't eat beef. (rarely ever)

A very, very small helping of rice pilaf (about two table’s spoons)
Half a bell pepper but did not finish it.

I am chewing sugarless gum now. Should have cut the meat in half I think. It was more than I needed. I ate slowly too to make it last. The sensation of eating is sometimes half the battle.
Or joy of eating I should say.

Jan 14, 2008

This is your sweaty drippy friend reporting in.
I did get up before seven this morning.
I did vacuum the upstairs so I wasn't lying on a dirty floor.
I did lie on the vacuumed floor and do 100 crunches.
I did use my little five pound bar bells (weights) and do 20 bicep curls on each arm.
I did get on the treadmill for thirty minutes at 10% incline and sweat my tush off (I hope). ;-)

I hope I can keep this up.

I think I shall be super powered today.

I do not feel hungry yet.

But probably should eat breakfast and will eat something small.

I don’t think I could exercise AFTER eating. You sure it burns more calories?
I do eat the almonds for a pick up in the afternoon.
enjoy the bike riding.

I walked to lunch too, it's not far or long but better than driving and I noticed that I walked a lot faster today.

Dinner time here.

(Lunch out at a restaurant Oh lunch was: a small bowl of fresh fruit
a half spinach salad with feta cheese and dried cranberries
a small roll with cream cheese
That was a lot of cheese but I left most of the salad cheese behind.

Dinner is raw veggies (carrots/broccoli) and baked turkey leg (I will not it the whole thing it is huge, enough for two meals for sure, and part of a baked potato. I will not put anything on the potato I never do.

I did well today as I told you before. Did I already tell you about this morning? 30 min treadmill, 100 crunches, bicep curls with 5 lb weights. 20 each arm.

You saw lunch.

Dinner is a fist size part of the turkey leg, a quarter of the potato and fresh veggies.

Not obsessing about food.

These are the first days of the rest of our lives. Let’s make them as healthy as can be.
I can't tell you how energized I feel. My serotonin levels must be flying high or endorphins. Whatever emits energy from the brain and body. I am on fire!
When I do this (exercise) I soon (in this case very soon) feel like I am on speed. I am not, I assure you, but this is what happens. If I become too much to listen to just let me know and I will do my best to calm down...but I am on a roll. LOL

Measurements: Oy, good idea. This morning I was looking at my really pudgy body in the mirror when I was still in my underwear and I actually had the idea to take a photo of myself. NOT my face, just my body. Like those before and after shots you see in diet ads.
I am laughing but I would love to see the difference.
I have to get beyond disbelieving I shall indeed see that difference.
But a part of me believes I will.
I am pudgier than I have been in a long, long time.

So taking measurements is a good idea. (As long as I do not pull the tape too tightly! ;-)

Jan. 15, 2008

I was crunching when I read this...on my Fiber One cereal and blue berries. Now I must pack a lunch as my plan today is to eat while doing at least one test at my desk and then go out and walk. DH forgot to wake me this morning or I didn't hear him anyway I got up later than needed so only got 15 minutes on treadmill and crunches done.

Dare I announce that the scale said 144 today? I know it can go up and down and this is way too soon to see change...but it did so I am telling you it did. Yea for today! LOL

I am energized again with only 15 minutes walking fast on treadmill. I think I am burning calories in my sleep with all this new revved up body energy.

Got to go gather lunch food.

My exercise today was done in spurts.
I got up late. DH forgot to wake me while he was leaving for work. So I had to hurry.
I had time to do crunches and only 15 minutes on the treadmill.
Breakfast the same: small bowl of cereal and fresh blue berries, non fat milk.

At noon I had to go to the post office to mail my quarterly taxes so I walked. It's a ways. About five minutes away. So I did that and added an extra five on the way back for a total of 15 minutes walking time.
Ate lunch at my desk: a slice of cheddar cheese, a lot of raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, celery,) and almonds.
I felt very satisfied.
I also got on the treadmill for another 15 minutes at a 10% incline, that is as high as my treadmill goes so it is like walking up hill.

Then just ate dinner: a small portion of turkey left over from last night. More raw veggies same as lunch time, and two tablespoons of rice pilaf. I feel full.

I think the veggies fill me up.

DH ate popcorn tonight and I said no thank you. He found some sugarless bubble gum I could chew instead.

Jan. 16, 2008

No, I will not stop eating right. That is the easiest part for me. But muscles do need to rest. I sort of recall that every other day was good too for weights.

So, I did 100 crunches, 20 bicep curls with 5 lb wts, and 30 minutes on treadmill. I am sweaty now and need water to drink.

I'm not sure DH is helping when he makes popcorn. That took great will power to say nay to that. I went into the other room but the smell was there. Got through it okay though.

Today I plan to bring my lunch again. Not sure I'll walk at noontime. It's very, very, very windy here today. Won't want to walk in that.
But if it dies down I will. It's just nice to get out in the fresh air. It's not a power walk. Can't get all sweaty and go back to be with clients.

I talk from a full tummy. I feel full. First time I have felt full in days. But here's what it is: dinner: I ate the rest of the meat off the three day old turkey leg (or is it two days old?). There wasn't much. DH was not home yet. Had no idea if he was bringing anything new for dinner or not. But I was very tired of raw veggies. And after eating that bit of turkey I was still hungry. I waited a while. Emptied the dishwasher, washed up a few things in the sink. Checked email. ETC. Still hungry. So I decided to have a small bowl of cereal. I ate just the Fiber One thinking the fiber was a good internal cleanser for me. With fresh blue berries and non fat milk (like for breakfast). I guess the bulk of the fiber filled me up.

Then DH came home with fresh salmon for our dinner. He is cooking it but I will not eat it tonight. I might take my share to work tomorrow and eat it for my lunch cold. So I smell a little fishy!

Jan. 17, 2008

Glad you had such a successful healthy good feeling day.
I had enough food to get me through just fine...a tiny bit of cheese, nuts, and veggies. Was perfect. My stomach must be doing a good job of shrinking.
Hope you get your back looked at tomorrow and tweaked, and hope you get good advice about exercise.
Hugs,
Keep up the good work.
Lynn chewing bubble gum (sugarless) to cover the smell of popcorn in this house. ;-)

January 16, 2008
But I am well! Been exercising all week and feeling full of energy from doing so.Am eating right too.My newest project, I guess you could say, is ME!And a promise to self for a healthy new year.

Jan. 18

Got up about 7:30 and did exercise! I do hope you don't give up on yourself here. I know I am on a buzz with this now and I have been here before and STOPPED dead in my tracks. But I feel with support we will help each other over the humps. I too was at a STUCK place when I last stopped exercising. It seemed fruitless because I was not losing. However, I now realize I wasn't eating as well as I am now. I have stopped all snacks after dinner PERIOD. *bubblegum/sugarless is my buddy too.
If I must chew that is what I chew until my jaws ache or I get involved doing something. But truth be known I have not felt much hunger.
It's more about breaking old habits.

That said I know the weight I am losing right now is what I put on over the holidays. So stopping sugar consumption is allowing that plus exercising to happen. However, I do feel that also having made my portions much smaller...conscious eating if you will...and exercising is making the difference. My body is being given less to metabolize. Is that the right word?

So in looking at what you are eating and what I am eating the most significant difference I can see is the fat content. Granted I am eating cheese that has fat. And some meat. But am eating very small amounts of it. A slice for lunch or for a snack. I wonder if you dropped the 1% fat in your milk to non fat if that would help? Just a thought. Otherwise, it seems your food choices are all healthy ones. I see you add on the protein in the morning. I think that may be what Atkins suggested too right? I guess that makes sense. I am not doing that unless we count the protein in milk. 8 grams in non fat milk. I just looked. Well we can keep comparing and seeing what seems to be helping each of us. Just don't give up.

I have a clean fridge...DH came home with no groceries, so that meant we need to go out for dinner and for groceries. I was a little concerned, but chose Mary's Pizza. I eat there often and they make a very healthy Tuna salad. That is what I had. It's a cup maybe of tuna with red onions mixed in, very little mayo, on a bed or romaine with sliced tomatoes (3), three slices of hardboiled egg, I ate only the whites, shredded carrots, red onions, avocado. I asked for the dressing on the side and used it very sparingly. Hardly any.
(oil/vinegar)... NO bread thank you very much. They have awesome French bread there warmed, but I said NO THANKS, and later when he came around asking if we wanted dessert I said No you may put it with the bread. I did feel quite smug.

I left feeling comfortable. Drank water with lemon. I ate the lemon meat too. Fred cringed when he saw me and asked why I was doing that. I said because I can! Ha ha.

It was interesting watching the couple across from us eating a big fat pizza. I did not feel any envy at all.
I liked what I had and feel good for having it.

Then we went to the grocery store and got baby carrots, baby tomatoes, peas in pods, string beans, broccoli, oranges, tangelos, kiwis, an avocado, almonds, blue berries, non fat milk, fresh basil and ten cans of tuna in water. Do you see my next week’s lunch before you?

I got two Rubbermaid containers with dividers in them so I can put the veggies in them in the refrigerator making it easy to reach in and get my veggies. I told Fred this was way cheaper than buying those sets of veggies that come with the ranch dressing we just toss out. I will prepare them. He liked that idea too.

I do not think the little bit of potato in your soup hurt anything.

We don't drink at all anymore. Haven't in years and years. So I can't blame any of my calorie intake on that. Glad you can't either.

Not to worry. I do not plan on stopping anytime soon. I really, really, really want to see this as a life plan. Not a diet.
Just a way of eating, healthily.

Well lunch could be Tuna with a side of carrots one day and tuna with a side of peas the next and then there is always tuna and string beans, and tuna and broccoli. LOL
Not sure might just do what I did last week. A small slice of cheese, almonds, raw veggies and another day mix the tuna with some non fat mayo and eat it with another raw veggie...a few nuts. I will add a banana...an orange...tango, kiwi...a different fruit each day. Half of each maybe half at lunch and half with a few almonds around four o'clock for a snack.

I love it; Lynn's Diet! I should write the next book. But instead of dieting I'll just call it Healthy Eating. Or Eating Wisely. Feeling comfortable and satisfied...all day long.

I’ve been getting on the scale every morning. This morning my weight was hovering around 141 and 142...it couldn't decide to light. Or my eyes were jumping, not sure which.
That is just under where I was before going on vacation. So I am doing really well in my book for the first week. Healthy is really losing one pound a week. But maybe at first it is a lot of water...so I've heard. Don't care what it is it is just good to see the numbers go down the dial go down on the scale. So you did as well or better your first week too. What are you complaining about? LOL

I'm sick of tuna already and I haven't opened a can of it. Funny.
But we'll see. I may make a tuna salad here at home for lunch tomorrow. Make some up to have on Monday too.
Sunday at the bay I will probably eat some clam chowder but will say no to the bread. I'll get a small portion. Not the big size I used to get.

Or I could get some crab meat. We'll see. I want to keep it healthy, which is a challenge when eating out.

I am pleased with the money I saved this week too. I think I only ate out once for lunch. $6. So figure I saved $18 by eating in my office the rest of the work days. Good for me. If I could keep this up I could buy more art supplies, pay for more art classes. :-) That's me always thinking...

Jan. 19, 2008

Yesterday I cleaned out the fridge. Not that all that was left but I will admit I threw some pumpkin pie pieces I found in the freezer out, threw out the nearly finished box of chocolate truffles Christmas gift from next door neighbors, dumped food that was moldy,
out of date, expired, things that had been in there since the beginning of time!
This is how it looked after I cleaned it. The cleaning alone counted as a cardio-workout! I kid you not. Bending and reaching and scrubbing. Taking loads to the garbage cans outside, several trips to do that alone. Washing all the shelves one by one and replacing them. Big job! Big job!
And then last night we went grocery shopping.
We bought fruits, and veggies, canned tuna in water, non fat milk, DH drinks the diet soda (I do not)...the lemonade is left over from before (my drink of choice)...haven't had any all week. Not sure of its sugar content. I have stopped eating sugar.

This cleaning out and replacing is a symbol big time for how I changed my life this past week.
I started eating much smaller portions. MUCH SMALLER. I chose to eat only healthy foods. Very few carbs. Lots of raw veggies, lots of fruit, fiber in cereal, protein in fish, cheese (sparingly), NON fat milk, chicken/turkey.
I started exercising EVERY DAY. I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill. I'd walk at noontime most days for at least more ten minutes. A brisk walk outdoors for fresh air. I did 100 crunches each morning. I have started small weights for biceps. (I plan to increase weights on Monday).
I have a NEW LIFE HEALTH PLAN buddy. She will remain nameless unless she decides to out herself! ;-) But the support she and I give each other is definitely keeping us going. A real plus.
The scale has told me I have lost all the weight I gained over the holidays and then a tiny bit more than that so I feel positive that I am on a downward spiral of weight loss.
Mind you, this is NOT a diet plan for me. This is a rest of my life health maintenance plan.
I feel more energized than I was even than before if you can believe that. I get a mental high from exercising and eating right, and a faster bounce to my step!
Now that I have announced this to the whole world...I am confident that I will not lose face by changing these habits, I will only lose the weight I need to lose and continue to maintain a healthy life style for the rest of my life. This is my commitment to myself!
Now excuse me please but I need to go do my crunches and get on the treadmill! It's a new day!
And then there was healthy lunch of a little tuna (canned in water), and fresh veggies. Later in the day I had a kiwi and a small piece of cheese. I feel completely satisfied. The big Trial was getting in and out of Michaels for the paints without buying a piece of chocolate. It has been my so called treat to myself each time I've gone into that store. They very nicely have them placed at the checkout stand.But you know what? I didn't even notice them. I was so excited about my purchase! Oh and I got three small and three large canvases too! Grandma Moses watch out!

[From letter to my support buddy] You did find me crunching down my morning cereal. I put less in today...just thought I'd try that. Cheerios, Fiber One, Blue Berries and half a banana. NON Fat milk, also less full but I really probably should fill it with milk as that is my calcium intake. And our bones need calcium.

I did interval training on treadmill this morning, 30 minutes...still at 10% slant, am hoping I can leave it there always, since the cardiologist tech told me this was best for a workout... I did my 100 crunches, but before starting today I did more stretches on the floor. Legs up and stretching, even did some side to side like you suggested yesterday to lube my joints and bones. ;-) See how we learn from each other? A mutual admiration society here.

Am eating a broiled salmon steak and it is delicious. Half a little red potato. Haven't had much starch this week at all. And raw string beans and broccoli and a tiny slice of avocado. Lemon juice on all of it except the potato which tastes sweet just plain. I am just eating half of the fish as it is large. Will save the other half for tomorrow.

I did have a snack today of a kiwi and a little piece of cheese and some almonds.

I think we are doing so well.

I think I will skip treadmill tomorrow and hope we can walk when we get to Bodega. My back is a bit sore and I swear it is from the housework not the exercising. You did great on your bike. Do not push it Cris. Listen to your body. You have the rest of your life remember? Just do what you can do and rest in between. We'll still lose the excess weight. Small portions. That is the ticket.

I feel jazzed tonight.

I ate a few dried apricots after dinner. It was nice to have something sweet.

I had to laugh at your having a hardboiled egg for a snack. It's a fine snack don't get me wrong, but isn't it a kick what we will settle for now in place of the junk we used to eat?

January 20, 2008

Lunch was clam chowder (very small cup for me) and fresh crab meat!
We walked for about an hour total, the walk back most difficult as we were walking into the wind. I'd say it rated as a good cardio workout for sure!
Monday, January 21, 2008

And project Positive Eating and Exercising for a Healthy Life is going well.This is week two for me. I continue to do treadmill walking for 30 minutes each day (except Sunday when we walked outdoors in the wind up hill and downhill for an hour and another kind of workout!) 100 crunches on the floor, and today I added some pull down weights (not too heavy at this point) for arm firmness and bone strengthening.The eating regime is amazing me. No major cravings for foods I have decided not to eat (unrefined sugar for one)...Feeling full after a very small balanced dinner tonight...having cut my portions to very small. I imagine my stomach is shrinking.Chewing sugar-free bubble gum gets me past the evening time habit of lurking in the kitchen for something to eat, that had nothing to do with being hungry in the past. Fridge is rid of all past sweet snacks replaced with just healthy foods.I've also been taking my own packed lunches to work and saving money by not going out and thus having more control over what's in what I am eating. When it's dry out I have been taking short walks at noontime too. The fresh air feels good and change of scene is a nice refreshing break in my day.Cris is working on a logo for our group.All comers welcome who want a supportive group to help keep each other on the life path to best health possible.We don't tell each other what to do or not to do, we just support each other’s experiences, and share information which we can take or leave as we so desire.
Tonight I had my first bout with I want more to eat. I was careful. I was cold too. So first I made some hot tea. Then I ate one or two dried apricots, some almonds and half a banana (all this shortly after finishing my dinner of half the salmon from yesterday, about quarter of a red potato and lots of steamed veggies (broccoli, peas, carrots, green beans). I should have been satisfied. Maybe the extra exercise demanded more fuel. Hope the scale is kind to me in the morning.

I was going to suggest a weighing only once a week, but then I strongly doubted I could hold to such an agreement. So I won't suggest it.

Welcome to Lynn's New Health Plan Blog

2008-01-26T18:02:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to switch all my health related information to a new blog site.

If you found this via some route other than my other blog, welcome.
If you came over from my other blog welcome too.
If you are here from my other blog some of this will seem redundant. I am transferring what I have blogged since January 1, 2008 to this new format.

This will be a personal journal for me to track my own progress in my Healthy Eating and Exercising program. But if it inspires anyone else to join in that will be just that much more positive energy shared and will make me very happy.

I will have new posts from time to time and I will also include some of what I write to my "Healthy Life Plan" buddy.
We are finding it easy to stick to our commitment to become more healthy, stay healthy, and enjoy life through positive eating and exercising by supporting each other.

We welcome anyone else who wants to join us.
We can support each other through the comments component of this blog.

Now on to uploading what I've accomplished since Jan. 1, 2008 to the present.