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Haven't had much to journal about...this weekend I had really bad indigestion again---3rd time in 16 months, so after the fact, I'm not complaining, but I have learned the lesson! Legumes are not something I can consume with abandon!

Went to dear friends' place Saturday for a cookout. Brought the NY Times burgers, already baked. Prequel: Buster had 2 friends come over unexpectedly and stay 3 hours, until it was nearly time to go, so I didn't have a chance to eat substantially beforehand, but I thought, well, we're invited for 6 pm, so we'll eat before 7. (1) I was freezing, and not drinking--so I had ice water... (2) he didn't start up the grill until nearly 9 pm, and we got there at 6 pm, and if I had not brought baked chips & salsa (mango-peach, to which I had added black beans and corn), we would have had no food until 9:30 pm), (3) so, when the time came, I ate salad and a burger in a bun (not whole grain), and (excuse) because I had gone so long without much food, I took a second bean burger, not intending to finish it, but I did.

I was awakened at 3 am with pressure in my stomach, too bad to sleep with. I had 2 cups of ginger tea, which helped, but only for an hour each cup. Finally at 8 am when Buster went out to the races, I took Rolaids and went back to sleep, to be awakened at 10:30 by the DD who didn't know where I was, so she called my cell phone! But the indigestion lasted all day, and I hardly ate, until I felt better about 5 pm, ate dinner, and promptly got it back again. I slept all right last night, only 6 hours, because I stayed up until the tummy felt better again.

So for me, legumes are now a condiment. I should have brought portobello "burgers" but that still doesn't solve the waiting and hunger problem. I need to think of potato or rice side dish/finger food that I can bring and pig out (in my fashion) on, that others might like too. New mission.

I enjoy reading your journal, but sorry to hear about the beans and indigestion I'm also thinking that I can't eat beans...when did I ever do anything in moderation In fact, I seem to be adding more and more to my don't eat list...I'm just better off if I stick to my rice and veggies.

I know what you mean about moderation! Apparently I have NOT learned to stop when I feel full, if I also feel deprived in some way (cold, late to eat, etc.)!! I'm still just a greedy baby...

And yes, rice & veggies, no condiments except the last of my balsamic dressing, was what I ate yesterday. I feel 100% better.

I did do exercise yesterday--5 minute run, 10 minutes step--on the Wii Fit, and today I did the 1-mile walk with Leslie Sansone. It is still quite a workout for me! I did try the first mile of the 2-mile walk last week, just for a change of scenery--they are wearing pink instead of blue , and I did my own cool-down as they went on to their second mile. I wish I had more time in the morning to do more workout, but I get up early enough as it is.

I have to pack this weekend for my trip next Tuesday to Corvallis to see my beautiful granddaughter! I did not make my "glop" this weekend, since we were busy Saturday and Sunday I was sicker than a dog, so I'm not using any of my onions and peppers. I am hoping I can cook some tonight so they don't go to waste. I'm always so tired and hungry by the time I get home--if I cook, it's time to go to bed when I'm finished! Well, we'll see...DH is making noises like he wants to try this again when I get back from my trip. It means, "I cook, he eats." So I do all the work and he sits passively waiting for the food, starving to death until I do something. I am hoping I can at least get him to cut up all the veggies, as he loves to do that, and then maybe I can work him into experimenting with seasonings and eventually get him to know how to cook this way. He's a great cook, not a recipe follower, so I have to motivate him as I can. I hate being the sole source of the food---absolutely drives me bonkers.

Dear FrozenVeg!! I loved reading your journal. I think it is great that you have lost 84 lbs and keep on going too. m Congrats to you big time!! And a fast to support others too, you are wonderful.
I have the Wii fit plus, but am now waiting for the platform to get started on it. My oldest son, who also is very ken on McD got it for me on an action site, and I hope to make it a part of my everyday life soon.
Keep on doing it all, and never quit, that is my best advice to myself... They are all on that SAD , a very horrid life of eating, they will figure it out soon enough is what I am thinking, and I can't change them at all. Only me!!
Have a good day out there, and keep on McDougalling

Hi Carollynne, and thanks for stopping by! You are so right, I can only change myself...

I couldn't sleep last night, because (I'm sure) I had a cup of coffee at a training I went to yesterday morning--I thought I was dispensing hot water, and then just drank the coffee since it was there. At 9 am! one cup--but I haven't had coffee in nearly a year.

So I'm running on 4 hours' sleep, and didn't exercise this am. I got up too late. For breakfast, I am about to have oatmeal with an apple cooked in, and I added half a sweet potato--can't wait to taste it. If I get home in time tonight, I want to make pineapple yam dessert for DH (and me of course)--so easy & so tasty. He doesn't seem to want sweet potato at a meal, so I have to get them into him for dessert, because he thinks they are so sweet! They are, but that never stopped me from having them at dinner.

For lunch, I'm taking another half of sweet potato, with some fresh spinach on top (to cook at work), and a big salad of confetti salad topped with some beans (very little!!!), corn, tomatoes, and a big helping of the mango-peach salsa as dressing. And the ubiquitous apple! Dinner will be--who knows! I have cooked rice, I have rice pasta if I want, I have cooked sweet potato. Lots of mixed veggies, or whatever. (I have to get more organized when I get back form Oregon, to include having meal suggestions/ideas for DH as well as forage for myself.)

I have to plan my food this week for next, and pack for Oregon this weekend. Can't wait to get my hands on that grandbaby!

I just got back from visiting my son & his darling wife & my beautiful granddaughter!!! I had a great visit, ate on-plan every meal except for Thursday night, when we ate at the restaurant she works for. I had the only vegetarian meal, polenta in corn husk with mushrooms, carrots, etc., but I'm sure the veggies were fried in oil, and the polenta was great, so probably had oil (but no dairy) in it. I also had a bread pudding dessert, so I probably got eggs & fat -- I was very indulgent with myself, but just that one night. It was SNAP and oatmeal the whole rest of the time.

We went for 3 long (for me!--more than a mile) walks during the week, and that was great, too, even though it rained most of the time. I just loved being with the GD!!

I planned for the last day--ride to the airport and the flight--carefully, buying potatoes at the farmer's market on Saturday, and getting carrots and cherry tomatoes--I had 2 quart-size bags of food!
However, I had eaten them all before I got on the plane and still felt hungry. I thought why not make an experiment: I looked on the airline menu and found the vegan, gluten-free option, a Mediterranean tapas "picnic pack." I knew by looking it would be high in fat (olives was one of the offerings), but I was hungry and wanted to check it out. This was the sum total of what I got:

Olives: 100% fat
Hummus: 40% fat
Whole Grain Crackers: 30% fat
Almonds: 72% fat
Fruit leather: 100% sugar (duh!)
Dark chocolate square: 70% fat

So, I ate it, and I'm back on track today, no problem--but OMG, I can see how a person can get & stay fat on a very health-seeming vegan diet!!! Unbelievable! That meal is an example of how easy it is for us to fool ourselves with "healthy" options. We have to keep that fat in mind at all times!

So I'm taking one last day off before I start back to work. I will check my weight tomorrow at the regular time (I fool myself if I weight later after a sleep-in). I slept till 8:30, did 20 minutes of exercise, including a 10-minute run with the Wii in front of the TV, and had my oatmeal & blueberries. I have to menu and grocery-plan, and get to town, besides opening a week's work of mail, checking out the work email before I get there, getting bills ready to pay, and when I go to town I want to go to the thrift store to look for random clothing! Time to get off my butt!

I'm re-copying this--it was on page 13 of my journal, and I need to be able to find it easily: Something I need to keep (borrowed from Kirstkay's journal):

Maximum Weight Loss for Maximum Health
Program outlined in the MWL book, page 60.
1. Eliminate All Animal Foods
2. Eliminate All Oils
3. Eliminate All High Fat Plant Foods: Nuts, Nut Butters, Seeds, Seed Butters, Avocados, Coconut, & Olives.
4. Eliminate All Flour Products
5. Eat Whole Grains and Potatoes
6. Eat Legumes
7. Make Green & Yellow Vegetables One-Half to One-Third of your meal
8. Eat Uncooked Foods
9. Restrict Fresh Fruit to No More Than Two Servings a Day, and Avoid Dried Fruit, Fruit Puree, and Fruit Juice
10. Use Simple Sugar Sparingly

Guidelines for Healthy Eating in MWL book, page 67.
1. Eat until you’re satisfied
2. Graze
3. Allow time for digestion
4. Chew foods thoroughly
5. Restrict variety

Weight-Losing Reasons to Exercise. MWL book, page 100.
1. Exercise burns calories
2. Calories continue to burn after exercise
3. Exercise counteracts plateaus
4. Exercise suppresses appetite
5. Exercise reduces insulin
6. Exercise protects and increases muscle mass

Exercise you can live with. MWL book, page 106-107
Aerobics:
The best kind of exercise. Walking, running, cycling, & swimming are not only enjoyable but highly efficient ways to lose weight.

Benefits of weight training:
Build a stronger body
Build a shapelier body
Strengthen ligaments
Improve bone density
Help prevent musculoskeletal injury
Elevate metabolism
Increase stamina
Elevate blood levels of HDL cholesterol

Your New Daily Exercise Plan: MWL Book Page 109
1. Get up half an hour earlier each day, or skip a TV program to do a specific exercise.
2. Make exercise a part of each day.
3. Choose an activity that you have always enjoyed and do it at least four times per week
4. Sometimes purchasing equipment helps to motivate…
5. Invest in a membership in a YMCA, YWCA, or health and fitness club
6. Ask a friend to become your exercise partner
7. Go dancing, a great aerobic (and romantic) exercise
8. Join a walking or hiking club.
9. Check with your local adult-education program for exercise programs.
10. Keep an exercise journal.

Well, I checked my weight yesterday and I had lost about 1/2 pound on the trip...but today I have gained about 1.4, so who knows? Nothing counts till the Friday am weigh-in.

I have to record how different the airplane experience was from all my previous years of being over 200 lbs! I walked down the aisle and didn't brush everyone with my hips! What a pleasure that was! The seats are still too small, but I could put my seat belt on with ease, and yank the strap with inches to spare. It used to be SO scary-embarrassing to be at the absolute limit of the seat belt every time I got on a plane. I just knew that someday I'd have to ask for an extension.

Also, since I'm short, I often sit in the back seats of people's cars while on vacation--guess what? I can finally find the seat belt buckle, and do it up myself, rather than fussing and fidgeting, because I was sitting on the buckle for my seat, and using the other seat's buckle most of the time!

OK, on to recording. I did 20 minutes of yoga on the Fit yesterday. Taking today off from exercise (at least this am). Yesterday I had oatmeal & cherries (oh how I missed them!), carrots, celery & tomatoes before lunch, a lovely sweet potato/spinach/refried bean/ tomato sauce concoction, an apple, and then for a quick dinner, some baked tortilla chips with mango salsa & a little refried beans (probably the source of the 1.4 gain--all the salt in the beans. The salsa is pretty low, although over Jeff's sodium/calorie limit.) And a glass of wine.

Onward to today. I'd better go put some things together! Later!

ETA: I put the rest of my sweet potatoes in the oven to cook before we leave for work, and nuked one last big one to take to work. So there's my lunch--one large sweet potato, 1 small gold which found its way into the micro also, plus a bag of frozen stir-fry veggie with the asparagus in it--an experiment of combo for today's lunch. And an apple, and the carrot bags that are already at work. Dinner tonight--I must put the jicama in the salad I make. Maybe someday DH will eat salad at dinner once again?

Well, it's been 18 days since I posted in my journal. Nothing much happening, I guess...been doing fine on food and exercise. Today I did the full 45-min. Candlelight Yoga from Netflix. It was very nice and an easy stretching, twisting workout. It will be a good resource. I tried the beginning of it Thurs. or Fri. and so I knew what was in it. I'm going to look and see what else is on instant watch so I can have some variety for my weekend workouts.

Had dinner at our friends' last night--they will be moving to Oregon on June 8th! We have to get looking in that direction and working seriously toward retiring and getting jobs down there, selling this albatross and getting out of this place!!!

Now that DH is wanting me to prepare more of his food, I have to go back to square one and do more planning around meals, etc. I can't get motivated, for some reason--I think because I have such an easy time of it now--make rice or potatoes, throw a can of tomatoes (or not) in with a bag or 2 of frozen veggies (stir fry my fave right now), season (or not), and I have food for 2 -3 days. But DH is not ready for that, just as I wouldn't have been in the beginning. So I need to re-think. My brain hurts!

Hi Frozenveg,
I went back and read some of your journal. You're doing so great. Congratulations on all the weight loss!

Thanks for your May 4th post with the long list summarizing the dietary and exercise recommendations. That's a really great list that I'm going to print and use.

Hope it's getting warm up your way! It's still fairly chilly down here in the Pacific northwest.

Hi Birdy, and thanks for stopping by my journal! The May 4th post has also been added to the sticky at the top of the MWL thread now, too. I can't take credit for originating that thread--I think kirstykay made it--but it is on my refrigerator and has been so helpful in my efforts!

We finally had a lovely warm day yesterday! I will be living in the Pacific Northwest within a few years myself--I'm looking forward to it! (I don't mind rain and cloudy days, so I know I will fit in!)

I tried a new exercise routine this morning--I woke up a few minutes early and thought I'd try a Netflix instant watch yoga. I tried Crunch: Super Slim Down, which apparently combines Pilates and yoga. It was a nice workout, and not too hard, although I'm going to have to learn the routine better. But I can do most of it without too much trouble, and then I can get the arm and foot placement a bit better. It's 42 minutes, though--I hardly ever have more than 20 for exercise. That means I end up doing the first half, which mostly works the top half of my body, and the bottom part, which really needs a ton of work, is neglected. I'll do my best--I am finally at a weight where I am able to DO the exercises at all, so now is the time to get to work on it!

Yesterday was challenging for food. I had my usual breakfast of oatmeal & I think a banana. I had my hair done at 10, so I had no time to prep-eat for the lunch I was having with my coworker and an HR pro we wanted to meet. I had my least fave restaurant meal--a leaf lettuce salad with sick little tomatoes and a few cukes, with lemon juice squeezed over--they didn't even have balsamic vinegar! And a fruit plate. I was sooooo hungry, and I made time to nuke a bowl of brown sticky rice between lunch and the budget meeting with the Board. I ate my apple on the way home, and I made w/w spaghetti and sauce for dinner--ate 2 big bowls and had 2 glasses of wine to celebrate the Board approving the budget with two small changes. I know I will feel bloated today, but today at least I can eat my lunch that I didn't get to eat yesterday.

OK, I'm going to start daily journaling again for a while, so I can trace these last 10 pounds as they go (they haven't been going anywhere for a week or two, so I need to shepherd them out of here!!!!).

I didn't get to exercise yesterday because we watched the Grand Prix of Monaco at 3:30 am to 6:30 am and then I went back to bed until 9! I have also been having too much wine--that is now out until I am at 124. I just decided that. Wow, I hate making that commitment, but there I go!

This morning I did 25 minutes of Wii Fit--15 of yoga, and a 10-minute run. I really like that! I will try to do a 20-minute run tomorrow morning--unless I wake up super early, in which case I will do the Crunch Super Slim Down, which I did a second time last week. I really like it! I have the hardest time with the side leg lifts--I cannot stay on the lower leg and keep rolling off.

I'd better plan today's food. DD has asked to "sort of" join me on the regular plan, but she will still be eating cheese, chicken and eggs. It can only help her--she gained two pounds last week and has lost the thread off doing Weight Watchers. She will still do WW, but emphasize McD foods. I hope this helps her--I also had to ease into the program, as I had so many leftovers when I started, and I still lost. I will be back later to think about the plan.

Edited to add thoughts about the plan. First, for DD: she loved the roasted potatoes, yellow peppers, onions, zucchini, chickpeas and tomatoes I made yesterday--she can have the leftovers, at least today. I could make more roasted veggies today for later in the week, too. (Try adding mushrooms) She wants to eat a lot more fruit than the regular plan (which recommends 3 a day) but I think it's a good start.

Hm! Well, so much for daily journaling, as well as DD eating what I eat. We've been so busy and sometimes we don't all even see each other in a day!

I did well this week, and one reason I couldn't journal is because I started putting my food in the Cron-O-Meter, which takes time. I just wanted to see where I was nutritionally and calorie-wise. I was psyched to see I can access it online, which is why I've been able to keep it up for a week. I forgot that nutritional yeast has B-12! For losing a pound a week--I was just experimenting--it recommended 1233 calories a day, which I think is way less than I usually eat. And I did lose 2 pounds--but then yesterday I ate what is more usual for me, about 1600 calories. I think that's pretty much what satisfies me in a day. And at 1600 calories, I know it will be slower loss these days, so I will balance out. One thing I know is that I will have my 1200-calorie days and my 1800-calorie days, and I am fine with that!!!

I got so little sleep Thursday night (3.5 hours in 2 bunches), and then last night I got 8. I should get in gear ot do some exercise this morning--the Super Slim-Down awaits--but I'm still sleepy! I'll see about a few minutes foromnow...

Frozenveg...you are doing so great...I love it! I hope to be where you are in a year..maybe sooner...Now promise you won't leave us when you reach your goal.

Wow, Gypsy, you are doing great, too; and you'll get there, I know it!

I will NOT leave, ever! It feels as if it'll take a long time to get to my goal, but my REAL goal is to keep this off forever! So how long will that take, I wonder?

I keep thinking--it has taken me 17 months to get this far. If someone had told me I would not be at goal in 17 months, I would have gotten discouraged. But what a person forgets is how much better we get and feel every day, every step along the way! When I was younger, and trying to "diet," I always wanted to wake up one morning and have all 100 pounds gone, but that can never happen.

I still feel as though I'm fat--I don't mean my physical body, but I mean I had accepted the fact that I was fat a long time ago, when I was about 29, I guess. In my 20s I ballooned up to about 187, and got down to my Weight Watchers goal of 132 in about 8 months. I went promptly back up to the mid-140 range, as soon as I stopped eating WW--all that cardboardy artificial flavoring, etc., of the 70s. I did, at some time in the mid-70s, get down to what I've always felt was my right weight--125--but it didn't take much of an excuse for me to start overeating. One of things was that the co-workers of DH had great parties where many good goods would bring potluck dishes--I remember one party distinctly where I had to lie down on the back seat for us to go home, I had eaten so much I couldn't sit up! At some point I decided to "accept myself for what I was," which apparently was a woman who was fat.

I never thought I'd get here, to the 130s (and on my way to the 120s), to a weight that is "normal" on the charts. I would have been super-content (before finding McDougalling) to weigh 165. I would on occasion get to that weight, and immediately be divided--super-content to the extent of eating junk and overeating, and discontented because 165 is still fat!

And my bottom half bears all the wreckage of being that fat for so long. The skin of my thighs, butt, stomach, all sags and hangs, my belly is still like a balloon, my calves still bear the marks of my socks when I take them off. My vision of me naked is pretty awful! Me with clothes is another thing entirely, and I don't recognize myself in the mirror! My DIL and my DD keep calling me "tiny" and I see what they mean with clothes on (I'm short, too, so there's more tininess). The exercise I have done this past year, more than I have ever done and more faithfully than I have ever done, has been mostly step, walking indoors, and yoga. Just in the past few weeks I have started to learn what my core is (like sunscreen, they didn't have "the core" back in the 70s! ). I've been doing the Super Slim Down on Netflix streaming, and it's getting both easier and harder, as I push myself. It is a combo of yoga and Pilates, and it has a lot in common with Vibrant Vegan's 30-day Core Workout, which I am going to try to find 30 days this summer to do. I'm hoping that that sort of workout will help a bit with the belly (it is like having a fanny pack on all the time!). It might help with other things, and I guess even if the skin still sags, it will be nice to have stronger muscles under the saggy skin!

I have to really think about how to exercise next week once DH has his knee surgery and is sleeping in the TV room. I guess I'll have to do the stationery bike. Then when my grandson come, two week later, he'll be in the room with the bike. I hope I'll get enough exercise, like walking, while he's here.

Well, time to go have oatmeal (what a surprise! 13 months now, that's been breakfast!)