Anna's Journal

[Anna Green]

ok, today, I'm talking to all of you who read my journal and never comment. I know you are looking at it like you would a car wreck, craning your head around as you go by because you can't help it. I am a ramblin wreck (not from Georgia Tech though I spent a night there once making out w/ an engineer ) My mama would disapprove of that.

I'm in to my oats and broc this morn. Still haven't cooked all that food. Last night was a bust. The teenager threw a tantrum. I didn't pull his hair which is what I wanted to do. When will those hormones and angst end? Any of you quiet lookers have some advice?

I do plan to hit the gym today. It is in the same building as our Co-op which has the ff hummus I need to make everything better. If you ever have a chance to get it- Oasis zero fat hommus is how they spell it I think. They also have lentil and black bean dip which is good too. The Zero Fat Red pepper is my favorite but if you are eating tahini they have a garlic one that is the bomb and they don't add olive oil. There is more than one Oasis brand so when you search add the "zero fat". That's my gift to you silent seekers today. They are based in Toledo, OH by the way.

Food:

Morn: oats/broc, grits/beans/salsa

Afternoon: ww sub w/ veggies and mustard; veggies and ff hummus, blueberries, a little salad

Eve: bean, salsa, a little guac burrito w/ ww tortilla

Exercise: 35 min of cardio and a little strength work

[talkingmountain]

But Anna, you are my FAVORITE train wreck

As far as the Teen Angst, all you can do is take a deep breath and repeat after me...

"like tornadoes and kidney stones, this too shall pass."

Wishing you all the serenity you can handle this fine afternoon,
tm

[fulenn]

ok, today, I'm talking to all of you who read my journal and never comment. I know you are looking at it like you would a car wreck, craning your head around as you go by because you can't help it. I am a ramblin wreck (not from Georgia Tech though I spent a night there once making out w/ an engineer )
.

Actually, it's more like looking in the mirror--I'm just lucky to have you here to put words to it. Love your exercise where you helped a friend with their boxes--you got both physical and emotional benefits.

Fulenn

[Anna Green]

talkingmountain, yay! you really are back! aah, and I'm your favorite train wreck. It's an honor. Fulenn, I know what you say. I love it when I read a journal and it says what I'm experiencing.

So, I'm pretty well tonight. Finally got to do some cooking. I was tired after the gym but realized I needed to. Yesterday I wound up eating ww bread and tortilla because I wasn't prepped and hungry and out and about and busy as heck. It wasn't so much that I just wanted them. Not a big deal, but I'm in a good place right now and actually want to eat MWL mostly so I need to go with it! So tonight I made mushroom barley burgers, baked sweet potatoes and sauteed veggies.

morn: grits and onions, potato and ff hummus

Aft: veg chili, br rice, greens, okra- no oil! (all from whole foods after I grilled the chef about how he made it) potato, ff hummus

Eve: a little potato and ff hummus, a McDougall cup - bl beans and rice, mushroom and barley burgers, and a little barley w/ sauteed veggies. Sounds like a lot but it wasn't really and I was satisfied not stuffed.

Exercise: 30 min cardio, 30 weights

[talkingmountain]

Sounds yum. And I'm so jealous that you can stop by a whole foods for a plant-based, OIL-FREE meal when you don't feel like cooking.

[Anna Green]

Talkingmountain, don't be envious. I can't afford and should be saving for the kid's college. Perhaps I'll start tracking the eating out behavior here too.

Did well today.

Morning: oats and green beans (no broc in the house)

Afternoon: mushroom/barley burgers, barley and veggies

Evening: potato, salad, sweet potato w/ ff bl bean hummus, oatmeal w/mushroom/barley burger mixed in. Yah, weird but goooood. Again sounds like I ate the house today but it wasn't that much and no stuffing happened. Just satisfaction.

Exercise: 30 min cardio (elliptical) and that's it.

[Birdy]

Hey Anna,
I'm having trouble posting so hope this works. It doesn't sound like you're eating the house, but even if you were, Dr. McDougall prides himself on how much he eats! Also, you gotta live a little right?

I'm still getting over the stomach woes, but better.

I posted this mega message in my journal, or I tried to and lost the whole dang thing. Just as well because it was a bunch of sob story stuff anyway.

Hope you're continuing to have a great week and coming weekend. We're going crazy here with cold temps and heavy rain. Trees are uprooting and falling over from the soggy soil.

Saw a great documentary last night if you haven't seen it and like documentaries. The Botany of Desire based on Michael Pollan's book. Really interesting.

The strength training I do (when I'm not sick or otherwise sidetracked) is the Strong Women Stay Young program. It's just a basic free weights program I can do at home and I really like it. Most libraries carry this book if you're curious.

Have a wonderful Friday

[Anna Green]

Hey Birdy, sorry to hear about the weather- that is amazing that trees are falling because of soggy ground. Thanks for the documentary and strength work info.

I've had a good couple of days. Yesterday I ate well- don't feel like listing and went to a yoga class. Yoga is not for wimps. I sweated (of course I was having hot flashes) and worked and relaxed. It was nice. More than that. I had a hard day and felt stressed and anxious. When I left the class though I felt so much better.

Today was a good food day. No exercise but I did not plan to.

Morn: oats, spinach and green beans, grits (no butter, I swear)

Afternoon: red potatoes, hummus, sugar snap peas, cucumber,
oatmeal, spinach

Evening: ww, no oil, no cheese pizza, beans, greens, br rice, a small handful of peanuts (was at a meeting and they thoughtfully had this pizza.)

When I look at this food list I understand why this feels so good right now- eating this way. What's not to love. And this is the thing.

[Anna Green]

It's Saturday. Finally after all the stuff that had to be done, I'm chillin. No social plans and I'm pleased. Need some time alone. I found out this week that my heel has been hurting for months not from plantar fasciitis but from a stress fracture. I ran on that fracture because I'm stubborn and didn't want to go to the doc and thought I knew what it was and just wanted to. Lately I just was down about not being able to run anymore and finally said enough. So I have a boot to wear for a few weeks and then we'll see.

Still eating well, mostly MWL. Yesterday, all MWL except a small square of dark chocolate and rum and coke zero. I'm good with sweets. They aren't my thing so I don't go off the deep end with them. French fries, would be crack. Alcohol used to tell me I could have SAD but it doesn't anymore. I'm loving my healthy food.

Morn: oats and broc

Afternoon: lima beans, greens, brown rice, cucumber and a little hummus.

Eve: More of lunch w/o cuke and a small amount of sunflower seeds.

Exercise: hit the gym with my boot on. Did the bike for 35 min, the rower about only 7 because it hurt my foot, and some weight machines for another 20.

[Anna Green]

Doing well today with food. Sat and Sun eve had some tofurky on ww sandwiches- not so great but a pretty mild cheat for me. I want to lose some more weight so that has to stop. Mostly, I need to do some cooking. Ratatouille tonight I think.

I do Plan to exercise this eve. I will do every exercise I can think of on the floor of my living room that will not hurt my foot.

That's all I got.

[Anna Green]

Feeling good and relaxed about this. Not so much white knuckling.

Yesterday:

morn: fruit, cuke and no oil hummus

Afternoon: br rice, tomato and garbanzos

Eve: br rice, ratatouille, tomato, garbanzos, oats, ww bread, slice of lf vegan cheese (i know).

Exercise: did not happen

Today:

Morn: steel cut oats and fruit

Afternoon: carrots, br rice and ratatouille, garbanzos already and probably a potato later.

Eve: will be more of lunch.

Exercise: hitting the gym after work.

[kkrichar]

I thought I asked you for your ratatouille recipe before but I can't find it in my "recipes" folder. Would you mind sharing it with me? And, sorry if you've already given it to me before. I'll take better care this time.

I am white-knuckling it today. I had an overwhelming urge to buy a box of Nutter Butters from the Canteen today. I don't know where it even came from but it was bad. I went to the 3rd floor (where my bank and the Canteen are housed) because I needed to get something from the bank. I had all but made up my mind to buy the cookies when I forced myself to use the restroom first. While in the ladies I literally prayed for help. I think I'm getting closer to the place where I'm afraid to fall off the plan. That's where I was with alcohol and cigarettes. With alcohol, I was about to be kicked out of my PhD program and, with cigarettes, I had developed really bad asthma and bronchitis and I was terrified I'd end up with COPD, emphysema or lung cancer (still might unfortunately). But, anyhoo, with food I haven't had that "right now" fear. Sure I'm sick of how I look and feel but I can start tomorrow. I think seeing how quickly people turn their health around and how fast they lose weight has given me the belief I can change anytime and it won't take very long to get what I want. If I can lose all my weight in 6 months, that's what?, mid-December? Well, if I start tomorrow I'm still get there by mid-December. If I start next week I'm still there by Christmas. You know what I mean? Meanwhile, year after year after year goes by and I'm no closer to my goals. Fortunately, I felt fear today. I felt like I just couldn't keep putting this off. I'm on day 2 and I didn't want to be on day 1 again tomorrow. When am I going to experience the changes rather than the fight? So, I walked back to my office sans Nutter Butters.

It really helps me to see you feeling better. Thank you!

[Anna Green]

kk, thanks. I hear you about the fear as I just wrote in your journal. It's helpful. 2 people today told me that I'm skinnier. That helps too.

[kkrichar]

Sweet! It feels good when someone notices our weight loss and tells us.

I got a swim pass tonight after work and swam laps for half an hour then sat in the jacuzzi. I ate on-plan all day.

[Anna Green]

kk, way to go. You do it!

Doing well today. I feel good.

Morn: 2 red potatoes

Afternoon: black bean and rice McDougall cup over salad and sweet potato.

Evening: probably veggies, brown rice and potato.

Exercise: meeting a friend to ride stationary bikes together and do a little strength work. That's about all this boot will allow.