Discussion Board

Hi mary

yes, it's possible to set up serious cravings by seeing food...and mine was potato chips, too! after church, there was a meeting, and they had lunch laid out and ready to go...big bowl of regular potato chips...oh, that was tough to walk away from. Tougher than the brownies at work yesterday.

You know what I ended up getting on Sunday? Went out and bought two packages of Lundberg rice cakes with sesame seeds on top. Nom-nom! And ate some while watching a movie, so it even satisfied my need for movie popcorn.

but you're doing good, anyway. even with a little bit of rancid nuts congrats on the two weeks without chips! keep on doing it yeah!

My goodness! I’m feeling positively thin today! Of course, I’m wearing control top panty hose, so that probably helps! : ) But my thighs ALMOST don’t touch. My tummy is ALMOST not bigger than my boobs. I’m making progress! For the longest time, I couldn’t see any difference in myself. My clothes were looser, but I didn’t think I LOOKED any smaller. But I finally see it. I still have a long way to go, but I feel like I look SOOO much better!

I’ve been really tired when I get home at night, and I’m usually so long winded when I post a message that I haven’t been getting around to it the last couple of days. In fact, I fell asleep last night at my computer and didn’t wake up until after midnight! I feel like I get home so late that I don’t have time to get much done at home. I get home around 6:30-7pm, but if I have to stop for anything on the way home (gas, groceries) it’s 7:30-8pm before I get home. Then after I fix something to eat (and eat it) it’s almost time for bed! I used to work for the govt and I miss it. I had to be at work at the crack of dawn, but I was home almost by tea time. I hated having to get up so early, cuz I am NOT a morning person. But since I’m not a morning person, ANY time I get up is a bad time! : ) Better to get it over with earlier.

Anyway, I decided to make some chili last night. I had planned to make Caribbean stew. In fact, I have planned to make Caribbean stew for the last couple of days, but all of that chopping makes me tired just thinking about it! Chili seemed quicker and easier. I had some soyrizo I got a Trader Joe’s that is fast coming up on its expiration date. I knew I needed to use it. I cooked a couple of onions, some garlic and threw in the soyrizo, which is pretty spicy. I added a can of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 3 kinds of beans, and a bag of spinach (gotta get those veggies in!) and some chili powder. I simmered it while I cooked some rice in my rice cooker. It was pretty good! It could have used some more spice, I think. Maybe some more cumin or something. I probably ate too much of it last night though. I had two plate fulls! That’s another problem I have. When I get home from work, I’m SO hungry, either I overeat when I finally have dinner ready, or I snack while I’m cooking (usually dried fruit) and don’t want to eat when the meal is cooked. I guess the answer is to do what so many of you do…cook a lot on the weekend. I’ve tried that, but then I don’t want to eat what I made. I made that giant pot of beans and barley soup last weekend that just looked SOO unappetizing after it was made. I have two giant containers of it in the fridge that have been in there over a week. Time for them to go! I guess I need to stick with tried-and-true favorites to last me through the week. Like Caribbean stew. Which I need to make!

Anyway, here’s what I ate yesterday:

B-mini multi colored potatoes from TJ’s roasted in the oven--yum!
L-frozen brown rice, black beans, salsa
D-brown rice and chili
Snacks-dried mango, dried chili mango

Oh! I almost forgot. I drank about 3 (large) cups of tea yesterday, and one of my coworkers said “Don’t drink too much tea or it will give you kidney stones.” WHAT?!!? I have never heard of that. And this from a woman whom I have never seen drink ANYTHING at work.

Your funny. I'm so glad your feeling some progress. I understand how great that must feel! Your menu and stew sounds wonderful! I like your variety. I just don't have time to cook, so I just eat potatoes all the time. I think you have a better set-up. Maybe one day you will come cook for me Hope your day is good !

Hi Mary,
Made me laugh. I’m so happy for you and the progress that you’re making. Hope you’re having a great week.
Letha

I'm glad I could bring smiles to a few faces. Humor will get us through!

I wanted to mention something that happened at work the other day that really bothered me. A woman commented that I looked just like another one of my coworkers. She kept saying over and over again "You look so much alike. I just can't believe how much you look alike." Well, we don't. The only things we have in common are we are fairly tall (she's taller than me), and we are both overweight. We have different hair, different faces, different clothing styles. I just felt like a faceless nobody. I was reduced to nothing other than my size. And I wondered--as I've wondered before--when will I be a person? When will people see me as an individual and not just as fat? Will some switch suddenly flip when the scale reads 150? What if I get to 150, but people still treat me like I weigh 300? I've lost 50 pounds, but I still feel snubbed, ignored, overlooked and yet stared at because of my weight. What weight is acceptable? It will be interesting to see how people's reactions to me change as I lose weight. And of course my opinion of myself.

I'm feeling all itchy. My NOSE feels all itchy, like I'm coming down with something. Eeek! Swine flu! The past few years, I seemed to pick up every bug that comes along. Now that I am eating better, losing weight and have good numbers (BP, cholesterol, etc) i wonder if I will be able to fight off the bugs more. Frankly, I'm a bit frightened of the flu shot. I've never had one. I don't want to get one. But I got really sick a few years ago when I didn't have health insurance. I think it was the flu. And I think it turned into pneumonia. I'm sure it sounds melodramatic, but I thought I was going to die. My lungs were so congested that I couldn't breathe. In hindsight, I should have gone to the hospital, but I was afraid of how much it would cost. it's a miracle that i pulled through. And here's this new strain of flu that seems to be hitting overweight people harder. So I'm nervous. I don't ever want to be that sick again.

Wow, serious stuff today. A couple of good things. Yoga class is tomorrow. Woo hoo! And I went by the grocery store on the way home. This grocery store carries my favorite chips. They frequently put them on sale. So I was determined NOT to go anywhere near them. And i didn't! I'm so proud of myself! I'm getting a little tired of the Battle of the Chips. But I can't be smug and say I'm over them. I'm NOT over them. I must be ever vigilant. Maybe I can have one (just one!!) in a couple of years. But no chips right now. Can't handle it. This store has some awesome frozen artichoke quarters, but they are crazy expensive, so i can only buy them when they are one sale. I checked the frozen section...not on sale. On the way to the registers, I saw on the end of an aisle...those chips! ON SALE!!! Oh, the humanity! I rushed by and didn't make eye contact. I did, however, buy some non-dairy ice cream. Hey, I had to compromise somewhere!

Here's what I ate today:

B-leftover chili over rice
L-leftover chili over rice
D-leftover chili, steamed sugar snap peas, tortillas
Snacks--dried chili mango

I get SOO hungry in the afternoon around 4 pm. I think I might need to eat more than some dried fruit. But my office is of the 3-meal-a-day school of thought. Another meal is frowned upon. Maybe I could have some soup in a thermos or something. Something a bit heartier to tide me over until dinner.

Day 27 of my 100 Day MWL Challenge: yes (are we counting tortillas?)
Free eating: yes! (but the Thai restaurant is calling my name!)
Days w/o chips: 16 (it was a close one today!)

Hi Mary

your journal is heartening! thanks for posting, and congrats on keeping your eye on the goal, and not letting the Demon Chips drag you under! ha! Take THAT, Demon Chips! *k'pyew* *k'pyew*

I always get told I look like someone they know....guess I am unisex or something.

Just keep with the plan and you immunity will improve. I rarely get sick, been having a few bad days since getting back from my daughters house in Florida with feeling bad in the afternoons, but it is more like Valley fever than flu I think. Depends on the day. One time I went for 6 weeks getting a fever everyday in the afternoon. I think it is valley fever cause I only get it on windy days when the dust is flying! Course I was exposed to something in the doctors office when we took the baby in. Some kid was hacking away with Swine flu or something.....

tonite i did good...we wound up with some friends coming over for dinner at the last minute. Ed was making chicken. I baked 4 potatoes, cooked some corn, and ate a potato with salsa and corn and didn't eat anything else. In fact I couldn't even finish it. Now I need to send her the McDougall website since she says she is vegetarian but ate the chicken and sour cream, butter on her potato, etc. I felt bad since she brought over some pasta but I didn't eat it...I just tasted some and it tasted like chicken soup with stuff in it.

funny but I told her my age and she called me mom. I guess her mom is the same age! I don't feel my age, but nobody really believes it...now all I have to do is wait to see how bad my blood work comes back at since I had it done today!

Bleh. I've been having a few I-hate-the-world days. My job sucks. Let me rephrase that...my job su-ucks! I've been looking to move, well, forever, but this isn't the best time to be changing jobs. I found a job I was interested in. I called about it and the person told me they had gotten over 120 applications!! I figured I didn't have a chance, so I didn't apply, but I see that the job is still posted...

Even as crappy as I've been feeling, my food has been OK. I did buy that non-dairy ice cream, but I've been having a few spoons here and there. Usually I would just eat the whole container at one sitting!

I'm going to a work function tomorrow night. It's being catered, but i don't hold out much hope for finding anything appropriate to eat. I won't be home all day. I'm thinking I might treat myself to some Chinese take out before I go. I'm not worried that I will slip and eat things off plan. I'm worried I will be hungry and crabby! Like I said, I haven't been having a good few days. More time with my coworkers won't help things any.

Here's what I ate today:

B-potato
L-potato
D- so far I've had leftover beans, salsa and tortillas (from last night) I think I'll need something in a few hours, cuz it's still early. I might steam some broccoli. I might make some rice pudding. Haven't really decided yet. I should probably go for the broccoli cuz I haven't had much in the veggie dept today. But the "comfort" food sounds better.

Day 29 of my 100 Day MWL Challenge: well, tortillas and ice cream, not quite
Free eating: yes
Days w/o chips: 18

Well, I haven't even celebrated my good news! I lost 2.2 pounds this week, which means I have now lost 52 pounds! 52 pounds! 52 pounds! That sounds like so much, but I still have a long way to go.

I stopped by Walmart today and tried on some size 22 jeans. I currently am in size 24. And the 22s fit! The last time I tried some on, maybe 6 weeks ago, I could button them, but I couldn't breathe. Today they fit fine, maybe even a little loose. I was thinking about buying a pair, but maybe I'll just wait and get a size 20. I can't believe I just said that! I'm going to be in a size 20! We'll have to see though. These 24s might get so baggy and sloppy that I won't be able to stand it. I think I might need to start looking at thrift stores for clothes. I love going down sizes, I just can't AFFORD it!

I get most of my jeans there...and some of my shirts. It's in my budget! Course I hate all the new clothes in the stores and love my old tshirts. The new clothes make everyone look pregnant! I don't buy things too often since I have no room for them unless i throw something else out!

I was planning a thrift store spree today! I am currently in 16's and want to buy some 14 jeans so I can have them at home for motivation. It's fun to try them on every few days and see if I can tell any difference in fit.

I do love to shop in regular stores, too, but who can afford it when your doing mcd?! I bet I haven't been a size 14 in a decade. Have come down from a 20. This is exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi. I seem to go down first in pants and then in tops. I recently got into my size Medium pants, and immediately took all my Large pants out of the closet and put them on the mending pile.

But from here, i don't have any Small pants anymore...

I am wondering if i should take in my clothes as i reach each new size, or just wear a few clothes and take them all in when i reach my ideal weight?

Actually, i got rid of all the 2x clothes when i outgrew them!

I wish I knew how to sew. I could take in my clothes while I'm losing. I think it can be a but tricky, though. Especially since everyone is shaped differently and loses weight in different areas.

I'll definitely have to check out some thrift stores. Now that I have lost some weight, I might be able to find something in my size!

Hi Mary

congrats on the 52 lbs weight loss! I bet you're looking people RIGHT in the eye, smiling all the time, and oozing confidence. Way to Go!

I heard on the radio yesterday that Americans order 3 BILLION pizzas every year. And we buy another 1 billion frozen pizzas. Whoa! That is amazing. And scary. I'm glad I'm not adding to those numbers anymore.

The work function went fine last night. I was going to buy something to eat before going, but I decided to go home and eat. It was a bit out of the way, but it was good for my peace of mind. I cooked some brown rice and steamed some broccoli crowns. It was just what I needed. I put Bragg's on it, but I really love the sauce the take out places have. What is in that? I probably don't want to know. At one place, I was dipping my broccoli in the sauce and big glob of MEAT floated to the top!! Gak!
So anyway, I mingled, I chatted, I had a glass of wine (yes, I said WINE), and I did NOT approach the food table. I was full of broccoli and rice and had no desire to see what food disasters were on the table. Ironically, I ended up standing near the dessert table. but I didn't feel any pull from it.

I've been trying to slice potatoes with my mandolin to make oven chips, but it's not working out so well. I only seem to get these half slices. When I bake them, they are brown on the thin side and rubbery on the other. Yesterday morning, I sliced a potato thickly with my big knife and baked it til puffy. Fabulous! That's what I'm having again this morning. But I do need to try that potato casserole. it sounds so good! And I have some spinach in the fridge.

Here's what I ate yesterday:

B-baked potato slices
L-uhhhhhhhhh
D-broccoli and rice

Day 30 of my 100 Day MWL Challenge: yes
Free eating: yes
Days w/o chips: 19