Are we there yet? Formerly: 12 Week Experiment

[Arewethereyet]

Saturday...
Weight: 209
Exercise: 45 min vid.

B- potatoes, broccoli, orange
L- golden beet, beet greens, prple swt potato
S- oats w/soymilk, cocoa, and raisins--cheat...not MWL
D- stirfry veg and brown rice

Sunday
Weight: 208.8
Exercise: 45 min "dancing" to music

B- oatmeal, berries, couple pieces of potato
L- raw veg, spring mix, left over beet and prpl swt potato
D- left overs

Husband surprised me by not wanting usual turkey sandwich for lunches. Asked for potato wedges ..i added bean burgers to round it out.

[Arewethereyet]

So....yesterday did not end as planned. Was an empty pit after dinner...2nd helping of dinner, bagel, dry cereal. I had also added snacks in the afternoon (rice, popcorn). Did not seem to make a difference.

Now I'm at my desk staring at an apple, and wishing it were a doughnut. "Doughnuts have bad fats, and bad fats are my enemy!"

Weight: 209.4
Exercise so far: I got ready for work

B: Oatmeal, 1/2c dry (wasn't that hungry after last night).
L: Plan to have some combination of: raw veg, veg soup, rice, and grapes.
D: Plan to have seasoned black beans, potato and vegetables or salad (husband will have his in a wrap)

Monday

[Arewethereyet]

Yesterday went as planned, I did have some extra raw vegetables, black beans and corn tortilla's after dinner, but no junk.

I have to whine again this morning, because I walked into the break room, and "ta da"! There are the donuts I wanted yesterday. I walked away. Though, I am treating myself to a half a cup of coffee with some creamer. This feels like a long week already.

Weight: 208.4
Exercise: none I'm going to have to start getting up earlier, or getting more efficient in the mornings.

B: Oatmeal with a bit of sugar, coffee w/creamer. (cheat)
L: Black beans, potatoes, raw veg, corn tortillas, grapes
S: apple
D: Left-overs.

Just realized I forgot that I have to bring something to a mini pot luck tonight.

I keep feeling like I should look different, but not much has changed since August. I'm 20 lbs down, but that's stretched over such a long time, and that's not even 10% of my original weight. I can't remember exactly when I really noticed the difference the last time I lost weight.

[Arewethereyet]

So, I tried to post yesterday, but I lost it.

Yesterday was running late and made compromises at breakfast, ate a good lunch, and a good dinner, followed by cake. Day before I did well at the potluck, but then continued to eat pretzels after dinner.

Today, got a late start again and ate the same breakfast as yesterday including nuts and coffee with the addition of birthday treats at work. Was not prepared with lunch, and did not try to eat well. Dinner should go better.

This morning, I was back up to 209.4 from 208.8 on Tuesday morning. Time to regroup and refocus. Need to lose 9.5 lbs in the next two months to be on track. But also need to stop cheating with high-fat items in hopes of having the health outcomes that I want.

I have also been thinking about staring back on some hobbies (painting/drawing). I never get very far, as I keep stopping myself. I'll get some motivation and excitement, and then the first attempts are not at all what I hope, or I can't decide on a subject. Then I chuck it all for another few months, when I start contemplating it again.

[Arewethereyet]

I think I'm finally close to back on Track. Friday I did well, but finished the day with a piece of cake. Saturday, ate compliant food, but just kept eating all day long...and too much salt. Sunday, back on track, except for evening snacking.

Weight has been up:
Friday: 210.6, Saturday: 212.6, Sunday 211.4, Monday 210.4 (or something like this).

Hoping to be back down to about 208-209 tomorrow for my group weigh-in to break even. Still have enough time to get to where I want to be at the end of May.

This week will be a test to see if I ate low enough fat all month to improve my symptoms. So far, so good.

[Arewethereyet]

Having some symptoms today. Not as bad as last month though (yet).
Weight: 208.8 (phew!)
Exercise: 15 min video in a.m. and previous evening.

B: Frozen berries and pineapple, frozen hashbrowns (microwaved), Tea
S: Tea
L: Whole Wheat Cous Cous with garbanzo beans, tomato and onion. Raw veg
S: Grapes? (not feeling well)
D: Either pasta with veg and mushrooms or left-over potatoes, green peas.

Ate very similar things yesterday, not sure if I recorded them.

[Arewethereyet]

Yesterday ate on plan, except had 2T peanuts instead of grapes. Went to bed really early, so didn't snack in the evening.

Weight: 205.6 (Hoping this isn't a scale error!)
Exercise: none yet. If I'm feeling better, I might walk outside tonight. It's finally sunny here.

Plan:
B: 1/2c oatmeal, 1+ cup frozen berries, tea
L: Cous Cous salad, raw veg and grapes
S: Kiwi?
D: Pasta with mushrooms, marinara and probably a side of brussel sprouts.

[Arewethereyet]

I think in addition to my plan yesterday, I ate 1c popcorn...had some oil, not sure how much. Feel very out of it today.

Weight: 205.4....so thrilled with this. I'm getting so close to 200...err 199!
Exercise: about 10-15 minutes "dancing" in my living room. I'm working up the ambition to do some outside walking. Did not happen yesterday.

Plan:
B: 1/2 c oats, 1tsp sugar, some berries.
S: black coffee, small cup (hoping this brings some clarity to my day)
L: cous cous salad, raw veg, grapes
D: Pasta with mushrooms and brussel sprouts.

[Arewethereyet]

No more coffee for me! Yesterday, I did get out and tried to run/walk one mile...about 20 minutes with a 3min/1min interval. Too much running. I think I could do 1/1, which is on the schedule for Saturday.

Weight: 204.8
Exercise: about 10-15 minutes of resistance exercises.

Plan:

B: 1/2c oats, peaches, 1 tsp sugar
S: Granola bar
L: Bag of mixed veg with corn, limas, etc. Orange
S: two kiwi's
D: Rice, black beans, corn, salsa and veg.

P.S.: It's getting harder to sit all day at work.

[Arewethereyet]

Having trouble today with snacking even though ive eaten enough at meals. Having doubts this is will continue to go well even though Ive made progress. Guess I need to keep hearing that it can be done. Rewatching my favorite success stories.

Weight: 205.6
Exercise: walk at nature center on Saturday, 45 min. Approx 5 mile walk today around local "lake".

Will record food when I'm not typing on my phone.

[Arewethereyet]

Feeling more positive than yesterday.

Weight: 206.4
Exercise: Walk to and from work. Had planned to continue with a running program, but my back has been hurting.


B: 1/2c oatmeal, banana, 1/2 box raisins, 1 tsp sugar, Tea
S: tea
L: W. Wheat spaghetti, just over a cup with 1c tomato/spinach/chickpea sauce, strawberries, carrots. 2pc chocolate (cheat).
S: leftover raw broccoli from lunch, 2 pc chocolate
D: Salad with peas and sweet potato.
S: Cherries and a banana

[Arewethereyet]

Feeling like a total flake at work...really distracted. I'm going to blame it on the sunny weather.

Weight: 204.6 (not sure if I read this right in the dark this morning).
Exercise: Probably none, too cold this a.m. to walk to work, and have a meeting and errands after work. There is a strength workout on the schedule though.

Food today:

B: Oats, 1/2c; frozen cherries, 1tsp sugar
S: Tea
L: Leftover beans, rice, mixed vegetables and 1c leftover chili. Strawberries and a banana.
D: 1/2 head romaine, 1/2c peas, baked yukon potato.

[Arewethereyet]

So, I'm not MWL, and I'm not sure I'm within the guidelines of the regular plan. Maybe I should call this, "giving it a decent effort journal"?

I finished last night with some dry sugary cereal (my husband's). Might have to get him a locked cupboard to keep his things in.

Weight: 205.6
Exercise: will likely be inside, we have air quality issues today b/c of Kansas grass fires blowing north.

Today:

B: 2/3c oats, frozen cherries, no sugar.
S: black coffee (I said I wouldn't do this)
L: Whole Wheat pasta, chickpea tomato sauce, raw veg, orange
D: Mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, frozen veg.

I think I've worked out what to bring to my parent's for Easter. They are having chicken, carrots, potatoes and green bean casserole. Because I want to keep my fat way down, I'll have the potatoes and carrots as long as they've not been cooked with the chicken or have added oil/butter. I'll fill out my meal with a chick pea coleslaw that I found here, and possibly bring some fat-free tortilla chips, although, they may be too much of a temptation. They would be a treat, though. Perhaps, I should stick with some special fruit salad instead...

Lately, I've had several people comment that they wouldn't have thought I needed to lose weight. This should be flattering, but I find it a little frustrating/discouraging. Because I have felt so uncomfortable, especially at my highest weight, and still have so much to lose...even though I might "carry it well". In my life, I've been called "thick", and recently "strong", etc. I've often felt like a football player. I was given a man's bathrobe as a 16th birthday present by my petite mother. This isn't how I want to feel or be perceived.

I'm not sure what people thought when I did get down to a reasonable weight in my 20's. I still felt huge, but I think this time around I would be more appreciative of my body and what it took to get there.

[Arewethereyet]

Have been doing better lately keeping away from my husband's treats. I did pretty well on Easter during the meal, but then followed up the tiny dessert I had with some sugary stuff from the gas station on the way home. Still, I've been making progress.

Did a lot of walking in the last several days, outside and by video. About 45 minutes at a time. I'd like to keep this up consistently.

Weight: 201.4
Exercise: Walk to and from work. Maybe yoga tape later?

General eating pattern the last few days:

Breakfast: 2/3c oats, banana, 1/2 T ground flax.
Snack: Tea
Lunch: Potatoes and cooked red cabbage, or Spring Coleslaw (from this site) with seasoned rice. Raw carrots/celery and fruit.
Snack: Raw veg and fruit if not eaten at lunch. Water or tea.
Dinner: Varies. Tonight, Whole wheat pasta, sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts, few black olives. Side of vegetables.

I've been really happy with the meal planning and prepping that I did this week, even made some veggie burgers to supplement some meals. Will try to duplicate this week...

Breakfasts: Oatmeal w/fruit & flax
Lunches: Sweet potatoes with cooked cabbage or bean/cabbage salad with rice. Maybe a veggie burger if I need more food.
Dinners:
Southwest black beans & rice, side of vegetables
Curried Red lentil soup with potatoes and cauliflower;
Stirfry over rice, maybe with tofu;
Chili-mac (from PCRM website) with side of veg.

[Jeff the Chef]

Wow! You've made progress! I see I'm not the only one who cheats.

Why do you weigh yourself every day? I think Pritkin said you carry 4-10 lbs in your intestines, do you should weigh yourself once a week at the be same time, preferably after waking up and before exorcising and breakfast.