Stella's Journal

[Stella]

Hi Heidi, I didn't go skiing. The canyons required chains or 4WD, neither of which I have. I didn't want to risk it. We promised to take them Saturday but it looks like more snow and the Sundance film festival is on so I'm afraid it might be busy? I think we may have to wait until we come back from our vacation. We've decided to try cross country though while the kids do lessons.

Yesterday was a lot of fun having lunch with a friend. I didn't eat what I thought though. They had a veggie chili so I had that and we shared a hummus appetizer. I didn't have very much cause I'm sure there was fat in it. My friend is not vegan but enjoyed the hummus. She just started the Hcg diet. Ugh, her friends have lost huge amounts of weight. From size 14 to 6 in 2 months. She is adorable and not really over weight by more than 20lbs but is doing it cause WW has only helped her lose 2lbs since the first of the year. I came home and researched it online. Looks like the only reason they lose weight so fast is the 500 calorie a day diet. If I could eat 500 calories a day I wouldn't be in the state I'm in. I've never been a person that can go on super low calorie diets. Hunger always wins with me. I love her to pieces so I just kept my mouth shut. She knows my views on diets already so we just try to support each other with out being judgmental.

Today is busy. I've got groceries to get and cookies to make for a party. They will be vegan but not low fat. I'm not even tempted right now. Then all of the running around of kiddos.
Todays plan
B oatmeal blueberries
L last of the SW cous cous
D some kind of soup. gotta shop
S fruit

Peace,
Stella

[bunsofaluminum]

HCG is the big fad right now, isn't it? I know someone who has lost a lot of weight with it, but what happens when you stop getting the shots? and I had NO idea it was so low in calories! 500? even the people following longevity diets of low cals, don't go THAT low. gracious, where do they get any nutrition? and honestly, how long can a person REALLY eat that low cal? If you went the rest of your life only eating 500 cals a day, of course you'd lose weight and keep it off...hello? until you caved from hunger and gobbled everything in sight.

ah, give me good, old fashioned, high nutrient, low calorie, high carb, low protein PLANT foods, any day.

you were smart to stay away from Park City right now! Unless you wanted to see some celebrities...riiiight... not to mention the huge avalanche danger right now. We've had two deaths by avalanche just this week...but once you get there, I know you'll enjoy it

take care!

heidi

[Stella]

It's been forever since I've been able to post. I've tried stopping by a couple of times but could only stay a minute. We had a couple of minor "incidents" in our home and it's occupied most of our free time. On top of that I've been trying to get the house ready for my folks who are watching our kiddos for our trip. I've been eating OK lately. I stay MWL until dinner time and we end up going out for a bite cause of everything going on. And stress doesn't help. The "incidents" have wound down and I'm unable to say what they were but it was very stressful and used up time I didn't have and energy I would have loved to use elsewhere. Oh well. I didn't gain any but didn't lose any either. I did continue to work out though. Yay me. I won't be posting again until we get back from our Costa Rica trip. I'm soooo excited and glad everything is resolved before we go now. I hope you all have a great week and I'm sorry I can't visit your journals for a while but am rooting for you all on the sunny beaches!

Be safe
Stella

[Anna Green]

Stella, Hi! enjoying your journal. Costa Rica, yah for you! Hope you have a blast!

Hey re: the 500 cal diet, wasn't there something on the news about the Bride who died doing it recently?

[Stella]

Hey guys,
It's been a while since I've posted here but I just felt like checking in. I was having such a hard time dropping weight at a regular pace. It seemed to go slowly and sporadically. After giving up again for a while because I thought it was too frustrating I decided to revisit my journal. About 5 months ago I re-read it and realized I wasn't really following the program to the letter. I thought I was doing it 99.9% but it was more like 90% and that little bit made the difference. I got back on track and decided to commit 100% to see if I could get through the hump or plateau. It worked and I'm still working on it. I've lost a total of 35lbs. I still have 20 or so to go and maybe more depending on how my body reacts to continuing. But I would be happy with 20 more. I have also saved tons of money not going out to pick up quick dinner too. The planning has definitely made a difference. I got Jeff's fast food video and there are 3 go-to dinners I use on those nights that I don't have time. I cook huge pots of his recipes that last 2-3 days for me and hubby. Kids eat some of it but they have their own favorites. My husband joined me too and has lost 25lbs! He's back to high school weight. We both feel it in our activity levels and moods big time. We're mostly doing MWL except I use brown rice pasta once a week and it hasn't seemed to slow things down. I don't let myself get hungry but I also don't seem to be as hungry as when I was allowing too many "cheats." Also knowing about calorie density has made a difference. I think that's why pasta is working. For every pound of pasta I cook I add at least two pounds of veggies to it.
I'm not trying to preach but I know how frustrating it was going for me. Be honest in your journal so that you can re-visit in on occasion to tweak things if things slow down. It really does take a 100% effort and then it becomes easy. I haven't been this low since I just before I was pregnant with my 20 y/o!!
Thanks to all of those who have been supportive and keep us all on track.
Peace,
Stella
Gotta remember how to update that ticker though

[Stella]

Went for my haircut this morning so wasn't able to walk my doggy early enough and now it's too hot. Oh well, I'll do my weights and get out tomorrow with the dog (she's giving me the sulky look as I speak.)
Going grocery shopping to make tamale pie and beans and maybe broccoli cheeze soup later in the week. Todays menu

B oatmeal,raisins, blueberries 1tsp sugar
L leftover potatoes,gravy and kale
D tamale pie with mashed pintos, ench sauce and salsa and salad

Have a great day!
Stella

[Marla]

Hi Stella,

Mmmm your menu sounds really tasty.

Your previous post from Aug 26 - I can relate. There is a big difference between sort of doing the program and REALLY doing the program. One day you wake up and say "This is BS; I need to do better." At least I did.

I have about the same amount to lose as you do -- maybe 20 pounds, ideally 25. I originally lost nearly 70 pounds when I started McDougalling in 2003, but I've yo-yo'd all over the place since then. 25 more pounds to lose sounds like a lot to me right now, since it is not coming off particularly fast. So I don't obsess too much about my weight and just try to focus on doing the program correctly (with extra attention to calorie density).

I have a kid almost the same age as yours too I only have one. He'll be a junior in college this year, oh man! I don't feel that old! LOL.

[Stella]

So my menu didn't go as planned. I forgot we had a community potluck last night. I brought two things from the Esselstyn book. Basil butterbean salad and gingered soba noodles. They were both a big hit. There were burgers and hotdogs too but they looked disgusting. Even hubby wasn't interested. A few months ago he would eat meat when we went out to eat or went to others homes now he feels so good he doesn't! I'm taking my Esselstyn book over to a neighbor who had a heart attack a year ago and has been trying to eat healthier. He raved about my salads and I told him they came from a heart healthy book so he wants to read it! I thought I would put a note on it telling him about the CNN special with Sanjay Gupta cause it's re-airing this week. Plant a little seed.......So here was my real menu..
B same
L same
s 2 rice cakes with beans onions and salsa
D gingered soba noodles and butter bean salad 2 big slices of watermelon

Doggy is happy cause I'm putting my walking shoes on. She's been my shadow all morning. She won't stand for two days in a row without a walk.
Todays plan......
B oatmeal raisins blueberries 1 tsp sugar
L split pea soup over baked potato and broccoli
s fruit
D mexican cheeze soup with peppers oooh that sounds good already

Peace,
Stella

[Stella]

Had a great day yesterday. My soup was delish! Got leftovers so I don't have to cook today. Gotta love that. Went shopping for a trip I'm taking over Labor Day and bought my first pair of size 12 pants since I can't remember. It was well over 20 years ago. Some 12s are still too small so I can't claim the size completely but it still felt great. Walked my doggy and did my weights had crazy good energy.
Todays plan........
B oatmeal, raisins, blueberries, 1tsp sugar
L potato, broccoli, split pea soup
s fruit or potato
D left over soup

Hopefully it won't be too hot to walk the dog today. I have an 8am meeting but then can go if the weather holds out.

Have a great day everyone
Peace,
Stella

[Stella]

I'm heading out of town tonight to San Fran. Gonna visit my sister who is vegan and although not McDougall close enough to make it easy for me. So I go out shopping yesterday for a couple of pairs of pants to take cause I have had to donate all of my 16s and I bought a few 14s but mostly workout pants and I want some cute jeans or something. I bought 3 pair of 12s!! I haven't worn a 12 since, well, since I can't remember! At least 20 some years. It was quite a boost. Well gotta finish the laundry and packing. Here's today.......
B oatmeal, raisins, blueberries 1tsp sug
L Broccoli, yukon gold, tamale soup
D italian snap meal
s fruit if I'm hungry
Exercise 3mile walk with doggy

Hope you all have a great Labor day weekend
Peace,
Stella

[Stella]

Back from my long weekend. I was able to stay on track mostly. I had a few restaurant meals which did have a little oil but nothing was too bad. At my sister's house it was all legal. We went to a crazy good restaurant in SF called Cafe Gratitude. It was totally vegan and they prepared a meal for me using minimal oil. It was way tasty. Had a great time and bought a few more size 12 pants and medium shirts! Just clearance stuff cause I still want to loose 20 more lbs. Anyway, back home and heading on my doggy walk and then groceries... Today's plan

B oatmeal, blueberries, sugar
L not sure what I have in the house
D pasta SNAP meal cause i'm gonna be busy catching up all day.
E 3mile walk with doggy, 20-30 min weights

Peace all!
Stella

[Stella]

Just got back from my dog walk. It is finally starting to cool off in the mornings and I'm loving that. So is doggy! Got on the scale today and I'm down another pound. Very happy since I just got back from vacation. Gotta crazy busy day today and tomorrow I'm 45!!

B oatmeal, blueberries, sugar
L leftover pasta SNAP
D tamale pie, homemade smoky spicy pintos (they're in the crock now and making me hungry already!) fajita veggies and spinach too
S fruit
E 3mile doggy walk and lots of housework

Have a great day all.
Peace,
Stella

[Marla]

Hi Stella,

Congrats on losing another pound! Your menu sounds yummy, especially the fajita veggies.

Cooler weather is so nice. We don't have it yet here in the Central Valley of CA.....maybe later this month or sometime in October. I am looking forward to rain.

My birthday is tomorrow (the 8th) also I'll be 42. I mean 39 again. I am convinced that my arteries and internal organs are much younger than my chronological age, due to healthy eating, so why not adjust the number to reflect that? I did lots of housework today too, so I won't have to do it tomorrow.

Have a wonderful and healthy birthday!!

[Stella]

Hey all,
I feel great today. I'm 45 and feeling better than I have in 20 years! I planned on my 40th being this way but I'll take it now rather than never. My kids woke me with their sweet cards and hubby got me a nice gift and card too. I think I may make my favorite McD legal banana cake but to be honest I'm not really craving sweets so I may just skip it and just continue eating like usual. I made a huge pot of beans and tamale pie yesterday so I don't have to cook today. My DD and I are going to see the Mary Poppins musical tonight. It's our favorite. I was going to see "The Help" with some friends but they can't get sitters so were just going to lunch instead. I didn't want to but it will still be fun. I'll only have a salad with lemon juice but it's mostly for the fun visiting anyway. I can have a snack before I go.
Todays plan

B oatmeal, blueberries, sugar
L a little snap pasta then salad with friends
D leftover beans, fajitas, tamale pie with salsa and ench sauce
S gold potato
E walking that doggy for 3 miles

Have a great day everyone!
Peace,
Stella

P.S. Happy Birthday to you too Marla. Treat yourself good today!

[Stella]

Yesterday was crazy fun. My friends took me to see a movie but it was last minute so I only had a snack for lunch then came home and had my lunch at 3:30. DD and I went to see Mary Poppins, which was soooo good. It was such a fun show. I highly recommend it when it comes to your town. Anyway, we left at 6:00pm and I still wasn't hungry so I had another snack, just some grapes and corn tortillas with salsa. We didn't get home until almost 11:00pm. They had concessions but you can only imagine what that was. I didn't want anything so when I got home I was starving but also physically spent so I had a banana and went to bed. This morning I'm a little sleepy but feel pretty good. Gotta wake up DD soon. She's not gonna like that. Oh well, it was so fun. She won't forget that anytime soon.
Well, doggy doesn't care how tired I am. She says "Let's get going."
Todays plan.....
B oatmeal, blueberries, sugar
L still have leftover beans and tamale pie
D gotta get groceries and make something I'm thinking nacho soup
(I've been eating tons of Mexican food lately)
S potatoes
E 3mile walk and hopefully my 20-30 minutes of weights if not too tired.

Have a good day all.
Peace,
Stella