Ang's Journal 2011-???

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Ang's Journal 2011-???

Postby Ang » Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:33 am

I have been coming and going, mostly going, for a long time now. Just can't seem to get a handle on things, and now my weight has gotten out of control and I'm starting to have aches and pains that I know are weight-related, as well as some joint pain in my fingers.

About a week ago I spelled it out to my significant other in no uncertain terms: I am taking back the kitchen, and I'm cooking my way. You will not keep sweets in the house. If you do cook, there will be no dairy, no meat, no oil, etc. He's fine with this, and just drizzles olive oil on things before he eats them, or opens a tin of sardines as a side - he's Greek, so the olive oil and yogurt will never completely disappear from the house, but these things don't tempt me. It works for us.

He's fabulous, but he can eat anything and everything and never gain a pound or have an ache or a pain.

A couple of weeks ago, I weighed myself and got a horrible shock: 192 lbs! Never, ever, ever had I ever weighed over 190 before! In fact, the 180s came as a terrible shock a while back. My weight has just been creeping up and up and up over the past few years. I need to get back in shape.

My goal is to get down around 140 by May 2012, when I have a tentative plan to go rafting in the Grand Canyon. There is no way I can handle that trip at my current weight in the kind of shape I am in. It involves a 4-hour hike, and right now I can barely handle 2 flights of stairs. Terrible!

So, I broke out some of my favorite cookbooks by Donna Klein (my favorite vegan cookbook author - and I have yet to find one of her recipes that cannot be McDougall-ized) and came up with some meal plans and shopping lists. So far I've lost about 5 lbs and will be weighing in each Monday morning. Fingers crossed!
Ang.
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Re: Ang's Journal 2011-???

Postby Peacebloom » Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:46 pm

Sounds like you have a plan! Good luck! :nod:
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Re: Ang's Journal 2011-???

Postby Ang » Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:14 am

Weigh-in this morning: 186.5

It's only a pound, but I consider it a triumph since my weight has been on a steady INcline the last few years.

The weekend was a challenge, since I have a pretty active social life. Friday evening we met some friends for happy hour. I had a couple of glasses of wine and nibbled at the snacks that were definitely vegan. They weren't good (edamame and tempura vegetables), but they were better than the cheese and crackers I would have been scarfing down a few weeks ago. Saturday evening we met up with friends again and I had a bowl of gazpacho and some cheeseless pizza.

I have a friend who just had her gallbladder out and the doctor has her on a non-fat vegan diet while she recovers. I need to call her up and invite her over for dinner soon - she is feeling kind of deprived right now, and I want to show her that eating this way can be flavorful and fun so that maybe she'll keep it up!

I think this will be a good week to do that, since I am cooking from Donna Klein's "The Vegan Tropical Kitchen". Lots of cilantro, black beans, sweet potatoes and mango - I know she'll love it.
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Re: Ang's Journal 2011-???

Postby Peacebloom » Tue Jul 26, 2011 9:57 am

Ang wrote:Weigh-in this morning: 186.5

It's only a pound, but I consider it a triumph since my weight has been on a steady incline the last few years.


A pound released is a pound released. :thumbsup:

Slow and steady is not a bad pace! :nod:
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Re: Ang's Journal 2011-???

Postby Ang » Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:21 am

Taking it day by day, some days better than others (obviously). Down to 184, just got to figure out why sometimes my tracker works and sometimes it doesn't. But 184 it is, no matter what the tracker says today.

Eating right gets easier each day, and I'm starting to sleep a bit better (although the melatonin is probably helping with that).

An old high school chum has started her own company - Nacho Mom's - making a fat free, soy free, vegan queso. I've been craving Tex-Mex lately, and this has been satisfying some of those cravings. I have also discovered some baked, OIL-FREE, tostadas, so we had those for dinner last night with beans, veggies, etc. Also, if you can find them, San Marcos makes refried black beans with no oil or lard - completely vegan and no added oil. Awesome. I find them in the Hispanic aisle of my local Fiesta, which is also where I found the tostadas. Seriously, the Hispanic and international aisle is becoming my go-to spot in the supermarket, right after the produce.
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Re: Ang's Journal 2011-???

Postby Ang » Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:16 pm

182.5 this week! Slowly but surely the numbers are moving down.

This is all just from changing the way I eat - Hopefully when I get down to about 170 I'll be able to start walking and exercising more vigorously again - my hip/knee/feet are so messed up right now from the excess weight that I don't want to take chances with them.

I'll start doing some light weight work this weekend. I turn 45 tomorrow, and I am determined not to turn 46 feeling like this!
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