Grit and Determination

[moonlight]

Hi Stephanie,

It's good to hear from you! Thank you for checking in with me. The night time snack gremlin gets me a lot.. I think it has something to do with anxiety rather than being hungry or not getting the right nutrients. Frustrating for sure!

Today I made two really good choices regarding food. First, this morning I was running late, knew I would need to eat breakfast and lunch out, and wouldn't be home to 5:30 or 6:00. I considered just resigning to eating out but at the last minute decided to throw together whatever I could find. I was cooking oatmeal so I would eat that in the car. I found baby cooked potatoes and coleslaw ready to go. I knew I could eat cold potatoes. So with potatoes, coleslaw, and a couple of apples (+ oatmeal) I headed off for my MWL compliant food. I was pretty hungry when I got home, though. Also, I had a really good but nerve racking day and I had that feeling to eat comfort food! I didn't want vegetable soup and I had nothing else ready to go. My husband had bread, onion buns, crackers all within my line of sight in the kitchen. But, I calmly prepared a very large Japanese sweet potato for baked fries and popped it in the oven. I managed to stay MWL compliant today!

[moonlight]

Well, today is weigh-in day for me. I am up 2 lbs from last week,,, (at 175 lbs today) This is disappointing since my aim is to lose more weight.. Argh! Where is the magic pill or quick fix that's supposed to solve all my problems?!? HaHa! Simple plan in a complex and challenging environment... Of course, I will continue fighting my inner snack monster.

My "broken record" chant: No more middle of the night snacking! No more evening snacking! No more corn tortillas! No more ignoring my exercise goals!

Now, for the positive spin to the upcoming week
1) I feel so very good when I exericse! I have tons more energy! I especially love exercising first thing in the morning before I have coffee.
2) I LOVE looking in the fridge and seeing ready prepared food! It serves me well when I'm in a hurry or very very hungry and want to eat stuff off my plan!

Planned meals today:
B: oatmeal w/ apple
L: Vegetable soup, polenta, coleslaw
D: WW penne pasta and fat free tomato basil sauce w/ salad
Snacks: sweet potato and spicy greens
Exercise: 30 minutes on WaterRower

Actual day's events:
B: oatmeal w/ apple
L: vegetable soup and mixed grains
D: vegetable soup and polenta
Snacks: potato steak fries, kale, mushroom, and onion
Exercise: Many loads of stuff from my attic to my van! Much stair climbing and moving (and grunting)

[Mark Cooper]

Today I made two really good choices regarding food. First, this morning I was running late, knew I would need to eat breakfast and lunch out, and wouldn't be home to 5:30 or 6:00. I considered just resigning to eating out but at the last minute decided to throw together whatever I could find. I was cooking oatmeal so I would eat that in the car. I found baby cooked potatoes and coleslaw ready to go. I knew I could eat cold potatoes. So with potatoes, coleslaw, and a couple of apples (+ oatmeal) I headed off for my MWL compliant food. I was pretty hungry when I got home, though. Also, I had a really good but nerve racking day and I had that feeling to eat comfort food! I didn't want vegetable soup and I had nothing else ready to go. My husband had bread, onion buns, crackers all within my line of sight in the kitchen. But, I calmly prepared a very large Japanese sweet potato for baked fries and popped it in the oven. I managed to stay MWL compliant today!

Awesome, you deserve to give yourself a pat on the back!

I feel so very good when I exericse! I have tons more energy! I especially love exercising first thing in the morning before I have coffee.

I have found this to be so true, as well. The hour after my morning exercise is my favorite hour of the whole day, I feel SO amazing!

[Anna Green]

Hey! You are doing the work...acknowledging success and mess ups and planning and prepping and journaling. I'd bet on you!

[moonlight]

Mark and Anne, thank you for your support. I wouldn't adhere to this diet plan if it wasn't for the support of friends like you. What an adventure in self discipline, esteem, and organization! I wish you both much success in your endeavors. Mark, you are like a super role model for following good routines of exercise and meal planning! You are my hero! And, Anne, I so admire your stamina and drive to keep your diet in perspective as you face such challenges. What we put in our bodies is key to be prepared for the stress and situations that are beyond our control. You are so wise to have that in your pocket.

Today I'm going for an afternoon hike for my exercise. I'm hoping for an 8 mile hike but this depends on my hiking partner. I've got a new batch of vegetable soup in the crockpot, ready for the first course of my dinner meal. I've been experimenting with frozen vegetables, which I shunned for a very long time. It's so easy to open bags, pour into the crockpot with some kind of liquid and spice. I love it!

B: mixed grains and an orange
L: farro with kale, carrots, cabbage, and green onions
D: veggie soup and a veggie burger patty w/ a potato
Snacks: chickpea and potato salad, apple
Exercise: dayhike

[moonlight]

It's already Wednesday and I've not had any exercise since Sunday... I managed to go hiking both days this weekend, but no exercise since... I'm stressed out! I've got to give two presentations in a few weeks. I'm anxious about it... I've got to prepare the presentations and I'm stressed! I need to get a grip! I ate crackers and cheese again last night. Argh! I decided to weigh myself this morning thinking that seeing my weight go up would help me. I had lost weight. I'm back down at 173. This is good news, of course. Hopefully, I'll settled down today. My plan is to exercise on my rower.

Plan for today
B: oatmeal
L: vegetable soup and some kind of starch
D: vegetable soup, sweet potato, and spicy greens
snacks: fruit
exercise: 30 minutes

Actual:
B: bulgur
L: vegetable soup and bulgur
D: kale, beans, tomato, two flour tortillas
Snacks: potato and vegetable soup
Exercise: built fence today, unexpected exercise!

[moonlight]

I lost another pound! Down to 172. I haven't been there in years! This gives me motivation!

Plans for Today:
B:bulgur
L: sweet potato and greens
D: WW pasta, meatless meatballs, tomato sauce and broccoli
Snacks: fruit
Exercise: 30 minutes on WaterRower

Actual:
B: bulgur
L: sweet potato and greens
D:WW pasta, meatless meatballs, tomato sauce and broccoli
Snacks: bulgur and collards, banana
Exercise: rowing 30 minutes!!

[Mark Cooper]

I lost another pound! Down to 172. I haven't been there in years! This gives me motivation!

That is great! Congrats!

[moonlight]

Thanks, Mark! I'm stoked!! Headed for some rowing action!

[moonlight]

Well, I've lost another pound. Down to 171. I'm beginning to think something is wrong with my scales but they are digital... I guess exercise and stricter compliance? Duh!!

Plans for today:
B: oatmeal
L: bulgur and kale saute
D: WW pasta with meatless meatballs, broccoli
Snacks: fruit
Exercise: 30 minutes on WaterRower
Actual:
B: oatmeal
L: baked steak fries
D: veggie burger patty, spicy greens and sweet potato
Snacks: bulgur and kale sauté, apple
Exercise:

[moonlight]

I'm working at my computer on a stressful project today! I've stocked up on baked butternut squash, vegetable soup, and a nice pot of mixed grains - millet, bulgur, and couscous.

I've been trying to eat 4-5 meals a day recently. My snacks have really been more of a balanced meal with a little starch and a little vegetable. Seems to be working well.

now, back to the project!

[moonlight]

Sunday I left my house after my morning bowl of oatmeal to go spend the day/night with a friend who was scary sick from sudden high blood pressure. The experience has been a reminder of why I want to stay healthy.

I ate off MWL plan the last couple of days. I'm looking forward to being back in compliance and having my own kitchen for meal prep. This morning I rowed for 30 minutes. I have oatmeal ready for breakfast. I'm steaming veggies to go with mixed grains for a nice salad for dinner. My plan for lunch is a veggie spud at McAlister's.

[bunsofaluminum]

That's scary, your friend w. high blood pressure. I lost a loved one the day after huge high BP readings...he died in his sleep after a day of really high BP. But good motivation to take care of ourselves, that's for sure.

Keep at it! sounds like you're getting back into full MWL mode. I like the veggies and grains idea!

[Lyndzie]

Moonlight - what do you get at McAlister’s? I haven’t been in years, but will be traveling soon and saw that there will be one near where I am staying.

[moonlight]

Moonlight - what do you get at McAlister’s? I haven’t been in years, but will be traveling soon and saw that there will be one near where I am staying.

You'll love McAlister's! The veggie spud (say please no cheese sauce!). It's steamed veggies over two nicely baked potatoes! The amount of veggies varies. Some McAlister's have great perfectly steamed veggies - spinach, broccoli, red and yellow peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Other's have a much smaller amount. I hope the one you go to gives a big respectable nod to the vegetables! You'll have to let me know what you think about it.