Buns Again

[earthmonkey]

I've been reading Dr Neal Barnard's book 'Program for reversing diabetes'. I do not have diabetes, but I like him and thought I would read about it because I think this book basically is good instruction for long term weight loss. He, as you may know, promotes a vegan low fat, low oil eating habit. Interestingly, he doesn't really harp on sodium/salt. He does cite several studies where diet change only (NO exercise at all) to his preferred low fat whole food plant based vegan eating caused an average of 1 pound weight loss per week. He states that is basically standard. His work also shows that the slower such loss is what makes it likely to be a long term loss. And he says also that if one finds one not losing, then to revert to the basics: whole grain, veggies, fruits. DONE. I think you may be right, it could be the sodium. I do find tho, that anything more than the true basics, complex or take out foods, are hiding more fat than one is aware of.


keep up the good healthful eating!!

t

[bunsofaluminum]

I've been reading Dr Neal Barnard's book 'Program for reversing diabetes'. I do not have diabetes, but I like him and thought I would read about it because I think this book basically is good instruction for long term weight loss. He, as you may know, promotes a vegan low fat, low oil eating habit. Interestingly, he doesn't really harp on sodium/salt. He does cite several studies where diet change only (NO exercise at all) to his preferred low fat whole food plant based vegan eating caused an average of 1 pound weight loss per week. He states that is basically standard. His work also shows that the slower such loss is what makes it likely to be a long term loss. And he says also that if one finds one not losing, then to revert to the basics: whole grain, veggies, fruits. DONE. I think you may be right, it could be the sodium. I do find tho, that anything more than the true basics, complex or take out foods, are hiding more fat than one is aware of.


keep up the good healthful eating!!

t

SW 240
GW 135
CW 232


Actually, when I average it out over the weeks, my loss is between 1 and 2 lbs a week. I just lost a lot in the first 7 days...almost 1 lb a day. And I'm stuck again I had a high sodium day and went back up to 232 and there I stick. But today is a low cal/super simple food day. Rice and fruit or vegs. That is all. Oh...I have potatoes already cooked so I'll probably have taters for lunch, with broccoli. With Costa Vida, I checked the ingredients that go into their vegetarian salad: Rice, beans, pico de gallo, lettuce...I've looked at their ingredients list and oil is not in any of it, so I'm good on that front. However, it really must remain a once in a LONG WHILE treat, not a regular thing. HOWEVER...it's good to know there are a few things I can have out there, that I don't need to prep myself in my own home. In a pinch, when life hits, or when I gotta have SOMETHING different, I can have that. Sizzler is actually an option, or was before Covid...plain baked potato and salad bar. BAM.

But really, in a pinch I have rice already cooked, potatoes already cooked, veggies in the freezer, beans in cans. And I have a microwave. In 10 minutes, I can be holding a plate of (portion controlled) compliant food.

So today is going to be a starch and fruit/veg day. Probably tomorrow, too. I'm tired of thinking about food and ready to just fix what is simple, heat up what is already cooked, put it in my pie hole, and be done.

~~~~~

Weirdness on the craving front: an ad for some kind of cheese cracker was on the TV and I wanted some SO BAD. They remind me of Better Cheddars, which I loved when they were still a thing. Just for a minute I thought that sounded so good. Then I thought about that scene in Freaky Friday, the more recent version with Jamie Lee Curtis and that child star who pretty much lost it when she realized how famous she was...Lindsey?

ack Lindsay Lohan. Talented actress, quite beautiful...and all strung out and actually gone from our consciousness these days, eh?

Well, they've swapped bodies, and they're driving down the road. The youngster in the mom's body is driving and eating french fries, while the mom in the kid's body is saying "You can't eat that!" because...when you get to a certain age and metabolism you CAN'T eat french fries. Well, maybe someone who is already thin and fit could have a few, right? But that scene came to mind when I was pining over the cheese crackers...You can't eat that! Your body can't handle it, and you'll make yourself sick because you WILL consume the entire box.

And then it was over. I thought about how salty those sombitches would be and they drifted out of my inner Pleasure Trap. And greasy hello? The film left on your fingers, or any napkin you might put them on? Ew.

Hoping to get a walk in today. I've been going about two blocks on a regular basis, probably three or four days a week. This is 300%-400% more than my usual. With the foot pain gone, and good energy, I wanted to start moving a bit so I walk down to the foot of my street, cross, up to the top of my street, cross, and back to my home. It comes to two blocks or 1/4 mile. This is wonderful compared to the past several years of zero walking, and pathetic compared to the daily 90 minute walk-jogs I was in the habit of doing in 2013ish. But I'm getting it back, and that's a good thing. I went yesterday during lunch, and if the weather is decent I'll do it again today. Thinking about breaking out the old DDP Yoga DVD's...I outgrew my yoga pants, but have a comfy pair of pajama bottoms that would work.

Anyway. For now, a 1/4 mi walk is pretty good. It's nice out. Good walking weather, if a bit overcast and "Novembery"

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 230

Weight came back down. I had a low cal day yesterday, and doing the same today. Don't know if I'm aiming for low cal, but I love the simplicity of starch and veg without all kinds of sauces or seasonings. It's helping me distance myself from food, if that makes any sense. IOW, going super simple means I'm not choosing foods because I think they're going to taste amazing. I'm choosing foods to fuel my body, and that's all. I like it. It's new for me. Food sanity?

A headline:
PANIC BUYING AGAIN

Several years ago, Wylie talked me into NOT buying the 48 count of toilet paper at Costco, because it took up too much shelf space and "we'll always be able to buy more TP at the store." Well, what happened in March, when I went to the store and the paper goods aisle was empty. The rice shelf was EMPTY, and I had a three can limit on beans. Thankfully, we'd been to the grocery store less than a week before our city went into quarantine, and we had plenty of TP. But after that two weeks staying home, I did go to the store. We needed rice and a few other things, but we didn't need TP...however, it was SO depressing seeing the bare shelves, and alarming to hit the rice and beans aisle and find that stripped bare as well.

Since then, taking a cue from good ole Norm who used to post here...I have always purchased an 18 count whenever I open my last package at home. IOW, there is always an 18 count of mega rolls on my back shelf, waiting to be opened. And I also bought a 25# of brown rice, and two 10# of white rice are stocked as well. Beans are in pretty good shape, but I'd feel better with more garbanzos available. Canned beans, not dry. You can't buy dry garbanzos in two lb bags. I can get 5# dry on Amazon and I think I'm going to do just that. Heh. Thinking "emergency rations" here...if I have dry beans and have not electricity, I am as a sounding cymbal...wait, wrong quote ...but seriously, what good is 5# of dried beans if I can't cook them, right? Hmmmm, can sprout them, making them edible. Hmmmm....

I'm not going to get in that place where I needed rice and there was none to be had at the grocery store. Ain't happonin. But I'm also not going to load my freaking cart with a dozen packs of TP and 15 cases of beans. People are treating the grocery store like their personal food storage, and that's wrong. I hope the stores come to their senses and start placing limits earlier. But if they don't, and if panicked buyers strip the shelves again, I won't have to worry. SMH

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 230

I think I've triggered myself by eating some chocolate covered espresso beans. Right now I'm not hungry, but I can't get my mind off of treats. Not even sweet treats. I'm talking sushi here. It was will power that made me keep driving instead of stopping for grocery store sushi on my way to work.

[Morris]

if I have dry beans and have not electricity, I am as a sounding cymbal...wait, wrong quote

haha!

Just started our second lockdown and I have been fighting the urge to panic buy. I also had that TP shortage when I needed some from the first lockdown. Hubby said, I told you so! When I said, Let's wait to buy it later.

[bunsofaluminum]

if I have dry beans and have not electricity, I am as a sounding cymbal...wait, wrong quote

haha!

Just started our second lockdown and I have been fighting the urge to panic buy. I also had that TP shortage when I needed some from the first lockdown. Hubby said, I told you so! When I said, Let's wait to buy it later.

Yeah, we never were even close to running out, but it wasn't a good feeling, not having a spare on the back shelf. If the shortage had lasted longer, we might have been in trouble.

~~~~~

SW 240
GW 235
CW 230

Sticking at 230 now, but I also was indulgent over the weekend and ate chocolate covered espresso beans and some jelly bellies (My PT job is uber boring and the little candies help with my morale) ... and I spent yesterday dumping, intestinally. I don't think it's a sugar dump though, because I was really gassy during the day, and then the floodgates opened up in the evening. But I could be wrong. At any rate, choc covered espresso beans and jelly bellies, neither one sounds even remotely appealing. BLCH. In fact for brekkie all I had was a piece of dry toast and some ginger tea. I must say, my tastebuds have changed, because WOW did that toast taste salty! sheesh!

Now, I gotta say...about having treats. I got bored with the sameness. Starch and fruit/veggie. For a "diet" I can drum up the willpower to have yet another plate of "diet food" but for long term, that's not the case. This may be why Dr M doesn't frown upon sprinkling salt over the surface of your food, or a little bit of sugar...makes it more palatable and you stick with the program. Not that I'm going to start sprinkling salt again...oy. I really don't need it. But I can see myself wanting to fix something special now and then. No-added-fat vegan brownies or some yummy not-cheese sauce.

But for today, it's starch and fruit. Give my stomach a rest, eh?

[VivianS]

VivianS November 23, 2020
Buns, are you OK? I missed your weigh in on Friday,11/20/2020.
I have been having trouble posting. Is there some computer virus causing blacklisting of posts? I hope you an healthy and your computer is virus free.

[bunsofaluminum]

VivianS November 23, 2020
Buns, are you OK? I missed your weigh in on Friday,11/20/2020.
I have been having trouble posting. Is there some computer virus causing blacklisting of posts? I hope you an healthy and your computer is virus free.

Hi Vivian,

All is well. I didn't join the MWL challenge so I haven't been weighing in. I might join in January, but up to now I haven't. I think I did a MWL challenge month one time, years ago. It just hasn't ever called my name, so to speak. Thanks for asking, though

~~~~~
SW 240
GW 135
CW 230

Yesterday I went rather high fat, with some nuts (in shell) and probably 1/4 c of hummus. That's some mighty powerful pleasure trap bait, there. Hummus.

So when I woke up today my first thought was "Just don't eat it" and that is my mantra. I walk past Wylie's thin mints and pecan sandies and Lindt truffles EVERY DAY. I can ignore the nuts, and the hummus is way back at the back of the fridge. I don't have to rummage around and get it out.

Other than the side treats, I did eat very simply: rice and fruit; rice, greens, and mushrooms; and plain pasta with fat free Ragu/Prego along with a cup of mixed vegs. Weird combo, though. But I wanted noodles so...
And going to stick to simple today, as well.

B: 1/2 c grapenuts, chunked apple, oatmilk
L: saute'ed cabbage and onion; rice; garbanzo beans
D: spaghetti w. plain fat free ragu/prego; spinach

[VivianS]

VivianS November 24, 2020
Buns, thanks for letting me know you are among the living.
Keep walking past those tempting goodies or change your route or find your best solution. I know you will. We have a lot to be thankful for in that we live in a land of plenty!

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 229

Under 230!

Keeping it simple today. I made a big batch of not chicken soup yesterday and I'll eat that for lunch and dinner. Also, baking bread rolls today for our Thanksgiving Dinner. And Thanksgiving is definitely going to be a feast day for me. I'll have a slice of dark meat, and enjoy gravy over my mashed potatoes and stuffing. Also going to have a no-added-fat yam dish. Also going to have a piece of pie.
It'll be one day of rich food, then back to normal. I've done it many times. And I've got a really good head start on things, diet/weight loss-wise. Eleven pounds, and really in the habit of eating simple. Oh...One thing I am planning, even with the rich food, is portion control. I'll test how much volume is in a serving spoon, so I'll know "that's 2/3 c of mashed and 1/2 c of stuffing" Right? I'll give it my best, anyway.

In other news, they asked for people to work on Friday, offering double time. Yep. Gonna do it. The day after Thanksgiving won't be busy. I've got a project I've been keeping on a back burner, so I'll have something to do that day for $$$$ per hour. And of course, my PT job will be there on Friday evening. *sigh* PT job might just be very busy though. It's all about captioning telephone calls, and people call their folks on holidays. Again, I guess we'll see.

Feeling really good to see the scale bumped down another pound.

[bunsofaluminum]

I've been thinking about the Pleasure Trap.

When I first encountered the idea, it was entirely foreign to me. Food is SUPPOSED to be pleasurable. If we're hard wired to pursue sweet, salt, and fat, why would we NOT go there? The piece that I was missing all along was "hard-wired" aka our evolution as a species included plenty of plain, starchy, gathered roots and fruits and not much fat, salt, and sweet was available. Of course our bodies are tuned to those foods that could provide ample calories and nutrients to keep us alive as we roamed around searching for sustenance.

We are still deeply attracted to the rich stuff, the stuff that hits the front of the tongue, and the fat which was so vital to our survival in our hunter/gatherer days. And this rich stuff was so rare, and the human species was so incredibly active, we MUST eat the salty, sweet, fatty stuff when we came across it.

Now, however, there's nothing but sweet/salt/fat. It's everywhere, and that stuff is the least expensive. Seriously, can we talk about Arby's having two full sandwiches for $6.00? Ridiculous. And an Arby's gyro has 44g of fat. HOLY CRAP 1340mg of SODIUM? Honestly, how do they get away with this? That's dangerous, that is.

Anyway, I am thinking about this because of the hummus I ate the other day (or two, because two days in a row...okay, three...I had "just a taste" of hummus. Several times) ... well lemme tell you about the trigger. Hummus set me off and I had a time getting away from cravings. In fact, some chocolate covered espresso beans also set me up a few days earlier...for sushi cravings. so weird. I figure, hummus is a pleasure trap bait for me. If I had been in a slightly different mindset, I would've just said "Screw it, I broke my diet now, I'mma just eat all the things" Thank goodness, the weight has been coming off with my careful measurement of on-plan portions, so the hummus didn't throw me off. But I must say, it pushed me right into the Pleasure Trap. I need to be careful.

And I don't want to have to haul out my freakin will power all the time. I need to stay away from triggers. In fact, on the whole sodium issue, I'm re-thinking the Thanksgiving dinner. My cooking is so low sodium, I always say "Needs salt" when I put food on the table for others to eat. But there are two other eaters in the house, who are not accustomed to low salt. Hmmmm. Think I might take my potatoes out for mashing separately, and do a more traditional version for the table. The yam dish will already be no-added-fat. The stuffing...it will be what it is. And the gravy IS fat... *shrug* just as long as I don't dive into trigger land and wallow in the pleasure trap. Hmmm. Maybe it'll be salty enough that I won't want seconds.

But I'm also not going to "pinch pennies" on this one. I'm doing the cooking, and if I can get Wylie to not stand over me while I'm putting things together, it might not be TOOOOOO bad. And having a plan for Friday will be important, as well. No need/no want to start on a path of All the Treats, All the Days until Xmas or New Year's. Heh. Working from home also means NOT confronting the treats brought in by co-workers

[bunsofaluminum]

SW: 240
GW: 135
CW: 232

Heh went up 3 lbs, thank you Thanksgiving Feast, with fat and salt.

I read somewhere that if your poop floats, it has a high fat content. Well my poop this morning floated. Sorry to gross you out, and myself too. But my system takes like 24 hours plus change to process...so what did I eat day BEFORE yesterday? It wasn't high fat. I need to google this poop/fat thing...hm, it's a sign that your body isn't absorbing fat, and possibly other nutrients. Hmmm.

Well, my poops usually sink so that's not a problem, I'm sure. Enough about poo.

I ate a lot yesterday BUT I did not clean my plate. Now, I did put a lot of food on my plate. A half cup of potatoes, half cup of stuffing, half cup of yams. Probably a cup of broccoli. A slice of thigh meat. Maybe 1/4 c of gravy. And when I was satiated, I stopped. YAY for changes in appetite! woo hoo! This is a triumph, believe me. Food sanity is WONDERFUL.

And yes, up 3 lbs this morning, because none of the food I ate was low sodium. But I'm back to normal now and expect to see it go back down rapidly.

Working on the day after Thanksgiving, for double time and WAAAAAY more phone calls than I anticipated. First one came in 3 minutes after clocking in, and it's been pretty steady so far. Not frequent, but steady. And that's okay. I'm still keeping it really low key. I have a project, which I completed some of and then set it back again when the calls were coming in.

After lunch, I took a TERRIFIC WALK! I went more than 1/2 a mile, and my foot started hurting just a bit towards the end. When I consider that I couldn't walk to the corner and back without limping, as recent as mid-summer? Dang. I'm loving it. And it was a really nice day. Cold with a clear blue sky and sunshine. Brisk enough that I could've worn a coat, but a fast pace kept it good. Took me about 20 minutes to finish. Thank you Lord for pain-free feet.

[bunsofaluminum]

Okay, it's the Monday after Thanksgiving. My "one day of rich food" turned out to be four days (Though I didn't eat a LOT of food, I didn't pick the turkey out of the soup, I had leftover stuffing and gravy...etc, etc.) (nuts! ohhhhh man. We broke out the unshelled nuts. I enjoyed cracking and eating them, esp the Brazil nuts)

Today is DEFINITELY a low cal day. Rice and fruit or veg for all three meals. Gotta see the scale go back down. Also, need to dig back out of the Pleasure Trap. I can do simple/humble for the next few weeks and have something rich and simple for Christmas Day. We don't do Xmas feast in my family. We do have a traditional Xmas Breakfast of Orange Rolls, scrambled eggs, and sausage. I'll probably have the eggs and orange rolls, skip the sausage. And...I'mma eat pistachios and dates. My own personal Xmas tradition. Maybe some Lindt chocolate.

Until then, I'll keep it simple and humble, and stay on plan with my measured portions.

I got a terrific idea from Vivian's journal. She mentions walking for 30 minutes in the house. Well, why not? And for that matter, why not march in place, or do some yoga moves all in one place? Worth thinking about. But I have been doing yoga poses involving balance. I have two jobs, both at desks. It's very doable to stand up and hold Tree Pose, and going into Warrior while watching TV? Yep. Balance is important as you get older, too. Hell, moving. Moving at ALL is important, Heidi. But I have been walking a lot more. A little bit at a time, more activity is coming into my daily routine. Which I kinda knew it would. Change my eating >>> reduction in aches and pains + more energy >>> being a bit more active. No forcing it. Just feel more energized, and move more.

[kirstykay]

Hey Buns! Just popping in to say "Hi!" Also, appreciated your thoughts on the Pleasure Trap. Definitely a problem in our world today where the foods we are meant to eat are harder to get than the fat/sugar/salt combos are on every corner! It's best for me to get to the place, too, where I refer to those things as the poison they are and stay far away from them. Keeping my home environment clean has become effortless, it's social gathering and being out and about that call my name...I'm looking at YOU, Starbucks! Anyway, I'm rooting for you, and I know we can steer clear of the Pleasure Trap if we put our minds to it! Let's commit to it and make it happen!! Here's to a Happy and Healthy December!!

[deweyswakms]

Okay, it's the Monday after Thanksgiving. My "one day of rich food" turned out to be four days (Though I didn't eat a LOT of food, I didn't pick the turkey out of the soup, I had leftover stuffing and gravy...etc, etc.) (nuts! ohhhhh man. We broke out the unshelled nuts. I enjoyed cracking and eating them, esp the Brazil nuts)

Good morning. Sodium is a huge problem for me and when I indulge, I guarantee 1-2 pounds on the scales the next day. Takes another day to flush it out of my system. I can usually NOT eat any of it; I say 'this is poison and my body is allergic to it'.

I too have fallen into the food hoarding shopping mentality, but have backed off now. I want to eat up some of the dry goods I bought; have barley simmering on the stove now. Those of us who use 'food' to reduce our anxieties, fears, fatigue, etc., are no different from people who drink or do drugs. It's just socially acceptable for us to go to the store!

I offer this comment with love: You won't lose weight until you stop eating the non-MWL foods (like the treats, nuts, gravies, etc). It's just the hard truth. At least include them in your daily food intake notes. I set my intention every day; that's all I can manage anyway. Today, I will eat MWL healthy and nutritious foods. Today I will prepare healthy foods. When I am tempted for something, I remember the promise I made to myself.

Good luck! I know you can do this. Marsha