Buns Again

[bunsofaluminum]

Still doing great! Ever since discovering that handy-dandy calorie density chart, I've been eating zero refined foods. Passed on a roll with my salad today, and bought some shelf stable rice instead. Checking the label showed 1 g fat, which put it at 10% of the total calories (though safflower oil was an ingredient and I'm not happy with myself for forgetting the half lb of rice I thawed yesterday)

anyway, salad with rice and Newman's Own mango salsa for lunch.

Oatmeal and watermelon for brekkie, with some grapes and half a cucumber for snack.

It occurred to me why that particular calorie density chart made such an impact, because I've seen Jeff's in lots of places, and more than one put out by him. But for some reason, having the fake meats and cheeses LIGHTER in calorie density than flour products...well, I was choosing pretzels and saltines because their fat content is very low to zero yet giving me the crispy salty, right? So I thought they were okay, if not ideal. But no! They are higher than FAKE MEATS AND CHEESES! Which I would never use, btw. (with some overlap, I'm sure. Still...) Higher than nut milks which I DO use sparingly in some recipes.

so yeah. Eating completely zero refined foods, and feeling pretty darn good. Other than somehow my lower back suddenly when I got out the car just now from lunch. Boo! Gonna have to be careful. Even pulling the door open I felt the twinge.

[moonlight]

Hi Buns,

I like the calorie density chart you found, too. I'm trying to just eat from the top 3 sections. Sounds like you are doing great, food wise. I hope your back is okay. I've been enduring some pain in mine for a few days now. Argh.

[Lyndzie]

Hi there! Here is a shelf stable rice that is super affordable and no oil. Super great to keep on hand for when you are short on time.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Golden-Star- ... /607118118
Keep up the awesome compliance!

[bunsofaluminum]

Hi Buns,

I like the calorie density chart you found, too. I'm trying to just eat from the top 3 sections. Sounds like you are doing great, food wise. I hope your back is okay. I've been enduring some pain in mine for a few days now. Argh.

Hi moonlight

That chart just made me sit up and take notice, for sure! I've seen so many calorie density graphs and such, but this one really drove it home like no other. As for my back, that painful spasm thing lasted only one day. All is back to normal now. Hopefully yours feels better soon!

Hi there! Here is a shelf stable rice that is super affordable and no oil. Super great to keep on hand for when you are short on time.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Golden-Star- ... /607118118
Keep up the awesome compliance!

Hey Lyndzie

That's a good one, and I found an organic multi grain with no added fat today, too. Precooked shelf stable rice is my friend these last few days, due to not wanting to cook rice. It's EXPENSIVE though. I need to get my dang act together and cook food.

Still going strong with the lowest calorie density foods. Today I found no added fat hummus, and did NOT get crackers or naan to eat with it! I'm going to dollop a couple of dollops on my salad Along with rice and some sliced cucumber...sounds like lunch.

Gym visits...yesterday I took a rest day because of my back and also my knees felt wobbly. Today I couldn't drag myself out of bed. Very strange. I woke at about 4:45 to go pee and grabbed a blanket because Wylie likes the bedroom cold and I was simply not warm enough. Normally at that hour, I am drifty and half awake until I finally decide to to get up a half hour later or so. But this morning I drifted back to sleep. Opened my eyes again about a half hour later, and again...normally I'd get up but not this time. Drifted back off. This happened several times. I'd hear the clock chime, or glance at our bedroom clock and say "Time to get up" and then fall back asleep. Didn't get up until after 7:00 which is WAY sleeping in for me. And I didn't go work out. Probably tomorrow early.

But workouts or not, I feel pretty darn good. It's almost like when I first started, and I was never cheating. How amazing I felt, and how FAST that happened. Reduced aches and pains, calm energy, clear headed, stamina. It's good! Even the salads have been just perfect for my meals, and I'm not a huge fan of salads unless they are smothered in ranch or bleu cheese dressing. But I'm using other things for dressing. Not any of these home made vinegar and mustard nasty tasting things. And just plain vinegar? not a fan. So I don't eat a lot of salads normally. But when you have some rice and beans and a flavorful salsa, that works okay. Not too bad. And it's really hot, so throwing a salad together is the easiest thing.

Yesterday, it was heated rice and some five bean salad, with a couple of dashes of soy sauce over greens and sliced mushrooms. Today, spring greens, rice, hummus, and black bean/corn salsa.

but it's time to go grocery shopping. Today especially fresh produce. And!!! it is TIME to COOK. Must. Do.

[SilverDollar123]

Hey Buns! i use a oil free Hummus which I add salsa to,then use that as a dip for raw veggies.
Sometimes I'll add an extra garlic piece....ps good thing on living alone...no-one to tell me my
breath stinks! lol RAS feel better soon.

[bunsofaluminum]

Hey Buns! i use a oil free Hummus which I add salsa to,then use that as a dip for raw veggies.
Sometimes I'll add an extra garlic piece....ps good thing on living alone...no-one to tell me my
breath stinks! lol RAS feel better soon.

That's a fantastic idea. There's a local grocer that makes an oil free hummus (it does have tahini so it isn't fat free but it's less than 10% fat by calorie, so...but mixing it with salsa for a salad dressing! what a great idea!

~~~

I made it through another weekend without going nuts I had my chocolate, though. And I had a portobello burger with the works, which involved bread, but I used 100% whole wheat. However, bread is calorie dense so...

It is grape season, so I've been eating a lot of those. And watermelon I could eat watermelon every day, all day long. YUM! But I only eat melon in the summer time. Can't stand it that farmers in Chile are using their land to grow food to ship melons (and strawberries, and grapes, and all kinds of summer fruits and veggies) to the states in the middle of winter. Non-local and completely out of season.

Wylie grilled yesterday and I had him do up a couple of portobellos and some zucchini. Made a "burger with the works" and brought that for lunch today. I also made a huge batch of Oat Clusters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9mW2dXllbc
This guy's videos are pretty awesome. I enjoy watching him cook, since he's so simple. He's like a starchivore who also follows the No SOS thing which...I added a tsp of salt to the oat cluster recipe.

But how SIMPLE that recipe was to follow! He points out that we really do have to cook our own food in order to know there's no added oil, and we'll do better at it if we 1) cook huge batches at a time and 2) keep it simple. I think someone on this forum turned me on to this guy, and I'm sure enjoying his videos. It's motivating.

Exercise. My knees are both bugging me and I *think* it's the recumbent, since I was on it every day for a week, but wow did they both hurt on Friday. So today I skipped the bike and focused on upper body weights for 20 minutes. Noodle arms! woot! Don't know what I'm going to do for cardio and I HATE IT. Every time I try to pick up a consistent regular exercise regimen, my knee ends up hurting. It sucks. Yoga, recumbent bike (come ON...recumbent? I mean, it's one step up from Netflix and chill!) walking. Everything wrecks my knees. I can keep up with the weight machines though. Better than nothing. Maybe once I drop some weight, I'll be able to walk again. That's what I really want to do.

[bunsofaluminum]

It's really hard to envision myself active, slim, and fit when my knees make me feel so old and fat.

[sirdle]

Exercise. My knees are both bugging me and I *think* it's the recumbent, since I was on it every day for a week, but wow did they both hurt on Friday. So today I skipped the bike and focused on upper body weights for 20 minutes. Noodle arms! woot! Don't know what I'm going to do for cardio and I HATE IT. Every time I try to pick up a consistent regular exercise regimen, my knee ends up hurting. It sucks. Yoga, recumbent bike (come ON...recumbent? I mean, it's one step up from Netflix and chill!) walking. Everything wrecks my knees. I can keep up with the weight machines though. Better than nothing. Maybe once I drop some weight, I'll be able to walk again. That's what I really want to do.

What about swimming?

[bunsofaluminum]

Exercise. My knees are both bugging me and I *think* it's the recumbent, since I was on it every day for a week, but wow did they both hurt on Friday. So today I skipped the bike and focused on upper body weights for 20 minutes. Noodle arms! woot! Don't know what I'm going to do for cardio and I HATE IT. Every time I try to pick up a consistent regular exercise regimen, my knee ends up hurting. It sucks. Yoga, recumbent bike (come ON...recumbent? I mean, it's one step up from Netflix and chill!) walking. Everything wrecks my knees. I can keep up with the weight machines though. Better than nothing. Maybe once I drop some weight, I'll be able to walk again. That's what I really want to do.

What about swimming?

that's actually a great idea! There's an indoor natatorium nearby and I think they offer early morning water aerobics...I'd have to check. I know I"m not going to get in and swim laps. I've tried many times and can't be consistent with it. Comes from my years as a teen on swim teams. but, getting in up to my waist or armpits and getting down? Maybe. Could be. Might be.

[sirdle]

Hope it works out for you.

[bunsofaluminum]

This morning feeling not so strong both knees hurt pretty bad, and I am NOT used to my left knee giving me grief. Also, we were up late talking until after midnight. There's a lot of stress at home and I think I finally got it through Wylie's thick skull just a little bit that maybe possibly SOME of the problem is on him? It was a good talk, and it ended really well and I slept until 7:00 this morning which is not quite enough sleep, but it's better than flying awake at 5:30 per my usual.

but I'm sticking to my "zero processed" really well. I actually have been eating salads, which is big, for me.
Me=\=salad loverunlessitsdrenchedinranchdressing.Orbluecheese. But I've been throwing a double fistful of field greens in a big bowl, topping it with rice and other stuff, and salsa on top. Each time it tastes pretty good, and regardless a big salad like that DOES fill me up. And I don't have to cook at 6:00 pm in July heat in Utah.

Today's foods:
B: coffee, watermelon, oat clusters
S: cucumber slices
L: Thai curried rice
D: big salad with all the leftover grilled portobello and zucchini plus starch and (beans maybe?)

I might have an otter pop or two. But also, babysitting my little feller tonight yay!

Planning on watching some Chef AJ and Well Your World videos today. Chef AJ is my age! Her bday is earlier in the year, but yeah. And look at her. She took off 47 lbs at age 53 ish. Now it's five years later but it points out the possibility of a menopausal woman ACTUALLY losing weight with this. And IIRR, she mentions losing weight without exercising though she does say it isn't good NOT to exercise. But I'm also remembering when I first got going with this in '09...i wasn't doing anything for "exercise" beyond walking a bit now and then. I had been a Curves member and briefly did an Athletic Club membership but when I started McDougalling I wasn't much active, other than having a pretty hands on job with disabled adults that had me up and going during the day. But once the energy flowed, you couldn't keep me down AND the weight came off. Anyway...food first, exercise as needed.

Now to get my visualization mojo back. As I mentioned, it's really hard imagining myself fit and trim when simply walking across a level floor makes me feel fat and old.

[bunsofaluminum]

woo hoo! I had a good workout today, including 10 min on the recumbent going full bore ahead. I lifted for 20, and I mean LIFTED. I did not hold back on the weights. Of course, these are weight machines, but I put at least 40 lbs on everything, and for my lats I was at 85 Oh, only 10 lbs on the shoulder press. My left shoulder gives a little twinge so I go easy on that particular machine. I wanted to go through all the upper body machines a second time, but there were six people packed in that circuit area and I just couldn't so...I went and got on the recumbent, making sure to "feel" for my knees, and they were actually okay so I went for it. Full bore, heart rate in the high 130's to 140's and felt absolutely fantastic when I was done. Knees not horrible.

Doing well with the foods. Yesterday I had two french fries, but otherwise all non-processed, no added oil, and a huge salad for dinner. How do people do zero added salt, btw? The black beans I had on my salad were no added salt...not my fave, though I didn't feel bad drinking the bean juice which I might not have done if there had been salt. I ended up sprinkling the top of everything with salt so... but how DO people do it? Well Your World would have used no salt added beans and NOT sprinkled salt on it.

The past few days I've been having Oat Clusters and watermelon for breakfast. For some reason, the oat clusters, which have the same ingredients as a bowl of oatmeal: Oats, banana, cinnamon (only I don't always remember the ground flax seed) ... but the oat clusters keep me full until shortly before lunch time, where a bowl of oatmeal lasts me maybe 90 minutes. I wonder if the flax seed makes the difference. Hmmm.

I think I'm gonna do a big cook up after work today. I want dal BADLY, and have a full head of cauliflower for that, but I also want to make something with quinoa and maybe boil up a huge pot of yellow potatoes, so I have easy-grab food. Okay everyone! OUTTA the kitchen I'm gonna COOK! I want to cook so much food that I won't need to cook again for a week. My huge batch of Thai Curried Rice...I have another two meals from that and it's gone.

Also need to tidy up around the house. I was noticing this morning...the corners are looking a bit cluttered. And the floor is past due for a thorough move-all-the-furniture vacuuming. yep, that's what I want to do. Cook and clean. See? Me=happy housewife. LOL

Seriously though...just call me ENERGIZED

[bunsofaluminum]

Still going strong. I had a rest day today for exercise, but yesterday was pretty active. Made a huge batch of dal, good for a LOT of meals. Picked up and vacuumed; watered the potted outdoor plants. Busy. Feeling good today. I've had many days in a row of zero processed, with the exception of my weekend chocolate and the two fries I had the other day. There was the bread for the Portobello burger on Sunday, but that's the only bread/flour product I have eaten since the beginning of July! And I'm not fretting over it, not forcing myself, not struggling. FINALLY!!! my mind is IN THE GAME! woo hoo!

It's all on that particular calorie density chart, isn't it.

And though I've only lost two lbs since the beginning of July, my clothes are fitting just a titch better. Particularly my gray jeans, that were tetchy in the rear. Like I was always having to hike them up, because they never quite made it all the way over my fat ass. Not having to hitch them as often I like it. Ugh they're still tight though. pfft.

Energy, clear headed, normal gut? Love it!

[bunsofaluminum]

Hm, I ate about half my usual breakfast and am satiated. This time of year, I eat watermelon as often as I can, and am grateful for the grocery stores for processing watermelon and putting it in chunks on the shelves in small containers. As much as I really don't mind cutting a watermelon up, it's really nice to grab some already prepped and have it with my Oat Clusters in the morning. Grapes, too.

Watermelon and grapes are summer fruit.

Here's the thing with exercise. I'm packed with energy, therefore I'm up and active twice as much as I used to be, so I'm already burning calories a bit more than my couch potato self. I do purposely exercise, when I go to the gym a few times a week and lift. This morning I was thinking how much fun yoga would be, a simple practice without deep bends in my knees. It's been weeks since I did yoga and I miss it. So...why not. It feels so good to move, and I WANT to move! Some days it's like taking medicine: You do it because it will help you be healthy not because you love it. And some days you just want to move thank you Dr M!

Oh! Not happy: yesterday I used my air fryer to make some tortilla chips and it stopped working! When I read the reviews on Amazon, this was one of the themes AND I paid for the warranty but never received it so...after less than 50 individual uses, (WAY less) a $60 small appliance pooped out on me JUST like they said it would. Booooo! Hisssss! I threw the darn thing away and won't be buying another one. I hardly ever got it out anyway, because the ancient wiring in my mom's house... LOL use the air fryer, blow a fuse, eh?

And one last random thought. I saw what a co-worker had for lunch yesterday. She is slim. Normal weight for sure. And her lunch was half an avocado, a serving of cheddar cheese (yes, four "dice" cubes) and a hard boiled egg. My question is HOW? How does she eat such high fat and not be overweight? Of course, her entire lunch fit inside a 12 oz container. That's how, isn't it. Tiny portions. But skinny people do that. They don't overeat. And she isn't the first skinny fat person I've met. Sure, she wears a size 10 or 8 jean, but I imagine her body fat % isn't great. I had a roommate that was the same. Normal size, but high body fat percentage.

Heh, this coworker also looked sideways at MY food which was dal over potatoes, two cups worth I'd say.

[sirdle]

Watermelon and grapes are summer fruit.

Last night I OD'd on grapes and had to crawl under the coffee table to sleep it off.