My Daily "Weighing in"

[squealcat]

I have not joined in on the MWL group for this week yet. Have not figured out how much gain for this week either. Will do it tonight or tomorrow morning.

Yesterday was a better day with just a few minutes off my plan. Today (so far) feels so much better than that ! I woke up feeling more positive because yesterday I was able to (mostly) stay away from those foods I crave and I had just a much better attitude. Sometimes I feel like I will never make it to the health place I want to be and feel defeated. I DO know, however, that I have done it before and I can certainly do it again.

Exercise today: walked 3 miles and did my stretches afterwards. I also did my grocery shopping this morning too (if you want to count it as exercise ).

Breakfast: steel cut oats and blueberries
Lunch: large salad with balsamic vinegar and 1/2 cup of chick peas and 1/2 of a Japanese sweet potato chopped up on top
Dinner: steamed veggies, rice and summer squash soup

While at the store I bought a couple of chopped salads (one kale and one broccoli) to use next week when I watch my grandson. I want to see if it helps my attitude re: packing a lunch to take with me. I will toss out the dressing and use some added beans or hummus and also balsamic vinegar. Another thing I am trying this week is using frozen veggies as my steamed veggies for dinner . I read that Wild Goose does this to help her get her 50/50 plate completed for dinner. She told me about his a few months ago and now, finally, I am putting it to the test.

Stopped at a farm near me and bought dark sweet cherries, peaches and apricots ! Soon, Michigan will have sweet corn too! I am so excited ! I should have bought my zucchini there as I had to pick through what the grocery store had....some of it looked pretty bad.

As I was out for my walk this morning I was thinking about how much better I felt after a much better, but not perfect day yesterday. Feelings of hopefulness at looking toward the future, feelings of forgiveness toward myself and joy. I actually even put on a little makeup today (which is a rare event since covid) and earrings too! Isn't this a lot better place to be ??? I want to stay there !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

This week I gained 0.9 pounds. Not as bad as I expected but maybe the two good days helped keep the gain within reason.

Exercise: walked at the gym this morning because it is so muggy this weekend. I walked 3 miles and did some yoga stretches

Breakfast: steel cut oats and dark sweet cherries (I washed and pitted all of them myself ) So good !
Lunch: large salad with garbanzo beans and 1/2 Japanese sweet potato on top. I used balsamic vinegar as the dressing
Dinner: summer squash soup, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, brown rice, apricots (4) and one yellow potato with mustard on top (I was still hungry and I did this to avoid having bread (my old go-to )

I think I stuck to the 50/50 plate pretty well , I am full but not stuffed and I will go brush and floss as soon as I am done typing this. I still have to force myself upstairs to brush my teeth. I just want to be lazy after dinner but I know myself and if I don't brush, then those salty snacks will start calling me.

I am starting to plan tomorrow: I need to cook up some more potatoes, some oatmeal and maybe some rice. I have to have those starches all ready. I may instead make some overnight oats for Mon thru Wed but not sure yet. It will continue to be hot and muggy out and I may want to hit the gym for a short walk on those three days (when i go watch my grandson). Cold overnight oats usually is nice and easy to take along if I then go straight over to watch him. I also have two premade salads all ready for Tues and Wed (when I get lazy about prepping my lunch). I am curious to see if those new things help with those three days.

That is all. Time to brush and floss !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

Exercise today: walked 2 miles at the gym and did yoga stretches

Breakfast: old fashioned oats, banana and blueberries
Lunch: oh, I went off my plan and had bread and other things I really didn't want (in my reasoning brain) but ate anyway
Dinner: cucumber and peppers for pre-load, beet greens and Brussel sprouts and mushrooms and brown rice

Since I am using my hand written check list for the 10 MWL points and checking it off after each meal, I find that I can keep on track (or go back on track) easier . It feels like a reward to check off the points I accomplished and even if I go off plan, the act of checking off for the next meal makes me feel like I am OK now and I stay on plan for the rest of the day. It is working for me and today I don't feel like a failure, I feel success !

My lunch for tomorrow and breakfast too are all fixed. Overnight oats for breakfast and a big salad with added chick peas and half of a sweet potato....that should be enough ! I made a new salad dressing. It had almond butter in it but next time I will used white beans blended up instead now that I know what it tastes like. If if works out I will post just how I made it. I won't post this one since it is not really MWL approved.

I feel pretty good about today. On to Monday !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

Exercise today: walked one mile outdoors

Breakfast: overnight oats with blueberries
Lunch: large salad with a balsamic/tomato sauce dressing and a little sweet potato (too full to finish it)
Dinner: brussel sprouts, cucumber and pepper (preload), brown rice, peach (I tried to finish that sweet potato from lunch but was once again too full

Good day today ! I used my MWL checklist after each meal and did very well with that.

Let's have another good day tomorrow ! Of course, every day can be a good day even if my eating does not follow my plan. My mood should not depend on what I eat but I feel so much better physically when I eat good food and don't stuff myself and that means that mentally I am good too !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

Exercise today: walked one mile outdoors before going over to watch my grandson

Breakfast: overnight oats and blueberries and cherries
Lunch: large salad with my homemade dressing and 1/2 Japanese sweet potato
Dinner: cauliflower soup and brown rice and banana

No special thoughts today. I just ran upstairs and brushed my teeth and flossed right after dinner. It really helps (along with my 10 MWL guidelines that I check off ) to keep snacking at bay. I have not been perfect this week but it is WAY better than previous weeks. I feel better too ! No puffiness around the face or heavy feeling in my legs. No brain fog/cloudy thinking. I feel alert and my feelings are all positive !

On to Wednesday !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

No walk today. Woke up too late and had to get going to watch my grandson. I thought about stopping at the gym afterwards but I am just not an afternoon exerciser . Just couldn't do it.

Breakfast: overnight oats with berries
Lunch: large salad with my homemade dressing. Today's salad was chopped up broccoli (mostly) with my broccoli sprouts, some cabbage and chopped up apple. I also added some big spoonful's of my hummus. I wasn't very excited about it but it was very good! I brought along some pea soup but wasn't hungry after all that.
Dinner: summer squash soup, beets and beet greens, one smallish potato chopped up in one cup of pea soup. Had a peach after that.

Another great day ! I was tempted to stop by Jimmy John's after watching my grandson but remembered my goal of going right home. I went right home ! Those little changes have really helped me get back to my old self. I know, I didn't walk this morning but I also know I can't be perfect. Perfection gets me in trouble sometimes. I think 6 out of 7 days exercising is pretty good !

Now, going upstairs to brush and floss !
-squealcat

[Ejeff]

Squealcat, that salad sounds delicious, I never think of adding an apple to my salads I’m going to try that soon.

And way to set goals and just stick with them. Going straight home is a good one, eventually it will just be so normal you won’t even think about stopping anywhere.

Thanks for sharing your journey.

Erin

[squealcat]

Thanks for stopping by Erin ! Yes, fruit added to salad tastes wonderful ! I don't do it often but it works to liven up things !

I lost weight this week ! Yesterday I weighed myself and I was one pound lower than today. Husband and I went out to eat last night so I figure (I hope) that one pound will drop back off tomorrow ! My official weight loss was 1.4 pounds but I am thinking in my head it really was 2.4. It's ok. I will just wait and see. The important thing is that my week went so much better and I feel so much better. I hate that brain fog feeling and the heavy feeling in my legs when I eat things like bread and other flour products. I try to remember the discomfort but sometimes I get stubborn and just eat what I want.

This week I just observed myself when I got cravings to see just how it all felt to me. I just thought about how I was feeling and realized it would not kill me to skip eating those processed foods and just wait til the next healthy meal. It worked most of the time. I want to keep this up. I know the longer I stay away from processed foods the less it will call to me.

I walked 3 miles this morning. Beautiful weather today and low humidity !

Breakfast:
Had a plum before my walk then had old fashioned oats with peach slices on top and cinnamon
Lunch:
Large salad with my own dressing and a few plops of my hummus (making it now) I have a little pea soup left over and some potatoes so if I am still hungry I will have some of that
Dinner:
cucumbers to start as a preload (we have a ton now from our garden) then I have lentils and rice and will steam some frozen broccoli for a 50/50 plate

That's the plan !
-squealcat

[squealcat]

Exercise today: walked 3 miles and did a lot of gardening (chopping / trimming down our Catmint )

Breakfast: old fashioned oats, pear
Lunch: large salad (split into two servings) with balsamic vinegar and my hummus mixed in, pea soup with one chopped up potato
Dinner: the second half of my salad, brown rice, lentils .....then I had a slice of bread with almond butter on it ....then I had a banana with almond butter on it

I know, I know, I ate things I shouldn't have. I was still hungry. I SHOULD have had more rice and veggies. I chose not to and now maybe I won't lose that water weight I put on the last two days. I will have to just week what happens.

I have really enjoyed reading the journal of Cloudy Rockwell ! She is encouraging me to go onward with my weight loss journey! She is somewhat like me but a lot funnier ! She struggles but gets back into it all and did finally reach her goal !

On to Sunday !
-squealcat

[squealcat]

Sundays can be too quiet for me. I see other families gather together and enjoy each other's company and here we sit ! We don't get together with our kids very often and my DH is very quiet and not into talking much. It's OK as I like the quiet usually but just not TOO quiet. Confusing, yes?

My kids keep in touch via messenger and we chat there often ! Sometimes they are so funny ! Pictures of youngest son wearing his first pair of glasses while others comment on his "old age". Pictures of grandkids playing in a wiffleball tournament....things like that ! So we do keep in touch and my kids all get along and don't argue or anything. I know many families that have so much trouble in that regard. We are lucky.

I decided today that I will find things about Sundays that I like. Today I did some meal prep. I also decluttered the kitchen countertop and the table by my chair in the Livingroom. Not too hard but those areas seem to collect things....they are magnetized ! I felt really good after doing that and then read my book. Now it is almost dinner time and today went very well. Maybe Sundays will be my decluttering day ! I like to have routines !

No exercise today. tomorrow I will walk a mile before watching my grandson. I also scrub the bathtub while taking a shower on Mondays. I discovered that it is so much easier to clean the tub while I am in it ! I used to hate that job but now it is tolerable.

Breakfast: steel cut oats with peach slices. I had 2 cups of decaf coffee before that (my Sunday ritual while watching my Sunday CBS Morning show).
Lunch: large salad with the usual dressing, chickpeas on top, ate up the two potatoes and couple of carrots that need eating before tomorrow
Dinner: Will be smaller salad with usual dressing, leftover rice, corn on the cob, broccoli and whatever other leftovers I have to eat before tomorrow

I have a little white board on my fridge where I keep track of foods I cook and when I cook them. I don't like to let things spoil so looking at this board helps me to use up things before they get too old. If it is looking like something won't get used up then I will freeze it (if it is freezable ). It has worked well for me.

today I cooked my steel cut oats (4 days worth) and a big batch of mashed potatoes. I LOVE mashed potatoes ! Now I can eat them without gravy or butter. I like to put corn or soup on top or even beans. Everything tastes good over mashed potatoes !

That's all I have for today ! I have to remember to brush and floss after eating tonight. The evening snackies have been hitting me hard the last few days and brushing teeth really helps me say "NO!"

-squealcat

[squealcat]

Today I walked my one mile as this is one of three days I watch my grandson. At least I can get in one mile on these days.

Breakfast was steel cut oats and blueberries with a splash of almond milk

After breakfast everything went crazy with my crazy choices. My son-in-law offered to run to Poki Toki to pick up lunch for us. I love that place and know that there are many good choices. I got rice with tofu and seaweed salad and some fruit. Their regular sauce is good but I know there is oil in it. I was also afraid that I would be hungry after this.....THAT thought was what started things. I left their house at 4pm and made a couple stops and got take-out food. I KNOW ! Really the wrong choice for me. I chose it though and I am done with it. The consequences are that I will not be hungry for dinner and in the morning my face will be puffy and I will be up a couple of pounds. YUK !

Well, my choice, right? Tomorrow is another day. I will repeat my plan but not repeat what I did today. I need to read a few more journals.

I will still brush and floss this early evening even if I don't eat anything. Tomorrow I will walk a mile in the AM, go right home after watching Felix and I will follow my eating plan.

-Marilyn

[squealcat]

Going on vacation !! I will be back in a week or so. Hope to have a good attitude adjustment when I return ! Have a good week everyone !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

Got back from vacation a couple of hours ago.

One thought I had today:

What if my next goal is to get off my last bit of blood pressure medicine? What if my goal is NOT losing weight but putting the focus on my blood pressure?

What started t his is that I forgot to fill up my little med container with my B12 and my blood pressure pills. I had enough in there to get me through 4 of 7 days. I wasn't too worried. I could just start up my meds when I got home. Well I got home and took my BP and it was still pretty good. My diastolic was in the low 80's which is a little high for me but my systolic was just fine ! I had alot of food this week that was salty and oily. What if I just correct that, get back to my daily walks and see what happens to my blood pressure. ?? An experiment ! I am not crazy. I will check my BP every day and keep track. I like to take it before and then after my walks to see how much lower it is after my walk. It always amazes me !

Anyway, I need to keep my focus on the MWL points #1 and #2 and very little salt and no oil or fat. I want to focus on being able to stay off that one last pill. If I can't do it now, then by mid November when my doctor appointment is.

Today's BP is 123/83, pulse is 56

-squealcat

[squealcat]

This morning:
BP: 121/80 I have been off my BP pill for 4 days. Will see how it goes! If my blood pressure starts to climb then I will take the pill again. If it lowers and stays then I will contact my doctor and tell his what I am doing.

Breakfast: blueberries and oat groats (no salt added)
Lunch: large salad with my hummus and balsamic vinegar as dressing, also some brown rice and mixed beans (not salt added )
Dinner: smaller salad as a preload, steamed broccoli, brown rice (a light sprinkle of salt ) I also had watermelon after for dessert

Today went well! Pretty sure I am getting rid of a LOT of water. Many trips to the bathroom . No salt added for breakfast and lunch and just the barest sprinkle of salt at dinner. I just could not do it with no salt. No.

I went outside this morning and walked for about 30 minutes which is about a mile and a half for me. I am not a speed walker. I did my stretches afterward and felt pretty good. I really don't feel well if I don't get out for a walk. I have to figure out what to do next year for vacation. I need to get some exercise and do stretches.....that is for sure !

I am not watching my grandson tomorrow . I am glad. I need to do a little more prepping for the week. I want to go to the health food store and get some Japanese sweet potatoes and some yellow potatoes (and maybe some grains too). I like to be prepared.

I paid attention to MWL points #1 and #2. I would say 100 % for today !

Feeling more positive now that this first day off vacation is complete. Hope everyone is doing well too !

-squealcat

[squealcat]

This morning's BP: 128/81 pulse 55 then I walked 1.5 miles and did some gardening. My BP after that was 110/76 ! Always amazes me what exercise can do to the blood pressure ! I wonder how long that effect lasts?

Today I plan to have the oat groats and fruit for breakfast. Lunch will be half of a giant salad for preload then some steamed veggies and bean soup (maybe with rice added....depends how hungry I am. Dinner will be the other half of the salad, more steamed veggies and maybe some kind of potato.

Got my exercise in for the day so that is done ! Trying to catch up on things like watering plants and cleaning up the bathrooms today. Also have to cook up potatoes and water/stir-fry some veggies (or maybe just cook in instant pot. )

On my list as well is to listen to my next book for book club: American Dirt . It is very good so far. I use the Overdrive app from the library and it works great as long as I can get it all listened to in 2 weeks.

-squealcat