How I did it. (Lost weight, that is)

So, a few of my Cyberpals have asked how I lost the weight...wanting specifics. Before I tell you how I did it, I need to tell you why I did it. A person can't lose weight for anyone other than themselves. It will NEVER work until you really want it. And I mean REALLY WANT IT. For me, it was my size 14 jeans getting so tight that I knew I was going to have to get 16's. I just couldn't do it. I knew I wasn't physically the person I was physically becoming. I was almost 42 and I realized I wanted to look more like I did when I was 24 and that the only thing standing in the way of that reality was me, my appetite, and my pathetic lack of activity. I had made excuses ever since my mom had died and my weight started climbing. I realized, that after 7 years, I had run out of excuses (the one's I told myself) and it was time to 'just do it'.

In one sentence 'how I did it' can be summed up like this: I KEPT MY BODY(METABOLISM) GUESSING.

Now to break down that one sentence.

I did reduce my caloric intake and cycled my calories.

I reduced my calories using this calculator at Free Dieting. At the bottom of the calculator one can click '7 Day Calorie Zig Zag' and that will keep one's weekly calories the same but altering the cals daily to keep one's metabolism revved up. A body gets used to the amount of calories a person feeds it when dieting. So, a steady does of 1400 cals, after about a month or so, slows a metabolism down. A body doesn't want to lose weight. It feels like it is starving. So, it will go into starvation mode. In real life people eat different amounts of calories daily. Calorie reduction done the same way helps keep a body out of starvation mode and feeds one's metabolism to keep it burning efficiently.

 I did track all my food & exercise using Spark People. I can't say enough about how awesome, helpful, and instrumental Spark was for me losing the weight I wanted to. I really don't think I could have done it without everything I learned and all the support I got from Spark. It's free and better than any dieting site a person could pay for. I know, I joined Weight Watchers for a month and their online site can't touch Spark People. I do, however, love Weight Watchers' cookbooks and motivational books.

I did eat (and still do) Low fat, Low Protein, High Complex Carbs, High Fiber foods about 80% of the time and 20% was the so- called 'bad' stuff. I am not a vegetarian. I did not cut ANYTHING out of my diet. I just found that, for me, that combo worked best. I ate mostly veggies, fruits, whole wheat breads, I used cheeses as condiments in lieu of slathering them on everything. I switched to light butter.  I learned to make favorite dishes low in calories by simple substitutions. If I screwed up during the week and went a little nuts eating something I shouldn't I just jumped back in the saddle and kept on going. I did NOT let a screw up give me license to just gorge on everything in sight because I'd blown it. That kind of thinking is LETHAL to weight loss. If you go overboard on some food, just make the next day a lighter day and maybe walk an extra mile. It will all work out in the end...kwim? 

I did not drink 8 glasses of water a day (see article here). I drank when I was thirsty. I did switch from regular Coke to caffeine free diet coke. (I like being thin, so if I go nuts from the artificial sweetener, at least I will be thin and nuts....but wait....I *AM* already nuts....so never mind.) I drank my coffee with cream in it too.

I did not eat breakfast. Okay, this is strange. I know everyone says to eat breakfast, but when I do, I am hungry all day. When I don't my appetite is more stable. What is even weirder is that breakfast food is my favorite food. I secretly would love to be a short order cook. I love eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes, ham, scones, muffins, bowls of fresh fruit etc...So, I would make lighter versions of breakfast foods for dinner, on occasion, and just have my breakfast at night. I did switch from my beloved real maple syrup to the sugar free kind. Or I will use all fruit jam on pancakes. (My kids LOVE breakfast for dinner.)

I did realize there are foods that I can't resist and will overeat. Oreos and homemade chocolate chip cookies are good examples. Therefore, I didn't buy them or make them. They were INO...it's not an option. I have other foods that are INO (though not so much now that I am at goal. Now it's more AIM... anything in moderation.) I also learned the best calorie bargains. So, if I wanted fries and a burger, I knew the best size at the best place for the lowest calories. 

 I did (and still do) walk, but I varied it, so my body couldn't get used to what I was doing. This worked really well too. I didn't read about it anywhere, though. Every book and website says to do exercise consistently. Well, I was consistent with the fact that I made sure I exercised, but intensity and length of time varied according to my schedule. Also, I never did weight training. I lift and carry stuff all day...including a 40lb/5 mos old Siberian Husky. I didn't have the time or money. All my money is being spent on food or the kids. So, I walked. I wanted to run, but I can't. Why? I wet my pants. I have total bladder control EXCEPT for jumping, sneezing, and RUNNING. So, I settled on walking. Some days I walked 5 or 6 miles really fast. Other days I walk 1.5 miles fast or maybe leisurely. The fact is that I walked (aerobic exercise) almost everyday.  Then there were times I couldn't walk for a few days and when I finally got back out there I busted my butt on a long walk. That was always the way I broke through a plateu...(that and upping my cals a bit).

 I did have a weigh in day which was also my pig-out (free) day. I picked Friday's to weigh in. I always weighed in on Friday morning, totally naked, after peeing. Sorry to be gross but I wanted the most empty true weight I could get. That way I got a double bonus. The first being seeing the scale go down (and I was happy even to see a 4 oz shift) and the second to know I could go out to dinner with Robert and/or friends and not worry about food. Fridays gave me something to look forward to that made the sacrifices of the previous 6 days worth it. The extra calories stoked my metabolism, and mentally I stopped myself from sabotage because I knew once a week I would get my fun food day. Also, I knew I had until the next Friday to adjust my calories and/or exercise to keep the weight loss going. Also, even if the scale didn't move one week, I still had my free day. Pretty much everytime I was stuck at a weight I would lose a pound or two the following week. 

I did (and still do) choose to live much healthier. I made losing weight about a permanent healthy lifestyle change, in diet and exercise, instead of just a way to get skinny and then go back to my old bad habits. 

At goal I started weighing myself daily. It helps me to keep inside my "weight box" and helps me to see the effect of how pigging out at a big party, or just having a salad and soup day, has on my weight. It also helps me to know when I need to eat lighter or if I am low enough in my weight box to feel free to eat what I want on a given day. 

At goal I started tracking my calories less. I barely track my calories now, online or on paper. I was OCD about it while losing the weight. What was good about that was that I learned the caloric value of pretty much everything I eat. So, now I keep a loose tally in my head. I have been able to increase my calories, due to the calorie cycling, so that I can maintain my 33lb loss while eating close to 2200 cals a day. That is darn good! (Let's face it, it means more yummy goodies!) I have been maintaining between 135 and 138 for a month now. A few days ago, after pigging out big time at a parish party, I weighed 138.6 lbs. Today, after some extra walking and watching my eating I am back to 135.6 

At goal I realized I will ALWAYS have to be aware of my weight and activity levels. A big mistake

that so many make, who lose weight and then regain it, is to get to one's goal and then abandon all the good habits one formed during the time one was losing the weight. 

Last, but not least, PRAYER. I was tempted many times to just give in and give up. God helped me continue to fight the fight for my health. Yeah God!!!

I think that's about it.

Peace,

I knew it!

Drinking water alone does not aid weight loss

Drinking eight glasses of water a day does not help dieters keep weight off, scientists have found.

 

By Jessica Salter 
Last Updated: 10:56AM BST 17 Sep 2008

Instead those wishing to lose weight should try eating more foods which contain water, like fruit, vegetables, rice and soups.

In a study the weight and waistlines of more than 1,000 young women were compared with the amount of water they consumed each day from both food and drink.

Women who ate more water-rich food tended to have a slightly smaller waist size and lower body mass index, meaning they were healthier weights for their heights.

The study showed that drinking water alone had no effect on the women's weights, the science journal Nutrition reported.

"These studies suggest that when water is consumed as an integral component of a food, it promotes satiety and decreases subsequent dietary intake, thus possibly working to prevent obesity," researchers from the University of Tokyo said.

They said it could be due to the fact that foods that contain water are also high in fibre and so make people feel more full after eating them.

Earlier studies had suggested that people needed to drink eight glasses of water a day to stay healthy, keep slim and maintain good skin.

But the American scientists said there was no evidence to support this and most people get all the fluids they need from food and other drinks like tea and coffee.

article from Telegragh.co.uk

(I knew this just because this whole time I have been losing weight, I have always felt guilty that I wasn't drinking enough water. Yet, here I am 33 pounds thinner and I never got my 8 glasses in a day. I love coffee, and caffeine free diet coke, milk and yes I have water, but maybe 2 big glasses. LIke the article says though, I love soup, fruit, veggies...lots of high fiber high water content foods.)

Control

The only thing I have control over any more is how well I take care of myself. Especially when it comes to the weight I have lost. Everything else can go to Hell in a handbasket (which is does most of the time) but I can still eat salad and fruit and go on walks. 

Here is my new tummy. I am proud of it. It was a lot of hard work and still is.

I am a size 6!!!!!!

I still haven't hit my goal of 135#, but the fact that I am a size 6 makes that a moot point. I was shooting for a size 8 so I figure I have exceeded my goals.  My weight box (thanks, HB) is 135-138. I am safely within that limit. Here are 2 pics of me. The first is me in my size 6 Converse jeans. The second is up close au natural and I don't think I look 42...which I think is a GOOD thing. You tell me.

Peace,

So close to goal...I can't believe I have almost done it.

It has been almost 5 months (it will be on Sept 16th) and I have lost over 30 pounds. I am a little over 2 pounds from my goal. I am really excited. It has been alot of hard work and will remain so...I am certain. I think maintenance will be a bit easier, but I will always have to watch what I eat and make sure I don't get lazy, but continue to remain active. I suck horribly at follow through yet, by the grace of God, I have finally followed through on something. And it was something that I didn't realize was so important to me until I started really working hard for it. 

I am elated, to say the least,...tho Robert is less so because now I have a new found interest in clothes. :-)

Peace,

I have hit a goal. YIPEE!!

My weight goals were twofold:
1) go from a tight size 14 to a loose size 8. I HAVE DONE THAT!(I got my first pair of size 8 jeans yesterday!)
2) go from 168 pounds to 135 pounds. I AM ALMOST THERE. Why not stop some might ask? Well, I want a 3 to 5 pound buffer or, as My Hunny likes to say, a weight box. The weight box is the zone I can safely stay within. So, if I want to pig out at a party and I am 135, I have the room to do so. However, if I am 138 I won't be pigging out at a party, I will be calorically lying low.

I am really proud of myself, and extremely grateful to God for the grace He has given me to do this. I would NEVER have been able to do it on my own. I am, notoriously, not one to follow through on much of anything...thus the reason I unschool (LOL). Up until my mom's death, I was between 135-140. I never thought about what I was eating and didn't exercise. But the depression that sank in upon mom's death, and all the craziness going on with Ben, and getting older, just did me in weight-wise. I think it happens to alot of women.

I have learned that I can't eat what I used to. I just don't have the same metabolism. I have learned to have mastery over my appetite (THANKS TO GOD!), and I have developed the discipline (ya like that Lisa B.?) of regular exercise. Thanks to Sparkpeople (see sidebar) for all the past and continued help. Also, I have to say that the way I have lost has been High Carb, High Fiber (mostly complex carbs grains, fruits and veggies) Low Sugar, Low Fat and Low Protein. When researching the way I eat it is reminiscent of the Pritikin Diet, the Rice Diet, & the McDougall Diet  and Ornish Diet (though I am not a vegetarian).

My cholesterol is 180 from 220. My bloodwork is great, my blood pressure is on the low end (though that has always been true) my blood sugar is perfect.  What I have been doing has been working. Yeah God!!

Peace,

National Weight Loss Registry (NWLR)

The following was taken from the research page at NWCR, click post title to go to the site. They keep records of over 5,000 people who have lost weight and kept it off. Their findings are very interesting and only support why SparkPeople is such a fantastic site.

NWCR Facts

You may find it interesting to know about the people who have enrolled in the registry thus far.


80% of persons in the registry are women and 20% are men.
The "average" woman is 45 years of age and currently weights 145 lbs, while the "average" man is 49 years of age and currently weights 190 lbs.
Registry members have lost an average of 66 lbs and kept it off for 5.5 years.
These averages, however, hide a lot of diversity:
Weight losses have ranged from 30 to 300 lbs.
Duration of successful weight loss has ranged from 1 year to 66 years!
Some have lost the weight rapidly, while others have lost weight very slowly--over as many as 14 years.

We have also started to learn about how the weight loss was accomplished: 45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program.
98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.

78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh them self at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.

Time for Bed

What I have learned from losing weight

Okay, so last month I wrote that I had joined Weight Watchers for IRL support for my last 10 pounds to lose. Weight Watchers is a great program, but I have learned that I really am better at losing weight on my own. The upshot is I am not out any kind of registration fee because if you buy a monthly pass it covers WW online and meetings and is the cheapest option to do WW. So, as much as I truly enjoyed the last 4 weeks of meetings, I am cancelling my WW membership because everything I am hearing is stuff I already know. Also, I had been following alot of WW 'good health' guidelines but calorie counting in lieu of Points counting. I know some folks LOVE WW Flexpoints. However, I DO NOT. I like counting plain old calories. It is just easier. I already purposefully eat high fiber and low fat and I don't need the Flexpoints to steer me toward better food options (which is what they are meant to do and is a very good thing). So, if any of you out there are not interested in joining any weight loss program I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SPARKPEOPLE! I can tell you, in all honesty, that after having full access to Weight Watchers Online (you get partial access to the site if you are not a WW member) Sparkpeople's website completely smokes all others out there...even the one's you would pay for. The information, food and exercise tracking, goal planning and support are unparalleled. Please, if you want to lose weight or just get healthier do not hesitate to set up a free account at Sparkpeople. But, if you do, tell them Rachel429 sent ya...I'm after a free Sparkpeople T-shirt. ;-) BTW, with Sparkpeople I have now lost 24.5 pounds. It has been very hard work, but man I am so psyched to see all that work paying off.

Gotta go to bed. My next post will most likely be about Ben's first week at his new private school. So far so good, but I shall report on Friday.

Peace,

Mother's Day

I have to say that since my sweet mommy died, almost 8 years ago, I don't much like Mother's Day.  I know that I am a mom...and I love that I am...but I don't need the day for me.  I miss it for my mom.  So, here's to you, my sweet mom in Heaven, I love you and I really miss you.

A great thing today is that I really am committed to being a healthier mom for my kids. I want to be here for as long as possible.  Life is a crapshoot and I could be hit by a truck tomorrow.  However, as far as what I can do to lengthen my life, on my part, I am going to do.  I want to see as many grandchildren as I can.

I got on the scale this morning and I am down another 3 pounds, making my total weight loss of 8 pounds.  I have decided I really want to get  back to my early marriage weight of 135.  That's what I was until Mom died. After was when I started packing on the pounds.  So, as of today I have 25 pounds to go.  I have been using  my treadmill and walking outdoors when the pollen count isn't too terrible.  I think I am going to have to haul out the Bowflex (from the storage room), dust it off, and watch the video on how to use it again.

I am already down a size from 14 to 12, so I am psyched about that...size 8 here I come. 

It was Mother's Day 2000 that was the last Mother's Day I was to have with my Mom.  She died just 5 short months later.  I want more time here than my Mom had so I have to stick with this 'getting healthy' thing so I can stick around.

Have a wonderful day all you Mom pals of mine out there in cyberspace and IRL.  I love you!

~Peace

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me...

Happy Birthday dear Rachel, Happy Birthday to me! (and many more!)

Okay, so today I am 42. Hold on a second while I cringe!.......Okay, I am back. 

Interestingly, this year, I got a few gifts ahead of time. I think this is funny because I am the friend who remembers your birthday on the exact day and then you get your present from me a month later.

Well, my li'l bro, Jon, gave me the coolest Mac recipe software called Yummy Soup.  There are already recipes in it, you can add your own to it, and you can click on a recipe(s) and set up a grocery list.  You can add pictures of the recipes too.  The other gift, which was free, but so thoughtful (and I love those kind of gifts) was a Mac software that catalogs all of one's books, dvds, cds. It's your own library. I can't remember the name, but what's cool is that the camera on the Mac turns into a bar code scanner, so you just scan the ISBN number of the item and presto it shows up, even with it's picture, reviews and where to buy it online.

My buddy Rachel sent me an adorable kitschy sign that says, "I'd give up CHOCOLATE but I'm no quitter."  LOL. And along with that came an organic chocolate bar, a cute little ceramic planter (I'll have to plant some flowers in it with Autumn) and a very pretty little ceramic picture frame with a picture of Rachie in it! Rach lives in Florida (where we met, as I used to live in Florida).  So, I like seeing her smiling face in a picture, since I don't get to see her, in person, much.  She also sent me an adorable card too. 

The most important gift I have gotten is the one I have given to myself:  a 5 pound weight loss (just 23 more to go!).  I haven't gone on something like  Weight Watchers, or counting calories, or low carb, and I have not joined a gym.  All those things I have done before.  I am not a yo yo dieter.  I was always pretty thin.  After my mom died, when I was 34, I put on 20+ pounds.  A few years ago (I guess about 5) my husband lost 55 pounds.  I kind of joined him and lost 20. I kept it off for a few months and slowly put it back on. Then I just accepted it. Almost 2 years ago, I joined a Curves near me...not to lose the weight as much as add exercise into my life.I had seen a picture of me in a bathing suit and realized I was looking quite matronly...though in my head I am anything but matronly.  It went really well and I was getting firmer.  Then, just a few months in, we started having real problems with Ben.  Then, that Spring, my eczema (which had been lying dormant for 15 years) reared it's ugly head again. This time it was not just on my hands but on my feet.  That made going to Curves impossible. I ended up losing a lot of money.  Curves say that if a doctor fills out a form they close your account or hold it.  Well, they didn't.  Needless to say, I wouldn't go back. 

 The impetus for this whole thing, as I have not cared too much about the extra 20 pounds, is that after 2 rounds of steroids, in March,for the eczema, I put on EIGHT POUNDS in ONE MONTH!!! EEEEEKKK!  Clothes I had been wearing for the last couple of years suddenly didn't fit and I freaked out. I weigh myself maybe 4 times a year.  I was weighed at the docs before the steroids, still in my 20 extra pounds holding pattern, and then I stepped on the scale in April and flipped when I saw the number. 

So, knowing I can't be told what, when, and how to eat, or have a gym contract over my head, I figured I would take the sum of all my knowledge and make it work for me.  I know what I ate before. I am not keeping a food journal ( I did that too once and it only makes me obsess about food more) I am just making better choices.  My default food it sweet and baked or salty and crunchy in two words: cookies and chips.  And I would plow them into my mouth.  I am not a binge eater or closet eater. I am not dealing with an eating disorder...just older age. Plus, I just like eating.  So, since I love food, I am choosing other foods in lieu of my default comfort foods.  I am eating tons of fruit and veggies (which, aside from weight loss, is about time as they are good for me!) and lean meats.  I am still eating bread, pasta, cookies, chips etc...just far LESS.  I guess I am using a kind of portion control thing, as I think about it.  Also, and this is KEY: more than anything I am eating MINDFULLY.  I am really thinking about what I am eating, when I eat, and taking small bites and truly savoring it.  It makes a huge difference.  I used to inhale everything.  I would taste it, but it would go down so fast, I needed to taste it again, and again, and again, and well....you get the picture.  Now I am really swirling things around in my mouth and really tasting them.  So, I find I need less to eat now. REALLY!  I know it sounds nuts but it's true.  Last, I am doing my best to make this a life thing, not temporary thing.  My mom died shortly before her 54th birthday of metastic colon cancer (it spread to both lobes of her liver).  So, when my mother was 42, she had barely 12 years left to her life.  I don't want that for me.  My mom had a legitimate eating disorder.  She was an overeater  and a very large gal.  I loved her to bits no matter what. She was my best friend.  I miss her dearly.  But I know she would want me to have what she never could seem to grasp for herself: fitness and good health.  I had them both before, it's time to reclaim them again. 

Gotta run!

Peace,