Well, I've lost 43 pounds so far, and am within 10 or 12 pounds of my goal. Even though I'm not a big believer in the BMI measurement, I'm pretty excited, since I'm no longer considered "overweight" by BMI standards, but on the high end of "normal." I can get the rooster pants and my skinny jeans on, but I can't close them quite yet.
I am at the home stretch…on Tuesday we start transition.
The first stage of transition is taking away one product and replacing it with "real food", which consists of 220 calories' worth of lean protein and 1/2 cup cooked veggies. We can have that meal any time of the day. I have decided on a veggie omelet, eaten at dinner time, since that is the time I can really relax and enjoy it.
Some of my cohort mates started planning elaborate menus consisting of something different every day; our lovely facilitator, N, suggests that we "keep it simple" for the first week at least, and have the same thing (or close to it) every day. So I bought a dozen eggs, some broccoli, a bag of spinach, and some mushrooms. I'll be making a veggie omelet every night and alternate the broccoli and the spinach so it doesn't get boring.
I have a little gadget called a "Stone Wave Cooker" (you might have seen it on late night TV commercials) which cooks up a yummy little omelet in the microwave, using no fat or oils, and it doesn't stick to the pan. I can go to the gym after work, come home, and have dinner ready in a couple of minutes.
Last blog post I mentioned that I joined a gym. I've been going almost every day and I really do love it. It feels so good to move! I've taken a couple of days off here and there, and when I do, I miss it. It is part of a chain that is establishing itself in my area, and I found out yesterday that they acquired another gym that is within walking distance of my home. I will have two gyms to choose from and take Zumba and yoga classes, etc.
Now that I am 43 pounds lighter, it is much more fun to walk and move around.
N has told us that the "product only" phase is the easiest part of the whole journey, and the challenges begin during transition. I believe her! Just walking through the market, looking at all the food, I can really understand why people get fat. From now on, I can only make good choices and watch everything I eat – weighing, measuring and tracking – if I want to keep this weight from piling back on
I was worried about having the food in my fridge until Tuesday, when I am finally allowed to eat it. Now it doesn't phase me; I know I can hold my horses until then. Eating product only is so simple! I am looking for ways to simplify my eating habits during transition and maintenance, and make sure I always have healthful food on hand.
Showing posts with label behavioral goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label behavioral goals. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Week 14, Day 7: My cheat day and working out
I'm now down 37 pounds, and have two more weeks of full product to go before heading into transition. My fear of food has abated and now I've been thinking of new ways to eat, and healthier modifications of favorite recipes.
On Thursday, April 17, I cheated. So far I've been able to resist the cakes, cookies, fudge and bagels. However, on Thursday one of my co-workers brought a platter of baby carrot and celery sticks. This event coincided with my forgetting to pack my nutrition bar in my purse, which gave me the perfect excuse to cheat. :)
I picked up one celery stick (about 2" long) and a baby carrot, and brought them to my desk. When it was time for lunch I munched on them slowly, with itty bitty bites. They tasted good! I was surprised by the strings in the celery, because those had not been in my veggie fantasies. But it was great to have a bit of raw veggie after abstaining all this time.
I'm not a bit remorseful. And that one little cheat was enough for me; no big bags of raw veggies are in my refrigerator to snack on. (Or Oreo cookies, for that matter.)
The other big news is…I joined a gym! A gym near my home is under new ownership and they are running a new member special through the end of April. The monthly rates are very reasonable and there is no contract. For the special they reduced their sign-up fee to $1. I paid a prorated amount for the rest of April, and my full membership will kick in on May 1.
It's a nice gym, large and clean, with lots of machines and equipment. The treadmill I used today was huge, with a secure place for me to put my e-book reader. (Yes, I'm one of those weirdos who reads on the treadmill.) There are also classes available, such as yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, cycling, etc.
I decided to join this gym rather than the yoga studio due to cost; also, there is more variety at the gym and there are several types of exercise I would like to try.
As today is Easter Sunday, the classes were canceled, but I'm going back tomorrow night to try Zumba.:) It's amazing how much easier it is to move around with 37 pounds gone! I feel energized, not exhausted.
The staff member who signed me up at the gym had to fill out a registration form with several questions, one of which was, "How much do you weigh?" Back in January I would have been embarrassed to answer (and would probably have lied). Today I had no problem answering truthfully. He asked me what my goal weight was, and I said, "I weighed 120 in high school, but I don't know if that's achievable at my age." He said, "Sure it is!"
How things have changed in three short months!!
Happy Easter to those who celebrate; and to those who do not, have a great Sunday evening! Here are some of my knitted creations, pattern design by Susan B. Anderson:
On Thursday, April 17, I cheated. So far I've been able to resist the cakes, cookies, fudge and bagels. However, on Thursday one of my co-workers brought a platter of baby carrot and celery sticks. This event coincided with my forgetting to pack my nutrition bar in my purse, which gave me the perfect excuse to cheat. :)
I picked up one celery stick (about 2" long) and a baby carrot, and brought them to my desk. When it was time for lunch I munched on them slowly, with itty bitty bites. They tasted good! I was surprised by the strings in the celery, because those had not been in my veggie fantasies. But it was great to have a bit of raw veggie after abstaining all this time.
I'm not a bit remorseful. And that one little cheat was enough for me; no big bags of raw veggies are in my refrigerator to snack on. (Or Oreo cookies, for that matter.)
The other big news is…I joined a gym! A gym near my home is under new ownership and they are running a new member special through the end of April. The monthly rates are very reasonable and there is no contract. For the special they reduced their sign-up fee to $1. I paid a prorated amount for the rest of April, and my full membership will kick in on May 1.
It's a nice gym, large and clean, with lots of machines and equipment. The treadmill I used today was huge, with a secure place for me to put my e-book reader. (Yes, I'm one of those weirdos who reads on the treadmill.) There are also classes available, such as yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, cycling, etc.
I decided to join this gym rather than the yoga studio due to cost; also, there is more variety at the gym and there are several types of exercise I would like to try.
As today is Easter Sunday, the classes were canceled, but I'm going back tomorrow night to try Zumba.:) It's amazing how much easier it is to move around with 37 pounds gone! I feel energized, not exhausted.
The staff member who signed me up at the gym had to fill out a registration form with several questions, one of which was, "How much do you weigh?" Back in January I would have been embarrassed to answer (and would probably have lied). Today I had no problem answering truthfully. He asked me what my goal weight was, and I said, "I weighed 120 in high school, but I don't know if that's achievable at my age." He said, "Sure it is!"
How things have changed in three short months!!
Happy Easter to those who celebrate; and to those who do not, have a great Sunday evening! Here are some of my knitted creations, pattern design by Susan B. Anderson:
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Week 11, Day 3: Personal Responsibility, or I'm The Boss Of Me
The past two cohort meetings have centered around personal responsibility; both admitting why we got fat and dealing with the times that we slip (and we all will, sooner or later). Someday, something will weaken my resolve and I'll have to work that out when the time comes.
I made myself fat. No one held me down and stuffed food down my throat. If someone made me feel bad, and I reacted by eating a bag of cookies to make myself feel better, that's on me. The other person didn't do it TO me.
That being said, our facilitator, J (our regular leader, N, was absent that night) talked about the Failure Cycle and the Success Cycle. If I'm on the Failure Cycle, I think negative thoughts, don't track my calories, don't exercise, eat too much and gain weight. On the Success Cycle I pick myself up, I acknowledge that I slipped, write it down in my food journal, then keep on tracking and exercising and making good choices.
The emotions on the Failure Cycle are depression, anger, frustration and powerlessness.
The emotions on the Success Cycle are awareness, commitment and self-forgiveness.
But the trick with self-forgiveness is not to make excuses for myself, or justify my actions. It is to acknowledge my mistake, write it down so I don't forget, and move on.
J also talked with us about "black and white thinking", or extremism, where things are good or bad, on or off. Food isn't good or bad, it's just food. I am in control; I choose what to eat or not eat.
When I was growing up, wasting food was tantamount to sinning. My parents were born during the Great Depression; then when they were children, World War II broke out. My father lived in England and my mother in Scotland, and food was rationed (when it was even available).
In our house, we didn't throw food away. My mother cooked healthy and balanced meals, and my parents never got fat (my father is 82 and has always been thin). My brothers and I were on the slim-to-average side because we ran around a lot and didn't get much candy, or any fast food to speak of.
One time, when my brother and I were teenagers, we threw a few eggs at another kid's house. We were found out, of course, and my father was more upset about the wasted eggs than he was about the vandalism.
I gained weight later, much later, after I was older and had been out of the family home for many years. I visited my father the other day, and he told me that he no longer worries about throwing excess food away. He said, "I used to think it was terrible to do that. But it will do no harm to the garbage can, and it might do some real harm to me."
Truer words were never spoken.
Someone brought some Marini's walnut fudge to the office the other day. There was one little piece left, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.
Of course I didn't eat it! You guys know me better than that! :)
But...boy, for a minute I sure thought about it!
I'm in control. I'm in charge here. I'm the boss of me.
It has occurred to me that it's time for me to go out into the world and look for activity partners who want to live in a positive, life-affirming, healthy way. There is a yoga studio about a mile from my home, and I haven't been to a yoga class in about three years. Maybe it's time to try again.
I love this blog because I can share my ideas. I'd love to talk with you about yours! Please share, either by PM or in comments.
I made myself fat. No one held me down and stuffed food down my throat. If someone made me feel bad, and I reacted by eating a bag of cookies to make myself feel better, that's on me. The other person didn't do it TO me.
That being said, our facilitator, J (our regular leader, N, was absent that night) talked about the Failure Cycle and the Success Cycle. If I'm on the Failure Cycle, I think negative thoughts, don't track my calories, don't exercise, eat too much and gain weight. On the Success Cycle I pick myself up, I acknowledge that I slipped, write it down in my food journal, then keep on tracking and exercising and making good choices.
The emotions on the Failure Cycle are depression, anger, frustration and powerlessness.
The emotions on the Success Cycle are awareness, commitment and self-forgiveness.
But the trick with self-forgiveness is not to make excuses for myself, or justify my actions. It is to acknowledge my mistake, write it down so I don't forget, and move on.
J also talked with us about "black and white thinking", or extremism, where things are good or bad, on or off. Food isn't good or bad, it's just food. I am in control; I choose what to eat or not eat.
When I was growing up, wasting food was tantamount to sinning. My parents were born during the Great Depression; then when they were children, World War II broke out. My father lived in England and my mother in Scotland, and food was rationed (when it was even available).
In our house, we didn't throw food away. My mother cooked healthy and balanced meals, and my parents never got fat (my father is 82 and has always been thin). My brothers and I were on the slim-to-average side because we ran around a lot and didn't get much candy, or any fast food to speak of.
One time, when my brother and I were teenagers, we threw a few eggs at another kid's house. We were found out, of course, and my father was more upset about the wasted eggs than he was about the vandalism.
I gained weight later, much later, after I was older and had been out of the family home for many years. I visited my father the other day, and he told me that he no longer worries about throwing excess food away. He said, "I used to think it was terrible to do that. But it will do no harm to the garbage can, and it might do some real harm to me."
Truer words were never spoken.
Someone brought some Marini's walnut fudge to the office the other day. There was one little piece left, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.
Of course I didn't eat it! You guys know me better than that! :)
But...boy, for a minute I sure thought about it!
I'm in control. I'm in charge here. I'm the boss of me.
It has occurred to me that it's time for me to go out into the world and look for activity partners who want to live in a positive, life-affirming, healthy way. There is a yoga studio about a mile from my home, and I haven't been to a yoga class in about three years. Maybe it's time to try again.
I love this blog because I can share my ideas. I'd love to talk with you about yours! Please share, either by PM or in comments.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Week 9, Day 3: Those dreaded words
Today we had another party at work. One of my co-workers (who has a side business planning parties) catered a beautiful spread of sandwiches on croissants, pasta salad, veggies and dip, pink lemonade and (the biggest stumbling-block for me) a huge fresh fruit salad.
I went into the "party room" to hang out for a little while and sip my bottled water. One co-worker (not the caterer) said, "Can't you just have some veggies? There aren't any calories."
Some of my Kaiser co-cohorters (CoCos!) have related similar stories of such things being said to them, but it had not happened to me yet. I'm out of the Optifast closet at work, so everyone knows that I don't eat regular food, and can't for four months. I am not sure what part of PRODUCT ONLY is so hard to understand; people of lesser education and intellect than this gal seem to grasp it! But she just couldn't resist saying it.
I simply answered, "No, I can't" and let it go at that.
Most people are very respectful of me and my choice. A lot of my co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances have commented on my weight loss and have given me encouragement. Friends and family have been my cheerleaders. My brother checks in with me once a week to see how I'm doing and rally me on. My boss is probably the most supportive. The other day he said, "I'm glad you are doing this and I want to help you any way I can. I've got a selfish motive -- if you keel over with a heart attack or stroke, I'm screwed!"
It was a funny thing for him to say, but it made me feel great.
I understand that others are not on my program and "regular life" goes on. There are parties, there are dinners, there are birthdays and special occasions. There will be food everywhere and I have to make choices. What is momentary enjoyment of some food, when my long-term health and well-being is at stake? When we go into transition and then into maintenance I'll have to make these choices all the time. Right now I'm fortunate to have a plan that is set out and spelled out for me…no thinking required.
My goal for this next week, now that my bug has almost run its course, is to be more diligent about exercise. I want to aim for 9000 steps every day until the end of March.
If you are trying to lose weight, how do you handle the insensitive statements of others? And do you have a behavioral goal you would like to achieve this week?
I went into the "party room" to hang out for a little while and sip my bottled water. One co-worker (not the caterer) said, "Can't you just have some veggies? There aren't any calories."
Some of my Kaiser co-cohorters (CoCos!) have related similar stories of such things being said to them, but it had not happened to me yet. I'm out of the Optifast closet at work, so everyone knows that I don't eat regular food, and can't for four months. I am not sure what part of PRODUCT ONLY is so hard to understand; people of lesser education and intellect than this gal seem to grasp it! But she just couldn't resist saying it.
I simply answered, "No, I can't" and let it go at that.
Most people are very respectful of me and my choice. A lot of my co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances have commented on my weight loss and have given me encouragement. Friends and family have been my cheerleaders. My brother checks in with me once a week to see how I'm doing and rally me on. My boss is probably the most supportive. The other day he said, "I'm glad you are doing this and I want to help you any way I can. I've got a selfish motive -- if you keel over with a heart attack or stroke, I'm screwed!"
It was a funny thing for him to say, but it made me feel great.
I understand that others are not on my program and "regular life" goes on. There are parties, there are dinners, there are birthdays and special occasions. There will be food everywhere and I have to make choices. What is momentary enjoyment of some food, when my long-term health and well-being is at stake? When we go into transition and then into maintenance I'll have to make these choices all the time. Right now I'm fortunate to have a plan that is set out and spelled out for me…no thinking required.
My goal for this next week, now that my bug has almost run its course, is to be more diligent about exercise. I want to aim for 9000 steps every day until the end of March.
If you are trying to lose weight, how do you handle the insensitive statements of others? And do you have a behavioral goal you would like to achieve this week?
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Week 9, Day 1: Gratitude
I am almost over my cold now; there is a slight residual cough but I'm pretty much back to normal.
Went to my MWM meeting at Kaiser last night. The weight loss last week was not spectacular (1.2 pounds) but my blood pressure read normal! 127/89. That is so amazing! And to think that as recently as late December, my blood pressure was registering over 190.
I've now lost a total of 24.6 pounds. Staying on the plan is hard at times. I yo-yo between enjoying the product (like tonight's raspberry vanilla shake--yumm!) and being truly tired of having no "regular" food.
Today is the birthday of one of my co-workers. Someone brought chocolate dipped strawberries to work. I resisted all day and didn't even look at them. This afternoon, at about three, I went into the break room and saw one last strawberry on the plate. No one was around, no one would have seen me eat it. And it was just one strawberry! One wouldn't hurt, would it? Did I think about it? Yesssss….. Did I eat it? NO! (Did I take a picture of it? Of course!)
Anyway, enough about chocolate-dipped strawberries! Back to last night's cohort meeting.
One of the physicians came in and talked about ways of dealing with challenges and stress without resorting to self-medicating with food. One of her slides said "Food Is Medicine", which contradicts what I just wrote a sentence ago. But the difference is, food is medicine for our bodies. It should not be an antidepressant, or a mood stabilizer, or an antidote to boredom. There are other ways to cope.
We broke into small groups to brainstorm about coping strategies, or what the doctor calls our "Stress Toolbox". Suggestions were: talking to friends and family; taking a walk; listening to (or playing) music; a bubble bath with candles; creating art or doing a craft; spending time with our pets; reading a good book; watching something uplifting on TV, such as a travelogue or home improvement show.
Chocolate covered strawberries didn't make the list. :)
Since I've been on the program I've pondered a great deal about the triggers that prompted me to overeat. I am a big stress eater. When something goes wrong, or if I'm in an uncomfortable place, having something (anything!) to eat will make me feel better, for a few minutes at least. I am teaching myself to pause and think about what is really going on before grabbing some food and mindlessly eating it. And unfortunately, what I would usually grab was junk and empty calories.
Before this program, I would just put stuff in my mouth without even thinking about it! Now that I am ingesting five Optifast products a day, I think about each one, before and during. I think about the taste, the texture, and I space them out enough so that usually I enjoy the experience. I want to take that new habit into transition and maintenance.
Affirmation: Food is medicine for my body. I mindfully eat only what I need, with gratitude, then put the fork and plate away to move forward and live my life.
What strategies are in your "Stress Toolbox"? What can you do for yourself as an alternative to eating for stress release?
Went to my MWM meeting at Kaiser last night. The weight loss last week was not spectacular (1.2 pounds) but my blood pressure read normal! 127/89. That is so amazing! And to think that as recently as late December, my blood pressure was registering over 190.
I've now lost a total of 24.6 pounds. Staying on the plan is hard at times. I yo-yo between enjoying the product (like tonight's raspberry vanilla shake--yumm!) and being truly tired of having no "regular" food.
Today is the birthday of one of my co-workers. Someone brought chocolate dipped strawberries to work. I resisted all day and didn't even look at them. This afternoon, at about three, I went into the break room and saw one last strawberry on the plate. No one was around, no one would have seen me eat it. And it was just one strawberry! One wouldn't hurt, would it? Did I think about it? Yesssss….. Did I eat it? NO! (Did I take a picture of it? Of course!)
Anyway, enough about chocolate-dipped strawberries! Back to last night's cohort meeting.
One of the physicians came in and talked about ways of dealing with challenges and stress without resorting to self-medicating with food. One of her slides said "Food Is Medicine", which contradicts what I just wrote a sentence ago. But the difference is, food is medicine for our bodies. It should not be an antidepressant, or a mood stabilizer, or an antidote to boredom. There are other ways to cope.
We broke into small groups to brainstorm about coping strategies, or what the doctor calls our "Stress Toolbox". Suggestions were: talking to friends and family; taking a walk; listening to (or playing) music; a bubble bath with candles; creating art or doing a craft; spending time with our pets; reading a good book; watching something uplifting on TV, such as a travelogue or home improvement show.
Chocolate covered strawberries didn't make the list. :)
Since I've been on the program I've pondered a great deal about the triggers that prompted me to overeat. I am a big stress eater. When something goes wrong, or if I'm in an uncomfortable place, having something (anything!) to eat will make me feel better, for a few minutes at least. I am teaching myself to pause and think about what is really going on before grabbing some food and mindlessly eating it. And unfortunately, what I would usually grab was junk and empty calories.
Before this program, I would just put stuff in my mouth without even thinking about it! Now that I am ingesting five Optifast products a day, I think about each one, before and during. I think about the taste, the texture, and I space them out enough so that usually I enjoy the experience. I want to take that new habit into transition and maintenance.
Affirmation: Food is medicine for my body. I mindfully eat only what I need, with gratitude, then put the fork and plate away to move forward and live my life.
What strategies are in your "Stress Toolbox"? What can you do for yourself as an alternative to eating for stress release?
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Week 8, Day 1: Plugging Along
I went to my meeting last night and, according to Kaiser's scale, I lost 3.1 lbs. last week, or 23.4 pounds on the program so far. Yippee! I do feel a lot lighter and more energetic. I can wear smaller jeans.
At the end of this week we will be exactly halfway through the product-only phase of the program. N, our lovely facilitator, said that this is the time that a lot of participants get really sick of eating Optifast product only and want to eat real food. I am feeling very fortunate that I am not experiencing the challenges and road bumps that many of my cohort members are experiencing. I don't have to cook for a spouse or children and smell the food. I don't travel for business or entertain clients at restaurants. I have no cruises or vacations or weddings or any social commitments that require me to be around lots of food. This program is probably easier for me than it is for a lot of people.
I'm not jonesing for "regular" food; not really. Yes, I occasionally think of steamed veggies, or pizza, or yogurt. If I REALLY REALLY wanted to, I could probably munch on a few carrots or celery sticks, or eat an apple, and not suffer any ill effects. But as N says in class, "It's a slippery slope." If I give myself permission to eat raw veggies, it's a short trip from veggies to a piece of chicken breast to fries at McDonalds. And I don't want to go there.
I want to lose the rest of my weight and put the SMART Skills we are learning into practice. I'll never, ever be able to eat what I want and as much as I want. And that is okay. I'd rather be thin than be full.
SMART stands for:
Set a goal
Monitor your progress
Arrange your world for success
Recruit a support team
Treat yourself
(from the book Living Smart: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever, by Joshua C. Klapow, Ph.D and Sheri D. Pruitt, Ph.D)
I have the first four nailed down; "treating myself" is a bit more awkward. After all, I'm single with no kids. I am not always denying myself to put my family first. I guess you could say that my life is one big "treat"! When we talked about this in class, N said that it's more about training ourselves not to use food as a reward for meeting our goals. I can buy that. So I guess that instead of having a cookie or a glass of wine and a piece of brie, I need to find something else to "reward" myself with. An iTunes download? A new e-book for my Kindle? A pair of knitting needles? I'll have to figure that out.
Before the program I didn't really look at food as a "reward", though. For me, food was my stress reliever, drug of choice and comforting friend.
Traffic bad on my way home? I'd have a cookie, or two (or three).
Boss being a pain? I'd wait until after five and pour myself a glass or merlot and cut off a hunk of cheese with it. (Cheese is good for your teeth, dontcha know? Red wine, not so much.)
Lonely at home, no one to hang out with? I'd order a pizza from one of the six pizza places within walking distance of my condo, bring it home and chow down. (After all, if I walk there and walk back, I'm burning off the calories, riiiiiight?)
Reading over this post, I've got a lot to be thankful for, and sometimes I don't realize it. I look forward, not to cookies or wine or pizza, but to being the size I want to be, and having a new, healthier body.
If you would care to share your challenges, or what is motivating you to lose weight, I'd love to hear from you!
At the end of this week we will be exactly halfway through the product-only phase of the program. N, our lovely facilitator, said that this is the time that a lot of participants get really sick of eating Optifast product only and want to eat real food. I am feeling very fortunate that I am not experiencing the challenges and road bumps that many of my cohort members are experiencing. I don't have to cook for a spouse or children and smell the food. I don't travel for business or entertain clients at restaurants. I have no cruises or vacations or weddings or any social commitments that require me to be around lots of food. This program is probably easier for me than it is for a lot of people.
I'm not jonesing for "regular" food; not really. Yes, I occasionally think of steamed veggies, or pizza, or yogurt. If I REALLY REALLY wanted to, I could probably munch on a few carrots or celery sticks, or eat an apple, and not suffer any ill effects. But as N says in class, "It's a slippery slope." If I give myself permission to eat raw veggies, it's a short trip from veggies to a piece of chicken breast to fries at McDonalds. And I don't want to go there.
I want to lose the rest of my weight and put the SMART Skills we are learning into practice. I'll never, ever be able to eat what I want and as much as I want. And that is okay. I'd rather be thin than be full.
SMART stands for:
Set a goal
Monitor your progress
Arrange your world for success
Recruit a support team
Treat yourself
(from the book Living Smart: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever, by Joshua C. Klapow, Ph.D and Sheri D. Pruitt, Ph.D)
I have the first four nailed down; "treating myself" is a bit more awkward. After all, I'm single with no kids. I am not always denying myself to put my family first. I guess you could say that my life is one big "treat"! When we talked about this in class, N said that it's more about training ourselves not to use food as a reward for meeting our goals. I can buy that. So I guess that instead of having a cookie or a glass of wine and a piece of brie, I need to find something else to "reward" myself with. An iTunes download? A new e-book for my Kindle? A pair of knitting needles? I'll have to figure that out.
Before the program I didn't really look at food as a "reward", though. For me, food was my stress reliever, drug of choice and comforting friend.
Traffic bad on my way home? I'd have a cookie, or two (or three).
Boss being a pain? I'd wait until after five and pour myself a glass or merlot and cut off a hunk of cheese with it. (Cheese is good for your teeth, dontcha know? Red wine, not so much.)
Lonely at home, no one to hang out with? I'd order a pizza from one of the six pizza places within walking distance of my condo, bring it home and chow down. (After all, if I walk there and walk back, I'm burning off the calories, riiiiiight?)
Reading over this post, I've got a lot to be thankful for, and sometimes I don't realize it. I look forward, not to cookies or wine or pizza, but to being the size I want to be, and having a new, healthier body.
If you would care to share your challenges, or what is motivating you to lose weight, I'd love to hear from you!
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Week 7, Day 6: Crafting is my therapy
Funny story: I'm kind of a noob when it comes to blogs and webpages. One of my favorite websites is Craftsy, which is a virtual candy store of online classes, patterns, ideas, etc. for artists and crafters in every medium.
Craftsy sent me an e-mail, suggesting that I place a "badge" on my blog. Several designs were offered, and I chose one that said "Crafting Is My Therapy" with the Craftsy logo on it. I copied the code and then went into my template to paste it. Easy-peasy, no trouble at all.
When I went to view mode to see how it looked, I was HORRIFIED!! Instead of "Crafting Is My Therapy", the badge said "Cake Is My Escape"!!!
I completely forgot how to navigate back to the template so I could get rid of it, and spent several panicked moments trying to retrace my steps. How would it look to Optifasters to see "Cake Is My Escape"?? Cake is certainly NOT my escape, at least not anymore.
I'll write a note to Craftsy about it, but in the meantime I thought it was kind of a funny story, and a good way to illustrate how my mindset about food has changed these past seven (going on eight) weeks.
I'm starting to feel better, FINALLY. I'm a very bad patient! Illness is so inconvenient. Daylight saving time is finally here and that always gives me a lift. According to my scale (and adjusted for Kaiser's scale) it looks like I'm down 23 pounds since January 21. I visited my father yesterday, who said I didn't look very different, but he is 82 and has glaucoma, so maybe he can't see me clearly. I feel thinner and I see it in the mirror and in my clothes.
This afternoon I'm attending a celebration of life gathering for a friend of mine who died of colon cancer on November 21. I only knew Margaret for four short years, but she was one of the kindest and most gracious people I have ever met. She was loved by everyone who knew her and had tons of friends. Whenever we went anywhere, she ran into friends and acquaintances and they greeted her like a long-lost sister. Margaret bravely fought cancer with courage and grace, and this afternoon will be bittersweet. She is finally at rest and out of pain, but her family and friends miss her terribly. I do look forward to being in a room with lots of people who loved her.
I am reminded that life is so very brief and every day is a precious gift. The guy who coined the phrase "Don't sweat the small stuff" nailed it, right on the head.
Here is a little bird I crocheted (designed by Stacey Trock) that reminds me of that very idea:
Craftsy sent me an e-mail, suggesting that I place a "badge" on my blog. Several designs were offered, and I chose one that said "Crafting Is My Therapy" with the Craftsy logo on it. I copied the code and then went into my template to paste it. Easy-peasy, no trouble at all.
When I went to view mode to see how it looked, I was HORRIFIED!! Instead of "Crafting Is My Therapy", the badge said "Cake Is My Escape"!!!
I completely forgot how to navigate back to the template so I could get rid of it, and spent several panicked moments trying to retrace my steps. How would it look to Optifasters to see "Cake Is My Escape"?? Cake is certainly NOT my escape, at least not anymore.
I'll write a note to Craftsy about it, but in the meantime I thought it was kind of a funny story, and a good way to illustrate how my mindset about food has changed these past seven (going on eight) weeks.
I'm starting to feel better, FINALLY. I'm a very bad patient! Illness is so inconvenient. Daylight saving time is finally here and that always gives me a lift. According to my scale (and adjusted for Kaiser's scale) it looks like I'm down 23 pounds since January 21. I visited my father yesterday, who said I didn't look very different, but he is 82 and has glaucoma, so maybe he can't see me clearly. I feel thinner and I see it in the mirror and in my clothes.
This afternoon I'm attending a celebration of life gathering for a friend of mine who died of colon cancer on November 21. I only knew Margaret for four short years, but she was one of the kindest and most gracious people I have ever met. She was loved by everyone who knew her and had tons of friends. Whenever we went anywhere, she ran into friends and acquaintances and they greeted her like a long-lost sister. Margaret bravely fought cancer with courage and grace, and this afternoon will be bittersweet. She is finally at rest and out of pain, but her family and friends miss her terribly. I do look forward to being in a room with lots of people who loved her.
I am reminded that life is so very brief and every day is a precious gift. The guy who coined the phrase "Don't sweat the small stuff" nailed it, right on the head.
Here is a little bird I crocheted (designed by Stacey Trock) that reminds me of that very idea:
Monday, February 24, 2014
Week 5, Day 7: If you eat it, write it…and other nuggets of wisdom
Our Kaiser MWM cohort met again tonight after two weeks; it was exciting to see that several people are definitely looking thinner. We are going into our sixth week on product and we've only lost a couple of cohort members*. Most of the group is sticking with the program.
I did my weigh-in, and I'm down 6.1 pounds from two weeks ago. I'm very, very pleased about that. I've lost just over 15 pounds in five weeks on product, averaging about three pounds per week.
The hypertension is decreasing (143/104 today) so the doctor doesn't think I need blood pressure meds as long as I keep losing weight. All of my labs look good, so they say I'm doing fine on the program.
Our facilitator, N, talked about the importance of monitoring our food and exercise. Monitoring=Journaling. We are supposed to keep a journal what we eat, when we eat, and where. N collects our journal pages and looks them over before returning them to us. We are also given the choice of using FitBit or one of the websites like MyFitnessPal to log our food and exercise, as long as there is some sort of printing option.
Since we are eating Optifast only at this stage, it's not too difficult to just write "Chicken Soup" or "Vanilla Shake" in the little boxes. When we start eating "regular" food, and -gasp- MAKING CHOICES! calorie counting can get complicated, so one of those programs will be useful.
So far N hasn't specifically asked us to turn in exercise logs, but I know myself that when I was journaling all my exercise and steps a couple of weeks ago, I was doing pretty well. Last meeting Kaiser had run out of blank exercise log pages, so that was my excuse to slack off and not exercise as much. Bad me! I made sure to grab some extra log pages tonight, and will make photocopies if I run out.
I'm certain that at some point we will be asked to turn in our exercise pages, and as I'm a good little do-bee, I'll have to make sure my homework gets done. :)
Journaling is a very effective tool. I don't want to see a "cheat" on my journal sheet, so I'd better stick to the program! It's nice to see a line of seven days of consistent exercise, so I'd better do my workouts and write them down! I can make all kinds of excuses and justify my behavior ('Oh, man, the sciatica is killing me!'), but if I want this to be the last "diet" in my lifetime, I've got to develop habits that will stick with me forever.
N told us the top two habits of dieters who are ultimately successful (don't gain back the weight):
1. Eating breakfast every day
2. Food journaling
And since I am going to be in the successful group, I'll have to make sure those habits are ingrained into my body and mind.
*Note: We've lost a couple of cohorters to quitting the program, not death! It occurred to me how that must sound!
I did my weigh-in, and I'm down 6.1 pounds from two weeks ago. I'm very, very pleased about that. I've lost just over 15 pounds in five weeks on product, averaging about three pounds per week.
The hypertension is decreasing (143/104 today) so the doctor doesn't think I need blood pressure meds as long as I keep losing weight. All of my labs look good, so they say I'm doing fine on the program.
Our facilitator, N, talked about the importance of monitoring our food and exercise. Monitoring=Journaling. We are supposed to keep a journal what we eat, when we eat, and where. N collects our journal pages and looks them over before returning them to us. We are also given the choice of using FitBit or one of the websites like MyFitnessPal to log our food and exercise, as long as there is some sort of printing option.
Since we are eating Optifast only at this stage, it's not too difficult to just write "Chicken Soup" or "Vanilla Shake" in the little boxes. When we start eating "regular" food, and -gasp- MAKING CHOICES! calorie counting can get complicated, so one of those programs will be useful.
So far N hasn't specifically asked us to turn in exercise logs, but I know myself that when I was journaling all my exercise and steps a couple of weeks ago, I was doing pretty well. Last meeting Kaiser had run out of blank exercise log pages, so that was my excuse to slack off and not exercise as much. Bad me! I made sure to grab some extra log pages tonight, and will make photocopies if I run out.
I'm certain that at some point we will be asked to turn in our exercise pages, and as I'm a good little do-bee, I'll have to make sure my homework gets done. :)
Journaling is a very effective tool. I don't want to see a "cheat" on my journal sheet, so I'd better stick to the program! It's nice to see a line of seven days of consistent exercise, so I'd better do my workouts and write them down! I can make all kinds of excuses and justify my behavior ('Oh, man, the sciatica is killing me!'), but if I want this to be the last "diet" in my lifetime, I've got to develop habits that will stick with me forever.
N told us the top two habits of dieters who are ultimately successful (don't gain back the weight):
1. Eating breakfast every day
2. Food journaling
And since I am going to be in the successful group, I'll have to make sure those habits are ingrained into my body and mind.
*Note: We've lost a couple of cohorters to quitting the program, not death! It occurred to me how that must sound!
Monday, February 17, 2014
Week 4, Day 7: Food Non-Obsession
I'm on the last day of the fourth week on product. This morning I was reflecting on how food, which was once a focal point of my life, has become so insignificant. Case in point: Last night I got so absorbed in the project I was weaving on my loom that I literally forgot to take my last meal replacement. By the time I remembered, it was 11:30 p.m., far too late to eat anything without risking major acid reflux. Skipping meals is a big no-no on the Kaiser MWM program, but I didn't do it intentionally. I'm actually thrilled with how much my mindset is changing.
Pre-MWM, I loved my fiber arts projects but it seems as if I'm now more obsessed with them as my food fixation is waning. Is that healthier? There are no calories involved, but it can be hard on the pocketbook if I'm not careful. :) I'd love to be "obsessed" with working out, but so far that hasn't happened, although working out makes me feel great.
It's a holiday weekend here in the United States (President's Day) so no work today and no class tonight. We purchased two weeks' worth of product last Monday to get us through until class next Monday. I don't have access to the Kaiser scale so I don't know "officially" how much weight I have lost since last weigh-in, but my clothes are telling me that I have lost a few more pounds.
In fact, today I am wearing a top that is labeled "Medium, size 8-10." It fits snugly, but—it fits!
I seem to feel less hungry at home than when I am at the office. Last week there were more goodies in the break room for Valentine's Day (brownies, among other things) but I'm finding it easier and easier to "just say no."
When the physician talked with our group a couple of weeks ago he discussed the difference between true and false hunger. He told us to wait 11 minutes to eat after the first "hungry" feeling. If the hunger goes away, it is false, or emotional hunger. If the hunger persists (and if sufficient time has passed since the last meal replacement), it is real, or physical hunger. This technique truly works!
Although I do savor the Optifast meal replacements (yes, I'm weird), I no longer feel like I need to medicate myself with food. Woo-hoo!!!
To those reading who are on a weight loss journey: What activity or passion do you have in your life that you can substitute for food?
Pre-MWM, I loved my fiber arts projects but it seems as if I'm now more obsessed with them as my food fixation is waning. Is that healthier? There are no calories involved, but it can be hard on the pocketbook if I'm not careful. :) I'd love to be "obsessed" with working out, but so far that hasn't happened, although working out makes me feel great.
It's a holiday weekend here in the United States (President's Day) so no work today and no class tonight. We purchased two weeks' worth of product last Monday to get us through until class next Monday. I don't have access to the Kaiser scale so I don't know "officially" how much weight I have lost since last weigh-in, but my clothes are telling me that I have lost a few more pounds.
In fact, today I am wearing a top that is labeled "Medium, size 8-10." It fits snugly, but—it fits!
I seem to feel less hungry at home than when I am at the office. Last week there were more goodies in the break room for Valentine's Day (brownies, among other things) but I'm finding it easier and easier to "just say no."
When the physician talked with our group a couple of weeks ago he discussed the difference between true and false hunger. He told us to wait 11 minutes to eat after the first "hungry" feeling. If the hunger goes away, it is false, or emotional hunger. If the hunger persists (and if sufficient time has passed since the last meal replacement), it is real, or physical hunger. This technique truly works!
Although I do savor the Optifast meal replacements (yes, I'm weird), I no longer feel like I need to medicate myself with food. Woo-hoo!!!
To those reading who are on a weight loss journey: What activity or passion do you have in your life that you can substitute for food?
Monday, February 10, 2014
Week 3, Day 7: Another 3.4 Pounds Gone! Bye-Bye!
Weighed in tonight and found that another 3.4 pounds has been released. That gives me a total of 10.6 pounds since starting product on January 21. I am SO excited!
Not only is that good news, but my blood pressure was significantly lower today—145/99. Still not ideal, but a big improvement.
This evening in class our group leader, N, talked with us about setting goals. She gave us an acronym, AMOS, to remember how our goals should be:
Achievable
Measurable
Observable
Specific
Even though we all have a goal for where we want to be in 30 weeks, N said that setting a weekly weight loss goal is setting ourselves up for disappointment; since, as hard as we might try, and as perfectly as we follow the program, there is a possibility that we might not lose that week, or we might even gain. Better to set a behavioral goal instead, such as exercising every day for a certain period of time, or walking a minimum number of steps per day, or making sure we sleep for seven hours a night (which supports weight loss.)
Most of us had exercise-related goals. My goal is to exercise twice a day for 20 minutes, morning and evening, until next Monday. After Monday I will increase my goal to 30 minutes in the morning and then a shorter 15 minute walk in the evening.
We are asked to reward ourselves with something (non-food) when we have achieved our goal. My "reward" will be a bouquet of fresh flowers. Others around the room mentioned getting a manicure, or an evening at the movies, or a new workout t-shirt. I am so used to reaching for a cookie, or a glass of wine and a piece of cheese (or whatever) when I wanted to "treat" myself, that it took me a second to come up with a "reward."
Because we are all on product only, we can't set food-related goals, per se. But one thing N said was so meaningful to me that I wrote it down. It was, "Treat your calories like cash." Don't eat junk that you can't remember five minutes later. If you are going to splurge, "budget" for it and make it something that is really, really good.
Yesterday was Sunday so I got daring and tried Zumba for the first time, on DVD. It was challenging, but a lot of fun! Because I was alone in my living room (except for my cats) I didn't worry about looking foolish and just went with it. I borrowed the disks, but I am seriously tempted to purchase a set for myself.
Not only is that good news, but my blood pressure was significantly lower today—145/99. Still not ideal, but a big improvement.
This evening in class our group leader, N, talked with us about setting goals. She gave us an acronym, AMOS, to remember how our goals should be:
Achievable
Measurable
Observable
Specific
Even though we all have a goal for where we want to be in 30 weeks, N said that setting a weekly weight loss goal is setting ourselves up for disappointment; since, as hard as we might try, and as perfectly as we follow the program, there is a possibility that we might not lose that week, or we might even gain. Better to set a behavioral goal instead, such as exercising every day for a certain period of time, or walking a minimum number of steps per day, or making sure we sleep for seven hours a night (which supports weight loss.)
Most of us had exercise-related goals. My goal is to exercise twice a day for 20 minutes, morning and evening, until next Monday. After Monday I will increase my goal to 30 minutes in the morning and then a shorter 15 minute walk in the evening.
We are asked to reward ourselves with something (non-food) when we have achieved our goal. My "reward" will be a bouquet of fresh flowers. Others around the room mentioned getting a manicure, or an evening at the movies, or a new workout t-shirt. I am so used to reaching for a cookie, or a glass of wine and a piece of cheese (or whatever) when I wanted to "treat" myself, that it took me a second to come up with a "reward."
Because we are all on product only, we can't set food-related goals, per se. But one thing N said was so meaningful to me that I wrote it down. It was, "Treat your calories like cash." Don't eat junk that you can't remember five minutes later. If you are going to splurge, "budget" for it and make it something that is really, really good.
Yesterday was Sunday so I got daring and tried Zumba for the first time, on DVD. It was challenging, but a lot of fun! Because I was alone in my living room (except for my cats) I didn't worry about looking foolish and just went with it. I borrowed the disks, but I am seriously tempted to purchase a set for myself.
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