Day 37

Okay – it’s been 36 days, and I think I have an excellent overview of what, and when I’m eating.  I feel like this is a good stopping point.  One lunar cycle.

I’ve again been reading a lot about the subject of weight gain in the 40s.  (Reading, that’s what I do when trying to motivate myself.)  Most medical reports I’ve seen agree; sometimes it’s not as simple as eat less and exercise more.  Stress, lack of sleep, pre-menopause/aging – all can alter how the body  metabolizes.

I know in my case that there is more I can be doing.  My record over the past 36 days proves that.  Moderate exercise and staying away from the junk food is a huge requirement for me.  Not only for my physical well-being, but my mental state as well.  Speaking of exercise:  one thing I haven’t been doing – which I’m going to incorporate (especially over the indoor months) is weights.  It’s easy, It can be done inside, I already own a set of dumbblles, and I think I can find 20 minutes, and a 6ft by 3 ft clearing on the floor. I tend to get myopic about my exercise. “Just RUN forever, and I’ll lose weight. “  Maybe keeping it flexible and simple would be a good motto.

Over the course of my soon to be 43 years:  I’ve been fit, I’ve been thin, I’ve been too thin, I’ve put on weight, I’ve had 2 beautiful babies, I’ve taken good care of myself, and I’ve let myself go.

What I’m starting to learn is that my body is taking this journey along with me, and I gotta take care of this ol‘ chassis.

Day 36

not good

6:45 am : coffee, 1% milk

9:00 am :  plain pumpkin muffin, kid’s leftover breakfast sausage

1:30 pm :  pumpkin muffin with buttercream frosting….I didn’t have lunch

3:30 pm :  cheez-its

3:30 pm :  cleaned up last bit of ice cream after serving some to Clara

5:30 pm : it all falls apart.  dinner is leftovers…some brown rice, some ww pasta, meat red sauce, peas, chopped broccoli, a slice of melty cheese.

ate clara’s 1/2 unfinished grilled cheese

had the last pumpkin muffin with the buttercream frosting

mint tea

not good.

 

Day 35

5:45 am : Coffee, 1% milk

7:30 am :  protein, fruit smoothie, yogurt plain 0%, 1 and a half toaster waffles with almond butter

9:30 am :  40 minute walk/jog

11:30 am early lunch, small slice leftover lasagna, side of cooked spinach

2:30 pm :  snack – ww bread sandwich turkey, little mayo,couple of almonds, 1/2 apple.

3:20 :  munched on goldfish crackers in the car.

4:30 pm : almonds/goldfish tiny bowl

4:45 pm :  grapes, almonds, one slice baguette with butter.

5:45 pm : dinner, salmon burger, brown rice, broccoli

8:00 pm : still hungry, had chobani yogurt with kashi 7 grain mixed in….

ate a banana, took a bite of a semi-sweet chocolate bar..yuck (i need to make some whole wheat biscotti – low on sugar – big on crunch)

Now I’m making pumpkin muffins for Clara’s class tomorrow….not eating one….i think i have just enough for her class.

Day 34

7:00 am :  ahhh AAAAAAAAAH – late, very late…coffee, 1% milk, no sweetener

7:30 am :  toaster waffle with almond butter

9:00 am : banana, cold leftover coffee

9:10 am : 40 minute walk (as I cut loose and broke into a slow jog…I encouraged myself by saying, “There’s no other way, There’s no other way.)

10:25 am :  out the door – protein smoothie, another waffle with almond butter……I will eat well today.

1:30 pm : fast lunch – a piece and a half of awesome leftover lasagna. Nuked spinach on the side.  I could have eaten the whole container of lasagna.  I didn’t.  I did have a slice of baguette with butter.

5:30 : not very hungry. bowl of goldfish crackers, 2 slices of cheddar cheese (I just read the fat content on those…man.)  bowl of grapes, handful of almonds, peppermint tea.

8:00 : dinner :  my plate was 1/2 broccoli, and the other half turkey and leftovers.

8:30 : grapes

Does laying on the sofa watching a 20 minute Zumba commercial count as exercise?

Day 33

6:00 am : coffee, 1% milk, Splenda

7:30 am : toaster waffle with almond butter, banana

9:00 am : 40 minute walk

11:00  am :  COSTCO snacks, cracker with goat cheese, smoked ham, chicken nugget, nut/fruit mix

1:00 pm : ww pasta, lean meat sauce, green peas, 2 slices french bread with butter ( I should have skipped that part)

3:30 pm : handful of almonds, 1 slice american cheese, wheat thins, hot peppermint tea

Tonight’s one of those nights where I could make some bad decisions;  husband is out of town, I’m not feeling like cooking.  I was going to make some turkey soup, brown rice, and healthy stuff…but I’m tired, and the kitchen’s a mess.  What I would normally do?  Eat a bowl of cereal…then a pb&j then some milk and cookies…oh, there’s ice cream.  Ice cream.  OK – I gave myself a break yesterday.  I’ll be ok.

And, I almost started running today.  I’m gonna try to keep the exercise up.  I’m so outta shape – running seems months, years away.  I’ll keep at it.  I don’t love running.  But it’s a great and easy way to exercise…but for now, I’ll just walk fast.

6:40 pm : ate the rest of spaghetti with meat sauce – about 1/2 a bowl.

7:00 pm :  Found a chocolate coin while looking for my son’s ear drops.  Ate it.

8:18 pm :  really just want to call it quits.  Eating wheat thins and a slice of cheddar cause that’s easier than making something for myself.  The kids go to bed, and I’m done.  I’m gonna finish this, take a bath then read…  If I don’t stop here- I’ll turn on the tv, and eat that Prince Pizza in the fridge.  Grapes…I’m eating grapes now…almonds.

Not the best eating night – but it is SO much better than glass after glass of milk with an entire package of Strawberry Newtons.

Day 32

Just gonna go down the list…took a break today – begin again tomorrow

• coffee, milk, Splenda
• ww toast with almond butter and protein smoothie
• 40 minute walk
• ham sandwich on ww, light on the mayo, mustard, 1 slice cheese, lettuce
• 1 slice pizza supreme, chips, corn chips, birthday cake, cocktail shrimp, cheese, crackers, pepperoni
• lasagna, salad, bread with butter, apple cider
• coffee with light cream, sugar
• little mini chocolate cake things, several spoonfuls of ice cream (not whole container) (that’s new for me)

Day 31

7:30 am : coffee, 1% milk, Splenda

9:30 am : Breakfast at Friendly’s.  Had a mush/onion/ham omelette – light on the cheddar.  Ate my ww toast…pretty much left the “homefries” alone.

12:00 pm :  munched on grapes, banana, carrots, a few chips with yogurt dip….never really got around to lunch – now making coffee.

3:00 pm :  lack of lunch means grazing….Grapes, slice of cheese, 4 chocolate frosted pretzels

5:30 pm : Big plate of Thanksgiving leftovers…

8:00 pm : hot tea

 

Day 30

6:30 am :  Coffee, 1% milk, Splenda

7:30 am : kashi 7 grain nuggets, o% fat greek plain yogurt, raisins

12:00 pm :  left over thanksgiving plate (lunch size…very moderate portions)

2:00 pm :  carrots and yogurt spinach dip

4:30 pm :  grapes and 2 pieces ww toast with almond butter

7:00 pm : hopefully popcorn with butter and a movie

So – this is day 30 – I’ve lost maybe 2 or 3lbs – haven’t weighed myself in a while.  This first phase is more about getting rid of the sugar and keeping blood sugar stable…than trying to lose tons of lbs.  Gotta get the exercise going…it’s winter…it’s holiday season…it’s a recipe for defeat.

Day 29 – Thanksgiving

My goal today was not to deny anything, or overeat anything – which I feel I did with success.

7:00 am : coffee with1% milk, 1/2 Splenda

10:00 am :  1/2 bagel with a light schmear

12:00 pm :  carrot sticks and dip, some potato chips, horseradish cheddar cheese.  Did not tackle the chips and dips.

4:00 pm :  Thanksgiving dinner, turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots and sweet potato mash, cranberry sauce, stuffing, roll.  A little more gravy.  1/2 beer.

6:00 pm : one slice of apple pie, small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Here’s the thing….I only took one serving of everything…one dessert…and I’m not planning on having a second dinner before bed.

Day 28

Moving into pms week – awesome.  And it’s Thanksgiving food time.  Boy, I just won the lottery. This would explain the eating last night…and the lack of resistance to the pumpkin bread.  Must stay strong…not perfect…just mindful.

6:45 am : coffee, 1% milk, dash a Splenda

8:00 a m : spinach, mush, egg parchment bake and 1 piece ww dry toast.

Exercise.  When I did weight watchers, I was also exercising almost 5x a week.  2 spinning classes, 3 treadmills days and free weights.  That’s a lot.  I have to find that level of commitment.  Get ass out of bed earlier…leave the dishes…leave the laundry…Find the energy to make the energy.

Starting with good breakfast…that’s a good start.

11:45 :  Herby Turkey Bruegger’s bagel. (sesame seed)

12:00  Bowl of grapes

2:07  salmon burger and a salad/wheat thins

2:56 :  I have considered either 4 our 1000 times today to kill this category.  That way I can eat what I want and spare myself the public shame….If you could hear me say that…it would be over the crunching of wheat thins.

3:34 : grapes, 2 slices of cheese

5:20 pm : dinnner – ww spaghetti, lean meat sauce, green peas.

6:10 pm :  having a glass of milk with white/milk chocolate covered pretzels.  I bought them for the kids.  That’s true.  I’m going to enjoy some…not finish the whole bag – and not hate myself.