TaDa! The Lifelong Journey!!

[TaDa!]

Tuesday July 27, 2010

An article on habits of successful maintainers from the Washington Post in 2005. Most interesting to me are the improved statistics on how the chance of weight regain goes down after 2 and 5 years of weight maintenance.

Also of interest are the specific habits of successful maintainers. I found similar good information in a book that studied successful maintainers .. and aack! cannot find the book or recall info on it .. anyhow! lol!

I am considering this for some future program at my TOPS group and I guess have a few nice goals I can work out of this ... things like 2 years in a 5 pound range, 5 years in a 5 pound range .. although I have successfully maintained for 6 years in a wider range .. that is not my ultimate goal. But it is extremely heartening to think that my chances of at least keeping the bulk of my weightloss off is greater now that I have gone those 6 years!

OK .. the article (fyi, the Lean Plate Club is some Washington Post online informational website):

Successful Losers - washingtonpost.com

Successful Losers
Despite the Difficulties, It is Possible to Achieve a Healthier Weight. New Research Shows That Maintaining the Loss Gets Easier Over Time.

By Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Often lost amid the reports about the obesity epidemic are studies showing that 20 percent of overweight people not only manage to lose pounds but maintain a healthier weight long-term.

These so-called "successful losers" intrigue scientists, who see promise in their experience and lessons for others. In a new update from the National Weight Control Registry -- a database of 4,000 people who have shed an average of 73 pounds and kept it off for more than five years -- scientists reveal some of the habits that foster long-term success.

The biggest surprise from the study is that weight maintenance gets easier with time.

"It's a very positive message," said Suzanne Phelan, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, R.I., and a co-author of the study. People who maintain their new weight for two years "have a greater likelihood of keeping it off for two more years. Those who maintain it for five years have even greater odds of maintaining their weight loss. With time, the odds of regaining weight go down and down and down," she said.

Not that maintaining weight loss is easy. As many of the Lean Plate Club's successful losers note below, achieving a healthier weight takes focus and commitment. The registry members report that, too.

"We know that they are working very hard to keep off the weight," Phelan said. "They're exercising very hard. They eat fewer calories. They're monitoring their weight. I think it may be kind of akin to brushing your teeth. Once you have the habit, you wouldn't think of not doing it." Successful losers, she said, "just do these things and have adopted them as part of their lifestyle. Maybe it doesn't take as much conscious effort over time."

We've asked some of the Lean Plate Club's successful losers to share their stories and compared them with the registry's findings.
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No Quick Fixes . Nutrition fads come and go. Successful losers report reaching a healthier weight the old-fashioned way: They count calories, reduce calorie-dense food and move a lot more.

Nearly half of those in the national registry reported losing weight entirely on their own. The rest got assistance from commercial weight-loss programs, a physician or a nutritionist. "Over the years, I tried a lot of different things -- Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers a couple of times, different combinations of diets in magazines," said Melissa Glasssman, a lawyer who practices in Tysons Corner. "I could always lose 10 to 20 pounds, but would always gain back more than that."

It was only by changing her habits that Glassman shed 125 pounds -- half her body weight -- in the past couple of years. "It's the little things that you incorporate into your daily life that help keep you on track," she said. "It doesn't have to be entirely about deprivation or exercising two hours a day."

Be Active . While it's possible to lose weight by cutting back on calories alone, only 10 percent of registry participants used that approach. Most -- 87 percent -- ate fewer calories and boosted their physical activity.

Successful losers also remained active even after losing weight. They spent an average of at least an hour a day engaged in moderate physical activity -- equal to walking 3 to 4 miles per hour.

How successful losers stay active varies. The study found that about 20 percent of registry participants lift weights or ride a bike. Aerobic exercise, such as step aerobics classes or exercise tapes, is the choice of 18 percent of those in the registry. But brisk walking is the way that most stay active.

Walking helped Tarasia Remhof, 45, lose 156 pounds since 2001. "The only thing I do [for physical activity] is walk," said Remhof, a Coast Guard officer based in the District. "I adopted a 50-pound mutt from the shelter that is very active and high-energy. If we don't go for two walks a day, she's not destructive, but annoying. So we go for about two miles in the morning and about a mile at night."

Regular constitutionals have also helped Richard Morris, 45, of Woodbridge, lose more than 100 pounds during the past two years. Each morning, Morris and his wife leave their home by 4:30 a.m. and spend the next two hours walking before getting their children off to school.

"I realized that exercise had to be a huge part of this equation," said the 6-foot-tall Morris, who once weighed 400 pounds and now hovers at a far healthier 260 to 265. "I have to make a serious commitment to exercise," said Morris. "I have the same 24 hours in the day as everyone else. This is not a matter of time, but of priorities."

Track Your Weight . Nearly half of successful losers weigh themselves daily, according to the study, which appears in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Thirty percent report climbing on the scale once a week.

"The scale is just a number to me now," said Arlene Rimer, 53, a Toronto lawyer and filmmaker who, since 2002, has lost 140 pounds from her peak weight of 315 pounds. Regular weigh-ins have taught Rimer that her weight naturally fluctuates by a couple of pounds either way. Getting on the scale "doesn't make or break my day," she said.

Enlist Support . Tarasia Remhof teamed with her twin sister who lives in Texas to lose weight. Both joined Weight Watchers groups, then used phone calls and e-mails to encourage each other's efforts. Deborah Kosnett of Gaithersburg found support from her husband, who bought her a "comfort" bike with a wider seat and extra shock absorption. Both Rimer and Morris lost weight with their spouses.

Glassman, who like many people spends most of her workday sitting, spent a year with an exercise group that focused on strengthening core muscles, weight training and provided plenty of support. "Part of my success is that I built a lot more muscle mass than I had before, and that made a big difference" in burning calories, she said.

Start Your Day With Breakfast . Almost 80 percent of diet registry participants ate breakfast every day. The typical breakfast was cereal with skim milk and fruit. Make it whole-grain, unsweetened cereal. That combination is more likely to provide staying power until lunch.

Set Small Goals. Most people "want to lose 30 percent of their body weight," said Phelan, who co-authored the study with Rena Wing, director of Brown University's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center. Yet from a medical standpoint, losing just 10 percent of body weight -- 20 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds -- "is very beneficial," Phelan said. Rather than setting yourself up for failure, establish a more reasonable goal. Achieve that, then try for more.

Find Motivation to Get Started. Reaching their all-time highest weight prompted 21 percent of registry participants to become successful losers. But the most common trigger was a medical event -- for example, a doctor's advice to lose weight, diagnosis of a condition such as high blood pressure or a family member's heart attack.

"My health was going bad," noted Kosnett, 52, a certified public accountant who has lost 80 pounds since 2002. "I had pre-diabetes. My total blood cholesterol was not so great. It went as high as 260. My HDL (the 'good' cholesterol) was really lousy. But the straw that broke the camel's back was when I went out to sweep my front porch and I started panting. I thought, 'This is really stupid.' "

Set a Limit for Regaining Pounds. If you reach it, switch from weight maintenance back to weight loss. Successful losers still experience slips but appear to be better than others at identifying them and making quick course corrections. "We found that once you start to regain weight, if you put on more than 10 pounds, then your chances of recovery are slim," Phelan said. "Every day, I have to stay on top of this," said Glassman.

Plan Ahead . Glassman eats only at restaurants where she knows the menu and can find something healthy to order. Each Monday, Remhof stocks a week's worth of food in a freezer at her office to microwave for lunch each day.

When Kosnett needed back surgery last year, she took precautions to maintain her weight. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to work out and would require prednisone, a powerful steroid that often adds weight, Kosnett reduced her intake to 1,900 calories a day and carefully recorded what she ate. She also added more high-volume food -- especially fruit -- to combat hunger. Bottom line: She lost five pounds during her convalescence and achieved her Weight Watchers' goal weight.

Figure on Plateaus . Even when you do all the right things, it's not unusual for weight loss to stabilize for a while. Kosnett experienced a plateau that lasted a year and a half. Rimer had already lost 70 pounds when she hit her first plateau, which lasted four months. Although initially discouraged, Rimer said she felt better when she realized that "it was awesome to maintain this huge weight loss." Her second plateau occurred after she had lost 100 pounds. "I couldn't get upset by it," she said. "My body had to get used to . . . the new way of eating, the intensifying activity. . . . We are not robots."

Reward Yourself. Behavioral research shows that this is key for long-term success. Glassman gave herself plenty of rewards unrelated to food for sticking with her healthy habits. "I got a pedicure or a manicure," she said. She also treated herself to new clothes at a discount store while she transformed her body so that she didn't wind up with an expensive wardrobe that was unusable. "I didn't want to spend a lot of money, because I was still in the process of losing weight," Glassman said.

Stick With It for the Long Haul. The study found that successful losers continue their efforts for many years after they have trimmed their waistlines. That finding resonates with Glassman. "I know if I use the habits and the information that I've learned . . . it will be okay," she said. "I truly feel for the first time that my weight is under control." ·

Online Information

For more on what Lean Plate Club successful losers do to achieve a healthier weight, log on to Lean Plate Club by Sally Squires (washingtonpost.com) , where you can listen to audio clips from some of the members featured in this column. ·

[TaDa!]

Saturday July 31, 2010

Wow! End of July already!!!!

I just did the calorie needs calculation from Tom Venuto based on the Katch-McArdle formula (yet again, lol!). It can be found here on the BFFM thread:

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/mu...ml#post5920157

My calorie needs are about 1958** ... I do think that is about right too based on the last month or so. As long as I do not go above 90 carbs on a regular basis, I do not seem to put on the water weight taken off with lowcarb .. but for example, dd and I went to an Indian buffet and all they had that day was rather carby -- but good carbs -- so I did have lentils and fried chickpea fritters (skipping the white rice and Naan bread!) and my weight did spike up by a couple of pounds but is headed back down now.

I ate such reasonable portions -- packed half my plate with salad before picking the buffet dishes -- it is obvious to me a person cannot gain fat doing that .. it was carb water, so to speak. That whole water/carb connection thing really does bug me in light of me being at TOPS and having to stay under 134 or lose my status! I just need to get used to the patterns. It was something I have not bothered about before on maintenance and well, I am committed to being much more on top of it all now!!!

Anyhow, just researching researching yet again ....

**ETA: I just re-calculated, using this information from JuliaL on Bodyfat Percentage:

Originally Posted by JuliaL

Debbie - I have a couple of suggestions. First, yes you should read the book, but I admit I skipped around and didn't read it all from start to finish. I printed mine and still flip through it and use it as a reference from time to time.

I read on a bodybuilding site for women a way to use the Tanita to get a more accurate BF%. It's for women who exercise and lift weights. First thing in the a.m., take your reading on the female setting. Then take it again on the male setting. Add the two numbers together, divide by 2 and then subtract 1. That is a more accurate way to use the scale. When I do it that way it tracks very closely with what I get on websites where you enter your measurements ...

BF%: 22.1+29.9/2 -1 = 25%

It comes out as 25.06% using measurements and this calculator: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/bfb

So, doing the Katch-McArdle method again, my calorie level for Maintenance comes out as: 2057. Note that the calculation assumes I am working out at my current level, as I set it at "Moderately Active" and Wow!!! If I set myself as sedentary, the calorie level goes to 1597 which is about the level I used to lose weight! Gotta Keep Moving!!!!!!!!:

Activity Multiplier

* Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
* Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
* Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
* Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
* Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e
marathon, contest etc.)

[TaDa!]

Sunday August 1, 2010

I got two wasp stings yesterday afternoon, and despite taking benadryl yesterday and today claritin, my forearm/elbow are fairly swollen and painful - hot to the touch. It is only about a 6 inch diameter, and my breathing, etc is fine, so I'll probably just wait until tomorrow to see how it is and also call the doctor to make sure I am up on my tetanus .. it may have been 10 years, I dunno!

I am one of these people who refuses to take medication unless absolutely necessary - but I guess the antihistamines are necessary. I am a little afraid to go to the doc though. I absolutely do not want any kind of steroid ...

It has only been like 17 hours so far, so the reaction could be normal-ish still ...

<bleh>

On the good side, I am wearing my new jeans today and I feel good about myself. I love being this weight

[TaDa!]

<update>

had to go to the ER .. my arm is huge-normous and very painful. I've been told to take continuous Benadryl and given a 7 day course of Keflex (cephalexin) 2000 mg/day. Also had an update to my tetanus shot (from 2003).

You know I am sick when I forget to eat. I've been told no gym or workout tomorrow. Rest, ice and elevation ...

[little3chordme]

aaah! sounds painful. i'm glad you are okay, but forced non-exercise is the worst! and ERs totally freak me out.

i hope your arms heals expediently!

[crystalgriffon]

Oh no!! I hope you feel better soon!! And congrats on the skinny jeans! =D

[vastamper]

Oh I am so sorry about your arm!! Hope you feel better very quickly.

Love your journal and all of your tips for maintaining. TFS!!

[TaDa!]

Thank you Little3, Crystal, and VAstamper!!!! I have to say I am totally spaced out on the meds and really hate that, lol! It's all a real hassle, lol! but I should be in good shape by next week.



Pauline

[TaDa!]

Wednesday August 4, 2010

I am finally convinced that my arm is getting better, so I tried to go to the gym today, thinking I'd do lower body and cardio, but getting out of the car to drop dd to her play rehearsal, I realized that i was seriously dizzy (despite taking the sodium broth this morning) and that going to the gym could be a big mistake .. so I hightailed it home and am still dizzy. I took myself off the benadryl yesterday but re-read the antibiotic sheet and one of the side effects is dizziness -- yet they say to continue the whole 7 days.

The arm is not perfect yet, it still hurts but is not so crazy as it was, so I'm thinking this was a pretty serious thing and I need to finish all 7 days of the antibiotics (4x a day ). I will try again tomorrow and see how I feel, but I know my workouts will not allow for any dizziness ... hmf!

I've been eating lower calories to account for the lack of activity - at my weight, etc, a sedentary maintenance level is 1600 so I am eating close to that and I have to say I have not been hungry so it must be about right. I will not stress if I even lose below 128 as I am off to vacation in a little over a week and will likely be confronted with some tough food situations ...

[TaDa!]

Friday August 6, 2010

Whoa! I am pms'ing and am extremely ... I repeat, extremely, irritable the last few days. I think it is not helpful that I am not exercising and am eating less to account for it. Everything is getting on my nerves - my teen, the non-refundable travel arrangements / vacation that dh booked, my yard, even a lot of the posts here, lol!!!

My weight is doing pretty good, all considered. It is at 130 this morning -- but with my chest hurting so much, I know I am at least carrying a half pound, if not more, of water weight. The antibiotic prescription that is keeping me dizzy runs out on Sunday evening and so I am hoping I will be exercise next week ... that schedule will work out better with little dd's camp arrangements for next week which is a big plus! although I will be getting ready for our trip which always makes me grumpy too, lol!

Anyhow ... to get through today harmlessly .. ha!

[TaDa!]

Wednesday August 11, 2010

It would appear I am still grumpy, lol!!

There is no substitute for Personal Responsibility

Unless a person accepts that they are the only ones who can fix their weightloss problem, no special diet program, magic health supplement or pill is going to save them.

We all have special circumstances that make weightloss "unfair". We can sit around and wallow in self-pity over why why why am I such a special sad little case, or we can pick up the gauntlet and fight .. and say, "No way am I going to accept this as my fate. I am just going to do what it takes to get the job done."

The world is full of pathetic wronged fat people and nobody cares about the unfairness. Everybody has a reason why weightloss is difficult for them. Some choose to deal with it, others choose to endlessly rationalize their obesity. Enough with the whining!!!!!

It's your fault. It's your mess. Fix It!!!!

[little3chordme]

i wish i could "like" your last post in a facebook kinda way, lol.

ditto down to the letter.

[TaDa!]

Thanks Little3 I did mean every word, but I must say I am in a much less grumpy mood today!!! Thankfully! I think I was close to bursting a blood vessel, lol!!!

August 12, 2010

Things are much better now. In addition to the wasp sting debacle, I had a lot of stressful things piling up on me .. and last night / yesterday was so stressful, but now everything has resolved well!!!

Mainly, dh is off on his flight and dealing with his ridiculous pre-trip planning is pretty much at an end, lol! Ending at 4 am this morning ... (although the whole insanity will surely start again when the kids and I get there Sunday!)

So, he decides/insists on waking at 3, showering, shaving, eating, drinking tea and *then* heading into Boston ... travel time under perfect conditions leaves him at the airport at 4 .. for a 5am flight ... ugh. So of course, I get to Boston and the ramp is closed and the Callahan tunnel is closed and they re-route us through Boston nightmare construction/ Big Dig crap to the northbound tunnel entrance ... and I am half asleep almost miss the signs etc ... kept my mouth shut and let my beloved id'jit husband stew next to me. If it was my flight, we would have had a big fight over his "wake up" plans .. anyhow! The last in a serious of silly things he insists on. It's like having another child .. I have to secretly hide items he's going to need on the trip because he insists he won't, etc etc etc. I have finally decided after 20 years to state my opinion but just let him suffer some consequences himself - I am fed up with the stress he hands me!!!!

OK, enough complaining on dh ... So my night started earlier with little dd heading out to an audition - where we spent about 3 hours and she did so beautifully, I am certain of a callback and 99% sure that she'd get an ensemble role if nothing else - which is all they need anyhow ... to learn and have fun (although a lead is pretty good too, I won't lie ). I was just thrilled with everything she did - lines, vocal and dance auditions (she is less skilled in dance, but her enthusiasm and "show face" just made up for anything else - she performed!)

So we had stress leading up to that .. and stress involved with one of the other mothers I know who is one of these stagemoms somewhat - although that is the wrong word - she is just highly dedicated and focused on her children's roles and doesn't insist on a lot of normality for them, but maybe that is a key to being successful at things .. crazed unwavering focus, something I lack a bit - anyhow, I mostly just want my kid to have fun, be active and have a hobby she can enjoy her whole life ...

Anyhow, so one of the children is in dd's grade and they have become friends or were until the other girl started to be jealous of my dd and her involvements in theater, etc and I am just trying to keep my dd's auditions, etc at different times than this family because dd doesn't need the distraction and the kids in question have some real discipline issues -- that we do not need associated with my dd during an audition!!! Anyhow I spoke to that mom yesterday and luckily they were not going to that particular audition slot, so I felt some sense of relief for dd. Having the other girl around makes her nervous due to the jealousy thing ... although the children have an audition for another show when we get back from our trip which will absolutely be at the same time ... so we'll see on that ...

OK rambling over - My weight is at 128 this morning .. I will likely record a pre-vacation weight in my sig on Saturday morning ... I am crazily considering bringing along my digital scale in my suitcase as it only weighs 2 pounds, lol .. not sure whether that would be crazy or a great idea, seeing as I will have a 7 pound float up before I am in trouble with my TOPS group (and if anything I will likely only have water weight gain mostly anyhow. I only gained 1 pound in Mexico 2 yrs ago, went at 127 pre-vacation, returned weighing 128) ... Still dunno! I'll see what happens when I pack the suitcases!

[TaDa!]

Saturday August 14, 2010

OK, so we leave tonight for the trip! I start vacation at 128.5 pounds which is fine! I am still not sure whether I will bring a weighing scales or not - I still have to see how I do on packing to the required luggage weight!

Lots of last-minute snafus .. My gsm phone has died! DH has made a $4,000 mistake and the list goes on and on, lol! I have been very nice about this mistake of his .. but am seething inside. It may have been an expensive purchase, but I am thinking that the 4K will have bought me some extra decisionmaking power in this relationship .. i.e. maybe he will be more likely to listen when I have objections, and maybe I will be a little more obstinate in future!! I am no delicate flower, lol! but I do often defer certain things to dh when he insists ...

Anyhooo!! Busy day ahead of me, not sure whether I will be back in here today. I will have some internet access on vacation so may update here and there!

Wish me luck!!

[TaDa!]

oooops! I forgot to post this .. the last 4 weeks on maintenance .. looks like I know what maintains me .. I may have to fool around a bit with the exercise portion of things when I get back to the States and sync it to the food level I enjoy (1800-2000 cal / 50-100 net carbs), but I am absolutely in the ballpark ...



Looks like normal eating and exercise puts me in a 4-pound floating range and I can expect to be anywhere from 128-132 on a regular basis even with a few carby (but not outrageously carby) meals. I had one Indian meal that included chickpea pakora, lentils, a few pieces of potato in the food .. and made sure to eat me-sized portions (so 2 plates with half of each plate being filled with plain salad) ... Leaving places like that satisfied but not stuffed - which is my usual "happy place" seems to assure that.

I am getting used to feeling hunger before each meal now. It is a new thing, a next step for me ...

[Glamour P!]

Hey hey stranger!!

Just thought I would pop by. You look amazing hun!

Had a turbulant year, but I'm more determined than ever! I'm gonna pm you maybe tomorrow, but wanted to pop by and say you look WAHOWWW!

[TaDa!]

Hey Glamour!!! I'm in Costa Rica!! So nice to hear from you!!!! PM me, I'll try to get online tomorrow at some point too.



Pauline

[TaDa!]

Wednesday August 18, 2010

Hmmm .. trying to change my avi with no luck! I need to get on my own 'puter to re-size this! Anyhow! This morning in Escazu, Costa Rica:

[NWLoser]

Looking great Pauline! I hope you are having a relaxing and fun time there!

[TaDa!]

Thursday August 19, 2010

I am having a good but crazy time in Costa Rica .. very tough being a vegetarian and a lowcarber here. I could high carb vegetarian easily, but actually I guess lc at all is very tough. The cuisine is built on starches -- very little vegetables!!! very little cheese and dairy!!! Most of the fish gets exported!!!

I am eating fruits - papaya, pineapple, plantain - and supplementing with food I brought in my case and food we bought here at the supermarket!!! It is kind of a bummer as Mexico had a lot of vegetable and fish options. I didn't weigh, just ate well and came back at 128 lbs!! ...

Anyhow, my range is 128-138 for TOPS. My weight has been going up (which is ok! It was actually freeing to bring a scale and be able to gauge weight gain and let myself eat some higher carb things as I can weigh myself daily!). I was at 128.7 this morning and have 5 more days, so I'm doing ok, I think!

I just had a major workout .... 2 hour jungle "hike" It was like Indiana Jones meets Jurassic Park!!!! At one point running over hanging bridge with the children as lightening and thunder and torrential downpours let loose, lol

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by TaDa!

Wednesday August 11, 2010

It would appear I am still grumpy, lol!!

There is no substitute for Personal Responsibility

Unless a person accepts that they are the only ones who can fix their weightloss problem, no special diet program, magic health supplement or pill is going to save them.

We all have special circumstances that make weightloss "unfair". We can sit around and wallow in self-pity over why why why am I such a special sad little case, or we can pick up the gauntlet and fight .. and say, "No way am I going to accept this as my fate. I am just going to do what it takes to get the job done."

The world is full of pathetic wronged fat people and nobody cares about the unfairness. Everybody has a reason why weightloss is difficult for them. Some choose to deal with it, others choose to endlessly rationalize their obesity. Enough with the whining!!!!!

It's your fault. It's your mess. Fix It!!!!

Now there's some tough love. The not-so-gentle truth directed at oneself.

Plain talk. And very true.

Thanks Pauline.

[TaDa!]

MrMike!! The King of Tough Love is in the house!! lol!!

That was actually a grumpy outburst responding to the usual endless amounts of whining and equivocating that I see on these boards! I honestly cannot dish it out to others. I know it has to come from inside. People's defenses against the bs fairy tale they've built up around themselves and their "problem" is so huge, they can't listen to a little honesty without flipping out - and those are the ones that need it the most .. just sometimes I wish I could hit people over the head with it and it would click in there, lol!

It sucks to be an adult, lol! but we all have to grow up and face it if we're ever gonna be happy!!!!

So glad you're back MrMike!!! So many oldies I really really miss and would love to see around. We used to have some serious fun in the CC!!!! (and I still have my calendar!!!).



Pauline

[bigbone]

U look awesome girl. Im one who can never imagine myself jogging... 1 day I will!

[TaDa!]

Thanks Bigbone!!!! You know I do not run half as much as I used to run, but I do exercise and I lost my first 50 pounds just by walking for 30-40 minutes a day .. anything you do will work for this thing!!!! Thanks for posting in my journal Pauline

Wednesday August 25, 2010

Phew! So I am back from Costa Rica as of 2 am yesterday and I am still wrecked, lol! I did well even though the food options were just terrible for me being a vegetarian lowcaber. I guess a zero carb lowcarber could do ok, but anyone else would have some serious trouble there unless they were eating in nice restaurants. The local fare is mostly rice, beans, tortillas, plantain, cassava and meats with some fruit.

I was frankly a little worried and managed to pack my scale which was a very good thing! I dropped to 127 on my second day there and then climbed steadily to about 132 when I decided to lay off the fried plantain, plantain chips, and cut down my fruit, lol! (not my drinking, heh heh!) and I weighed in yesterday at 129.9 ... and today at 129.1 so it looks like the bulk of that was water weight!

I have to say I do not think I'd have enjoyed the available carbs anyhow ... I really like fish, nuts, vegetables, and cheeses and when you take those things away and sub them with starches and sugar, it totally totally does not appeal to me in any way shape or form ... I like my starches with butter and cheese on top, lol! (or should I say I once did in my 200+ lb days).

So, this coming week is just absolute insanity before the kids go back to school. Today was my eldest's highschool orientation and that was just a loooooong day with jetlag! My youngest has an audition for Annie on Saturday and I am working with her on that -- as before vacation we had to concentrate on rehearsing to audition for a different show ... if she gets into both, or gets callbacks for both, I don't know how I'll cope, lol!

So busy busy busy and not sure if I'll make it to the gym until next week ... but I am feeling good about my weight, etc and that makes this week a little easier to cope with! I also have some fall clothes shopping on the agenda as I need some new sweaters and blazers ... yay!

[TaDa!]

Thursday August 26, 2010

I was asked who I was cuddling in my avatar



Well, it was the fat lady in the lobby of our hotel in Costa Rica:



Apparently they like us big girls, because there appear to be lots of fat lady statues. The first one, by Jimenez Deredia was just outside the hotel and the second one was in nearby San Jose:



And yes, I felt quite at home!

[TaDa!]

OK ... had to come back in and add: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!! Little dd got a callback for her last audition .. Chitty Bang Bang!!!! very cool. Even if she does not get it, she'll be able to be in the "ensemble" and it was an honor to get the callback ..

She has another audition on Saturday for Annie and it will likely be a much tougher one .. I was concerned that she might get disappointed and there is a family with 2 children who could get parts as they have performed there before (But -- who behave competitively, are not very gracious and could make her feel bad ... too young for that crap!!) .. So now she has her own thing and can tell herself she *did* get a callback too -- yay yay yay yay!!!!

[debbiedo]

great news for you daugher Pauline.

[TaDa!]

Aww Thanks Debbie!!! I can see her rehearsing right now for this next one (through the glass doors) -- and she sounds and looks great, but I feel so much better knowing she will have a show - some show - no matter how she does on this audition, lol! It breaks my heart when the little ones get that "rejection" in any of their activities, especially when others they know get "it" whatever "it" may be, lol!

Saturday August 28, 2010

So I am 4/5 days into normal eating - no restrictions - and my weight is down from a high of 132 to 128 this morning which is really shocking to me. It just shows me the difference in the quality and quantity of carbs makes a huge difference in how my weight behaves.

I suppose my only disappointment is that my weight does respond immediately (in the up direction) to higher carb levels (well over 100 net), so that if I am to use TOPS as my guideline (125-135 lbs before I am considered as leaving maintenance), that I will always do better to start holidays at as low a weight as I can so that I can enjoy myself and the extra carbs without worrying that I will blow right out of that maintenance level at TOPS (and also an extra pound or two feels huuuuuuge in my bathing suit, lol!)

It is funny, and I imagine a lot of people reading this would say, "Hmf! If that is Maintenance, then it is way too much control - I should be able to just eat and maintain and not bother with the rest ..."

But Leo41 wrote something on a thread of mine that just hit me squarely between the eyes:

Originally Posted by Leo41

.... It's also such a relief to know the 'secret' to successful maintenance--eternal vigilance.

It is so true. If that is the only "secret" than it would be insanity to reject it for a fantasy world in which you snap your fingers and suddenly you eat and behave and maintain effortlessly -- because it just ain't gonna happen and all the actual hard work of weightloss will be for naught! If you want this, leave your dreams and expectations at the door, and just do what you have to do to keep this gift! I would just add, that the relief is not just at discovering the "secret," but at accepting it too. It takes a lot of courage to reject all your past worldviews and accept that all of this is up to us as individuals. It takes courage to expect big things of oneself.

[debbiedo]

so what is maintenance? I am not sure I know the answer.There is no such thing as just eating and maintaining for most.Don't we wish.

Eternal Vigilance sounds right to me too!!!

[TaDa!]

Monday September 6, 2010

I've had a little worry lately over my eldest and some influences some of her friends might be having on her after reading a disturbing chat while monitoring her stuff. She knows I monitor, but not how much or when, etc etc.

I was really torturing myself on how to handle it. I chose to talk to her about it in a general vague way and finally found the right words and the right "level" without simply chaining her to a piece of furniture and losing her trust in me -- and realized afterward that she actually wanted me to step in and make some rules so that she could use me as an excuse not to buy into some bad behaviors ..

I was feeling soooo relieved ... and then I woke up this morning to read her status on facebook ..

"i was trying to wish on a star tonight..and realized there wasnt anything i would wish for to make my life better. ♥"



Sometimes being a mom is great!