My journey to a healthier me

[Maureen in MI]

I can't believe I didn't know this journal board was here........I love it!

Okay, the readers digest of my l/c'ing....

In 2002, I lost 45 lbs in 6 months with Atkins! The weight just fell off me! I started walking several miles a day, and even did the 60 mile walk for breast cancer.

I successfully maintained until about a year and a half ago, when my dad got sick...y'see, I worked in a family business (me, my mom and my dad). He had quite a long illness, and was hospitalized in another city (about a 45 minute drive). Between having to work eleventy million more hours and visiting him at least once a day, and the major stresses involved......my maintance fell apart and I gained it all back!

So in February of this year, I was finally motivated enough to start l/c'ing again

This time has not been as easy. I have major back/vascular problems and excercise is impossible right now. I also believe that for whatever reason, Atkins statement that some people only get "one golden shot" at quick weight loss with l/c'ing is true.

Since Feb. 20th, I've lost 13 lbs.

I quit smoking on April 1st and didn't lose anything from then until last week. I know this was due to the metabolism change that smoking causes and the sugarfree candies and gum I've been using to keep my quit.

I got on the scale today and was up 3 lbs for no apparant reason, so I've vowed to only weigh myself once a week (on Monday's) and stop making myself crazy with normal fluctuations.

I've also ordered a copy of Oxyize, which supposedly is a non-impact form of breathing/stretching that can tone and help lose.....I have some doubts about it working, but since I can't do anything else, I'll give it a try....I'm desperate.

I've also joined the latest challenge, which is to lose 15 lbs by July 1st. I gotta get my husband to take a photo of me today.

sooooooooooooooooooo....that's my story and I'm sticking to it....*grin*

[Maureen in MI]

well, I got on the scale today and I was down to 171
yay me!
those mysterious 3 lbs plus another one for good measure............gone!
I measured myself, too...........but nothing has changed there.

it's gonna be hard to stay off the scale all week!

I spent most of yesterday preparing l/c food
I cleaned a bunch of raw veggies: sweet peppers, celery and cukes
I broiled a skirt steak and sliced it thin to munch on during the week
I made a broccoli and cheese quiche, deviled eggs, chicken salad and meatballs (most of which I put in my families pasta for dinner, while I ate them plain with a salad)

it's gonna be a busy week with baseball and my daughters senior stuff, so it feels good to be prepared....

I brought a bunch of it to work today, too. I'll have stuff to munch on all week.

I gotta try to drink more water....I'm not very good at that.

I'm serious about the 15 lbs I wanna lose during this challenge I signed up for...god, would I love to be close to goal (25-30 lb. total) by then, but I'm realistic about my slow loss this time around and don't wanna set myself up for failure.

and so on it goes.....

[Maureen in MI]

well, it was hard, but I managed to stay off the scale this morning....hopefully, it will get easier with each day....

when I'm able, I'm gonna honestly post my menus for the previous day

Monday5/1
B-a slice of Linda's broccoli/cheese quiche, coffee
S-2 1/2 deviled eggs, coffee
L-3 small slices of beef, one baby cuke, 1/2 diet coke
S-2 sugarfree mini reeses
D-2 chicken wings, one thigh coated in parmesean cheese salt/pepper, 4 brocolli spears with a little butter, coffee
S-about 15 wasubi almonds, 3 baby bell cheeses
a little water...........no where near enough, I'm sure
approx 4-5 sugar free cinnamon "cigarette substitutes"

not a stellar day, but not horrible either....I probably should skipped the reeses, but I was stressin' for chocolate bigtime! yesterday would have been my dad's birthday and my mom was nuts and I was having a rough time of it.....

I walked a mile on sunday night.......first time I have done that in months, but I was in agony when I got home....dunno if it was worth it

I went to wear a shirt that I couldn't button last winter, and lo and behold, I could.....the only problem was that the bottom button was missing!

today has been very stressful....
1. for some ungodly reason, girlchild decided to password protect our computer and I hadda wake her up at 6:30 to fix it so I could check email
2. couldn't find boychild's baseball socks..........finally located them on top of wood burning stove.....lord knows why they were there
3. mom called and cried that she would have to throw out all kinds of food unless I came over and took it (a 1 hr. round trip)....when I told her to bring it to work, she said (predictably) that she couldn't carry it. I grudgingly agreed to come get it, then beat myself up for giving in
4. I hadda drop boychild's baseball stuff off at school for him to take to the pickney game tonight
5. I hadda go to the ups store to pack a bottle of $140 champagne to send to inlaws for 50th anniversary. This was annoying on sssooooooooooooooooooooooo many levels!
6. DH found that he has some "unclaimed property" in belleville........I tried to convince him that we took anything of value and whatever it is = bad news (like a car he sold that the title was never transfered on and was used in a crime or abandoned or something and we could possibly owe $$ for), but his curiosity is getting the better of him, and I think he might fill out the form to claim it.....arggggggggg
7. I gotta tell DH about the big $$ issue and I know it's gonna get ugly. I decided to do it Thursday when we are both home together.
8. Another lovely beginning of a day at work with mom...........*sigh*

I swear, if I still smoked, I woulda smoked half a pack by now and it's only 11 a.m. (ps...the thought of stopping and buying a pack flitted thru my mind, but my resolve to stay quit remained strong)

[Maureen in MI]

Yesterday's menu:

B-Linda's broccoli/cheese chiche, coffee
S-coffee
L-6 mini peppers stuffed with chicken salad, 2 mini cukes
S-20-25 almonds
D-1/2 bowl of chicken broth, salad with chicken salad on top
S-1 small glass of white wine...............(it had been a brutal day!)

I couldn't help it, but I got on the scale this morning...I was still at 171, but I'm not gonna "officially" count it and I'm gonna really try not to weigh until Monday

no exercise yesterday
very little water again

it was a really sucky stressfilled day

[Maureen in MI]

I suck.....I can't stay off the stupid scale....171 (or was it 170?...my eyes are so bad I can't tell) again

don't feel like I ate good yesterday....

B-broccoli quiche
L-mom's left over veggie chinese food....(carrots, waterchestnuts and bean sprouts and I'm sure corn starch, included)
S-1 sugar free mini reeses, a handful of almonds, 2 pieces of beef with pepper cheese
D-3 slices beef with american cheese, several celery sticks, topping of one piece of pepperoni pizza
S-glass of white wine (again!...$$ stress getting to me)

hadda hard time sleeping, lots of dreams and leg cramps and tossing and turning

tried to do a visual zen thingie to get my mind off the things that were making me sleepless, really didn't work.

girlchild's prom fashion show was fun..she was beautiful and I won 2 tanning certificates that she is so excited about.....mom and aunt went and sat on opposite sides of an aisle 'cause neither of them was willing to give up the aisle seat.........sheeesh.

no exercise or water....I'm hoping the oxyze tapes come today

I'm gonna try to do better, food wise today.....try try try.....

[Maureen in MI]

Yesterday's menu

B-scrambled eggs with sausage, onion and cheese
L-greek salad, slices of gero meat, onions and tomatoes
S-1 mini reeses
D-wendy's double cheeseburger (no bun or ketsup), but this wasn't until 11:30 p.m. 'cause I worked at the theater last night
2 diet cokes thru out the day

sleep was difficult again.....this stress is gonna kill me, I gotta get rid of it
I wish I could learn to meditate.....I keep trying to do it on my own, but nothing is happening........I'll try to do some research on how to do it today.

[Bluqq]

HI Maureen!
I quit smoking 8 days ago and Im trying to get the eating back under control (Ive been pretty crazy with the eating since I quit)

want to buddy up?

[Maureen in MI]

I suck I suck I suck

I ate horribly this weekend...I have no excuse, other than I suck.

I'll try to remember all I shoved in my face.
Saturday
B-2 mc'ds breakfast burrittos
l-3 bunless kielbasa
s-2 rum and diet cokes, handfuls of peanuts, a coupla strawberries
D-2 white castle jalapino burgers with buns, 3 mozz. cheesesticks
S-2 ho-hos (yeah, the choc/cream/cake thingies) *sigh*

Sunday
B-at tailgate, scrambled eggs with cheese, a few tablespoons of hashbrowns, a coupla strawberries
L-4 white castles with buns
D-steak and celery sticks
S-1 carb delight yogurt cup

hmmmmmmmm...wait a minute, even tho it wasn't great.....it wasn't as bad as I thought

well, the proof will be in the pudding when I get on the scale in a little bit.

[Maureen in MI]

well, I ate great yesterday..........I had no choice

I have a horrible toothache and the emergency dentist hadda death in the family and no one can see me until thursday morning....

chewing anything is agony (even on the other side), so all I ate was eggs, soft cheese and the few bites of meat it took me to realize how painful it was

I'm thinking I'll do the same thing today, maybe some egg drop soup for lunch, since I didn't (and won't today either) have time to prepare anything soft to take to work for lunch

btw, when I got on the scale yesterday, I was back up to 175....argggggggggg

[Maureen in MI]

B-scrambled eggs and cheese
L-a few slices of very soft salami, egg drop soup from chinese rest. (I know there was corn starch in there, but I hadda eat something!)
D-scrambled eggs and cheese, toppings of one piece of pepperoni pizza

dang, if I'm not down several pounds by thursday, ain't nuttin' gonna work for me.....

I'll weigh myself in a little while (I can't wait until monday!) and edit this to reflect it.

[Maureen in MI]

well, it won't let me edit, so I'll post my disappointing weight of 17frickin'5 still.......
*sigh*

[Maureen in MI]

been a busy few days with no time to post

they can't save the tooth that's been aching, so today I'm going to an oral surgeon to have it removed......ugh

I don't remember all I've eaten the past few days, but it's all been low carb, soft and minimal....I did slowly gum a mcd's cheeseburger last night............first solid food all week...I haven't weighed in a few days either....I'll do that later

I'm a bit worried about working the show tonight after the oral surgery, but there is no one to fill in for me

I'm also worried about the galaxy party tomorrow night. I'm worried about all the smoking there. I'm worried I won't be strong enough.

[Maureen in MI]

So when I weighed myself yesterday, I was 169!
Guess that will happen after a week of eating just eggs and soft food, huh?

I'm not gonna "officially" count it unless it shows up again tomorrow morning.
I'm thinking once I start eating real food again, it's gonna creep upwards.

I had my tooth pulled and it sucks. It still hurts now. I wasn't able to make it to work the show, I was wayy outta it and in major pain.

We did go to the galaxy club, and I didn't even have the slightest crave. Very, very suprising, but wonderful. No one commented on my weight loss, but last time, no one noticed until I had lost 30 lbs. I did have 2 beers last night, but I don't care. I needed it. I'm not thinking the scale is gonna move down for a coupla days.

[Maureen in MI]

Weight today..................170!
Measured also, and lost an inch in my hips and 1/2 inch in my thigh

I started the oxyize program this morning.
We'll see if it helps........I figure at the very least, I'm taking deep cleansing breaths for 15 minutes

Mothers Day Menu
B/L.........few bites of tuna, a coupla scoops of egg salad, several thin, small slices of cucumber, 2 pieces of lox with cream cheese spread on them....2 piece muenster cheese.....a few forkfulls of carrot cake (mostly where cream cheese frosting was), small piece of smoked sable

D-2 small pieces of smoked sable, cucumber slices, egg salad

[Maureen in MI]

tooth still hurts and still having a hard time chewing
I'm also not very hungry lately

B...sausage/cheese omelet
L...egg salad and 1 sugar free mini reeses
D...picked at some lamb shwarma and fattush salad....didn't eat very much

[6in2007]

Hi Maureen! I hope you don't mind me popping in here! I am relosing again myself and have been browsing for inspiration. It seems much harder to me not that I've done all the yo yo'ing on the scale. At least it still moves I guess!
Congrats on your loss so far!

[Maureen in MI]

it's so nice (and surprising!) to have a visitor.....

tooth still friggin' hurts...I suppose I should call the surgeon, but I don't have time to go see him and I'm leaving for NYC on Saturday.....*sigh*....I guess I'm gonna havta make the time, huh?

I'm really excited about going, even if it is work...and I'm a bad person for hoping that my mom decides not to go....I just need some "debbie-free" time so badly and if she does go, I won't get a day without her until late june!

I ate a bit more yesterday, more outta necessity than because I'm feeling better...I'm jonsing for solid food!

B-scrambled eggs
L-one cup of carb-right yogurt, cup of egg drop soup
S-some wilted day old fattush salad
D-Linda's green chicken chili casserole (I shredded the chicken instead of cubing it)

didn't get to oxyzise yesterday.....late school bus and errands pre-work........but I will do it today

I couldn't help but peek at the scale yesterday and I was up one lb.......I KNOW better than to weigh everyday......normal fluctuations depress me..

I also know that I am bound to not eat exactly on plan in NYC...(I'm gonna try, tho!)

[Bluqq]

When are ya coming to NY? Congrats on the loss! You are doing great!

[Maureen in MI]

Blugg....I'm leaving for NYC early saturday morning for a work thingie...I have all day saturday free for some shopping and fun, then work, work, work until monday night....the good thing about going is I will havta walk about eleventy million miles.....

unfortunately, the 5 lb.loss of last week was aquired under duress and doesn't seem to have stuck.....I was up another lb. yesterday.....I was afraid that once I went back to solid food, I would regain some...I'm not gonna "officially" weigh until next week, but it doesn't look good for the home team.

yesterdays menu
B-veggie omelet, sausage
L-left over lamb shwarma
D-left over chicken chile casserole and green beans

I did a bit better on the water yesterday....I drank quite a bit.

[Maureen in MI]

lessee....what did I eat yesterday?

B-scrambled eggs
L-omelet from chinese restaurant and a few stalks of brocolli
S-carbright yogurt, 2 slices of muenster cheese
D-2 bunless hotdogs with chili, mustard and onions, diet coke

I was hungry before bed, but didn't eat.

I weighed myself this morning and I was waivering between 169 and 170

I'm leaving for NYC in the morning.....be back on tuesday!

[Maureen in MI]

I pushed the l/c envelope pretty far in NYC....I tried to stay on plan (except for the kishka and onion rings at the carnagie, but NOTHING is gonna take that once a year pleasure from me!), but somehow didn't quite make it....

ie: dinner with logan and unexpected sugar/breading in the food....

I walked about eleventy million miles...hopefully, that helped

I feel bloated and huge and am afraid to get on the scale

yesterday's menu...
B-sausage omelet
S-many macadamia nuts 'cause no time for lunch until 3:00 and the nuts were the only l/c thing at work
L-fattush salad, no pita
S-6-8 macadamia nuts
D-steak and cauliflower
S-5 macadamia nuts, 1 colby/montery cheese stick

[Maureen in MI]

yikes....it's getting close to the first "official" weigh in, and I'm not sure I'll have lost ANYTHING...

yesterday was prom and baseball....busy day

B-veggie omelet
L-salad with cheese and ranch, 6 slices bacon
S-macadamia nuts, 1 cheese stick
D-steak
S-macadamia nuts, sugar free jello, whipped cream

I peaked at the scale yesterday and it said 174....not horrible, I suppose, I think I was still bloated from the weekend....but I'll weigh officially for the week later

[Maureen in MI]

I'm getting really frustrated.

I just realized that as of today at 173, I have only lost 12 lbs. in more than 3 months....that's less than 4 lbs. a month or less than 1 lb. a week.........*sigh*....at this rate it's gonna take me a year to lose 40 lbs.
*$#@* !!

the inches haven't exactly been melting away either....I'm not even down a size yet....

okay, so I haven't been perfect, but I have been pretty good....most of my indescritions are legal....just over-indulgances or the very occasional glass of wine or part of a beer...

I know in my brain that quitting smoking changed my metabolism and I also know that some of the drugs I take hinder weight loss and I also know that exercise is crucial and I'm physically limited. I should be delighted that I haven't gained with all the negatives I'm facing.......but it's so hard to keep up my motivation when I'm not seeing results.

I'm starting to wonder if I should be checking out another type of plan....that I truly did blow my golden opportunity for l/c to work for me....
it just seems like so much work, tho....work I don't have the time or the energy for....

okay, enough whining....let's look at menus

saturday
B-eggs and bacon
L- chicken king and cole slaw
D-pork chops and ceaser salad at macaroni grill (cudos for not getting pasta, eating their bread or croutons on salad) and 1 glass of chianti
S-handful of macadamia and 2 baby bells

sunday
B-eggs and bacon
L-whopper with cheese, no bun or ketcup
D-steak, green beans and coleslaw
S-about 1/3 of a Dh's bottle of beer, 1 snack cup of sugar free jello and whipped cream

today
B-eggs and bacon
S (or Lunch, however you look at it)-sliced peppers and celery, a coupla small chunks of melon, diet coke
D-halibut (with topping made from mayo and parmesian), romaine salad with tomatoes and red/yellow/green peppers and ranch dressing
S-15-20 macadamia nuts/3 small slim jims

I've worked my butt off (I wish, literally!), this weekend.....trying to fit a summers work of yard work and house cleaning into 3 days...it's been constant motion and work......I'm very sore and walking like a bowlegged sailor...I'm gonna need 3 days to recover after my 3 day vacation.....I hope I haven't overdone it so close on the heels of NYC....I don't wanna be immobile like I was before

tomorrow is my first "official weigh in" with the summer blossoms. I'll be lucky if I'm down 4 lbs....what the heck was I thinking with a 15 lbs. goal in 3 months...I didn't even lose 15 lbs. in the first 3 months and that included the 5 lb. water whoosh of beginning l/c

and so it goes

[Maureen in MI]

today is my 2 month anniversary of not smoking

I was either at 173 or 174 yesterday.....my eyes aren't good enough to tell which it was.........*sigh*....I also whined alot yesterday. I whined to DH, I whined to the summer blossoms, I whined in the main lobby cork. people were very kind in their responses.

I also started fitday.......maybe tracking what I eat will help....dunno.
my name there is m in mi

despite the whining, I ate great yesterday and drank a ton of water.......