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Original Post by mollymouser:

QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND JUNE 28-29

What five pieces of advice would you give to someone just starting out on a new diet / healthy eating plan?

MOLLY

I will just use the advice I give myself.

1. Drink lots of water, sometimes a glass of water will take care of the craving that you Think you are having.

2. Diet & exercise go hand in hand, you need both to lose weight in a healthy way & keep it off.

3. There is no food that tastes better than time spent with your children.

4. Make sure you are on a diet for yourself or you most likely won't stick with it.

5. Diet=patience...losing weight doesn't happen overnight.  It took a long time to put the weight on so it will take just as long if not longer to take it off.

This seems to work for me!

great advice!

Original Post by mollymouser:

QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND JUNE 28-29

What five pieces of advice would you give to someone just starting out on a new diet / healthy eating plan?

MOLLY

1. ask for advice, but, unless it is from a professional, do not necessarily believe everything you are told
2. eat less than you burn. count and weigh things (or you) even if it feels silly. (things like this, and many more things related to your new plan, might feel or look silly, and you might be laughed at. shun it off.) you cannot count cals exactly when you guesstimate unless you are a prodigy or sell weighed things for a living
3. do not be afraid to spend slightly more money on fresh, healthy food. it is a good investment
4. for various reasons, some people will try to sabotage your efforts. the reasons may be obvious or not so, but the damage might be big if you let other people dictate what you should eat. you are responsible for yourself, do not let others tell you "oh you can eat this", "it is actually healthy", "there is not that much cals in it", "just have one cookie" or "have it just for today". be prepared for unpleasant reactions, but fight your ground.
   
5. be also prepared that, as you lose weight, you will discover many joys and pleasant moments and feelings you did not expect. this journey brings many rewards and is worth it.

ETA: this is also advice that i am giving to myself. there may be other circumstances and situations that might make other advice more valuable, but this is what i have learnt along the way:)

Original Post by mollymouser:

QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND JUNE 28-29

What five pieces of advice would you give to someone just starting out on a new diet / healthy eating plan?

MOLLY

1. Take the pressure off of yourself - there is no deadline for losing weight or getting healthy.  As long as you are working the right direction, it doesn't matter how long it takes.  You are building habits for a new lifestyle, not running a race.  Even if you only lose 1 pound in 3 months, that's still 1 pound less than you weighed before (I remind myself of this often, because like us all, I get bummed out when the weight loss slows down)!

2. Consistency is the key, not perfection.  If you fall back into your bad eating habits, just get right back into your healthy eating plan.  If you have a binge, shrug it off and start again the next day.  As you long as you are eating right most of the time, you can have some indulgences and still be healthy and even lose weight.  A lapse is no big deal - unless you let it make you quit eating healthy altogether.

3. Read labels! Learn what they mean and what you are putting into your body. You can make some big differences in your diet just by reading the labels on store bought products and choosing wisely. 

4. Plan ahead until you get the habits built.  Plan out your meals, including snacks, for a while until you have established some good habits and learned what you can eat that will fit within your goals.  If you just "grab and go," you're likely to sabotage yourself.  If you plan ahead and make sure you have appropriate foods available when you need them, after a while you will have a better idea of what types of food you should be eating, as well as appropriate portion sizes, and will know how to make better choices on the fly.

5. Try new things. There's lots of great food out there, and some of it is more filling, less fattening and better for you than others.  Try them!  Find the things that help you reach your goals while still feeling satisfied. Healthy eating shouldn't be about depriving yourself, it's about learning how to eat in a way that makes you happy AND keeps you healthy.

It's not bad enough that he's away from home for months.

It's not bad enough that every day he has to dodge mortars just living on the base.... and every day people are injured.

It's not bad enough that the temperatures are near 120 and there are constant dust storms.

It's not bad enough that the food is dreadful and the preparation is outsourced to India.

It's not bad enough that it took them over 45 days just to get his pay correct.

NOW some cretin has stolen his clothes right out of the laundry, leaving him with practically no underwear, socks, tank tops, t-shirts, etc.... and there is "nothing that can be done about it" when he reported the theft. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I am one pissed off Mouse, and I want my wonderful DH HOME. Got that? HOME! HOME! HOME! HOME! HOME! HOME!

Oh Molly, that sucks!  I hope the thief gets sand permanently lodged in his buttcrack (and other sensitive areas).  

1. I look at others plate and see how I could change it for the better. To suit what I should eat.
2. As my doctor says "It is not as important that you take off 2 lbs a week, it is more important that you loose the weight, A lb a month is just fine!"  After all look how long it took you to gain it?  12 lbs in a year = 1 lb a month! (look at it this way if you think 1lb a month is stupid)
3. Don't set yourself up for other medical problems by loosing too fast, like excess skin you don't exercise to help, or even worse - gallbladder problems. (Thanks Melinda for sharing your story)
4. Take the extra steps around the house to get where you are wanting to go. Use the bathroom upstairs if you have one to get in that cardio.
5. Finally - love yourself no matter what the scale says.  It can be up one day and down the next because of the time of day, conditions you weighed yourself under and clothes you wore. Take everything into account! KNOW YOU ARE DOING THIS JOURNEY FOR YOURSELF MAINLY - BUT ALSO FOR THE ENJOYMENT YOU CAN GET BY LIVING LONGER.

That is the best advice that I think I could offer as to my journey and how I plan on loosing.  I have lost 42 lbs in one year as of JULY 2, 2008~!  My doctor is gleaming with joy for me! and . . . . I AM PRETTY PROUD TOO! - AS IS MY FAMILY.

TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS ALL.

Original Post by medveditsa:

Oh Molly, that sucks!  I hope the thief gets sand permanently lodged in his buttcrack (and other sensitive areas).  

 

I've not been good about checking in.  But so far everything seems to be going pretty good.  The weight loss is slow - about 5-6 lbs - since mid-May, but that is ok.  I'm in this for the health benefits and any loss is a good thing. 

QOD June 24: What are your goals (if any) for physical activity each day/week/month?  30 minutes per day on average - try for 1000/month

QOD June 25: Do you vary either your food selections or your activity selections by the time of year? I tend to eat more fresh veggies/fruit in the summer and more soups in the winter.  My exercise tends to be about the same although in the past the summer was my downfall for exercise.  I hate hot weather and would often find myself inside on the couch instead of getting out and moving around. So far this summer I'm enjoying being outside (even in the heat) and working in my garden.

QOD June 26: What is your favorite weight loss tool?  Why do you feel this is so effective for you? My exercise bike!  I use the electronic display of calories & distance to challenge myself to keep going until I burn a set number of calories or cover a certain distance. Plus it helps keep me going.

QOD June 27: Did you miss me? Definitely - I always enjoy reading your journals.  On more than one occasion your journals have helped keep me working toward my goal.

QOD June 28/29: What five pieces of advice would you give to someone just starting out on a new diet / healthy eating plan?
1. Diet is a four letter word. You are changing your lifestyle not going on a diet.
2. Never give up.  If you have a bad day it's ok. Just get back on track as quickly as possible.
3. Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. Don't ban any food. Eat in moderation.
4. Don't judge success/failure by the number on a scale.  If you feel better, have more energy, are losing inches and are generally in better health then you are going in the right direction.  With time the scale will catch up.
5. Get some exercise everyday. It doesn't have to be much but start moving more and your health will improve.

Hope everyone has a good day.

I'm having a little bit of scale drama this morning.  I've been a little frustrated lately, because I just haven't been able to get out of the 240s.  I've also been getting totally peeved at my scale (a digital Taylor), because it gives me two different weights depending on which foot I step on with first and has other reliability issues like that.   So the day before yesterday I went out and bought a fancy Tanita.  I compared it to my old scale, and it put my weight a little higher, but it's much more consistent.  This morning, it gave my weight as 241.0.  The old Taylor said I was 239.6.  I've been waiting so long to see the 230s that I really feel like celebrating the milestone now, not when the Tanita says I've hit the 230s.  I guess I'll just call this the last weight from the Taylor, and start logging the Tanita weights when I catch up to myself.  I just don't want to give up that 1.4 pounds!  

QUESTION OF THE DAY: MONDAY JUNE 30?

 

What are you looking forward to in the month of July???

 

MOLLY

Original Post by mollymouser:

QUESTION OF THE DAY: MONDAY JUNE 30?

 

What are you looking forward to in the month of July???

 

MOLLY

The main thing I'm looking forward to in July is losing some freakin' weight.  June was really slow for me.  I was super busy with the end of the school year and finals, then did some traveling.  I didn't really have time to get all the exercise I wanted and cook the healthiest food.  I'm hoping to get things moving again in July.  

  July is always exciting here in the Pacific northwest, because it's the peak of berry season, and I am an absolute berry junkie.  The strawberries are here now, but I'm really looking forward to blueberries, blackberries, and marionberries.  

 The other thing I'm looking forward to is my birthday at the end of the month.  I'm turning 30 this year (), but we'll be going to my favorite camping spot and having a nice weekend (I hope!  I'm still not positive I'll get the weekend off!).  I'm also really looking forward to eating cheesecake, which I haven't had for months. 

 

5 pieces of advice:

1. figure out how many calories you burn.

2. Figure out how many calories you eat.

3. Adust what you eat so that you have a 500 calorie deficit.

4. Plan treats into your meal plans.

5. Do physical activities with a group.

What are you looking forward to in the month of July???

Last Day of summer classes.

It's Monday afternoon and I now know more about residential water conservation that I ever wanted to know! In mid-June we received an official WARNING from our City that we were watering our lawn in violation of the water ordinances (which regulate how long you can water, what time of day you can water, and what day of the week you can water, apparently.) It seems we also had several leaky sprinklers (also a violation), and that we were getting water on the sidewalks and in the gutter (also violations.)  Silly me, I thought that's what gutters were FOR.  Anyway, a "Water Conservation Technician" came out this afternoon to reprogram our automatic sprinklers to go on at the right time of day (3am), on the right days of the week (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays ONLY), and for the correct duration (18 minutes per day, maximum.)  And I now have a "fix it" ticket for the four sprinklers that need to be replaced within the next twenty-one (21) days, since they are dribbling water onto the sidewalk. In addition, I was given low-flow showerheads, low flow thingamabobs for the sink in the kitchen and laundry room, and a nifty brochure on replacing our toilets with low flow toilets.  Oh, and the depressing news that residential water meters will be installed soon in our neighborhood, at a cost (just for installation) of about $400 -- and that we should expect our water bills "to triple."

And how is YOUR Monday going??? LOL!!!!



Tomorrow is July 1 ... which is not only "Canada Day," but it would also would have been my mother's 77th birthday.  (She lost a 6-year battle to breast cancer in August 2004 and was Canadian -- so she always liked having her birthday on Canada Day!) So ... happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends and buddies, and happy birthday to my mom ... I still miss her four years later. She would have been so very proud of my having lost 100 pounds and reclaiming my health and my life. It's funny ... growing up July 4 was never that big of a deal in our house, but July 1 sure was!



Tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon at 5:30pm the mobile groomer (a very brave, very nice lady) is coming to our house to give Gracie Cat her annual summer trim. Gracie is a somewhat feisty, fairly grouchy (when being groomed), GINORMOUS long-haired Maine Coon cat who weighs 20+ pounds. Since it's impossible to get Gracie into a cat carrier -- much less inflict her on a grooming business -- we were delighted to find a mobile groomer last year who was willing (for a suitable fee, of course), to trim a rather cantankerous 8 year old fuzzy diva cat.  Of course, I still have to catch and help hold Gracie, and then I have to spend an hour cleaning up tufts of fur from all over, but Gracie looks so much better (and is so much cooler) once she's all done and trimmed.  For those of you so inclined, PLEASE PRAY!!!! (We need it, trust me!)



Please keep your fingers crossed, your toes crossed, and your paws crossed ... but it looks like my wonderful DH may-may-may-may get to come home in time for his birthday (July 18!)  Wouldn't THAT be just delightful? In our 5+ years of marriage, we've never been together on his birthday -- he's always been deployed somewhere.  Anyway, this would be about 2-3 weeks earlier than when he's scheduled to come home, and everything is tentative and subject to change, so please keep this in your thoughts/prayers!

Starting a new job and new HABITS.

Being honest with myself re: how I eat in front of other people and how I eat when I'm alone.

 

So .... I got on the scale this morning because, frankly, I wanted to see how badly I've been doing with my temporary "maintenance mode" goal. After all, I've been eating out more, I've been eating more beef, more ham, more steak, more cheese, more sunflower seeds and nuts .... and less .... ummm... veggies (just a bit!) And I wanted to see how I was doing since (fingers crossed) my wonderful DH may be coming home very soon.... and I wanted to have made progress since he left, ya know?

Anyway, my July 1st weigh-in shows my lowest weight ever (by a hair, but it still counts, right?) .... exactly 101 pounds lost! (And 5.6 pounds lost for the very merry month of June .... and 14.6 pounds since my wonderful DH left for his deployment a couple of months ago!!!!)

*** DOING THE SNOOPY HAPPY DANCE!!! ***

MOLLY

QUESTION OF THE DAY - TUESDAY JULY 1

Olives ... love them? Hate them? Grossed out by them? Do you pick them off your pizza? Do you eat them off your fingers? Green or Black?

MOLLY

Original Post by mollymouser:

QUESTION OF THE DAY - TUESDAY JULY 1

Olives ... love them? Hate them? Grossed out by them? Do you pick them off your pizza? Do you eat them off your fingers? Green or Black?

MOLLY

I love love love olives.  I would be perfectly content to eat my whole 1700 calories just in olives.  Sometimes I do pick them off pizza though, because I'm not a big fan of canned black olives that are all mushy from being in the oven.  There aren't really any kinds of olives that I don't like.  When I buy them myself, I usually get either nicoise or kalamata olives.  I'm also a big fan of the jumbo green olives stuffed with garlic cloves from Trader Joe's.  Dang, now I really want olives.  I guess I'll have to walk up to Whole Foods and hit the olive bar.  

Blech.  I hate all olives.  I think they taste like I imagine someone's sweaty foot would taste.  Aren't personal tastes funny?