MOLLY'S DIET RANTS! (ranting, raving, motivating & more)

RANTING BURNS CALORIES!

This is an open, ongoing, support-encourage-motivational-RANTING thread. Feel free to skip to the end, or spend days reading through all of this ...

* * *

I have decided that "Diet" is a 4-letter word.

I find myself muttering and uttering the word around my house these days with loathing and vehemence previously reserved only for comments directed toward liberal politicians. In fact, I seem to be talking to myself a lot more these days .... sort of a running, sarcastic commentary on all the foods I can't eat, or on various other related topics. I wonder if there is a link between calorie-deprivation and Tourettes Syndrome? Grrrrrrrrr.....

I am now on Day 8 of the dreaded D-word. This is already the longest period of time that I have ever successfully remained on a diet. And I seem to be growing grouchier and feistier each day..... at least when I am alone and no one is around to hear my running rants. (My wonderful DH has heard some of my more memorable rants on the subject of broccolli and reports that I am hysterically funny when I am hungry!) I am counting carbs. I am counting calories. I am counting fat grams. Sheesh ... now my math anxiety is about to kick-in!

Mini Rant #1 .... what masochist decided that the serving size of cereal was anything less than 2 cups? Have you ever measured out 2/3 a cup of cereal? Or even a full cup? And placed it in a bowl? Those few little flakes and pieces just sit forlornly at the bottom of the bowl, shivering and lonely, even when we dribble on a few meager droplets of skim milk! Sheesh. Well, I can tell you that there is simply no way that my oversized body is going to be happy with that tiny amount of cereal ... so I have been eating TWO servings for breakfast. SIGH. And while the side of the box says that I can supplement the cereal with some fruit, they probably don't mean eat 45 cherries with your cereal -- much less 1/2 a watermelon, huh?

Mini Rant #2 .... Things NOT to say to someone who has told you that they have just started on a diet:

1.Good, you sure needed it.
2. It's about time.
3. Really? It doesn't look like it.
4. Again? Haven't we heard this before?
5. Gosh, how much weight do you need to lose?
6. What do you weigh? I've always wondered.
7. I never need to diet, I have a fast metabolism.
8. Really? I can eat all I want and never gain weight.
9. Is THAT why you are so grouchy?
10. I sure hope you plan to exercise a lot more.

AAAUGGH! All of these responses are just the thing to make me even grouchier .... so just smile and say something encouraging and supportive, ok? I will let you know how it is going.

_____

=^..^=  Molly 

WELCOME TO MOLLY'S MOTIVATIONAL RANT / CHAT THREAD ... FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR RANTS, TOO!  YOU CAN EITHER READ FROM THE BEGINNING OR JUST JUMP ON IN ON THE LAST PAGE ... JOIN US! 

Top #2 was just a really pretty lace-trimmed t-shirt in a gorgeous dark celery green... Top #4 was a bright orange-brown-gold-olive print v-neck top with some beading and sequin accents in an almost African-inspired design.

Molly, only you could get two servings of vegetables out of clothes shopping! Celery green???? Olive print???? hee hee!

Original Post by sabineyvr:

I agree Molly. I met this lady yesterday who's already lost 50lbs and her focus is on leading a normal life. I think that is another reason why I've decided to join you. I want to be relaxed about the scale thing I'll be in control and focused on exercise and what I eat but I really want to be able to do this without the continuous stress/motivation/obsession of numbers because really you can tell if something is happening, clothes are one of the best indicators.

NOTE: Stock up on festive underwear for when so much weight is lost, clothes start falling off! (giggle)

=^..^= MOLLY

Original Post by ejpredny:

Top #2 was just a really pretty lace-trimmed t-shirt in a gorgeous dark celery green... Top #4 was a bright orange-brown-gold-olive print v-neck top with some beading and sequin accents in an almost African-inspired design.

Molly, only you could get two servings of vegetables out of clothes shopping! Celery green???? Olive print???? hee hee!

Tooooo funny. You know you are eating enough vegetables when you start using their color to describe everyday things. "Doesn't that sunset look just like butternut squash?""

=^..^= MOLLY

OK, marinated ostrich burgers with grilled onions and mushrooms are YUMMILICIOUS!

That is all.

=^..^= MOLLY

GOOOOOD MORNING, RANTERS!!!!

Why, oh why, won't my cats let me sleep in!?!?  

My wonderful DH called me last night, and he sounded tired. He'd been flying support missions for the southern California fires all day long, and was heading to a hot shower and a warm bed. He'd taken a few moments to stand near the beach by his room on the base, just listening to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, and watching bouncing wild bunnies in the moonlight. We had a brief giggle over the thought of San Diego "Beach Bunnies" as we talked about how our days had gone. He said he was sorry to have missed my yummy ostrich burgers, and I promised to make them again for him, soon. I miss him and hope that he is able to come home soon.

We had quite the unexpected thunderstorm blow through here last night -- with thunder and lightning galore! All of those scary sounds made Corey and Minnie bark (they are, of course, our two little doglets), and it made the kittens (Mac n' Meg) poof up and hide behind the sofa. At one point, I wished I could fit back there with them! We lost power briefly but it was quickly restored. As I watched the gusty winds shake thousands of leaves off our trees, I realized what a complete waste of time my afternoon leaf-raking had been. Oh well, at least it was good exercise, right? (smile) The kittens, by the way, eventually emerged from hiding and looked at me with "What in the world was THAT?!" expressions on their furry little faces.

I must say that my marinated ostrich burger last night was fabulous with the grilled garlic, onion and mushrooms!!! Ostrich has less than 1/3 the fat of beef, and less than 1/2 the fat of skinless chicken ... and it looks and feels just like beef, too. I bought natural, free-range already-formed ostrich burger patties at Whole Foods, but I know that you can also order them from a variety of places online, and even through www.Amazon.com. For people battling high cholesterol, it's a fabulous way to enjoy red meat again -- without all the fat! (And I found the taste FAR superior to turkey burgers!)

My goal is to lose another 10.4 pounds by Christmas (which will take me to 50 pounds lost) .... but I have to admit that my hope and prayer is that I actually lose a wee bit MORE than that by then. Of course, between now and then there is Thanksgiving and our three-day vacation to the California coast in early December ... but there are also about 8 weeks between now and then, too! I've decided that 10-pound increments are nice-sized goals for dieting .... not too big, but not too small.... just right! (Oh my, now I sound like Goldilocks!)

Have a sunshine-y day!

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May.
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My guy (my guy, my guy)
Talkin' 'bout my guyl (my guy).

=^..^= MOLLY, BY GOLLY

I dabbled with the thought of staying away from the scale myself --you're too persuasive Molly! Wouldn't want to be your opposing counsel! I went to my employer's health fair to get a flu shot and braved a body fat percentage measurement. I'd just had a rather binge-y weekend so I was already feeling pudgy & it said I'm nearly a third fat. Yikes! This made me rethink my goal weight (darn calculators!) so I decided I needed to face the scale this morning whether I wanted to or not. I usually weigh myself first thing in the morning (before coffee even!) without a stitch on. Today I forgot and ate breakfast & showered first. I was my lowest weight yet. If I guessed I would have figured about four pounds more.  I've decided I just don't have a clue without some outside dispassionate measurement. I 'feel' fat and I become discouraged that the months of loosing half a pound a week have been for nothing. Then I loose my resolve & things really go to pot!  I don’t think clothing is a good enough indicator for me because my weight crept up these 10 pounds without me realizing it. (“Gosh, those jeans really shrank in the wash!”)  I’m not trying to talk anyone out of staying away from the scale. I think you’re reasoning is really good. I just think for someone like me, who’s lost their ability to ‘see’ them self, it’s kind of a necessity…darn, cause I really don’t like that thing!

 

OK, so I'm meeting a GF for lunch at a local Mexican place. Gosh I love this stuff, so I go looking for calorie counts for various specialties. Do you have any idea how many different listings there are for Chicken Quesadillas??? Calories listed range from 500 to 1200 calories!!! How do I "guess"timate that??? Sure, I hear you recommending a salad instead. But those taco salads, with their crunchy shells are just too tempting! Guess I'll go with a mid range count and hope that the pleasure of it will be worth the count!!! I do know that spending an hour with Her will be worth it! Nothing like a good listener for a best friend :)

Edit: I found the website for Salsaritas Fresh Cantina, and they have a very helpful website for determing Nutrition Facts! Unfortunately, I found it after I'd already eaten what I was hungering for!

I've only been out for Mexican food once in the past 10 weeks. I ordered a small side salad (no cheese, no dressing -- I brought my own dressing), plus a grilled chicken tostada (no cheese, no rice) with chicken, black beans, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and lots of salsa. Then I didn't eat the shell! It was nice because I stayed within my lunchtime calorie goals. If we go back for Mexican food for dinner, my plan is to eat 8 tortilla chips with salsa, and to order the Cocido... because I can input the meet, the 1/2 potato, the carrots, and make a decent stab at the clear broth.

My wonderful DH is a saint, and hasn't complained about the restaurants we're now going to (a significant reduction in variety, frequency and culinary style.) We pretty much are just going to Panda Express (very diet friendly), Boston Market (ditto), Applebees (ditto) or the Macaroni Grill (the grilled salmon with broccoli/asparagus is 580 calories ... and I add a side salad with no dressing, no croutons and no cheese and bring my own!) But, I don't plan to be this good forever ... I am being this careful and limiting for the first 3 months or so .... because I really want to get this diet started WELL, ya know?

Mini rant ... this will be night #9 without my DH home.

=^..^= MOLLY

OK, I haven't had dinner yet, but once I do (10 servings of veggies), I will have eaten 16 servings of veggies for the day. That HAS to be some sort of weird, veggie-obsessed record, right? (giggle)

This will be night #9 without my DH home. But I am praying that he comes home tomorrow so I don't have to fight off vandals/pumpkin smashers and sit in my dark house all by myself.... and 2 dogs and a zillion cats. You should have seen me try to carefully wriggle under the covers to get in bed last night so as to not disturb the SEVEN cats that were sleeping on top of our Queen-sized bed.  One of these days we really do need to get a King.

My exercise today was raking and sweeping up approximately 4 millon leaves. I really don't think I am exaggerating. What a delightful upper body workout ... my arms are TIRED! I came in, and flopped on the couch NEXT to the treadmill ... and fell asleep! hee hee hee!

My wonderful DH called briefly today for about 2 minutes. I warned him that I've completely re-arranged the furniture in the family room and to be sure and turn ON the lights when he finally gets to come home if it's after I've gone to bed some night. He just laughed and asked if I bought new furniture! (I didn't!)

=^..^= MOLLY

This is my first time posting on this thread, and i just want to say - WOW! what a great thread. I've been reading it daily and have enjoyed every entry.

My mini rant: being short!!

I'm not even that short. i'm 5'4. "average height"!!! and why does this bother me? Well before I lost 105 lbs, (245 to 140) I was able to buy pants (size 16, though they should have probably been an 18..i was just stubborn) I didn't have to get them shortened..the fabric covered my big bum and my thighs and my extra tire around my tummy and the length was perfect!! well...now that my extra tire and bum have vanished, and my thighs have significantly changed, pants are WAY too long!!! Every pair I buy needs to be hemmed and its just a pain in the butt. and the petite pants are too short! oh my, what a dilema.  oh well. i'd rather shorten my pants over the extra pounds any day!

The pants thing is frustrating. I bought a pair of pants on Sunday evening, and I have to have a girlfriend hem them for me.... by about 1.5-2.0 inches. The silly thing? I am 5'8" tall! Just how tall do they think women are, anyway? (And, no, I didn't purchase "tall" pants!)

Mini rant .... an hour or two ago, our house shook ... a 5.6 earthquake in San Jose, California. Between wildfires the last two weeks, lightning strikes and a freak thunderstorm and sporadic flooding/hail here yesterday, and now earthquakes .... do you suppose we could get a brief break from all these disasters? Sheesh.

=^..^= MOLLY

 

Hemming? That's cleaver! I just buy taller shoes. lol

Hellooooooooo downnnnnn therrrrrrrre!

Pants too long...and sleeves too! 3/4 sleeves are full length for me! Sure miss my Granny, the seamstress of the family! She could alter anything to make it fit perfectly!

Fires, earthquakes, etc....sure makes me glad to be here in the safe snow belt area! Been an unusally warm autun, thank goodness. But it generally means we pay later in increase snow fall. Oh well.....

My short person rant is that the "petites" section at our local high-end department store only stocks up to size 14.  At Easter they may get in some 16's but only a few and they're usually snapped up within a day or two.  Meanwhile, if I am lucky enough to find a larger size "petite" (usually from a catalog) it still will need hemming.  I'm 5'2" and like Sue 3/4 sleeves tend to be long-ish on me.  I've always wanted to be 5'10"!

Molly, I said a quick prayer for you this AM when I heard about the SF earthquake.  It sounds like you're OK in Fresno.  I hope your DH is able to come home soon.

My weight is still stuck at 204 - 205.  I am, however, determined to be 10 pounds lighter by Thanksgiving.  That means walking, walking, walking and water! (I hope).

Jane 

October 31st is here. As I am sure you know, there are several important holidays associated with the last day of October. First (and probably foremost), it is Nevada State Admission Day ... otherwise known as "Nevada Day." Nevada Day commemorates the admission of the state of Nevada into the union on October 31, 1864. I knew this important piece of Silver State trivia because I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and lived there with my parents for the first 11 years of my life. I can also sing large, off-key portions of the Nevada State song. Many people choose to celebrate Nevada Day by either (a) gambling; (b) building nuclear testing facilities in their back yard; or (c) turning up their heat really, really, really high so as to experience a Las Vegas "summer." (grin)

Today, of course, is also Reformation Day. Reformation Day is an important liturgical festival that is celebrated by Lutherans and Christians of many reformed Protestant denominations. It commemorates Dr. Martin Luther's posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31st, 1517. By posting his document on October 31st, the eve of the All Saints' Day mass, Luther ensured that his Theses would come to the attention of the throngs of literate Wittenberg residents and educated visitors who filed into the Castle Church for worship the next day. This act triggered the movement in world history known as the Reformation. Many people choose to celebrate Reformation Day by (a) nailing notes on the front doors of their noisy neighbors; (b) pinning notes directly on their children's clothes to send messages to their teachers; or (c) sticking notes up on the refrigerator warning others to stay away from YOUR leftovers. (grin)

And, it seems, today is also All Hallow's Eve (or All Saints Eve), now known colloquially in the US as Halloween. The earliest form of All Saints Eve" was first celebrated in the 300s, but originally took place on 13 May, as it still does in some Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Feast first commemorated only the martyrs (people who died for their christian faith), but came to include all of the Saints by 741. It was transferred to 1 November in 844 when Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter's Basilica to All Saints. Interestingly, for the more than 1600 years, the day was considered to be a day of fasting (no eating) for christians as a way of remembering and focusing on repenting of one's own sins and wrongdoings. Many people now choose to celebrate All Hallow's Even by (a) eating far more mini Snickers bars than anyone really ought to eat in one sitting; (b) embarassing their pets by making them wear silly costumes; and (c) begging for junk foof from total strangers and neighbors. (grin) (Hmmm... I am thinking that "fasting" rather than "feasting" would be a healthier option for many today!)

For me, today is DH RON COMING HOME DAY! Yay! Yay! Yay! After being gone for 10 days helping with the southern California wildfires, he should be home this evening! Woo hooo! I missed him! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Enjoy your Wednesday, peeps!

=^..^= MOLLY

Hey! Rant time ..... why is it when we have EVERY single light off in our entire house (seriously, we are sitting around in the dark) .... the doorbell KEEPS ringing every 10 minutes with yet another group of rowdy kids (not from around here), doing the "trick or treat" thing.  The porch light is out. The flood lights are out. Every light inside the house is out. The cars are away in the garage .... we don't even have the TV on! Sheesh! And it's nearly 9:00pm!  What's worse, when we just ignore the door bell after the first ring, most groups are then pounding on the door and ringing the bell multiple times. Grrrrrrrrrrr........ 

Is it bad that I am seriously considering turning the sprinklers on the next group?

Rant #2 ... we were pretty much out of fresh veggies, so off we went tonight to the grocery store to buy more. The bagged shredded cabbage? It expires tomorrow. The bagged spinach? It expires tomorrow. The bagged broccoli wokly? It expires the day AFTER tomorrow! I did get red onions and yellow onions and mushrooms and asparagus and radishes and grape tomatoes and tomatoes and cucumbers and red peppers and orange peppers and an acorn squash, but we actually had to go to a SECOND grocery store to get cabbage, spinach and broccoli. And BOTH stores were completely OUT of Thomas' light multigrain english muffins!!!!

Hmmmm..... is this some sort of weird diet conspiracy? Or am I just paranoid after hearing the doorbell ring twelve too many times this evening???

=^..^= MOLLY

1 rant, 1 humourous activity

Rant - Why is it that the pants with the longest inseam (for the tallest people) are always on the bottom shelf.

Found this activity in the CC list

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/activity/510 .html

add your own punchline after you read what the activity is.

OMG Marc, that is TOO funny, and especially appropriate as we're going camping this weekend!! I may be visiting that facility frequently, just to burn extra calories!!!

And to match your rant, why do plus-size clothing stores have aisles that only a small child could get through??!!??

 

Molly, it's too bad you couldn't send our trick-or-treaters to my house.  We had 6 total T-&-T'ers!  There are lots of kids in our neighborhood but fewer and fewer do the house-to-house thing around here.  There is one neighborhood that goes all out and evidently lots of parents drive their kids there to see the decorations.  Also, it seems, many go to church events or the malls.  In the past we've had the little kids early and then a few groups of middle-schoolers between 8 and 9.  Last night there were no middle schoolers and they usually took lots of candy.  Meanwhile, I have a bowl of leftover Hershey's and Twix minis...aaarrrggghhh.  Next year, I'll do the mini packs of raisins and we'll have lots of kids and they'll all think we're dorky because we only give out raisins!

All Saints is always a bittersweet day...it is good to remember those who've gone before us but sad to realize how much I miss them in this life.

JJ 

Last night was our first Halloween in a new town.  We were worried that there weren't going to be ANY trick-or-treaters, but then we decided we must live in a neighborhood with no kids.  There were several houses with lights on, so some folks were expecting kids to come by.  I only have one child who is still ToT age, so we eventually jsut went for it.  Well, apparently, here, it doesn't kick off until around 7:30 after it is good and dark.  We went out and about (drove to the neighborhood near where my child's school is) and when we got back around 8:15, my high-schooler (who we had left to man the candy bowl) only about a 1/3 of the bowl left.  He said we'd gotten around 25 kids or so. 

Well, we shut it down after another half-hour of NOTHING.  But I forgot to bring the jack-o-lanterns in ... I got up around 11:00 and told my son to go get them and put them in the garage.  He was laughing because apparently even though all of the house lights were out, the JoL brought some late-night visitors.  He had JUST answered the door of a couple of kids HIS age (16) - I asked what he told them, and he said he just held the bowl out to them and said, "Sorry, I've cleaned out most of the good stuff, but take something because I'm WIRED!!!" 

But this morning, no smashed pumpkins, no vandalism or other "tricks" - so all in all, a nice night.