mollymouser's Journal

Thursday Thtuff
Sep 20 2007 08:44

Another Thursday .... another day of vegetables, hee hee hee.

I didin't especially feel like cereal, oatmeal or toast this morning .... so I ended up foraging in the refrigerator for what my dear husband calls "weird food combinations."  Anyway, breakfast this morning was 70 calories of green beans, 70 calories of asparagus, 60 calories of vegan fat free cheddar cheese, and 75 calories of hard boiled egg whites sprinkled with lemon pepper. (No, I did NOT mix all of these things together)  I was just trying to find some healthy carbs and healthy proteins .... and since the morning is unseasonably chilly out there (55 degrees), I thought a nice mound of steaming green veggies would be .... nice. In any respect, I have at least 4 (if not 6) servings of my daily vegetables over and done with ... and it isn't even 9am! (TOTAL 277 CALORIES) 

My "ideal" daily breakdown of calories ...

300 Calories Breakfast

400 Calories Lunch

100 Calories Snack

500 Calories Dinner

100 Calories After Dinner Protein Shake

100 Calories After Dinner Snack (popcorn)

1500 DAILY TOTAL

Weight loss as of Monday .... 19.2 pounds

Diet Soda-Free .... so far, so good!

I have it set up so that, if we go out to dinner or I want something really nifty for dinner, I can always have 700 calories for dinner and no snack later. This has been working very well for me, so far, in the week that I have gone down to 1500 calories a day. I continue to monitor my blood sugar 4-6 times per day, and I am still taking all of my prescribed oral medications. I have completely eliminated the before breakfast and before dinner insulin shots (yay!), but I am still taking 80 units of long-acting insulin before bedtime. 

I am currently taking a diabetic multivitamin, garlic, cinnamon, probiotics to help with digestion, and ground flax seed. (I am also still taking Keflex for my infected spider bite, but I think DH will let me stop after today!)

My blood sugars have been under MUCH better control in the 4 weeks I have been dieting, and I am hoping that this will help to reduce my cholesterol, triglycerides, A1c level ... and just reducing my weight will help my blood pressure. My diet started Aug 22 ... I go for blood tests on Oct 22 (2 months-mark). I am looking forward to seeing how much weight I will have lost by that date.

Keep on, keeping on!

Wednesday Part 2
Sep 19 2007 17:49

I made the BEST "modified" Tabouli tonight .... yum! (Modified in the sense that tabouli is usually made with parsley ... but I prefer spinach!.... and I substitute low calorie dressing for olive oil and vinegar)

65 calories 1 10oz package of fresh spinach (chop it finally)

65 calories 3 small red, ripe tomatoes  (cut into cubes)

35 calories 1 cucumber (peeled, cut into cubes)

150 calories 1 cup of cooked Bulgur

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons of (calorie free) Walden Farms Balsamic dressing

Lemon pepper, to taste

This makes a HUGE salad.... you really could use less spinach, if you wanted. I tossed in some lean, grilled chicken ... and had a scrumptiously wonderful dinner. And, if you have the calories available, it can be wonderful with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We make our bulgur in the rice cooker ... and add in 2 packets of sodium-free chicken bouillion for flavor, plus garlic powder. some dried onion flakes, and a few dried carrot flakes ... for nice little colored specks. Bulgur is lower in carbs and lower in calories than brown rice .... and is great on its own or in tabouli!

Wednesday Warbles
Sep 18 2007 18:29

Dear Journal .... (hee hee hee)  

I decided that I would rather have Sonic Tater Tots (210 calories) than 600 calories from KFC .... so one of these days, my husband said he would take me to Sonic for Tater Tots (and a Diet Cherry Limeade .... if I drink sodas again!)  Thanks for your input, peeps.

So far, so good at 1500 calories per day.... that means I am running a 1300 calorie deficit. And I have been soda free for four days so far, too (I am trying to drink less caffeine and to drink MORE water)!

I was so good on Tuesday! I am trying to have fish twice a week and had some smoked salmon for breakfast (yum!) We also went to Whole Foods and I bought MORE smoked salmon ... yum. (I like it so much better than tuna!)  My husband bought me a rice cooker and I made brown rice for the first time ever .... woo hooo! And we also picked up some cracked wheat bulgur at Whole Foods to try .... it has less calories, less carbs, and more fiber than brown rice.  And just LOOK at the impressive list of veggies I consumed on Tuesday....

2 servings of broccoli

1 whole red onion

2 whole cucumbers

1 apple

1 artichoke

2 servings of brussell sprouts ....... YAY! 9 servings!!!!

Hope everyone else is doing ok, too!

Tuesday Tattles
Sep 18 2007 09:18

Some mornings, my breakfast turns out so wonderfully that it makes my toes wiggle!!! (wiggle wiggle) This was such a morning.  Two slices of whole wheat (light) toast, with a little ICBINB spray, and 1 tablespoon of fat free cream cheese .... then covered with 120 calories of delectable smoked salmon. Four cherry tomatoes as a garnish, plus 2 cups of freshly-steamed broccoli with lemon pepper and garlic..... just 287 calories!!!!  I could hardly sleep last night, thinking about my smoked salmon for breakfast ... happy sigh.

I have the weirdest craving for Kentucky Fried Chicken which is, as far as I can tell, about the worst-for-me fast food out there. Still, after carefully studying this website, I discovered that I could have one original recipe breast, one original recipe wing, and a small side of mashed 'taters and gravy for ... 600 calories. I've actually been thinking of planning my calories for the day so that I can do this. My DH said that if I still want this after 5 days of waiting, then I can have it! (He is hoping this weird craving will pass... hee hee hee.) Well, it's been SEVEN days and I still want it. What do you think? I think there is a tiny bit of protein nestled amid all that yummy fat. 

(sigh)

I want more smoked salmon ... but it's all gone.

=^..^= MOLLY

Monday Morning Mumbles
Sep 17 2007 12:41

I went grocery shopping today and got MOST things on my list. The store was "out" of fat free bologna. (I know, I know, it's processed .... but it is also just 25 calories a slice and I love it). I refused to get the light bologna, much less the regular bologna (which is 100 calories a slice... eek!) And they don't carry sugar free chocolate syrup. I know I saw it SOMEWHERE... possibly at a different grocery store or a health food store. I've been jazzing up my 100-calorie vanilla low carb protein shake by sticking it in the blender with ice cubes ... and was thinking it would be nice to "choclify" it. (Hmmm.... did I just make up a new word? Choclify?) Maybe I will just add a 25-calorie packet of sugar free hot chocolate??? YUMMMM!

I seem to be investing a lot of time and cash into small size ziploc bags these days. Since portion control has been one of my challenges for a long time, when I buy something like a box of reduced fat Cheez-its (29 crackers per 130 calorie serving), I've discovered I need to open the box, count out little piles of crackers, then divide them into individual ziploc bags. This has proved absolutely FASCINATING for the kittens to watch! I did this individual-baggie approach with some organic, fat free cheese crunchy-things, too. I now have little baggies all over my pantry!

DAYS WITHOUT DIET SODA: This is Day 2

=^..^= ME

Sunday Sonnets
Sep 16 2007 20:29

Well, it is 8:32pm and I am at 1362 calories for the day, so far.... which means I can actually eat 138 more calories if I want. (That Orville Redenbacher 100-calorie popcorn may be calling my name!)  Or I can have some Cheez-its, which I have been craving all day.

My diet has been stalled this past week ... I think I am retaining water for my period (should start this next week, but who knows for sure?) .... and I've gained 3 pounds despite having a definite calorie deficit every day. (I am NOT logging those gained pounds in my weight log, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not!) Tomorrow is my weekly weigh-in day, and if I get upset and depressed again over it, my DH said I need to go to once a MONTH weigh ins.

I have REALLY been trying to stay hydrated, but just haven't wanted to drink water .... so I am off Diet Sodas for a while until I start doing better about drinking water. I made some cranberry caffeine-free tea this evening .... and now have a BIG glass of iced tea sitting here. I added some lemon .... and it is a pretty red color..... so maybe I can fool my body into wanting some, huh? I had a 100-calorie, low carb protein shake earlier ... I tossed it in the blender with a dozen ice cubes and made a great big icy slushy.  I get to count all that crushed ice as water, right?

My One-Month Anniversary of dieting is September 22. Can someone please assure me that if I've lost 16 pounds in this first month (369-16=353) that I am doing reasonably well, and don't need to feel like a total failure for not losing more? (Note: I cannot exercise until I lose 40 pounds... I've been doing a little exercise, but nothing really substantive, yet.) I keep reading on here how some people (over 350, like me), have lost 20-30 pounds in their first month .... and all I can think of is, "why can't I do that?"

I'm taking Cephalaxin (Keflex) 4 times a day for my infected spider bite (on my left calf/ankle area), and have been running a low-grade fever all day... so really don't feel my usual, perky self. Normally we would have done a lot more running around and shopping today ... and I'd have splashed around in the pool some .... but I just don't feel well.  But, I have tried to eat healthily ... 3 servings of cabbage, 2 servings of tomatoes, 2 servings of asparagus .... that's 7 servings of veggies for the day.

MOLLY

Saturday Stuff
Sep 15 2007 15:19

itch itch ouch ouch ouch ouch ... I have an infected bug bite on my left ankle/calf area, so I just started taking Cephalexin (Keflex) ... sigh. I take it 3 times a day for 5 days -- hopefully that will clear things up before I ended up at the E.R. with blood poisoning. I have a compromised immune system, and get really sick really quickly. I am already taking garlic ... anytyhing else that anyone recommends? We are also putting a topical triple antibiotic on it, too.  (Prayers appreciated, too)

glug glug glug glug glug ... I've been TRYING to drink water more water, starting today. (Ok, I did have one Diet Mountain Dew in there, too!)  I now have a little chart on the side of the fridge that I check off every time I complete one of my 24 ounce glasses of water. I am aiming for 150 ounces a day .... but don't truly expect to accomplish that every day, at least at first.

save save save save save ... We are trying to tighten our budget, and have set a weekly goal of how much we can spend on eating out. We now have a little chart on the side of the fridge going from Fridays through Thursday .... so we will see how that works. Obviously, this will also help my dieting, too. We've agreed to Thai food only ONCE a week .... and will try to do Denny's, Boston Market, or Applebees as our primary choices -- since they all have a nice selection of lower calorie foods that I can properly log and plan around.

new new new new new new .... We're in the process of getting new, dual-pane picture windows for our dining room and living room -- in the front of the house, facing the street. We plan to eventually do the WHOLE house, but that is verrrrrrrry pricey, so we are starting where it will show the most (plus they are tinted and get direct sun part of the year ... so we should have less UV rays, less glare, less heat and more privacy as a result.)  Hard to believe that just replacing the windows in those two rooms will be $1450, huh? EEEK! That's why we are doing the window replacement in stages!

munch munch munch munch munch .... I had fresh broccoli, fresh mushrooms, fresh onion, lean turkey and 3 hard boiled egg whites for lunch. It was overwhelmingly healthy .... ugh!  Breakfast was 300 calories, and lunch was under 300 calories .... so I get to eat my leftover pasta-marinara sauce-mushrooms -chicken for dinner (along with, of course, another veggie ... probably a nice spinach salad.) It's hard to estimate exactly how many calories that is ... but it will definitely give me a deficit.

MOLLY

Friday Frivolities
Sep 14 2007 01:32

I did a fair amount of gardening yesterday ... trimmed and pruned some bushes, the grapefruit tree, and a HUGE mountain of morning glory vines .... the front yard looks much tidier. I fear that my new pink geranium is .... ummm.... dead. It sure looks dead. The red geraniums that came with the house keep resurrecting themselves after I completely removed them .... yet a pretty pink geranium that I carefully selected and lovingly planted bites the dust after 4 weeks. Sheesh.

My dieting, I believe, is plodding onward... and hopefully (scale-wise), downward. I don't get to get weighed until Monday..... (sigh)

Thursday Thoughts
Sep 13 2007 00:44

DH Ron and I will be picking up Patty the Pappy (Papillon mix) from a friend this evening (actually, she is the mom of a good friend). Patty's "mom" is having hip surgery on Friday, so we will have Patty for about 3-4 weeks until her "mom" is home from both the hospital AND the rehabilitation facility. We've been taking our two little girls (Minnie and Corey) to the dog park lately, so we will hope that everyone gets along well. Patty is used to being a pampered "only child" .... and she'll be sharing space here with two active doggies, two pouncy-purry inquisitive kittens (Mac and Meg) , as well as Molly and Fuzzball! We first met Patty when Ron and I rescued her from a local, high-kill shelter and her spayed/microchipped. We then adopted her out to her current "mom" -- promising that we would always be available to doggy sit, if necessary.

I went for a short bike ride yesterday .... just tooling around the neighborhood on my raspberry-colored tricycle. (Ringing my bell and honking my horn, thank you!) I kept crossing paths with the mailman and think I waved at him three times ... hee hee hee. I had a brief "drive by chat" with a lady around the street who wanted to know if it was hard to ride a trike (not that hard to ride, harder to steer than a bike), and a brief wave to another neighbor cutting his grass. Our neighborhood is usually pretty quiet and peaceful on weekdays before 3pm.

(Happy sigh)

My dad... after whom I am named .... would have been 80 yesterday -- but he died in 2004 at age 77, just three months after my mom lost her 6 year battle with breast cancer. She was 73. I thought a lot about my parents yesterday since it was my dad's birthday .... and realized yet again how much I missed them. It is hard to lose your parents when you are in your 30s, you know.... and it seems like only yesterday that they passed .... yet it has been almost three years.

I hope Patty enjoys her stay with us.

I assume my diet is on track ... I don't get to get on the scale again until Monday. But I've been eating under my BMR, faithfully.