mollymouser's Journal

How are you all this fair September Morn? (Cue Neil Diamond crooning "September Morn....") I am up EARLY this Monday morning because I wanted to get my Monday morning weigh-in done before my DH went off to work.... his job is to hide the scale for me in between weigh-ins (so I don't get freaked out by stepping on the scale every morning) .... and his seond, diet-related job is also to read off what I actually weigh when I step on the scale. (Best 2 out of 3 is what we've decided on .... for some reason this wonderful man doesn't see the point in stepping on and off the scale for 20 timess!)

One of my health-related goals this week is to be more intentional about drinking water, and to reduce the number of diet sodas I am drinking in lieu of drinking water. I also want to remember to take my flax seed DAILY, and I want to get some swimming in every day, if at all possible. (Gotta keep moving!)  I am also trying to focus more on lean turkey and less on lean ham .... less sodium in turkey! Oh, and I want to EAT the fresh veggies that are actually lurking in my refrigerator! (Spinach, broccoli, brussell sprouts, artichokes, radishes, cherry tomatoes) Oh! And I have blueberries in there!!!!

We filled bird seeders late yesterday, so I won't need to do that today. We also switched all of our outdoor summer decor for autumn decor .... mailbox cover, three wreaths, four flags, signs/garden stakes and both door mats. And the windsock! I also put three new pots of yellow sunflowers out next to the garage doors! We LOOK like fall ... even if the thermometer is still nearly 100 degrees! I try to change my outside decor 4-6 times per year .... and it will stay "Autumn" until I make the switch to "Winter/Snowmen" after Thanksgiving!

I am doing these home-decorating things, in part, to help me appreciate CHANGE and to view it as a good (and non-scary thing). In nature, everything changes as we go through seasons .... and in life, everything changes as the Lord leads us from one season to another. My spirit yearns for a healthier season .... physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.... and my prayer is that my new eating habits and lifestyle changes are the start of something wonderful that God is doing in my life.

Change is good.

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DIET DAY 19 (but who's counting, right?)  

I got up late this morning (yay! a sleep-in day!), jumped in the shower, then wandered into the kitchen for an especially yummy breakfast. (It is a Drill Weekend and DH Ron is working all day today ... he left for work hours ago!) I toasted 4 slices of Oroweat light whole wheat bread (160 calories total), cut them up and sprayed them with ICBINB spray, and then drizzled them with a 1/4 cup of Atkins Sugar-Free syrup (0 Calories!) Then I added two Trader Joe's brand meatless "breakfast patties" (140 calories total) .... for an especially delicious, especially delightful 300-calorie Sunday morning breakfast! At least it is as close to pancakes or waffles and sausages as I was able to get!

I think at lunchtime today I am going to make some healthy nachos. I bought some spinach-corn chips from Trader Joes (23 chips for 150 calories), I have non-fat cheese, LOTS of fresh salsa, and I will probably add in some ham chunks because the ham is open and the chicken is not.  It may not be "traditional" nachos ... but I am optimistic it will be a nice change of pace from my normal lunches of turkey on wheat and steamed veggies.  Hee hee hee ... so far, my food plans for today seem to be conspicuously missing any veggies, huh? (Actually, the breakfast patties were vegetarian ... and the spinach-corn chips CONTAIN veggies.)  I have fresh spinach, fresh broccoli, and fresh brussell sprouts in the fridge ... but I am temporarily boycotting them.... but I may add a few fresh cherry tomatoes to my nachos, how's that?

Oh, and there are radishes in there.... I might eat a few today! (giggle)

This next week looks reasonably pleasant. We rescued a papillon-mix young female dog from a local high-kill animal shelter back in March, and adopted her out to a friend's mom. Anyway, the mom is going in for hip surgery on Friday morning, so we will go and pick up Patty (Patty the Pappy) on Thursday evening -- she will be staying with us for the 3-5 days her "mom" will be in the hospital, and then for the 2-4 weeks or so she will be at a rehabilitation facility. This should serve to moderately upset our well-balanced little animal kingdom .... but I think our two young female dogs (Minnie and Corey) should be reasonably welcoming.  Anyway, it is a DENTIST-FREE week, so that is a good thing!

Yep, I have three DENTIST appointments over the next month or so .... the first two for "root planing" (shudder), then the last one is an hour-and-a-half appointment for 3 cavities to be filled. I have ongoing anxiety issues and a real dentist phobia, so I anticipate freaking out for these appointments to one degree or another. (The last one is October 12, by the way.)  The only thing I can say I am looking forward to regarding this is (1) having them OVER; and (2) knowing I will weigh LESS for each appointmet! (grin)

Have a great day/week!

This is the day that the Lord has made ... let us rejoice and be glad!

 

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WOOO HOOO!!!

I stepped on the scale this morning (I know, I know .... I was supposed to get weighed once a week on Mondays .... so much for THAT rule, huh?) .... and I have lost another 4 pounds!!!! YAY!  That brings my weight loss total to 16.2 pounds since I started on August 22! (Doing the Snoopy Happy Dance .... which surely must burn calories.) 

For those of you thinking, "Sheesh! That seems fast" -- let me remind you that my starting weight was 369, and I do believe that it is significantly easier to lose weight when you weigh over 300 pounds than when you weigh under 300 pounds. I am also of the opinion that for those of us weighing over 300 pounds, the BMR charts are a little off .... this site says that I need 2800 calories per day to maintain my weight and I suspect the actual number is more like 3200-3400 ... so my calorie deficit is currently higher than what the site says. (Does that make any sense?)  I do think that the BMR chart thingy is more accurate for those who weigh under 300 (and probably under 250).

My new favorite treat: fresh raspberries. One whole cup is just 64 calories. Sprinkle on a package of fake sugar and squirt on 2 TBS of light whipped cream.... 85 calories of unbelievable yumminess! I had some last night and was one very happy camper! It didn't feel at all like "diet food!"

My freezer is now stocked with a variety of vegetarian "patties" and "burgers" ... and even a fake chicken cutlet thing.... all very low in fat and calories. I am trying to add some variety to my eating and was looking for some different tasting protein sources since my tummy does not do well with beans -- and after a while lean turkey, lean ham, and fat free bologna get tiresome. I do have tuna, though ... and have been eating a lot of hardboiled egg whites.

I also picked up some ground flax seed at Whole Foods ... and sprinkled some on my cereal this morning. It supposedly will help lower bad cholesterol .... and adds a nice, nutty flavor.

We went to the dog park this morning with Corey and Minnie (our two doglets) and, as usual, they had a blast! It was a beautiful morning -- and we had fun watching them!

Happy sigh .... I've lost 16.2 pounds!!!!

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Has anyone noticed how alliterative I am being with the titles of my journal entries? Am I a silly girl, or what?

I am endeavoring to be ESPECIALLY good today, because DH wants to go out to our favorite chinese restaurant for dinner. I plan to have sizzling rice soup (still deciding about whether or not to ask for no rice .... but that is what makes it sizzle) .... and Mu Shu pork -- without the plum sauce and without the wrapper. (Which basically is a big plate of lean pork and veggies --- lots of cabbage and celery, actually.)  That can't be TOOOO bad, right?

I can't get my colors to work .... sorry this is grey.  SIGH.

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I switched over to Calorie Count Plus and I am still getting used to it.

I've been pretty good today, diet-wise.

I like the happy faces.

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I am starting to keep a list of low-calorie snacking options, in case I can't think of any when I get frazzled, frustrated or tired. Here is a partial list of my favorite snackables....

100-calorie microwave popcorn (Orville Redenbacher)

100-calorie reduced fat Pringles

100-calores Light Fat Free Yoplait Yogurt

100-calorie nutrition bar

100-calorie protein shake

150-calories .... an entire can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup

Dill pickles (5 calories each pickle 1/2)

Sugar Free popsicles

Sugar Free jello

Sugar Free pudding

Chicken Bouillion (with healthy crackers, croutons, or light bread toast)

Fat Free cottage cheese

An apple or some berries

A plate FULL of cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, broccoli, radishes ... with some low-calorie, low-fat dressing (vinegar or a spritz or lemon juice)

1 slice light Oroweat whole wheat bread (40 calories) plus some no-calorie butter spray, plus a slice of turkey, ham, or fat free cheese... or a scraping of peanut butter. Toasted works, too. Heck, have a sandwich with that light bread!

2 cups of fresh mushrooms (30 calories, total), sauteed with Pam/fake butter with Mrs Dash added.... or you can zap them in the microwave.

Salsa and veggies (broccoli works well)

Sunflower seeds IN the shell.

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My dentist appointment is TOMORROW (Sept 4) ... which just goes to show that I am clueless about anything having to do with numbers -- including DATES! (grin!) My wonderful DH Ron has graciously volunteered to drive me (since he knows that way I will actually ATTEND the appointment!) I know I am a noodle about these things .... but I really am. And, of course, I have been flossing all day today .... hee hee hee.

I was thinking about weighing myself once a week, but ended up on the scale yesterday -- which was encouraging because I'd lost. I know I don't want to get on every day or I will drive myself nut (well, make that "more nuts") ... so I am thinking of gettiing on it 2-3 times a week, randomly and haphazardly. It is a nifty digital scale that I ordered online from www.Amazon.com .... and I like it.

I like that we can write our journal entries in COLOR .... and not just in black. I wish we could do that with our everyday posts. Oh well.... we can all dream, can't we? I try to use some color in my blog, too. http://360.yahoo.com/profile-rJfIPYI5erTBfdDWeF0UQVibAzzn2Yb sCi0b

I didn't go biking this morning before it got too hot, but will hit the pool soon. I think my "big exercise" for the day will be helping DH ... a HUGE branch cracked off the tree out front and is just sort of dangling there.... so we will be sqawing and pruning and lugging around large chunks of wood after he gets home. I dragged the one part that was in the street off to the side, so it should be fine for the next few hours. (I even put out some nifty orange safety cones we have... my DH is Mr. Safety)

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I stepped on the scale this morning (insert ominous, heart-pounding music here) .... and discovered that I've lost 10.5 pounds since I started this Diet Odyssey on August 22! WOOOO HOOOO! (Doing the Snoopy Happy Dance, which much surely burn some calories, right?) YAY!

Of course, I am so sick of broccoli and cucumbers that I could puke... hee hee hee. OK, sorry for that gross mental picture (but you get my drift.) Chicken and Broccoli. Broccoli and Chicken. Chicken alone. Broccoli alone. I think I am in a bit of a rut after only 12 days of dieting, and will branch out a teensy bit this week.

I have to go to the dentist on Wednesday (Sept 3) for visit one of my two-visit torture session of having my "roots scraped" .... which sounds about as dreadful as anything I can imagine. EEEEEEEK!

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