Interesting article:
"The more an individual overeats, the less potent the rewards from eating become and that creates a pattern of overeating. "
OBESITY
The Pleasure Factor
Using milkshakes and brain scans, researchers find that some women are genetically predisposed to get less enjoyment from eating and may overeat to compensate.
By Sarah Kliff | NEWSWEEK
Published Oct 16, 2008
It was a difficult question for obesity researchers: do some people overeat because they find eating more pleasurable or gratifying than others? Logically, that makes a lot of sense—it's a time-tested principle of psychology: if a behavior feels good, we'll keep doing it. But a new study published today in the journal Science adds to a growing body of research suggesting the opposite: that women who derive less pleasure from eating may eat more to compensate, putting them at higher risk for weight gain and obesity. The research also discovered a particular genetic trait that, when present, is associated with an even stronger relationship between low sense of reward and overeating.
"If you ask overweight individuals if they crave food, I really think they are legitimately thinking it's more rewarding," says study author Eric Stice, a senior scientist at the Oregon Research Institute. "They'll say they're really sensitive to the rewards. But when you look at the brain scans you get a different picture."
Previous brain imaging studies have looked at what happens when we look at pictures of food. In those cases, obese individuals tend to anticipate a higher level of satisfaction of eating the pictured food than lean individuals do, supporting the idea that the people who overeat are the ones who find it more rewarding. But the Science study was the first to do those same fMRI scans while participants were actually eating—or, in this case, drinking a chocolate milkshake. "Nobody had ever administered food to people in a brain scanner and looked at what happens in the brain while you're eating," says Stice. "Now we have evidence that, when you give an obese individual a chocolate milkshake, there's less of a response going on."
What they found had a lot to do with dopamine, a neurotransmitter typically released in response to a pleasurable experience. Using an fMRI machine, the researchers measured the activity in an area of the brain that tends to be a hub for dopamine, called the dorsal striatum, when women had either a pleasurable food (the chocolate milkshake) or a control food (a tasteless solution). Obese women showed less activity in that region of the brain when they drank the milkshake compared to their leaner counterparts. And when researchers followed up with their participants a year later, they found those with decreased activity were also more likely to have gained weight. The more an individual overeats, the less potent the rewards from eating become and that creates a pattern of overeating. "The new bit is that once you start down that obesity track, it's hard to get back off," says Stice.
That risk was particularly pronounced among individuals with a particular genetic variation known as the Taq1A1 allele, suggesting a genetic disposition for weight gain—what other researchers call the most significant finding of this study. "What this research does to move things forward is identify a genetic component to brain functioning in obese people," says Gene-Jack Wang, a scientist with the Brookhaven National Laboratory. "This is a gene that can go any direction and these people are potentially more vulnerable [to having lower levels of dopamine]."
The study results reinforce the notion of obesity as similar to drug addiction, a comparison that researchers have been toying around with for the past few years. Dopamine has played a critical role in addiction research, where researchers have seen a similar pattern. "This research follows what we have seen in addictive people," says Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "At first we thought they were more sensitive to pleasurable responses. But research has shown exactly the opposite, that they have a blunted response to drugs and release much less dopamine. With obesity, it took everyone by surprise."
Researchers know that these findings of a genetic basis for low-reward overeating are important, but there's still a lingering question: how this research can best translate into obesity-prevention efforts. "A lot of things come out of this, a lot about future applications, possible drug treatments," says Wang. "It provides answers, but is also a bit of another Pandora's box." Wang and others know genetics is definitely not everything—rates of obesity have skyrocketed in the past century, far too quickly to be attributable to genetic variation alone—and that our nutritional environment plays an extremely significant role.
Still, if doctors can pinpoint genetic risk factors for obesity, it could reshape treatment: by, for example, identifying high-risk individuals early on or using pharmacologic interventions that could counterbalance low dopamine levels. Stice says he's not an advocate of genotyping, which he says would be "infeasible." Instead, he sees the main message of his study as a public-health warning, a strong reminder of why it's important to avoid overeating in the first place. "The more you eat, the less reward you get and the worse the problem is going to get," says Stice. Talk about a no-win situation.
© 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Little Black Dress Motivation
Thrift store shopping is one of my passions. I love to find great clothes cheap. And since they are cheap, I have no problem buying something fantastic in a size smaller than I am, hoping that it will fit at some point in the future.
A few weeks ago, I bought a really cute black summer halter dress. It was so tight that I could barely zip it and was afraid of ripping it when I did, but it was just too cute to pass up -- on the chance that I would be able to wear it someday.
When I found out that I'd be going to New Orleans last weekend, I knew the dress would be perfect for my trip if only I could fit into it. I suddenly had my weightloss motivation in the form of a little black dress.
Well, I am happy to report that I was able to wear the dress in New Orleans and, though it was just a tad snug in the ribcage, it was not at all too tight. I felt fabulous and in control. I want to remember that feeling, that little taste of success, to use as motivation always.
A few weeks ago, I bought a really cute black summer halter dress. It was so tight that I could barely zip it and was afraid of ripping it when I did, but it was just too cute to pass up -- on the chance that I would be able to wear it someday.
When I found out that I'd be going to New Orleans last weekend, I knew the dress would be perfect for my trip if only I could fit into it. I suddenly had my weightloss motivation in the form of a little black dress.
Well, I am happy to report that I was able to wear the dress in New Orleans and, though it was just a tad snug in the ribcage, it was not at all too tight. I felt fabulous and in control. I want to remember that feeling, that little taste of success, to use as motivation always.
Weight Loss Documentary
What happens when two British journalists participate in a crash diet experiment to lose five dress sizes in five weeks, aiming to end up a UK size 0 (U.S. size 2)?
The mental/emotional effects are as interesting as the body changes.
It's worth a watch on YouTube; here's the first of five episodes. You can find the rest by searching for "Super Skinny Me" on YouTube.
The mental/emotional effects are as interesting as the body changes.
It's worth a watch on YouTube; here's the first of five episodes. You can find the rest by searching for "Super Skinny Me" on YouTube.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
How Long to Lose?
Here's an interesting little app that purports to calculate how long it will take you to lose to your goal weight based on your height, current weight, activity level, and the amount of calories you eat per day. I'm not sure how accurate it is; it was apparently created by a member of the band on whose website it is. Also there are pictures and mentions of food that might trigger a craving, so beware.
www.losertown.org/eats/cal.php
The bad news for me is that, according to this, if I eat only 1200 calories per day but don't exercise, it will take nearly two years to lose ten pounds. As far as I'm concerned, that's about a year and 11 months too long.
www.losertown.org/eats/cal.php
The bad news for me is that, according to this, if I eat only 1200 calories per day but don't exercise, it will take nearly two years to lose ten pounds. As far as I'm concerned, that's about a year and 11 months too long.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Pendulum Swings
One day I eat well, two days I overeat. I pigged out Saturday, fasted Sunday, pigged out Monday. Obviously, I am having a hard time with consistency. Except for consistency with my exercising: I am consistently doing very little working out. Arggghh. Gotta work on that.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Calorie Counting Help and Planning
I've decided to try out www.thedailyplate.com to help me keep track of my daily calories and see how close I am coming to my goals. It has a great calorie counter where you can search for a food (including restaurant food) and add it to your daily food diary. The site totals the calories and other nutitional info for you. You can then save the info to track how you are doing over time.
You can also calculate what your daily calorie intake needs to be to lose (or gain) a certain amount of weight in a certain time, based in your current weight, height, activity level, and age. The basic membership is free, so I'm going to try it out for a while. It seems very useful so far; I'll let you know what I think about it after a few days.
You can also calculate what your daily calorie intake needs to be to lose (or gain) a certain amount of weight in a certain time, based in your current weight, height, activity level, and age. The basic membership is free, so I'm going to try it out for a while. It seems very useful so far; I'll let you know what I think about it after a few days.
Fasting
I fasted for straight three days last week. Contrary to my expectations (and previous experience), it was not difficult at all. Seriously. I was not hungry. For the most part, I felt energetic. Only very late at night on the second day and on the evening of the third day did I feel weak at all. I walked and worked and exercised and felt good. I couldn't believe it. It was amazingly easy. Really. I kid you not.
The other amazing thing besides how easy it was, was the resulting weight loss. On the second day of the fast I weighed 128 pounds. On the third day, I weighed 125 1/2 How it is possible that I could have lost that much in one day, I don't know. I figured that it was only partly true weight loss and the rest was due to a lesser weight of food in my belly, but I was wrong. After I broke my fast the night of the third day I expected to see some gain the next day, simply due to the weight of the food in my system, if nothing else. But I didn't. The day after the fast, my weight was still going down. I weighed 124 3/4. I'm not sure how that is possible, but I like it.
The only down side to the fast occurred when I finally broke it. I first tried eating some veggie sushi from the grocery store, but it hurt my mouth so badly that I literally could not eat it. The roof of my mouth was on fire with pain. Instead, I ate some cantaloupe which that did not cause mouth pain at all. Next I ate a little brown rice with soy sauce which caused only a small amount of pain. Finally, I tried the sushi again and was able to eat it that time with only a little pain.(Maybe I should have listened to my body and not eaten it at all.) Why was there pain when I initially ate again after the fast? Why to some foods and not others? Did the fasting make me more sensitive to something that I am allergic to?
The other amazing thing besides how easy it was, was the resulting weight loss. On the second day of the fast I weighed 128 pounds. On the third day, I weighed 125 1/2 How it is possible that I could have lost that much in one day, I don't know. I figured that it was only partly true weight loss and the rest was due to a lesser weight of food in my belly, but I was wrong. After I broke my fast the night of the third day I expected to see some gain the next day, simply due to the weight of the food in my system, if nothing else. But I didn't. The day after the fast, my weight was still going down. I weighed 124 3/4. I'm not sure how that is possible, but I like it.
The only down side to the fast occurred when I finally broke it. I first tried eating some veggie sushi from the grocery store, but it hurt my mouth so badly that I literally could not eat it. The roof of my mouth was on fire with pain. Instead, I ate some cantaloupe which that did not cause mouth pain at all. Next I ate a little brown rice with soy sauce which caused only a small amount of pain. Finally, I tried the sushi again and was able to eat it that time with only a little pain.(Maybe I should have listened to my body and not eaten it at all.) Why was there pain when I initially ate again after the fast? Why to some foods and not others? Did the fasting make me more sensitive to something that I am allergic to?
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The Battle of the Peanuts
I did battle with a bowl of peanuts tonight...and won. They were sitting there, looking oh-so-innocent, but they didn't fool me. I knew they were intent on tempting me into going off my fast.
My winning strategy was simply this: I thought, "I've had peanuts before. I know exactly what they taste like. I will have them again sometime in the future. I don't have to have them right now."
And so I didn't.
My winning strategy was simply this: I thought, "I've had peanuts before. I know exactly what they taste like. I will have them again sometime in the future. I don't have to have them right now."
And so I didn't.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Perceptions and Misperceptions
The Nashville Film Festival featured lots of movies, lots of parties, and lots and lots and LOTS of free food and drinks. It's awfully hard for a cheapskate like me to turn down free food and drink, especially very yummy free food and drink. From the daily dishes provided by Whole Foods (one of the festival sponsors) in the VIP tent, to the buffets at receptions and parties that were catered by some of Nashville's best restaurants, I sampled it all.
One dangerous misperception that I have stuck in my head is that food tastes better when it's free. Another, even more dangerous one, is that free food calories -- like out-of-town calories, vacation calories, and party calories -- don't count!
These misperceptions were just as guilty as hunger or the attractiveness of the food in leading me into days of over-eating at the film festival. (And at least one night of over-drinking, but that's another story entirely.)
Another perception that gave me the title of this post is the feeling of being thin or fat which may or may not not be based in reality. I've had a couple of doctor appointments recently (don't worry, I'll live) and with each of them came a dreaded weigh-in. I say 'dreaded' because these weigh-ins came after all that over-eating at the film fest. I went to the first appointment knowing that I had been pigging out and feeling like a big blob of lard. Well, actually that perception was right: I weighed in at 132 pounds. Yipes!
I'd like to say that was a wake up call, but I continued to overeat and under-exercise for a few more days. Finally, I started getting my act together again just before my second doctor appointment. I went to that one feeling thin and pretty good: I weighed in at 131 pounds. (Actually, also yipes!)
Now, I know for a fact that the one pound difference did not make that much difference in the real world outside my own mind. I doubt if anyone but me could even notice it. But in my perception it loomed large.
How is it possible that I felt fat at 132 and thin at 131? All perception. Because I knew that I had been pigging out and not talking care of myself I felt huge and horrible at my first weigh-in. Because I had started taking care of myself again, I felt thinner and fit at my second weigh-in; I could have sworn that even my pants were looser.
The other aspect of this, is that my perception caused the one pound weight loss to make me feel not only thinner, but hopeful, back on track, and confident. That, in turn, has since helped me to really get myself back on track. (Believe it or not, I actually fasted today for only the second time in my life -- more about that in a later post.)
Bottom line is that perception is a mighty, mighty thing. I will have to harness it for good, not evil -- that is, to help me lose weight, not gain.
One dangerous misperception that I have stuck in my head is that food tastes better when it's free. Another, even more dangerous one, is that free food calories -- like out-of-town calories, vacation calories, and party calories -- don't count!
These misperceptions were just as guilty as hunger or the attractiveness of the food in leading me into days of over-eating at the film festival. (And at least one night of over-drinking, but that's another story entirely.)
Another perception that gave me the title of this post is the feeling of being thin or fat which may or may not not be based in reality. I've had a couple of doctor appointments recently (don't worry, I'll live) and with each of them came a dreaded weigh-in. I say 'dreaded' because these weigh-ins came after all that over-eating at the film fest. I went to the first appointment knowing that I had been pigging out and feeling like a big blob of lard. Well, actually that perception was right: I weighed in at 132 pounds. Yipes!
I'd like to say that was a wake up call, but I continued to overeat and under-exercise for a few more days. Finally, I started getting my act together again just before my second doctor appointment. I went to that one feeling thin and pretty good: I weighed in at 131 pounds. (Actually, also yipes!)
Now, I know for a fact that the one pound difference did not make that much difference in the real world outside my own mind. I doubt if anyone but me could even notice it. But in my perception it loomed large.
How is it possible that I felt fat at 132 and thin at 131? All perception. Because I knew that I had been pigging out and not talking care of myself I felt huge and horrible at my first weigh-in. Because I had started taking care of myself again, I felt thinner and fit at my second weigh-in; I could have sworn that even my pants were looser.
The other aspect of this, is that my perception caused the one pound weight loss to make me feel not only thinner, but hopeful, back on track, and confident. That, in turn, has since helped me to really get myself back on track. (Believe it or not, I actually fasted today for only the second time in my life -- more about that in a later post.)
Bottom line is that perception is a mighty, mighty thing. I will have to harness it for good, not evil -- that is, to help me lose weight, not gain.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Body Image - Are you as fat (or thin) as you think?
I saw an interesting body image test on a makeover show (What Not to Wear) on TV today. They had a woman draw an outline of what she thought her body looked like, trying to make it the size she thought she was. Then the host had her stand against her drawing while he drew around her body with a different color marker on top of what she had drawn. When she stepped out and looked back at the two superimposed drawings, it became obvious to her that her mental picture of how she looked was larger than the reality.
I decided to try this myself, and, based on my results, I recommend it. First, I taped a large piece of paper on the wall. I happened to have an old roll of kid's craft paper that I used, but a roll of wrapping paper that is blank on the back would probably work, too.
I stood against the paper on the wall and marked where the top of my head came to so I'd know where to start, then drew a simple outline of what I thought my body looks like size- and shape-wise. Then I stood against the paper and drew an outline around the actual edges of my body. (It would be easier to have a friend help, if you are brave enough.)
My results? Like the woman on TV, I apparently have a mental picture of myself that is larger than the reality. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't *that* far off, but the real outline of my torso was about four inches less that what I had guessed.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, it is nice to know that I'm not quite as enormous as I often feel. On the other hand, what does a distorted body image say about me? What do I do about it? How can I change it, or do I want to?
I have to admit that being thinner than I guessed is a bit of a confidence builder. (Or is it just an ego stroke?) But maybe thinking I am larger than I really am is a good weight loss motivator. If that's the case, maybe it's better to go on thinking I'm bigger. But what if the price for that extra motivation is lower self-esteem?
I decided to try this myself, and, based on my results, I recommend it. First, I taped a large piece of paper on the wall. I happened to have an old roll of kid's craft paper that I used, but a roll of wrapping paper that is blank on the back would probably work, too.
I stood against the paper on the wall and marked where the top of my head came to so I'd know where to start, then drew a simple outline of what I thought my body looks like size- and shape-wise. Then I stood against the paper and drew an outline around the actual edges of my body. (It would be easier to have a friend help, if you are brave enough.)
My results? Like the woman on TV, I apparently have a mental picture of myself that is larger than the reality. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't *that* far off, but the real outline of my torso was about four inches less that what I had guessed.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, it is nice to know that I'm not quite as enormous as I often feel. On the other hand, what does a distorted body image say about me? What do I do about it? How can I change it, or do I want to?
I have to admit that being thinner than I guessed is a bit of a confidence builder. (Or is it just an ego stroke?) But maybe thinking I am larger than I really am is a good weight loss motivator. If that's the case, maybe it's better to go on thinking I'm bigger. But what if the price for that extra motivation is lower self-esteem?
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Celebrity Sizes
I don't know if it's entirely healthy to compare yourself to celebrities, size wise. But I know that I do it, and so do lots of other people, especially those of us who are trying to lose weight. There's a natural curiosity about those who are held up as "ideal" examples of beauty and body shape.
It's usually pretty difficult to know what clothing sizes celebrities wear (and dang nigh impossible to know how much they weigh). You can't necessarily trust what you read in the magazines and gossip websites. But one place to find out what size some celebrities are (or were at the time they wore a certain garment, at least) is www.clothesoffourbacks.org. It’s an auction site where clothes once wore by celebs are auctioned off for worthy causes.
I'm sure there's still variation in what the sizes mean, as I talked about in the last post, but it's still pretty interesting to "contrast and compare." For example, the one-shouldered red gown that Katherine Heigl wore to the Academy Awards ceremony in 2008 is listed on the auction site as a size "Custom 4," which sounds about right to me.
On the other hand, I was surprised to see that the emerald green gown Keira Knightley wore in the great film "Atonement" was a size 2. I would have guessed smaller, maybe a 0 or even a 00. She just seems a lot skinnier than a 2 to me and seems more than one size smaller than Katherine Heigl.
By the way, Keira's "Atonement" dress went for a whopping $46,000(!) while Katherine's Oscar dress garnered a high bid of $5,000, all for a good cause.
Good to Know
According to Nordstrom, the Designer Apparel sizes for the U.S. are:
Size 0: 31-23-33.5
Size 2: 32-24-34.5
Size 4: 33-25-35.5
Size 6: 34-26-36.5
Size 8: 35-27-37.5
Size 10: 36-28-38.5
Now, clothes at Wal-Mart, Old Navy, and the like definitely do not follow that guideline. It's a crap shoot what size you wear there. I have clothing in my closet ranging from size 6 to 10 that all fits.
What really irks me though, is the way clothing sizes have changed over my lifetime (at least in the U.S.). What used to be a 10 twenty or thirty years ago is a *LOT* smaller than what passes for those sizes now. I have some pants that I saved from high school that were a 10 back then and today I can't get in them at all, even though I can wear a 6 in some (OK, a few) new pants.
The marketing departments figured out that women like to fit into smaller sizes and that they'd get more sales and good word of mouth if they "relaxed" the sizing. (Relaxed = lied about.) It's another symptom of the fattening of America.
Size 0: 31-23-33.5
Size 2: 32-24-34.5
Size 4: 33-25-35.5
Size 6: 34-26-36.5
Size 8: 35-27-37.5
Size 10: 36-28-38.5
Now, clothes at Wal-Mart, Old Navy, and the like definitely do not follow that guideline. It's a crap shoot what size you wear there. I have clothing in my closet ranging from size 6 to 10 that all fits.
What really irks me though, is the way clothing sizes have changed over my lifetime (at least in the U.S.). What used to be a 10 twenty or thirty years ago is a *LOT* smaller than what passes for those sizes now. I have some pants that I saved from high school that were a 10 back then and today I can't get in them at all, even though I can wear a 6 in some (OK, a few) new pants.
The marketing departments figured out that women like to fit into smaller sizes and that they'd get more sales and good word of mouth if they "relaxed" the sizing. (Relaxed = lied about.) It's another symptom of the fattening of America.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Trying to Eat Less
I tried to be good today. I really did.
For breakfast, I ate 70 calories of low-fat Activa yogurt. For lunch, I had a 240 calorie pasta-and-veggies Lean Cuisine-type meal. Doing great, huh? But then a coworker bought take out food to share, and I...well, I succumbed.
I did limit my portions, though. At least that's something.
I justified the extra lunch food in my mind by thinking that the yogurt and frozen food were really so low-cal that they could be considered one meal. (An extended breakfast? An interrupted brunch with a gap of a few hours in between the first and second courses? Whatever.) So the extra food was just my second meal and it wasn't too much for being a meal when considered on it's own. Right? Right.
Still, I decided to skip dinner. Just a glass of Merlot and a 100ish calorie hunk of cheese for a snack/dessert would be enough, I decided. But I was weak. There was leftover brown rice in the frig and I love rice. So I ended up also eating a big bowl of brown rice with soy sauce. And an apple. Not a horrible day maybe, but pretty bad for someone who was trying to make this one of my "good" low calorie diet days. Sigh.
For breakfast, I ate 70 calories of low-fat Activa yogurt. For lunch, I had a 240 calorie pasta-and-veggies Lean Cuisine-type meal. Doing great, huh? But then a coworker bought take out food to share, and I...well, I succumbed.
I did limit my portions, though. At least that's something.
I justified the extra lunch food in my mind by thinking that the yogurt and frozen food were really so low-cal that they could be considered one meal. (An extended breakfast? An interrupted brunch with a gap of a few hours in between the first and second courses? Whatever.) So the extra food was just my second meal and it wasn't too much for being a meal when considered on it's own. Right? Right.
Still, I decided to skip dinner. Just a glass of Merlot and a 100ish calorie hunk of cheese for a snack/dessert would be enough, I decided. But I was weak. There was leftover brown rice in the frig and I love rice. So I ended up also eating a big bowl of brown rice with soy sauce. And an apple. Not a horrible day maybe, but pretty bad for someone who was trying to make this one of my "good" low calorie diet days. Sigh.
Feeling Thin, Looking Fat
Perception is a tricky thing. Some days I feel disgustingly fat. But there are a few moments when I feel nearly thin. I'll reach around to rub my lower back when I'm tired, and I will notice how much firmer and smaller it feels than it used to, with muscle and bone and only a thin(ish) layer of padding. Someone will make a comment like the one a couple of days ago when I came back from a workout at the company gym on my lunch break and overheard one co-worker telling another that I "didn't need to workout." I take those moments with a grain of salt, but they do make me feel good.
And then there's yesterday.
I went hiking for my 49th birthday. I was feeling pretty fit and pretty good about the physical activity I was getting. Then I came home and looked at the photos we had taken. OH MY.
They can best be described with one word: FAT. (Although huge, enormous, and elephantine also spring to mind.)
I guess a reality check like that is needed from time to time to keep me on track with my weightloss efforts, but (ouch!) it was quite a blow to the old ego. I deleted the most horrible of the photographs immediately. (Well, after a few minutes of staring at them in shock and some hand-wringing that is.) The others will serve as a reminder that 5'6" and 128ish is not good enough.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
How Did I Do?
So after posting that menu plan in the last blog post, I figure I should fess up on how well I did in following it!
Here's the original menu:
Breakfast: boiled egg with V8 juice or low-cal yogurt with almonds
Lunch: soup or diet frozen dinner
Dinner: Veggies and brown rice
Snack/dessert: square or two of dark chocolate, almonds
Here's what I actually ate:
Breakfast: low-cal yogurt with almonds
Lunch: lentil soup
Dinner: black beans and brown rice (with a small amount of melted cheese and some hot sauce & seasonings)
Snack/dessert: apple, red wine
I also walked for 15 minutes at a fast pace (14 minute miles) on the treadmill today, which isn't much but certainly better than nothing. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about the day.
Here's the original menu:
Breakfast: boiled egg with V8 juice or low-cal yogurt with almonds
Lunch: soup or diet frozen dinner
Dinner: Veggies and brown rice
Snack/dessert: square or two of dark chocolate, almonds
Here's what I actually ate:
Breakfast: low-cal yogurt with almonds
Lunch: lentil soup
Dinner: black beans and brown rice (with a small amount of melted cheese and some hot sauce & seasonings)
Snack/dessert: apple, red wine
I also walked for 15 minutes at a fast pace (14 minute miles) on the treadmill today, which isn't much but certainly better than nothing. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about the day.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Planning Ahead
Yesterday, I could have gone out to lunch with a coworker. I would have spent money I didn't need to spend and eaten a lot more than I needed to eat. Instead, because I had my lunch (and my lunch hour which included 20 minutes of fast walking)well planned, I was able to resist.
I am trying to have an eating plan everyday. Some days that plan will include going out to eat, but not on such a regular basis that it breaks my diet or my bank account.
On an idea day, here's what my goal menu looks like:
Breakfast: boiled egg with V8 juice or low-cal yogurt with almonds
Lunch: soup or diet frozen dinner
Dinner: Veggies and brown rice
Snack/dessert: square or two of dark chocolate, almonds
Right now, that menu is an ideal that I do not reach on more days than I do, unfortunately, but I figure that even accomplishing it on some days is better than on none. I am trying and I am getting better at it, and planning is the key for me.
I am trying to have an eating plan everyday. Some days that plan will include going out to eat, but not on such a regular basis that it breaks my diet or my bank account.
On an idea day, here's what my goal menu looks like:
Breakfast: boiled egg with V8 juice or low-cal yogurt with almonds
Lunch: soup or diet frozen dinner
Dinner: Veggies and brown rice
Snack/dessert: square or two of dark chocolate, almonds
Right now, that menu is an ideal that I do not reach on more days than I do, unfortunately, but I figure that even accomplishing it on some days is better than on none. I am trying and I am getting better at it, and planning is the key for me.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Thinspiration or Depression?
Watching the preternaturally perky -- and thin -- actress Amy Adams in "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" at the movies last night, something occurred to me. When I am in what I call a thin state of mind (eating lightly, exercising, losing weight or at least feeling good about my prospects for losing weight) seeing skinny people inspires me. It makes me want that kind of body, the kind that can wear anything and look good, the kind that can be seen or photographed from any angle without looking fat, and it helps me keep working toward it. It's thinspiration.
On the other hand, when I am overeating, not exercising, and feeling down and hopeless about my size, seeing slim people just makes me mad. Or sad. Mad at myself for not being thin the way they are. Sad that I might never look like them. Jealous, envious, depressed, and full of self-loathing.
It's like being a little poor kid, seeing the local Richie Rich kid playing with amazing toys, wanting them with all your heart, and not having them. Except that unlike the child who needs someone else to buy her those toys, this is something I can get myself. I can have a better, healthier body if I work hard enough and long enough. I can achieve my weight goals. But no one else is going to do it for me. And it won't happen unless I work at it every day. The sooner I accept that, the sooner I get thin.
On the other hand, when I am overeating, not exercising, and feeling down and hopeless about my size, seeing slim people just makes me mad. Or sad. Mad at myself for not being thin the way they are. Sad that I might never look like them. Jealous, envious, depressed, and full of self-loathing.
It's like being a little poor kid, seeing the local Richie Rich kid playing with amazing toys, wanting them with all your heart, and not having them. Except that unlike the child who needs someone else to buy her those toys, this is something I can get myself. I can have a better, healthier body if I work hard enough and long enough. I can achieve my weight goals. But no one else is going to do it for me. And it won't happen unless I work at it every day. The sooner I accept that, the sooner I get thin.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Incidental Exercise -- Why Not?
I recently read that an office worker who jiggles his or her foot or does some other incidental little nervous motion off and on during the work day burns about 75 more calories per day than someone who doesn't. That's not much, but it adds up over the course of a month or a year or several years. (And we are in this for the long haul, are we not?)
Since reading that, I've been noticing people at my work. Some basically sit still for eight hours a day. Other stand up, sit down, stretch, wiggle, pace, etc. The latter has got to be healthier.
I'm trying to add more movement to my day -- both the little wiggles and jiggles and tics and flexes and stretches, and the more deliberate exercises. One way I am adding movement/exercise is by doing it just *whenever*. In other words, I don't wait until I have a 30 minute chunk of time to exercise. Some days, that 30 minute chunk is just never going to come. Instead, I can walk during my 15 minute break or work out for 20 minutes of my lunch hour. Why not do squats while I brush my teeth? Why not do lunges while I wait for something to heat in the microwave? Why not stretch while I watch TV?
Once upon a time, I watched two hours of TV every Thursday night and stretched for the whole two hours on a regular basis. (Well, for a whole TV season, anyway!) I was as flexible as I've ever been. It was relaxing and it felt good. It burned calories. Why not?
Since reading that, I've been noticing people at my work. Some basically sit still for eight hours a day. Other stand up, sit down, stretch, wiggle, pace, etc. The latter has got to be healthier.
I'm trying to add more movement to my day -- both the little wiggles and jiggles and tics and flexes and stretches, and the more deliberate exercises. One way I am adding movement/exercise is by doing it just *whenever*. In other words, I don't wait until I have a 30 minute chunk of time to exercise. Some days, that 30 minute chunk is just never going to come. Instead, I can walk during my 15 minute break or work out for 20 minutes of my lunch hour. Why not do squats while I brush my teeth? Why not do lunges while I wait for something to heat in the microwave? Why not stretch while I watch TV?
Once upon a time, I watched two hours of TV every Thursday night and stretched for the whole two hours on a regular basis. (Well, for a whole TV season, anyway!) I was as flexible as I've ever been. It was relaxing and it felt good. It burned calories. Why not?
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Eating is Not the Cure
OK, so how does this declaring myself back on track work? Well, not so great. I did go to the gym yesterday, but only for a quick 14 minute mile on the treadmill. Still, working under the theory that something is better than nothing, that was, um, something, at least.
However my eating was still out of control. My supervisor at work brought chocolate chip cookies and moonpies and I ate one of each. One of those two items might not have been so bad as a once-in-a-good-while treat IF the rest of my eating had been good for the day, but that wasn't the case.
Today, I'll go back to the gym. I'll refuse the junk sweets. I'll ease back into my healthy lifestyle. Because I have to. I have to because the other way does NOT make me feel good physically. It does NOT make me feel good about myself either, I've learned. Eating is NOT the cure for my depression, it only depresses me worse in the long run.
However my eating was still out of control. My supervisor at work brought chocolate chip cookies and moonpies and I ate one of each. One of those two items might not have been so bad as a once-in-a-good-while treat IF the rest of my eating had been good for the day, but that wasn't the case.
Today, I'll go back to the gym. I'll refuse the junk sweets. I'll ease back into my healthy lifestyle. Because I have to. I have to because the other way does NOT make me feel good physically. It does NOT make me feel good about myself either, I've learned. Eating is NOT the cure for my depression, it only depresses me worse in the long run.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
confession
I have been depressed and, yes, eating way too much. I am back up to 130 pounds and mad at myself. I have been trying/waiting to get re-motivated. No more waiting. I am declaring myself back on track.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Itty-Bitty Valentine Victory
Thank goodness the Valentine's candy is all gone!
You can't always control what food you are given, but you can (usually, hopefully) control what you eat. Yesterday, I exerted my control by throwing away the remainder of the gift box of assorted chocolates.
Before you start thinking that this was a truly amazing sacrifice on my part, I have to confess that I had already eaten all of the really, really good kinds. Still, in the past, I have been known to keep the marginally good and even the downright icky candies around, until, in a moment of weakness or maybe a fit of hunger, I would eat them anyway.
So even though I still ate too much Valentine's Day candy, at least I ate only the candies that I truly wanted. Throwing out the candy that I didn't really want, but might have eaten anyway if it was lying around, is a step forward, a small victory on the road to thinness.
You can't always control what food you are given, but you can (usually, hopefully) control what you eat. Yesterday, I exerted my control by throwing away the remainder of the gift box of assorted chocolates.
Before you start thinking that this was a truly amazing sacrifice on my part, I have to confess that I had already eaten all of the really, really good kinds. Still, in the past, I have been known to keep the marginally good and even the downright icky candies around, until, in a moment of weakness or maybe a fit of hunger, I would eat them anyway.
So even though I still ate too much Valentine's Day candy, at least I ate only the candies that I truly wanted. Throwing out the candy that I didn't really want, but might have eaten anyway if it was lying around, is a step forward, a small victory on the road to thinness.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Apparel Angst
OK, I admit it: One reason I want to be thin is to wear more interesting clothes. And look good while doing so. (That last part is pretty important. It's entirely possible to be thin but, er, a tad TOO interesting, like Bai Ling here):
Let me just go ahead and come all the way out: I am a closet (no pun intended) fashion addict. I read gofugyourself.com daily. I watch Project Runway while on the treadmill. I pour over the photo sets from Fashion Week, especially the Couture shows. I haunt the local thrift stores to find creative clothing combos without spending much cash. This is all a HUGE change from when *I* was huge and hated, hated, hated, HATED shopping.
But today I had a seriously angst-y moment at the Goodwill Super Store. There was this dress, you see, this cute, clingy, interestingly orange dress. Just the kind I like. In a size "small." Make that in a size "too small."
It almost, but not quite, fit. Ten pounds from now, I will be able to wear it. But right now, it shows every morsel of food that has passed my lips and been added onto my belly in the last three weeks of less-than-stellar adherence to my fitness plan.
The dress could look great with the right necklace, the right shoes, and the RIGHT FREAKIN' BODY. None of which I have right now. But all of which I could have, may have, (dare I say, will have?) in the future.
I didn't buy the dress. But I'm going to keep an eye on it; if the Goodwill store has a half-price sale, it's mine. In the meantime, I'm using it for thinspiration.
Let me just go ahead and come all the way out: I am a closet (no pun intended) fashion addict. I read gofugyourself.com daily. I watch Project Runway while on the treadmill. I pour over the photo sets from Fashion Week, especially the Couture shows. I haunt the local thrift stores to find creative clothing combos without spending much cash. This is all a HUGE change from when *I* was huge and hated, hated, hated, HATED shopping.
But today I had a seriously angst-y moment at the Goodwill Super Store. There was this dress, you see, this cute, clingy, interestingly orange dress. Just the kind I like. In a size "small." Make that in a size "too small."
It almost, but not quite, fit. Ten pounds from now, I will be able to wear it. But right now, it shows every morsel of food that has passed my lips and been added onto my belly in the last three weeks of less-than-stellar adherence to my fitness plan.
The dress could look great with the right necklace, the right shoes, and the RIGHT FREAKIN' BODY. None of which I have right now. But all of which I could have, may have, (dare I say, will have?) in the future.
I didn't buy the dress. But I'm going to keep an eye on it; if the Goodwill store has a half-price sale, it's mine. In the meantime, I'm using it for thinspiration.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Comfort Me With...Exercise?
In my last post, "Comfort me with Apples," I wrote that I needed better (i.e. less fattening) comfort foods. But the best thing would be to find my comfort in something other than food.
I've noticed that I always feel better -- more energetic, less stressed -- after exercising, so why not use exercise for comfort? I decided to try that today.
I was extremely stressed out at work. There have been times in the past when I've reacted to that stress by indulging in extra food at lunch, maybe even telling myself that I "deserved" fast food, or junk food, or to pig out at a restaurant.
When I overeat like that due to stress, or depression, or being upset (the list goes on!), it is an attempt to self-medicate. I know that, but still sometimes do it. But today I decided to try exercise as my self-medication.
During my lunch hour, I went to the gym and got on the treadmill. I only spent about twenty minutes walking at a fast pace, but it got my heartrate up and my blood flowing and, sure enough, it made me feel better. In other words, it worked. My stress went down.
Forget the apples. Comfort me with exercise!
I've noticed that I always feel better -- more energetic, less stressed -- after exercising, so why not use exercise for comfort? I decided to try that today.
I was extremely stressed out at work. There have been times in the past when I've reacted to that stress by indulging in extra food at lunch, maybe even telling myself that I "deserved" fast food, or junk food, or to pig out at a restaurant.
When I overeat like that due to stress, or depression, or being upset (the list goes on!), it is an attempt to self-medicate. I know that, but still sometimes do it. But today I decided to try exercise as my self-medication.
During my lunch hour, I went to the gym and got on the treadmill. I only spent about twenty minutes walking at a fast pace, but it got my heartrate up and my blood flowing and, sure enough, it made me feel better. In other words, it worked. My stress went down.
Forget the apples. Comfort me with exercise!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Comfort Me With Apples
The Bible says "comfort me with apples" in the Song Of Solomon. So why do my comfort foods always involve cheese?!
Or chocolate? Or carbs with fat, like grits with butter, or mashed potatoes with cream, or rice with cheese melted on top?
There are people who can't eat when they are upset. I am NOT one of those people. (I’ve tried to be, believe me.) In fact, I tend to want to eat more when I am upset. Just recognizing that tendency has helped me combat it, but I still need to learn to be comforted by something other than food. Or at least by a smaller amount of food. Or maybe I need comfort foods that are less caloric.
Maybe I should try apples, like the Bible says. According to realage.com , eating a fruit that is high in fiber and water before (or instead of) eating something else is a proven weight-loss helper. The fiber and water are filling and satisfying in the belly and the chewy crunchiness is satisfying to the mouth.
The same source also recommends eating eggs instead of some similar-caloried breakfast or snack food because something about them fills you up better. A study showed that people who eat an egg at breakfast actually eat less at lunch than if they had eaten something else.
So maybe my new comfort foods are going to be eggs and apples. The dangerous temptation for me in that, is that they both go way too well with cheese!
Or chocolate? Or carbs with fat, like grits with butter, or mashed potatoes with cream, or rice with cheese melted on top?
There are people who can't eat when they are upset. I am NOT one of those people. (I’ve tried to be, believe me.) In fact, I tend to want to eat more when I am upset. Just recognizing that tendency has helped me combat it, but I still need to learn to be comforted by something other than food. Or at least by a smaller amount of food. Or maybe I need comfort foods that are less caloric.
Maybe I should try apples, like the Bible says. According to realage.com , eating a fruit that is high in fiber and water before (or instead of) eating something else is a proven weight-loss helper. The fiber and water are filling and satisfying in the belly and the chewy crunchiness is satisfying to the mouth.
The same source also recommends eating eggs instead of some similar-caloried breakfast or snack food because something about them fills you up better. A study showed that people who eat an egg at breakfast actually eat less at lunch than if they had eaten something else.
So maybe my new comfort foods are going to be eggs and apples. The dangerous temptation for me in that, is that they both go way too well with cheese!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Ups and Downs
Week before last, I worked lots of overtime and also went to the gym almost every day, sometimes twice a day. (It's at my work, so I can go for short sessions before work and during lunch.) I bought a pair of skinny pants and was awfully pleased with myself.
Last week, I crashed, was depressed, and didn't work out at all. I also overate all week. I can still wear my skinny pants, but they are snugger now, so I don't feel very skinny in them.
This week, I am aiming for a happy medium. Why is this so hard?
Last week, I crashed, was depressed, and didn't work out at all. I also overate all week. I can still wear my skinny pants, but they are snugger now, so I don't feel very skinny in them.
This week, I am aiming for a happy medium. Why is this so hard?
Sunday, January 27, 2008
More on "How to Look Good Naked"
I forgot to mention this on my post the other day about the reality show "How to Look Good Naked," but I got a hoot out of it and you might, too:
One of the commercials during the show was for Slimfast...which was followed immediately by a commercial for Chips Ahoy cookies.
How's that for a mixed message? Maybe it's no wonder that so many of us are so mixed up about food and weight issues.
One of the commercials during the show was for Slimfast...which was followed immediately by a commercial for Chips Ahoy cookies.
How's that for a mixed message? Maybe it's no wonder that so many of us are so mixed up about food and weight issues.
Great link for We Calorie Counters
Calorielab.com is a really useful resource, especially for finding out how many calories are in your favorite restaurant foods.
Warning: they may not be your favorite restaurant foods after you find out!
It is mind-boggling to see just how fattening some innocent looking morsels are. (Goodbye, Sonic onion rings, 'twas nice to know ye.)
Warning: they may not be your favorite restaurant foods after you find out!
It is mind-boggling to see just how fattening some innocent looking morsels are. (Goodbye, Sonic onion rings, 'twas nice to know ye.)
Friday, January 25, 2008
"Let's Put the 'U' back in 'Beauty'!"
Yes, that was one of the cheesy quotes that I heard tonight on a reality show called "How to Look Good Naked." (And I do *not* mean "cheesy" in a warm, melty, mouth-wateringly good way.)
The premise of the show seems to be to they take a woman who has a bad body image, give her a make-over, and -- viola! -- cure all her body image woes.
Yeah, right.
So they (and the "they" in this case is mostly just host Carson Kressley of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" fame) cure a woman's bad self-esteem about her looks by, um, changing her looks? Not sure that's the way it works in real life, folks.
Anyway, the most interesting part of the show for me is when they have the subject choose where she thinks she fits into a lineup of ladies in order of size. The subjects invariably think that they are larger than they really are.
That part, at least, hit home for me because I do think that I sometimes feel larger than I am. On days when I have eaten more than intended or exercised less, I feel very blob-ish, no matter what the scale says.
The other day, I was pigging out at lunch at work with some coworkers. I was *not* feeling very slim. But as I was walking away from the table, I overheard one coworker comment to another that I was "so small."
Now, I'm not, really...but it sure gave me a different perspective to hear that. 124 pounds is large compared to where I want to be, weight-wise, but it is "so small" compared to the U.S. average for my height. (See US Government Height/Weight Stats It is also "so small" compared to what I once weighed. So I guess I should put it in perspective and feel better about it.
This perspective business is quite the balancing act: feeling good enough about my weight to be have a decent body image, but not so good that I forget to strive to be better. Yikes. If I find the answer to that puzzler, I'll sure let you know! It is not as simple in reality as it seems on a reality show.
The premise of the show seems to be to they take a woman who has a bad body image, give her a make-over, and -- viola! -- cure all her body image woes.
Yeah, right.
So they (and the "they" in this case is mostly just host Carson Kressley of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" fame) cure a woman's bad self-esteem about her looks by, um, changing her looks? Not sure that's the way it works in real life, folks.
Anyway, the most interesting part of the show for me is when they have the subject choose where she thinks she fits into a lineup of ladies in order of size. The subjects invariably think that they are larger than they really are.
That part, at least, hit home for me because I do think that I sometimes feel larger than I am. On days when I have eaten more than intended or exercised less, I feel very blob-ish, no matter what the scale says.
The other day, I was pigging out at lunch at work with some coworkers. I was *not* feeling very slim. But as I was walking away from the table, I overheard one coworker comment to another that I was "so small."
Now, I'm not, really...but it sure gave me a different perspective to hear that. 124 pounds is large compared to where I want to be, weight-wise, but it is "so small" compared to the U.S. average for my height. (See US Government Height/Weight Stats It is also "so small" compared to what I once weighed. So I guess I should put it in perspective and feel better about it.
This perspective business is quite the balancing act: feeling good enough about my weight to be have a decent body image, but not so good that I forget to strive to be better. Yikes. If I find the answer to that puzzler, I'll sure let you know! It is not as simple in reality as it seems on a reality show.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Storing Up Fat for the Winter?
Yesterday, driving to work in the bright sunshine at 9:30 AM, it was 15 degrees F. Brr.
I hate the cold, and not least because it makes me want to overeat. Not only does it make me want to overeat, but it makes me want to overeat the wrong foods. Believe me, when it is 15 outside, I am not craving apples. I am craving fattening, cheesy, heavy stuff. (Actually, I take back the line about not craving apples: what I should have said is that I don't crave crunchy, fresh, plain apples. I do crave them if they are baked into a state of mushiness and smothered in butter and sugar. Ha.)
So what do I do? Move to a warmer climate? Maybe all those skinny actresses in Southern California have it easier there because it never gets all that cold!!!!!
Actually, I think I've hit on the right answer. I do need to move. But not as in 'move to a new part of the globe.' Move, as in 'exercise.'
Last week I started using the treadmill at the gym. I had not been able to do that for a while due to high blood pressure (190 over 120+ at its worst), but now that's sort of under control due me finally giving in and taking meds, I can do more moving. And I promise to actually make myself do it and not wait until 'the spirit moves me,' as my Grandma used to say.
We'll see. And hopefully, if I do enough moving on a regular enough basis I'll see some results. It should warm me up, at least!
I hate the cold, and not least because it makes me want to overeat. Not only does it make me want to overeat, but it makes me want to overeat the wrong foods. Believe me, when it is 15 outside, I am not craving apples. I am craving fattening, cheesy, heavy stuff. (Actually, I take back the line about not craving apples: what I should have said is that I don't crave crunchy, fresh, plain apples. I do crave them if they are baked into a state of mushiness and smothered in butter and sugar. Ha.)
So what do I do? Move to a warmer climate? Maybe all those skinny actresses in Southern California have it easier there because it never gets all that cold!!!!!
Actually, I think I've hit on the right answer. I do need to move. But not as in 'move to a new part of the globe.' Move, as in 'exercise.'
Last week I started using the treadmill at the gym. I had not been able to do that for a while due to high blood pressure (190 over 120+ at its worst), but now that's sort of under control due me finally giving in and taking meds, I can do more moving. And I promise to actually make myself do it and not wait until 'the spirit moves me,' as my Grandma used to say.
We'll see. And hopefully, if I do enough moving on a regular enough basis I'll see some results. It should warm me up, at least!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
TOO BIG, ya hear? TOO BIG!
I just finished sorting through a bunch of old clothes. Yeah, I know, it's another thrilling Saturday night at my house! Whoo-hoo! In my defense, it is going down to 14 freaking Fahrenheit degrees here tonight, so even though I hear a movie theater and a live musical show both calling my name, the thought of going out into the cold is seriously not appealing. (The show, by the way, is the Doyle and Debbie show -- see http://www.doyleanddebbie.com/. Heard of them? No? Don't worry, you will when they hit Broadway.)
Anyhow, I ended up putting a lot of the clothes that I was going through into a give-away pile because they are TOO BIG. Man, what a goooood feeling to give away clothes because they are TOO BIG! (Did I mention enough times that they are TOO BIG? They are TOO BIG. Yes, TOO BIG. LOL!)
So I'm a pretty happy camper right now! Sometimes it doesn't take much. :-)
Anyhow, I ended up putting a lot of the clothes that I was going through into a give-away pile because they are TOO BIG. Man, what a goooood feeling to give away clothes because they are TOO BIG! (Did I mention enough times that they are TOO BIG? They are TOO BIG. Yes, TOO BIG. LOL!)
So I'm a pretty happy camper right now! Sometimes it doesn't take much. :-)
Friday, January 18, 2008
What 124 lbs looks like
OK, I'm going to be brave here and post a photo showing my current look (124 lbs, 5'6" tall). I think the arms & legs are OK, size-wise (although a little toning will definitely help!), but the belly is still WAAAAY too thick. That's what I'm hoping to get rid of by accomplishing my weight loss and fitness goals.
(I am very nervous about posting this, so no flames or mean comments, please.)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Skinny Goodness
If food is good -- really, really, REALLY good -- I can be happy eating less of it. I know that sounds bass-ackwards, but I find it to be true. "Gourmet" fare is just more satisfying.
I am dangerously likely to binge on average, everyday cheese and chocolate, for example, but savoring a high-end, intensely flavorful artisanal cheese or a piece of rich, dark imported chocolate satisfies my taste buds so completely that I don't need nearly as much to feel sated.
And, hey, since eating less of the good stuff is the only way that I can actually afford it, that's probably a good thing for my bank account as well as my belly. :-)
I am dangerously likely to binge on average, everyday cheese and chocolate, for example, but savoring a high-end, intensely flavorful artisanal cheese or a piece of rich, dark imported chocolate satisfies my taste buds so completely that I don't need nearly as much to feel sated.
And, hey, since eating less of the good stuff is the only way that I can actually afford it, that's probably a good thing for my bank account as well as my belly. :-)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Back on Track
Yes, I was off my blog posting for a few days. I was also off my healthy eating (Please note that I did not say "off my diet" -- this way of eating has to be a way of life for my weight loss to stick, not just a "diet.")
A friend says that out-of-town calories don't count. That's a fun attitude when you are out of town, but not so fun when you try on your pants afterward. Yikes.
Anyway, there was a time in my life when going off-plan for a few days would have been the beginning of the end of getting in shape, but now I know that it does not have to be that way. I can bounce back from a few days of heavy eating and get back on track. It would be better not to go quite so far off track in the first place, but, hey, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.
Getting back to a healthier lifestyle is not easy and I have to ease back into it, working on changing my mindset and then changing my eating patterns. That's what I'm doing this week: getting my mind and my body back on track. Now, off to the gym!
A friend says that out-of-town calories don't count. That's a fun attitude when you are out of town, but not so fun when you try on your pants afterward. Yikes.
Anyway, there was a time in my life when going off-plan for a few days would have been the beginning of the end of getting in shape, but now I know that it does not have to be that way. I can bounce back from a few days of heavy eating and get back on track. It would be better not to go quite so far off track in the first place, but, hey, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.
Getting back to a healthier lifestyle is not easy and I have to ease back into it, working on changing my mindset and then changing my eating patterns. That's what I'm doing this week: getting my mind and my body back on track. Now, off to the gym!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Weigh-in
I weighed myself today at the gym (where I worked out for all of 20 minutes -- gotta do better on that). The good news is that I have not gained any weight back and, in fact, have lost another 1/4 pound down to an even 124.
In celebration, I am posting a picture of my arm. Please contain your excitement. LOL
I am small-boned which means my arms are fairly delicate-looking. On the down side, it also means that any fat shows up immediately. Judging from just that arm, you would think I am already thin enough. Unfortunately, my belly tells a different story.
In celebration, I am posting a picture of my arm. Please contain your excitement. LOL
I am small-boned which means my arms are fairly delicate-looking. On the down side, it also means that any fat shows up immediately. Judging from just that arm, you would think I am already thin enough. Unfortunately, my belly tells a different story.
This will make you put down that cookie
According to an article at BestLifeOnline.com, fat cells are not the lazy, inert slobs we think they are. They are not just sitting around making us look bad. Oh, no. They are busy trying to kill us.
Sounds like the plot of a bad horror film doesn't it? Attack of the killer fat cells! (Oh wait, maybe it was already a movie -- I think it was called "THE BLOB."
Anyway, what the article says is that fat can actually be considered an endocrine organ, meaning that it is producing and secreting various substances all the time. And guess what? For the most part, those substances are not good for us. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
The secretions are called "adipokines" and they include hormones and other compounds that cause high blood sugar, raise blood pressure, and inflame the arteries possibly causing arterial plaque to come loose and block blood flow. Yikes! I'm going to remember that the next time I hear a cookie calling my name.
Sounds like the plot of a bad horror film doesn't it? Attack of the killer fat cells! (Oh wait, maybe it was already a movie -- I think it was called "THE BLOB."
Anyway, what the article says is that fat can actually be considered an endocrine organ, meaning that it is producing and secreting various substances all the time. And guess what? For the most part, those substances are not good for us. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
The secretions are called "adipokines" and they include hormones and other compounds that cause high blood sugar, raise blood pressure, and inflame the arteries possibly causing arterial plaque to come loose and block blood flow. Yikes! I'm going to remember that the next time I hear a cookie calling my name.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
An Unforeseen Danger of Weight Loss
For Christmas, I was given some long underwear. (Yeah, I know, you're thinking "Whoo-hoo, she must have been a very good girl," right?) Actually, it was very nice, thin, silky long underwear. The keyword there is silky; note that you can also translate that as slippery.
I found out about the slippery factor last night when I wore my long underwear under some jeans that are now just a little too large for me due to weight loss. Yes, you guessed it: I spent all evening in grave danger of my too-big jeans slip-sliding down over that silky-slick material and leaving me standing there in my underwear with my pants around my ankles.
Luckily, that did not happen, but only because I tugged up my jeans all night. Sigh. I did have a couple of close calls where there was possibly a gap in the back between shirt and jeans allowing a glimpse (or maybe an eyeful) of my unmentionables. Any people around with long underwear fetishes probably enjoyed themselves just a little too much!
Still, if I have to have problems, I would rather have the problem of keeping my pants on because I'm too small for them than the problem of not being able to get them on because I'm too big. :-)
I found out about the slippery factor last night when I wore my long underwear under some jeans that are now just a little too large for me due to weight loss. Yes, you guessed it: I spent all evening in grave danger of my too-big jeans slip-sliding down over that silky-slick material and leaving me standing there in my underwear with my pants around my ankles.
Luckily, that did not happen, but only because I tugged up my jeans all night. Sigh. I did have a couple of close calls where there was possibly a gap in the back between shirt and jeans allowing a glimpse (or maybe an eyeful) of my unmentionables. Any people around with long underwear fetishes probably enjoyed themselves just a little too much!
Still, if I have to have problems, I would rather have the problem of keeping my pants on because I'm too small for them than the problem of not being able to get them on because I'm too big. :-)
Frozen veggies are my friends
125 calories. That's how many there are in a 16 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Not 125 calories per serving, mind you, that's 125 for the whole dang bag.
When I'm hungry, I can go to the freezer and grab a bag of veggies (intended for stir fry or soup and available in the freezer section of your happy neighborhood grocery), microwave them, add soy sauce and seasonings, and I have a ton (well, OK a pound) of yummy, nutritious, filling food for only 125 freaking calories. That is a lot of food for very few calories.
If I want to go wild and add a little spaghetti sauce or even a half can of mushroom soup to flavor it up, I can because I've saved calories to spare. Sometimes I eat them as a meal that way and sometimes as a side dish. Either way it gives me a lot of satisfaction with next-to-no fattening power. I think I'll go eat some friends right now.
When I'm hungry, I can go to the freezer and grab a bag of veggies (intended for stir fry or soup and available in the freezer section of your happy neighborhood grocery), microwave them, add soy sauce and seasonings, and I have a ton (well, OK a pound) of yummy, nutritious, filling food for only 125 freaking calories. That is a lot of food for very few calories.
If I want to go wild and add a little spaghetti sauce or even a half can of mushroom soup to flavor it up, I can because I've saved calories to spare. Sometimes I eat them as a meal that way and sometimes as a side dish. Either way it gives me a lot of satisfaction with next-to-no fattening power. I think I'll go eat some friends right now.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Funny way to put it (but true!)
Instead of complaining about being heavier than she'd like, my friend Lisa says she's unhappy with her "current gravity pull."
I like that way of putting it! It serves to reminds me of how light I'll be (in weight AND in mood) when I achieve my goal weight.
I like that way of putting it! It serves to reminds me of how light I'll be (in weight AND in mood) when I achieve my goal weight.
Skinny-Fat vs. Skinny-Fit
It's one thing to be skinny and a whole 'nother thing to be fit. Unfortunately for lazy-bones like me, dieting alone will not create a fit, toned, good-looking body. Sometimes it creates a body with super thin arms and legs but a flabby butt and thick belly.
Check out these photos to see what I mean. The first is of singer Amy Winehouse, sadly a woman who has more problems than just body shape. But body shape is a problem for her, too. You can tell that she doesn't eat much, but she's sure not fit or toned. She's what I've seen referred to as "skinny-fat."
The second photo is Cameron Diaz. She also probably doesn't eat a whole lot either(more than Amy, though), but you can tell she works out, is active, and has muscle tone. She is "skinny-fit."
Exercise does a body good. I am doing well on dieting but not so much on exercise. This is going to have to change. Right now, I wouldn't dare post a picure of myself in a bikini on here.
Check out these photos to see what I mean. The first is of singer Amy Winehouse, sadly a woman who has more problems than just body shape. But body shape is a problem for her, too. You can tell that she doesn't eat much, but she's sure not fit or toned. She's what I've seen referred to as "skinny-fat."
The second photo is Cameron Diaz. She also probably doesn't eat a whole lot either(more than Amy, though), but you can tell she works out, is active, and has muscle tone. She is "skinny-fit."
Exercise does a body good. I am doing well on dieting but not so much on exercise. This is going to have to change. Right now, I wouldn't dare post a picure of myself in a bikini on here.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Life is just a bowl of cherries
...and two hotdogs and some vegetables. That's what I had to eat yesterday. (I also drank last night while out with friends, but that's another post....)
The thing that I am overly, inordinately, excessively, ridiculously proud of is that I turned down the buns or bread with my hotdogs. Instead, I put them on a plate with mustard and a little ketchup and ate them with a fork. They were yummy that way.
The reason that this makes me so freaking happy is because there was a time when I would have eaten those hotdogs on buns or bread totally without thinking. I don't even LIKE buns or bread. I don't even WANT it. But in the past, I would have eaten it because...well, just because. I guess just because it is what you are "supposed" to eat with hotdogs. Never mind whether you want it or not! You are being a weirdo if you eat a hotdog with out a bun!
Now, I don't think like that anymore.
This goes along with what I said in a previous blog entry about being mindful about what I eat: From now on, I am going to eat ONLY the parts of the dish that I truly want, no matter how weird that may seem. The rest is just useless calories and I'd rather save my calories for something I really want...like more cherries.
The thing that I am overly, inordinately, excessively, ridiculously proud of is that I turned down the buns or bread with my hotdogs. Instead, I put them on a plate with mustard and a little ketchup and ate them with a fork. They were yummy that way.
The reason that this makes me so freaking happy is because there was a time when I would have eaten those hotdogs on buns or bread totally without thinking. I don't even LIKE buns or bread. I don't even WANT it. But in the past, I would have eaten it because...well, just because. I guess just because it is what you are "supposed" to eat with hotdogs. Never mind whether you want it or not! You are being a weirdo if you eat a hotdog with out a bun!
Now, I don't think like that anymore.
This goes along with what I said in a previous blog entry about being mindful about what I eat: From now on, I am going to eat ONLY the parts of the dish that I truly want, no matter how weird that may seem. The rest is just useless calories and I'd rather save my calories for something I really want...like more cherries.
The Fountain of Youth
Is slimness the fountain of youth? Well, no...although there are studies showing that thinner people live longer on average and being thin does make it less likely that we'll get some diseases, like diabetes.
Actually, the youth effect that I'm thinking of is more cosmetic -- and involves just a little hocus-pocus.
Last night, I went out with some friends from work, all younger than me (by a couple of decades!). One of them, Crystal, has been thinspiration for me. She is about my height but with a slimmer, more athletic build.
I was surprised -- shocked -- floored -- to find out that she actually weighs a little more than me. (Believe me, it's distributed differently; more on that in another post.)
She, on the other hand, was surprised to find out how old I am. "I thought you were closer to our age," she said. She went on to comment that I weigh less than most people my age; that I'm thin "for your age."
I've heard this before. We live in a society where it's considered normal to gain weight with age. Studies show that it's typical to gain a pound of fat and lose a half pound of muscle every year from your 30's on. This is mostly because of being less active and eating more, but also because metabolism slows and hormones change.
So when people see a thin(ish!) middle-aged person, they are very likely to assume that you are younger than you are. It's all a matter of perception, that 'hocus-pocus' I mentioned earlier.
Hey, I'll take that!
Actually, the youth effect that I'm thinking of is more cosmetic -- and involves just a little hocus-pocus.
Last night, I went out with some friends from work, all younger than me (by a couple of decades!). One of them, Crystal, has been thinspiration for me. She is about my height but with a slimmer, more athletic build.
I was surprised -- shocked -- floored -- to find out that she actually weighs a little more than me. (Believe me, it's distributed differently; more on that in another post.)
She, on the other hand, was surprised to find out how old I am. "I thought you were closer to our age," she said. She went on to comment that I weigh less than most people my age; that I'm thin "for your age."
I've heard this before. We live in a society where it's considered normal to gain weight with age. Studies show that it's typical to gain a pound of fat and lose a half pound of muscle every year from your 30's on. This is mostly because of being less active and eating more, but also because metabolism slows and hormones change.
So when people see a thin(ish!) middle-aged person, they are very likely to assume that you are younger than you are. It's all a matter of perception, that 'hocus-pocus' I mentioned earlier.
Hey, I'll take that!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Avoiding the toast
The other day, I was with some friends at Waffle House. It's possibly not the greatest restaurant for healthy eating, but hey, if you live in the South, sometimes you're gonna find yourself at Waffle House. What can I say?
I wanted one egg scrambled with cheese, and some grits, no toast. Sounds simple right? There was a breakfast plate with the egg and grits but it came with toast and bacon and cost more than I wanted to pay. (Yes, I'm occasionally even too cheap for Waffle House. I admit it.)
You could also get the grits as a side item and buy the egg with cheese separately, except that it also came with toast if you ordered it that way. There seemed to be no way to avoid the dang toast.
After talking about my non-desire for toast (which you wouldn't think would be THAT strange a request) with the waitress a couple of times, I thought we had figured out how I could just get both the egg and the grits as side items with nothing else. Ah, problem solved. Or not.
When my plate arrived, there in the middle, smack dab between the egg and the grits, were two pieces of White Bread Toast.
I just shook my head in resignation and said to the waitress, "There's just no escaping the toast, is there?"
Without a word, she swooped in, scooped up the toast in her hand, and in one swift motion, threw it directly into the trashcan.
Problem solved. No toast for me. LOL
I wanted one egg scrambled with cheese, and some grits, no toast. Sounds simple right? There was a breakfast plate with the egg and grits but it came with toast and bacon and cost more than I wanted to pay. (Yes, I'm occasionally even too cheap for Waffle House. I admit it.)
You could also get the grits as a side item and buy the egg with cheese separately, except that it also came with toast if you ordered it that way. There seemed to be no way to avoid the dang toast.
After talking about my non-desire for toast (which you wouldn't think would be THAT strange a request) with the waitress a couple of times, I thought we had figured out how I could just get both the egg and the grits as side items with nothing else. Ah, problem solved. Or not.
When my plate arrived, there in the middle, smack dab between the egg and the grits, were two pieces of White Bread Toast.
I just shook my head in resignation and said to the waitress, "There's just no escaping the toast, is there?"
Without a word, she swooped in, scooped up the toast in her hand, and in one swift motion, threw it directly into the trashcan.
Problem solved. No toast for me. LOL
New Year's Resolution / Weigh-in
Last year, one of my New Year's Resolutions was to lose 10 pounds and get down to 125. I was hovering around 135 at the time with fluctuations of about 3 pounds up or down, and I had been stuck there for over a year.
I know that 10 pounds doesn't sound like much to drop in a whole year, but believe me, it's been a very hard 10 pounds to lose. Much harder than the first 50, even.
It seems as though 135-ish was a sort of set point for me; once I got there my body found it easy to stay there. That's great as far as not gaining back, but not so great as far as losing more.
Today I had a check-up at the doctor's and they weighed me. I must confess that I had a lot of "fat fear" going in, since right after the New Year's holiday (not to mention shortly after Thanksgiving and Christmas) is not usually the best time to face the scale! Anyway, I weighed in at 126 3/4 so I *just* missed my goal.
This year, my resolution is to get down to 115. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to lose 11 3/4 pounds to get there instead of only the 10 I had hoped to have left to go.
When I told my doctor that I had just missed my resolution goal, he jokingly told me that his scale is usually a couple of pounds off. (Yeah, that's the ticket! Thanks, Doc!) Anyway, I usually weigh myself on the scale at the gym at work so I'll double check it there later. Who knows? Maybe I'll have an update for the blog later if I get a better verdict from the gym scale.
*******Edited to add update: I did weigh at the gym, on two different scales there, and they both said that I was at 124 1/4. So if I choose believe the gym, I did achieve last year's New Year's Resolution. I choose to believe!
I know that 10 pounds doesn't sound like much to drop in a whole year, but believe me, it's been a very hard 10 pounds to lose. Much harder than the first 50, even.
It seems as though 135-ish was a sort of set point for me; once I got there my body found it easy to stay there. That's great as far as not gaining back, but not so great as far as losing more.
Today I had a check-up at the doctor's and they weighed me. I must confess that I had a lot of "fat fear" going in, since right after the New Year's holiday (not to mention shortly after Thanksgiving and Christmas) is not usually the best time to face the scale! Anyway, I weighed in at 126 3/4 so I *just* missed my goal.
This year, my resolution is to get down to 115. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to lose 11 3/4 pounds to get there instead of only the 10 I had hoped to have left to go.
When I told my doctor that I had just missed my resolution goal, he jokingly told me that his scale is usually a couple of pounds off. (Yeah, that's the ticket! Thanks, Doc!) Anyway, I usually weigh myself on the scale at the gym at work so I'll double check it there later. Who knows? Maybe I'll have an update for the blog later if I get a better verdict from the gym scale.
*******Edited to add update: I did weigh at the gym, on two different scales there, and they both said that I was at 124 1/4. So if I choose believe the gym, I did achieve last year's New Year's Resolution. I choose to believe!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Skinny State of Mind
One thing I'm going to do on this blog is offer weight loss tips that have helped me. Here's the first: I've found that to lose fat, I have to keep it in my consciousness, to be aware of it pretty much all the time; in other words, I have to stay in a skinny state of mind.
If I lose that focus, I find myself mindlessly eating.
To keep from doing that, I find that it helps to do things like look at photos of thin people for inspiration, think about the great fashions I can wear when I'm slimmer, plan what I eat in advance, and imagine getting compliments and positive attention for being slim.
Of course, sometimes just pinching myself at the waist and feeling that fat is enough to remind me to get back on track. ;-)
If I lose that focus, I find myself mindlessly eating.
To keep from doing that, I find that it helps to do things like look at photos of thin people for inspiration, think about the great fashions I can wear when I'm slimmer, plan what I eat in advance, and imagine getting compliments and positive attention for being slim.
Of course, sometimes just pinching myself at the waist and feeling that fat is enough to remind me to get back on track. ;-)
Thinspiration: weight loss can be done
At my highest weight, I was 5'6" and 185 pounds. Some women may feel sexy at that size, but I was a sexless blubbery blob. I did not love myself, and I certainly did not like my looks.
For most of my previous life -- before I gained all that extra flesh -- my usual range had been 130 - 145 pounds. Once I had the proper motivation, it was fairly easy for me to get back to that range, but getting thinner than that has been a struggle...until now.
Now, I'm going for it! I've had a taste of success (no food pun intended) and I want to share what has worked for me so far and find out what works for others. I also want -- and need -- to hear from others to keep up my motivation and inspiration: I want to give and receive "Thinspiration."
For most of my previous life -- before I gained all that extra flesh -- my usual range had been 130 - 145 pounds. Once I had the proper motivation, it was fairly easy for me to get back to that range, but getting thinner than that has been a struggle...until now.
Now, I'm going for it! I've had a taste of success (no food pun intended) and I want to share what has worked for me so far and find out what works for others. I also want -- and need -- to hear from others to keep up my motivation and inspiration: I want to give and receive "Thinspiration."
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