Gone For A Few Days

I am being called to go out of town for a few days, maybe a week or so. My dear uncle, great-uncle actually, is at the end of his grand and long life. It's looking like just days left. So, I'll be heading to my childhood hometown in a day or so, help take care of things there for a little while.

He'll be missed a lot because he is loved a lot! It has been said that the one thing that will walk away from the grave is the character of a man. His essence. And that is what we will always have of this dear, sweet man.

Goodbye, Uncle! Thank you for all you've done, for all you've given me, for all you have been to me!

Sleep Loss = Weight Gain?

Recent studies indicate that chronic sleep deprivation may be a cause of weight gain. Wha?!? If you’re asleep how can you burn calories!?! How can that be??

Apparently the culprit is in appetite hormones. Leptin is a hormone that increases energy expenditure and regulates hunger. High levels of this hormone give you a feeling of being full, while low levels makes you feel, well, hungry! Sleep loss lowers leptin levels, in turn causing an increase in hunger. Another hormone is grehlin, which triggers hunger. In separate studies, people who consistently slept five hours or less per night had an increase of from 15 to 18 percent reduction in leptin levels, and 15 to 28 percent increase in ghrelin.

So . . . I’m not hungry! I’m sleepy!! Excuse me while I go take a nap!

BlueJohn

My dad always called skimmed milk BlueJohn. I don't know why. He wouldn't drink the stuff, always had to have whole mile, preferably still warm out of the cow! I and my family drink Hi-Pro skimmed milk, switching from 2% several years ago when we became heart-health conscious. Didn't take long to get used to the difference, which was mostly mouth feel more than a difference in the taste.

On Mondays I bring a quart of skimmed milk to keep in the refrigerator at the office for my morning cereal. Today, my quart of milk is still sitting in my refrigerator at home! In my rush out the door I simply forgot it! So I had to run to the little deli near the office and by a pint of milk. They had either whole milk or 2%, so I opted for the 2%.

That little 2% really makes a difference! There was an oily film on my bowl after I ate my cereal, and my mouth tasted like I had eaten a little spoon of oil. I never realized the profound difference that little 2% would make!


This morning I walked into the coffee bar down from my office. Five boxes of donuts!! Get Thee Behind Me Satan!!! Still wearin' my halo!

Gracie Allen's Classic Roast Beef Recipe

It's been over a week since I've posted anything. Life in my world has, to say the least, been hectic! So this blog goes to the bottom of the list of things I simply must do. Someone sent me this recipe and I just had to take a couple of minutes to share! Enjoy!

Gracie Allen's Classic Recipe for Roast Beef

1 large Roast of beef
1 small Roast of beef

Take the two roasts and put them in the oven.
When the little one burns, the big one is done.

Sabotage!!

It seems lately that all my efforts have been sabotaged by well-meaning friends, including by ever-lovin' husband!! That's not to say that it's really my own responsibility, but it sure makes things difficult when:

We're going out to eat - please come with us!

I'm coming over to your house! I stopped and picked up your favorite cheesecake!

The kids are coming over to celebrate my birthday. They're bringing dinner & cake!

It's like Grumpy's post about the weekends undoing all the success during the week! If I were living alone with no one else in my life - no friends, no husband, no family - I wouldn't have a problem at all becoming lean and svelte! But I'm not giving up those important facets of my life, so I must find a way to work through it!

Eat More . . . Protein!

I have come to realize that my diet is seriously lacking in protein. In cutting back on calories, I have added more fruits & vegetables, but cut back too much on lean protein. Which makes me get hungry more often! So, I'm going to try to add protein to my diet and see if that helps to stave off my hunger.

I love eggs, but of course there's the cholesterol factor in the yolks. I'm not a big meat eater, but I'm adding fish and chicken. Nuts are a pretty good source, and low-fat cottage cheese, which I like to have with fruit.

Thursday Breakfast Dude

It seems that the salesman who brings a breakfast feast to my office on Thursdays may no longer be coming, or at least not every week. Our business dealings with him have slacked off considerably - (through no fault of his, just a change in programs) - so he's probably going to take his breakfast elsewhere!!

He's a really nice guy. There's one less temptation for me, but I'm gonna miss talking with him every week. So, thanks for everything, Frank!

Back to . . .

I'm back to where I was a couple of weeks ago when I was called out of town. And I suppose those things will happen, and as long as I can pick myself up again, it'll be okay!

I was at W*mart earlier today and wandered through the sections with casual shirts and stuff. Everything seems to be made for the tall slender 16-year-olds. T-shirts come up to the bellybutton, jeans drop to the nether regions. But the section called "Woman" (which apparently means fat broads) has nothing but frumpy tunics, elastic waste jeans. Things which I really don't want to have to wear! So I left with . . . bananas and shampoo!!

I'm Glad I Found This Out!

. . . and to think I've been doing it wrong all these years!

Treadmill

Maybe this will help . . . . . !

Regroup

The past few days being out of pocket and the week or so before that when things were crazy cost me about three weeks progress! But I'm ready to get back in the saddle and ride! What I don't want to happen is this cause me to lose momentum and completely quit! How many times has that happened!?!

There are some things coming up which are incentives to continue on. A family reunion in May, another one in the fall. A golf tournament in the spring I'd like to enter (I haven't played in three years! I'm lousy at it but enjoy just getting out!)

I read Grumpy's very timely post this morning. It made me feel a little better knowing I'm not the only one struggling! I actually thought about waiting until after the weekend to start back, but after reading her comments, realize that would just put me days farther back than I already am! So, thanks my friend!

I'm ready to get back on the treadmill, even for just a few minutes each day. I'm ready to eat good food again instead of the Cracker Barrell, Denny's, and other stuff close to the motels where we were staying.

I'm Back!

I'm Back! Yeah, I've been gone. Not a particularly happy occasion though, the funeral of a dear, dear friend. Everyone's Grandpa! Loved him dearly, but I know he is in a so much happier place. And at 99 years old, he outlived many of those whom he loved, so he'll probably spend the next millenia or so catching up!

Progress, schmogress. I don't even know how I did but I'm sure it's pretty pitiful! Food everywhere! All the time! And if it wasn't food, it was sitting and talking! But it was good for the soul if not for the body!

Rough Week!

It's been a really tough week! My husband's birthday: guests and cake Thursday night, dinner with friends Friday Night, dinner with family Saturday night, lunch and dinner (yes, both!) with other friends on Sunday! And the first part of the week, while it didn't involve going eating so much, didn't leave any time for treadmilling, blogging, etc.

So now, I pay the price.

But, it's a new week! So far today has been okay! Donuts scattered all over the office have gone untouched by me! Lite lunch! Time to regroup!

Black Jeans!

I'm wearin' my black jeans! Whoo-hoo! My black jeans are so hot! And they button and zip and I can breathe!

Incentives!

My calendar says it's that time once again to schedule my Well Woman Exam. Yeehaw. Being the health-conscious woman I am, I call the scheduling center to make my appointment. Remembering what the doctor said last year about my weight, my first thought was [tum ta tum tum] "Oh No! I'm in Trouble!!"

I adore my doctor, who I have seen for the last 17 years. But I don't think he's gonna like me much this year! I'm pretty sure my weight hasn't changed enough to make him very happy to be sure! The good news is that I have until the first week in April to get it down to some reasonable level. Thank goodness for over-booked doctors!

The Sugar Solution

I've been reading about the problems caused by high normal blood sugar levels, which include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), obesity, diabetes risk, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke. High normal blood sugar can be controlled by eating foods with a low glycemic.

I know of one person who strictly followed a diet of low glycemic foods, lost over 20 pounds, had a tremendous drop in his ldl cholesterol and tryglycerides, all within a short 2-1/2 month period! This involves strictly limiting sugary foods, but also starches which turn into sugars when digested (think potatoes!)

I'm going to look into this further, but this may be something which will help me. I have a family history of diabetes, so hopefully I can avoid that!

Where'd that come from??

Okay. So I've spent the last few months (well, actually the last few years!) of my life trying to rid myself of these excess tons of fat! Now, what pops up? Excess hairs?!???!!!!!! Where'd they come from????? Yeah, everyone is gonna have that little annoying mustache. Thankfully, my hair is light, so it's not too noticeable. Then there's those little eye-brow hairs gone astray popping up on my chin and under my chin! But I found a little hair growing on the side of one of my boobs! Not on the niblett, but close to the outside edge, not close enough to be an escaping armpit hair! So what is happening here!??!?

Next stop, circus freak show.

No Pain, No . . . . Yes! Pain!!

When I started back on my treadmill I couldn't go far without getting a pain in one of my leg muscles. I decided it was my shoes. (My ancient, ugly, scuffed shoes!) So I bought new shoes. (Quite lovely ones at that I might add!) They helped, quite a bit actually, but still had some amount of pain. I laid off a few days, thinking the rest would help. Nope. Still hurt.

I'm back on the treadmill now, but I'm taking it easier. Not as far, and not as fast. And I put sports cream on my leg muscle afterward so it doesn't stay sore. I figure it's better to do that than it is to go further, faster, but not be able to go but 2 or 3 times a week.

It's tough getting old.

GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!!!!!!

Someone sent this to me and and, even given my current no-chocolate-allowed-hence-I-eat-20-pounds-of-the-stuff status, I thought it rather humorous! Thought I'd share!

Rules of Chocolate
1. If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.
2. Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want!
3. The problem: How to get two pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car.
The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.
4. Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and you'll eat less.
5. If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.
6. If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?
7. Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.
8. Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger. Therefore, you need to eat more chocolate.
9. Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.
10. A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Now, isn't that handy?
11. If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?
12. If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated. You can't let that happen, can you?

Good News, Bad News

Why I Adore My Husband!!!

I was whining about why I hadn't become lean and svelte, or at least hadn't lost enough weight that people aren't oohing and ahhing after me! After all, I'm watching my food, and I'm treadmilling almost daily!

He said, "It's probably because muscle weighs more than fat!"

It's Not Mine!

I had a revelation of sorts last Sunday. One of the men in the Sunday a.m. Bible class made the remark that everything we do must be for God, that the only thing we really need to do for us is rest and sustenance. He went on to say that even the rest and sustenance we allow for ourselves should really be for God also, as we do not own our bodies, we are only permitted to use them to glorify God!

And that set me to thinking . . . if this body is God's and not mine, which I believe that to be true, then surely I must care for it properly! As carefully as I would ensure the safety of a car I might borrow from a friend, as meticulously as I would care for any treasured item I might borrow from a friend, that is the least of how much care I should take for something that God has allowed me to use!

And have I done that??? NO! I have stuffed it full of non-nutritious food, run it without adequate rest, let it sit idly and get fat & soft! I believe that God has always intended that we should enjoy these bodies that he has allowed us to use. But I also believe that, first and foremost, these bodies were given to us for the purpose of glorifying God and teaching his word! And that doesn't mean allowing them to get fat and lazy!! Of course it also doesn't mean to start obsessing with body to the point that the body is worshiped or that everything else is neglected.

Moving forward!

A Beautiful Lady

My friend Juanita. One of the most beautiful people anyone will ever know! And when she smiles, all the world around her lights up! Kind to everyone around her, I have never heard her say anything but nice things about everyone.

But Nita is morbidly obese. She is 5'1" and weighs at least 450#. All the excess kind of falls down around her as she sits or stands. Her belly hangs down about halfway to the knees. The fat on her thighs and calves just drape down her legs in folds. When she sits, it appears that she is leaning forward because her enormous back won't allow her head to lean back. When she walks, it's painful to watch because she moves from side to side, arms extended somewhat to balance herself. I have no idea how she can sleep without suffocating from all her extra weight pressing on her lungs.

She is miserable about this. She knows how she looks, and is quite aware of the jaw-dropping looks she receives. Her entire body hurts because of the stress of carrying an excess of 300+ pounds. Her joints are probably all blown, her internal organs are all out of place. Somehow she manages to maintain proper hygiene, a very difficult task for someone of her size. Her physical condition is probably grave at best. I know her heart could give out at any time from the excess stress it's under.

She is probably a candidate for bariatric surgery, but doctors have told her any kind of surgery would be such high risk that she might not survive. Not to mention the fact that her insurance won't pay for that type of surgery and they struggle from paycheck to paycheck.

Her husband absolutely adores her, and she adores him! The sparkle in their eyes when they look at one another is evidence of an undying and deep love. I don't know how they manage any kind of sexual intimacy. Or if they gave that up long ago. But they seem to have a spiritual intimacy that goes beyond anything physical.

But this is her situation, this is her burden. She knows, her family knows, her friends know, that this is unlikely to change a great deal. Even if she were to somehow lose 100#, she'd still be morbidly obese! So she manages today, and she will probably manage tomorrow. We, her friends, have simply acknowledged that this is how our friend is. We'd all love to see her improve her health, but we also know that it is unlikely that she will be able to make much of an improvement. So we just love her anyway. We take her as she is, all of her.

Her beauty is much much more than skin deep! Her beauty comes from deep within her heart and soul.

Top Ten Rules

10. Do not listen to the voices. You know, the ones inside your head that make you want a SnickerBar.
9. Rely on yourself and on God. And maybe adorable husband for some things, like killing bugs. Otherwise, do it yourself. Quit waiting on someone else. Quit blaming someone else.
8. Stop wishing, hoping, dreaming, fantasizing. Get off your butt and just do it!
7. Go to bed! Get some sleep for crying out loud! You cannot get by with 5-1/2 hours every night.
6. Forgive yourself. Even for that . . . . . . . . . [fill in your own blank, I have my own].
5. Take your vitamins, drink your water.
4. Quit eating crap. It's just as easy to grab a few carrot sticks as it is to grab a few Fritos!
3. Quit making excuses. Get up, change your clothes, quit whining. Just get on the treadmill!
2. Quit procrastinating. Quit allowing interruptions. Y'know. Like this one.
1. Pray often! Pray without ceasing! Pray hard! Pray big!

Reunion. Arghhhhh!!!!!

Cousins I haven't seen in +30 years have decided it's time to reunite! I think someone turned 55 or something like that. So we're all gettin' together sometime late spring. So . . . that leaves me about 4-1/2 months to lose 50#?? And be the leanest, most svelte, cutest cousin? Instead of the one most likely to look like our Grandma!?! Mom! Do I hafta go?!????

New Puppies!

Look!

New Puppies!!

They feel much better!!!

Yummmmmmm!!

This is my favorite smoothie! Very lowfat and tasty!!

1 very ripe banana
1 C frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, or mixed berries of any kind)
1 tsp sugar or Splenda to taste
½ C plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt
½ C milk

Blend it all together until it's smoooooooth! Mmmmmmmm!!!!

Gotta Get Some New Dawgs!

I've been having problems for the past week and a half with my right leg as I'm doing my treadmill. I thought it was because I wasn't stretching enough or right, but now I've decided I'm getting shin splints because of my shoes! Mine are a couple years old and getting fairly worn, so I guess it's time to buy new ones. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get out to shop until Saturday because every evening this week is taken up with something or other. So I'll just have to do the best I can until then!

Bubbles bursting all around me!

Yesterday I was very, very good! I didn't eat any of the donuts that were in the coffee bar. I ate my good healthy food that I brought from home, didn't eat any fattisnacks. When I got home I was determined to walk on my treadmill that has been collecting dust lately, figuring I could easily make 2 or 3 miles. Wellllll . . . after 30 minutes, I had only gone 1.26 miles. One of my legs was starting to get crampy (didn't stretch!) and the heater came on, so it was stifling (husband likes it very cozy in the house - had it set on 71!) But despite that I thought I had a better day than I have lately.

When I got on the scale this morning, I had lost a whopping - drumroll please - Zero. Nada. Zip. Crappola.

Today is the first day . . .

Today I'm back at the office, first day of the new year. (It's very quiet!) I have been keeping a log of my daily weigh-in for last year. This morning I threw that away - didn't even look at it! - and made a new one for '07. After all, it's a brand new year . . . time to start fresh!

End of the year

With the holidays heading to a close, I am thinking about how I will jumpstart my own weightloss effort. All the magazines - Reader's Digest, Health, LHJ - are writing about various diets. Kirstie lost 70+ on Jenny Craig. There are new surgical techniques, new obesity drugs. But when it comes right down to it, there is no one magic pill that will work for everyone. Each individual needs to assess her own issues and ways of dealing with things and decide how to best proceed.

For me, since I hate (despise, detest) exercise, I know a comprehensive exercise plan won't work. Never has, never will. But I can walk a treadmill, even if for only a few minutes a day. My friend Patience has decided to set a weekly mileage goal for walking, and I think that might work for me. I always tried to walk three miles every day. But if I didn't feel like it, or for whatever reason couldn't do it, I felt like I failed everything! But maybe if I have a weekly goal, I can span my walking for the times I feel most like walking. (As long as I don't leave everything until Friday and have to walk 20 miles at a time!!)

Some things I can give up quite easily. Sweets like cakes or pie don't really tempt me too often. Now give me a chocolate candy bar, Snicker Bar, Reeses, and get outa my way!

One thing that will help me is water and lots of it. I have heard one man who lost 50 pounds or so doing nothing different in his diet except drinking water. He drank one 8-ounce of water before, during, and after each meal. I can probably do that, at least most of the time.

I will also weigh myself daily and keep a log and diet journal. That may help me to see realistically what I eat and when I eat.

Things I have determined not to do are diet pills and surgery. Diet pills make me feel ick, and surgery, well surgery is surgery! And when you get right down to it, surgery is not a quick, easy fix. It usually works and works quickly, but too often those I know who have had some type of gastric surgery have various side effects either from the surgery or from the drastic drop in nutrition, vitamin deficiency and the like (one woman even lost half her hair from vitamin A dificiency!) For the grossly obese, surgery may be the only option to jump start weight loss, but for me, I don't think so!

I'll be looking for strength! From my family, from my friends, from my blogger friends. When 2007 gets here, I'll be ready!

Time to get serious

The holidays are coming to a close. We have a holiday meal tonight with family which will be very traditional, turkey, dressing, etc. Saturday a few are gathering to open gifts, but it will be mid-afternoon, so no formal meal will need to be prepared. So for the most part our Christmas will be completed by Saturday night. Monday we are having friends who have no family in town over for a meal, but I think it will be non-traditional Christmas. I'm thinking grilled salmon! Yummmm!


New Year's Eve will be spent with friends at our house. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can spend most of the evening outside with fireworks. Otherwise, we'll be inside playing games. (I like to spend NY Eve at home where I know I won't get run over by a drunk person on the way home!) Food will probably be pizza and, if it's not raining out, hotdogs cooked over the bonfire. (Yes, we have a small bonfire - how else could we have fireworks?! Or that's what my husband says.)


Within a few days, the holiday period of gluttony will be over. It will be time to start getting serious (again!) about my health. Which means getting serious about my diet and exercise. I'm preparing my mind for this so that when January comes my mind will be able to win the argument with my body that, yes we must exercise, and no, you can't eat it all!
For the holidays, my wish for everyone is
Peace
Health
Faith
Joy

Merry Christmas everyone!

Impossible Challenge!

Thank goodness the holidays are nearly over! I've done okay maintaining a Zero Gain, Zero Loss, since Thanksgiving. This was all I really hoped to do . . . until January! Then it's serious time!!!

Congealed fat???

I read that one should never drink something cold with a meal. The theory behind this is that any fat contained in the meal would be instantly solidified by the cold drink and therefore harder for the body to rid. On the other hand, if the drink is warm, it will liquify the fat, making it easier to just slide right out of the body! It makes sense on one level. On another, it sounds rather ridiculous. Could this be true??

I've also read that being chronically sleep-deprive (like I always am!) has been linked to being overweight. That doesn't make a lot of sense, but apparently has been proven to be true.

So I think I'll drink some hot cocoa and take a nap!! Ahhh!!!

Where evil lurks!

Some evil person left a container of white divinity fudge with pecan halves in the kitchen at my office. Good thing I don't like them very much! (But if they'd been chocolate . . . !)

And tomorrow's Breakfast Dude Day! It's been a tough week.

Some lite humor (with a disclaimer!)

***Disclaimer: This is only for humor. It is not intended to be taken seriously! Don't eat like this ever! Unless you want to way 8,000#!***

Holiday Eating Tips
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have SOME standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and screaming,"WOO HOO what a ride!"

Happy Birthday!

Today was my youngest grandchild's birthday. I had a piece of birthday cake. I didn't intend to, didn't particularly want any, but it was thrust in my hand. It was a small piece, and after all, it was birthday cake! So sometimes we must just enjoy the moment, enjoy the cake, live life just a little bit!

A Bit of Humor (hyuck!)

So Far . . . So Good!

I haven't sacrificed too much, and I haven't gone crazy eating everything in sight! And I've stayed within a pound of what I started!! YaY!!!

Happy Turkey Day!!

Happy Thanksgiving one and all! Enjoy the fellowship, enjoy the food!!

Breakfast Dude Day

Thanks Grumpy and all the rest for your support. Yes today is Thursday, the day when the really nice guy brings all the really good stuff to the office for breakfast. Most of the time I have been completely avoiding him and his goodies, but I did indulge a little today. Didn't go overboard though. And all has been mostly well.

It's November. Halloween passed with little problems, Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the next bend. My goal for the next few weeks is to enjoy the holidays, not remain on a strict weight loss regimen, but not go crazy eating everything I can stuff in my face either. After the first of the year then I can get serious about it again. Not that I'm not serious right now, I'm just realistic about things. I know that if I don't allow a little indulgence, then at some point I'll snap and things could get ugly! (And Grumpy's Chubby Cherub could jump from her camp to mine!)

Thanksgiving starts Saturday, cooking for a meal with the church. Then again on Thursday, with the extended family. Christmas isn't as much about food at my house. New Year's Eve usually involves a pizza party and games. Between these times I'm going to try my best to be good and eat healthy, but I'm not going to make myself (and everyone around me!) miserable by completely doing without all the holiday food.

So for all of you out there . . . Happy Healthy Thanksgiving!

Surgery - not a great option!

I have a friend who was 75-100 pounds more than she should have been. She decided to have some type of bariatric surgery in order to lose the extra weight. It seemed to work pretty fast, but she lost quite a bit of her hair (apparently due to a vitamin deficiency) and she has to be very careful about what she eats or else she will be losing her lunch!

I know another person who had a similar type surgery. It seemed to work equally as well, but she never really dealt with the reason for her obsession with food. So consequentally, the weight came right back up and within two years she was as heavy, maybe heavier, than she was before surgery.

It seems to me that the purpose of the surgery is to force a drastic drop in caloric intake. So, if that can be done without surgery, would that not be a better solution?!? I suppose some people just can't control the urge to eat. But how many are using the surgery as an easy way out? From what I've observed, it's not an easy way out!

Thursday Hurdle

Today is Thursday, the day when the wonderful man brings all manner of breakfast goodies to my office! Everyone loves him! I love him!! But for the second Thursday in a row, I have refrained and restrained! I grabbed a little bit of fruit, a couple of carrot sticks. But he always brings some of my favorite breakfast treats including various flavors of bagels and cream cheeses. In the midst of all these choices, I always go for the plain bagel, toasted, and either plain cream cheese or veggie cheese. But these bagels are like 6" - huge!

I'm not going to tell myself I can't have one, that will only make me want it more. Next Thursday I might have one or I might not. (I've found that if I don't rush in there when he first gets in, then most of the good stuff will be gone anyway! So it's best if I wait!)

My most difficult days are Thursdays when Breakfast Guy shows up, Friday nights when we go out to dinner with friends, and Sundays when we go out to lunch after morning worship service. If I can mostly control those days, I am doing verrrrrrry well indeed!

Oh, and I've lost two pounds over the last two weeks! Hooray! I'd like to say I only have 50 to go, but then I remember my goal is to lose One Pound! When I do that, my goal is still to lose One Pound! After all, I can lose one pound. But I don't think I can lose Fifty! Psyche!

Thank Goodness That's Over!!

Yesterday evening I sat within 3' of a giant bowl of all my favorite chocolate candy bars! Every so often, I got up out of my chair, picked up that bowl, and gave some to costumed little children who came a-knocking at my door. Not one of those pieces found it's way into my mouth!! I AM THE CHAMPION!!! I HAVE PERSEVERED!!!

I Hope It's Not True!

I found this on the web. I think it's kinda funny, kinda sad, and I hope it's not true!

My appetite is my shepherd, I always want.
It maketh me sit down and stuff myself.
It leadeth me to my refrigerator repeatedly,
Sometimes during the night.
It leadeth me in the path of Burger King for a Whopper.
It destroyeth my shape.
Yea, though I knoweth I gaineth, I will not stop eating,
For the food tasteth so good.
The ice cream and the cookies, they comfort me.
When the table is spread before me, it exciteth me.
For I knoweth that I sooneth shall dig in.
As I filleth my plate continuously,
My clothes runneth smaller.
Surely bulges and pudgies shall follow me
All the days of my life.
And I shall be "pleasingly plump" forever.

One down . . . how many to go??

Well, I'm down a pound, which isn't too bad I guess considering we spent four days out of town with friends, eating nothing but restaurant food. And since my goal is always to lose just one pound, I guess that's okay.

I wondered how I could possibly gained 65 pounds in 20 years, but that's really only 3 pounds each year, 1/4 pound per month! Wish I'd realized that 19 years ago!

He's Here!!!

The Breakfast Guy is here! Y'know, the one who brings all the bagels, cream cheeses, and other nasty, unhealthy fatty breakfast treats. But, as I walked past the kitchen on my way to somewhere else, I determined that I was not going to have a bagel!

Here's the question I have to ask myself when I am tempted by all this stuff: Does this taste as good as thin feels? I think not!

A week later . . .

I had lost a little over a pound this past week, but as of this morning, I had it back! The weekends kill me. My husband loves to eat out with friends, and I must say I enjoy that too. But, my strength jumps right out the window when anyone puts a menu in my hand!

On the upside, I am drinking enough water to drown most small animals.

A Special Treat!!!

Look what I found in our office coffee bar today!!! White chocolate!!!!!! Yum-mee!!

Sacrifices

Today is the day that one of the sales reps brings breakfast in to the office. Y'know all the good stuff, tacos, bagels, etc. My favorite morning at work!

But today . . . I'm just not going there! I'm very sad but that's just the way it has to be right now!

And . . . the secretary has bowls of Halloween candy on her desk. I'm not going there either!

My Very Favorite Zero Calorie Treat

over ice with a little bit of Splenda . . .

Water, Water, Everywhere!

I've always heard we're supposed to drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water every day, equating to 64 ounces. Then I heard that on some diet plan you should drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water every day. Now I've heard of a diet plan called Before During After where you drink a cup of water before, during and after each and every meal you eat, including snacks.

There are several ideas behind all this glug-glug-glug. Supposedly when we're chronically dehydrated, the body signals this to mean we're hungry when we're really just thirsty. And of course when you drink this much water, your stomach is full and can't hold much more food.

I think it's because you don't have time to eat because you're always peeing! Not to mention all the exercise running back & forth to the potty!

1984 to 2006

In 1984 I weighed 105 lbs. In 22 years I have added over half that, meaning I am One and a Half Skinny Broads Living in a Fat Woman! How depressing that is.

I know I'll probably never be 105 again. Actually when I look back at pictures I looked pretty anorexic! Except for Hollywood standards, but for normal people I was considered underweight at best. But I figure that being underweight slightly is a lot healthier than being grossly overweight as I am now!

So here I am . . . this morning weighing in at 170.2 disgusting pounds . . . sick of being obese. There! I said it! Yes I am obese!! Crap. I know I can't lose 5 pounds a week. They say 1/2 to 1 pound per week is the most one should try for and be healthy, but for me to lose 50 pounds . . . that would take 2 years! Arrrgghhhhhh! So, for this moment, my goal is to lose 1 . . . yes One . . . pound. Then my goal is to lose another pound. That's all I can do. One pound at a time. One . . Stinking . . Blob . . of Fat . . at . . a . . time . . . !