At the Slimming World meeting last night, everyone was supposed to bring a low "syn" food for others to try, so my husband and I decided to each make something to bring. Robert brought Onion Bhajis with Cucumber Raita, and I brought Baked Vanilla Cheesecake. They were both a hit at the meeting, and we will definitely make them again at home.
Recipes:
Bombay Bhajis & Cucumber Raita
Bhajis
Fry Light
1 medium onion, chopped
170g/6oz potatoes, cooked and chopped
227g/8oz canned chickpeas, drained
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp Bombay mixed spice (we didn't have this, so Robert used a hot madras curry spice.)
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Raita
1/2 cucumber, chopped
salt
113g/4oz very low fat natural yogurt
4 spring onions, chopped
1. To make raita, place the cucumber in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Dry well and transfer into a bowl. Stir in the yogurt and spring onions and chill until ready to serve.
2. To make the bhajis, spray a non-stick frying pan with Fry Light and cook the onion for approximately 5 minutes until tender. Transfer to a bowl, add the potato and chickpeas and mash together. Stir in the remaining ingredients and form into 20 small balls.
3. Arrange the bhajis on a baking tray that has been sprayed with Fry Light. Bake in a preheated oven at 220C/Gas 7 for approximately 15 minutes until golden. Serve immediately with cucumber raita.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Free on Green on the Slimming World plan. (I'll look up and add the calories count later.)
I do not like cucumbers, so I was not fond of the dip, and when we made this at home for us (rather than this one which we brought to the meeting), I had Robert make me some of the dip with only spring onion in it and no cucumber. The bhajis taste great, but can be a little bit dry and crumbly, so having a dip with them is definitely a must.
Baked Vanilla Cheesecake
12 reduced fat digestive biscuits, finely crushed
6 level tbsp low fat spread
511g/1lb 2oz Quark
3 large eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla essence
8-10 tbsp artificial sweetener
finely grated zest of 1 orange and one lemon
1 level tsp icing sugar, to dust
mixed berries, to serve
1. Place the crushed biscuits in a bowl and melt the low fat spread. Add to the biscuits and stir to mix well. Spoon into a 20cm/8 inch non-stick spring form cake tin, pressing down firmly to make a smooth and even base. Chill in the fridge, preferably overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. Beat together the quark, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, sweetener and the citrus zest until well combined and pour over the prepared biscuit base. Place in the oven and cook for 50-55 minutes or until set and golden.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours. To serve, dust with icing sugar, cut into thin wedges and serve with mixed berries.
Serves 10.
6 Syns on Green on the Slimming World plan.
6 Syns on Original on the Slimming World plan.
I had never even heard of Quark until i joined slimming World and noticed it mentioned as an ingredient in so many of the recipes. It's basically a soft cheese spread like Philadelphia Cream Cheese is, so if they don't have it at your local store, you could probably substitute the Light Philadelphia Cream Cheese for Quark.
I found that adding the cinnamon gave a slightly brownish colour to the cheesecake mixture, so it didn't look much like the picture in the book. Next time we make it, I will try to get a good photograph of the cheesecake. The berries I topped it with were raspberries and blackberries. Everybody loved it, including Robert and I, but I realized later that I had miscalculated the artificial sweetener. I used Splenda, and I measured out 10 teaspoons of it instead of the tablespoons that the recipe calls for. It still tasted great though, so maybe it doesn't need as much sweetener as it asks for after all!
I will try and work out the overall calories for a slice of the cheesecake to add here later.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Monday, 29 September 2008
19th Week's Weight Loss!!!
After 19 weeks of my new healthy diet and exercise lifestyle, and at 32 weeks pregnant, I went to my weigh-in at Slimming World today and have lost another pound! I have lost a total of 38.5 pounds so far! And I now have less than 100 pounds left to lose to reach my ultimate goal! This means I have now hit another mini goal and have only 99 pounds left to go to my goal weight!
Yay!!!!
My husband lost 2 pounds this week as well and he is only 2 pounds away now from reaching his ideal weight.
Yay!!!!
My husband lost 2 pounds this week as well and he is only 2 pounds away now from reaching his ideal weight.
Friday, 26 September 2008
Confession
Well, after my last "kicking your butt for not exercising" post, I thought I should 'fess up. While I am doing terrific on the exercise front, I am not doing terrific on the healthy eating part of this journey. I'm still eating relatively healthily, but I have had a few sweets this week.
I hope I am making up for my sweet tooth with the amount of exercise I am doing, but I still feel guilty about having had a few treats this week. I am however, at least, keeping myself in a healthy calorie range regardless.
What is it about those sugary confections that call to us so strongly?
I hope I am making up for my sweet tooth with the amount of exercise I am doing, but I still feel guilty about having had a few treats this week. I am however, at least, keeping myself in a healthy calorie range regardless.
What is it about those sugary confections that call to us so strongly?
No More Excuses!!!
Okay, if you are making excuses for not losing weight or for not sticking to your weight loss or fitness plan today, I'm here to kick your butt back into gear!
I am 32 weeks pregnant. I suffer from pregnancy-induced SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) and sciatica pain (causing sever hip and pelvic pain). Sometimes it hurts just to roll over in bed or try to stand up from a sitting position. Most of the time, I am in pain even when I am doing nothing. I also suffer from recurring back problems. I am in pain ALL OF THE TIME!!!
But I still hop on my elliptical crosstrainer, put up the resistance to something reasonable and spend 43 minutes on it every day at a decent pace. I do 7 to 7.5 miles on it, despite the pain.
I still push my two smaller children in the double stroller, with the two of them weighing a combined weight of almost 80 pounds before I even add in the weight of the stroller itself, for a long distance several times a week. I still walk to pick up my 5 year old from school each day. I even take the dog for an occasional walk. I go on 2 and 4 mile walks with my husband, even if it means I hobble in pain towards the end of the walk and for the rest of the day.
If I can find my fitness so important that I am willing to suffer through the pain to get my workout in, you can too! I don't care if you are in pain or tired or just plain lazy. Too busy? So what! You can and should get in some form of exercise regardless of any excuse you can make! As long as you don't have a doctor telling you to avoid exercise, then there really is no excuse.
So get off your lazy butt and go MOVE!!!!
I am 32 weeks pregnant. I suffer from pregnancy-induced SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) and sciatica pain (causing sever hip and pelvic pain). Sometimes it hurts just to roll over in bed or try to stand up from a sitting position. Most of the time, I am in pain even when I am doing nothing. I also suffer from recurring back problems. I am in pain ALL OF THE TIME!!!
But I still hop on my elliptical crosstrainer, put up the resistance to something reasonable and spend 43 minutes on it every day at a decent pace. I do 7 to 7.5 miles on it, despite the pain.
I still push my two smaller children in the double stroller, with the two of them weighing a combined weight of almost 80 pounds before I even add in the weight of the stroller itself, for a long distance several times a week. I still walk to pick up my 5 year old from school each day. I even take the dog for an occasional walk. I go on 2 and 4 mile walks with my husband, even if it means I hobble in pain towards the end of the walk and for the rest of the day.
If I can find my fitness so important that I am willing to suffer through the pain to get my workout in, you can too! I don't care if you are in pain or tired or just plain lazy. Too busy? So what! You can and should get in some form of exercise regardless of any excuse you can make! As long as you don't have a doctor telling you to avoid exercise, then there really is no excuse.
So get off your lazy butt and go MOVE!!!!
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Gym membership?
My husband Robert and I stopped in to have a look around a local gym. It's a 2 mile walk from our house, and we are thinking of joining it after the baby arrives. Robert is only 5 pounds away from his goal weight, so he is wanting to use the weight machines and start toning and firming up now.
It looks like an okay gym. It has the equipment we want to use. And it has a large pool for swimming laps, plus two jacuzzis. I have not been swimming in years! When I was young, I was on the swim team at school. I grew up with a large pool in my back garden. I really, really miss swimming! So I really love the idea of being able to use the pool there. And, for a fee, we can bring the kids with us to the pool on weekends.
The only thing annoying about our tour was how cheery and perky the tour guide was. Even the way she spoke seemd fake and overly cheery as if she had been trained to speak that way to help "make the sale." Bleh!
It looks like an okay gym. It has the equipment we want to use. And it has a large pool for swimming laps, plus two jacuzzis. I have not been swimming in years! When I was young, I was on the swim team at school. I grew up with a large pool in my back garden. I really, really miss swimming! So I really love the idea of being able to use the pool there. And, for a fee, we can bring the kids with us to the pool on weekends.
The only thing annoying about our tour was how cheery and perky the tour guide was. Even the way she spoke seemd fake and overly cheery as if she had been trained to speak that way to help "make the sale." Bleh!
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Is My Improved Fitness Showing?
Being pregnant means it is harder for me to notice the weight coming off from me, because my belly is still growing. It is difficult for me to see the results of my weight loss except for in my face for now, at least until the baby arrives.
Today, I was walkign my daughter Gabby to school and pushing the double stroller with my two year old and three year old in it. We wound up behind a mother and toddler and they were walking really slowly. I assumed it was because of the toddler's uncertain steps, but as I came alongside them, I realized that the 20-something mother was very pregnant and the toddler was pulling against her hand trying to speed her up. We started up a conversation, and I found out that she was due just two weeks before me.
Later, after the children were dropped off at school, we ran into one another again, and she stopped to chat with me. (I was at the bus stop waiting for a bus to take my two little ones and I to the hospital for a prenatal appointment.)
First, she was amazed that I was only due two weeks after her and that this was my 7th baby. She said I just seemed too fit and energetic for that!
That comment absolutely made my day! Most days, I hobble with pregnancy-induced pain from my hip, but I am learning to ignore the pain and do my best to walk normally and quickly anyway so as to make my time spent walking shorter. And I have never before been referred to as being "fit" and definitely not "energetic!" Even in my early 20s with my first few pregnancies back in my "thin" days, I always felt tired and sluggish. I would look at other pregnant women and mothers and be jealous of how energetic they seemed!
I have noticed that, where I used to take 45 minutes or longer to walk 2 miles with my husband, I can now do the same walk in usually about 30 minutes. So, maybe even if I can't physically see the results in my body of all of this weight loss right now, at least I am starting to be shown the results that are appearing in other ways.
Today, I was walkign my daughter Gabby to school and pushing the double stroller with my two year old and three year old in it. We wound up behind a mother and toddler and they were walking really slowly. I assumed it was because of the toddler's uncertain steps, but as I came alongside them, I realized that the 20-something mother was very pregnant and the toddler was pulling against her hand trying to speed her up. We started up a conversation, and I found out that she was due just two weeks before me.
Later, after the children were dropped off at school, we ran into one another again, and she stopped to chat with me. (I was at the bus stop waiting for a bus to take my two little ones and I to the hospital for a prenatal appointment.)
First, she was amazed that I was only due two weeks after her and that this was my 7th baby. She said I just seemed too fit and energetic for that!
That comment absolutely made my day! Most days, I hobble with pregnancy-induced pain from my hip, but I am learning to ignore the pain and do my best to walk normally and quickly anyway so as to make my time spent walking shorter. And I have never before been referred to as being "fit" and definitely not "energetic!" Even in my early 20s with my first few pregnancies back in my "thin" days, I always felt tired and sluggish. I would look at other pregnant women and mothers and be jealous of how energetic they seemed!
I have noticed that, where I used to take 45 minutes or longer to walk 2 miles with my husband, I can now do the same walk in usually about 30 minutes. So, maybe even if I can't physically see the results in my body of all of this weight loss right now, at least I am starting to be shown the results that are appearing in other ways.
Monday, 22 September 2008
Another Weight Loss!!!!!
I went to my weigh-in tonight at Slimming World, and I am down another 2 pounds! I worked so hard this week to be able to see a loss, and I am so pleased with this one! I have now lost a total of 37.5 pounds in 18 weeks. I am half a pound away from having less than 100 pounds left to lose to reach my ultimate goal. So my next mini goal is to lose just one more pound!
My husband lost 1.5 pounds this week too.
My husband lost 1.5 pounds this week too.
Eat Cinnamon For Good Health + Recipe
A friend directed me to an article about the health benefits of cinnamon. I happen to really like cinnamon, and it was nice to find out that it is good for me. It is good for people with insulin resistance and diabetes and it can lower blood glucose levels. It helps brain function, and it can aid in digestion. It can even help lower cholesterol.
The full article can be found at http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/cinnamon.htm
I have a low-calorie dessert I eat sometimes when I am craving something sweet that uses cinnamon. First, I peel a couple of large apples. Then I core them and cut them into thin slices and put them in a bowl. I sprinkle a teaspoon of sweetener over them (usually Splenda) and then I sprinkle cinnamon all over them. I then cook them in the microwave until they go soft. Cooking time can vary depending on the microwave, but mine takes about 3 minutes.
The full article can be found at http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/cinnamon.htm
I have a low-calorie dessert I eat sometimes when I am craving something sweet that uses cinnamon. First, I peel a couple of large apples. Then I core them and cut them into thin slices and put them in a bowl. I sprinkle a teaspoon of sweetener over them (usually Splenda) and then I sprinkle cinnamon all over them. I then cook them in the microwave until they go soft. Cooking time can vary depending on the microwave, but mine takes about 3 minutes.
Scale Variation
You've all done this. Stepped on the scale, not liked what you've seen and then stepped on it again to see if you can get a more forgiving weight on the second try. And the odd thing is that sometimes you will!
It is the bane of slimmers everywhere, the constantly fluctuating scale. Some of the fluctuations are natural and part of your body's daily rhythms. And some of the fluctuations are just random and can change from one minute to the next. It makes it difficult to know what your true weight is.
And I've tried cheap scales, expensive scales, digital scales and every other kind of scale I can think of. It's the same with them all. I remember one day when my husband and I were moving the scale around the house until we found a spot where our scale weighed us the lowest! (We did not continue to do that though, because it's, a bit on the crazy, obsessive side! LOL!)
I have two scales. One weighs me 13 to 14 pounds lower than the other one. Neither one weighs me the same as the one at Slimming World. I bought the second, more expensive one, a Weight Watcher's brand, because I thought it would weigh me more consistently than the first one. No such luck!
I have a theory. I think that scales are more consistent and accurate for lower-weight people. I might be wrong. I guess I will have to wait until I'm slim and fit to find out!
It is the bane of slimmers everywhere, the constantly fluctuating scale. Some of the fluctuations are natural and part of your body's daily rhythms. And some of the fluctuations are just random and can change from one minute to the next. It makes it difficult to know what your true weight is.
And I've tried cheap scales, expensive scales, digital scales and every other kind of scale I can think of. It's the same with them all. I remember one day when my husband and I were moving the scale around the house until we found a spot where our scale weighed us the lowest! (We did not continue to do that though, because it's, a bit on the crazy, obsessive side! LOL!)
I have two scales. One weighs me 13 to 14 pounds lower than the other one. Neither one weighs me the same as the one at Slimming World. I bought the second, more expensive one, a Weight Watcher's brand, because I thought it would weigh me more consistently than the first one. No such luck!
I have a theory. I think that scales are more consistent and accurate for lower-weight people. I might be wrong. I guess I will have to wait until I'm slim and fit to find out!
The Scale Blues
My weigh-in is tonight. Usually, I will show any drop in my weight by Monday morning. I weighed myself this morning, and the scale is showing my weight as up 4.5 pounds since yesterday morning! Now, I know this isn't possible because I ate really healthy yesterday and kept my calories on the lower end of the range I allow myself. In fact, all week I exercised MORE than I normally do and ate really healthily! I know that the baby growing inside me is adding weight, but I was so very good this week that I should be able to see at least a half-pound loss. When I plugged my exercise into SparkPeople, it said I had burned 3,900+ calories. That's more than a pound's worth of calories burned in exercise alone! And on top of that, my diet was really good too.
I was really determined to lose a tiny bit of weight ths week to make up for the one pound I gained last week. Last week, I hadn't been exercising much, so this week I made up for it, despite the pain in my hip and pelvic area. Is it too much to ask that the scale show me something for all the effort I have been putting in?!
Sometimes, when I do my weigh-in in the evening (weigh-in is at 8:00pm), it surprises me by showing me a loss despite what my scale says. Generally though, my scale here is a pretty good predictor of what the scale there will say. I'm going to be relally upset if I have gained this week. I won't be upset if I've maintained, but I will be disappointed.
I'm only 2.5 pounds away from my next mini goal, and I was really hoping to get at least part-way there this week.
I was really determined to lose a tiny bit of weight ths week to make up for the one pound I gained last week. Last week, I hadn't been exercising much, so this week I made up for it, despite the pain in my hip and pelvic area. Is it too much to ask that the scale show me something for all the effort I have been putting in?!
Sometimes, when I do my weigh-in in the evening (weigh-in is at 8:00pm), it surprises me by showing me a loss despite what my scale says. Generally though, my scale here is a pretty good predictor of what the scale there will say. I'm going to be relally upset if I have gained this week. I won't be upset if I've maintained, but I will be disappointed.
I'm only 2.5 pounds away from my next mini goal, and I was really hoping to get at least part-way there this week.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Mexican Chicken Casserole
I made this for my family last night. It was really delicious, and everyone loved it! The kids are already begging me to make it again! Next time I make it, I'll take a picture of it to add to this post.
Mexican Chicken Casserole
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped cooked white meat chicken
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth (All I could find in my store was Asda Extra Special Chicken Stock.)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 corn tortillas, cut into fourths (I found Old El Paso ones.)
1 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar Cheese (All I could find was Asda Good For You Medium Fat Grated Cheese.)
Lightly spray an 11x1x 1 1/2 inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Saute the onion in 1/4 cup water in a medium skillet until tender, stirring often. Add the tomato, chicken, broth, chili powder, salt, cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 to 6 minutes. Layer half the chicken mixture, half the tortillas and half the cheese in the baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken and tortillas. Reserve the remaining cheese. Cover the casserole and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Uncover and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Serves 6. (I made it for 4.)
2.09 grams fat per serving
The fat grams per serving was given with the recipe, but I wanted to now the over-all calories, so I worked them out myself, using the ingredients I used in the recipe.
I served 4 with it instead of 6, so the calories are for serving 4.
Chicken stock - 2.5 per serving
Medium Fat cheese - 152 per serving
Corn tortilla shells - 193 per serving
Chicken - 168 calories
Total calories per serving - 515.5 calories(I excluded the onion and tomatoes from the calculations because I never count vegetables and fruit in my daily calories.)
If you serve 6 with this recipe as directed, the total calories per serving = 344 calories.
Slimming world Syns: If serving 4, 3.75 syns on green and original
If serving 6, 2.75 syns on green or original
Mexican Chicken Casserole
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped cooked white meat chicken
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth (All I could find in my store was Asda Extra Special Chicken Stock.)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 corn tortillas, cut into fourths (I found Old El Paso ones.)
1 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar Cheese (All I could find was Asda Good For You Medium Fat Grated Cheese.)
Lightly spray an 11x1x 1 1/2 inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Saute the onion in 1/4 cup water in a medium skillet until tender, stirring often. Add the tomato, chicken, broth, chili powder, salt, cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 to 6 minutes. Layer half the chicken mixture, half the tortillas and half the cheese in the baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken and tortillas. Reserve the remaining cheese. Cover the casserole and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Uncover and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Serves 6. (I made it for 4.)
2.09 grams fat per serving
The fat grams per serving was given with the recipe, but I wanted to now the over-all calories, so I worked them out myself, using the ingredients I used in the recipe.
I served 4 with it instead of 6, so the calories are for serving 4.
Chicken stock - 2.5 per serving
Medium Fat cheese - 152 per serving
Corn tortilla shells - 193 per serving
Chicken - 168 calories
Total calories per serving - 515.5 calories(I excluded the onion and tomatoes from the calculations because I never count vegetables and fruit in my daily calories.)
If you serve 6 with this recipe as directed, the total calories per serving = 344 calories.
Slimming world Syns: If serving 4, 3.75 syns on green and original
If serving 6, 2.75 syns on green or original
Friday, 19 September 2008
Good Week
I've had a good week with my exercise and diet. I hope that will translate into a loss on the Monday weigh-in. I know it's a slightly different challenge for me due to the pregnancy and the baby's weight gain, but even with the baby's weight gain, I should be able to drop a little bit of weight this week.
I hate weighing myself on my scales at home, because they fluctuate wildly EVERY TIME! It can be really frustrating to know what is happening with my weight, but I can't seem to stop myself from weighing anyway.
I hate weighing myself on my scales at home, because they fluctuate wildly EVERY TIME! It can be really frustrating to know what is happening with my weight, but I can't seem to stop myself from weighing anyway.
Found!!!
Still no sign of dh's wedding ring, but I am so happy because I found my engagement ring!!!!!!
I was back-tracking over everything I did in the house this morning, and I decided to check in Isabella's chest of drawers where I got her clothes for the day out this morning. I opened the bottom drawer, and right on top of all the folded clothes was my ring!!!!!
I'd be jumping for joy right now if my painful hip would let me!!! LOL! :)
I do not want to have to take my rings off until I've finished losing all of the weight I need to lose, but I also don't want to have to keep resizing my rings every time I've lost a chunk of weight. So what am I going to do in the meantime?
I was back-tracking over everything I did in the house this morning, and I decided to check in Isabella's chest of drawers where I got her clothes for the day out this morning. I opened the bottom drawer, and right on top of all the folded clothes was my ring!!!!!
I'd be jumping for joy right now if my painful hip would let me!!! LOL! :)
I do not want to have to take my rings off until I've finished losing all of the weight I need to lose, but I also don't want to have to keep resizing my rings every time I've lost a chunk of weight. So what am I going to do in the meantime?
Not Again!!!!
Remember my post about 4 days ago about my husband losing his wedding ring because he's lost so much weight that it fell off of his finger? Well, my wedding ring and engagement ring were not all that loose on my fingers yet. They could spin more and could be taken on and off more easily, but you could still see the indentation in my skin when they were taken off.
Apparently, I lost a little weight in my fingers this week. My engagement ring, something that has been on my finger since Robert proposed to me back in May of 2000, has fallen off of my finger!!! I have no idea where it is! I am in tears about this!
I took the dog for a walk this morning around the park. Then I took the kids to a local mother and toddler group that we go to on Friday mornings. I was sat down chatting with some other mothers when I reached to fiddle with my rings (it's a habit I have and I do it frequently). To my horror, my engagement ring was gone!!! I looked all over the place at the toddler group. Then I walked home the same route I took to get there and checked carefully along the way for it. I even followed my path that I took the dog on around the park, but there was no sign of it.
I can't believe we have both lost two very special rings full of sentimental value to us IN THE SAME WEEK!
I really am so sad right now.
I'm trying to be positive though and keep telling myself that we'll find them.
Apparently, I lost a little weight in my fingers this week. My engagement ring, something that has been on my finger since Robert proposed to me back in May of 2000, has fallen off of my finger!!! I have no idea where it is! I am in tears about this!
I took the dog for a walk this morning around the park. Then I took the kids to a local mother and toddler group that we go to on Friday mornings. I was sat down chatting with some other mothers when I reached to fiddle with my rings (it's a habit I have and I do it frequently). To my horror, my engagement ring was gone!!! I looked all over the place at the toddler group. Then I walked home the same route I took to get there and checked carefully along the way for it. I even followed my path that I took the dog on around the park, but there was no sign of it.
I can't believe we have both lost two very special rings full of sentimental value to us IN THE SAME WEEK!
I really am so sad right now.
I'm trying to be positive though and keep telling myself that we'll find them.
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Finding A Diet That Works For You
I was reading some of the diets that some of my friends are using to lose weight, and the first thing I noticed was how completely diverse all of those diets were. I have friends on the Weight Watcher's diet, the Medifast diet, the Tony Fergeson diet, the Atkin's Diet, the Zone diet, the South Beach diet, the Slimming World diet, the Raw diet, the Palio diet and so many others! I even have friends who are just counting calories and exercising.
Some of the diets sound overly restrictive to me. On the Medifast diet, you buy their food and restrict your calories to something like 1,000 a day. On the Tony Fergeson diet, you're not only restricting calories, but you're mostly sticking to the soups and shakes from the plan and multivitamins. On the Raw diet, you are only eating fruits, vegetables and nuts, all fresh produce. On the Atkin's diet, you are restricting your carbohydrates significantly. On the Palio diet, you are eating a mostly meat diet. (I am oversimplifying these diet plans here for the purpose of expediency. It would take a long time to go into detail about each one.)
Some diets, like the Zone diet, take a lot of calculating and planning. Some, like the Slimming World diet, give you a list of "free foods" which you can eat as much of as you like. Some, like the Weight Watcher's diet, give you choices between free food days and days when you have to do a bit of calculation.
Some people have health issues that have to be considered when choosing a diet plan. For example, someone who is diabetic will need a diet plan that takes into account his or her need to control sugar intake. Some one who has celiac disease will need to find a diet plan that will allow them to not include gluten in the food.
I have tried the Atkin's diet before. I lost 16 pounds in the first two weeks and nothing in the third and stopped doing the diet. I missed eating fruit and the diet was just too restrictive on carbohydrates for me. I quickly gained the weight back plus more!
I have tried the Weight Watcher's diet. I used the points plan (this was before they added the "core" plan) and lost 50 pounds in 6 months. At the same time, I was also going to the gym 5 days a week doing cardio workouts and twice a week adding in weight training. The only problem I had with the diet was that I moved to another country. Weight Watcher's was here too, but I had to get used to new foods and finding out the point values for things all over again, and I no longer had a gym to go to. I basically lost my focus. And the pounds slowly crept back up on me and then some!
The diet plan I am on now which is working for me and I find easy to follow is Slimming World. It has similarities to Weight Watcher's. There is a huge list of food that I can eat as much as I like of, such as eggs, fat-free yogurt, fresh fruit, vegetables, rice and so on. I can choose days; I can go with "green" days which consist of mostly vegetarian food including beans, legumes, pasta and rice, or I can go with "original" days where I get to include more meat into my meal planning. If I want a dessert, I have a certain amount of "syns" I can use each day towards it. I am replacing white flour with whole grains for my bread, rice and pasta.
I've added my own touch to the diet. I have a tendency to binge eat, so, although it is not part of the plan, I am keeping track of my calories throughout the day. Writing down what I am eating also has the added benefit of keeping me more on track with whether I am making healthy choices.
I am finding that this diet works for me. And the important part about it is that I like following it! I don't feel deprived, and I do feel like this is something I can continue for life. Because that is what is important about any diet you choose to follow. It has to be a lifestyle change. It has to be something you can see yourself continuing for life, because otherwise it is all too easy for the pounds to creep back up on you.
Everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another, and what one person finds easy to follow may seem impossible for another. All of my friends have one thing in common with the choices they have made in their diets and that is that their diet is working for them.
If a diet plan you are on seems like a constant struggle (especially after you have given it a couple of weeks), maybe you need to try a different diet plan. Experiment a little until you find the one that is right for you, because when you do, you will find successful weight loss will come a lot easier.
Some of the diets sound overly restrictive to me. On the Medifast diet, you buy their food and restrict your calories to something like 1,000 a day. On the Tony Fergeson diet, you're not only restricting calories, but you're mostly sticking to the soups and shakes from the plan and multivitamins. On the Raw diet, you are only eating fruits, vegetables and nuts, all fresh produce. On the Atkin's diet, you are restricting your carbohydrates significantly. On the Palio diet, you are eating a mostly meat diet. (I am oversimplifying these diet plans here for the purpose of expediency. It would take a long time to go into detail about each one.)
Some diets, like the Zone diet, take a lot of calculating and planning. Some, like the Slimming World diet, give you a list of "free foods" which you can eat as much of as you like. Some, like the Weight Watcher's diet, give you choices between free food days and days when you have to do a bit of calculation.
Some people have health issues that have to be considered when choosing a diet plan. For example, someone who is diabetic will need a diet plan that takes into account his or her need to control sugar intake. Some one who has celiac disease will need to find a diet plan that will allow them to not include gluten in the food.
I have tried the Atkin's diet before. I lost 16 pounds in the first two weeks and nothing in the third and stopped doing the diet. I missed eating fruit and the diet was just too restrictive on carbohydrates for me. I quickly gained the weight back plus more!
I have tried the Weight Watcher's diet. I used the points plan (this was before they added the "core" plan) and lost 50 pounds in 6 months. At the same time, I was also going to the gym 5 days a week doing cardio workouts and twice a week adding in weight training. The only problem I had with the diet was that I moved to another country. Weight Watcher's was here too, but I had to get used to new foods and finding out the point values for things all over again, and I no longer had a gym to go to. I basically lost my focus. And the pounds slowly crept back up on me and then some!
The diet plan I am on now which is working for me and I find easy to follow is Slimming World. It has similarities to Weight Watcher's. There is a huge list of food that I can eat as much as I like of, such as eggs, fat-free yogurt, fresh fruit, vegetables, rice and so on. I can choose days; I can go with "green" days which consist of mostly vegetarian food including beans, legumes, pasta and rice, or I can go with "original" days where I get to include more meat into my meal planning. If I want a dessert, I have a certain amount of "syns" I can use each day towards it. I am replacing white flour with whole grains for my bread, rice and pasta.
I've added my own touch to the diet. I have a tendency to binge eat, so, although it is not part of the plan, I am keeping track of my calories throughout the day. Writing down what I am eating also has the added benefit of keeping me more on track with whether I am making healthy choices.
I am finding that this diet works for me. And the important part about it is that I like following it! I don't feel deprived, and I do feel like this is something I can continue for life. Because that is what is important about any diet you choose to follow. It has to be a lifestyle change. It has to be something you can see yourself continuing for life, because otherwise it is all too easy for the pounds to creep back up on you.
Everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another, and what one person finds easy to follow may seem impossible for another. All of my friends have one thing in common with the choices they have made in their diets and that is that their diet is working for them.
If a diet plan you are on seems like a constant struggle (especially after you have given it a couple of weeks), maybe you need to try a different diet plan. Experiment a little until you find the one that is right for you, because when you do, you will find successful weight loss will come a lot easier.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
How To Stay Motivated
Finding motivation is easier than it looks! It all comes down to starting it! Once you start taking the steps toward fitness, you start to notice the differences in how you feel and how you look and you start to feel a sense of accomplishment. Each success brings you more motivation.
For me, because I have such a large amount to lose, I set myself a bunch of mini goals that are more easily achieved. It feels great to reach one of those goals and in turn, it helps inspire me to keep at this, because not only am I seeing my success, but it's not too far to get to the next mini goal.
I think that was where I failed the first time I tried to lose weight (many years ago) - I kept my eyes on the long-term goal and had no in-between goals to keep me feeling good about my success in the meantime. Eventually, it all just seemed so overwhelming that I stopped, after losing 50 pounds, trying.
If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, mini goals don't have to be weight loss ones. You can set goals for things like having more energy, how your clothes fit, going a week without having anything processed and bad for you, seeing your legs get more toned, gaining more confidence, feeling healthier, improving things like blood pressure, fitness levels, etc. There are lots of rewards to weight loss that are in addition to the actual weight loss itself. And each small difference your new healthy lifestyle achieves for you is another mini goal reached and another success for you to celebrate along the way!
For me, because I have such a large amount to lose, I set myself a bunch of mini goals that are more easily achieved. It feels great to reach one of those goals and in turn, it helps inspire me to keep at this, because not only am I seeing my success, but it's not too far to get to the next mini goal.
I think that was where I failed the first time I tried to lose weight (many years ago) - I kept my eyes on the long-term goal and had no in-between goals to keep me feeling good about my success in the meantime. Eventually, it all just seemed so overwhelming that I stopped, after losing 50 pounds, trying.
If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, mini goals don't have to be weight loss ones. You can set goals for things like having more energy, how your clothes fit, going a week without having anything processed and bad for you, seeing your legs get more toned, gaining more confidence, feeling healthier, improving things like blood pressure, fitness levels, etc. There are lots of rewards to weight loss that are in addition to the actual weight loss itself. And each small difference your new healthy lifestyle achieves for you is another mini goal reached and another success for you to celebrate along the way!
Renewed Motivation
Well, day 1 has started of my plan to put a little bit of extra effort into my weight-loss this week. I am not reducing my calories, but I am going to be even better about what I choose to fill those calories in with.
And I managed to do 41 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer and 7 miles! Since I normally do 31 minutes and 5+ miles, this was a big accomplishment for me. It was even more of an accomplishment because, for those 41 minutes, I could not see what my two youngest were doing (except for when they would occassionally come into the hallway to dance to the music I was playing), and they did not get into anything or break anything!!!
And I managed to do 41 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer and 7 miles! Since I normally do 31 minutes and 5+ miles, this was a big accomplishment for me. It was even more of an accomplishment because, for those 41 minutes, I could not see what my two youngest were doing (except for when they would occassionally come into the hallway to dance to the music I was playing), and they did not get into anything or break anything!!!
Monday, 15 September 2008
Kick In The Teeth
I gained a pound! I am telling myself all the rational arguments about being in the later stage in my pregnancy and the baby gaining weight, etc, but it still feels like a kick in the teeth.
It's my first gain throughout this pregnancy, and I am still down a total of 35.5 pounds, but knowing all of this doesn't make me feel any better about it.
But it's just strengthened my resolve to be even better this week, and to exercise no matter how much my SPD/sciatica pains me.
It's my first gain throughout this pregnancy, and I am still down a total of 35.5 pounds, but knowing all of this doesn't make me feel any better about it.
But it's just strengthened my resolve to be even better this week, and to exercise no matter how much my SPD/sciatica pains me.
How Healthy Is Your Diet?
How healthy is your diet? Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals? Are you getting enough calories, too many or too little? Are you getting enough fiber, fat, carbohydrates and protein in your diet?
Now there's an on-line tool that will help you find all of that out!
http://caloriecount.about.com/
It automatically calculates the health of your diet and gives you a grade based on that.
It's great for people who need to maintain weight or gain weight, or even to just check how nutritious your daily diet is.
Now there's an on-line tool that will help you find all of that out!
http://caloriecount.about.com/
It automatically calculates the health of your diet and gives you a grade based on that.
It's great for people who need to maintain weight or gain weight, or even to just check how nutritious your daily diet is.
One Drawback To Weight Loss I Hadn't Thought Of
My husband Robert has been losing weight along with me. He lost a lot of weight before joining the club with me, and since he joined the club, he has lost another 28 pounds. We both noticed that his wedding ring was really loose on his finger. It fell off a few times, but we always heard it land on the ground and he put it back on. We talked about needing to get it resized, but we never actually got around to doing it.
Today, he arrived at work to find out that it wasn't on his finger! I have looked in the bathroom and the bedroom and around the house, but there is no sign of it. He went to two stores this morning, and he took our daughter Gabby to school before biking to work. It could be absolutely anywhere!
I'm now getting our little ones dressed so we can go retrace his morning footsteps and see if the ring turns up along the way. I will be picking Gabby up from school at 3:00pm, so I will check her classroom at that time, if I still haven't found it.
Today, he arrived at work to find out that it wasn't on his finger! I have looked in the bathroom and the bedroom and around the house, but there is no sign of it. He went to two stores this morning, and he took our daughter Gabby to school before biking to work. It could be absolutely anywhere!
I'm now getting our little ones dressed so we can go retrace his morning footsteps and see if the ring turns up along the way. I will be picking Gabby up from school at 3:00pm, so I will check her classroom at that time, if I still haven't found it.
Weigh-In Is Today!
Tonight is my weigh-in night. I still don't think I've lost any weight, but I will go and weigh-in anyway and pray that I haven't gained!
It is really hurting me to walk today. Yesterday it hurt a lot too, but I managed to do 31 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer and 5.2 miles on it anyway. I have this constant pain in my hip, and every now and then, when I take a step, it becomes a shooting pain that's even more severe. I know it's just those conditions I always seem to develop during pregnancy causing it, but I wish it would go away so I could get on with staying fit.
It is really hurting me to walk today. Yesterday it hurt a lot too, but I managed to do 31 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer and 5.2 miles on it anyway. I have this constant pain in my hip, and every now and then, when I take a step, it becomes a shooting pain that's even more severe. I know it's just those conditions I always seem to develop during pregnancy causing it, but I wish it would go away so I could get on with staying fit.
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Back on Track!
Today's exercise:
37 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer
Distance: 6 miles
304 calories burned
Resistance level 3
Posted because I am so proud of myself for gritting my teeth against the horrible pain I am experiencing and doing my exercise anyway. I was beginning to think that the only exercise I would get this week was the 4 mile walk I did last Thursday (out of necessity, not for the exercise benefits). That walk hurt so much I was almost in tears by the time I got home. I know that exercising is just making my SPD symptoms and sciatica worse, but I hate going the whole week without doing anything at all. It feels somehow unhealthy to me.
37 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer
Distance: 6 miles
304 calories burned
Resistance level 3
Posted because I am so proud of myself for gritting my teeth against the horrible pain I am experiencing and doing my exercise anyway. I was beginning to think that the only exercise I would get this week was the 4 mile walk I did last Thursday (out of necessity, not for the exercise benefits). That walk hurt so much I was almost in tears by the time I got home. I know that exercising is just making my SPD symptoms and sciatica worse, but I hate going the whole week without doing anything at all. It feels somehow unhealthy to me.
Friday, 12 September 2008
Not Such A Good Week
I don't think I am going to lose weight this week. I'll be lucky if I don't gain. Up until today, I've been eating really healthily, but I'm not getting any exercise at all because the SPD/sciatica pain caused by my pregnancy is keeping me pretty immobile this week.
And tonight, I had a chicken doner kebab from the local take-away. I have no idea how many calories it was; it could be anywhere from not-making-me-go-over-my-calories for the day to putting me WAY over my calories for the day. *sigh* I'm only 1.5 pounds away from my next mini goal, but it is really unlikely that I am going to reach it this week. I will be AMAZED if I don't put on a tiny bit of weight this week.
On top of the pain I am experiencing, I have been unbelievably tired too! I thought I must be coming down with something, but I haven't come down with anything yet, so no real explanation for the fatigue. And when I'm really over-tired, I get the urge to munch more often. That's been a real battle for me this week.
And did I mention that it's my daughter Kayla's 14th birthday today and her birthday cake is calling to me? Will one sort-of bad day food-wise and a bad week exercise-wise cause me to gain this week? Am I wrong to still be hoping to see a loss this week, no matter how small?
This is the first time in the 17 weeks I have been dieting that I feel like I've blown it. Either way, it's a temporary situation and I will not let it keep me from continuing on this journey to a slimmer, fitter me.
And tonight, I had a chicken doner kebab from the local take-away. I have no idea how many calories it was; it could be anywhere from not-making-me-go-over-my-calories for the day to putting me WAY over my calories for the day. *sigh* I'm only 1.5 pounds away from my next mini goal, but it is really unlikely that I am going to reach it this week. I will be AMAZED if I don't put on a tiny bit of weight this week.
On top of the pain I am experiencing, I have been unbelievably tired too! I thought I must be coming down with something, but I haven't come down with anything yet, so no real explanation for the fatigue. And when I'm really over-tired, I get the urge to munch more often. That's been a real battle for me this week.
And did I mention that it's my daughter Kayla's 14th birthday today and her birthday cake is calling to me? Will one sort-of bad day food-wise and a bad week exercise-wise cause me to gain this week? Am I wrong to still be hoping to see a loss this week, no matter how small?
This is the first time in the 17 weeks I have been dieting that I feel like I've blown it. Either way, it's a temporary situation and I will not let it keep me from continuing on this journey to a slimmer, fitter me.
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
Some motivational lag
I have not been exercising at all this week. My SPD is hurting a lot, and I have been incredibly tired, but those are excuses, I suppose. I only need another 1.5 pounds to lose to reach my next mini goal, but I just can't seem to get myself to exercise this week.
Our new exercise machine is making weird noises too, so it looks like we are going to have our THIRD elliptical machine break, despite the fact that dh and I are both below the weight limit on it! This one has a 2 year warranty though, so we should be able to get it fixed once it stops on us.
I just wish I didn't have this hip/pelvic pain and the lightheaded dizzy spells that I've been getting frequently. My blood pressure is good though, which I am attributing to the exercise, healthy eating and weight loss I have done so far. By this time in my last two pregnancies, I was already swelling up and my blood pressure was on the rise.
I just need to grit my teeth against the pain, like I've been doing for the past few months, and get myself exercising again.
Our new exercise machine is making weird noises too, so it looks like we are going to have our THIRD elliptical machine break, despite the fact that dh and I are both below the weight limit on it! This one has a 2 year warranty though, so we should be able to get it fixed once it stops on us.
I just wish I didn't have this hip/pelvic pain and the lightheaded dizzy spells that I've been getting frequently. My blood pressure is good though, which I am attributing to the exercise, healthy eating and weight loss I have done so far. By this time in my last two pregnancies, I was already swelling up and my blood pressure was on the rise.
I just need to grit my teeth against the pain, like I've been doing for the past few months, and get myself exercising again.
Friday, 5 September 2008
Logging my weight loss efforts
I am 29 weeks pregnant today, and I have been attempting to start a healthy lifestyle by having a healthy diet and getting some moderate exercise daily for the past 16 weeks. So far, I have lost 35 pounds, despite the growing baby in my womb. My weigh-ins are on Mondays. I have over 100 pounds to lose still.
Too many people with a large amount of weight to lose think that it is just too insurmountable and that it can't be done, but I'm here to prove that it can! I will be posting my thoughts during this lifestyle change, my weight changes, some of my favourite recipes and more as this process continues.
My goal is to inspire others to reach for their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.
Too many people with a large amount of weight to lose think that it is just too insurmountable and that it can't be done, but I'm here to prove that it can! I will be posting my thoughts during this lifestyle change, my weight changes, some of my favourite recipes and more as this process continues.
My goal is to inspire others to reach for their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.
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