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Jan
24
January 24, 2007
I am trying to eat better.
I can’t type the words I am dieting because I feel like that will instantly jinx me and I’ll find myself eating fistfuls of Krispy-Kreme-and-bacon sandwiches while power-chugging melted lard. Or something.
God, that was gross. The melted lard part, I mean. Because Krispy Kreme and bacon? Together? Clearly I have just invented some sort of culinary holy matrimony! In fact, let us all just take a moment to let the angelic chorus reverberate through this web page. Boowaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
It’s been nearly 17 months since Riley was born and it’s taken me this long to feel anything more than a fleeting sense of unhappiness about my body. Nothing much has changed, I haven’t gained or lost any weight to speak of, but I think it’s finally time to be serious about getting in shape.
JB and I have created some really unhealthy eating habits — mostly stemming around nightly “treats” that involve baking cookies or having ice cream or whatever. It’s like…this thing we do together, that is fun and indulgent, after the boy is asleep and we both feel, however briefly, like our responsibilities are lifted.
We don’t drink, after all. We don’t smoke. What do we do? Eat cookies, that’s what.
Well, the food-as-reward thing might work long term if I had the metabolism of a toddler, but sadly I do not. Plus, it gets kind of pathological, feeling destitute if you can’t access the magical combination of sugar and bad television, you know?
So I’m cutting that shit out and substituting healthy snacks and I’m trying to make sure our dinners do not include an actual square foot of melted cheese and etc, etc, etc. I’d like to fit back into a size 8, or at the very least be a leaner, healthier size 10.
I want to feel more attractive, basically. Right now, I feel completely invisible: out of shape, sort of frumpy, nothing particularly pleasing to the eye. It’s spectacularly unsexy.
I just weighed myself (am I really about to type this oh my god I am) — after dinner, but also after peeing, and on a questionable scale that had an embarrassing amount of dust on it, I weigh 148 pounds. I’m going to check back in with you on my progress or lack thereof, not because I have any misconceptions over your level of interest (I know, blogging about dieting is about as thrilling as blogging about children, which is to say I should really starting writing about Cat more often because hoo boy, TRIFECTA OF SUCK HERE I COME) but because I am going to hold myself accountable, by thunder.
:::
My friend Jen came over today with her 10-month-old son Theo, and while Riley was pretty interested in Theo’s presence (”BA BA!”), he was awfully possessive about his stuff. God forbid another baby drool on one of his eight thousand plastic blocks, you know. It was sort of funny to watch him manufacture a deep and emotional attachment to some toy he’d been ignoring for the past month, but at the same time I was a little dismayed by his bogarting ‘tude.
Luckily, we discovered the perfect activity for the two kidlets:
Of course, it would be nicer if that were Riley pushing Theo around, being as how Theo was the guest and all, but maybe next time.
Comments
70 Responses to “Weight matters”
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OMG, the cheeks on Theo!
I LURVE when you blog about Cat.
Just so you know.
I just wanted to say that I have always admired your body. Taking positive nutritional steps is always a good thing, but you shouldn’t feel unattractive right now. You’re hot. I have no reason to kiss your ass, so you know it’s true. At least try to believe this a *little* bit the next time the voice in your head says you’re frumpy.
I just have to say, when I read Krispy Kreme and bacon sandwiches, my first reaction was, “Oh my god, where do I find those?” Seriously, Krispy Kreme should start a new line of breakfast sandwiches…because that’s JUST what I need.
The secret: Big-Ass Salad. Contrary, to its name, it makes the ass not big. The way I figure, if I eat enough of anything, I’ll eventually get full.
I know where you are coming from. Ranie’s put me on a diet since New Year. We whipped out the old body-for-life book and are going back to that basic system. Easy. Well, not for me, but it is for her. She makes everything look easy. Having an over-achiever as a wife has it’s downside I guess. As for me, if I even look at a donut it not only attacks me it breeds in my stomach until thousands of mini-donuts congregate on my lovehandles and make new homes. I cannot even begin to discuss what happens when Brie is involved. Or cheesecake. Yuuummm… cheesecake.
God knows I gotta drop the extra pounds I put on traveling too much last year.
Anyway, don’t let the idea of a diet get you down. You don’t need one anyway. Ranie says to tell you that you look great.
Damn, girl! Now I want some cookies! But I’m on the same it’s-not-a-diet-it’s-me-eating-healthier plan.
Sigh.
But, way to go! Woot! to being healthy.
One actual panelist comment at one of the JournalCons I attended (one of the… I’m such a nerd!) was, “If you really want a popular blog, have a baby! Or, go on a diet, and talk about it a lot.” So, there ya go, for whatever that’s worth, heh.
Also, good luck! I am trying to eat healthier too, and damn, it is hard.
I’ve found that if I educate myself on how food affects my health, it gets me motivated and staying honest to eating healthier. Two books that I’ve really enjoyed are “The China Study” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”.
I have had the same nightly indulgence thing, but by myself. My husband, Mr. Fitness, gives me that LOOK every time. I’m doing much better with excercising since I set the goal to run a marathon this year (last year I couldnt even run around the block - no lie) but my nightly indulgences have gotten much worse. My favorite - several bowls of cocoa puffs.
But we’re eating better too. I bought a steamer. It has been a big help because it makes cooking vegetables easy - and I dont know how to cook, so I need all of the help I can get.
The KrispyKreme and bacon? …. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burger –this is close already. Blech.
Good luck with the eating healthy. I find that I can avoid using a lot of cheese, butter, etc. on things I cook when I choose lots of interesting seasonings.
With three pregnancies (two term) in only two years, I completely understand about the body thing. Pregnancy has kicked my hips and ass a permanant few inches wider and added sagginess in unmentionable places for good measure. We are treat monsters here too, but usually in the form of doritos.
Two words: Weight Watchers
My wife and I are on it as of the new year and we are both losing about 1.5 pounds per week. My sister lost 50 pounds with that system last year.
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t has success with it.
It’s really nothing more than a simple way of tracking what you eat, which is the key to getting in shape no matter what your goals may be.
We don’t go to the meetings or use the online program either. All of the pertinent info can be found for free online if you dig for it.
I read somewhere about how, after marriage and kids, we often times find ourselves slogging around in sweats… eating really bad stuff after 8 PM and how that can take the *zing* out of a marriage. I closed the magazine, got up and brushed the dorito’s crumbs off my Packer jammie pants and went off to pick up my son from school…vowing to eat the bad stuff before 7 at the latest. Seriously, I think of the first two years after having a child as such a whirlwind of craziness that anyone who can hang on to a size 10 is ahead of the game. I mean, think of how much time you really don’t have to eat right.
Wait….nightly treats are NOT healthy?
Also, I had really good luck with the Weight Watchers Core program, which lets you eat as much as you want of certain foods (including popcorn, fruits and vegetables, eggs, fat-free sugar-free pudding which is not half bad, potatoes, meat, milk, etc.), as long as you limit certain other foods (including anything you will want the minute you can’t have it, including bread, fats, and sweets). Here’s the basic list, although I had a friend of a friend who went to meetings (i.e., paid for the program) and she said they said she could also have fat-free Cool Whip and a few other things not listed:
http://www.geocities.com/core_food/index.htm
I liked that I could eat and eat and eat and eat on those days I felt like I really wanted to.
I weighed about the same four years ago as you do right now, and although I would shed a couple pounds every few months at first, it was spending a year in Iraq that really help me shed the last, oh, 12 or so pounds, because 1) the dining facilities were only open at certain hours of the day, and 2) in the summer, it was just too fucking hot to eat. Since I’ve been back from there, I just try not to eat TOO much junk food and get a moderate amount of exercise, and I’m generally able to keep the weight off. My point being, sometimes it helps if you restrict yourself to eating only at certain times of the day. For us, we had access to food of the non-junk variety only from 7:00-8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., 5-7:30 p.m., and 11:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. If we missed a meal, we had to wait till the next one, or else eat an MRE, which I think you know is just about as appealing as a cardboard pie. It’s hard to do that back here in the States where food is available from somewhere 24/7, but if you can discipline yourself like that, it could totally work, and you still can snack on healthy stuff whenever you want. (I actually survived on an apple, a Dr Pepper, a couple bags of popcorn, three fried eggs and a banana per day for about five months when I was on night shift, and I rarely felt very hungry.) That, and try to sit in a steam room or a sauna every once and a while.
I sound like a goddamn lunatic, don’t I? Ah, well. Take it for what it’s worth — I’ve been to the land of Fuck These Size 10s, and I totally feel your pain. Stay strong, yo.
Well, I applaud you your honesty. I am 5-9 and I weigh in at a whopping 179. I am tall, I have boobs, I have a butt and I have hips but I am NOT big boned… I need to exercise bottom line. I am lazy and I love food.
Good luck to you.
I’ll echo the Weight Watchers thing. I too had my little indulgences, and I was thinking, “Hey, this isn’t so bad. I could eat healthier, but there’s not much more I could do without becoming one of those totally boring no dessert people.” Turns out I was wrong. WW opened my eyes to how badly I really was eating.
Dude, 148 is one of my weight loss goals. Once I hit 148 I’m going to shoot for 125 (HAHAHA). KK and bacon? Is that like Cake-n-Bacon? And if you don’t get that reference you need to watch more Nick.
I did the same thing 12 weeks ago and threatened to post before and after pics, OH THE HORROR! Anyway, I went all nutty and even posted my daily FOOD on my blog, but more people than you’d think actually enjoy reading about that kind of stuff. If you move more and modify some of your eating habits you’re bound to see positive changes in your body. Maybe switch to Light ice cream (I hear Edy’s/Breyer’s has a new light flavor called Birthday Cake, complete with a frosting swirl and SPRINKLES! I repeat: SPRINKLES!) and bulk up your meals with veggies. I find that when I take care to eat right and workout 5-6 days a week I’m better in all the other areas of my life as well. Also, I want to toss my son out the window much less often.
I love when you blog about Cat too. I also love when you blog about Riley, and apparently dieting, because I liked this post. I that makes me boring? I can relate to the “eating better”, that’s what I have been trying to do for the past… two years or so, with little success. I fall back into my old pizza for dinner three times a week habits pretty fast. But, 148? On a full stomach? Not so bad.
I have also been craving bacon lately, in a bad bad way. What is it with bacon? Thankfully donuts are not my thing. No, I prefer a bagel with a mountain of cream cheese and a large coffee instead. i was going to go get one right now, but you’ve inspired me: I should really eat the banana and yogurt i brought from home instead.
I like to read about diets on blogs - or at least how people eat, exercise, etc. My husband and I just had a conversation last week about how we have to cut out sugar, because we do the exact same thing that you described. Anthony goes to bed at like 7:00 and we’re like kids, running to the freezer to see what we have in there to pig out on! So I’m interested. Good luck - and although only you know how you feel, I really do think you look great.
I’ll second the WeightWatchers comment, though I’ve been doing it online. I too don’t know anyone who hasn’t had success with it. I’ve been doing it since March of last year and I just reached my original goal weight this week - I was 225, now I’m 175. The great part? Now that I know I can do it, I’m aiming for 155. And the other best part? I’ve done it even though I still eat pizza, Whopper Juniors, and other “treats” when I want. So I don’t feel like I’m missing out!
It’s so nice looking at photos of my and my kidlet and thinking, “Damn, I look hot!” instead of thinking, “Damn! I look huge!”
The trifecta of suck works for me - cats, kids, and food are some of my favorite things. This is because I’m lame and sort of becoming my mom. Scary stuff.
I feel the same way about eating - I need to change my habits without adding the dreaded “diet” word. My big thing is needing to start actually exercising, though - I used to have these great baby-lifting arm muscles that could beat my husband’s arm muscles no problem, and now I have floppy arms. We won’t even mention the enormity of my butt here. Ahem. Either way, I want Krispy Kremes and bacon now. Someone mentioned bacon yesterday, too, and now I keep thinking Mmmmm… Bacon…. in a kind of Homer Simpson way.
My husband and I decided this year to try “counting calories” (I know, how original and novel…) to lose 10 pounds slowly from the first week of January to mid-March and to our huge delight, it’s working! We downloaded a free 15 day trial of a program called Dietpower which makes the calorie counting easy (and dare I say fun?!) and keeps us forever mindful of our intake, what we’re doing right and what we need to work on, which has motivated both of us to not only exercise more, but expand our dietary repetoire (to the absolute disgust of our children - bean medley tortillas anyone?). Anyway, we’re certainly learning a lot and we seem to be losing steadily, if slowly, which to me is the way to go. Whatever you do, good luck! If you partner up with JB, you’ll have a built in support system. Also I would recommend weighing in at the same time every day - the morning is usually best, before breakfast… lets you start your day on a positive note!! Good luck.
awesome. bring more vegetables in your life, don’t buy (or make) large amounts of cookies (small amounts OK) and go for walks (or skiing).
Small steps…
I’m undergoing the same issues you are, weight-wise, but you can add a LITTLE more to your lbs to come up with mine… I’m not going to say how many, because then you will all think I am some lard-ass couch potato. And I’m not, I’m just spectacularly large-framed, with large amounts of other things. What I would give to be 148 lbs!!!
Ahem. Anyway. I am not “dieting” either, I’m just writing down what I eat - every day - figure out the caloric values of those things, try to keep them around 2,000 calories a day, and exercise for about 20-30 minutes a day. It’s helped: since the beginning of the month - when I started this - I have lost about 6 lbs, and I am pleased as punch. My clothes are fitting better. And, while I’ll never be 148 lbs, I would like to get to 175. I haven’t weighed that since high school, or maybe junior high.
Good luck! I would love to help support you on this! Maybe I’ll start posting every day on how I feel about food, how ambitious I’m being, etc….. Diet Mommy Blog! The other new Holy Matrimony.
jennb
www.opaqueprintproduction.com/jbblog
P.S. Krispy Kreme + bacon. Oh my god.
I used to love that time after the kids went to bed when they were young - not so much for snacking, but just to flop down in the chair and switch off. So much so that even though my two boys are now 19 and 16 I still tend to hang around after everyone else goes to bed, whatever time they go up. Also, since the older one started University he is always hungry at night, so there is usually a pizza or something on the go around bed time. Not good for keeping the weight down!!
I am so right there with you, down to the current weight and the desire to just eat healthier overall. I’ve been having some *gasp* actual motivation to work out lately, so I’m jumping all over that, but I still eat just as poorly as ever. And I eat a LOT. I’m trying to fill up on things like bananas and apples (sometimes with a few slices of cheddar) instead of on processed, packaged things or pastries or ice cream…and so far I haven’t lost much but I DO have more energy. I might check out that online WeightWatchers list Swistle posted, just to kick myself into gear about cutting out more bad foods and replacing them with stuff that’s more nourishing.
Thanks for inspiring me! It helps to see other people working on getting healthy - then I won’t feel so alone when I’m craving donuts.
Good luck with the eating healthy. I think that’s the best approach to take — don’t diet, just make lifestyle changes, that way, they stick with you after you’ve dropped the pounds.
I am in the same boat, although I would be happy to get back into a 14. Sniff. I’d love to get back to a 10 but I haven’t seen that since I was 20. I know I can do it but that can’t be my goal right now. What will happen is that it will overwhelm myself and give up. We have cut fast food out completely. I am embarassed to say that I used to eat McDonalds or Burger King EVERY DAY for lunch. Washed down with 5-6 cans of Coke. Instead of calling it a “diet” I am calling it a “lifestyle change.” And it has been. I am not weighing in because that will make it feel too much like a diet, but I am already noticing my pants are a little looser and my skin looks better. (Less grease and more water: who knew? Oh EVERYBODY.) So anyway, my goal is to get down to a size 14 for bathing suit season, and then establish a new goal then. (I only wear a 16 (well a snug 16) so it is not that tough). Baby steps for me. Good luck to you.
I’m trying to lose five to seven measly pounds, just so my size 8’s feel a bit better. Some of my pants have become a bit… tight. So yeah, not a huge amount of weight to lose, but it’s hard. I’m very attached to my sweet treats in the evenings, too. And I love bread and pasta. And sometimes, once I eat one cookie, I go on to eat five. Probably not the best tactic.
I just discovered sparkpeople.com through Erin Shea’s blog and am starting to track my meals there. It’s very eye-opening to see exactly how many calories I’m eating in a day. The site also has recipes and some great fitness and exercise tips. You should check it out. Good luck! :)
I’m not touching the weight issue other than to say good luck. My goal is to be where you are now. So meh!
The sharing of the toys, yeah, I had the same experience and it kind of embarassed me. Here is my adorable child ripping his toys (that he could care less about most of the time) out of some poor kids hands who is there to play. Geez. But, I guess it’s an age thing and not much you can do about it, really. I’m hoping he’ll grow out of it.
The pic of Theo pushing Riley cracked me up. He is the king of his lair, isn’t he. That’s awesome.
I’m pregnant, so I’m obviously not dieting - and I’m not really watching what I eat carefully either - but I was a similar weight/height to you, and the vaugue “eating healthier” thing is the only thing that’s ever worked for me. If I officially go on a diet I just start obsessing about food and become a miserable person. Weight Watchers was a complete disaster for me, the one time I tried it. It seems a lot more manageable to just try to make healthier decisions on a case by case basis.
Anyway, good luck - I just wanted to say I can relate!
I fully support your healthy eating goals (fruits and vegetable and whole grains make you feel SO good once you eat them regularly) but I have to say, 148 lbs on someone with 8 ft gams is none too shabby :)
Also, if you like dark chocolate, I’ve found that buying a really decadent bar of the stuff (Ghiradelli, the Rainforest brand, Lindor, etc.) and having a square or two when you’re craving sugar-cheese-donut-ice cream-cookie dough is actually VERY satisfying. It’s rich, but doesn’t have as much sugar so it doesn’t make your brain go into crazy pig-out mode. Plus antioxidants, aphrodisiac, etc., etc.
I know ypu’re not looking for compliments, but when I met you I thought:
1) Your pictures don’t do you justice, you are really pretty and
2) You don’t look like you’re a size ten, even though I’d seen you mention that before. You have a petite thing going on.
Anyway. I need to eat better too, I’ll hold myself accountable via your blog. Heh.
i have a kickass recipe for a frappucino-like tasty treat that is ridiculously low in calories and sugar. i will send it to you — i’m not at home right now. i hate diet tasting things, but this is good and could be a “reward”. lots of veggies is key to a good diet i think. makes you feel full, lots of good nutrients. but i do’nt think a 10 is so bad at all. but you want to feel good about yourself, too. just don’t give up ice cream. life’s too short!
Posting your weight? That is the bravest thing a blogger can do, in my opinion. And I think you look great, but I know what you mean about having to do it for yourself. You need to feel good about how you look in order to feel sexy.
I’m with you with the eating better. For me, I already eat very healthy foods (I’m a vegetable and whole grain fanatic), but I do eat for comfort. So I need to do some serious portion control. It also doesn’t help that I get the hormonal hungry horrors twice a month. I cannot believe how many carbs I can consume on those particular days. Dear God is it scary.
A bacon Krispy Kreme sandwich? That sounds ALMOST as good as what a ballpark in St. Louis has started offering…the Krispe Kreme burger (which does include bacon). See this link for the grisly details (and a picture of the amazing concoction): http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2362369
I love your writing. Keep up the good work.
ARGH, dont EVER say the word DIEt. It will psychologically ruin any attempt at gaining your health.
try www.bodyforlife.com. the key is healthy food and gaining muscle, not big huge veiny muscle, just muscle tone. Ya know what stops the carb cravings? Protein.
Good luck, we are all rooting for ya!
I have just started using sparkpeople.com for help in tracking my food, knowing how good/bad it is for me and staying motivated. It is very interesting, a lot of fun and the best thing about it is that it is completely free.
For your sweet cravings, try No-Pudge Brownie Mix. You just dump the mix in a bowl, mix in some fat-free vanilla yogurt and they come out so fudgey and chocolately. It’s really hard to believe that they’re no-fat. (They also come in Cappacino and Mint Chocolate!)
In less than 3 months I lost 13 lbs on the WW Core Plan last summer! (I’m 5′4 and started at 148 too). It really truly works and I’ve kept off the weight that I lost with little effort, even through all of the food-o-rama holidays! I heart the Core Plan!
ok ok, so you’ve now officially made me feel guilty about wanting to “eat better.” righto. i’m kicking out the crap- no more junk food. i will not share my weight though, but i have done a good job this year shedding weight simply by moving to nyc and walking everywhere, not purposefully though! here to those extra 20-or-so pounds.
ps another one of my resolutions was to do this (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml), which i am starting this weekend for sure.
and ive rambled enough. ;p
It’s kind of ironic but when I first glanced at the headline I thought it said “I am trying to eat butter.”
Do any of you watch A. Bourdain’s “No Reservations”? Recently he went to a donut shop that had a maple donut with a big, crispy piece of bacon on top. Before I saw that I would have been like “oh, gross” but it looked soooooo good.
OH stop the cuteness. Please.
Good luck with the healthier eating. I need to get on that bandwagon, too, but I’m a Dunkin Donuts whore.
Oh dude. That picture is awesome. Riley has a look of quiet triumph on his face, however, not unlike he’s thinking, “That’s right bitch. YOU push ME. Glad we figured that out.”
(Also, I dig the Cat, Kids and Diet posts. Trifecta of suck, come to me.)
a) your cute new hair makes you cuter than you were pre-Riley/babyweight
b) home-baked cookies? Don’t stop that action.
c) is for Cat. I *do* want to read about her latest shenanigans.
man, eating good really sucks. is it me or is it a huge subject on the blososphere right now?
for new year’s, i decided to cut out two things from my diet cold turkey: fast food and fried food. Not eating fried food makes me feel really great… don’t know if it’s had all that much affect on my weight though b.c I didn’t eat a whole lot of it to begin with (just mostly on the weekends). My brother dropped 15 lbs just quitting the fast food though, he was my inspiration.
Now if I could just drop the GD starbucks (aka “fourbucks”) from my diet, I would be set.
My downfall is cheese. Apples and cheese, wine and cheese, nachos with cheese, cheese & crackers… Anyway my method for avoiding my main comfort food is bean/rice dishes. That stuff sure fills you up and supposedly those beans are healthy too. Even though “beans and rice” sounds pretty uninteresting, there are some fantastic recipes out there. I can email you some if you’d like. There are easy ones that use canned beans so you don’t have to deal with the whole overnight pre-soaking thing. (And once you get used to having them in your diet, I found that the legendary flatulence thing goes away - but YMMV on that.)
Oh also I believe the early-morning post-pee weigh-in is the more accurate one (if you’re comparing one day to the next) and you also weigh less then so you feel a little more positive about the whole ordeal. Good luck! Figuring out the healthy eats really does make you feel better in the long run - it will be worth it.
Hey guess what–you and me are about the same size! I’ve managed to drop 5 or so pounds recently. And just that little bit of difference in how your PANTS fit does wonders for one’s self esteem. Not to say that esteem is tied up in image, but that having one’s pants fit properly and not be pinching your belly or giving you a permanent front-wedgie is a wonderful thing.
Anyway, I also think it’s wonderful that you are eating better. What I did was make a list of all my “weakness” foods with the word NO at the top and put it in my wallet. Then I didn’t allow myself to eat those things. Because I’m the type of person who needs rules. Otherwise I’ll say to myself “Oh it’ll just be this one time…” and then it’s all downhill from there. Top of my NO list was pizza. Then cookies, candy, ice cream, donuts, etc. Generally we don’t have that stuff at home–so it was a matter of making myself say NO (um, to myself) when I passed by them in the breakroom at work.
Also–weight yourself first thing in the morning every time you do it. That is the time of day to get your most accurate weight. And also if you do it at the same time (every day, or whenever) your weight will be more constant and you can guage whether you’ve lost weight without worrying about whether or not the extra pound is because you just ate dinner or whatever.
GOOD LUCK!
Hey guess what–you and me are about the same size! I’ve managed to drop 5 or so pounds recently. And just that little bit of difference in how your PANTS fit does wonders for one’s self esteem. Not to say that esteem is tied up in image, but that having one’s pants fit properly and not be pinching your belly or giving you a permanent front-wedgie is a wonderful thing.
Anyway, I also think it’s wonderful that you are eating better. What I did was make a list of all my “weakness” foods with the word NO at the top and put it in my wallet. Then I didn’t allow myself to eat those things. Because I’m the type of person who needs rules. Otherwise I’ll say to myself “Oh it’ll just be this one time…” and then it’s all downhill from there. Top of my NO list was pizza. Then cookies, candy, ice cream, donuts, etc. Generally we don’t have that stuff at home–so it was a matter of making myself say NO (um, to myself) when I passed by them in the breakroom at work.
Also–weigh yourself first thing in the morning every time you do it. That is the time of day to get your most accurate weight. And also if you do it at the same time (every day, or whenever) your weight will be more constant and you can guage whether you’ve lost weight without worrying about whether or not the extra pound is because you just ate dinner or whatever.
GOOD LUCK!
I know that you’ve received so many non-dieting-just-being-healthy tips, and you’ll probably never make it down this far. But it’s true that little things make a difference, or at the very least won’t pack more pounds on. I have an un-quenchable sweet tooth, especially in the evening hours, so rather than deny myself, I’ve just tried to find alternatives that will still satisfy me.
- have dried fruit (that you like) for when you need a sweet snack or dessert. I loooove dried mango or cranberries. Raisins? Would never view them as a treat, but the mango just does it for me.
- yogurt is also good for a sweet snack/dessert, but be careful not to get the ones that are too sugary. Dannon gives me a sugar seizure, but I really like Wallaby. Plus, acidopholus & calcium!
- green tea in the afternoon helps to keep the snacking monster at bay. Plus, anti-oxidants & caffeine!
I also indulge in hot cocoa and occasionally light ice cream/frozen yogurt. But even having that stuff in the freezer ensures I’ll eat about 300 more calories a day than I need until I’m licking the carton clean, so I generally just ignore the freezer aisle.
And the last thing, although it’s been said a million times and we don’t like hearing it: exercise is absolutely essential and makes all the difference. You just have to find a way to fit it in everyday, even if it’s just walking during errands.
For you, honestly, there is no such thing as a trifecta of suck. You could write about watching paint dry (to drag out the lamest cliche I can find) and I would voraciously read it. So there. Bring it on, man. Diet, cat, baby — we want it all!
I am with Leah on the Big-Ass Salad, by the way, which I mentioned in her comments can be switcheroo’d into a Big-Ass Soup in the winter, since, for me, the last thing I want to do when it’s freezing out is to dive into cold, crunchy veggies. Nay. I throw some tomato soup (creamy if I’m so inclined), some precooked chicken (I am not above the Perdue Shortcut), a can of chickpeas, maybe some corn, maybe whatever frozen veggies I have, and some presliced mushrooms into a pot and let it simmer for a bit with some minced garlic and other random spices/seasonings.
It’s SO easy, and since I get home after 8 usually and am ready to tear my face off in hunger, easy is key. And by the way? If you want to add some kick to a soup? Throw in some V8. Seriously. Good stuff.
And my husband and I never skip dessert, even if it’s just a couple of pieces of dark chocolate (Hershey’s Special Dark, O! how I love thee!).
On this “eating better” plan (not that we eat the soup or salad EVERY night; we vary it with whole wheat pasta/veggies, stir fry and of course ordering in stuff like Thai and whatnot), both of us have remained the same (healthy, low) weight for about 4 years (erm, we don’t weight the same as each other; I mean…well, you know what I mean). And that’s even when, like now, we’re in a too-lazy-to-exercise phase.
Also, and this is so doofy sounding, we bring our own lunches to work — sandwich, yogurt, fruit. It’s boring, but keeps me away from the Combo’s in the vending machine. MOST of the time.
God, did you even want all this advice? I just spewed it all over your comments. So sorry! I am sure you know how to eat! Doy.
My guilty pleasure….potato chips…yum…could eat them for DAYS on end..is that bad???
I do Weight Watchers online….I am a “tracking” nerd..so I love entering my points and planning my menu…anywho…it really opened my eyes to bad eating habits (what is portion size???) and now I am down 17 pounds….
I LOVE the hair.
And please do blog abot Cat…..
The V8 is completely optional! I always thought it was really gross, too, but in the soup it’s hardly noticeable, and it’s not the same as drinking tomato-y stuff, which is just so odd — nevertheless: optional.
God, I can’t help myself, and I hate sounding even remotely preachy especially about food matters, because honestly I couldn’t care less what other people eat, mostly because other people getting overly interested in what *I* eat feels like a weird invasion of privacy, which clearly is my issue and also weird. On the other hand, in general, of course, I am in favor of us all eating better because, you know, let’s all resist the tyranny of the snack food oligopoly and the fast food nation and all that.
So. That said, I will also add this: aside from pretzels (which are so, so tasty dipped in hummus — Sabra hummus and Bachmann butter twist pretzels specifically) and maybe some cashews, I don’t keep snacky things in the house. If I want a snack, I am forced either to go hungry or to eat carrots. And sometimes that makes me grumble and moan, but I definitely feel better post-carrots than I would if I’d eaten a whole bag of chips. Which I would totally do, if said chips were in our house.
Thus endeth the comment-y spree.
Ooh - can we do a weekly “good eating” discussion and talk about your (and OUR) progress? That really piques my interest - I love to hear that other people are having the same struggles/issues as me. I WISH I weighed 148 pounds. Me, I’m in the size 12’s, looking longingly at those Seven jeans I used to fanny about in and even more longingly at the size 6 khakis and “slacks” (for work, man). I am willing to settle for an 8 or even 10 but am truly tired of the 12, for sure. Anyway, I am inspired to some degree by all of the posts. I think you look great, but I totally understand that feeling of dissatisfaction - especially since having a kid! Really changes things, doesn’t it? Hey, the Krispy Kreme bacon sandwich sounds fabulous. When I was pregnant, I was fond of a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich with bacon - the “Elvis.” It sounds gross at first but I am telling you - the salt with the sweet - mmmm. Hence, my size 12’s. And I’ve actually LOST 50 pounds since I gave birth (only 40 of which was baby-related)! I’m off the Elvis sandwiches but still have a hard time turning down a good burrito… Good luck on your quest for health and the size 8 and keep us posted!
I miss Cat. I would like to hear a few Cat stories.
You will think I am totally kissing up, but I am totally telling the truth when I say you have a figure most women would be seriously willing to kill somebody to have. A size TEN? In your THIRTIES? Jesus. *Looking around to see who I could kill, if such a bargain were possible*
Please. Oh please. Tell me there are more pictures of Riley & Theo. Because the cuteness is AWESOME.
Good luck! I’m trying to change my eating habits too. Unfortunately, I am also full of excuses & justifications. And Goldfish crackers. I think I eat more like a three-year old now in my 20’s than I did when I was 3.
mmm..krispy kreme…
Good luck with your change in lifestyle, I know you can do it. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes a couple months ago and I think that controlling my carbs is the only reason I haven’t gained 80 pounds while pregnant. This has been a huge lifestyle change for me and I have learned so much about my diet through this. Now that I’m in the hospital (Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes) and have to get my food ordered from the food services people (who, by the way can nix anything I ask for… drat!) I have learned yet another thing that I guess, deep down, I really did know but never let myself believe… portion control is such a big thing! I love food. Period. So, when I eat, I eat because I like the taste of it and I keep eating until I can’t eat anymore. Here, I have no choice, they are giving me my food and I am amazed at what a real portion of food truly looks like and that I can eat a “true” portion and I don’t feel hungry. I would have never thought this. So, when I am no longer pregnant and want to lose weight, I’m going to remember these lessons I learned while pregnant: that too many carbohydrates are bad and I can limit them without too much trouble and that I don’t need to eat until I can barely move. Add in a little exercise and maybe I can get back down to my perfect weight of 125-130 instead of 155? I’ll be watching for your progress, Linda, and rooting for you. Keep us posted.
PS) Katie, PUH-LEASE email me the frappucino-ish recipe also. I’m dying to have it.
Crap! I guess the email address doesn’t come through… telegirl@email.com. Thanks!
Krispy Kreme - bacon sandwiches? Isn’t McDonald’s already sort of doing that with the McGriddle?
But yeah, Linda, 148 is NOT fat (unless you’re like, 4′5″). I hate to uh, weigh in with the other dieters, but, uh, yeah, the low carb thing really does work IMHO. You don’t have to go all crazy-ass Atkins on your body, and you don’t have to really reduce your calories very much, either, but just avoiding sugar, flour (including “whole” wheat, which usually isn’t), white potatoes, white rice, etc. will work magic. Avoiding “white” foods (well, you also have to avoid fruit juice, sorry) stabilizes your blood sugar & you don’t get the nasty mood swings, food cravings, mid-afternoon fatigue, post-prandial drowsiness, etc. You feel better. You don’t feel like you’re dieting. You start to avoid the white foods not because you think “I’m on a diet so cannot eat the forbidden pasta,” but because you think, “Gah, that’s just gonna make me feel awful.”
That’s what I weigh too. I’ve lost….um, a bunch…..lately, but I’d love to lose about 20 more.
I suppose in light of the “eating better” goal I should not offer to hook you up with my Girl Scout cookie selling six year old. I probably shouldn’t buy any for myself either. But the Thin Mints, they call my name.
Oh, how I love that photo of the beh-behs. The perfection of the Theo-push, Riley-ride arrangement was beautiful to behold. A true win-win.
And now I have had Adam Ant stuck in my head for hours. Thanks so much.
(Uh, I have nothing else useful to add.)
I’m still struggling with feeling deprived about being diabetic, but when I think I’m going to tear my hair out craving chocolate, I’ve found a secret weapon: Jell-O sugar-free pudding, which now comes in chocolate mochacchino (!) and chocolate mint fudge. The packaging in single-serving cups acts as a built-in portion control, too. Blue Bunny sugar-free ice cream bars (made with Splenda) are amazingly good, too, especially the peanut butter fudge and raspberry cheesecake flavors. I don’t indulge too often because they kind of reinforce the wanting-chocolate thing, but they’re great emergency treats.
Oh, and I loathe drinking V-8, too, but it makes a terrific base for a veggie soup.
Oh, the babies look like two little old guys, on their way to the golf course. I’m squeeing over here, and I’m not a squee-er.
Hey, we weigh the same amount! Though, I have to really suck it in to get into a size 10. Damn Western European peasant stock in my genes. I’ve been trying to eat better myself, which has mostly involved keeping lots of fruit in the house to grab instead of chips/cookies/crackers, as well as trying to stick to that whole “just eat HALF of what’s on your plate” thing. I’ve lost two pounds so far, so I guess it’s working out.
Your dreams could come true, complete with picture: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2362369
I meant to respond to this yesterday. I’m right with you on the baby weight issue. I have been very lucky to have a gym close but baby-raising doesn’t provide you with much time to work out. It’s a good release but there are so many better things to do with your time when the baby is sleeping or if you happen to have a babysitter.
My daughter is a few weeks shy of a year and I have almost gotten back to pre-pregnancy weight. But my body is not even close to being what it was and my stomach, dear God, has wrinkles!!! And they don’t seem to want to go away. What does it take to be sexy or even feel sexy again? I saw something on TV about a woman who lost a lot of weight and one of her hints was to drink a glass of water and wait 15 mins when she wanted to eat something bad. I’ve tried it…it does help with the cravings sometimes. :)