Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wednesday Weigh-In: Adjusting

Today:
HW: 252.6 (Sept 30, 2012)
CW: 212.0 (-1.0 change from last week)
GW: 140's
Height: 5'5
Age: 49

Last week:
HW: 252.6 (Sept 30, 2012)
CW: 213.0 (+7.0 change from last week)
GW: 140's
Height: 5'5
Age: 49

I came off the whole 30 two weeks ago and attacked sugar and salt like I had never seen it before and didn't know what it could do to me. And that's OK. No, really. I went on the whole 30 to kick start a stalling weight loss. That happened--but once it was over--it stopped happening. And that tells me I need to find something I can live with on an on-going basis.

Given that this week I lost a pound while not attacking the chips and candy (but not exactly eliminating them, either) I know that a reasonable diet will be fine. I have decided to do two things:
1) record my food in a food diary perhaps by taking pictures of it, and
2) watching my starches and having low carb days from time to time.

I do want to mention the mental struggle I am having, too. I have lost a lot of weight. To me, I look thinner. I look great! I walk by a mirror and can not believe how good I look.

But, last night, I went into Wally's world and tried on some clothes. I did NOT look great! I looked just awful, as a matter of fact. It was good. It showed me that I don't yet have the body I want to have. So, I am motivated, once again, to figure this out.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Wednesday Weigh-In: Six Months.

HW: 252.6 (Sept 30, 2012)
CW: 206.0 (-3.2 change from last week)
GW: 140's
Height: 5'5
Age: 49
I had a bout of stomach flu (or something) on Monday, hence the significant weight loss this week.
I am finishing up my whole30 on Saturday, so I don't actually expect any more losses between this week and next.

I realised this month I have been "reducing" (as Betty Francis reminded us this week of that wonderful late 60's way of putting it!) for more than six months, now. I first posted my reasons to lose weight back in July of 2011, on this site. I thought of them as my goals. I have achieved most of them.

It may be time to set some new ones, as I still want to "reduce" even more. It's all about looking slim and svelte and strong, now. I'm aware that that is a somewhat arbitrary cultural ideal. Knowing that, however, doesn't diminish its attraction. As well, apart from the cultural indoctrination, there's just something about "no excess" which appeals to that part of me which values efficiency and simplicity. I remember how my body felt when I was slim, strong and svelte in my late twenties and early thirties. I want that back. (Or as close as I can get!)

It is difficult to continue to lose weight and talk about it and aplologise for it at the same time, so I won't be apologising or explaining any more. I want to be slimmer than I am. I'm going to carry on.

Friday, April 5, 2013

April: A Month of Meals

I plan our suppers a month at a time. That way, I can take advantage of ten per cent Tuesday--that first Tuesday of the month when the grocery stores offer 10% off the entire grocery bill.

This week's specials:

Pork Loin centre cut chops: $3.99/lb
Pork Side Spareribs: $2.99/lb
Pork Shoulder Blade steak: $2.99/lb
Ground pork: 3.49/lb plus 30% off

Stewing beef: 3.99/lb
Extra Lean Ground beef: 3.59/lb

Chicken Thighs: $3.39/lb
Chicken Drumsticks: $2.89/lb

Colour Code:
yellow: chicken
green: pork
blue: fish
pink: beef

Details with links:

April 2: Sloppy Bobs x2 on mashed cauliflower
April 3: Shrimp and vegetable stir-fry with rice and spring rools for the family
April 4: Unstuffed Cabbage*, butternut squash
April 5: Veggie Beef Freezer Stew
April 6: Herb Roasted Salmon, mashed cauliflower, roasted sweet potato
April 7: Garlic Pulled Pork, roasted root vegetables, asparagus
April 8: Cottage Flower Pie x2, broccoli
April 9: Captain Chicken,** mashed cauliflower, carrots
April 10: Five Spice Slow Cooker Ribs, roasted rutabaga, salad
April 11: Orange-Olive Chicken*, mashed cauliflower
April 12: Dino Beef Stew
April 13:  Pork Shoulder, butternut squash, broccoli This was awesome! I had leftovers for breakfast for a week.
April 14: Roast Chicken and vegetables (parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion)
April 15:  Chocolate Chili x 2
April 16: One Pot Chicken Drumsticks
April 17: Porkchops and Squash
April 18: Honey Mustard Mayo Chicken, carrots and spinach
April 19: Crock-Pot Stroganoff w/egg noodles. (Not whole 30 approved. I'll be finished.)
April 20:  Pork Carnitas, roasted cabbage, mashed cauliflower
April 21: Rogan Josh** on mashed cauliflower
April 22:    Sloppy Bobs x2 on mashed cauliflower
April 23: Roasted Chicken thighs with Garlic, Sweet Potato, Bittman's coleslaw.
April 24: Pork Chops Diane, carrots, sweet potatoes
April 25: Artichoke Chicken, spaghetti squash
April 26: Cinnamon Beef Stew**
April 27: leftovers
April 28: Roast Chicken and vegetables (parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion)
April 29: Ground Beef and Sweet Potato hash, spinach salad
April 30: Honey Mustard Mayo Chicken, carrots and spinach
May 1: Ground pork, apple and cabbage hash**
May 2:  Chicken, Bacon and Sweet Potato Hash, spinach salad
May 3: Brody's Spaghetti sauce and spaghetti squash
May 4: Skillet Shepard's Pie, carrots.
May 5: Roast Chicken and vegetables (parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion)
May 6: leftovers
May 7: First Tuesday of the month!


*From The Primal Blueprint, Quick and Easy Meals, by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier
**From Well-Fed, by Melissa Joulwen
***From It Starts with Food, by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Wednesday Weigh-In: Staying the Course

HW: 252.6 (Sept 30, 2012)
CW: 209.2 (0.0 change from last week)
GW: 140's
Height: 5'5
Age: 49

Easter was hard. All that chocolate! All those goodies. I wanted to partake, badly. But I didn't. I'm glad I didn't--or that 0.0 change might have been a gain!

I figure there are three reasons my weight stayed the same: 1) Last week was stressful. It was Spring Break. The kids were home from school. My husband took the week off to work on insulating our basement. He was home. He and my son would work during the day and knock off and play video games in the evening while I ferried my daughter from sleep over to hanging out with her friends to sleep over nearly every day. Then, she got sick--and there was Easter dinner to clean up for and cook. Stress. No quiet time.

2) I was hungry. For some reason, Safeway hasn't had any squash in for weeks. Occasionally they will get some butternut, but that's it. This week, I am trying to make sure I have some sweet potato at least twice a day. I'm not doing it right if I'm hungry!

3) No exercise. None. Zero. Zip. Nada. I feel too self conscious to do it when folks are home. I changed out of my pj's and into my workout gear this morning. I'm trying to decide whether to do 1 mile or 2. It's been a while!