Tag Archives: low carb diet

Trying to Keep My Mouth Shut

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My efforts to lose the lard and increase my movement continue with varying degrees of success.

I’ve changed from a low-carb approach to a more Mediterranean style of eating. The low-carb approach helped me get some weight off and I enjoyed that style of eating, but because I don’t have a gallbladder and I’m old with a cranky system, I ended up having a lot of problems and had to switch.

I describe our eating style now as “Mediterranean Style” because I can’t find “Mediterranean recipes” that my husband will eat, so I’m simply adding a lot more veggies and fruit to our diet. I’m feeling a lot better physically now, but my weight is creeping up because I have trouble not eating in-between meals and in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep.

I’m trying to keep raw veggies and dip ready to grab from the fridge for my snacking, but my downfall is wanting salty stuff. I can skip desserts. I can monitor my portions. I can eat healthy foods. But when I decide I’m ‘starving to death ‘ (hahahahahahaha) in the middle of the day or worse – in the middle of the night – I want something salty.

Each day I start with the best of intentions. I try to stay away from my husband’s stash of chips of all flavors. I’ve even asked him to hide them from me. The last few days I’ve been able to eat our regular lunch, then some cottage cheese after I do my yoga practice for the day, and then dinner, and drinking enough water to make my eyeballs float, in an attempt to get on the right track.

So far, the scales are NOT impressed. I’ll just keep on keepin’ on, and hope for the best.

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Hostility vs Maturity – No Contest

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This is a fight between my head and my gut feelings and my gut feelings are winning right now. It doesn’t matter that I KNOW I’m being childish/immature/unrealistic/whatever-other-adjective-you-choose. It’s how I FEEL, and that is overriding any chance of my acting like an adult.

And, why am I feeling/acting this way, you ask? (Assuming you’re still reading :0) )

I’m being really, really good on my low-carb diet and exercise program. In fact, I’m finishing a month of low-carb eating and tracking, and am on Week 3 of a really good exercise program created by Mike Kutcher, a Seniors’ Specialist Physiotherapist and Exercise Scientist on the website MoreLifeHealth/Seniors.com.

SOMETHING seems to be happening, because my Keto Stix are turning deep purple now. My scales are yo-yo-ing in results. I don’t care if I don’t LOSE weight every day. I realize there is a lot that goes into what shows on the scales any given day. But I resent GAINING weight. Yesterday, for example, the scales showed I had GAINED 2 lbs. Today I’m down half a pound from that, but I’m varying too much for me to handle like an adult. I’ve been told not to weigh every day, and I see the sense in that. The trouble is, I’ve learned the hard way that if I DON’T check it every day, my mind seems to go into relaxation mode, figuring ‘a little bit of this or a little bite of that shouldn’t matter.’ The scales represent my personal accountability.

SOMETHING ELSE seems to be happening, too, in that my jeans got loose. I ordered the next size down. My husband told me to go ahead and order more in that size. I did, but my NEW jeans are loose again. The MEASURING TAPE isn’t showing ANY progress, though. I’ve also read that measurements can be off from one time to the next and that you need to be really careful with it, but I AM.

So. I’m feeling hostile. I would LIKE to have results on the scales and with the measuring tape that I can point to – at least in the comfort of my own home – giving me positive feedback.

I’m SUPPOSED to be reporting to you today the end of WEEK 4 on my low-carb and the end of WEEK 3 of my much more active exercise program. I have lost the pandemic weight gain of 6.6 pounds and am back to my 30-pounds-off-from-my-heaviest point. I have lost about 28 inches from my heaviest, but no difference except the jeans thing to this point in my new push to get and stay healthier.

Canton Box Company – Etsy.com
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I will ‘keep on keepin’ on.” Fingers crossed that my results by the end of May will be more encouraging.

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Celebration Mode!

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I’m in celebration mode this morning. I would love it if you would celebrate with me.

I have finally reached my first goal of losing the pandemic lard I gained. I’m back to my long-time basis of 30-pounds-down from my heaviest, plus an 28.7 inch decrease from my most voluminous. HOOORAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!

30 pounds down

This is a huge motivational boost. I was beginning to think that no matter what I did, I would never get control and would continue to yo-yo.

Now I’m breaking into ‘NEW TERRITORY!’

I now know that if I record everything I’m planning to eat for the day on MyFitnessPal.com (and then stick to it) I will stay within my eating parameters. (Tonight we’re having “bacon-wrapped cheesy chicken” – Suzanne Ryan, Simply Keto, plus salad and I will eat a low-carb biscuit and my husband will have a deli dinner roll.)

Though my measuring tape isn’t showing anything yet, I’m hoping it will soon. I’ve mapped out my exercise regimen for the week and am giving myself gold stars on my desk calendar as I do things each day. I am starting to FEEL a difference. My exercise for the day is a part of my ‘to-do’ list now, given 2nd highest priority, right under the ‘have-to’s.’ :0)

Today is –

  • Warm-up video (10 minutes)
  • Stretching Video (10 minutes)
  • Weights video (10 minutes)
  • Workout 2a (30 minutes)
  • Yoga Stretches (30 minutes)
  • Gardening (30 minutes)
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ONWARD AND DOWNWARD!

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On the Right Track Again – Finally

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My husband and I have had a hard time for the past 6 months or so on our efforts to get the lard off and get healthier by moving more. We simply drifted off the track, endlessly seeing yet another excuse for splurging or ignoring our guidelines. Excuses, lies, and blather followed.

We’ve been trying various things over the past month or so – some successful to a certain extent, but not really being serious on a long-term basis in our heads. Last Monday we came up with a combination that seems to be working for us! There are certain things that are important that we keep – such as my husband’s fruit and cereal in the morning and our orange dream bars at night – but everything else is on the table for discussion.

My husband likes to eat out at lunch. This has been one large problem because we tend to choose the wrong things at the deli, as an example. I have decided to be prepared to fix us a large salad for lunch each day. If my husband decides suddenly that ‘we’ should stop at CV’s and he wants to get lunch at  the deli, he can do that. If he does, I have a go-to meal I can throw together at home, some combination of raw veggies and dip, hard boiled egg, a bit of meat – things like that. For dinner we’re staying low carb. Last night we had a roast from the crock pot and some steamed mixed veggies. My husband is a big boy and can make decisions about whether he REALLY wants to eat half a bag of potato chips while he’s reading in the afternoon… We also chose carefully and stockpiled our pantry freezer with low carb, low sugar frozen dinners, so we’re not derailed if I’m “too tired to cook.” I’m concentrating on drinking more water during the day, as well.

Since last Monday I’ve lost 5 lbs. (18.2 total from my highest weight.)  I’m down 13″ from my starting point so far.

I’m hoping that I’ve finally turned the corner again, taking responsibility for what I put in my own mouth, rather than grabbing excuses out of the air and pointing fingers elsewhere.  I’ve told myself that I won’t be upset if the scales or the tape measure don’t show any improvement from one week to the next. I just want them NOT to INCREASE!

I have not been doing my exercising, again using lame excuses. :0(    We have a 91 pound lab ‘puppy’ who tends to come in and run over me on the floor on my yoga mat, knock me over, or lick me to death. There ARE ways around this problem.  It has been REALLLLLLY cold for Arkansas this month. My elliptical trainer lives in the garage, so I’ve been using the excuse that it was too cold to do that. (The fact that I have walking DVDs in the house has been ignored.) I have also piously excused myself because I have been tackling an area most days to DEEP clean, including taking everything out, going through it all, deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away before cleaning the area and all things in it and reorganizing. This is a good thing to do – and LONG overdue – but NOT a valid excuse for not doing regular exercise.

I’m giving myself a bit of slack, though, because I HAVE been eating much healthier and taking responsibility, so I’m honoring my promise to

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but I need to put this together with an honest effort to at least do some yoga stretching each day. I’ll concentrate on that this week.

Wish me luck?

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Acting Like a Grownup, Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise, getting the lard off, Healthy Eating

Day Three of Being Back in the Saddle

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This is DAY THREE of making SURE I’m eating under 40 grams of carbs per day and under 1200 calories, plus doing at least a session of yoga.

I’m using MyFitnessPal.com to list everything I’m eating and drinking to plan things out after breakfast. I’m gritting my teeth as my husband eats chips, sugar-free candy, sugar-free pop or tea, no sugar added ice cream sandwiches, but he’s eating the way he should for his diabetes. I’ve quit kidding myself that I can indulge, as well, but I AM building in my orange ice cream bar at night into my totals, relishing every bite.

I’ve been doing my one session per day of “Gentle Yoga” and am feeling better for it. I did “Head and Shoulders” Saturday, “Joints” yesterday, and “Lower Back” today.  It feels good to be treating myself better this way.

I feel as if I have a good start on getting back in the saddle of taking better care of myself again.

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Yet Another New Regimen…

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I’m STILL  trying to come up with an exercise regimen with which I can stick. Yesterday and today I started out with a session on the elliptical trainer. Yesterday I pooped out at 16 minutes. Today I did better, doing 30 minutes.

I was doing yoga 3 days a week, the elliptical twice a week, and one day each of upper and lower body strength exercises.  I discovered I was blowing it off mid week for some reason, and didn’t feel as well as I did when I did a session of yoga each day.

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boredboard.com

So I’m going to try doing a session of the elliptical trainer in the morning and yoga in the afternoon. I’ll also try to work in the strength exercises if I’m feeling sassy.

My weight and inches loss remains a challenge. My husband and I are using lots of excuses to eat things we shouldn’t. (Last night it was fried rice from Lin’s House. )  I told him that I was really having trouble staying on my diet and that we can’t celebrate “National Pickle Week” every night.

I had stopped using MyFitnessPal for some reason, and I started it up again yesterday. I left my motivation in one of the piles around the house, but I AM finding it, bit by bit. Once I get my act together – firmly shutting my mouth after I enjoy my orange dream bar after dinner –  I hope to again enjoy weight and inches loss. Fingers crossed!!!!!

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taolife.com

 

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Getting the Lard Off Progress Report – 1/25/2017

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No more poundage off yet, though my eating after dinner is getting better. I’m now concentrating on drinking a bottle of water after dinner, then eating my anticipated-all-day-orange-dream-bar, then sipping water until bedtime, if still tempted. I’m hoping that if I concentrate on this, I’ll build a habit again…

To date, I’ve lost 21.75 inches and 40 pounds.

The biggest change I have to report is that my exercise routine is getting to be much more to my liking.  I’ve read that your body responds better if you change up what you’re doing.

Now I’m doing yoga three times a week. I’m doing one session for a part of the body, such as ‘legs,’ and then a ‘yoga flow, for a total of an hour.

Two days a week I’m on the elliptical. I’ve found that I’ve lost ground since not doing it in a long time. Yesterday I did 15 minutes and will try to add time each day until I’m back up to half an hour. I’ll also add speed and difficulty as I get better. (You can change it from flat to quite-a-hill, requiring more effort)

Two days a week I’m doing strength exercises with my 5 lb. weights.  Even with the stretches I’ve been doing with the yoga, it’s not the same as working with the weights, so I think this will add a good thing

So, here’s my schedule –

  • MONDAY – Yoga (1 body routine plus one flow)
  • TUESDAY – Elliptical
  • WEDNESDAY – Yoga (1 body routine plus one flow)
  • THURSDAY – Strength Exercises (Upper Body)
  • FRIDAY – Yoga (1 body routine plus one flow)
  • SATURDAY – Elliptical
  • SUNDAY – Strength Exercises (Lower Body)

I think this will be a good mix, working my whole body each week, with a different emphasis each day. I’ll report back to you on how it works. Fingers crossed!

 

 

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Getting the Lard Off Progress (?) Report – 1/18/2017

Amazing Creatures

Amazing Creatures

I’m trying to remain positive, but I’m still having trouble not eating after dinner.

My newest track on this is going back to the orange dream bar I ate each night as my dessert – something I can look forward to every day. THEN, if I’m up in the middle of the night (as I was last night for an hour or so)  I’m TRYING to content myself with a sugar-free chocolate pudding or veggies and dip. Last night my husband came downstairs, too, and we both felt potato chips calling to us…. :0(

To date I’m down 35 pounds and 20 inches.

 

Funny Image Collection

Funny Image Collection

On my efforts to move more, I’m doing much better, having found yoga for old broads.  Sometimes I run out of time and energy and don’t practice my yoga every day, but most days I’m on the mat.

I’m using 2 programs: “Gentle Yoga” and “Gentle Yoga Flows,” both by Sixty & Me, with the same wonderful instructor. I’m concentrating now on the Flows, planning to do Practice 3 today. My goal is to do one session on a particular part of the body, such as “Hips,” and then one of the ‘flows’ each day, making an hour.

If I continue to do well, I’ll add strength training and my elliptical a couple of days a week.

I am the poster child for couch potatoes, doing lots of work on my computer or trying to create something in my art room, so this is a HUGE change for me. My problems haven’t gone completely away, but I’m feeling more in control of what’s happening in my body now.

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I’m hoping that the continued exercising and trying not to chow down after dinner or in the middle of the night will finally get me off my plateau-from-Hell on my weight. My main goal remains –

 

taolife.com

taolife.com

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Getting the Lard Off – Progress Report Nov. 21, 2016

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I’m happy to say that I am FINALLY back on the getting the lard off road! I lost my way for a bit, but – with the addition of yoga poses done daily – I’m starting to lose again.

My husband – who is a newly-diagnosed diabetic – and I are eating a low carb diet, substituting sugar-free candy, pudding, and tea for the things he’s missing the most.

 

Bored Panda

Bored Panda

The biggest change is that I’m doing two sections of my yoga DVD set daily. Today, for example, I’m doing “Joint Mobility” and “Overall Flow.”

Yesterday I ALMOST skipped the yoga because I had some sore muscles. I went ahead, grimly, and found that my soreness disappeared! Let this be an ongoing lesson for me!!!!!

I’ve been doing the two sections daily for a bit over a week now, and I decided to see whether my measuring tape was impressed or not.

It was! To date, I’ve lost 21.75 inches and 40 pounds. (Some of these pounds have been regained and now lost again. I’m looking forward to breaking into new territory soon.)

Yesterday I was doing the ‘fold-yourself-into-a-paper-airplane-and-twist’ pose. I end up with my leg bent and twisted over to the side across my body with my knee on the floor. The opposite arm is stretched up above my head. See what I mean about folding yourself into a paper airplane?

Anyway, you get into the pose, holding it while you breathe in deeply into the stretch, and then exhale several times. When I was doing the last deep breath, my fingers touched the floor! Just barely – but they did!!!!! Only on one side, and only for a second, but HOOORAAAAAY!

The only other exercise I’m doing right now is sitting on the exercise ball while watching TV.  This is supposed to be good for building up my ‘core’ muscles and strengthening my balance. Since I need both, I spend some time bouncing around each evening.

I’m going right now to do my yoga sessions.

Hope YOUR day is good, too.

 

 

 

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Getting the Lard Off – November 9, 2016

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I’m still trying to curb my after dinner eating. I’m getting better, though the problem is not yet completely solved.  For some reason, it’s almost as if I had a tapeworm. I feel hungry soon after eating dinner, though our dinner is low carb. That’s some kind of emotional hang-up that I’m determined to stop.

Yesterday I cooked up a storm.

  • I hard-boiled a bunch of eggs for my breakfast and our snacks
  • I made a batch of sausage balls for lunches and snacks
  • I made sugar-free banana pudding for my husband (He loved it!)
  • I made a low carb meatloaf that my husband raved about (I’ll share the recipe later today)

In-between I was cleaning up and running the dishwasher again, plus washing clothes, stripping our bed and working in the flower beds. I had a really full, satisfying day.

Today I tried two new sections of my 2-DVD-set of “Gentle Yoga.”

Bajiroo.com

Bajiroo.com

The first was for “Legs” and the second was for “Balance.” I’m feeling a lot more relaxed now and I’m happy I bought the set. Tomorrow I’ll try the “Overall Flow” section, the last in the set. My goal is to do some yoga each day. My body is feeling looser and more relaxed and this will improve as I practice. I really like and trust the teacher of these poses, and I feel that I’m getting in touch with my body in a way I have never done before. It’s wonderful.

Doctor appointments for both me and my husband tomorrow afternoon. We’ll see how we’re doing, discuss where we’re trying to go and ways to get there, and keep on keepin’ on.

taolife.com

taolife.com

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Tapeworm?

unknown photography credit via emily davis, trendingly.com

unknown photography credit via emily davis, trendingly.com

I’m trying to cook with no sugar for my husband. Since he’s having a tough time making the conversion, I’ve been trying to cook some of his favorite non-sugar meals. That means rice and pasta. I have little self-control, so I’ve been indulging in eating starches with him. This has resulted in non-stop hunger for me. My husband is losing weight, but I’m gaining. :0(

Every morning this week I’ve tried to get back on my low carb eating plan. Every evening I’m angry with myself because I’ve stuffed my face – again. I feel I have a tapeworm. I haven’t experienced this non-stop hunger for over a year – since I started eating low carb.  My energy level is down. I don’t like this!

TODAY I’m trying to make it be different. I’ve started out with a good low carb breakfast. I have a water bottle beside me. I’ve just finished making some hard-boiled eggs for meals and snacks. We’ll be eating leftovers for dinner, so there is no reason for me not to do my usual thing, getting back on track. Today I’ll get on the elliptical trainer and also use the exercise ball.

I’ll get out a low carb book and start reading. Maybe I can find my motivation again. I’m about half way to my goal and I want to start making progress again!

 

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Getting the Lard Off – Progress Report 9/15/2016

Today I’m feeling more upbeat about my progress. My weight loss is still at 46 lbs, but the exercising I’ve been doing is finally paying off again with a loss now of 25-1/2 inches!

I’ve been either walking with annoying Leslie (DVD) for two miles OR doing half an hour on the elliptical trainer, and then either upper or lower body exercises with weights. Besides the progress in inches, I’m FEELING a difference.

I’ve had to miss a few days lately due to overdoing on working in my garden and having to baby my poor fat body when I strained muscles around my hip on the left side. I have no clue why only my left side was strained, but thanks to a combination of heat pad, Ibuprofen, and massages by my husband, I’m now fully recovered and dangerous again. :0)

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*My garden, by the way, is under good control now. The fall garden is now planted in the new raised planters. The old stuff is out of the three square foot planters that remain on the ground on the north side of the garden. The fence I was using for climbing plants has been removed. I have dug the Mel’s Mix out of one of the ground planters and it’s waiting in trash cans until we get the first raised bed planter installed on that side of the garden. We need to remove some big metal pipes we used to hold up the fence before we can go any farther.

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My husband is newly motivated to eat low carb with me. He’s trying to watch his sugar – a thing our low carb diet does well. I’m studying the extra stuff he’s been eating, reading labels and doing lots of research on the net to find out what things are good now and what he should avoid, what his sugar limit should be each day, etc.  We can be cheerleaders for each other – encouraging the other to ‘be good,’ ‘be strong,’ and take each meal at a time.

Hopefully, by next week I’ll be able to report a larger weight loss, but at least I’m seeing some actual measurable progress to spur me on.

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