Day Nineteen

New Year's Eve. Hmmm. What will the day hold. I hope to plan well. We are going to friends for the evening and hopefully, hopefully I will be good.

I am planning to go through a detox diet that mommylife.net has lost almost 100 pound on. She's restarted for the new year and taking recruits to join in support. After Epiphany (Jan 6th) I will be detoxing.

Weighed myself this morning - down a pound! In spite of holiday munching -- down a pound!!!

Breakfast (231 calories)
1 C. oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 c. non fat milk
2 c. coffee
1/4 c. whole milk

Lunch (502 calories)
2 tortillas
1 ounce cheddar
1 c. salad with light done right dressing

Dinner (800 calories)
1 small slice french bread
4 ounce polish sausage
1 ounce cheddar
1 apple
1/4 c. almonds
Total calories 1534
Exercise: 77 minutes with Leslie Sansone, 6 miles

Day Eighteen

I've heard somewhere that people underestimate by 10-15% how much they eat in the day. I'd have to agree. I have found that the next day, after posting what I've eaten something seems to trigger my memory, "Oh yeah and I ate----also!" So if I add up the calories in a day and it amounts to 1697, it would be wise to add another 170 calories, to be on the safe side of honesty.

Breakfast
1 C. oatmeal
1/4 C. nonfat milk
2 t. brown sugar
1 boiled egg

Lunch
2 C. potato cheese soup
2 piece toast with butter
15 dark chocolate covered edamame
1 clementine orange

Dinner
2 C. salad with light done right dressing
4 ounces chicken
2 pieces bread

Snack
1/4 C. raw almonds

Total Calories for the day 1697

Exercise: 7 miles with Leslie Sansone for 87 minutes

Day Seventeen

Back in the saddle.

Beginnings - Restarts. I like Mondays because they're the opportunity to pick up that new habit, get back in the routine I need so desperately. The days following the Feast Day of Christmas were, not necessarily chaotic, not what I planned. But that was the problem - the were days unplanned. The only ordinariness to the days was the oatmeal every morning. I neglected the routine of Bible study, prayer, exercise and measuring what I ate before eating.

Now it's Monday. The chalkboard has been wiped clean. It's a new day, a new week and I'm back into the proactive planning of my day.

Breakfast
1 C. oatmeal
1/4 C. nonfat milk
2 t. brown sugar
1 boiled egg

Lunch
2 c. potato cheese soup
1 piece toast with butter

Snack
2 strawberry popsicles

Dinner
3/4 c. brown rice
veggie stir fry with pork/peanuts
5 tea biscuits
2 c. tea
1/4 c. half/half
Total Calories 1795
Exercise
7 miles with Leslie Sansone 85 minutes

Day Sixteen

Breakfast
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. whole milk (thought I was pouring from the non-fat jug)
1/4 C. half/half
2 C. tea

Lunch
2/3 C. couscous
1 1/2 C. grilled veggies
3 ounces grilled chicken
3 mini-bites 3 musketeer bars
3 gingerbread cookies
1 strawberry popsicle

Dinner
1/4 C. almonds
3 c. salad with light done right dressing
1/6 C. peanuts
1 1/2 C. hot chocolate
2 stroopwaffels cookies

Day Fifteen

We're hopefully going up to St. Charles, MO today to see the Christmas festivities. The city decorates like a Dickensian/Victorian Christmas and Saturday is their last day. It's rainy, possibly thunder storms, for today so we may end up at a Mall (Horrors!!).

Breakfast
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1.5 C coffee
1/4 C. whole milk

Lunch
Pub Burger
1/2 order fries

Dinner
2 C. potato cheese soup
2 pieces toast with butter
2 mango popsicles
2 chocolate coins

Even though I didn't officially exercise.... we went to St. Charles and ate at one end of the tourist area and the shop I wanted to visit most was about 7 block away. It was pouring rain. What's the best way to get through pouring rain? RUN! And I did. Liam and I trotted briskly down the cobblestoned sidewalk and I didn't lose my breath. It was fun. When I stopped to stand under an awning he tugged and yelled, "Come on mommy, let's keep running!" And we did. Exercise pays off for the fun things in life.

Day Fourteen

I don't know if this week will find me back in routine - okay let's face it - it won't! It's the Christmas Season and rather than beat myself up about eating what I shouldn't I going to eat and not put on guilt but celebration and yes for me celebrating involves food. I can't separate the two so don't try. But the exercising will be on hold until Monday.

Breakfast
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. Brown Sugar
1/4 C. non fat milk
1 1/2 C. Coffee
1/3 C. whole milk

Lunch
3 chicken select strips from McDonalds
1 tortilla
1/2 oz cheddar
1/2 oz turkey breast

Dinner
Salad with light dressing
4 ounces chicken
1 piece pesto/cheese pizze
1 mango popsicle
3 gingerbread cookies

I have consumed so many hall's citrus cough drops I couldn't count. I don't know how many calories are in each but I'm sure I've eaten a meals worth!

Day Thirteen

It's a Feast Day. I'm feasting. Go away and feast yourself. It's Jesus' Birthday party Emmanuel - God is with us. Now and Forever. Hallelujah, pass the roast beef, au gratin, bouch de noel and say thank you. Enjoy the feast today in preparation for the Feast to come when He will prepare the finest of meats and wines!

Day Twelve

Are you kidding? It's Christmas eve. Go enjoy yourself and stop reading my silly little blog.

Day Eleven

There are two blogs I read for weight-loss encouragement. Both women are honest. Barbara (I've highlighted her before) amazes me. She has written about the spiritual dimensions of being fat and weight-loss - convicting and true. Must reads. Melodee is the amazing shrinking woman who has seen the pound come back on. She is real, honest (more than I can be) and I appreciate her honesty and can relate to her issues.

Breakfast
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. non fat milk

Lunch
2 tortillas
2 romaine leaves
1/4 C. low fat cream cheese
1 serving turkey breast luncheon meat
1 serving roast beef luncheon meat

This is where I went bad - stressing about uncontrollable issues:
3 squares fudge
1/4 C. peanuts

Dinner
4 ounces chicken
asparagus
2/3 C. couscous

Exercise
75 minutes walking with Leslie - 6 miles

Day Ten

Getting back in the saddle in time for the Christmas feast on Thursday. We'll be giving away a lot of our goodies to the post office and orthopedic's office (during Ian's final check-up with the doc) so will hopefully only have Christmas day dessert (Bouch de Noel)

Breakfast
2 scrambled eggs in 1 t. bacon fat
1 toast
1/2 c. ham

Lunch (yeah, the sweets are still in the house-they're getting packed up and sent to their final destinations tomorrow)
2 rolls
3 cheesecake bites
1 cake bite

Dinner
3 oz. tilapia
grilled veggies
mandarin orange/romaine salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Exercise
6 miles with Leslie for 75 minutes

Day Nine

It's the day of our open house. Kind of reckless eating today.
Oatmeal for breakfast
Turkey Soup, 1/2 C. mashed potatoes, 1 C. stuffing, 2 rolls for lunch
1 slice cherry pie, 2 cake bites, 2 pieces fudge, 1/2 pita, 3 c. punch and probably more I don't care to recall.
No exercise

Day Eight

The Morning After.

I got out of bed at 9am and was in my jammies till 2:30pm! Unbelievable!

No exercise today. No motivation. No guilt. Logged 24 miles this week.

Tomorrow's our Christmas Open House. Don't know how food measuring will go. May be like yesterday.

Breakfast
8 ounce cranberry juice
1 C. Oatmeal
1/4 C. non fat milk
2 t. brown sugar

Lunch
Ham/Cheese Sandwich
2 gingersnaps

Dinner
1 mini sausage pizza (3 inch diameter)
1 sausage mini calzone

Day Seven

I'm not even going to bother...Today was such a bad eating day. It started out well - with my oatmeal and then I was ravenous at 11 and my throat was sore and the mango ice cream was telling me how soothing it would be going down my throat so I listened. Then tonight our church hosted a banquet for our community and I was in charge of the cooking so I nibble here and nibbled there and have no clue how much I ate. So..I can't record my food intake. I confess. But I did get in 4 miles of walking!

Day Six

I did not want to exercise today. I shuffled around in my slippers (cleaning and laundry in prep for our Open House this Sunday). I think the fact that I was in my slippers hindered my motivation for exercise. So after ironing I threw the slippers off and donned my tennis shoes. Motivation filled me and I worked out for 62 minutes. Sometimes it is a matter of what's on the outside that gets me going.

Breakfast (231 calories)
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. non fat milk
2 C. coffee
1/4 C. whole milk

Lunch (430 calories)
2 C. minestrone
2 slices bread

Snack (233 calories)
1/4 C. walnuts
1 1/2 C. coffee
1/4 C. whole milk

Dinner (824 calories - mostly in the bread!)
2 slices bread
2 ounces chicken
2 ounces mozzarella
4 C. romaine
1/4 C. mandarin oranges
1/4 slivered almonds
balsamic vinaigrette

Total calories 1717

Exercise
5 miles with Leslie Sansone for 62 minutes

Day Five

Did you watch the season finale of Biggest Loser? I did. Impressive though I must say some of the contestants looked rather gaunt in the face, almost unhealthy, like the did a liquid fast for the past two months while away from the show. Do you remember when Oprah lost tons of weight using medi-fast liquid diet and she hauled pounds of butter on stage, the same amount of weigh she lost? She looked good but her face looked worn, tired, saggy. That's how some (Amy C., Heba a bit and her husband) looked. I'm just saying!

I weighed myself yesterday and was surprised to see I've lost 5 pounds since my doctor's check-up in October. Made me feel good!

Breakfast (231 calories)
1 C. oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. non fat milk
1/4 c. whole milk
2 C. coffee

Lunch (500 calories)
2 C. salad
1 T. non fat italian dressing
1 C. Mac/cheese
ham/cheese sandwich

Dinner (730 calories)
2 C. Minestrone soup
1 slice bread
2 gingerbread cookie
1 C. cranberry juice

Total calories 1460

Exercise
Leslie Sansone walking 5 miles for 65 minutes

Day Four

The week is going to be B-U-S-Y but all at the end of it. I tend to let exercise go by the wayside when busy. I hope to prevent this by scheduling it early, around 10am. Friday night our church is hosting a community banquet. There will be dessert. Must plan ahead!

I must confess I turn a little green when I see/read stories of successful weight-loss, like Oprah's. And then she's airbrushed on all those magazine covers! Sheesh! But it does sadden me, probably because I can so relate to her grief, when the weight comes back.

Breakfast (300 calories)
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. non fat milk
1/4 C. whole milk
5 ounce orange juice
2 C. coffee

Lunch (623 calories)
4 C. mixed salad
1 ounce cheese
2 T. non fat italian dressing
1 1/2 C. sauteed mixed veggies
1 C. whole yogurt
2 T. cherry jam

Dinner (607 calories)
2 C. Macaroni and Chees
2/3 C. Broccoli, Steamed
Total Calories 1529

Exercise
4 miles with Leslie Sansone for 50 minutes

Day Three

So often I get sick and tired, weary, of thinking about my eating/exercise. I recall a friend's words years ago: I eat to live, not live to eat. I don't. I love to eat. I love flavors. I love variety. I love taste. I eat because I enjoy it, not merely for energy and fuel. Do you recall the Special K commercial that was on the air months ago: a person walking around with a scale chained to their ankle with Willie Nelson serenading, "You are always on my mind?" I can relate. It is always on my mind. And I am sick of it. I wish, I wish, I wish I could be like my friend Karen who treated food merely as food. But I don't.

Today is the third day of recording food intake and exercise. Historically the third day for anything in my life has been the hump day - the day I either push through and make it a habit or cease and desist and let it fall to the wayside. I am pushing through. For how long? I don't know. I feel strong and persistent but feelings are tenuous.

Breakfast - I looked this up and this meal is 313 calories. Something to remember since this is my routine breakfast.
1 C. Oatmeal
1/4 C. non fat milk
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. whole milk
2 C. coffee
6 ounce orange juice

Lunch - 400 calories
2 meat pasties

Dinner - 1000 calories (wow! that's a lot, more than I thought)
1 1/2 Hoagie roll
egg salad
salad
non fat italian dressing
2 c. hot cocoa (It's 10 degrees out!!!)\

Calorie total for the day: 1713

Exercise
6 miles walking to Leslie Sansone in 65 minutes (625 calories burned)

Day Two

I don't want to be honest. I don't want to write down, on this blog, for the world to read, I had 10 chocolate kisses. If you look at a chocolate kiss, 10 doesn't seem like a lot, in the course of an entire day. But when you consider 10, it seems like a lot. Excess. Unnecessary. But it's the truth.

Breakfast
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/4 C. nonfat milk
1 1/2 C. Coffee
1/4 C. whole milk

Lunch
3 oz. grilled tilapia
1 C. grilled mixed veggies
1/2 C. roasted potatoes (no oil)
2 C. Salad with low fat ranch dressing
10 chocolate kisses
1 C. Coffee
3 T. Coffee mate ginger bread
2 cookies

Dinner
3 C. mixed green salad (romaine, peppers, cukes)
low fat ranch dressing
2 boiled eggs
1 ounce cheddar
7 whole wheat crackers

Day One

I hope to be honest here. I hope to record my daily menu so I can remember my caloric intake. I want to lost weight. A lot of weight.

In my 20s I was very active physically. I ran a mini-triathalon. I ran, swam and biked regularly. I enjoyed being active. I played volleyball and racquetball weekly. I got married went on birth control pills and gained 20 pounds. 9 months after tying the knot I was pregnant (went off the pill after I gained the 20 pounds). I gained 40 pounds when pregnant and lost 30 of it. Three years later, #2 child came along. I gained 40 pounds and lost 30 of it. So if you're keeping score after child 2 I was 40 pounds heavier than on my wedding day. Two years after #2 comes #3 and I am diligent to keep in shape and gain as little weight as possible. I succeed but the weight doesn't come off so easily. It's now 12 years later, a #4 came along and I'm the same weight I was when I was nine months pregnant with #3.

I've done Atkins, South Beach, Vegetarian, Blood Type, Weigh-Down Workshop and No S diets. I've thought about Weight Watchers buit never felt strong enough to weigh myself it front of others. I've exercised by running, biking swimming, Nordic Track, racquetball, walking, Power 90, pilates, yoga, Curves and Leslie Sansone (current exercise of choice).

I was convinced my thyroid was wacked because it took me 18 months to lose 14 pounds while religiously exercising at Curves - everyday, except Sundays. I've been walking 4-6 miles a day (5-6 days a week) for over a year now. I've lost --- nothing! My eating happens have gotten - - better. I limit sweets, most of the time, to weekends. I don't snack. So why am I not the one in those magazine articles testifying how I walked and they weight "melted away"? I don't know but I think my story is typical and probably it would encourage others and myself to know we are all typical.

So on Day One - December 13, 2008 I begin I food intake and exercise diary for the world to see.

Breakfast
1 C. Oatmeal
2 t. brown sugar
1/3 C. non fat milk
2 C. coffee
1/4 C. whole milk

Lunch
1 1/2 pieces veggie/chicken pizza
2 chocolate kisses
1 candy cane

Dinner
2 pieces bread
1 ounce monterey jack
2 1/2 C. Chicken broth with 6 matzo balls

Exercise
Leslie Sansone 6 miles walking at 12.6 miles/hour