Main Blog Updated: Making a Strategy for The Weekend Temptations in a Week of Cravings...until my Uber Food Poise Mojo Returns...Making a Strategy for The Weekend Temptations in a Week of Cravings...until my Uber Food Poise Mojo Returns...

Making a Strategy for The Weekend Temptations in a Week of Cravings...until my Uber Food Poise Mojo Returns...

New Blog Updated: Face the Truth Friday (Also Day 4 of SofDDDY): Feel Great, Eating On Plan, but Up From Salty and Carby Choices and maybe Hormonal Blippiness...and Learning to Love the Agua! (Food Log included)

Please update your links/follows. Thanks:

Face the Truth Friday (Also Day 4 of SofDDDY): Feel Great, Eating On Plan, but Up From Salty and Carby Choices and maybe Hormonal Blippiness...and Learning to Love the Agua! (Food Log included)

The Post Anime Convention Cheese-Freak 2nd Summer Slimmin' Weigh-In

Last Sunday: 265.2

Today: 263.2

Loss this week: 2 lbs

I like the downward trajectory. And I know it's a solid loss, cause I ate semi-poorly yesterday and gave in to salt again in the form of way too much parmesan cheese. I mean, I think I had like a cup of the stuff, shredded. I'm serious. Explanation to follow:

It's been busy. So much so, I didn't log my food yesterday, cause I wasn't HOME yesterday. Gone all day to an anime convention. I consider the hours of walking around as exercise. Hah!

Food choices there were iffy, and I did not behave saintly. But I didn't act the way I would have were I NOT at least trying not to go hog wild. Seriously.

I ended up having half a burger (hubby got other half) and had salad TWICE, with super salty dressing and cheese.  A lot of cheese. At least a cup of shredded parmesan. And yes, I caved to croutons. For dessert, I had a melon cup (it was the only fresh fruit available.) But I no danishes, muffins, cakes, chocolate, or the cheesy nachos that were ubiquitous as the Japanese packaged snacks. The only junk food item I had was 3 1/2  sticks of strawberry Pocky (Z and Midori know what that is, right?), while my hubby polished off the rest of the box.

On the drive home around 11:30pm, I had a raging pizza craving, and hubby and I almost went to a local joint that stays open late and has really popular NY style. But then I said, "No, let's go home," and I assuaged my remaining hunger with a a saute of four veggies and 4 oz of ground beef.  And sugar-free jello.

The lowest I'd gotten to this week was 262.4, which had made me squeal like a schoolgirl. I intend to see that number again this week, and wave goodbye to it.

Water, except for yesterday, was good. Exercised 3 days (last week 2 days). Logged faithfully EVERY BITE, except yesterday. Was okay with encouraging.

So, that's the SS update.

I hope my challenge momentum isn't affected by a medication switch-up.
The doctor is altering my thyroid regimen at my request--I want to add in Cytomel, so she'll be reducing the dosage of Levoyxl--which means I may have some thyroid level wackiness while we get to the best dosage for me. I hope I don't fall out of range (my optimum range is very narrow and I can start feeling crappy and gaining weight pretty easily). I just want to try this and see if it improves my mood issues and memory issues.


Okay, so a pretty decent week, if not perfect.

Gearing Up for a New, Healthier Year--while fighting depressive onset

I had a nice weigh-in Monday: 264.2 A new low.

But I'm also mentally fighting off the clear onset of a depressive episode. I have sensed something off for about a month (notice I'm not posting much, either). I felt draggy, but my thyroid check showed it was totally fine. I was sleeping more and more and avoiding activities. I didn't even do my holiday cards this year. My bills piled up and, though I had plenty in the checking account to pay them, I kept putting of paying them cause I felt...totally lacking in motivation to do ANYTHING. I barely made it through the holidays without totally bumming out. But I didn't feel great holiday cheer, despite a really nice family gathering with roast pig and the Cuban-American works.

Since Christmas, all I wanna do is sleep. I'm in total avoidance mode. I can feel the blanket coming over my spirit. Sucks.

Sometimes, whatever weird mechanism is involved in this physiology of mine that's made me have recurring episodes of depression since I was, er, about nine years old, well, sometimes it just short circuits and I return to feeling okay, which is why I try to rule out other stuff before I think, "Ah, the blue funk is coming on."

I'm hoping for a big crash and return to normal. Two years without depression has been very, very nice. I want to start the year joyful, not like a limp rag.

I finally told hubby yesterday to get cracking on praying for my mood. I didn't want to worry him, but even he's noticed I'm not quite bubbly and I'm not waking up until well past sundown. And the place is getting to critical clutter mass, cause I can't be bothered to put stuff away.

On the diet side, it was going decently, if not zippily (holding and a little loss, holding and a little loss). But depression makes me less active and makes me want endless supplies of serotonin-inducing carbs. I have been this way for almost two weeks, fighting off (or not fighting off) the endless desire for farina, macaroni, grits, toast, cookies, mashed potatoes, chips, fries (and I so rarely eat those, but I've had them 3 times this month)...anything to churn carbs into my system.

I don't want to lose ground, not in weight and not in happiness. I've had a happy year and I want a happier New Year.

I'm thinking positive. I'm gonna focus on the good and work had to get my body to refuse this round of blues. I will, I will, I will.

I WILL...have a healthy and "lighter" New Year.
I WILL...see great things to come. I WILL.

And I will wish a healthy and Happy New Year for everyone. May it be so...

Impromptu, Organic Substitute for "Chunky Bar"--all healthful stuff with yummy taste!

I was doing great foodwise today. Had no overt cravings until about a half hour ago. I was eating small meals, watching my F/Vs and nutrients, counting calories.

After dinner, I still had a few hundred calories to use, so I thought I'd have some more fruit, maybe a treat.

But a bit ago, I got this urge for a CHUNKY. Now, I remember I had a CHUNKY craving around early October and after a bite, I threw it away. It didn't taste as good as I remembered. It didn't taste chocolatey enough and it tasted too sugary.

That memory didn't stop me from wanting one.

So, I scrounged around in my kitchen for:

1. organic, unsalted peanut butter that I got from a local farm
2. organic Thompson raisins
3. organic raw cocoa powder

I smooshed a couple teaspoons of peanut butter, a teaspoon of raw cacao powder, and tossed in some raisins to my taste--about 12. I stirred it up and I'm eating it off the spoon. Under 120 calories.

It's not pretty visually, but the flavor is AMAZING. Using quality ingredients makes a difference. The burst of the flavor combo on my tongue is delightful. It's got a CHUNKY vibe, but better--more chocolatey, more nutty, more raisiny. And this is much more healthful than a candy bar--all the components are good for me, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no bad oils, heart-healthy fat, minerals, vitamins.

But for my craving tongue, the most important part is: Ahhhh. Yum.

I'm sure there are all sorts of ways to make this prettier and tastier, but for something that is treating the craving without falling into a candy stupor, I can't complain.

Schizo Eating: KFC Tender Grilled is Nummy and VEGGIEMUNN Corn and Leek Chowder is amazing!

I had lunch for breakfast (went to bed at 7 am and slept until 11:30 am). I woke up with a KFC craving. So, I got dressed and went and bought the white meat tender grilled chicken. I had cole slaw, mashies, and three green bean sides with that. Yeah, 3 green bean sides. I have to admit, I like their grilled chicken better than the fried. I remember when they previously had--years ago--tender roast (which was the one my hubby used to get). That didn't last. Once they stopped carrying the roast chicken, hubby didn't want it, so we avoided KFC. For years, we didn't go to KFC but, maybe, once in a blue moon when I got the urge for some fried chicken and biscuits.

We still don't eat there often. Just got this weird craving. So, there ya go. I'll probably bloat.

To make up for a fast food breakfast, I had a raw lunch. An organic apple with organic peanut butter, an apple-raisin cookie, strawberries. The cookies are sort of a square-shaped, moist melange of sunflower seeds, dates, raisins, bananas, vanilla, agave, walnuts, cinnamon, and, natch, apples. I ordered them fresh-made, delivered Monday by VEGGIEMUNN, a raw food purveyor in South Florida. If you're gonna have cookies, these are wholesome--and whole. And really tasty. Sort of like an apple-banana bread, really, but flatter and chewier. :D

I gotta give kudos to VEGGIEMUNN for killer yummy raw corn and leek chowder. This is one of my fave soups they make (along with the pear watercress and the asparagus). The raw barley and mushroom is okay, and I got several this week for the barley fill-er-up and fiber properties and the earthy mushroom allure, but now I wish I had gotten a half dozen of the corn and leek. Amazing. Beautiful green color, lovely daikon sprouts on top, creamy, delicious. Here are the ingredients: sprouted sunflower seeds, corn, leek, avocado, agave, coriander, parsley, kelp.

I will be having the mushroom/barley raw soup and the raw plantain pie for dinner. (In case you're curious, the plantain pie's ingredients are ripe plantains, nut cheese & tomatoes, Macadamia Nuts, Cashews, Bragg'S, Lemon Juice, Italian seasoning, basil, garlic. The mushroom barley soup has sprouted barley, shiitake mushroom, white mellow miso, fresh herbs, cold pressed olive oil.)

As you can see, I'm not a totally consistent eater. Certainly, I"m not a raw foodie. But I like having regular vegetarian meals and I enjoy the occasional raw meal. I am a particular fan of some vegan raw soups and desserts. Miami is hot most of the time and cool fruity or veggie-ey soups are very delightful when one is prone to perspire when going outdoors.

What I've Been Craving, Eating, Cooking...

BREAKFAST:
I've been making my egg white Greek omelets for breakfast. Lotsa protein, can have up to three veggies (depending on mood and size), and is amazing with fresh oregano and fresh cracked pepper.

Easy as can be, too: I use liquid egg whites (organic) and I use a pan depending on how much veggie I'm in the mood for. If I want to make it normal, with just feta, tomato, and oregano on top, I use a 7 inch skillet. I spray it with Olive Oil organic PAM, pour the egg white, let it cook on one side, flip the circle to cook on the other (I don't fold it), and then immediately put the feta I want on top (to get melty from the hot cooked side of eggs).

Next, I heat the tomato I chop up in the nuker for about 50 seconds. I like the tomato hot, not mushy. While it nukes, I pull the leaves off the fresh oregano. (If there is none fresh, I use dried, and just sprinkle it on the feta after I put it over the eggs.)

Once the egg whites are cooked the way I like (some like it crispier and cook longer), I put it on a plate, put the tomato pieces on top, and grind some pepper on top. If I'm in a splurgy mood, I drizzle EVOO on top (mmmmm).

One of my fave breakfasts.

Other veggies I like to add--spinach, red and green pepper, onions, olives.

FRUIT:
I've been craving papaya. Fresh, cut into chunks, some lime squeezed on top. It's just so fresh and satisfying and it's great for aiding digestion.

I've also been craving and cooking a bunch of sauteed spinach with garlic and EVOO. I dunno why I'm having this particular craving, but it's easy enough to saute this up in minutes and have a lovely snack or side dish.

Clementines! Oh, I'm mad for them right now.

SNACK:
Fage 2% yogurt with cherry topping on the side. This just hits my yogurt spot like mad.

DESSERT:
Homemade apple compote with frozen lowfat yogurt~~~This is a nice dessert that's easy and my husband enjoys, too. You get calcium, not a lot of fat, and the compote can be made sugar-free or with brown sugar, your choice. I slice up a good cooking apple, like Granny Smith, put it in a sauce pot (small one) with a touch of water (depends on how much "juice" you like)and lots of ground cinnamon. I also add some sort of sweetener (Splenda, usually, or brown sugar or honey), and, after it's come to a boil, I just let it cook on low heat until it's a texture I like. (Not very long, for me, about 10 mins).

Spoon over frozen yogurt (vanilla is our choice). Voila, simple dessert that's not bad for you and is bursting with fresh apple flavor. We had this last night. MMMmmmm.

I also like to get those low-calorie crepes they sell already cooked at the supermarket (less than 50 calories each), and fill them with a mixture of low or non-fat cottage cheese (or low-fat ricotta) and a berry compote (or the apple one). That makes for a high calcium, low-fat dessert that gives a serving of fruit, some fiber, and not a lot of damage in the calories dept. (about 200 calories, more or less, depending on how much the crepe is and how much cottage cheese or ricotta you use and which fat % is the dairy product selected).

~~~

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Saw Ellie Krieger make these Zucchini Parmesan Crisps on tv a few weeks ago. They looked really good.

Tonight, got a craving for something cheesy with supper, so I decided--given I had the items on hand: parmesan cheese, organic zucchini, EVOO, salt, pepper, bread crumbs--that I'd make them and satisfy that cheesy urge and get a veggie besides.

They're baking now. Can't wait...MMMmmmm.

Looks like they're about 2 points for a half-cup serving, for you WW gals. Would be less sans the bread crumbs. One can always fiddle with these simple recipes. I bet they'd be fine with just a slight misting of EVOO and sprinkling of parmesan and spices. If you try them, let me know whaddya think or if you tweaked the recipe.

Off to finish with supper prep.

~~

Mal's Cobb Salad Has Me Salivating

Ack, I ate crap today. Been craving salty crap, sweet crap, crap.

So, I went browsing to find healthy food ideas to get my mind out of the crapper. :)

Tina of CarrotsnCake.com left a comment, so I dropped by. (Hey, congrats on the upcoming nuptials!) At her site, I came across a recipe for Mal's Cobb Salad.

Oooh. Now, I have a craving! MMMmmmmm. Some of my fave fats and proteins--egg, chicken breast, avocado, bacon. (I really like the Applegate Farms Sunday Pork Bacon, though I keep it to a rare treat, given it's, well, BACON!) I guess I'll get the fixings this weekend and make some.

So, for those of you who like Cobb salads, too--and why wouldn't you? Nummy!-- drop by and get the low-down on how to make your own, including the dressing recipe. This is low-carb friendly, even!

Overeating Ogre: OHHHHHHHHHHH!

It's the hardest day yet since I began the eating plan/restarted the diet.

The cravings were intense after lunch. Really awful. It was like this insanity that takes over. Stomach refuses to be appeased. Blood and hormones and whatever aren't getting the message to the brain.

Sucks.

No, chews. And chews.

So, here's the deal:

I ate well yesterday. Lots of fruit, veggies, lean protein. Tons of water. But: I ate less than I targeted for. I skipped supper. (This last is very key, I realize now. Take note.)

I woke up ravenous.

Fine. I had my food delivered early from Healthier Choices to Go. Had eggs and baked plantains. Protein and potassium rich fruit (veggie?).

Three hours later. Ravenous again. Had a slice of egg-white and spinach frittata with low-fat mozzarella. That didn't do it. Had a high-protein, low-fat waffle with applesauce.

Okay, two hours later I was wondering WHEN THE HELL WAS I GONNA EAT LUNCH?????

Managed to hold off another hour. Just barely. I was getting really cranky. Had my low-fat chicken breast and veggie pizza. Had organic green vegetable juice.

Nope. That didn't do it. Not even close. Wanted something totally salty and totally crispy and totally CRAP. Thinking chips. Thinking nachos. Thinking fritos. Thinking junk. Fighting it. Fighting it.

And I caved: Had a snack size bag EACH of Doritos and Cheetos from the hurricane supply tub. (Next year, I will plan a helluva lot better for the hurricane supplies. Yeesh.)

Still hungry. Still craving. Ready to eat yet more junk. Stopped. Horrified. Terrified. Ashamed. Insane. Thoughts incoherent. Then....sanity gleams.

Thought of alternative...

Had orange.

No. Stomach is still wailing, "Feed me!" Bloodstream is still vibrating with longing.

Decide to have something with lotsa filling fiber. (Yes, yes, should have thought of this FIRST.) Had a vitalicious vitatop. Mmmm. Chocolate. 6 grams of fiber. 100 calories. ONE WW POINT.

Nope. Stomach still screeching at me. Nasty things. Mean things. Horrible gurgly things. Got another vitatop thinking "Fiber. If I can only get enough fiber. The hunger pangs will stop!" Had some skim milk to chase the muffin top.

Yes. Yes. Finally. The screeching is a mere whine. I get on the phone with my sister. Another half hour later...all is calm.

Well, I've been full for two hours now.

I'm at the top, the limit of my self-imposed, allowable calorie count for a day. So, I have to decide if I will have a normal, low-calorie, healthful meal for supper and just call it a day with a caloric overload and move on, or just not eat for the rest of the day, calories used up.

I'm gonna wait and see how I feel in 90 minutes. If I'm not hungry, I'll call it a day with too much salt and some crap (and the bloat that will ensue tomorrow!) If I'm hungry, I'll have a light meal and go to bed as soon as I've digested so I don't get noshing urges.

I guess the honeymoon is over and the total fight has begun. My body has noticed that I was very close to losing 10 pounds (where I generally start getting that "I'm hungry" backlash). But I'm not giving up. The Gobbling Goblin and the Overeating Ogre are in for a long string of fights. I will get the upper hand.

I forgive myself. All is Forgiven. I'm moving on. :) Thanks, Our Lady of Weight Loss.

I do need to write down a card with a binge-stopping set of strategies. I didn't try everything. I didn't go out and just breathe in the sunlight. I didn't walk a block or two. I didn't find a craft or cleaning chore to do. I didn't sing. I didn't meditate. I didn't even pray. (I'm ashamed to say that, good religious gal that I am.)

I just panicked at having such an attack of hunger pangs. And a bit pissed at my body.

And I noticed one important thing: I tend to get crazy the day AFTER I miss a dinner or eat too few calories (ie, fewer than 1600). Notice this post. I got those chips and salsa binge urges the day after I had a low-eating day.

Now, I have a crazy-ass hunger attack the day after I miss supper. (I went to bed early. Left my veggie-burger pasta salad untouched.)

But, I forgive myself. I'm moving on. All...is...forgiven.

So, the Overeating Ogre and the Gobbling Goblin have both been at my house today. Blast the two of them!

How are you doing? Are you holding on? Are you feeling calm? Are you having urges?

Do better than I did. Try things I didn't in the midst of my food attack panic. Calm down. Walk. Dance. Sing. Pray. Meditate. Take a nap. Ask a friend to talk you down. Drink a quart of water.

Be good to yourself.

Later...

Gobbling Goblin Lurks: Man, I'm Hungry!

For the first time since I restarted my eating plan, I feel very, very, very HUNGRY.

I don't think I ate enough yesterday, so I'm paying for it. Or maybe it's hormonal. Or maybe it's just...a mystery.

Whatever. Time to deal with it.

I had a high-protein SECOND breakfast (it's too early for lunch, so it's really breakfast number two) with some fiber just now in the hope that it will quell the persistent sense of emptiness: a cup of high-protein oatmeal and a small slice of egg-white and vegetable frittata. We're talking about 270 calories, but a solid dose of protein and some healthy fiber.

I'll go guzzle water and make some tea. Maybe by the time I'm done sipping my second cup, I won't have this head-buzzing, body-aggravating sense of a hole in my gut wanting to be filled up and up and up....

I'm also gonna go pray. If you're a praying sort, throw one up for me. I do NOT want to ruin my progress with a binge.

Thanks.

Fighting the good fight! (And it's tough.)

Goal Update: Good News, Bad News

Well, I didn't get my wish:

280.5

I had hoped to crack 280. Got close. No cigar. Sorta-Bummer.

However, there's some good news in the bad:

I did write down and sorta stop a binge. (Take that, you Gobbling Goblin!)

Yes, this is actually good news. After TEN DAYS of eating at or below (even some days way below) my points (calorie) limit, I got the binge urge. I got it BAD.

I tried to fight it off with water.
I tried to fight it off with some veggies.
I tried to fight it off by self-talk of the cheerleading sort.
I tried to fight it off by putting on a cool movie.
I tried to fight it off by flipping through a health magazine.

But no. I had to have it. Chips, salty and fried corn chips from the Mexican place, and fresh salsa.

So, I had it.

But I didn't have all that I would normally have had.

I counted out a one point size serving of chips. (Four chips) I ate that.
I wanted more.
I counted out another serving. Ate that.
Wanted more.
Counted out another serving. Ate it. Counted out a fourth. Ate it.

Then, I stopped... and wrote it in my journal.

This is another good thing.

In the past, many times, when I ate something I felt I shouldn't, or I hadn't planned for, or was "junky", I'd be embarrassed to jot it down, reluctant to jot it down, and then I wouldn't. And then I'd just really go on a food attack. I mean, hey, if I'm not writing it, why not?

Well, I wrote it. I wrote down the four points. And I wrote down the one point for the coconut water chaser that I drank to balance the horrible quantities of salt I'd just ingested.

All, told, 5 points.

Now, that's not a full-fledged binge. I was able to stop before I ate the whole bag of chips and the whole container of salsa. (Take that, Gobbling Goblin!) I didn't have 10 points. Or more. I had 5. Maybe six if the salsa had a bit of oil, but it felt very clean (ie, fat free).

5 points is something like 250 to 300 calories. That's one of my mini-meals for the day. So, I wrote it down.

I wrote it down.

I was accountable.

I put the brake on the insanity.

Strategy: I will try to--um, scratch that. I WILL be good for all my remaining meals. If I stay--scratch that, too--I WILL STAY within points, so that I will have not done much damage, except for the salt, which will surely show up on the scale. Salt always does!

Bloating sucks.

It would behoove me to stay off the scale tomorrow, or the number might totally depress me. I know how much damage a salt bonanza can do. It can get mighty ugly on that scale.

So, I'll weigh myself Tuesday. (If I can resist the Monday call of the digital Tanita.)

Last Sunday I weighed in at 283.5.

I lost 3 pounds as of today. That's a very good week. My goal had been to lose 2 pounds minimum per week. I'm on target.

Goal for this week: Lose two pounds.

Of course, the real weigh-ins are on Wedneday. If I'm at 280.0 on Wednesday, I'd have made goal for that span.

Still, justlooking at where I was last Sunday, and where I am now, that helps. It's progress.

And other goals: Keep writing it down. Keep drinking that water. Keep being accountable. Keep making progress. Learn from mistakes. Take pride in successes.

Onward and downward!

~

Wednesday Weigh-In: The Same After Some Dereliction of Royal Diet Duty-- plus Vitalicious Muffins ...MmMmmMmmmm

Today's scale number: 284.5

The good news: I didn't gain.

The not-that-great news: I didn't lose.

Well, I've been absent for a spell. I have been busy, so my posting has been limited to my main (writing and life) blog. I've had dental woes (finally being solved), and leaky roof woes (not solved yet), and hot weather blues, and hurricane anxiety syndrome (H.A.S.), which is what comes of getting whacked around like a puny bug two years running (2004, 2005), hence the still-damaged building leak thing.

Plus, after being AWOL for 4 months, my period decided to show up. This explains some of the ghastly bloating last week that utterly kept me off the scale.

But, the raging cravings have passed, and I managed to survive the chocolate frenzy with Vitalicious deep chocolate, high-fiber muffins and the occasional Dove dark chocolate individual-sized bites, and not just stick my face straight into a vat of chocolate batter.

This, I take to be good.

I should have known my old and lately unreliable Aunt Menses was coming to visit cause I had the chin zits and the alternating sweet and salt cravings. I so rarely eat potato chips, that when I reached over to eat my hubby's bag o' chips, I should have seen a flashing red light and heard a booming voice hollering, "Warning! Hormonal fluctuations to port, Captatin! Take evasive action." Or to portly, as it may be.

I didn't evade. I ate the darn chips. More to bloat over.

But, I did exercise some care, went to bed a bit hungry a couple of days in the last two weeks, so I didn't regain. And, I'll content myself with that. Maintaining some loss is always better than regaining any loss.

So, how are you, gents and ladies, doing this week. I feel re-energized for the fight after a very unmotivated and cravy couple of weeks. I plan to post daily--for my own good, and certainly, hey, if it helps anyone else, HURRAH!

I hope you did much better than I. And if you slipped, too, ah, forgive yourself. Move on. Always move on in hope.

Anyone else dig those chocolate Vitalicious muffins? (I tried the low-carb ones a couple years ago and thought they were DREADFUL! Never ordered again until last month, when I thought, well, Hungry Girl loves em, and maybe the regular ones are okay. They're very okay. The deep chocolate ones rock for choco-cake cravings. One point for the tops. Twice that for the muffins. That's a WW bargain because the fiber makes it pretty filling! With milk, one top make a great mini-meal (especially if the sweet tooth is gnawing at you.)

Stay away from the low-carb ones, though. Ew.

Here' hoping next week sees a 2-3 lb decrease.