100 Day Challenge - Day 20 - Half Off Special

Just getting this started as I want to get started on the third section of the book - Days 21-30 this week.   I feel like I've been at a standstill for too long and it's time for me to move on.   The chapter on "Half Off Special" is about cutting portions in half...again I see this as something very do-able at a restaurant...and once in a while at home.  In fact, I did this just two nights ago when I had bought butterfly pork chops for dinner.  Not only did I cut them in half, but then even cut the half of the pork chop in half again - which fit in about the palm of my hand.   Even though I don't  have a food scale here at my daughter's home,  it probably ended up to be about 3 oz - and with all the veggies I had and the red skin potatoes,  it made for a very filling (and tasty) dinner!  I also did this for breakfast these past two mornings by giving myself 1/2 of an English muffin, and yesterday, cutting my serving of 3 bacon strips down to 1.5.    I think I do this subconsciously on many occasions as I know intuitively how much food fits into my program.

The assignment in this chapter is to cut portions in half over the next several days and record times I've done this  While I probably won't  be doing this at home  - especially now that I've decided to make an effort to measure  portions - I can certainly see myself doing this when we eat out.   The last time we ate a Chinese restaurant - a few weeks ago when I was still in El Paso - I brought home 2/3 of the portion that was served.   Granted, it was served "family style" on platters - so the portions were large.   However, I noticed that my husband and our friends took about 1/2 of their portions home while I took home considerably more.   Today, we're going out to eat for dinner.  I'll continue this blog when we return - and report on the choices I made and whether or not I did the "half off special" assignment.

Entry to be continued....

My choices at the restaurant tonight were:   1/2 serving of grilled chicken, apple and veggie salad (also used 1/2 of the dressing);   French Onion Soup  (left the croutons).    I was pleased that I was able to do the "Half Off Special" assignment and the dinner was just right -  both filling and tasty!  I will continue to monitor portions and exercise the "half-off special" strategy in the days to come.

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Revisiting Day 16 -  on Emotional Eating  (or the Nurturing Power of Food)


On Day 16,  which was essentially about "emotional eating",  I mentioned that I would have to revisit this topic as it needed some reflection.      I am now returning to this topic as an incident happened a couple of days ago that made me realize that there are times I do use food to soothe feelings of frustration, etc.   San Antonio is huge - over 1.5 million people and the interstate has many overpasses, "spaghetti-type loops", etc.   On Friday, I had to go into another area of the city which I am not familiar with for a medical appointment.  I had printed out directions to the location, but not directions to return home.   Sure enough I got VERY lost - and, in fact, ended up going around in circles three times, and each time, I returned to the point where I had started...by the third time, I was very frustrated - in fact, I was nearly in tears - why couldn't I figure out how to return home?!   I finally called my husband as he had driven the route several times.    That was my salvation as he is not directionally-challenged as I tend to be!  LOL   I finally got on a road I was familiar with and began recognizing landmarks...and breathed a huge sigh of relief!   However, my first thought was to stop and find something to eat!  While I did feel hungry - I hadn't only eaten yogurt, a 1/2 banana and a small sandwich that day- and it was already after 4 pm. - I know part of it was an emotional reaction to the level of frustration I had felt.   I spent some time going through a list of possible foods I could find in the vicinity of a mall I had stopped at.   Most would have been detrimental to my program - and I was at least determined to "protect my program".   Finally, I found a smoothie shop - and ordered a small "slim and trim" smoothie with protein - about 200 calories and 3 g. fiber.  The smoothie not only filled me up but seemed to relieve some of the anxiety I still felt from feeling so helpless and lost in an unfamiliar city.

What I realized through this incident is there are times that food seems to "soothe" my feelings  - or essentially food sometimes does have a "nurturing power" over me.  It's not something I turn to on a regular basis as I've mentioned before I have used other "outlets" when I'm going through a crisis in my life, or just generally having a "bad day".   I will say that in this particular incident, I should have planned my day better by  eating more "filling" food before leaving for the appointment, or at least have brought a filling snack with me (not to mention printing out directions to return home!)  I would not have had to search "desperately" for something to fill both my hunger and my frayed nerves if I had planned out my day better.   I also will need to address the "emotional aspect" of this incident.   Fortunately, I will be able to do this as the next several topics in the book I am using for this 100 Day Challenge is on emotional eating.   I am now more than ready to address this topic!

100 Day Challenge - Day 19 - All About Portions

It's been nearly a week since I last posted in my journal which was a few days after I arrived here at my daughter's in San Antonio.  I have now been here just over a week. My daughter and her family are going though a very stressful adoption trial, and my time and energy have been completely taken up with babysitting, running errands, and being a support to my daughter and son-in-law.   The stress has been more than palpable in this household.   Has it affected my weight loss journey?   Of course, but not because I've overeaten (except once - as I will discuss in the next paragraph) -  but more because I've not been exercising as much as I had been doing so, and I've not always planned out my meals - which means at times I've eaten 'on the fly' - and have had meals that were not necessarily well thought out.   Most days, however, I've stayed OP  (on my program) and was able to get in three days of walking, averaging 2 miles or more per day.   I am, however,  disappointed that I cannot continue my swimming therapy/exercise while I'm here in San Antonio.   I will need to wait until I return home before I can resume that aspect of my exercise routine.   If all goes well, I should be returning home toward the end of this coming week.   The adoption trial is scheduled to last 5-7 days - which will bring us to the middle of this coming week...of course, it's not possible to actually know the exact day the trial will end.

I have skipped the topics for Day 17 and Day 18 as I've not been able to relate to them very well. Both of them have to do with "throwing away food" or  "leaving food on the plate" - negating the "clean your plate" mandate many of us were raised with.   Since I usually decide ahead of time what portions are adequate  (though not always measuring our portions - which is the topic for Day 19), I don't find it necessary to "throw away food" as is suggested in Linda Spangles' book.  About the only time I find I really need to leave food on my plate is when I go out to restaurants - as often portions are too large.  Or I take food home and make another meal or two of the "leftovers".   I mentioned before that overeating is not usually my problem - even when I have my "trigger foods", I usually eat them in moderation.   This week, was not the case!   I had my #1 trigger food THREE times - a small ice cream cone on Tuesday,  a bowl of frozen yogurt on Wednesday, and on Friday, once scoop of ice cream.    It would have been fine if I had had just the small cone earlier this week and one scoop yesterday.   I would say the bowl of frozen yogurt was "over the top"!   We went to a frozen yogurt place called "Spoon It!" which is self-serve and weighed.  I had the equivalent of probably 3 scoops - with fruit toppings - a large serving indeed!   So this week I over-indulged once...the rest of the week,  I made healthy choices...salads and seafood (steamed or baked),  grilled chicken, lots of veggies, egg dishes, lots of fruit, etc.

Day 19 is all about measuring portions - something I don't always do as I often "guess-timate" my servings.  I do plan to spend the coming week actually measuring out what I normally serve myself to see if I'm staying within the serving sizes/portions I should be having.   While I'm here at my daughter's,  I won't be able to actually weigh my portions as she doesn't have a  food scale.  I will however use measuring cups, etc.  whenever I can.  I will report the results of actually measuring my portions at the end of the week. I actually chose the image above as sometimes I do eat a great deal of fruit - and I need to truly check as to what one serving of fruit really is.   In the WW program, fruit is supposed to be ZERO points.   However, one needs to not "overdo" the amount of fruit one eats.   Along with the other  foods I'll be measuring, I also need to monitor the amount of fruit I eat daily.

Tomorrow I'll be completing the 2nd decade of days in the 100 Days Challenge.   On Monday, I will be taking a road trip to Austin so I won't be able to blog.   Hopefully, on Tuesday or Wednesday, I'll be starting a new section of the Challenge  i.e.  Days 21-30.


I will end this post by focusing on just today in order to answer the following question:

What did I do today to demonstrate my TOTAL COMMITMENT?


Exercise:   2.5 mile walk, most of it on an incline as  this is truly the Hill Country of Texas!


Food Plan for the day:   Breakfast - 1.5 scrambled eggs w/cheese;  1.5 slices of turkey bacon and 1/2 English Muffin w/Smart Balance;       Lunch - Healthy Choice chicken noodle soup  and 2 tangelos
Snack - Greek yogurt w/honey;   banana      Dinner -  turkey, mixed vegetables and rice soup  (home-made)  and fruit.

100 Days Challenge - Traveling and Staying Focused

I'm not sure when I'm going to pick up again on topics covered in Linda Spangles' book as I've run into some topics that I have not yet been able to relate to. I did a few the "two bite" exercises and the ones when we leave food on our plate when at restaurants - but that was relatively easy to do as  the portions served were too large as they often are in restaurants.  At home (or in my daughter's home where I am now), I decide what portions are adequate for me so throwing away food is not only "wasteful" but unnecessary as well.   So for the time being, I'm "creating" some topics of my own - topics that I consider possible "roadblocks" on my own personal journey.  For this blog entry, I've chosen "Traveling and Staying Focused".  More often than not, I've had problems staying focused on a program while traveling or being away from home.   This time I've been more successful than in the past  as I find myself truly "protecting my program" and more focused than I have before.

I've either stayed under or at my points since we left on Thursday, the 16th - except on the very first day when we were on the road but even then I only went over by a few points. Of course, it's not just about points but also about choosing healthy foods.   It helps that my daughter usually has very healthy menus - and as a diabetic, she counts carbs religiously.   My menus have centered around egg dishes (veggie omelets, scrambled eggs),  veggie salads, chicken breasts (grilled or baked),  and seafood - steamed or grilled. I'm still limiting my snacks to a handful of almonds, fruit and Greek yogurt..  I will end this entry with today's menu only - but it is a fairly typical one.

Exercise has been more of a challenge since it rained for two solid days. Great for Texas since we've had a very bad drought this past year, but not great for walking.  Today was the 1st day we had sunshine and I got in a 2 mile walk - at various inclines as we are in the Texas Hill Country!   : )    I do miss that I cannot continue my swimming therapy/exercise while I'm here.

I did struggle a bit today as our younger foster granddaughter had a birthday party - there were ice-cream sundaes with a variety of toppings and heart-shaped sugar cookies.   I did have a small ice-cream sundae (my only sweet dessert this week) - with berry toppings and whipped cream.   I was tempted to eat more but was able to control my cravings for more ice cream  (as I've mentioned before, this is a major trigger food for me).

What did I do today to demonstrate my total commitment ?


Exercise:    A Two-Mile Walk


Todays' Menu:    
Breakfast:   one fiber one blueberry muffin and Greek yogurt
Lunch:  grllled chicken and grilled veggies
Dinner:    baked tilapia and mixed veggies
Snacks   (b-day party) -  small ice cream sundae  (see blog entry)

100 Days Challenge - Day 16 - Continued

I will be moving on to Day 17 later this week, but for now I am still mulling over in my mind the topic I started in Day 16.   The actual topic was "The Nurturing Power of Food".  I modified it to "My Relationship With Food". To be honest, I've not yet come to terms with what that really is.  I know I enjoy eating some foods, and I do have "trigger foods" - foods that I enjoy so much that I do have to restrict the amount I take to a healthy amount.   But I'm not sure if I have an emotional attachment to food or if I simply do not always stay focused on what I need to do to be healthy.   I've actually been practicing healthy eating for the last several years which is why I was able to maintain my initial loss of 40 pounds for several years.  However, I gained several pounds between October - December for a number of reasons which I discussed earlier.  I also experienced considerable knee pain which is why I retired in the "middle" of the school year rather than wait for the end of the school year (not a "biggie" in high school since we have a whole new roster each semester).

Since I started this Challenge about three weeks ago, I've lost 3.5 pounds - about a pound per week- and lost inches as my clothes are fitting better.  I'm also feeling much stronger since I've started exercising regularly - a combination of swimming laps and walking.  My knee pain has not been completely eliminated yet but it has been greatly reduced.  I'm making good food choices and rarely going over my "points"  (another way of counting calories) and following a "clean eating" program - lots of veggies and fruit and mostly seafood and chicken.   I eat what's described as "healthy carbs"  and "healthy oils".    For example, my food plan today consisted of:   Breakfast - oatmeal;   Lunch - slice of ham and mushrooms quiche and a spinach salad;   Dinner - tuna mixed with cucumbers and salsa on a large veggie salad w/dried cranberries and walnuts w/light balsamic dressing.  I've also eaten lots of mixed fruit.  My snack consisted of:  Greek yogurt (plain) with honey and berries, and two pieces of dark chocolate.  This is a fairly typical menu for me so I can say that I've greatly tempered whatever my "relationship" with food has been by practicing healthy eating habits.

I've also taken on a "Do It Anyway!' attitude with exercise as it has often been my downfall.  Eating healthy needs to be combined with MOVEMENT.   That is something I've not always adhered to.   I think that has been the number one reason I've not lost weight.  I know some people lose weight without exercising - I'm not one of them.   I have to add exercise to my repertoire.  In any case, it's not negotiable since I'm also trying to strengthen my legs.     Today, I got in the most laps I ever have - a total of 54 lengths of the pool  (27 laps).  My goal is about 32 laps which is a mile, and I'm not that far from reaching it.

Tomorrow we leave on a road trip to Central Texas.  We will be eating out - breakfast will be a low calorie one at Denny's before we leave;  lunch will be a 6 inch Subway sandwich and fruit and dinner - I'm not sure yet as we'll be in Fredericksburg.   By Friday afternoon, we'll be at our final destination - my daughter's home in San Antonio.  There, staying on my program will be easy as she usually cooks very healthy meals.

I will need to take a couple days off from blogging since we'll be traveling but I expect to  get back to it by the weekend.   Hopefully with mindful eating, I'll not venture too far off from my program while eating out.   I'm also going to do an exercise from Day 17 which should work out fine since most restaurants serve way too much food anyway.

Here it is:

The clean-your-plate rule is one of the hardest ones for most people to break. Here’s a new way to look at those old rules around cleaning your plate: Every time you eat food your body doesn’t need, you are wasting it!

ASSIGNMENT:   

Throw some food away. It can be a tiny amount or a large amount. Remember, by wasting it into the garbage, you’re not wasting it into yourself. Write down what you threw away.     


Note:  I will take a small notebook with me and write down what I eat and don't eat from my plate for each meal during our road trip.  This should help keep me focused.

Since I have already answered the question in my blog on how I demonstrated my total commitment, I will end my blog here for tonight.   For those of you reading this who are traveling on this journey with me -   Happy Traveling!   I'll be back on my journey with all of you in a few days!  

100 Days Challenge - Day 16- My Relationship with Food

"I am not a glutton. I am an explorer of food." – Erma Bombeck

I am having some problems relating to the topic in Day 16 - the Nurturing Power of Food. I think the only "power" that food has over me is I enjoy eating some foods too much!  I'm not one who turns to food for emotional comfort.  I do, however, fall back into mindless eating at times when I get too busy  - this is when I lose focus.  There have been a number of periods in my life when I simply did not pay attention to what I ate, or I relied on fast food simply because it was easier than planning out healthy meals. It's not that I turn to food to comfort me; it's more that I stop paying attention to what I'm eating when my mind is preoccupied - or I simply get lazy.  One of the reasons I think blogging is a great way to record my journey is because it keep me focused and staying focused is and has always been my biggest challenge.

I am a very spiritual person so my "comfort" during traumatic times in my life have mostly been spiritual in nature - spiritual readings, meditation, listening to spiritual music, etc.  Other times,  I've kept a personal journal.   When I need time to myself, the first thing I do is turn to is reading or writing.

My relationship with food is simply that I truly ENJOY eating.  I love going out to restaurants and trying out different foods - my favorites are seafood and international cuisine.  However, I've not delved much into gourmet cooking.  I did learn Turkish cuisine when I was a young woman living in Turkey - and it is a time-consuming type of cooking as everything is made from scratch.  I enjoyed cooking during those years as I often cooked with other women - usually my former mother-in-law and sisters-in-law.  They taught me the right way to prepare Turkish cuisine.   I also enjoy cooking with my husband.  Now that I'm retired, I would like to spend more time experimenting with recipes  - perhaps even revive some of the Turkish recipes I used to prepare.

I do plan to continue the "two bite exercise" in the days to come, especially since I'll be taking a road trip which means we will be eating out.  I can limit what I put on my plate at home but when I eat out, I need to use will power to decide when I've had enough as often portions served in restaurants are large.   I will continue recording what I eat and practice mindful eating whether or not I have time to blog.

What did I today to demonstrate total commitment?
I swam laps for 45 minutes today.

I was able to keep at my points.   My menu today consisted of:   Breakfast - Fiber One cereal with unsweetened Almond Milk and a banana;   Lunch - beef and barley soup and mixed fruit;   Dinner - one slice of home-made ham, cheese and mushroom quiche and a spinach salad w/tomatoes, cucumbers, celery and olives with ff dressing.   Snacks: fruit and almonds; one piece of dark chocolate

100 Days Challenge - Day 15 - First Two Bites

The two bite exercise required more preparation than any other exercise/assignment to date.  Decisions had to be made such as which foods I would use in the exercise and what would be the best times.   I've been fortunate to be able to share this journey with other bloggers/friends,  particularly Miriam and we both spent quite a lot of time discussing the aspects of this exercise prior to the actual event.   Others who have gone through this challenge also gave their input and/or shared their perspective.  It is clear that the topics covered in the 100 Days Challenge do not relate to everyone which is why each of us responds to each topic in our own unique way.  Another reason is we are all at different stages in our journey and some of us have already overcome some of the "roadblocks" we've encountered while other have not.  Not surprisingly, with 100 different weight loss topics  - one for each day of the Challenge - all topics do not relate to everyone in the same way.

I actually began the exercise on Friday at a Chinese restaurant my husband and I had planned to have dinner at with friends.   Often, when there's a group of people, appetizers are ordered and I do sometimes go overboard if they're enticing enough.   I happen to like foods that are creamy and sweet  (think ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake, etc).  Miriam had suggested I order Fried Crab Ragoons which are made with cream cheese.  I followed her suggestion.  Remember that no matter how many pieces came in the appetizer, I was going to try to limit myself to just TWO bites!   It came with six ragoons.  I had one  and enjoyed it but realized that since I've untrained myself to eat fried foods, it wasn't a huge challenge to leave it at one.

On Saturday, I continued the two bite exercise with a Dove chocolate bar - dark chocolate so it wasn't completely unhealthy!  : )    I was able to limit myself to two small pieces and leave the rest - though I did take time to savor each piece.  As I do sometimes have dark chocolate in the house which I'm able to limit to one or two pieces per day... that, too, did not prove to me a huge challenge.

I began to wonder if the exercise was going to be a challenge or if it was going to be a futile exercise for me.  However, I had eaten two foods which were not "trigger foods" even though I enjoy dark chocolate immensely!  My third "two bite" exercise was going to be today (Sunday) and I had decided to do it with frozen yogurt - upon which I would drizzle chocolate syrup.   I had decided that I would have it after lunch in the mid-afternoon for a snack.  I placed three scoops of frozen yogurt in a bowl and drizzled it with chocolate syrup, just as I had planned.  I had the first spoonful - savored the sweet creaminess, already looking forward to the second spoonful!   Then I had the second spoonful, which I also savored.  However, I did not stop there - I took two more spoonfuls before I finally stopped myself and threw the rest away - which I did reluctantly.  Ice cream or frozen yogurt for me are HUGE trigger foods - thus here was the real challenge!   The exercise was not futile after all - but not surprisingly it's only a challenge for me when I have trigger foods in front of me.   I am not a binge eater, but at times, I will eat larger portions than I need if it's something on my "trigger list".  

I've decided this is an exercise that needs to be repeated.  Eventually, I would like to be able to stop at two bites, no matter what is placed in front of me.   This will take practice.   I'm not worried about over-eating as I am committed to my journey.  However, I would like to reduce the number of bites I take before it registers in my mind that I've had a "taste" and that's all I truly need.   I guess I could say that I was semi-successful in that I ended up eating about a third of the frozen yogurt I served myself- i.e. about once scoop (probably a cup or less).   Truthfully, a cup of frozen yogurt is a treat which fits into my "boundaries" - as long as I only have it from time to time so it isn't anything I need to cut out of my food plan entirely.  I just need to not go overboard!

Now on to "the question", which must be answered for both Saturday and Sunday:

What did I do to demonstrate my TOTAL COMMITMENT?
Saturday, Feb. 11
I walked 3 miles in 52 minutes.   I did have to motivate myself to do so with the "Do It Anyway!"  mantra - one that I often use but I'm happy to say that it works!  : )   Saturday was DAY FIVE of exercise for this week.   I finally met my weekly goal!!

My food plan consisted of:   Breakfast - 2 buckwheat blueberry pancakes and 2 links of turkey sausage with a bowl of fresh fruit ;  Lunch - leftover stir-fried chicken and vegetables (from the Chinese restaurant - with the relatively small serving I had at the restaurant on Friday evening, I was able to bring home 2 more meals);   Dinner - beef and barley soup with lots of vegetables.  Snacks included Greek yogurt and berries,  a banana, and a slice of high fiber bread with peanut butter and 2 pieces of dark chocolate. I went over my points today by 4 points but got in quite a few activity points.  It's the second day this week that I went over my daily points by less than 5 points.

Sunday, Feb. 12
No exercise today.

My food plan consisted of:  Breakfast - Fiber One cereal with no sugar 40 calorie Almond Breeze and banana;   Lunch - the last serving of stir-fried chicken and vegetables;  Dinner - a large salad with veggies, feta cheese, olives and tuna with a tsp of lite mayo and ff dressing.  Snacks have been mixed fruit and a few almonds - along with the four spoonfuls of frozen yogurt.   I stayed under my points today.

100 Days Challenge - Day 13 and 14 - Foods and Flavors

The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor.  

~Chinese Proverb

The topics of Day 13  (basically, don't skip meals!) and Day 14 (never skip breakfast) are not problems I can relate to, so I'm going to discuss other food-related topics.    Okay,  maybe Day 13's topic IS a problem once in a while - when I get very involved in a project, I sometimes forget the time, and before I know it, I'm two or three hours past the lunch hour.   However,  I've become more conscientious of spacing out my meals since Day 11 when I started writing down the times of my meals.  I actually decided to do this on my own as I realized that I was eating my mid-day meal haphazardly.   This has more to do with setting up a personal routine as a recent retiree  as in the past, my lunch schedule was "dictated" to me via my teaching schedule.    Breakfast and dinner, however, are two meals I never skip!   

One problem that has cropped up has more to do with figuring out the quantity I should eat as I've added a significant amount of aerobic exercise to my day.  Last night I felt hungry right before bedtime - even though I had eaten what I thought was a hearty dinner - beef and barley soup filled with veggies and a spinach salad.   However, I had gotten in a full hour of swimming - nearly non-stop!   I now need to decide not only how much to eat but also what to eat on the days I swim -  adding more protein and carbs on those days may be the solution.  I don't think I will need to modify my eating habits when I alternate my days with walking as it doesn't require as much exertion as swimming.  

Tonight, we are going to our favorite Chinese restaurant - which is why I chose today's quote.   Another reason is because I am beginning a  "two-bite experiment" which is actually the topic for Day 15 (tomorrow).   What this entails is the following:   With any food that you love, eat the first two bites very slowly, noticing details such as the cinnamon in the apple pie or the soft caramel swirl in the cheesecake. Allow yourself to completely absorb the texture and flavor of the food. After you finish those two bites, decide if you truly need more.    The theory here is we receive the gratification of whichever food we view as "trigger foods"  within the first two bites; then we need to ask ourselves whether we truly NEED to eat the rest of it.   

Tonight, I will begin this experiment at the Chinese restaurant.  This is not a buffet - it is a sit-down restaurant - and generally what people do is order something different so that all dishes can be shared.   I'm not sure which food item I will be using to do the "two-bite experiment" - it depends on what is ordered.    Tomorrow I will do the same - but with some of my true "trigger foods" - ice cream and chocolate!  I will evaluate my "two bite" exercise in tomorrow's blog.

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What did I do Thursday and today (Friday) to demonstrate my TOTAL COMMITMENT?


I've stayed under my points (calories) each day so I've done well on my food plan.  


I also got in a full hour of lap swimming on  Thursday, and have gone up to 5/6 of a mile.    Today (Friday)  I took the day off from exercise - after going for four days straight.  I've averaged an hour of exercise each day which for me is a huge change from the past.  This week I will get in five or six days of exercise which is easily double what my weekly exercise routines used to be.    

100 Days Challenge - Day 12- Fuel or Filler?

"Strength does not come from winning.
Your struggles develop your strength.When you go through hardship
and decide not to surrender, that is strength."  - Anonymous

 In view of yesterday's sharing of some of my personal struggles, I've chosen the above quote to begin today's blog.   My weight loss journey has been a life-long journey - and at times, a real struggle due, in part, to the health ramifications of carrying around more weight than my 5'2" frame should be carrying.   I've already had two knee surgeries (arthroscopic) due to meniscus tears. I am working hard to strengthen my legs in order to postpone or possibly even eliminate the need for knee replacement - or if it cannot be avoided, than at least losing poundage and strengthening my limbs will assist during the post-opt recovery period.   The point of the above quote is to not give up...to not surrender to laziness...to keep one's eye on the "goal" whatever that may be.   

 The topic for Day 12 is a continuation of Day 11 - about the food we take in daily.   Yesterday, we discussed the two purposes of food.   I also took on the task of recording daily the times that I eat and what impact each meal has on my energy level - since I already have an actual food tracker on the WW website.  Today, it takes us a step further - asking us to decide whether the foods we eat at each meal (and snacks in between) are "fuel" (energy-giving foods) or merely "fillers"  (basically "empty" calories).   This is right down my alley - as yesterday, I "gave in" to an urge to eat "something sweet" - and downed a generous serving of frozen yogurt with a tsp or so of Baileys!   Not the worst thing I could have eaten, but certainly more sugar than I needed!  Today, I've eaten more conscientiously  (called "mindful eating" as opposed to "mindless eating".   Planning ahead is what prevents mindless eating - and what caused my falling off the wagon yesterday was UNplanned eating!   

So today I'm going to write down what I ate and evaluate each as either "fuel" or just a "filler":

Breakfast :   my husband invited me to breakfast at I-HOP - not the best choice but I know a few menu items which are edible.  I ordered from the "Simple and Fit" menu (under 600 calories).  I ate one of the two Healthy Grains pancake (w/blueberries and a few slices of banana) and fat-free scrambled eggs - which probably came out to 400 calories rather than 600.   The meal included protein (eggs),  carbs (healthy grain pancake) and fruit.  I had coffee and creamer as well - probably another 50 or 60 calories.    Not so much a filler breakfast as "fuel" due to the mindful selections.   Now if I had had one of the berry crepes drenched in whipped cream which  I-HOP is known for - that would have a "filler", but certainly not "fuel"!   : )

Lunch:  6" Subway sandwich  (turkey breast/no cheese) on 9 grain wheat with lots of veggies - including spinach rather than lettuce.   Good choice -  a "fuel" rather than a "filler"

Dinner:  96% home-made fat-free hamburger (no bun);   grilled squash and red potato   - again "fuel"!  

Snacks:  fruit  (3 tangelo;  grapes); about 7 almonds

In all, I can say that I did make healthy selections which translates to "mindful eating".

The above also  partly answers the question I ask myself each day:  What did I do today to demonstrate my TOTAL COMMITMENT?

The other part  to the above question is did I move my body today - and I'm happy to say that this is the 3rd day in a row I've gotten in significant exercise!   Today was a 2.2 mile walk in 34 minutes  (less than 17 min. per mile) with my husband. I am thrilled that he is joining me on each of my walks now!  : )   I also got in another mile of leisurely walking while shopping today.   

100 Day Challenge - Day 11 - Two Purposes of Food

Health is the soul that animates all the enjoyments of life, which fade and are tasteless without it.        - William Temple

I found this quote which fits right into a discussion of "the flavors of life" - i.e. food!  I envy those who are truly talented in their culinary creations.  The art of cooking is an area of my life I've not fully addressed - except in "rare" instances when I do come upon a recipe that interests me.   I make a trademark quiche of several varieties which everyone enjoys and have a handful of other recipes I do fairly well. Oh- and I make awesome salads! : )   I am married to a man who enjoys cooking and I've allowed him to all but take over the kitchen - especially once he retired and I was still teaching. One of my goals in retirement is to become more experimental in the kitchen and increase my rather limited repertoire of culinary dishes!       

Yet there was a time when I spent hours in the kitchen and cooked EVERYTHING from scratch!  That was during the eight years I lived in Turkey - but then that's what everyone did there.  Wonderful fresh market vegetables stuffed with ground lamb, grilled meats, stews, cold dishes drizzled with olive oil, home-made yogurt, yummy pastries, both sweet and savory, etc.   Then I returned to the States and life got harder as a few years later I became a single mom.  Raising two children, teaching full-time and working on my graduate degree left me exhausted (those were also NOT my healthy years - found out later that I was hypoglycemic).   So I took shortcuts when it came to cooking.  Or stopped at a fast food place.  Or ordered in pizza.  My weight increase was proportionate to my bad eating habits, and no doubt so were my health problems.  Fortunately, the 'hard times' have been over for some time now  and I've incorporated healthier habits into my life.

Day 11 is all about food - in fact, it appears that the next several chapters are about the same topic.  However, Day 11 speaks specifically about the purposes of food:  (1) to fuel our bodies and (2) to appreciate flavorsI  I enjoy good,  flavorful food.   I have also adopted a healthful way of eating - most of the time.  However,  I do have moments when I cave into my "food triggers" - for me, that would be ice cream, French bread and pastries, to name a few...

The assignment we have been given is to write down our foods  (I already do this in my WW food journal).  However, we are to consider how we feel after each meal - are we energized by the food we eat - or not?  Since our body needs "fuel", it makes sense that WHAT, HOW MUCH, and HOW MANY TIMES a day we eat will make a difference to our level of energy.  I have certainly experienced this since I've retired.  While I eat breakfast almost as soon as I wake up - usually between 7 and 8,  I sometimes put off lunch until 2 or 3 in the afternoon - and by that time, I'm famished!  When I was in school, our lunch time was set for us. This chapter has made me realize I need to be more conscientious of not waiting too many hours before I give in to hunger pangs, and pace out my meals better.  

I resolve to use my Endnote electronic notebook to write down the TIMES I eat and how I feel after each meal.  I will report back here in my journal in a week to evaluate the assignment and discuss what I learned from it.

Now...time for THE QUESTION:

What did I do today to demonstrate my TOTAL COMMITMENT?

1. I actually did my exercise today willingly!   Not only that, but I spent an entire hour of swimming and reached a number of laps at the pool that I never have before!!  I'm now swimming about 5/6 of a mile...almost at that mile marker!  

2.  I ate a little less mindfully today than usual.  My breakfast was a small bowl of oatmeal;  Lunch was a turkey and cheese sandwich on high fiber ww bread and Greek yogurt with strawberries;   Dinner was a HUGE salad with veggies, apples, pecans, and feta cheese w/pomegranate viniagrette dressing.

But then came the SNACKS - 1 cup + of no added sugar frozen yogurt w/a tsp. of Bailey's  (yes, a treat!), about 10 almonds, and a slice of bread w/peanut butter.   More snacks of a higher caloric nature than usual for sure - but the hour in the pool was what brought on a "hunger attack"....need to prepare better for that in the future.

And so as my friend, Elaine, says (and I paraphrase)  "We dust ourselves off... and we keep right on keeping on...."   : )

100 Days Challenge - Weekend and Overview of the first 10 Days

Weekend Events:  Feb. 4 and 5

I'm finally getting back to blogging after having taking a weekend trip up to the mountains in Ruidoso with my husband - a nice retreat for us as well as a chance to see a wonderful musical concert put on by the Texas Tenors http://thetexastenors.com/  at the beautiful and ultra-modern Spencer Theater which is set in the Sierra Madre mountains- and what a fantastic concert it was! ( note: they won America's Got Talent a couple of years ago)

Traveling is always a challenge - therefore I will answer the all-important question:

What did I do this weekend to demonstrate my TOTAL commitment?
Since we didn't leave town until around noon on Saturday,  my husband and I decided to return to the park and do another 2 mile walk.  


I kept my "boundaries" in mind during most of the weekend.  On our way up to the mountains, we stopped at Subway for lunch (about the only "fast food" restaurant we ever go to) - and I ordered the chicken noodle soup and oven-roasted chicken sandwich on 9 grain wheat bread.  In Ruidoso, we ate at the Cattle Baron Steakhouse where I chose a 6 oz. filet mignon and steamed veggies.  I also made good choices at the salad bar - all veggies and just a drizzle of honey mustard dressing.  After the concert,  my husband invited me to have dessert at Denny's:   I chose an apple pie a la mode - which was a splurge but one I chose to do as I am allowing myself the occasional dessert or sweet.  I actually left most of the pie crust and ate the apples and ice cream!  :)    


The next morning we ate breakfast at the hotel - eggs, a low-fat yogurt, and a banana. I did cave and got a danish - a splurge I did not need - especially having had the one the night before.  :(  We got home in time for lunch - a bowl of Healthy Choice soup and 3 small tangelos.  For dinner, I had baked tilapia and veggies.  Snacks were greek yogurt with a sprinkling of granola, and a few almonds.   


Monday, February 6 - Overview of first 10 Days

While I started this challenge exactly two weeks ago, I have reflected and journaled only up to Day 10.  As stated earlier, some topics require a bit more reflection.  I will be starting the 2nd set of TEN days tomorrow, but before doing so, I want to summarize as well as reflect on what has taken place the last two weeks/or 1st Ten Days of this Challenge.

In the first ten chapters,  I adopted several "mantras" from Linda's book into my journey. I shall list them below and explain how each has affected the journey I have undertaken:

1.  Total Commitment - which is why I end each blog with the question which asks how I demonstrated total commitment.   It is essential - and the #1 reason we don't succeed in our program - whichever program that may be.   


2.  Set up Boundaries and Protect My Program - we need to take ownership of our "program" and one way to do this is to set up our own boundaries based on what works for each of us.  Once those boundaries have been set,  it's up to me to "protect" those boundaries no matter what!


3.  Do It Anyway! - a great mantra for me as I often do well on my food plan but get very lazy when it comes to exercise.   When I start putting off my exercise, this is the mantra I turn to - and it works!   Of course, without the commitment, it would be easy to keep making excuses to not exercise.  


4.  I CAN DO IT!  -   i.e. believing in myself and focusing on positive thoughts rather than negative ones.   The best is to not let the scale dictate how the program is going...KNOW when I am doing the right things, and keep right on going!    


5.  Count my Blessings!  -  I am blessed with friends and family who have been very supportive.  I did not have to teach anyone how to be supportive  (Ch. 9) as so many had already offered their support - my spouse, my children, my siblings and friends.  I am so thankful for without them, this journey would be so much more difficult.  


I will end today's entry with my daily question:

What did I do today to demonstrate my total commitment?
Though I had to remind myself of the "Do It Anyway!" mantra - I overcame my procrastination and walked 2.8 miles in 47 minutes.

My food plan consisted of:  two slices high fiber, low calorie bread w/1 TBS peanut butter for Breakfast;    omelet w/veggies and feta for Lunch;  small baked pork cutlet with veggies for Dinner.   Snacks included fruit and Greek yogurt.

100 Days Challenge - Day 8 & 9- Surrounded by Love and Support

I'm combining Day 8 & Day 9 as the topics are so interconnected:  the importance of the support we receive  from our family and friends, and how to ask for the right kind of support.  As I already mentioned in Day 7, I am very blessed to be surrounded with the support of my family - my spouse, my children and my siblings (especially my sisters), and, of course, my friends.  All have offered support and cheered me on - which, in turn, is so appreciated and so motivating!  Just today, my friend, Beth, mentioned in our DWLZ (Dotti's Weight Loss Zone) forum that she has been inspired by my journey, including this blog and challenge, which, in turn, has influenced her to add the book and the challenge to her own journey.  There has been such a ripple effect!  I started this challenge because I was influenced and inspired by Miriam as well as Jan and Elaine.  All of us are already linked through our friendship and comraderie on our forum on DWLZ and are accustomed to offering each other support when needed.  Now others are being inspired by this blog and the 100 Day Challenge - including my daughter and husband.   In fact, my daughter posted this on my blog just yesterday:   Keep going, keep going! Imagine life not stuck in a wheelchair or with a walker in the future, that is what you are saving your self from!,,,I am very much not blessed with time. Any ideas for me? : )


As have many of us, I've been on - and off -a journey to good health for years - no, make that decades!  But  the spirit with which I've undertaken this particular path in my journey has been filled with more enthusiasm and energy than ever before!  Having said that, I still have my "good days" and "not-so-good days".   Today, I started the day on shaky grounds as I had a very bad digestion problem which caused me to take several trips to the bathroom throughout the entire morning.   There went my plans to go to the pool!   When I finally felt "stable" enough to leave the house, I had a medical appt  (mammogram), and some errands to run.  I got home around 4 p.m. and was about to dis any kind of exercise.  Then I read Beth's post as I mentioned above - and knew immediately that I could not possibly be a good inspiration if I "gave up" today on my intentions to exercise.   That would be essentially also giving up on myself - as my daughter truthfully stated,  I need to imagine my life not stuck in a wheelchair or with a walker - as that's a very real scenario due to my weak knees.    How I take care of my body now will have huge consequences - or rewards - down the road.   So, thanks to Beth's post, I decided to sign off the computer, and do my 2 mile walk.   Did I mention a ripple effect?   My husband asked if he could go with me as he felt he needed to get back into a walking routine with me!  So we went to the park and had a very exhilarating 30 minute walk together!   Yay!!!!!!!!!   I guess this is not just about the support I'm receiving from so many, but also the support I'm able to pass on to others.  When we inspire others who are on the same life journey we are on, the reciprocal boost we receive is equally motivating!   : )

I will end my blog this evening with the all important question:

What did I do today to demonstrate my TOTAL commitment?
I think the answer to this is obvious - I protected my program by not giving up on myself!  But I also recognize the fact that I am not doing this alone.   I have the love and support of so many - family and friends.   When I need to be picked up, they are truly there for me and for that I am extremely grateful.   A heartfelt THANKS to all of you for helping me along this journey!   My journey would be so much more difficult without you!  


My food plan also went well today:   Breakfast - ff egg omelet w/salsa, 1/2 avocado and feta cheese w/2 high fiber toast and Smart Balance;   frozen yogurt with lots of fruit for Lunch;  and a  huge veggie salad with apples, pecans, dried cranberries, and 1/2 avocado with viniagrette dressing for Dinner.   

100 Days Challenge - Day 7 - I Can Do It!

This photo is the one that I think best expresses my "can-do" attitude.  Just as the girl in the picture is appearing to do,   I am indeed embracing this journey!  While I don't expect to be on a natural high every day, I am finding that I'm having more days of feeling energized, stronger, and fitter.  Amazing what one week of being totally committed can do to one's spirits!   I do feel extremely fortunate that I now have the time to devote to my journey.   Not only am I blessed with time,  but with support from family and friends, unlimited resources  (thanks to the internet!), and my faith and determination!   I do believe what  I'm doing is the best thing I can possibly do for myself.  I have a family who worries about my health so improving my health will not only be a gift to myself but a gift to them as well!

Day Seven is all about believing in oneself and being one's own cheerleader.  How can I possibly succeed if I don't believe in myself?   Linda Spangle suggests repeating self-affirmation phrases several times a day.  However, what is even more affirming to me is the DOING not just the TALKING.   Every time I make a decision that is good for my journey - whether it be pre-planning my meals, eating healthy foods, accomplishing my exercise goals, or even blogging - I feel good about myself for doing what I know will help me be successful on my journey.

The Bible says: “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well” (3 John 1:2).   So very true!   I believe our body, mind and soul are interconnected,  so it's no wonder that aside from the obvious physical changes, there are intangible  changes  taking place within my spirit and my entire being as well.   I can honestly say that barring any medical crisis, I can and will continue this journey - it is after all a life-long journey!


What did I do today to demonstrate my TOTAL commitment?
Today,  I got in about an hour at the pool:  45 minutes of lap swimming and 10 minutes of water aerobics.   I did have to push myself but I took on the "Do It Anyway" attitude of Day 3 of this challenge.   As soon as I got to the pool,  I realized I was in my element - picking up speed and getting in another 3/4 of a mile.  


My meals were well balanced:   Breakfast - high fiber cereal with almond milk and a banana;  Lunch - salmon patty with lots of steamed veggies and tangelos;   Dinner - an omelet with turkey cold cuts, 1/2 avocado, a sprinkling of cheese with 2 high fiber toasts. I also had a small glass of light orange juice.   My snack consisted of Greek yogurt and honey with 1/4 cup of natural granola.