Weight Loss for Dummies

Parent Cafe
2461

<p>I think I did pretty well. Got on the scales this a.m. and was only up a few ounces fr. pre-Thanksgiving weight. For lunch I ate the turkey, green beans,broccoli salad and butternut squash.<br>
For dessert, I had fruit that was mixed with sugar free pudding to create kind of a glaze when mixed in with the juice from the pineapple. Did not eat the corn, yeast rolls, stuffing or apple pie.<br>
Then for dinner I had half of a turkey sandwich with sugar snap peas and hummus on the side followed by a little of the fruit mix, a few almonds and a cup of fat free yogurt. With just DH and our two S’s here it wasn’t too hard. </p>

<p>I foresee Christmas with lots more relatives in the mix being a little tougher. Oh well, three whole weeks before I have to tackle that one (our extended family gathering is the weekend before Christmas).</p>

2462

<p>I ate as I pleased. Red wine, Roast chicken, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, grilled radicchio with blue cheese, roast butternut squash, roast brussel sprouts with lemon and pancetta, fried brown rice with lap cheong, an assortment of Whole Foods cupcakes and petits fours. I took a bite from each one. And won’t go near the scales for a couple of days:).</p>

2463

<p>I also ate what I pleased but small helpings and was only up 0.2 lb this morning on the Wii Fit - a normal daily fluctuation - so am quite relieved (I was prepared to be up a pound or two). SIL noticed my new body almost immediately and was very complimentary so yay.</p>

<p>My self-indulgent day started with my interpretation of The Original Pancake House’s 49’er Flapjacks - a great favorite of the whole family. I had a small leftover salad for lunch. Then for the feast itself I started with a few crackers and cranberry brie, then took moderate portions of: </p>

<p>Cider-Glazed Brined Turkey with Apple Brandy Gravy (the Trader Joe’s brined turkey was great)
Apple Challah stuffing
Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Hazelnut Brown Butter
Lawry’s Creamed Corn (Chicagoans might be familiar)
(skipped my husband’s Green Beans Almondine)
and a medium slice of the bakery’s Pumpkin-shaped Cake with chocolate chips, Grand Marnier, and marzipan icing</p>

<p>Also a glass of wine.</p>

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<p>All else aside, you sound like fantastic cooks!!!</p>

2465

<p>We had an “heirloom turkey” that scared us because it was very anatomically real. There were still a few feathers and the carcass just looked like a real bird somehow. I made DH handle it. It cooked quickly, I guess because of less fat. We stuffed with cornbread/celery/onion/apple, slathered with olive oil and salt. It was a really pretty crisp golden color and quite yummy.</p>

<p>I made gravy the day before with turkey wings and felt very smug about that. Needed a little salt at the table but turned out well.</p>

<p>The rest pretty standard for us. The pumpkin pie with vodka pie crust was good but still not like my mom’s pie crust which was more like a really delicate croissant with a zillion flaky layers. </p>

<p>The huge hit was the Bourbon Balls from the WLFD thread. OMG. Deadly and delicious.</p>

2466

<p>I didn’t go near the scale. Figured that was a good idea. BUT I did not have the rolls or desserts. But I could NOT pass on the delicious appetizers. It will be what it will be. BUT the favorite and second favorite jeans still fit :)</p>

2467

<p>I didn’t know that one could grill raddichio…</p>

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<p>From what I’ve read, you can grill anything if you really want to! But this one seems to be fairly common nowadays (not that I’ve ever tried it):</p>

<p>[Grilled</a> radicchio - MayoClinic.com](<a href=“http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00319]Grilled”>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00319)</p>

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<p>Confession - grilled radicchio sounded better than it tasted. Probably because I broiled it instead of grilling:).</p>

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<p>I was intrigued by the grilled radicchio, too, and was going to ask for the recipe using blue cheese - sorry to hear that it wasn’t that good! Maybe the Mayo recipe that Marilyn linked is better, as it has a citrus marinade?</p>

<p>A friend on WW told me that she took a huge (1 Kilo!) gift tin of cookies to the food pantry - said that at WW they call things like that “letting the devil into your house.” I think that’s a good mental image. I make a distinction between commercial baked goods in huge quantities and home-made special occasion desserts made with good ingredients. A small serving of the latter, once in a while, fits into my new lifelong eating plan, the former does not.</p>

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<p>I am not getting on the scale for at least a week! I ate lots of carbs. I see the major problem with hosting Thanksgiving (it was my first time) is that most of the leftovers are in your fridge. I have been having turkey sandwiches, turkey leftover bowls (mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes,stuffing, gravy, turkey all warmed up with a dollop of cranberry). It it all delicious but my stomach has felt overfull and I know I have crossed over the line.
But the good thing is I know that tomorrow I can get back on track.</p>

2472

<p>Not only do we have all the Thanksgiving leftovers, but with DS home we’re eating out a lot. As of yesterday a.m. I weighed the same as Wednesday a.m. so I guess my portion control is working. </p>

<p>Friday we went to a burger place for lunch - I had half the bun, about 8 fries, but a chocolate shake. Last night we went Italian - I had some of the carpaccio, Caesar salad, a small piece of bread, and lamp chops with a couple spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, and a bite of DS’s dessert. Today we went for breakfast where I had a third of my brie/apple crepes (they were also supposed to have pecans and grapes but they were out so got my dish comped) and a bite of DS’s chocolate/Nutella pancakes. Tomorrow night we’re going for steak. </p>

<p>Basically I’m eating all the protein I want and watching the carbs carefully but it’s a challenge! If I can just maintain until DS leaves town Wednesday I’ll be delighted. Of course, by then we’ll have both T-day and restaurant leftovers!</p>

2473

<p>Ready to start a true low carb week. Weirdly, I look forward to that!</p>

2474

<p>Ditto to both of the previous posts. Ate out way too much this week and had Thanksgiving at my relatives and then again at my house the next day. Was up a pound yesterday. Bleh! </p>

<p>Tomorrow starts a week of commitment.</p>

2475

<p>Thought I’d post this for any of this threads “lurkers” or regulars!</p>

<p>I hear many people (my co-workers just a few minutes ago!) say, “no need to diet now with the holidays, I’ll get back on track after the holidays”.</p>

<p>No.</p>

<p>NOW is the time to get started on some better eating/exercising patterns! Thanksgiving is past, but the Christmas cookies are a couple of weeks away! For the past few years, THIS time - end of November is when I start my “be well” regime or should I say “be well-er”. </p>

<p>I keep pretty busy spring thru fall between walking the dog 30-45 mins a day, gardening, lawn cutting (about an hour each time) and other outside things. Now it’s getting cold. NOW is when I start my indoor exercise regime! IF I get started before all the holiday treats, I will be much more in control (and confident) when the treats start appearing on plates in front of my face! </p>

<p>I won’t deprive myself, but I can have CONTROL. I can choose a Christmas cookie or two (a few times a week, not twice a day) knowing that I am in control of my intake the rest of the day. I will indulge, but not over indulge and I will feel GOOD about it! Then, come January, I will not be starting a routine, but will be in the midst and in control of a routine and much more likely to keep with it, till spring. </p>

<p>So, today spend my lunchtime in the gym. First day, moderate workout. 25 minutes elliptical, 7 laps on the track (4 walking, 3 jogging). I feel GREAT that I did it. I was tempted not to go and keep working at my desk. I was tempted to just do the elliptical. Instead, I counseled myself and pushed myself to walk the 5 mins here to the gym. Pushed my self to hit 2 more songs on the Ipod to do the laps. It felt WONDERFUL afterwards. That is what you go for - that wonderful after feeling!</p>

<p>I know that was a long post but I felt I could share and WANTED to share with anyone teetering on getting motivated. NOW IS THE TIME!!! Do it for you! It is such a good feeling when you are in control and making your own decisions - eat with your heart and mind, not just your eyes and tummy!!!</p>

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<p>abasket, thanks for reminding me to take a walk before it gets dark! It’s gorgeous out there!</p>

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<p>Excellent advice, Abasket!</p>

<p>If Thanksgiving and Christmas were just two days or even two weekends of celebrating it would be easy, but since goodwill seems to translate into good food, this month is a challenge. </p>

<p>A dear friend (87 yrs old) is an inspired baker. She expresses her love through cookies and pies and it is hard to resist her intentions. I have learned to thank her profusely, eat one delicious sample and then call my hairstylist to ask if she wants my bounty for her shop. She always says yes and I take these goodies to her asap. I don’t tell said friend that I have disposed of her gift, as she is much happier thinking I am enjoying her treats thru the season & I am much slimmer getting the darn things out of my house.</p>

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<p>I bought my self a new new years eve dress and it’s a very fitted one. I am printing out a picture of it and putting it on fridge</p>

<p>I too am of the opinion now is the time to work extra hard instead waiting till holidays are over</p>

<p>I really get sad when I here my friends say I need to do this before I start working out</p>

<p>My h and I when we go out we order one main course and one deserter. We tip fairly. </p>

<p>Nest thing is to set long and short term goals, want to look goodnin that dress for news years, want to have my 5k time down by race in feb…</p>

2479

<p>Hi everyone,
I’m in need of a bit of encouragement here…</p>

<p>I figured with all the free time I had after dropping DD off at college last August (making us empty nesters), that I would get more serious about getting into shape. So, I started using the tiny “fitness room” at work a couple times a week. So I’m now in a fairly regular routine of 3-4 times a week, about 30min on the elliptical, then free weights (biceps/triceps) and weight machine (bench press/pull-downs), or core (crunches/situps, planks, “superman”, etc). I’ve been gradually increasing intensity, and have started doing intervals about once a week. </p>

<p>I’ve noticed that I feel much better, more alert and energetic, and I don’t crave junk food/candy at all. So I’ve been able to pretty much completely cut out chips, fried stuff, and candy, as well as the mid-morning tea (that always seemed to include a cookie), without feeling deprived.</p>

<p>And with all that, I’ve lost a grand total of…NOTHING. Not an ounce. Since I’m one of those who breaks a sweat at the least bit of exercise, you’d think I would have at least dropped some water weight; let alone the changes in my diet. I even thought maybe the scale was broken, somehow stuck showing the same weight, but it seems to record the difference when I grab one of the cats.</p>

<p>I know in the past I’ve been slow to lose weight after starting to work out, I assume in part because of the fat-to-muscle thing, but it’s been almost 3 months so it seems a little ridiculous. I’m not going to stop working out, because I feel so much better, but really? There’s about 20 pounds I could stand to get rid of.</p>

<p>Maybe I’ll just have to settle for not gaining anything over the holidays…</p>

<p>Just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.</p>

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<p>dizzycat, muscle weighs more than fat, so that might be all it is. Do your clothes fit better? I suggest taking a tape measure and getting a baseline. You may also still be eating more than it takes to lose weight. I’d try spending a week recording everything you eat at Livestrong.com (or similar site) and see just how many calories you are typically eating.</p>