On Food and Calories
So, I suppose I should probably save some of this for my end of the month goals wrap up, but since it doesn't have a whole lot to do with my actual goals (I need to go back and read those!) I think it's okay to update ya'll on what's going on with me in the dietary area of my life.
Because ya'll so wanna know that.
Well, for one thing, I told myself at the beginning of the month that I wouldn't step on the scale for the month of February. My goals are more of the fitness type, right? And I'm not actively trying to lose weight. The scale is just makin' me feel bad.
Right. Well, that's the story but you all know better than to think that I'm not in the back of my mind thinking, "Screw heart health. I just wanna get skinny!" So, I cheated twice this month and hopped (not literally) on the scale. No. Stinkin'. Change. (Or so I thought. According to the last recording of my weight, I actually lost 2 lbs over the past three weeks. But still...not impressive.) Can you say frustrating?
Aerobic walking 2 miles (thirty minutes) each day, guzzling protein shakes and all I've got to show for it is the fact that I can almost breath during the third (and most torturous) quarter of Leslie Sansone's "Gentle Walk?" Which is sort of actually getting me closer to my actual goal but somehow breathing isn't quite as satisfying as pounds lost.
But I digress.
Even if my goal isn't a certain amount of weight lost, I've been walking regularly and guzzling shakes for almost two months with very little (and fluctuating) change, weight-wise. I've been mulling over it for the past several days, wondering what's up with my body, what I can do differently, what might be causing the standstill, etc.
Of course there's the hypothyroidism that hates me and hates to let go of pounds. That's a factor. But Daddy has had hypothyroidism for YEARS and when he decides to drop a few pounds he gives up sweets for a couple of weeks and the pounds melt off. Or they did before the leukemia. (Bloat and lack of energy=slow weightloss, I think.)
So while hypothyroidism is something to consider, I know that can't be all it. Then it occurred to me that perhaps I'm not getting enough calories throughout the day. Or not the right kind of calories. I mean, in all honesty (and I've said this before) the shakes were not for weightloss purposes but more for gastrointestinal issues I'd started having back in the fall. But maybe they weren't such a good idea weightwise since I'd added exercise back into the equation? Something to consider, anyway. Your body needs fuel when your activity levels increase and if you're mostly drinking your calories your body might hold on to extra fat stores because it thinks you're starving. (Does that make any sense at all? I swear I'm not making it up. I've read it several places over the years.)
With that in mind, I sat down with Mama's old GI pamphlet about proper eating and smart carb ratio choices (it's geared towards diabetics of which I'm not yet one but is a good dietary guideline for all peeps) and figured out a menu of sorts to help me get necessary calories from actual food sources that might be mild on my tummy and provide a balanced diet. And I remembered how satisfying that salad sandwich combo had been at that place last week. It wasn't a huge portion but it was a happy lunch. Yummy salad with equally yummy and small sandwich. So, for now, I've tabled the protein shakes in lieu of a small salad--mostly greens with pepperocini (mild pickled peppers), bacon bits (the real kind--a tablespoon), parm cheese and low fat dressing--and a half sandwich on whole grain bread with one slice cheese, tomato, onion and a lean deli meat. This week it's 97% fat free roast beef. Next week I'm thinking of roasting a chicken and using that for the meat. I may also have a meatless sammy some days. All that with water to drink is a satisfying lunch (that I can chew!!), with mild, fresh ingredients coming in at just over 300 calories. That's opposed to the pre-protein shake lunches of microwaved convenience meals that came in at around 400 calories and sat like a lump on my stomach making me feel sick.
Why didn't I think of this salad/sammy combo AGES ago? I mean, really. How simple is a salad and a sandwich? Admittedly it was a little pricy on the start-up costs because I had to buy all the salad components but now that I have stuff like dressing, bacon bits and parm cheese (the canned kind--I know! All the foodies in the world want to tar and feather me!) for the next several weeks all I should have to buy is the salad itself. Even the jar of pepperocini should last me a while. And I may add things like mushrooms (they were all gross in the store this week) or carrots, cucumbers, etc. The occasional boiled egg, maybe. You know, play around with the veggy combos so I won't get bored. And sometimes the sammy might get switched out for soup. I've seen some healthy versions of soups lately that look good and sound easy enough to cook.
Also, I've always staunchly hated, loathed and despised low fat ranch dressing. Refused to eat a salad at all if low fat ranch was my only dressing option. However, several months ago, Sis2 fixed us salads at her house and she had an expensive brand (Hidden Valley) in low fat and snuck it in on me. And it was good! So when purchasing my dressing Saturday, I knew it had to be something low fat or light to make the salad thing really healthy but I knew the store brand was gross. So I took the leap and bought some name brand. Not Hidden Valley because it was woah! out of my budget. I opted for Wishbone instead. And it's actually pretty yummy. And low cal, low fat and with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese (40 calories!) it's extra special.
Another thing I'm working towards in this fit to get healthy...I realize that there are a lot of added calories in my life that I can't always taste. Like grated full fat cheddar in a salad or chili...I can't ever taste it in the either one but it's still adding 120-200 calories! That's why the Parmesan cheese in my salads--it tastes phenomenal in a salad for minimal calories. I'll save the fatty cheddar for when I can really taste it...by the slice! ;-) Also, sour cream--I often put it in chili but the chili tastes just as good without it. So why add those extra calories? (Even though I've always used fat free sour cream...) You know, little stuff like that. If I'm not going to taste and enjoy it or it's not going to enhance the taste of my meals, it's getting left out.
As for breakfast, this week that is a 6oz smoothie made from those frozen Yoplait smoothie pouches blended with skim milk, a slice of whole grain toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter lightly drizzled with orange blossom honey. (BTW, have ya'll ever tried Orange Blossom Honey as opposed to Clover Honey?? I hadn't until this weekend when I FINALLY found a small bottle in our grocery story. Sis2 and A both swore it was so much better than Clover Honey so of course when I found it, I had to try it and they were right. It's got a lighter, sweeter flavor than the clover honey and isn't near as strong. I love it. Fingers crossed the supercenter doesn't stop carrying it.) Breakfast rounds out to just under 400 calories.
With whole unsalted almonds for morning snack (80 calories worth and heart healthy!), water throughout the day and a light supper (lean meat+veggies--roasted or pan roasted/sauteed) I should come in alright with a little wiggle room for the occasional splurge on a coffee. Occasional meaning once a week or once every OTHER week. Hoping to wean myself off those.
My only problem right now is limiting myself to the Lindor truffles in my cabinet. They call my name so persistently. hehehe Once they're gone, though, they're gone for good. No more. Until the next time someone who loves me give me chocolate.
And now that I've bored ya'll with all my food and calorie talk I'll leave ya'll with this...
I ate raw onions for lunch. Doncha wanna come sit by me and have a nice chat? ;-)
Because ya'll so wanna know that.
Well, for one thing, I told myself at the beginning of the month that I wouldn't step on the scale for the month of February. My goals are more of the fitness type, right? And I'm not actively trying to lose weight. The scale is just makin' me feel bad.
Right. Well, that's the story but you all know better than to think that I'm not in the back of my mind thinking, "Screw heart health. I just wanna get skinny!" So, I cheated twice this month and hopped (not literally) on the scale. No. Stinkin'. Change. (Or so I thought. According to the last recording of my weight, I actually lost 2 lbs over the past three weeks. But still...not impressive.) Can you say frustrating?
Aerobic walking 2 miles (thirty minutes) each day, guzzling protein shakes and all I've got to show for it is the fact that I can almost breath during the third (and most torturous) quarter of Leslie Sansone's "Gentle Walk?" Which is sort of actually getting me closer to my actual goal but somehow breathing isn't quite as satisfying as pounds lost.
But I digress.
Even if my goal isn't a certain amount of weight lost, I've been walking regularly and guzzling shakes for almost two months with very little (and fluctuating) change, weight-wise. I've been mulling over it for the past several days, wondering what's up with my body, what I can do differently, what might be causing the standstill, etc.
Of course there's the hypothyroidism that hates me and hates to let go of pounds. That's a factor. But Daddy has had hypothyroidism for YEARS and when he decides to drop a few pounds he gives up sweets for a couple of weeks and the pounds melt off. Or they did before the leukemia. (Bloat and lack of energy=slow weightloss, I think.)
So while hypothyroidism is something to consider, I know that can't be all it. Then it occurred to me that perhaps I'm not getting enough calories throughout the day. Or not the right kind of calories. I mean, in all honesty (and I've said this before) the shakes were not for weightloss purposes but more for gastrointestinal issues I'd started having back in the fall. But maybe they weren't such a good idea weightwise since I'd added exercise back into the equation? Something to consider, anyway. Your body needs fuel when your activity levels increase and if you're mostly drinking your calories your body might hold on to extra fat stores because it thinks you're starving. (Does that make any sense at all? I swear I'm not making it up. I've read it several places over the years.)
With that in mind, I sat down with Mama's old GI pamphlet about proper eating and smart carb ratio choices (it's geared towards diabetics of which I'm not yet one but is a good dietary guideline for all peeps) and figured out a menu of sorts to help me get necessary calories from actual food sources that might be mild on my tummy and provide a balanced diet. And I remembered how satisfying that salad sandwich combo had been at that place last week. It wasn't a huge portion but it was a happy lunch. Yummy salad with equally yummy and small sandwich. So, for now, I've tabled the protein shakes in lieu of a small salad--mostly greens with pepperocini (mild pickled peppers), bacon bits (the real kind--a tablespoon), parm cheese and low fat dressing--and a half sandwich on whole grain bread with one slice cheese, tomato, onion and a lean deli meat. This week it's 97% fat free roast beef. Next week I'm thinking of roasting a chicken and using that for the meat. I may also have a meatless sammy some days. All that with water to drink is a satisfying lunch (that I can chew!!), with mild, fresh ingredients coming in at just over 300 calories. That's opposed to the pre-protein shake lunches of microwaved convenience meals that came in at around 400 calories and sat like a lump on my stomach making me feel sick.
Why didn't I think of this salad/sammy combo AGES ago? I mean, really. How simple is a salad and a sandwich? Admittedly it was a little pricy on the start-up costs because I had to buy all the salad components but now that I have stuff like dressing, bacon bits and parm cheese (the canned kind--I know! All the foodies in the world want to tar and feather me!) for the next several weeks all I should have to buy is the salad itself. Even the jar of pepperocini should last me a while. And I may add things like mushrooms (they were all gross in the store this week) or carrots, cucumbers, etc. The occasional boiled egg, maybe. You know, play around with the veggy combos so I won't get bored. And sometimes the sammy might get switched out for soup. I've seen some healthy versions of soups lately that look good and sound easy enough to cook.
Also, I've always staunchly hated, loathed and despised low fat ranch dressing. Refused to eat a salad at all if low fat ranch was my only dressing option. However, several months ago, Sis2 fixed us salads at her house and she had an expensive brand (Hidden Valley) in low fat and snuck it in on me. And it was good! So when purchasing my dressing Saturday, I knew it had to be something low fat or light to make the salad thing really healthy but I knew the store brand was gross. So I took the leap and bought some name brand. Not Hidden Valley because it was woah! out of my budget. I opted for Wishbone instead. And it's actually pretty yummy. And low cal, low fat and with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese (40 calories!) it's extra special.
Another thing I'm working towards in this fit to get healthy...I realize that there are a lot of added calories in my life that I can't always taste. Like grated full fat cheddar in a salad or chili...I can't ever taste it in the either one but it's still adding 120-200 calories! That's why the Parmesan cheese in my salads--it tastes phenomenal in a salad for minimal calories. I'll save the fatty cheddar for when I can really taste it...by the slice! ;-) Also, sour cream--I often put it in chili but the chili tastes just as good without it. So why add those extra calories? (Even though I've always used fat free sour cream...) You know, little stuff like that. If I'm not going to taste and enjoy it or it's not going to enhance the taste of my meals, it's getting left out.
As for breakfast, this week that is a 6oz smoothie made from those frozen Yoplait smoothie pouches blended with skim milk, a slice of whole grain toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter lightly drizzled with orange blossom honey. (BTW, have ya'll ever tried Orange Blossom Honey as opposed to Clover Honey?? I hadn't until this weekend when I FINALLY found a small bottle in our grocery story. Sis2 and A both swore it was so much better than Clover Honey so of course when I found it, I had to try it and they were right. It's got a lighter, sweeter flavor than the clover honey and isn't near as strong. I love it. Fingers crossed the supercenter doesn't stop carrying it.) Breakfast rounds out to just under 400 calories.
With whole unsalted almonds for morning snack (80 calories worth and heart healthy!), water throughout the day and a light supper (lean meat+veggies--roasted or pan roasted/sauteed) I should come in alright with a little wiggle room for the occasional splurge on a coffee. Occasional meaning once a week or once every OTHER week. Hoping to wean myself off those.
My only problem right now is limiting myself to the Lindor truffles in my cabinet. They call my name so persistently. hehehe Once they're gone, though, they're gone for good. No more. Until the next time someone who loves me give me chocolate.
And now that I've bored ya'll with all my food and calorie talk I'll leave ya'll with this...
I ate raw onions for lunch. Doncha wanna come sit by me and have a nice chat? ;-)
Comments
I'm excited for you. When you think of how much muscle you've had to have gained to increase your walks and you know that muscle weighs more than fat, you've probably lost some in inches instead of pounds. Are your clothes fitting looser?
Whenever my scale isn't moving, I do the clothes check. My mom, who measured herself has better reassurance, but the clothes check works! Also, you can vary 2-3 pounds in just water weight, so think back if you've had a lot of sodium in the last two days.
And personally, a food diary helps me.
You really are doing amazing things! I just wish I had your dedication to the exercise...
I know I should eat more salads, but I don't like the stuff most people put on theirs, including tomato, green pepper, mushrooms, cucumber, onion, radishes and dressing of any kind.
Which basically leaves me with lettuce, carrots, black olives, cheese, hard boiled egg, bacon bits, and turkey/chicken/ham. I also like pineapple on mine.
Jen~Yay! I'm relieved that my dietary goals seem on par with your successful program. :)
But sadly, no, my clothes still fit the same. Measurements, too. In fact, I seem to have gained an inch in my waiste. :-(
I have been sort of keeping a food diary. More of a motivational thing where I keep track of what days I walked or didn't walk. What days I feel I ate beyond what I needed to. That sort of thing.
Heather~So, wait. No dressing on salads?? Just strait up dry veggies/protein? Wow.I'm equally impressed and appalled. lol
I wish I didn't need the dressing but I'm a total dressing ho. The only thing that makes a salad worth it to me is the dressing, cheese and bacon bits. :-D
Also, I totally love all that other stuff you mentioned...boiled egg, black olives, chicken/turkey/ham...Eggs and olives will be on my toppings rotation. And now that you've mentioned it, pineapple's going on the list, too! YUM.
I have found that red wine vinegar, just the vinegar is really good! Surprisingly and also a freshly squeezed lemon is as well.