Still on hold

I've lost my zeal for calorie counting.

And, not only that, right now I don't have the time to do it.

And, not only that, I am finding that the "delicious" little lunch I was eating every day seems to be as distasteful to look forward as going back on the South Beach was.

I had lost well on the South Beach diet but when I went off of it because of a change in my life, I just couldn't bring myself to go back to the "deprivation" of it. That is why I chose to count calories.

So, now I'm trying to think of something that will get me through the winter -- like that plain ol' sandwich and veggies got me through from July until September. I think it's going to be Progresso soup. I chanced upon some bargains at Kroger and stocked up and find that I am enjoying them in this cooler weather.

Now I've just got to find something to get me through the evenings. I'm working long hours or have other things that are taking my time so I need to have something easy and healthy. I bought some pre-done dinners for my DIL when she had her baby and they really looked good. I might just have to go by Wal-mart and get some of those for myself.

I'd really like to lose ten more pounds THIS YEAR. For sure, I do not want to regain.

I have also been thinking that if I'd just hold my weight loss and increase my activity level I could move down some that way.

I haven't given up...

But a good sign that you've taken too long to do another post is that you almost forget your password to sign in.

Now that would be bad.

I went on vacation first-- and gained weight. I got that off.

Then I started working overtime to catch up at work.

Now, this week, we're having revival.

One thing I've said about counting calories is that "it's like taking on a second job". I haven't had the time to sit down here and hunt down my calories.

Besides not having time to put a lot of thought into what I eat, some pundit at work has decided it will be a "good idea" for us to have pot luck dinners every other Wednesday. The damaging thing about that is all the desserts that get brought in that sit around for a couple days afterwards.

Anyway, it is my plan as soon as this revival is over (Do I really mean TOMORROW?), I am going BACK ON my calorie counting eating plan.

I am not unhappy with the results of being "off" my diet. I have pretty much kept my weight down close to what I lost to. Maintained is the popular word. Anyhow, I don't think it hurts to maintain awhile, then go back to losing more.

I may not be able to lose another twenty before I go back into maintenance again. (Inventory time is overtime again.) But hopefully , I can lose another ten.

Monday 10-8

I fasted twenty four hours, from 2:30 yesterday until 2:30 today.

I did that because Wednesday is not a good day for me to fast and that is our "designated" fast day for the revival. The work I have to do on Wednesday is just too strenuous for me to do without eating.

I did okay with my fast but evidently there is something about eating that keeps me energized. I have wanted to go to sleep ever since I got home from work.

I had already had my lunch break when my fast time was up. (I prayed on my lunch break.) But at 2:30 I took a 15 minute break and ate an apple with yogurt, four snack crackers with peanut butter, some sugar free lemonade, and some kind of strange confection that a co worker had brought in. I don't really know what it was. It was not too sweet. But it was definitely in the pastry "family". Lightweight. Crispy. I wish I did know what it is.

I went by Walmart to buy coffee and also got some lowfat sour cream and nonfat cream cheese. I am trying to get adjusted to the taste of lower fat stuff. I was never willing to even try to do that before.

When I got home, I ate a piece of toast with pimiento cheese spread (and some olive oil spread) and later I had some chicken (the rotisserie chicken Walmart sells) dipped in Hellman's lowfat mayo mixed with Hot sauce.


Also about a half cup of milk.

I'm trying to stay awake long enough to make out a dinner plan.

Well, I guess this is easy enough. I just need to keep my memory jogged. I looked back to my older posts and it looks like I have already tried to set myself up for success.

Two Week Meal Plan
Fish twice a week
Monday (Work 8-4:30) -- fish
Tuesday (Work 12-close)--chicken breast
***
Wednesday (Work 8-4:30)--fish
Thursday (Work 8-4:30)-- Vegetable plate (beans, potato, etc)
***
Friday (Work 12-Close)
***
Saturday (Off)
Sunday (Off--Company for dinner)

Monday (Work 8-4:30)--fish
Tuesday (Off)--chicken breast
Wednesday (Work 8 -4:30)--fish
Thursday (Work 12- Close)
***
Friday (Work 12-Close)
***
Saturday (Work 9-5:30)--taco salad
Sunday (Off)

***Snacks after working until close (Sandwich at supper time):
low calorie soup, or
salad, or
cottage cheese and pineapple, or
greens and boiled egg, or


Snacks after eating evening meal at home
popcorn and milk
cereal and milk
piece of toast with marmalade and milk

C. Low Calorie Entrees (commercial)
It also wouldn't hurt me, now that I've been doing this a few weeks, to write myself up a two week plan for eating (as a guideline.) Breakfast is a no-brainer... and so is lunch (at work) and my snacks (at work). But meals at home and evening snacks tend to be a pitfall for me. If I knew ahead of time what I was going to eat, it would help.

One way to do this would be to investigate low calorie entrees I could buy and add something to them.

Healthy Choice

Lean Cuisine

* Cafe Classics
* Cafe Classics Bowls
* Casual Eating Classics
* Comfort Classics
* Dinnertime Selects
* One Dish Favorites
* Spa Cuisine Classics
* Casual Eating Favorites

Smart Ones
South Beach

Counting Calories is like having a second job

And for TWO MONTHS I worked my second job faithfully. And lost over 20 pounds.

But then I went to campmeeting.... no time nor expediency for counting calories.

Then when I came back, I had work to catch up on at my first job...which involves overtime. That not only took the time I would sit here and search for calories, it also meant I did not have time to go shopping for the "right" foods to eat.

Also something came up in the family that required more of my "second job" time.

So, I've not been counting my calories.

I did get the gain off that I had during campmeeting... and I am maintaining that. So I'm not discouraged.

But, I don't foresee that in the near future I'm going to have any more time as we are having a revival coming up and I may continue to work overtime until then.

Hopefully from around the third week of October until the Thanksgiving I can jump back on the wagon and get a few more pounds off.

As I see it, the way I am going to be able to proceed with my weight loss is to make out some menus for myself to follow (precounted menus) so that I don't have to sit here and search out calorie counts.

I pretty much eat the same things in rotation anyway so it shouldn't be hard to come up with some Breakfasts, Lunches, Suppers, and Before Bed Snacks that keep me in the range of calories I want to be in.

And I need to find some stuff to keep on hand so that when I get the "munchies," I have some low calorie munchers. Like rice cakes. Or 94% fat free popcorn. Or celery and carrot sticks.