Week Two-- Day ten

I'm pleased with my progress.  I've lost four pounds in ten days... that is, since July 1.  I am especially pleased because I'm trying to get away from spending "half my life" looking up calorie counts.  But one reason I can be freed from doing that is because I did it before and wrote down calorie counts for what I ate.   And, for the most part, my tastes are the same.

I read one time that most families have a standard number of meals they routinely prepare, rarely departing from them.  The number of different meals wasn't very high-- maybe about ten.    (Maybe they throw casseroles with chicken into one number  :)    Not   sure about that.)  But anyway, leaving that aside, I know that I'm not really big on variety when I fix for myself.    So it wasn't hard for me to write up a list of "Breakfasts"   I usually fix and their calorie counts,  "Snacks:  I usually eat and their calorie counts.   And so on.

The one thing I am going to try to avoid is "burnout".  I did well before when I ate a sandwich with veggies every day for lunch at work, but after three months a sandwich with veggies was the last thing I wanted to consider eating for lunch when beginning another "planned eating" journey.    So I'm going to work at not eating the same thing so much that I burn out on it.   However, having said that, I have possibly set myself up for that because--in my planning-- I've decided to eat a large salad as one of my main meals most days...    It won't be exactly the same, because I've stocked up on CANNED chicken and tuna and will use them and sometimes just cheese or maybe have ground beef (as in taco salad).  So hopefully, that will not be such a same-ol'-same-ol'    that I'll get burned out on it.     Eating a salad regularly should be part of my ongoing "lifestyle" anyway, even if I don't eat one daily.

I made out a two-week check list for grocery shopping.  (Two weeks because I get paid every two weeks. )  On it I put all the things I need to be sure I have on hand at home so that I'm not lacking for the right kinds of things to eat when eating time comes. On Monday, I finally had time to go to the grocery store and buy those things I didn't already have on hand.  

I had meant to write down what I ate every day.... Notice how I started off "Day 1"  and got to "Day 2" before that attempt was foiled. The 4th of July holiday, plus a birthday party and my brother coming from to visit and to have lunch, left me with very little time to sit down and write out what I was eating.  But, I did (kinda) keep a running record in my mind.   That's not usually as accurate, but at least I was counting instead of just eating whatever was in my pathway.  (Mostly I'll have to say "no" to the goodies my co-workers bring and leave in the breakroom.   Krispy Kreme doughnuts.   Cupcakes.  Those are  actually easier for me to pass up than the spinach dip or cheese balls.)

But, I'm on my way.   I've lost four pounds at least... My scale wants to be erratic in its readouts.  One readout actually showed me down 5.5 pounds, but I felt that was just an enticement for me to KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.   I have committed myself to this course--finally-- and I need to stay on it.   I need to add exercise -- which I plan to do-- and learn to drink more water.

Food Diary Day 2

Breakfast   About 200 Calories
Coffee   2 cups   (80)
2 boiled eggs, lightly buttered with Fleishman's margarine  ( 116 )

Lunch   About 275
Salad
with canned chicken  (113)
celery
sunflower seeds  (47 calories per T)    
craisins   (65 calories in 2 T)
onion
1 tablespoon Hellman's Light Mayo  (40)
chili pepper vinegar

Peach Tea   5 calories



Supper:  Felicia fixed it   About 850 calories
1/2 baked potato (NO sour cream OR butter)  (97)
macaroni and cheese  (147)
t bone steak  238 for 3 oz   I probably ate 5 oz   238/3 x 5= 400 calories
1 slice buttered bread   (approx. 200)
Water



Fitness:  Brad and I worked in the yard.  I cut and sawed brush and he hauled it to the burn pile.   I also mowed so I exercised my arms turning the wheel.   Then we washed the car.... bending and stretching involved in that.

Need to lose 50 pounds

Posted on Facebook in Mel's Skinny Darlings:

A poster asked how can I lose the 50 pounds I gained after having children?

One answer: 
Eat a salad w grilled chicken every day for lunch. 
Have grapefruit apple or pear as snack. 
Eat oatmeal or egg whites for breakfast and a piece of fish or tuna for dinner. 
Splurge a lil on weekends. 

In three months u should lose 30 lbs. I've done it twice over the last ten years. 
Limit urself to 1200 calories a day. 

Find low cal stuff u enjoy like watermelon or spaghetti squash w tomato sauce, spinach etc that can fill u up but has lil calories. 
I also used to buy the whole grain English muffins and put whipped cottage cheese for breakfast. 

Just start looking at calorie contents if everything and adding them up n keeping track. There r a few apps out there for smartphones. 

Also check out hungry girls website

Good luck!

"Planned Eating"-- Food Diary Day 1

Breakfast
40     1cup of coffee with sweetener and coffemate
216   2 hard boilded eggs (156), cut in half and lightly spread with 1T. Fleishman's                margarine (60)

Lunch 
Subway BLT on 9 grain bread   320
Pepperjack cheese 160
Black Olives   35
Vinegar and Oil  45      Total of all 560

One Soft Peppermint  20

Bag of peanuts   260

Dinner (at work: 3-9)
Subway BLT on 9 grain bread   320
Pepperjack cheese 160
Black Olives   35
Vinegar and Oil  45     
Green Tea  5
Medium Orange 80    Total 645
Snack 
Large Gala Apple 109
1850 so far.

If I hadn't had that weakness hit me and ate that bag of peanuts, I would have been on target.

1/2 cup baby carrots  35


Fitness:  
I didn't want to excuse myself on my very first day of my plan so  I decided on a "just get moving" approach.   In absence of having an internet connection in the Living Room, where I have room for Leslie Sansone's In Home Walking, I figured I'd not excuse myself from doing something.

I set my kitchen timer for 15 minutes of "get moving"...
and I walked  back and forth, back and forth, and did kicks and  side steps and knee raises with hand touching opposite knees, kick backs,  and the other things Leslie Sansone does but I also added  toe touches, waists twists,  side bends, push ups, calf stretches, and knee bends done at the kitchen sink.

At work: Walked from middle of stock room to the front registers and back several times.