Skinny Habit of the Week: Load up on Vegetables

Last week's Skinny Habit actually lasted about two weeks, so I thought it would be good to introduce the next one. Load up on vegetables. Another one that is so simple in theory, but I think it is hard to actually do every day.

I love vegetables. I love some raw, some cooked. I still don't think I eat enough of them, except at dinnertime. I think my difficulty is not having quick, easy, accessible veggie options. If I have to wash, cut and steam them,(except at dinner time, when that is normal) I probably won't eat them and will choose an easier snack or lunch option.

We know why vegetables are good for us, but why are they essential for losing and maintaining weight?

1. They are low in calories and high in volume
2. Most of them are high in fiber
3. They contain a lot of water which fills you up
4. They can help reduce food cravings
5. The nutrients from veggies can help our physical and emotional well-being

So my goal with this week's posts, is to explore all the possibilities with veggies. Any tips and advice on how you get more into your diet are welcome!

Breakfast Musings

While my daughter eats breakfast, and I sit at my computer eating mine, I thought I would read a few of my favorite blogs. This post made me think.

I started the in-vitro process this month. Gave myself injections every night, and went to almost daily doctor's appointments to check the progress of my follicles. (The fluid-filled sack the eggs grow in.)

Once the follicles start growing, any real exercise is off-limits. So to make a long (and painful) story shorter, after about 8 days only 3 of my 10 follicles were responding to the medicine. In-Vitro was cancelled and replaced with Intrauterine Insemination. So that was done on Saturday and Sunday. Now I am just trying to keep my stress levels low so that it has a chance of working.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, Roni's post made me think about exercise. I had to stop exercising and it was an almost-daily habit to get a great work-out in. Right now, I am told to take it easy, and with my particular fertility doctor, if I do get pregnant, NO exercise at all is permitted in my first trimester, as I am considered high-risk. I can't even walk the dog I don't have.

I would have thought this would have been a welcome break, and it was at first. But I miss it. I can't believe I do. I miss feeling the sense of accomplishment. I miss the energy it gave me. I miss the endorphins it released. I miss the sense of becoming stronger and fitter.

Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining about this process I am going through. Any future child is worth all this. But I have learned something about myself, that Roni in her post has discovered also. I really do love exercise and can't wait until I can add it back into my life.

Skinny Habit of the Week: Eat a Good Breakfast

This sounds more like common sense than a "skinny habit," but this is one habit that really helps in weight loss and maintenance. The days that I either skip breakfast or eat a wimpy one (ie. just grab a bar or something) are the days when I really struggle to eat right.

On those days, I am usually starving by 11am, and then am cranky and miserable until I get some lunch. I am impatient with my daughter, and when I do eat, I usually compensate and eat more. Some days, the compensation doesn't stop with lunch.

I have been in maintenance mode for a couple of weeks now (as I have started my in-vitro process) and have been eating a little more for breakfast than I used to. I am noticing such a difference in my hunger levels. I am noticing that it does carry into the whole day. I am less hungry over-all and more satisfied with the other meals.

Some of my breakfast staples:

Liquid Egg Whites
Alternative Bagels
Fiber One Frosted Mini Wheats
Peanut Butter Puffins or Reg. Puffins w/
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (40 cals/cup)
Banana or other fruit
Bran Muffins
Greek Yogurt
Oatmeal

I mix and match, for a breakfast of 5 or 6 WW pts. Sometimes I microwave some egg whites and eat them with a bit of light melted cheese on a bagel. Sometimes I have my cereal with fruit and a muffin on the side. Other times I eat some fruit and greek yogurt with eggs, or with cereal. The more filling, the better.

If you aren't currently eating a filling breakfast and trying to lose weight, give this a try and see what happens!

Blog Post Spotlight: Treat Yourself

Wow.

A friend of mine, Melanie (who actually guest posts here once in a while) emailed me a link to a great blog post about "treats." It fits right into my Skinny Habit of the Week. Here is a snippet, and I know you will want to read the whole post:

"I wonder why you can’t get this simple lesson to stick in your head. The days you eat well are the days that you feel brighter and cheerier. You get more done. You aren’t plagued by headaches. The kids are positively affected by your happier outlook. You enjoy them more and they enjoy you.

You call your indulgences “treats”? No, dear self. A treat is something that makes you feel good. Try a few chapters of a favourite book. A bubble bath. A cuddle session with your kids. Try turning on a fun song and dancing. Try eating something you enjoy that nourishes your body and your self-respect both."

Check it out.
I promise it will not be a waste of time.

Why Limits Are Good and What Not to Do

Wednesday, 3/18/09

Jen, alone while husband is out of town: I think I'll try a new treat recipe tonight. Roni's Whole Wheat Dried Fruit and Walnut Oatmeal Cookie recipe looks good.

Jen goes to the store and buys dried cranberries and mini chocolate chips to substitute for the walnuts.

Jen puts daughter down for bed, and makes the cookies. 36 to be exact.

9:30 pm: Jen eats 2 cookies right out of oven, having to see how they turned out. Not bad!
Puts another batch into oven, then goes into the living room to watch her tv show.
9:37: Jen comes back into kitchen and grabs 2 more cookies. Goes back to the show.
9:43: Jen comes back into kitchen and grabs 2 more cookies. Goes back to the show.
9:50: Jen comes back into kitchen, switches batches and grabs 1 more cookie. Last one, I promise.
10:00: Jen comes back into kitchen and grabs 3 more cookies.
10:30: Jen puts cookies away as she is turning into one and is worried for her mental health.

Thursday, 3/19/09

8:30 am: I'll just grab one of those. They are almost like having oatmeal for breakfast.
10:30 am: Jen eats 2 more cookies.
3:00 pm: Jen eats 10 cookies.

8:30 pm: Husband comes home.
8:40 pm. Husband sees cookies and tastes one. Husband likes. Husband wonders why they are almost gone.

Jen makes no comment. Jen has nothing to say.

Skinny Habit of the Week: Set Limits for Treats

In other words: DON'T BINGE!

If anyone saw The Biggest Loser episode a couple of weeks ago when the black team had 24 hours of luxury, you know what I am talking about. One 24 hour period of binging can ruin your weight loss.

I happen to know what I am talking about here. My weight loss has been stalled for a couple of months now due to my less-than-stellar ability to set limits on weekends. (And some weekdays but we will talk about that later.)

How many "skinny people" do you know that eat 10+ cookies in one sitting? (Not talking about teenagers here...) And if you do know any of these people, either they have SUPER METABOLISM (which I covet) or they are bulimic.

All kidding aside, binging is really an unhealthy habit. It is the attempt at filling a hole that can't be filled with food. The trick is to find out what hole you are trying (in vain) to fill up.

I think a lot of the time, we are trying to create happiness with food. If we are not happy, we need to think of ways to bring more joy into our lives. What are things that make us happy? Maybe it is learning, meditating, playing a sport, playing games, taking a class, crafting, sewing, doing nice things for others, etc. How many of these things can we incorporate into our lives to fill up those empty places? Excess food doesn't work. It just makes us fat and even more miserable.

Not Thinking Before You Eat

2 Weekends Ago:

Friday Night - Out to Dinner with Friends at Lazy Dog Cafe
Appetiser: 5-6 Pieces of Flatbread
Entree: Roast Beef and Cheddar Sandwich on huge bun
french fries

Dessert at a Friends House
large bowl of ice cream
3 huge homemade chocolate chip cookies

Saturday Night - Home alone taking a much needed break from my almost-3-year-old who just about drove me psycho during our trip to the OC Swapmeet
Dinner: In N Out Cheeseburger and fries (eaten in bed)
Dessert: 8-10 Oreo cookies (Made a special trip to the store to buy some) (also eaten in bed)

Sunday - We had guests in town who went to my other favorite burger place (TK Burger) for lunch. They called us and wanted to know if we wanted to join them. No Hesitation. YES!
Lunch: Big Cheeseburger and Fries

No Thought Whatsoever (or maybe some serious denial....)
Sound familiar to anyone???

Skinny Habit of the Week: Think - Before You Eat It

Think-Before You Eat It

I think this is one of the most important Skinny Habits. When I don't even bother to think about the nutritional value of things before they go down the chute, I know I am waaay off track.

Sometimes I think about it and eat it anyway, and that is still way better than not thinking at all. It shows that at least I know what I am doing, and am aware. Awareness is the first step in developing this habit.

The times when I have stayed off track for the longest amounts of time (and gained the most weight), were the times when I just ate whatever I wanted and didn't think at all. Or maybe I started thinking but then blocked those thoughts out in denial.

The Skinny People that I know always think about what they are about to eat. They may not be counting calories or points, but they are aware of the food choices that they make ALL THE TIME. They know what choices are healthy.

As I go through in-vitro and possibly become pregnant, I need to follow this habit. I will not be in weight-loss mode, but I need to make healthy choices throughout this process. I don't want to gain a ridiculous amount of weight like I did last time. I want to be healthy this time. And I know I can do it!

Craziness

I feel like such a slacker on posting lately. I have had so much on my mind that there aren't a lot of great post ideas that have been popping up. My almost-three year-old has been having behavioral problems the past couple of weeks, my husband just switched companies and is out of town all week, and...I am going to start in-vitro in a couple of weeks. Which, not surprisingly, is very scary and intimidating.

So much has been going through my mind, and I am a little bit ashamed to admit that part of my crazy thoughts have been about the potential weight I could gain as I go through this process, (you have to stop exercising and be on bed-rest for a while.) I know, it is the last thing I should worry about, but I feel like I have worked so hard for this progress I have made, and worried that I won't be strong enough to be super strict with my eating while dealing with all of the drugs that I have to take, etc. (That is another story in itself, how many drugs I have to take...)

Then, pregnancy. I gained over 50 lbs last time. I have a small frame, and near the end of my term, I could barely walk because my body couldn't handle all the weight. It was miserable. I am DETERMINED to not gain that much weight again, but I have to admit I am really scared.

I am opening up like this because I would like to come to terms with it all before the process actually happens. I don't want my brain and all these fears to ruin everything.

So bear with me, and I will hopefully be able to at least post some of the time. Just may not be as frequently as I have in the past.

Blog Post Spotlight: Laura's Life with the D-word

A couple of weeks ago, I read a post on MizFit that really resonated with me. I love MizFit's blog. She talks about so many great things. From exercise to food and all things in between. This post is actually a guest post, by Laura from Life of L. It is about her relationship with what she calls The Diet, and her hope that someday it will become a lifestyle. Here, she says:

"I have an on again/off again relationship that I'm not proud of. For about nine months, it was solid as a rock. I was faithful and attentive, and everything felt just right. Then the newness wore off. I'd gotten what I'd wanted, and I moved on. But before long, I had to go back. I just couldn't take being away anymore.

Because my pants were getting too tight.

The relationship of which I speak is with the D word. Some may call it a lifestyle change, or healthy living, or eating right. But for me, it's still very much The Diet."

As much as I always say that I am changing my lifestyle into a healthy one, and am not on a diet, I definitely relate to what she says here:

"Someday, I think my relationship with The Diet will mature to the point where it is a Lifestyle and no longer something I'm going steady with one day, and leaving for Cake the next."

I definitely think that making this a lifestyle is a work in progress. It's ok to go steady for a while first before making that ultimate committment. I think that is the best way, that way we can learn how we want and need that relationship to be, and make mistakes along the way. Once we have learned what things work for us, we can commit for life. This is my goal, anyway.

Hopefully this makes sense. If it doesn't, ignore my words and go check out this post, because it was great!

Such a Small Thing

Had a little moment today that I wanted to share. I had a minor surgery today and when I was filling out some of the paperwork, I came across the BMI chart. Not sure why they want to know, but you are supposed to find your height and weight and circle your BMI.

I found the closest ones to my stats (I am kinda in-between) and found that I have dropped a whole column on the chart from the last time I saw one of these charts. (A few months ago) It was so nice to be in the middle of the "normal" section.

Such a small thing, but a great feeling regardless!

Rut Follow Up

First I want to say thank you for all the supportive comments I got after my last post. Thanks so much!

So now that I am not in the moment (the one where I was sick from eating too much) I can see things a little bit more rationally.

Bottom line, weekends are going to happen. Yes, I want to lose weight. But more importantly, I am trying to live a sustainable healthy lifestyle. To me, losing the weight quickly is not as important as living my life in a way that is possible for the long term. I am going to have to learn how to deal with weekends. They aren't going away. I am going to have to figure out a way to make things work. Maybe extra exercise. Maybe small portions of the things I want to eat. Make trade-offs.

What are some ideas that have worked for you when it comes to weekends?

Rut:Part 2

OK. I am having major problems with weekends. Sundays actually. They are killing me.

Saturdays are my flex point days. I am lax on one meal and have a treat. Sunday I am SUPPOSED to be back on track. But my friends and/or husband likes to plan meal get-togethers on Sunday nights. A fun night with friends, little ones running all over the place, and lots of food.

Tonight was no exception. We were invited and asked to bring my peach cobbler. Let me tell you about this peach cobbler. This is my grandma's recipe, who is from the south. I used a whole cube of butter in each pan, and that is half of what the recipe originally calls for! It is so yummy. Can I ever resist that stuff? NOT AT ALL!
(This is why I rarely make it)

So not only did I have two helpings of the peach cobbler, I ate a plate full of dinner, quite a bit of chips and guacamole, vanilla ice cream and a brownie!

As I write this, I am scaring myself. I seriously binged tonight. And I didn't exercise today like I had planned.

Who am I to write about Skinny Habits? More like BAD HABITS.

OK. Moving on.

Now that this is done and can't be reversed, I need to make a plan. I am going to exercise like crazy this coming week. Stay on track with my eating.

No excuses. I can do this.

Blog Post Spotlight: For My Daughter

I have decided to try to spotlight a few amazing blog posts each month. As I read all of the blogs that I follow, I like to take note of the ones that really make me think about my own life. This week, I read a great post on Wii Fit Mommies about one woman's quest. Here it is in her own words:

"I want to raise my daughter in a home where weight is NOT an issue. Where it is commonplace to participate in physical activity after dinner. I want her to not even think twice about her weight. That will happen first and foremost by me taking charge of my own life and refusing to be ashamed of how I look, of what I weigh."

In this day and age, there is sooo much emphasis on the way women and even young girls look. I have heard even the littlest girls talk about how they don't want to be fat. I, as a mother, see it as my responsibility to raise my daughter (and any other future kids) healthy. Not only physically healthy, but emotionally healthy. Like Jenn, who wrote the post, I don' t want weight to be an issue in my family either. I want my children to see my example of living a healthy life. I want my children to see that eating healthy, exercise and a positive self-image (which I am trying to improve upon) is a normal part of life.

This is my own quest, and a work in progress. I am really glad I am learning these lessons now, when my daughter is only 2 1/2. Hopefully by the time she is old enough to think about these things, the habits I am trying to form now will be really set in place.

Hungry

I don't know what is going on with me but the past couple of days I have just been so hungry. It seems like nothing fills me up. I am not eating any different than any other weeks, so I don't know what is going on. It is frustrating.

Last night I caved in to a McDonald's ice cream sundae. The day before I just could not stop eating and snacked on all kinds of stuff. Today it is somewhat under control, but the evening has just begun.

Funny how this happens, and other weeks aren't so hard at all. I just have to keep telling myself that this is life, and that it will all come out in the wash.

I have also been trying to drink more water this week. My lips are chapped and my skin is so dry it is crazy. I am not a water drinker by nature; I don't really like it. So this is a new goal of mine, to try to sip water all day. I didn't do so well today, as I woke up not feeling good and didn't exercise. Exercise gets me started early with the water drinking and it is easier to refill the cup and keep it going all day.

My cold from last week turned into a Sinus Infection, and I am taking antibiotics to hopefully get rid of it. I can't wait until it is gone and my energy is back. Maybe its the drugs that are making me hungry.... :)

Weigh In Saturday

I lost another 1.8 lbs!!!

I think its because I didn't exercise a lot. Every time that happens I lose more weight. Annoying, huh. But I guess it's because exercise builds muscles, which weighs more than fat. But I am ok with losing slower, and being more healthy by exercise. I am not going to let the scale rule my life. I want to reach my weight loss goals with muscle, rather than without it.

Last week I started to take my measurements, so I can see the progress that way. I am going to take them every 2 weeks. I think that it is a better way to see results, and more accurate.

Well, we are off to a birthday party for Emily's little friend, so will post more later!

Off My Game

It seems like every time I am on a roll, and life is going smoothly, something happens. Last week, I was waking up early every morning, getting my workout in, and having extra time to take care of my responsibilities.

This week, I am really struggling. My husband gave me his nasty cold, and it is a crappy one. I feel ok during the day, but in the morning and at night, I feel pretty rotten. It is hard enough to get out of bed in the morning when my toddler is shouting "MOMMY" from her crib; I am definitely unable to get up any earlier.

Today I decided that I would try to get a work-out in. I got on my elliptical and my goal was 30 minutes. I usually do at least 45 so I thought that was taking it easy. After 26 minutes I almost passed out. I had to lay on the floor for about 5 minutes to recuperate. Ridiculous.

One good thing that I have accomplished is this: In the past, when I got sick, I have used it as an excuse to eat bad. I usually have thought to myself, "I'm sick so I should be able to eat what I want."

This time around, I have managed to eat right. I feel the lack of exercise, but at least I am not blowing it on the food front. Knock on wood that I can stay strong. Why is it that our minds come up with the lamest excuses to fall off the wagon?

It All Evens Out

During these last few months, there have been some discouraging weeks, where I feel like I did everything right, and lost barely any weight. Then there have been weeks where I really didn't stay on plan, or didn't exercise enough, or whatever. And surprisingly sometimes I lost weight on those weeks. There were weeks where I was stuck in a plateau.

There have been days where all I wanted to do was eat eat eat. Chocolate, breads, sweets, crazy cravings. There also have been days when I wasn't even hungry for all my points for the day. Yesterday, after dinner, I had 3 points left, and I wasn't even very hungry. But because they were there, I ate a granola bar. I could have done without it.

Even though these ups and downs have happened, I'm learning to see the bigger picture. I have lost almost (hopefully by next weigh in) 10% of my body weight. That is such a great feeling. Did those frustrating weigh-ins really matter in the long run? No. It may be taking me longer to lose this weight than I thought it would originally, but I am learning to be ok with that too. I am learning to "love the process."

Check out Roni's post on this. It really is mind-altering. Learning to love the process is just as important as loving the result. It is so true.

Thanks Roni!!!

So next time I (or you) have a bad weigh-in, or we eat out of control for a day, or whatever the challenge may be, we need to realize that it will all even out in the end, as long as we love the process and not quit.

Forever Plan

I've been thinking a lot about how in the past, I've done Weight Watchers, and lost some weight, and went back to the same bad eating habits, and gained the weight all back.

What is going to make this time different? I was gung-ho in the past also, and still "fell off the wagon." I am not sure I know the answer, but I think my thought process is different this time. I feel like I now know that this is not just a temporary way of living. This is my forever plan. I will ALWAYS have to live like this, eating right and exercising.

And you know what? I am OK with it. Yesterday was my flex day (where I eat my flex points) and though it is fun to not have to be as careful, I do notice I don't feel as good at the end of the day. I feel sort of energy deficient, lazy, full or something.

Another thing that makes this time different, is all the blog reading and writing I am doing. It is so motivating to see other "regular" people (not celebrities with trainers and chefs and nannies) who can lose the weight and keep it off. Reading these stories and following the good examples of my fellow bloggers really helps me see the big picture in a way I have never experienced. Thank you for your stories.

I am counting on myself this time. This time is for real. Forever.

Bad News, Bad Eating

Had a bit of a rough weekend. Got some very bad news, and had a hard time moving past it. Saturday I used my 35 flex points, but yesterday was just a bad eating day. A bad EMOTIONAL eating day. I knew it. I didn't want to stop it even though I recognized it. I am OK with it, because it ended with yesterday.

Sometimes we need to be OK that we are human and will never be perfect. I knew I was making horrible choices, but once in a while that will happen. The trick is to set limits. Though I didn't say it to myself during my pity party, I knew it would stop with the end of the day.

And today I got up, exercised and ate right. That is what habits are for! We just need to stay the course until it is a habit, and it really isn't that hard.