tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83274542285385322352012-01-31T12:01:49.452-08:00...a motivational tool to help keep me on track!Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.comBlogger1441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-36083725354410377252010-07-23T08:14:00.000-07:002010-07-23T08:20:35.189-07:00

Have I mentioned that I've been focusing on breakfast lately? I eat something simple, like peanut butter and jam on whole wheat bread, or a banana and homemade granola bar. I've noticed it has made a tremendous difference in the rate at which I put on pounds when I don't need to.They say that eating breakfast increases your metabolism. It does seem unlikely - aren't calories the same no matter

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-34739392822381580152010-03-09T08:06:00.000-08:002010-03-09T08:11:00.731-08:00

Hi everyone! I just wanted to offer a quick apology to anyone who may have commented on this blog and not seen their comment appear... this blog seems to have been attacked and taken over by spam comments, and there are so many that sometimes I miss a legitimate comment in my efforts to delete and clean up. If you left a legit comment and I've deleted it by mistake, my sincere apologies.Happy

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-54942075038001471132009-10-29T10:30:00.000-07:002009-10-29T10:39:43.890-07:00

I've decided. Halloween will be a night off, where I can blissfully indulge in all the sugar I want! So there. Just try and stop me (translation - stay out of the way to avoid injury).I'm back to calorie counting, and although I haven't been updating my daily counts on the side column of this blog, it's been going fairly well. According to my lovely scale I've even lost 2 pounds, which although

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-51124316775252846142009-09-24T16:54:00.000-07:002009-09-24T17:06:26.406-07:00

This is the book that I'm currently reading.While I haven't lost any weight yet (I'm only on page 73), what I do appreciate about this book is that he examines the psychological and behavioural mechanisms behind weight before he starts in on the diet advice. It's like he's prepping you mentally first, which I believe in: I think all that we are and do begins with how we think.Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-59895953843902684342009-09-12T12:44:00.000-07:002009-09-12T12:59:03.362-07:00

Yummy, sugary, and having no nutritional benefit whatsoever: pop!! At anywhere from 130-180 calories per can, it can find it's way to your waistline pretty quick.The best solution is to simply not buy it, which, if I lived alone, would be my answer. However my husband is a Pepsi-aholic, and we're the house that hosts the family parties, which usually include a flat of mixed pop for the kids (mine

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-19668058892545441982009-08-10T15:36:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:40:06.578-07:00

I'm struggling with perpetual hunger (as I usually do when I calorie count) and I just discovered yet another low-cal void filler:1 can green beans (about 50 cal.)1/4 cup salsa (about 25 cal.)Heat the beans, drain the water, mix in the salsa. Presto: hot, tasty, somewhat filling, and only 75 calories :) Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-33627436009779851032009-08-07T22:42:00.000-07:002009-08-07T22:54:54.388-07:00

Today I started calorie counting again. I was trying a few other things (smaller portions, exercise, etc.) but not really having much success. It occurred to me that even though I had the right intentions, unless my calories burned exceed my calories consumed, I'm not going to lose weight. How do I ensure this happens? Eat fewer calories. How do I do this? Count the flippin' things.I'm an

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-82984909426115933872009-07-16T18:28:00.000-07:002009-07-16T18:43:29.239-07:00

I walk everywhere, kids in tow. This is great for many reasons, including health, financial and environmental. I'm finding that I'm not getting as much of a workout as I used to though.A couple of years ago the kids rode everywhere in our Graco DuoGlider. I was pushing close to 100 lbs (not sure how much the stroller weighs but the kids were about 35-37 lbs each), AND I was walking briskly. Since

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-36331083034463801692009-07-08T10:02:00.000-07:002009-07-08T10:16:09.714-07:00

I saw this Dr. Rhonda Low segment last night on the news that analyzed the blood of two volunteers before and after they ate a 6,000+ calorie high fat meal. I can't find the segment on line to share the link with you (but I did manage to find her twitter address! @doctorrhonda )Anyway, the segment on the fatty food was quite shocking. Even after one meal, the volunteers' blood when from clear to

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-27131913984881389892009-07-07T10:57:00.001-07:002009-07-07T11:01:30.915-07:00

Yet again I'm trying to ditch the ice cream at midnight habit! So far so good. I'm on day 3 now. Last night I caved a bit and had a couple of cheese strings (2 x 60 cals) and a chocolate covered chewy granola bar (150) for a total of 270 calories. This is still better than the ice cream, though, which I estimate to be near 1,000 (did I mention I dump chocolate chips, peanut butter, and chocolate

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-33937486488375514292009-07-06T13:40:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:29:21.455-07:00

Are salads really diet food?...I'm addressing the misconception that just because something is called a "salad", it must be good for weight loss.It comes down to common sense. If you order something with "salad" in the name at a restaurant and your plate arrives containing cheese, egg, and processed ham along with some lettuce, it's more than likely going to sabotage your diet efforts. On the

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-75412478900998603082009-07-06T09:32:00.000-07:002009-07-06T09:51:34.028-07:00

Ok, I think I'm ready to try again. The thing that tipped the scales (pun intended ;) was when I sat down at the table last night and my tummy bumped the table. Um, sigh. Not what I want for myself.I managed to NOT eat ice cream before bed last night, which is a really good sign. Normally my ice cream cravings completely override any good sense I may have left at the end of the day, but not last

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-31923278060532538812009-06-16T06:43:00.000-07:002009-06-16T06:44:33.981-07:00

I'll be back on track again soon... Meanwhile, I haven't gained any more weight! Yippee (lol)JReturn to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-72269790163363344422009-05-18T09:51:00.000-07:002009-06-07T15:41:05.148-07:00

Upside: I'm down ten pounds from mid-March :)Downside: I've gained five of them back :(I hopped off the calorie counting wagon (as you can tell by my record on the right hand column), so now is the time I need to put on the brakes to my current snacking before I gain all TEN back. I need to take the five pounds I'm down, pat myself on the back, and make this my new "maximum".OK! Here's to a fresh

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-57119675701977554002009-04-30T16:15:00.000-07:002009-04-30T16:30:45.265-07:00

I am once again struggling with late night snacking. Yesterday, for example, I inhaled about 600 calories worth of crap after midnight (toyed with the idea of adding it to today's calorie count, then thought the better of it ;)If it's late enough at night, my resolve weakens and I simply don't care. I want the bleepin' cookies, and nothing will stop me from eating them! So there ;) Last night it

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-86927186432598811802009-04-28T14:39:00.000-07:002009-04-28T14:41:01.364-07:00

Don't you love it when a post title tells it all? I pretty much don't have to write anything else at this point ;)Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-62326512152080678322009-04-26T09:09:00.000-07:002009-04-26T09:32:47.853-07:00

I'm soooo dedicated that I even counted my calories in the midst of illness. Ha ha.I've caught some kind of intestinal bug, complete with fever and headache and an intense dislike of anything edible!! (This is not how you want to lose weight, but hey, let me have my silver lining ;) I'm still not 100% better, but hopefully I'll feel normal again soon.I have even challenged myself to a cup of

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-49580728803654293862009-04-22T07:18:00.000-07:002009-04-22T07:27:35.665-07:00

They did!!! I ran as fast as I could, but they trapped me in the kitchen.Lesson: put them away somewhere where they're harder to reach. Last night I was ending the day at about 1,900 calories, when I dozed off on the couch. I woke up half asleep and wandered through the kitchen, and you guessed it - found the cookies (600 calories may be a bit more than what I actually ate - these were homemade

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-11027560312146077052009-04-20T22:14:00.000-07:002009-04-20T22:22:08.399-07:00

Hmmm.It's a tough call, because on the one hand, having a flexible, reasonably easy target makes me more likely to want to continue long term, but on the other hand, I tend to not take it as seriously.If I lowered my calorie target range to, say, 1,200-1,700 would I continually be demoralized and give up all together, or would I start losing weight a little faster? 2,000 calories is a lot for

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-9424810374376556192009-04-19T07:20:00.000-07:002009-04-19T07:46:41.215-07:00

Hmmm... it appears as though my inability to stick to below 2,000 calories for any length of time has a name: calorie shifting!! lolI've heard of the merits of this before: basically it refers to changing your daily intake levels to trick your metabolism. If you eat low cal for too long, your metabolic rate eventually slows to match the level of incoming calories.I honestly think my calorie

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-36448013180356612132009-04-18T16:19:00.000-07:002009-04-18T16:47:18.271-07:00

I haven't really lost that much weight since getting Wii Fit (maybe a pound) but I feel like I'm getting fit. Watching my 6 year old do yoga has been fun too :)This is how my Wii Fit work out typically goes:1) I start with a run (today it was a 20 minute "free run", in which I broke the 4 mile mark, wahoo!! :) Ironically I only got 3 stars for that, while in previous runs I've gotten four. I

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-46542784457683612502009-04-12T11:41:00.000-07:002009-04-12T11:52:35.268-07:00

Wii fit is fabulous, because most of the activities involve using the balance board, which means you have to be standing up, or at the very least, off the couch. Anyone who has Wii Sport has no doubt figured out that the majority of those games can be played while seated.My husband is about 6'2", and you wouldn't think of him as being overweight. He's getting a bit thick in the middle, but not so

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-66124660715176480912009-04-10T23:52:00.000-07:002009-04-10T23:54:55.401-07:00

I LOVE it so far, partly because it says I'm about 3 pounds lighter than my bathroom scale does.HA HA.I got it on April 9th, set up my profile, and went to The Keg for dinner that night with DH and friends. The next day when I stepped on the Wii Fit balance board, it told me I was +2 pounds.Oops.Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-24870647979584143402009-04-08T23:15:00.000-07:002009-04-08T23:41:42.263-07:00

I love running, and it's an effective calorie burner, but man oh man is it hard work if you're not in shape!! Here are 3 simple things you can do to make it less painful if you're just starting out:1) Stretch before and after. It doesn't have to be for very long, or be very involved, but a quick minute or so of gentle stretching before and after you run will go a long way in maintaining

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-59659394833330954712009-04-07T21:02:00.000-07:002009-04-07T21:17:04.119-07:00

Huh. I don't really believe that a KFC drumstick is only 160 calories... I called it 300 just to be on the safe side. DH went out and grabbed some KFC, with strict instructions from me to not get any extras. No salads, or deserts of any kind. And only ONE drumstick for me. Ok I ate one fry too. Just one. So I figure that 300 calories is a fair, safe guess. Oh, here's the website that the screen

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-23179077780008497332009-04-06T07:12:00.000-07:002009-04-06T07:19:48.396-07:00

Hmmm, not much healthy stuff yesterday, other than a Greek salad and a banana.I had two cookies, two candies, birthday cake, pizza, Bailey's in my coffee, to name some... yeesh. Good thing for the multivitamin ;) The one drawback to calorie counting is that if you indulge in treats like I did yesterday, you don't really have room for healthy calories. This is one of the reasons that I count raw

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-74995193452591938042009-04-05T08:33:00.001-07:002009-04-05T08:38:11.125-07:00

I haven't been weighing myself regularly because my scale is a little unreliable for small changes. However when I stepped on it several times this morning and each time it showed my weight to be just shy of 140 (as opposed to lingering around 145 a short while ago), it seems pretty clear that some weight has legitimately come off.YAY!!!Must keep going... 15 more to go!Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-86613904028535395222009-04-04T09:26:00.000-07:002009-04-04T09:32:51.905-07:00

Being busy definitely helps! I eat so much more when I'm bored. Yesterday we had stuff going on with the kids so I was out of the house quite a bit.I usually recap healthy stuff I've eaten but yesterday there wasn't much. I suppose it depends on your standards. Some people might think that frozen pepperoni pizza includes enough of the food groups to be healthy ;)Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-27355994693377935532009-04-02T07:08:00.001-07:002009-04-02T07:15:51.100-07:00

Except I'm not fooling. It started off as "oh I might be a bit high in my count today" and ended up more than a bit high!!In the past I've had trouble rebounding after slips, and the ability to do so is crucial for an effective weight loss plan. You have to get back on track.The interesting thing about yesterday, though, is that I found myself deliberately eating more, with the intent of testing

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-48905912654925520472009-03-31T22:45:00.000-07:002009-03-31T22:55:01.433-07:00

I was out for two hours in the evening, so that really helped. If I'd been home, I no doubt would have eaten more.Healthy stuff included:whole grain toastyogurt & blueberriesbananaapple saucecheeseHmmm. Not sure if I'm logging on tomorrow, with this April 1st virus business going on... it may be just a hoax, but I'm the kind to err on the side of caution. Soooo... hopefully on Thursday I'll have

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-64790588597751990662009-03-30T20:57:00.000-07:002009-03-30T21:07:13.233-07:00

It would have been 1,655, 'cept for the 200 cals worth of Bailey's in my hot cocoa ;) What the heck. It's still within my target.I ended up calling the ribs 600 cals - I'm not sure how close that is. I had four (each about 3 inches long). They were cooked on a rack so that the fat could drip, and they were seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper (so they were dry ribs). I had nothing else on my

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-59535340121142361602009-03-30T15:54:00.001-07:002009-03-30T16:01:18.548-07:00

Yowza. They're, um, not diet food, that's for sure. I'm making them for my husband and kids tonight and am trying to figure out how many I can eat!I've surfed and found everything from 234 for 2, to 477 each. (I like the first one best ;) This is the one I'm going with:http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/generic/pork-baby-back-ribsI'm cooking DH's in barbecue sauce, but mine I'll

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-77248481719807516102009-03-30T06:50:00.000-07:002009-03-30T06:59:56.787-07:00

We had Chinese take out, and when I googled caloric values for pot stickers, it said 200 for six steamed pieces. Hmm. These were not steamed, although there were only five. I didn't put any sauce on them, but I did eat one garlic boneless pork bite and one battered shrimp. I called the whole thing 500.The benefit of calorie counting (for me, anyway), is that even if you don't get the count right,

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-60536598259036310472009-03-29T13:02:00.000-07:002009-03-29T13:20:59.949-07:00

The first day of calorie counting is always easy because at that point I'm pretty motivated. Yesterday I finished the day at 1,510 which definitely meets my daily goal of between 1,500-2,000. In all honesty it may have been a bit higher, because I'm not sure of the size of the steak I ate last night. It was a New York, and it was kind of medium sized. I called it 550, and ate nothing else with

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-30599635707767726122009-03-28T10:43:00.001-07:002009-03-28T11:40:42.617-07:00

Aw, it's not that bad! And it works, providing you can stick to it long enough. Here are some tricks I've learned along the way:1) When you record your calories, use four columns:time eaten (this is handy if you want to compare your progress to previous days) food item (this makes you more aware of the type of calories you've eaten, and more inclined to make healthy choices, especially if other

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-14826375913282253862009-03-28T09:06:00.000-07:002009-03-28T09:15:21.765-07:00

I need to remain focused!! Sometimes I think having a relatively small amount to lose is harder (not that I'm complaining, by any means!). I take my hat off to those who have more to lose, who in a matter of mere weeks, lose the pounds that I just can't seem to shed. It's inspiring.Anyway (speaking of focus ;) here are my three goals for today:1) Resume calorie counting (I actually like doing

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-82236166908763980282009-03-27T01:16:00.000-07:002009-03-27T01:31:42.403-07:00

Tsk tsk. DH has a big heart, and bought a box of Froot Loops for the kids. No biggie. It's sitting on the top pantry shelf, next to their treat bags. It's all good.I asked him (begged him!) not to buy me vanilla ice cream. I can walk away from the tub of chocolate (not sure why), but the vanilla is my Achilles heel. Seriously, if there was a bowl of chocolate ice cream sitting next to a bowl of

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-19778857353585268572009-03-11T07:24:00.000-07:002009-03-11T07:28:14.687-07:00

I posted this on my Cha-Ching blog as well ('cause it's in reference to a free product ;), but thought it was relevant here as well.Today SoBe World is giving away free bottles of their 0 Cal Lifewater (U.S. only). Here's the link to find out more:http://www.sobeworld.com/Return to Fine Grind

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-21660051153198306812009-03-09T14:31:00.000-07:002009-03-09T14:43:18.092-07:00

I'm a new Meme addict. I found this one:"Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week."...and thought, oh yeah, that's one I can participate in ;)(ah-hem)It was NOT ME who ate so many of DH's Valentines chocolates that I snuck out to the store today to buy more (same brand,

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-16852956905686126722009-03-06T12:45:00.000-08:002009-03-06T13:38:13.084-08:00

"Thin For Life" by Anne M. FletcherThis is the book that helped me lose 18 pounds two years ago. (What happened, you ask? Well, let's just say I stopped reading the book and gained it all back). ARGGH.Anyway, what I love about this book is that the author interviewed people who had not just lost the weight, but who kept it off for a number of years (so in other words, she wouldn't have

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-22474671562598989282009-02-27T07:03:00.000-08:002009-07-06T22:39:37.887-07:00

I need one of these things! Omg, that's too funny. I'm eyeballing our poor sad lonely exercise bike in the corner of the room, wondering how this laptop holder would attach. (The question is, would I pedal, I would I just sit there?) Hey now, of course I'd pedal!! Sometimes. I mean wouldn't it be hard to pedal and type at the same time? Who knows... Do any of you have one already and can tell me

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-49647899072371076332009-02-22T08:40:00.000-08:002009-02-22T08:46:20.264-08:00

Soooo... it's been awhile since the last blog post, Jeanne... howya doin'? Still countin' those calories? Huh? Huh?(and there was a day when I swore I'd never ever refer to myself in the third person)The good news is that I haven't gained any weight. The annoying thing is that if I'd stuck with the calorie reduction that I started a few weeks ago, I could be a few pounds lighter by now.Ah yes, no

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-15923253587584726782009-02-06T16:14:00.000-08:002009-02-06T16:25:24.514-08:00

So I went to the local health unit to use one of their "accurate" scales, and got the strangest result. It's kind of funny, actually... In my last post I described how our home scale is less accurate as more weight is added on. However... check this out: on the health unit scale I weighed myself and my four year old. I weighed EXACTLY the same as on my home scale (137 lbs). My son, however,

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-41855187411623706602009-02-03T13:41:00.000-08:002009-02-03T13:57:35.506-08:00

Have you ever tried weighing a child, or a pet, by first stepping on the scale alone and taking note of the weight, then stepping on it again with the child/pet in your arms and calculating the difference?For example (drum roll).Let's say I weigh 120 lbs.(I'm pausing here to allow sufficient time for the laughter to fade, and for all involved to recompose ourselves.)No seriously, let's just say.

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-75112582201166546802009-02-02T17:11:00.000-08:002009-02-02T17:36:39.958-08:00

I think I'm doomed until the tub is empty.I caved last night, and had a nice biiiiig (1,000? cal) bowl of vanilla+ ice cream (I say vanilla+ because I add stuff, like chocolate chips, various syrups, peanut butter... you get the picture).It's a friend's fault (yeah! that's it ;) - ever since she introduced me to Baskin Robbins' peanut butter chocolate ice cream (not sure if that's the official

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-60153190558715307712009-02-01T15:16:00.000-08:002009-02-01T15:27:21.174-08:00

Hey, I have a chance today! It's after 3:00 and I'm only at 910 calories so far. The fact that I'm at home with my kids and not at some Superbowl party/pub event definitely helps.By this time yesterday I was well over 1,400. All I have to do is keep things to moderation tonight, and stay away from the ice cream. Hmmm. I better type that again (for my benefit).STAY AWAY FROM THE ICE CREAM.;)______

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-82973735177820330122009-01-31T21:22:00.000-08:002009-01-31T21:48:19.353-08:00

1) Make lasagna. Extra Mozza. Mmmmm....2) Eat the chocolate your husband brings home for the kids (I am a good parent, darn it! That stuff is not good for them).3) Don't include the kids' leftovers in your calorie count, and eat it. (leftovers, not calorie count).4) Eat ice cream while watching Oprah episode about obese teens.5) Put chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, and peanut butter on your ice

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-5767530772101473892009-01-31T18:25:00.001-08:002009-07-07T11:10:06.355-07:00

This is why you should ALWAYS measure, and never ever ever ever free-pour Flaxseed:Return to Blog Scene By Jeanne

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-47359960302187895022009-01-29T17:56:00.000-08:002009-01-29T18:05:09.061-08:00

Because I love him dearly, I feel I am allowed to call my husband EVIL. What for? Buying these:

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-2745748807731079152009-01-22T07:17:00.000-08:002009-01-22T07:23:17.276-08:00

Yippee - 1,600!! Back on track.It might have been slightly higher, but I don't think so. The only reason I say this is because I had a personal sized Greek pizza, which I estimated at being 550 calories.A single slice of M&M rising crust pepperoni is approx. 275 (this depends on how many pieces you cut the pizza into, of course - on the box they just give the count for the entire pizza). My guess

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-72073704409890101032009-01-21T07:08:00.000-08:002009-01-21T07:15:49.913-08:00

I didn't count any calories yesterday, 'cause I kinda, uh, indulged in some treats (lasagna, ice cream, Bailey's in my coffee, etc.). I'm going to call it my own "Canadian party for the US inauguration" and just leave it at that (and congrats, Mr. President! What an historic day that was :-)I'm pretty sure I've lost a couple of pounds though. Pretty sure. Not entirely sure, because my scale

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-40071255328924188222009-01-20T07:22:00.000-08:002009-01-20T07:28:23.104-08:00

Yesterday: 1,976 calories.This is still above my weight loss goal of 1,200-1,700 per day, but you know what? I'm happy with it. We had tacos for dinner last night, and I had only one, for 250 calories.Had I not been counting, I would have had at least four!! (lol, omg can you say oink oink ;-) That would have meant that dinner alone would have been at least 1,000 calories (and that is how I was

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-80214793955315726672009-01-18T22:29:00.000-08:002009-01-18T22:32:17.405-08:00

Not awful, but a bit above my target (1,700 and under):1,925.Hmmm. (It was that blasted candy again! Plus I had some ice cream ;-)I did have some banana and apple, cheese and yogurt, so there was some healthy stuff in there as well, at least. It certainly could have been worse...____________________Return to Blog Scene By Jeanne

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-21584540908561137812009-01-17T23:05:00.000-08:002009-01-17T23:16:55.277-08:00

Yippee!!! 1,488 calories today :-)The fact that I was able to sleep in (if you can call it that) until about 8:30 helped, because I started eating a bit later than I normally do.I ate dinner with DH and the kids, which is tough when you're counting calories. It worked out OK, though:1/2 cup mashed potatoes = 1181/2 cup corn = 903 Half chicken wings = 180(Luckily it wasn't my favourite meal ;-)

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-79143464073244585722009-01-16T16:57:00.000-08:002009-01-16T17:03:54.328-08:00

What the heck. We have to embrace our flaws too if we're truly going to accept ourselves (blah blah blah ;-)For some reason today I could NOT stay away from the candy.So far I'm at about 1,300 calories, and I haven't had dinner yet, which is pork roast. I think that meal alone will be about 1,000 calories, although I'm lucky I'm not a huge gravy fan, so that will help. I'm guessing today will end

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-36963455907688560762009-01-16T07:02:00.000-08:002009-01-16T09:31:25.938-08:00

...was 1,410!!It was the best day yet in terms of nutrient composition. There were very few wasted calories on things like candy or cream for my coffee, and I ate fruit, veggies, dairy, grains, and lean protein.My secret to yesterday's success: popcorn!! It was air popped, with nothing on it, so it was about 30 calories per cup.I had only about 60 calories worth of popcorn (2 cups), and it did a

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-73296600824979359552009-01-15T17:59:00.000-08:002009-01-15T18:14:53.457-08:00

OUCH! Just made myself some yogurt with blueberries, wheat germ and flax, and looked at the calories involved. Per 1/4 cup, here's a comparison:Yogurt: 50Blueberries: 16Wheat Germ: 120Flax: 146YOWZA. Who knew? The wheat germ and flax have enough nutrients to make the calories worth while, so I went ahead with my snack. Here's what I ate:1/2 cup yogurt = 100 cal.1/4 cup blueberries = 16

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-87431515362296781122009-01-14T22:08:00.000-08:002009-01-14T22:15:44.283-08:00

...but, with my calorie counting experience I estimate that the dinner was 1,500 or less, which puts the day's total around 2,300. This is still at least 1,000 less that what I was eating a few days ago (I ate a lot ;-)DH bought me an air popper tonight so I can make fresh popcorn with nothing on it, as another option for a low cal snack, so that should save me tomorrow (after I higher calorie

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-30350985990910366162009-01-14T06:00:00.000-08:002009-01-14T07:14:51.379-08:00

Yesterday`s final tally: 1,543 Calories :-)So far so good! It's easy to string two or three good days together, but making them the rule instead of the exception is the real challenge.Why I was able to succeed:Dry Cheerios: sometimes I just need something to put in my mouth, and these are relatively low cal., and a good source of several essential nutrients.Tuna mixed with green beans: I love

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-80408014090279690022009-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:002009-01-13T07:15:16.166-08:00

Yesterday`s final tally: 1,618 Calories :-)That works for me! You can lose weight faster if you get a bit lower (closer to 1,200), but for me at 1,600 the weight will still come off.Why I was able to succeed: I chewed a lot of sugar free gum!! lol. I ate fresh fruit, which gives your body nutrients, thereby reducing your hunger. For dinner I had a can of chicken noodle soup, which is filling,

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-42690369344331536512009-01-12T06:00:00.000-08:002009-01-12T06:00:01.051-08:00

While will power is an essential component in any successful diet outcome, there are ways to make things easier on yourself. For me this can be done with a three step process. Consider the following:Step 1: Figure out what the problem isStep 2: Figure out why the problem happensStep 3: Figure out an alternative that eliminates the problemInsert your own stuff and apply. For example, here are some

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-73212434497509646582009-01-11T07:41:00.000-08:002009-01-11T08:58:48.142-08:00

Tomorrow?I mean literally January 12th, not tomorrow as in some random day in the future (lol, lol). I looked at the calendar on Friday and thought, "Hmmm. Monday would be good, I think."My best option will be to count calories. This has worked for me in the past, and so this is what I'm going to do again.(Sadly I've gained weight since starting this blog, so now I'm on a mission to lose 20!

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-65333392319314403082009-01-04T10:23:00.000-08:002009-01-04T10:37:39.409-08:00

The appearance of your food shouldn't matter if you want to lose weight, according to a recent study in Japan, as well as weight loss guru Paul McKenna: results have shown that when people eat blindfolded, they eat less.Reasons for this are varied, including the fact that when diners don't see their food, they're more likely to savour the flavour and eat more slowly. Also, if there is no visual

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-29538225731910808842009-01-02T14:07:00.000-08:002009-01-02T15:14:31.999-08:00

Yippee.Day one was easy, because there's nothing like waking up tired and, uh, overindulged from New Year's Eve to curb your appetite. Now here we are on jolly ol' Day 2, with me being rested and feeling like my old self - my old piggly wiggly self!!!I've not done too badly. For instance, instead of diving head first into the left over chocolate covered almonds (even I, with all my pigout

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-34618215424268504572008-12-30T16:21:00.000-08:002008-12-30T16:39:54.708-08:00

I make New Year's resolutions every year, and quite often fail at keeping them. Luckily for my poor fragile ego they're more for fun than anything.I have noticed, though, that I'm more likely to succeed at keeping them if I do the following:1) Write them down and read my list often.2) Break each one down into smaller steps, and schedule completion for each step.This year, as always, weight

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-77639354896009018112008-12-19T21:41:00.000-08:002009-07-06T22:37:25.183-07:00

If you're like me and leery of artificial sweeteners, low calorie treat alternatives that don't use them are always welcome.I started thinking about the sugar in hot chocolate one day, and decided to try it without. After all, many people drink coffee and tea without adding sugar, why not hot chocolate?It turns out that it's not bad at all! Here's the recipe that I use:1/2 cup skim milk 1 tbsp

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-80539987320180124992008-12-11T09:48:00.000-08:002008-12-11T11:06:44.400-08:00

1) Your husband wants to get rid of the exercise bike because "nobody uses it".2) You find yourself rationalizing eating snacks as "prep for your new year's weight loss - hey, gotta have somethin' to lose!!"3) When you run, things (um) jiggle.4) You can't find the scale because of the box sitting on it that contains your secret stash.5) You don't want to give away your maternity clothes because

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-23532985814377195242008-12-07T13:03:00.000-08:002009-07-06T22:30:49.967-07:00

A friend of mine's Nan, who's 86, lives by the "KISS" principle - i.e. "keep it simple stupid".We were talking about weight loss help the other day, and her response was one that few can argue with. She said:"The best way to lose weight is to eat less and move more."LOL, you're so right, Nan!____________________Return to Jeanne's Blog List

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-38979977549540178772008-12-04T07:11:00.000-08:002009-07-07T11:08:43.180-07:00

Here's an article I found about the trend for decreasing activity in kids.They mention specifically the fact that fewer kids walk to school, and of those who do, the majority walk less than 600 meters (or about 6 blocks - 1 block is about 80-100 meters). We live three blocks from school, so there is no possible scenario that would make us drive. We would literally have to park the car closer to

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-90844353294443217612008-11-28T15:19:00.000-08:002008-11-28T16:15:06.026-08:00

I have read conflicting reports as to which tea metabolizes fat better, green or oolong, but here's an interesting article that sides with oolong.As stated in the article, all tea comes from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) - it's the processing that differentiates it in the end. Supposedly the drying process of the tea leaves which results in oolong creates a greater metabolism stimulating

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-22373031291125671972008-11-22T09:41:00.001-08:002009-07-06T22:20:04.692-07:00

Is it true? Can eating breakfast really help you lose weight?Somehow, mysteriously, I've lost 2 more pounds.I say mysteriously because I haven't been actively trying to lose weight. I've been kind of "cruising", waiting until "New Year's Resolution" time (a.k.a. making excuses to not diet today).If I look back over the past couple of weeks, the one change I've made is that I've been making sure I

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-637844553491108252008-11-18T17:23:00.000-08:002008-11-18T17:29:59.918-08:00

Here's a link to the Cabbage Soup Diet.It may seem like another one of those gimicky fad diets (technically I suppose it is), but the reason I'm passing along this info is because a friend of mine and her husband had success with it. They made minor adjustments to the soup (I think they thickened the broth or something - I forget), but otherwise followed the plan as it is described. Sure enough,

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-53150441697226629972008-11-13T18:12:00.000-08:002009-07-07T11:10:50.298-07:00

Yum... Had some leftover onions and grated carrots from last night's tacos, so tonight's dinner consisted entirely of veggies stir fried in a bit of butter and soya sauce:onionsgrated carrotyellow pepperred peppercherry tomatoesfrozen peasI know it doesn't sound like much, but it was delicious, and pretty low cal :-)

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-7121974184067783092008-11-12T20:24:00.000-08:002009-07-09T15:33:58.004-07:00

OK not quite (phew ;-)Walking is a wonderful way of staying in shape because it is relatively injury free. Anyone can do it - you don't have to be overly fit when you start. It's green, it's free, and it's easy to incorporate into your routine.Here are some ideas on how to add a few steps to your day:1) Park farther away (we've all heard this one before but it bears repeating).2) Carry smaller

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-24323493224454004592008-11-06T10:38:00.000-08:002009-07-07T11:12:01.635-07:00

Just when I thought a rainy day was sedentary...My son is playing with Play-Doh at the moment, and he keeps calling me over to his table:"Mommy please you help me open this? Mommy come here please! Mommy look, come see what I made!!"And on and on it goes. I get up from my table and go over to his, then return to mine. Then get up and go over to his, then return to mine. Then get up and go over to

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-87697705945678473822008-11-01T08:25:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:22:01.330-07:00

At least with the Krisp Kreme donuts there was a light at the end of the tunnel - there are, after all, only twelve in a box.The Halloween candy is a different story because there are literally piles and piles and piles and piles of it.First of all, we bought too much. I bought another box to replace the, uh, eaten stuff, and it turns out that Hubby did the same thing. We live on a quiet dead-end

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-32906686551608856132008-10-27T12:54:00.001-07:002008-10-27T12:54:59.812-07:00

...that I keep ending my posts with "wish me luck" ???lol

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-3544312438360391952008-10-25T20:01:00.000-07:002009-07-07T11:08:04.366-07:00

OK there is no such thing. This is just my dream.(sorry)My Dad is in town, and Hubby bought a box of "A Diet's Achilles Heel" (aka Krispy Kreme donuts). So far I've had only one and a half donuts, which for me is AMAZING restraint.Wish me luck...

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-13068937882752799862008-10-20T13:01:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:43:36.656-07:00

Ha!! Bought a new box of Halloween candy to replace the one that Hubby opened and, uh, (cough cough) ate.This time, if I hide it so he won't open it, I won't scarf it all down...Wish me luck!!!

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-49548634321191171422008-10-18T10:10:00.001-07:002009-07-06T22:44:08.736-07:00

(sigh)OK, since DH opened the box of Halloween candy, most of it has been eaten by yours truly. I keep meaning to hide it somewhere, but I always grab a handful first, lol.At least it's still high up on the shelf where the kids can see it, which makes it harder for me to sneak some. Maybe I should keep the box in Alyssa's room - she's the one with the will power...

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-49721748942829402232008-10-18T08:51:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:27:49.989-07:00

Interesting tip: the You Docs (Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen) say that Vitamin C can help you lose weight. Apparently this is because Vitamin C is vital for the production of carnitine, which turns fat into fuel.Good to know...

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-54192923278637307652008-10-17T09:49:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:36:20.817-07:00

...and what exactly was the damage from my holiday indulging? I found this web page, which quotes a big whopping 56 calories. Not bad until you look at the serving size, which is 1oz. (oops ;-)

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-92120970845203811072008-10-13T07:52:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:35:23.189-07:00

Let's face it, I'm really thankful for chocolate and sushi, but let's see if I can make it work for this blog:Hmmm...1) I'm thankful that I enjoy walking, even in the rain2) I'm thankful that my kids are naturally active so I have to spend time chasing them ;-)3) I'm thankful I have a dog to walk every night4) I'm thankful to be a stay at home Mom, which gives me time to prepare healthy meals

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-60175897258880961932008-10-10T07:01:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:42:37.557-07:00

This one is really hard for me.Sometimes I can do it - if I get caught up in one of my projects and forget to snack, but most of the time it's a struggle. I think because the "kids in bed time" is strongly associated with treats for me.Plus there's that darn TV thing, with all those shows that call to you: "Come watch me!!! You've worked hard all day!!! Pour yourself a nice big bowl of ice cream

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-17364172531836745822008-10-09T11:17:00.000-07:002009-07-07T11:02:37.792-07:00

...with a smaller plate. I kept hearing about this one and finally tried it myself, and it worked.I recently watched a televised weight loss series with Paul McKenna, and one of the topics he covered was how food appearance affects hunger. He conducted an experiment where he told people to eat until they felt full. He repeated the exercise with subjects who were blindfolded, and found that these

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-34093747595587605602008-10-06T15:52:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:33:46.713-07:00

I just don't get it. Pork, I mean. I really really don't understand why people buy it, eat it and then cook it. Blech.The only pork I've ever liked was a roast I tried a long time ago... slow cooked with an entire jar of sauerkraut dumped on it. Yum. Hubby won't touch that with a ten foot fork. In fact, he ran screaming from the house, tearing madly at his hair, the last time I suggested it.(sigh

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-79324827338635861832008-10-05T17:13:00.000-07:002009-07-07T11:09:15.717-07:00

Hopefully hubby doesn't buy anymore next time he shops, 'cause this could be key for my weight loss goal ;-)(What? Oh come on, who has will power, anyway?) Sheesh.LOL

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-11192846385716571472008-10-05T07:41:00.000-07:002009-07-09T15:35:13.321-07:00

I've heard it takes two weeks to make or break a habit. This might explain why weight loss that takes longer is more likely to stick.If your diet plan consists of small changes, one at a time, you're less likely to feel overwhelmed. If you can maintain each change for at least two weeks before introducing a new one, you're more likely to form new beneficial habits, rather than constantly

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-87337211567163099122008-10-03T07:59:00.000-07:002008-10-03T08:03:48.310-07:00

I've changed my focus.Instead of looking at the total amount I need/want to lose (about 15 lbs), I've broken it down into small categories. It's soooooo much easier when it's a small amount.So at this point, I've achieved 2 pounds out of my 5 pound goal. Wahooo!!! Once I lose the next three, then I'll set a new goal...

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-62534288940444630622008-09-28T20:31:00.000-07:002008-09-28T20:42:58.021-07:00

Grooaaaan.... Aw, what the (bleep) kind of a post title was that (sorry) lolI'm obsessing over Frank's RedHot sauce at the moment. I absolutely love the stuff (yum!!!!). Hubby wanted me to make him some chili for lunches (to which I added home grown zucchini puree - SHHH, I think he's getting suspicious), so of course out came the Franks. Seriously, I could drink the stuff (and it's only 1

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-72095627124147737062008-09-27T17:48:00.000-07:002008-09-27T18:00:53.386-07:00

(I'm still here!!)My kids can't sit still. I know most kids are like that, but my daughter, in particular, is absolutely driven to movement. She wiggles and jiggles and squirms, and is fanatical about climbing. The monkey bars at school are her second home.My son runs. As soon as we open the door to take his sister to school, he bolts to the sidewalk. I have to constantly call him back. He's

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-75499156721377985312008-09-14T15:56:00.001-07:002009-07-06T22:44:54.163-07:00

Ha! They ALL ate it (the green stew). Ate it, liked it, and were none the wiser....

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-81301808576915974662008-09-10T17:03:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:45:33.203-07:00

Or should I say FOAMY green stew. Thank goodness the olive oil that I put in it caused all the green stuff to foam at the surface so that I could scoop some out, otherwise my hubby would never eat it.Seriously, it was GREEN. That's what happens, I suppose, when you blend fresh leaves of sage, savory, rosemary, basil and thyme, along with about a cup of green onions (all from the garden). I'm sure

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-24549734411918641222008-08-27T17:25:00.001-07:002008-08-27T17:32:28.447-07:00

I know how to lose these ten pounds; I know exactly what will work. It's worked for me in the past and it will work again as soon as I am ready to get down to business.It's simple: keep a food diary, log everything that goes into my mouth, and stick to 1,500 calories per day.(Like I told my Mom, losing weight is not hard, it's just not enjoyable ;-)Meanwhile, my current "at least I'm doing

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-54851064273119137822008-08-23T22:26:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:25:36.083-07:00

OK, so here I am a few hours later, and my pedometer reads 10,795 clicks. Yowza. Uh-huh. I haven't left the house either, other than to walk the dog a few blocks. Seriously, 6 blocks. That's it.Granted, I am a stay at home Mom rather than having a desk job, so I'm not exactly sedentary. I'm moving all day long.Still, are 10,000 steps really that many? Maybe I should aim for 15,000. Hmmm....

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-52731305909428193372008-08-23T15:11:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:26:17.765-07:00

I read an article in the paper a few days ago about keeping fit, and using a pedometer to aim for 10,000 steps per day. It occurred to me that my mother in law had given me one a couple of years back (she'd gotten it free somewhere and wasn't using it), and suddenly I was motivated to venture downstairs to my office and dig through piles of stuff until I found it (which in itself promised to be a

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-76414109669818185132008-08-20T01:38:00.000-07:002008-08-20T01:43:18.043-07:00

OK, "dang" is not exactly the word I want to use, but this is a "G" rated blog. (Besides, the vacation really was lots of fun).Stepping on the scale upon my return home only to discover that I've gained four pounds wasn't so much fun, however.My Mom commented that losing weight is not easy. I replied with: "Yes it is!! It's just not enjoyable..."Oh well, what's done is done. All I can do now is

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-26614364899533965612008-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:002008-08-10T08:00:00.413-07:00

....after August 18th. We're away on a family vacation until then, so I'm posting this same message on all of my blogs.(I thought I'd be organized and write some posts and post date them for while I'm gone, but that never happened. Life got in the way, I guess ;-)See you soon!

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-38582853711892194732008-08-08T00:00:00.000-07:002008-08-08T00:02:39.926-07:00

Ahhhh... this combination was surprisingly refreshing - I'm definitely doing this one again:bananacucumberlemon (without the rind)vanilla yogurtwaterYum.....!!

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327454228538532235.post-7705896775426750782008-08-04T10:01:00.000-07:002009-07-07T11:07:24.239-07:00

I have more of a sweet tooth than a salty one... ice cream doesn't last long in our house! If I'm able to be strong and not indulge, it's usually because I've had one of the following instead:1) Mini-freezies - they're only 10 calories each, and are mostly water.2) Jolly Rancher candy - or ANY candy that's rock hard. Not sure how many calories each one has - anywhere between 10 and 40 - but

Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0