Breakfast

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 when you eat them? I've found it does make a difference though. When I eat breakfast, I don't gain back those "slip up" 2-5 pounds nearly as easily.

Return to Fine Grind

Attack of the Spam Monster

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 reading everyone :)

Return to Fine Grind

Halloween Candy Has No Calories

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 it's not as much as I'd like, is better than nothing :) I'll take it!

If you (from the title of this post) were looking for some kind of magic that deletes the calories in Halloween candy, I apologize. I could spin something about how having a day full of sugar maybe shakes up your metabolism and makes it speed up (is that plausible? We can pretend!), but without research to support this theory I don't know how credible it would be. Hmmm.

Instead, let's just say this: Halloween Candy Has No Calories In My Head (because there's plenty of research to support that ;)

Return to Fine Grind

Dr. Phil's Weight Loss Book: The Ultimate Weight Solution

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

Mmmm POP!

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 are normally only allowed 1/4 can two or three times a week as a treat).

I could:

a) Torture myself and not drink any, and end up eating or drinking something else just as bad,

or

b) Give in and just chug the stuff,

or

(drum roll)

c) Crack open a can, have a few sips, and leave the can in the fridge. I periodically come back and have a sip or two, but usually I'll forget it's there. The next day it's flat (and disgusting), and it gets dumped down the drain.

Wasteful? Sure. (Keep in mind that I don't live alone and therefor share in the decisions about what comes into the house.) Waist expanding? No.

Return to Fine Grind

Tasty Tummy Filler

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

Resuming Calorie Counting

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 unconscious snacker. I eat all day long, PLUS eat full meals. In theory snacking often can speed up your metabolism, but you still won't lose weight if you consume more calories than you burn.

Today my count was 2,030. I was STARVING, which will give you a glimpse of what I would have eaten had I not restricted my intake. Yeesh.
Return to Fine Grind

Finding New Ways To Exercise

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 my time wasn't eaten away by dawdling toddlers, I'd schedule us a little tighter and walk faster to reach our destinations. So when you combine brisk walking with weight pushing, you get calories burned! All my exercise needs were basically met.

Now, at the ages of 5 and 6 1/2, my kids walk everywhere too. This means we don't walk as quickly, and we stop to look at flowers and bugs and anything else you can imagine would interest a couple of curious kids. I still take the stroller to carry our stuff, but as you can guess, it's much lighter.

As a result, I'm having to be more creative as far as incorporating exercise into my day. One of the changes I've made is to remove a laundry basket from the main floor of our house. Now instead of tossing items into this basket and making one trip downstairs when the basket is full, I run each laundry item downstairs in individual trips (sometimes I wish my kids still rode in the stroller ;)

What are some interesting ways that you sneak exercise into your day? I'd love some new ideas!



Return to Fine Grind

Dr. Rhonda Low, And What Happens To You Body When You Eat A High Fat Meal

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 cloudy, and the heart rates when from comfortable to struggling. Worth noting is that both volunteers where deemed healthy prior to the test.

Ouch.

It crossed my mind to save the taped segment and replay it every time I get an ice cream craving...

Return to Fine Grind

Weight Loss With One Change At A Time

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 syrup all over it? yeeesh. SO yummy though).

Wish me luck tonight! At the moment I'm strong, but anytime after 10:00 pm or so, I stop caring about the calories and I just want the ice cream!! Ahhhh... lol

Return to Fine Grind

Are Salads Really Diet Food?

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 other hand, if it truly is light and low cal (greens & veggies with no dressing), it can't be ALL that you eat or your metabolism will shut down.

Two of my own friends have complained in the past about being unable to lose weight even though they "eat mostly salads". I wonder if they were focusing on the name and not content (what was IN those salads), or if they were not seeing the big picture (what else were they eating). In any case, the whole salad thing warrants a closer look...






Return to Fine Grind

Renewed Weight Loss Efforts

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 night! I kept thinking about that annoying tummy bump.

bump

Return to Fine Grind

Still Here!!

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

J

Return to Fine Grind

The Upside and the Downside

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 start, and renewed optimism :)

Return to Fine Grind

4 Ways To Curb Late Night Snacking

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 was Oreos, as well as a couple of chewy chocolate covered caramel granola bars (blissful sigh).

Ahhhhhhh!!!

Ok. Here's what I need to do:

1) Go to bed earlier, before the madness has a chance to start.

2) Hide the crap. DH buys it for the kids as treats, but telling me to keep my hands off it is like telling him he can't smoke, and leaving a pack with a lighter on the counter in plain view. Ya right.

3) Brush my teeth earlier (like, when I'm finished eating dinner, as opposed to right before bed).

4) Chew more gum. Gum gum gum. Gum.

That might help. Tonight I think I'll start with #1 (yaaaawn :)

Return to Fine Grind

I'm Baaaack... Or Should I Say My APPETITE Is

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

Caught Me A Bug

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 coffee today (my favourite thing in the WHOLE WILD WORLD), but so far haven't had the nerve to grind the beans. The thought of the smell kind of scares me a bit.

This is also the first time I've gone near my laptop in about 72 hours - that alone speaks volumes about how crappy I've felt. Even now as I type, my fingers feel kind of strange.

I did a Wii Fit body test this morning (I felt like I could stand up long enough ;) and while I won't tell you how much weight I've lost 'cause "illness weight loss" doesn't count, I will say that my Wii Fit age was 12 years less than my actual age! Too funny. I should get sick more often ;)



Return to Fine Grind

The Cookies Chased Me

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 cookies and I had four or five, but they had almond slices, so who knows).

I could say that I was half asleep so my resolve was not there, but that would just be an excuse. I'm the one who put the cookies on an easy to reach pantry shelf. I could put them up high so that I need a chair to get them, or I could put them in the basement, or... you get the idea.

Bottom line is, if you have moments when will power alone will not suffice, changing your environment can work.

On a good note - I lost another pound! That's 2 pounds in just shy of 2 weeks, and that's with an average of about 2,200 calories per day. I'll take that :)

Return to Fine Grind

Should I Lower My Caloric Target?

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 someone trying to lose a few pounds.

Dunno.

I did :45 on Wii Fit today, which is good. I usually try and put in at least an hour, but I was short on time today. I did a :10 run instead of :20, and I skipped some of the Yoga and strength exercises, as well as shortening some of them from the maximum reps that I usually do. I have to fit in the exercise whenever I can, otherwise if I wait until I have "enough time to do a full workout", I'll never work out.

Hmmm.

I'm contemplating a new daily target of 1,400-1,900 calories. I'll let you know what I decide...

Return to Fine Grind

Calorie Shifting

Hmmm... it appears as though my inability to stick to below 2,000 calories for any length of time has a name: calorie shifting!! lol

I'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 levels are a bit to high for this though. The bottom line is that calories consumed have to be processed by your body, and at my current rate (see top left side bar of blog for my daily counts) I'm averaging about 2,227 (I took the last 7 days, added them up with a value of 3,000 for the jujube and Easter days, and then divided by 7). In the past my weight maintenance level has been between 2,500 - 2,700, so I can still lose weight if I continue this way, but it will be extremely slow.

That being said, I firmly believe that calorie shifting, if done properly, can really work. Here are some links for further reading:

http://www.dietdigest.net/thinking-slim-shifting-your-calorie-intake

http://cerealdieter.com/2008/02/05/trick-your-metabolism-with-calorie-shifting/

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/3242_how-to-trick-your-bodys-metabolism-for-weight-loss-success

http://www.onecrumb.com/kickstart-your-metabolism-with-this-lazy-mans-trick/

http://www.peertrainer.com/LoungeCommunityThread.aspx?ForumID=1&ThreadID=140172

Return to Fine Grind