Liquids, Protein and a New Way Forward

Good Monday, friends!

I apologize for the "radio silence." On March 26th in the midst of a very busy day, I became very ill and was in terrible pain. I soon learned it was an attack of diverticulitis, not entirely unprecedented since I knew I was susceptible to it, but unexpected nonetheless. Long story shortened, I spent the next week on a clear liquid diet and am just finishing the course of two antibiotics and a "bland" diet. I feel great now, but it certainly did throw a wrench in the works.

One thing became abundantly clear to me: I do have will power. I have often accused myself of not having it because I struggle so to stay "in the box" with my eating plan. I can't have that excuse any more; it simply isn't true. In fact, I did learn a few things during the week of clear liquids:

1. Drinking a lot of fluids really does help that "full factor."  During the entire week, I was only "stomach hungry" once.
2. I am capable of following my plan 100% when I know there is a good reason for it.
3. There is a good reason for my plan! Despite my "fit but fat" status, research shows that otherwise healthy people who are obese still have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and early death.
4. I need to just put my big girl pants on and do whatever it takes to get this excess weight off once and for all.

Today I am cleared for both exercise and "normal" diet. What this means is that today I go back to my "physical readiness training" program of exercise. The long break made my feet feel better and since my cardiologist took me off warfarin after a nasty drug interaction with my antibiotics, I get my ibuprofen back too! It's been a long year of exercise without ibuprofen. It's a brand new day!

Food plan wise, I am going to try a protein week quick start, followed by a few weeks of getting most of my calories from protein and vegetables and strictly avoiding refined carbs (noodles, sugar) while still enjoying fruit in a limited way.  I realize this is a departure from my normal "whole foods, restricted calories" plan, but I got some advice from my doctor who thought this might be a good way to shake up my metabolism. It is pretty clear now that a regular "whole eating" plan is simply not going to work. This is not a "Paleo" plan nor a "Low-Carb" plan in the traditional sense. It's closest to a modified Dukan diet. I hope it works.

There are risks, of course. One risk is a lack of potassium; I am mitigating that by including enough higher potassium foods every day to make sure I get by full dose of this heart-guarding nutrient. I have a list of best foods (including sweet potatoes and beet greens). Another risk is ketosis; that's why I am only staying on the strictest form of low-carb for one week and then will be adding in more and more foods with carbs over the next many weeks, so that I will only be completely avoiding foods with refined flour and sugar. Naturally occurring sugars will be part of my plan. I will be writing more about this in weeks to come; sorry if it's a bit murky here.

That's the weight loss forecast from here. What's new in your world of "fight the fat?"

Strong Start Day

So . . . it was quite a spring. I slogged through February and March, being sick most of the time and just feeling crummy but maintaining my weight despite the fact that I gave up exercise for all of March. Then I had a pre-Easter hospital stay in which I dropped a couple of pounds.Then April and May in which I tried to build up my stamina while adjusting to a new job and new medications. Finally I am "back to normal" in terms of feeling well and managing to lose weight through a little trick but being undisciplined in my eating.

To get through Easter, 5 family birthdays, Mother's and Father's Day, as well as a half dozen "eat out" ball tournaments and a new job, I've simply been eating whatever I want, but half as much as I want to - or would normally - eat, pretty much at every turn. The exception is fruit and vegetables which I eat in full portion.  So if I want a bowl of cereal, I take a tiny half-sized bowl. This is working if my goal is to lose weight. But my true goal is to be healthy . . . which I'd somehow lost sight of . . . so I am returning as of today to my "box."

It dawned on me recently that my inner core of true health has been slipping away. That health has already rescued me once this year, so I don't want to get sloppy about it. It was that core of good health that "saved" me during all my weeks of Afib so it's crazy to not be "minding" it now! As of today, I am also getting back to regular exercise. My cardiologist cleared me for exercise three weeks ago, but I've been scared it will put me back into Afib. But as he says, I've got to get on with my life. I have to start slowly, 15 minutes a day, so today is the day.

In all these months of struggling with having enough energy to do the minimum I needed to do for my family, one thing has become abundantly clear: losing weight, per se, is not what matters most to me. Living is what matters. Being healthy and strong matters. Seeing my kids to their future matters. Having my hubby at my side matters. Having a core of health to support me in the next crisis matters. Weight loss is the means to the ends, not an end in itself.

Happy Strong Start Monday!

Building my Box

I admit it, I haven't been active here because sometimes I get tired of thinking/talking/writing about weight loss. But then I decide to pull on my big girl pants, stop whining, and think about what really fuels me in my weight loss journey. So with new computer in hand (or on lap, technically) and the holidays behind me, I am back to blogging! For the next couple of installments, I'll be writing about my favorite tools and maybe while I'm re-motivating myself, I'll inspire you, too!

A while back, I decided to stop focusing on what I "couldn't" or "shouldn't" or "did not choose to" eat and changed the way I framed it.  Instead, I now make a comprehensive list of what I do choose to eat and I focus on these foods.  This works because regardless of what plan or method I'm using to lose weight, I can "build my box" and fill it with the foods that support me.  

Can I eat foods that are "out of the box?"  Yes, of course, I can (and apparently do).  Yet if I choose the foods in my box, I'm going to get a lot better results, faster, never be hungry and most importantly, feel happy with myself.  That matters the most to me because if I make too many rules or set it up to be an all or nothing situation, then I am sure to go right out and shoot myself in the foot.  I'm just that way.

So without further ado, here is my box to start the new year. These are foods I like. I don't put anything in I don't like (or that doesn't sit well). I have it in layers (modeled after Michi's ladder) but focusing on my personal "super foods."  The layers make my choices easy.  

Free, free, free - Any amount, any time (emphasize*):

Vegetables:  asparagus*, beets, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, green cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, cucumbers, garlic, ginger, lettuce, kale*, papayas, parsley, spinach* and zucchini. salsa

Fruits: apples, cranberries, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries* and tangerines.

Eat every day* or most days number or servings determined by calorie guidelines):

Grains: Oatmeal, brown rice, black beans (any bean),
Dairy:  Non-fat yogurt, fat-free milk, Greek yogurt
Protein:  Turkey, white fish, 

Fruits and Vegetables: Blueberries, pumpkin, tomatoes, kiwi, blackberries, (starred* items above), broccoli sprouts, mushrooms, pears, peppers, tomato sauce, string beans, peas, cherries

Fats (carefully portioned): Walnuts, Olive oil, canola oil

Eat two or three times per week:

Grains: Barley, whole grain bread, cous-cous (whole-wheat), chicken, humus
Dairy:  Low-fat cottage cheese
Protein: Eggs, Scallops, non-fat refried beans, tuna

Fruits and Vegetables: Edamame, bananas, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, corn, pineapple, peaches, watermelon

Fats (carefully portioned): nuts 

Other:  soy sauce, honey, mustard

Eat once a week:

Grains: whole-wheat pasta, whole grain cereal
Dairy:  good cheese
Protein: Salmon, beef (London broil, round steak, eye of round)

Fruits and Vegetables: 

Fatty foods and fats:  Avocado, olives, sunflower seeds

Eat rarely (perhaps once a month):

Grains: Popcorn, pancakes, white rice
Dairy:  cheesy foods,
Protein: Salmon, pork tenderloin, lean steak, 

Fatty foods and fats:  Avocado, olives, sunflower seeds, mayonnaise

Other:  Ketchup, sweets of any kind, wine

What's in your box?

After what shall henceforth be known as "The Valentine Vomiting," I got very off-track.  But first a little history.  The first 10 years after I realized I was fat, I denied I was an emotional eater.  I am not sure why I denied it, but I'm guessing it was shame.  Somehow, intelligent people should not be emotional eaters, right?  Oh pride, how you've ensnared me!

Fast forward about 3 years and I know I'm an emotional eater.  All it takes is a little dis-regulation and I'm snacking.  I don't happen to be someone who purges and even when I go "out of the box," I am saved by the fact that we don't have a lot of my trigger food in the house.  (If you ever see me eating a sandwich, however, please put your arm around my shoulders and say, "What's going on, sweetie?"  Nonetheless, I also have a very efficient metabolism which will come in really handy if I'm ever in a survival situation.  For now, though, it just means I don't lose weight if I don't stick to my plan.

So . . after The Valentine's Vomiting, it took me several days to get back on track.  I gained 3.5 pounds in the several days it took me to re-regulate.  And I realized it wasn't only the Love Day incident that set me on a path of self-destruction.  It happened to coincide with a nasty sinus infection that temporarily rendered me unable to exercise.  I too sick to exercise and do the essential care of my family.  I have learned through all this that when I am not getting to the gym, my motivation to stay "in the box" just goes right down the tube. 

A couple of conversations with my support partners and I am "in the box again."  This time with a little extra motivation and a few coping mechanisms:

• I am going to go to the gym on my regular days even if I can't work at my usual level and just walk gently on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Turns out just getting there is as important as what I actually do!
• I am going to start looking for those outfits I've "pinned" so that when I go down one more size, I can buy them at a good price
• I have set short term goals for April 1 and May 1
• I'm increasing my 3 cardio days to hour-long sessions
• I'm going to talk to a trainer about my circuit routine
• I am going to stick with my current "box"  until April 1, then re-evaluate
• Maintain my "text accountability" program
• When I find myself in front of the pantry with an intention of "snacking," I am going to set a timer for 10 minutes, go to my room, sit in my comfy chair and look at what is really going on!

Will I do all this perfectly?  Probably not.  Yet having a plan means I have a base to come back to if I do get off track.  That said, it's my intention to do it.  This is not only about losing weight to me, in fact, in some ways, that's the by-product.  It is really about me mattering enough to me to treat my body with respect.  And that's motivation.  Have a great weekend.

Strong Start and "In the Box"

Last year I lost weight with a medically supervised diet.  The classes would have been great for a beginner, but it was mostly old material for me.  However, they did teach two concepts that have been really useful for me.

The first concept is that of being "in the box."  It is an entirely different angle than "out of the box thinking" so you will need to let go of that methodology for the time being.

I absolutely love the "in the box" concept.  The main idea is that you consider everything you can eat that will support you in reaching your goals.  Perhaps your box will include lean proteins, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etcetera. You imagine yourself putting all these things in a box.  This is your box and the goal is to eat only foods from the box which will result in being "in the box" each day, every day.

The concept of thinking of everything I will eat instead of everything I "can't eat" is a solid one. I had this concept a while back but without the box.  Somehow, the "box" changes everything.  When I am hungry or in a hurry, I can think of my box and choose something in there.  It prevents that whole drama of "well, I can't eat that  or this  and there is nothing here I can eat so I will just make a poor choice and start over tomorrow."

The other concept they taught was that of having a "Strong Start Day."  Each week we checked in and the next day was our Strong Start Day.  We took a few minutes to really think through the details of our tomorrow and plan how to get all our food in so that we would not be hungry or searching for the next meal.  Would we prepare food the night before?  Did we have meetings or travel or other things require special consideration?  What obstacles might we face?  How committed are we to being in the box tomorrow?

Last week I floundered with getting back on program after the holidays.  I know, I know, it would have been better not to get off program.  I see that now.  So yesterday was my Strong Start Day.  I was 100% in the box, never hungry, and therefore not all bummed out about the poor choices I was making.  Today I woke up ready for another day in the box.

Try these two concepts out for yourself and let me know what you think!