Thursday January 30, 2020

Wednesday January 29

Wednesday January 29

29 days into the new year.
still no chocolate, no cake, no donuts, no ice-cream, etc
going strong

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Tuesday January 28

The month is coming to an end... and I keep rolling along...
Had a great meal today at Red Lobster.
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It turns out that it is far more rewarding to sit down, eat a decent meal than go through the drive-thru at Burger King, Chick Fil A, McDonalds, Culvers, White Castle.... Wow, when I slip, I really slip!

So far this DECADE, I have had no slips!

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Salmon New Orleans

This delicious New Orleans-style seafood recipe features pan-seared salmon topped with shrimp in a rich Cajun butter sauce. 

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MONDAY JANUARY 27

SUNDAY JANUARY 26 (POSTED ONE DAY LATE)

VEGETARIAN SALAD - YEAH, I WON'T BE DOING THAT AGAIN

I was a bit experimental on Saturday at Whole Foods - I hand-selected some low calorie vegetarian treats from the self-serve salad bar. Yeah, I won't be doing that again.  Just not that satisfying.
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NO REAL PROGRESS THIS WEEK

My weight did not drop any this week, in fact, annoyingly it increased 1.5 lbs... Here is how I define progress, another week went by where I have solidified new habits.  That's good. That's progress. Even if it is SMALL progress


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NO SNACKS!

23 days in.... and I have 'survived' with no snacks (not even a relatively healthy snack like an apple)
Nothing... no snacks!
No wonder I am dropping some weight.
In a recent typical day prior to January 1st,  my snacking exceeded unbelievably high calories every single day. It could make you sick.  Actually it did.

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18 HOUR DAY - OUT AND ABOUT

As I review my food consumption today, I see that this is the first time I have exceeded 2000 calories this year.  I woke up at 5:30AM and scarfed down a quick breakfast at the hotel before taking a 45 minute in order to be at an appointment at 7AM.  When I returned to my hotel around 9AM, I stopped and had a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks.  I also had two significant meals for lunch and dinner. I stayed away from pure junk food all day, as I have all year - and I feel OK about my going over 2000 calories.

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BLACK JACK

Wow what a difference a 'mindset' makes... Last night I was in a hotel which gave me access to a 24 hour pantry - stocked with fresh coffee maker, water, soda, bagels, and chocolate chip cookies.  Had I been there one month ago - I would have eaten 5 cookies, 10 cookies, more cookies?  Who knows, but it would have been more than one.  Last night I had none. It does take some will-power to walk away from free food. However, nothing in life is free.  One 'pays' in different ways when one overeats. 21 days into the new year - and I am going strong.  21. BlackJack!

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SALMON POWER BOWL - NEW FAVORITE?

At a late Red Lobster lunch I carefully perused the menu and stumbled upon the Salmon Power Bowl.  A bit of a misnomer, as it was not served in a bowl, but a plate. That is quite a tiny quibble. The meal was delicious.  Not particularly low calorie, but highly satisfactory... And a high protein meal can't be too unhealthy. Besides, I am not really trying to eat the lowest calorie option at every meal - but I am (so far successfully) eradicating chocolate from my life.  Twenty days into the new year and I have been successful.  If I only keep the chocolate candy, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate ice-cream, chocolate milk, chocolate doughnuts, and chocolate donuts, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies, and the like far away - my weight will drop - as it has already in just the first twenty days of the year.

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AS MY WAISTLINE CONTRACTS, MY WARDROBE EXPANDS

Recently I have had a lot more stuff that didn't fit than stuff that did fit.

I had a couple of favorite pairs of pants, shirts, sweaters, jackets that I grew out of.

More stuff is returning to everyday 'wear' - and this is at just under 280 lbs.

Apparently losing 20 pounds makes a difference.
I 'discovered' a new pair of pants today that I don't remember wearing since a few months ago....
in fact, it had to be about twenty pounds ago.

I am just getting started!

It's a bit early for me to nominate myself as Dieter-of-the-Year,  as I have a l-o-n-g way to go.... I'm just getting started!

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ADIOS SODA

I have successfully drastically cut back my soda consumption.   I do think I have picked up my coffee consumption with artificial sweetener.  I have vastly picked up my water consumption.  Each time I visit Applebee's, Panera, or Red Lobster - my beverage of choice is water. It is hard to change a lot of bad habits at once, but I have been at least somewhat successful.  And I have now been at this for a grand total of 18 days... The biggest step, was that first one... When I finally decided (again) enough is enough. Never has 278.5 pounds felt so good.  (And by the way, I am not fooled - it is still incredibly morbidly obese - but at least I am going in the right direction for the first time in a long time.

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AT THE DAWN OF THIS DECADE I WAS NEALY 20 POUNDS HEAVIER

AT THE DAWN OF THIS DECADE I WEIGHED NEARLY 20 POUNDS MORE THAN I DO TODAY.
That 'dawn' was just 18 days ago!

The Dawn of this new decade started at sunrise just eighteen days ago. On that day, I weighed 297 lbs.  Just eighteen days later, I weigh 278.5 lbs - down 18.5 lbs in eighteen days!

On Monday morning, I retired my new Columbia Pants purchased in October and revived a pair of Ralph Lauren 46B waist Black Jeans.  They were tight on Monday, but I was happy just to be wearing them again.  By Friday they were absolutely comfortable. Next stop, they should get loose, then ill-fitting, and then retired as I rediscover some 44W pants I have lying around somewhere.

YIKES! HOW MANY CREAMERS DID YOU SAY?

Oh boy... When I buy a coffee at Starbucks I often add Zero Calorie Vanilla syrup. This ain't health food - but at least it has no calories.  When I am having by free included breakfast a hotel in the morning, I often add three or four 'creamers' to a cup of coffee. Really? Not any more. Not after today. That ship has sailed! Each of these little packages contain 35 calories!  Who knew?  Not I. The information is not hard to find, but one does have to look. The calories are not printed on this ubiquitous container.  Yikes!

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Goodbye Columbia 50, Welcome Ralph Lauren 46

Back in October as my weight was increasing and increasing, I was running out of options for pants. I needed to go home to visit my Mom for a family function.  I literally had nothing remotely appropriate to wear.  I purchased a pair of Columbia pants, 50W.  They were ridiculously loose when I got them... but as 2019 drew to a close they started to fit much better - which is quite sad as I was 'growing' into them.

This week I was able to 'revive' a pair of Ralph Lauren pants size 46. They ain't loose. But they fit.  Before too long, I hope to make these too big, so that I can hunt in my closet for the some 44's.
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I am a ridiculous person.  I am good at gaining weight and losing weight.  I really stink at maintaining weight. Well at 280+ that will not be something I need to worry about for quite awhile!  There is nothing about my current weight that I wish to maintain!

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HIGH CALORIE TUESDAY

My dinner at Red Lobster was Southwest Style Shrimp Tacos... what I should have done was not add the Cup of Lobster Bisque.

Only compared to what I have eaten the past two weeks was my calorie count high yesterday.... Nearly 2000.  This proves again to me how easily it was for me to have 5000 calorie days when I was eating with reckless abandon.

Tuesday was the 14th day of January, the 14th day of the New Year and the 14th day of this brand-new decade.  So far this decade, I have not had chocolate, I have not had ice-cream, I have not had a fast-food hamburger, I have not had fruit juice with breakfast, I have not had a bagel, I have not had a doughnut, I have not had french fries, I have not had potato chips, I have not had a Pop Tart, I have not had any of the free chocolate chip cookies that are available at Fairfield Hotels when I check in, I have not had sugared breakfast cereals, I have not had flavored oatmeal, I have not had a milk shake, I have not had any M&M's.... And I do believe, almost no matter what I eat - as long as I don't eat the garbage on this list - I will successfully lose weight. In fact, belief is not important - I have done this before in my life. Simply cutting out this garbage leads to weight loss.

Something else I have tried to do with some great success is to vastly cut down on drinking diet soda.  Now I am sleeping better, as I am not walking up multiple times per night to (being inelegant here) 'take a leak.'

Applebee’s

I am rediscovering all the places I used to visit when I lost so much weight a few years ago.

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RED LOBSTER

I  am gaining momentum with my decision to change my life (again).
Last night I rediscovered Red Lobster.
The reason that these ubiquitous chains are important to me is that I need places where I can find, quick, health(ier) food while on the road.
I signed up for the frequent diner program.
They online nutrition builder allows one to be sure of what one is eating.
Last night I had the Caesar Salad w/chilled lobster and shrimp.
I am not tricked into thinking that this is 'health food.'
I am not really seeking 'health food.'
But I am looking to avoid the 'poison foods' that I have been eating for far too long.

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OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Well that's it....
Just finished a conversation with my Mom in New York
Admitted to her that I likely gained weight since my October visit.
Admitted to her that I weighed 297 pounds on New Years Day.

Announced that she would not recognize me when I return home for a visit at the end of March.

So that's it... I am committed.
I was already.
Now I am even more committed.

DOUBLE DIGITS

Double digits.
TEN DAYS
progress being made.

Perhaps in a couple of weeks or so I will be able to wear the XL long sleeve button down shirts my Mom gave during my last visit last October.

I didn't even bother to try them on.... but I will be wearing them soon enough.

On Saturday morning, I weighed 282.1 lbs.
Since I did weigh 297 lbs on January 1st.
I guess I am 'happy'

The ridiculous thing, is that back (a long time ago) when I was under 230 lbs and crossed that border into the 230's I was depressed.

The direction one is moving is everything.

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FAUX SHOPPING SPREE

On Thursday night I visited a convenience store and I used my myfitnesspal app to record the calorie content of much of the 'snacks' that I have been enjoying for the past year.... Even I never had all from this list in one day - but I surely had much more than than this list in a week.  Hmmm, I wonder why I gained so much weight in the past year.  Mystery Solved. I am disgusted with myself. Actually, I am not disgusted at all.... I just finished my 9th day of not eating anything even remotely from this list... It does not take too long to start feeling better as I do. Yeah, I know... shocking

I have not completely removed sugar from my diet. It is hard.  There is some sugar in many restaurant prepared foods. But I have decreased my sugar intake by a factor of alot.

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CREATURE OF HABIT

I am an enigma to myself.
When I am eating stupidly, I get into habits, that are hard to break.

When I finally get motivated to make a change.
It takes little time for me to create new habits.

I have not bothered to stop in a restaurant to eat a meal in months.
I ain't talking about Peter Luger's Steakhouse, or Ruth's Chris...
I am talking about stopping to enjoy a meal in a place like Panera Bread.

For months and months, it was easier to buy Burger King, Taco Bell, McDonald's and a half dozen moronic places to eat.

After only 8 days, it now seems natural to carve out the half-hour and eat something a bit more normal.

I am creating new habits.


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