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Blood pressure

2012-01-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

I have never had high blood pressure so when my plastic surgeon told me it was far to high yesterday morning to do the lower face lift I was pretty surprised. I left the surgery center very disappointed.
I bought a home BP monitor because I just knew my BP was not high as it was at 10am yesterday.
I have no idea if I can trust it. I plan on taking it to the Dr's office and have them take my BP at the same time I take it. I can't figure out any other way of testing the darn thing.
All day my BP has been below 120/78, several times even lower than that. Not once did I get the 150/80 he got yesterday. I was pretty convinced it was the salty popcorn I gorged on Thursday night. Dr didn't think so but he doesn't know my history with BP. I do.
So for now I am back doing everything I can to make sure the BP is normal when I go to the primary Dr on the 31st. There is no way I want to take pills for this when I know I can control it with supplements and diet. I have never had to even think about BP before, it has never been an issue. I just know I caused this by not sticking with my CR lifestyle as I should. I do great for several months then blow it.
That is what I did for the past 2 months. Far to much candy, coffee and other crappy grains.
So I am back on CR and hope to stick with it for freakin ever.
I am taking Niacin, potassium, serrapeptase and other goodies to make sure the BP stays where it belongs. Of course I need to lose that darn 20 pounds too. I had decided stupidly that I was pretty content to be in a size 10, don't look awful, don't feel awful either. But that is not how it will be, after dropping this 20 pounds I will feel even better.
I didn't reschedule the neck lift just yet. I am guessing it will be done in about a month.

Meanwhile I will just hide the ugly neck.
Can't wait to get it fixed.
Just how can I trust the darn BP home monitor. Scary stuff to be messing with.

Onto part two of the plan

2011-11-17T21:48:00.001-08:00

Part two of my "get this weight off and fast" kicked into part two today. I am back with the cleanse part. I don't call it the master cleanse because I am not cleansing for any other reason than weight loss. I don't drink that horrid salt water solution. I am using 2 tablespoon of whole flax in a bit of warm water and stevia. It tastes like cereal. On the master cleanse the idea is to clean up the bowels, I guess, with that impossible to down salt water drink. I did that one day and will never do it again. If you don't grind the flax seeds they pass through undigested, so that is what I do. I really like the taste and how they work for me.
Today was a good day with the lemon drink. I got hungry only at the time I usually eat dinner about 6pm. That was solved with some tea and a teeny tiny bite of the Greeks dinner. Well 3 teenny tiny bites. I had 4 glasses of the lemon drink and those bites.
The goal is to lose 8 pounds this time. I lost good the first time around, hopefully I will do the same. I forgot to weigh this morning darn. Better not forget tomorrow.
Only 8 to go to reach what the Dr. wants me to before surgery but of course I want to lose a few extra. In fact I want to get back where I was a few months ago. 130 or 135, I won't get there before Jan. 20 but will eventually. Good to have goals.
I will be cooking and eating Thanksgiving. Not a traditional dinner but close. I haven't had meat in over a month. Guess turkey will be what changes that.
I will be back to the lemon drink the next day if I don't hit the leftovers. I want to be in the new size 8 slacks I bought for my trip to San Diego Dec. 1. I am in them just not as comfy as I like.
All I need for the trip is a pink purse. I think I found everything I need to meet family members again. I haven't seen them for over 50 years. Can't wait. I am the oldest of the bunch and of course I have to look great or as great as I can make me. Hope I don't break a fingernail before then and I need practice with the eyelashes. I am going to glam me up.

Losing it

2011-11-15T13:02:00.001-08:00

All is going well as far as food choices. I am finished with the first round of the cleanse, more to come. I am now enjoying my green juice during the day with a cooked veggie meal for dinner. Still trying to stay away from fruit. Not doing so good at that, yesterday I really enjoyed 12 nice big strawberries. While they are great for us and low in GI they are still a fruit that gives me horrible hand and feet cramps. The last time I ate them I suffered for over an hour with tight muscles still the next day. Why this happens I have no clue. Grapes are the absolute worst for me, so far blueberries and apples don't do it. This was the first time strawberries did it. I think I may have a fructose intolerance. Hate it.
My food for dinner has been broccoli and or sweet potato drizzled with olive oil and lemon with a slice of sprouted wheat bread. That's it.
I am not hungry after eating but sure am just before. That may be because I don't eat breakfast nor lunch. I do drink the green juice and if I am home will eat an early dinner, around 4pm. I am feeling great on this routine. I have lost 7 pounds so far. No loss this week, sorta expected after the cleanse, in fact I gained one pound after I completed it.

I will do the cleanse again starting this Thursday. I plan to stick with it for 7 to 10 days and then go back to the juice and one meal a day again. Doing that twice more before the surgery in Jan. The doc told me to lose 20 pounds, to do that in only 2 months is nearly impossible for me with just counting calories. I have been counting calories for years and know I lose one pound in 5 to 7 days. Not enough time to lose 20 so my new plan was put in action. So far so good. The side benefits are amazing. I love the feeling and the flat stomach again. I hope to live like this for an extended time. I know I can as long as my mind is set and that darn sugar bug leaves me alone.

We are going to a wedding out of town Dec. 1. I am in bad need of clothes that fit. I found a pink slim skirt at Nordstrom then a real cheap zebra blouse at Macy's. Picked up some spanks black nylons, ordered a chain drop waist belt online, now I need earrings and possibly a purse. I have black pumps and boots, don't know which I will wear. Would like some new booties but the cash is rapidly disappearing. Will post some pics when the outfit is complete.

Today I weigh 163 goal of 150 before surgery but really want to weigh 135 or less. When I hit my goal of 127 two years ago I felt on top of the world. I want that feeling again. I am getting there. Today I wear a size 10, at 127 I was a size 2. People told me I was to thin, didn't know I would ever be to thin. Personally I don't think I was.

A new me in the making

2011-11-09T01:05:00.000-08:00

I had been missing going to the Dr's for some small tune ups on my aged face so I made an appointment. While there my favorite PA casually said that the Dr. is now doing lower face lifts in office with local pain killers. Wowzzzeee did that get my attention. I came home told the Greek about it and he immediately made arrangements for me to pay for it. I am getting it done Jan. 20, after I lose 20 pounds.

I have lost 8 since the visit, hope to lose more than the 20 he suggested. Wish I could have the jowls removed before then because we are headed to San Diego Dec 3 for a wedding. I will be seeing relatives I haven't seen in 50 years or better. Yep, been that long. I am really looking forward to it.
But, since I screwed up and gained a few pounds I have to get rid of them so the neck lift works the way I want it to. Excited for sure.

On the weight loss plan, I am currently doing a cleanse. I am losing about a pound a day, today is day 8, I hope to lose 10, wanted 12 so if I gained a few back after the cleanse I would still have 10 gone. I don't think I will make 12.
After this cleanse is over in 2 days I am going to do a juice fast. I can't do fruit anymore so to sweeten the green juice I will use Stevia. I really am looking forward to having the juice. I am pretty tired of the cleanse drink. In fact I have been cheating. I will have a few bites of food and not the cleanse drink, I tell myself I am not doing this to actually cleanse myself, I am doing it to lose weight. Well, I am so why not eat a few bites. I am doing fine. I love the new flat tummy.
I am also in the size 10 jeans. yea. Now I can get me a few size 8's. If I dig in the closet I might find some. I did wear that size a few years ago. I really, really want to be back in the 2's and 4's that are gathering dust. Goals.

I have also been studying more about Calorie Restriction. I am counting calories and tracking even on the stupid cleanse. It is really amazing how few calories I am consuming right now and NOT hungry. It is only a 10 day cleanse. After it is over I plan on doing the juice fast for another 10 days, only because of the darn Holiday. I don't know where that will be and I know I will over do it where ever it is.

I read that on a juice feast I can expect to lose one pound a day. I really doubt I will. Juice has more calories than the cleanse and I am losing one pound a day now. I will be happy with half a pound a day.
After the cleanse and fast I will be back to Calorie Restriction, doing the green juice for lunch, I never put anything in my stomach before noon and never eat after 6 pm. I like giving my body a needed break from digestion.

My 2 meals will be very balanced, making sure they are properly combined. If I do have fruit it has to be on an empty stomach. I have learned the hard way about fermented fruit in the stomach. It isn't beans that is the musical fruit, believe me. I don't mean to toot my own horn.
Just now had a sip of water, reminds me of how much I hate it. Just not my thing. Water makes me thirsty. I know, weird, the more I drink the more I want. I don't want.
Well that is the plan, sure hope I can do it. I see no reason to not make it. I feel better now than I have in a darn long time. I am pretty sure the reason I felt so down on myself was the lousy job I have. That hasn't improved, except he is treating me better. His work load has gotten so small I work only one day a week and not a full day. Sad, so sad. And I really could use the hours right now. Guess I should look into a different job. Somebody must want a 70 year old worker. I am a good one and soon to be a skinny one.

Happy Me

2011-10-16T23:36:00.000-07:00

I am doing great with sticking with a plan. My weight loss plan that is. I have lost almost 10 pounds already. Today my wonderful daughter took me shopping, she bought me 2 Lee jeans and 3 tops. Of course the jeans don't exactly fit just yet. They are my goal for next week. I can zip them up just fine but can't seem to walk or sit very well and the muffin top, forget about it. They will be prefect in a few days.
I have been eating raw and drinking the green juice, I love that stuff. There is really no need to use the cronOmeter when I do this. I never seem to get many calories in. I am learning to live with a bit of hunger. I remember how I used to not be bothered by it, need to get myself there again. I think it is a good feeling, I get strength from it.
I have been making some pretty good raw salads from beets. Pretty darn good but so messy to make. All I do is use a mandolin to make little sticks, add a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of wine vinegar. I added some fennel too. Tasty. I think I will hunt for somebody else's recipe when I make it again. I think it could use something else in it. No fruit though, I am trying to not mix fruit and veg together.
I eat fruit only before noon, then I have my green juice. I try to keep the fruit to one or two and not bananas. Right now I enjoy pears and apples. I prefer berries guess I better buy some frozen ones tomorrow.
The green juice is simple enough, romaine, kale, apple and lemon. Tasty.
My dinner meal is a huge salad or if I want something cooked a huge amount of cooked veggies, usually peppers, onion or broccoli and mushrooms. Very simple fast, plain cooking.
I expected to loose 10 pounds fast and I did, now to finish me off with the rest of it. I do have a goal in mind. I want to weigh about 140, that was a good weight for me for several years and it will be good again. I have 20 pounds to go.
I am so darn happy to be back in my groove and feeling that taking care of myself again. I have no clue what happened to me and why I let it slide for so long. I think it was a few years, seems like it anyway. It sure can't be the job, that is almost gone. I worked 15 hours last week. Yikes, not a good thing. Hopefully this rotten economy changes soon.

Calorie Restriction update

2011-09-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

I am doing OK with CR right now and loving it. Could be better at times but overall I am tracking and eating good. I am still refusing to weigh myself, the mirror tells me the bad news for now. I have a family wedding to attend in Dec. and will NOT be wearing a size 10/12 by then. Promise!!
The job is no better, in fact a bit worse. I am still getting detailed instructions on how to do simple tasks, take it with one ear and a smile. His business has gone way down since he hired my replacement last year. It has been a steady decline. Of course that means we all work less. I worked just 7 hours last week. Gone is the ability to get out of debt which I had planned for this month. But, as long as I can take his abuse I will stick it out. I get plenty of support from my entire family on this. They know I am telling the truth about my treatment. Heck they all know he has replaced me twice already and expect it again any day.
I turned 70 in August, feel better than ever, looking pretty darn good too, of course I am the only on that thinks that. This picture was taken with the tiny webcam in this I mac. You can see the weight gain in my lower face. Since this picture was taken a week ago I have a new very short hair style. Not so sure I like it. A picture after I style it, right now it hasn't been combed for two days. Yep, I am lazy.

I have a small issue with arthritis in my hands and that only hurts bad for a short time early mornings. I have found a great supplement that has almost completely gotten rid of the inflammation in my hands. It is Serrapeptase an enzyme made from silk worms. If you are reading this and suffer inflammation look it up, amazing stuff.
I have another blog on wordpress, have had it longer than this one and tend to update it more often, or I plan to. There is a link to it on the sidebar. Check me out over there if you don't see updates here. I am really trying to get back in my update groove.

Wow, summer food and ?

2011-06-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

It is very weird how life evolves. The same person I had been working for, the one that replaced me, called and I am now back working there again. This time I am working more hours, bringing home more money and enjoying the work. Of course I am a skilled trained Dental Technician that had her own successful business for 30 years but the boss does not respect this, he has me doing menial work which I am happy to do.
I have to get up at 5:30 to get things done around here before I leave and I am even enjoying that. The only thing I don't have time for is the computer.
So all was happy, back on track with food, getting caught up with bills, losing weight, happy.
Boom, can't stay that way forever, I found an ad while searching the net yesterday, for a replacement for my job. What the f---.
Wish I could understand this type of treatment.
I won't let it change my diet plans that is if I don't get super depressed over this. He of course doesn't know I found the ad, I will gradually let him know. It could be a month to several months before he finds the person he wants. I will stick it out to the end. I have given up on trying to prove myself to him.
My summer plans are family and fun, I can't let this ruin that. I am back having the green juice every morning, should do that in the afternoon too but since I am not here that can wait. I really like the taste of it. It is Kale, Romaine, Lemon, Ginger, and an apple run through the juicer. Tasty. A great breakfast.
It really keeps me going until I get home any time between 1 to 5. (I never know how long I will work).
I then start chopping, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, hot peppers, oil and vinegar. WOW, can I put that stuff away. My all time favorite summer meal. I am not eating meat right now either. I keep a bowl of fresh cooked dried beans in the fridge for cold salads too. I am feeling great.
Guess I better get back on the St. Johns Wart so I don't get all down about the stupid job again.
Sucks!

Bout time

2011-01-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

I have been wondering if I would ever make a new post here or not. Decision made, here it is.
The past few months have not been the most exciting in my life, that is for darn sure.
I have NO job. I am a skilled Dental Technician. I had my own successful business for over 25 years and decided to close it 2 years ago thinking I would make it on my meager retirement. Not so.
I finally did get a part time job working for a guy with just a few years experience but willing to hire me for some of my skills. He never did let me show him what I can do and I never pushed it. I took his lessons on how to do what I know and didn't let his constant lessons bother me. He is the one learning after all. Anyway, I worked there for two years a few hours a week, mostly weekends because he is so messed up with scheduling.
So what happened a few months ago? He goes and hires a ceramist with hardly any experience, pays him twice as much as me and asks me to do outside sales. Of course he won't let me even do this on my own. I have to make the cold calls, make an appointment, then he goes with me. Yikes. Same oh, same oh. Naturally I refused this offer.
He thinks I can't do anything. Did I mention I had a very successful business for over 25 years. Of course he thinks I have lousy skills, yea right, he never let me show my skills.
Anyway, being out of work has taken its toll on me. I can no longer keep up with the household bills, could care less about me or anything really. I never realized just how much work is a part of me.

I have been trying to start a new business for the past several months. It is in its final stages of design. I hope to launch it in February. I will no longer be in Dentistry, I sure look forward to that. My new business will rely on me doing outside sales everyday. Something I better be getting used to. I am a creative type, preferring to well, create. Whether using a brush to build teeth or a mouse working in Photoshop I love the art in design. So that is going to be my new business.

Now for the real reason for this long overdue post. I am also launching a new me. Today is the first day back using the CronOmeter and trying to keep those hated carbs under control. I have gained a bit of weight, don't know how much since I refuse to weigh. I do know my size 2's are history, I am in a size 10 and hate it. I have a closet full of great clothes and nothing fits. I am back wearing huge t-shirts and baggy pants.
So here I am broke, the debtors calling all day long, love the answering machine, and me trying to make myself feel better with less food. It works and I know it so here goes.

Then the week end came

2010-06-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

So I didn't do so great this weekend but I enjoyed it. We went out to dinner and I had 4 glasses of wine. I loved that part but not so much the dinner. Two bad meals in as many visits. No more Mimi's for us.
I forgot to weigh myself this morning, just as well I am sure I was up. I can feel it.
Today was a bit better but I still feel puffy from all the wine yesterday. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I am working and away from the fridge for the day. Just what I need.
I will just skip this weekend counting calories, call it my fluctuation days and start with the Cron O Meter again tomorrow. I just might figure my calories for the day tonight. I know what I will be having tomorrow already so why not.
We worked in the yard a bit this weekend too. It is looking pretty good. I love looking out the windows and seeing flowers instead of neighbors. No ripe tomatoes yet. Love my garden fresh tomatoes.
Tomorrow is going to be a good day, I am looking forward to it.
Maybe I will even be able to zip my jeans. Then again I might not, so I won't try. Don't want to ruin a good day.

Calorie Restriction Oh yeah

2010-06-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

I made it through the third day just fine. I was very tired most of the day, that seems to have gone away. I knew that third day was going to be hard. It wasn't food wize, I did OK there. Stayed right in line.
I didn't even find it hard to not eat the whole melon even though it was the best ever.

I am down 3 pounds in as many days. That is also what I expected since I knew I was carrying some inflammation around. That is what it does to me, makes me round. I should be inflammation free in a few days.

I weighed 4 pounds too heavy at night when I started, it is now around 3. I need to get that down to 2 and keep it there. A sure sign of too many carbs and inflammation. It feels wonderful to get rid of inflammation. You might not even know you are, believe me, all overweight people are inflamed. That is how your body keeps itself fat. People call it water weight, well I guess it is but call it what it is, inflammation.

I need to lose 17 pounds, 16 now, so I figured out the calories in 17 pounds. Almost 60k. Yikes, sounds like a lot. For me, if I can manage to have 500 calories less a day it will take 131 days or so to lose all of it. Wow. Sounds like a long time. Remember, I don't and won't use exercise to lose weight. It was food that put it there and it will be less food to remove it. Besides that, with CR exercise isn't a must. I know that because I did lose 90 pounds without exercising. I started at Curves at 141 and didn't lose until I cut back on calories again. That was how I was able to lose the final 10, it was not exercise.
Here I am with my daughter and my Grand kids on Mother's day. We all surprised her, she loved it.

I am almost 69 years old, :-( , calories for my age and height are 1445 each day. So to cut back by 500 is huge to me. I really don't think I can do it. I will give it a try next week. My plan is to restrict to 1000 3 days then one day of 1400 then back to 1000. I read that fluctuating calories is good for the metabolism. I just hope I can get back down. Remember, I tried that metabolism diet and that is when all this crap started. I was supposed to eat my maintenance calories to improve it, well it sure didn't.
Food including Pizza
I need to get my day started, I want my flax seeds and apple juice. Yum, weird how much I look forward to this. Tasty way to get my Omega 3's.
Lunch will be grilled chicken, melon and strawberries. Dinner is yet to be decided except I do have pizza fixings that need made. Yep, my CR pizza. I buy a good raw dough, should make my own, I then top that with a pizza sauce, should make that too, then add a huge amount of raw spinach then crumble some Gorgonzola on it. I add fresh tomato slices just before it is done. Wow, yummy. I use a very strong cheese that way you use less.
Now I am looking forward to the pizza. I will let the Cron O meter tell me how much I can have. Love that thing.

My Raw cat food recipe

2010-06-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

I make my cats food. I am completely convinced cats can't digest carbs. Their bodies can't get nutrition from grains and grains make them obese and have other health issues, just like in Humans.
After learning what they need to live a cat healthy life I found it very easy to make food for them. I have read about grinding a whole animal, which I can not, do so I buy a high quality dark ground turkey and free range chicken thighs, gizzards, liver, and hearts.
They eat twice a day, morning and evening about 1/3 cup of the ground meat mixture, they share a cut up thigh.
My Raw Cat Food Recipe
1 cup bottled water
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 package ground dark meat Turkey
1/2 carton of chicken livers cut up
1/4 package heart, gizzard package cut up
1 tablespoon bone meal
1 tablespoon ground psyllium husk
1/2 envelope Knox gelatin
1 teaspoon kelp powder
1 teaspoon dulse powder
1 Vitamin B complex ground
1 Salmon Oil capsule cut open
1 Vitamin D
1 Vitamin E
1 Grandular supplement
1 Taurine supplement

I mix all the dry stuff with the butter and water and add it to the meat mixture. I always check the date on the meat making sure it will be fresh for at least 4 days. This recipe lasts 4 days for the two cats.
I freeze the thighs after they are cut and thaw one package in the fridge everyday.
The food should be served warm so I put it in a baggy then put that into a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
I tried giving them turkey with bones without success. I was afraid they would choke on a bone. They also don't chew very well for some reason. I had to take a huge hunk of meat out of Bob's mouth. Not pleasant. They do need to chew so make sure the chunks of chicken is big enough but not to big they may choke.
I am a novice at this so if you plan on feeding your cats as natural as humans can, please study the subject. This has worked for us, the cats love it.
One day I didn't have time to make the recipe so they were feed a can of a good quality cat food. Nope, they refused it so they were given the meat without the supplements in it. I feel this was OK for a few times and I feel less pressure to have it ready all the time.

Bob is a character. He does very cute cat things. Every night he drags his toy to Bill so he will play with him. He often is found in very strange places. He is a joy. Bob and Willy are not show cats, their relatives are. They are both winners to us.

Willy is very laid back. He is a more typical pure bred American Shorthair. He does play with Bob and a pencil but mostly he just bathes, sleeps, and looks good. He is still a bit skittish but improves every day. They are half brothers with the same father. Both of them born in July 09. Wow, almost one year old already.
Willy is related to our beloved Tally who passed away Dec. 09 at 15 years old. Willy's Momma is a decedent of Tally's Daddy. Amazing that we found him.
They are both very big cats, we are lucky to have them.

Calorie Restriction, moving forward

2010-06-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

I had another fab day.
I am pleasantly full right now. Am I or is it a bloated tummy from the whole milk in the coffee again? I am enjoying this cold coffee drink to much. I wonder if I can find something healthy to replace the milk that has a good taste to it. I tried Almond milk tonight. Yuk, no go. Maybe good in something else but not coffee. I refuse to put anything artificial in my coffee so unless I can find something great I will have to give up the coffee. I love my French press and espresso beans.

My calories were good, high again in carbs but not so high I am going to worry about them. For sure they are lower than they have been for months. Calories were around 1250. I just knew my actual meals were not the problem, I continued eating healthy and not too much, it was the candy and other treats I allowed myself. Way to much of them. For now I am not missing them and my head is not filled with poor me I can't have candy, cake, and cookies. It is I am to smart too even want them. My skinny, healthy secret.
I weighed myself before bed last night and again this early am. I was 4 pounds different. Not good. I need to get that back to only 2 pounds different. This just proves to me that I am carrying around inflammation. I feel a bit less of it today. Hope the scale proves it tomorrow. I am still thinking it is the milk in the coffee.
I don't do good with milk.
I need a food high in folate. I checked what they are and found they are all the foods I love. Wonder why I am not getting enough according to the Cron O Meter. Need to work on that one.
Hope my third day is continued success and with some weight loss to prove it.

Second day with Calorie Restriction

2010-06-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

The day is going great. I was a bit hungry after my flax seeds and apple juice so I quickly made up some low fat ground beef (all natural). I made 8 patties so I can grab one when I feel the need. I find it much better to have a good protein source ready for me, that way I don't grab for the carbs first. I weigh them to be sure I am not going over my calories.
At 12:30 I am doing just fine. No cravings of any kind but this time of day I seldom had them anyway. Those start about 5pm. I pretty much got rid of them in the past few weeks. It was that bottomless pit that was hard for me to deal with. It is a weird feeling to never be satisfied after a meal. I am hoping I get it back.

The darn TV's have been acting up. The tech guy has been here twice. I suggested a fix to the Greek, which brought a bunch of screaming and nasty words. He refused to even hear me. Grrrrr, he finely stomped around muttering under his breath crap I don't want to hear and did exactly what I suggested. Yep, it worked. He still refused to do it to the other TV because the Tech took off some parts and left with them. He is coming back this afternoon. So, if you have a satellite for TV and it goes black or pixalates don't have it plugged into a surge protector.
My feelings are still hurt and I will try my best to not suggest fixes anymore. Ha, that will be the day. Why, because I am usually right, well 50% anyway.

First day, the new beginning

2010-06-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

I am having such a good start with my Back to CR. I have weighed and counted everything so far. It is really amazing how much I can actually have. I usually am pretty hungry between 3 and 5pm. No different today. I am pretty darn hungry right now. I had 3 nice slices of Organic Canteloupe. Wow, was that good, high in carbs, which is bad and I don't like, but I will watch them for the rest of the day.

I am feeling pretty darn great right now, usually I am very sleepy around 3 and stay that way until 6pm. Another thing I want to improve. So far so good.
Dinner is going to be roasted chicken breast made into tacos with Organic Corn tortillas. I get 2 of them. They will be loaded with cabbage and some yummy hot sauce.
Veggies will be raw brocolli.

Here is my day one Cron O Meter results. I am even going to have that iced coffee treat. I have always taken supplements to compliment what I don't get from food. In this case it is calcium, vitamin D, and potassium.
Just look at all those darn carbs. I could save 30 by not have the tortillas but won't. I do need the calories. 1300 is only 100 low from my first week goal. I will stop there if I am not still hungry at 6pm. I have always stopped eating after 7pm. I have been doing that so long now I am never hungry around that time.
I am so looking forward to my iced coffee. I have iced tea a few minutes ago and it just doesn't have the same yum factor. Gotta be the added milk I use in the coffee. Next time I am at the store I will be not buying milk, I am going back to the Almond Milk.
It is 3:30, I am feeling great and very positive. I am on the mend.
If the books I have been reading are right I should drop 10 pounds fast. Inflammation weight. I sure need that, I can feel the inflammation right where I don't want it. Boobs and belly.
Skinny jeans here I come.

Remembering Calorie Restriction

2010-06-13T23:25:00.000-07:00

I sure do remember CR and how fantastic I felt, oh how I miss that feeling. I loved the feeling of being in control of my entire life. Amazing how that works.
I want to feel like that again. This crappy stuff I am doing to myself is even messing with my skin.
I read a few posts I made in March, I was surprised to see I was 135 back then. Wish that were the case now. I am 147. Gone are the size 2 skinny jeans. I look at them and wonder how I ever got them on. And they were lose.
I have developed another horrible habit. Coffee, not black coffee that I have always loved and used to drink years ago. Nope, coffee with cream, yes cream. It is soooo tasty. I had forgotten just how sick I get when I have milk and milk products. I still don't have them, just a few tablespoons of cream. Right now I am so bloated my stomach hurts. This one is going to be easy for me to stop. I mix stevia, cream, coffee, and vanilla with ice. I was having 3 or 4 big glasses a day until I realized why my stomach as grumbling. What an idiot I am.
Our tiny Organic road side fruit stand had the best cherries and blackberries today. That means I had 3 baskets of Rainer Cherries and one of blackberries. Yum, all gone. I made them my dinner, lunch too. Sure be glad when cherry season is over. I should stick with the berries.

The kitties will be one year next month. We should have a birthday party. That is Willy over by the door and Bob lounging on the chair. They fight for that spot.

Tomorrow is going to be me back on track. Yep, bet I have never said that before. I want to lose 15 pounds bad.
The Greek has decided to try to stop eating a loaf of bread a day. He is helping me eat all the fresh fruit from out local farmers. Finally. For some reason he thought fruit only came in pies.
Baking, oh yes, I have been doing that. I have a fantastic recipe for Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones. Wow, good. I have been making them once a month or so. What is great about Scones is less sugar of course. What is bad about Scones, we eat all of them in one day.

Hey, good news, I just might get myself another little part time job doing what I love to do. Write code for web sites. Didn't know that about me did ya. I have been doing it for a few years, never gotten paid for it though. That will be a nice change. I am still working a few days a week making teeth, love that job too. In fact I really love to work and plan on doing it for several more years, as long as these young people will hire me. So far none of them mind that I am old enough to be their Grandmother. Well almost.
I wonder how many calories I had in cherries today. Scared to look. I now know it isn't just raisins, grapes and wine that give me horrible cramps in my feet. Cherries do it it. The watermelon didn't seem to bother me but I sure suffered for several hours tonight after I polished off those cherries. What the heck is in them that does this to me? I need to find out. Man those twisted toes hurt. Glad it finally stopped.
I work tomorrow, yea!!

Calorie Restriction, where did you go?

2010-05-20T03:29:00.000-07:00

It has been over a week without candy then today somehow it ended up in my mouth again. I didn't even have that ugly sugar craving. Still don't.
I was able to stop after just a few chocolate covered nuts so I bought myself some raisins.
I reasoned this out by telling myself I had eaten plenty of raisins in the past and didn't gain, didn't lose either. So I bought a few pounds. I polished off more than I should before I remembered what the darn things do to me. Why I forget this stuff I have no clue.
Raisins, grapes, and wine all give me terrible cramps in my feet and hands. Very painful and gross looking. They are very twisted, the toes all spread out and the pain in the hands, ouch. This lasts a few hours. What the heck is it?
I am feeling better now that I am a bit more in control. I have started attempting to straighten out my hormones by trying to fix my Leptin levels. I bought a book about it.
The theory behind fixing your Leptin is:
Eat only 3 meals a day, no snacks
Eat 5 to 6 hours apart and never go to bed after eating
No processed foods
Eat a protein at every meal
Cut back on carbs
Exercise
Don't overeat
This is great advice.
And easy to do, so lets get started.

I have decided to try and eat 1200 calories a day and make the meals all the same amount of calories. That should be easy to do.
I still haven't weighed myself and won't until I am happy with myself, completely.
I remember those times, they were not all that long ago. Now why can I remember that and not remember what raisins do to me?
Guess I only want to remember good stuff.
The good stuff was when I was eating, loving and living Calorie Restriction. So that is where I want to be.

Still hanging on

2010-04-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

This month has had far to many ups and downs with Calorie Restriction. Guess it is best to say mostly down. If I can't get over this serious sugar pull I just know I will end up sick.(sicker) In fact it makes me feel sick for hours anyway. It is time to kick it, I will.
I did finally finish a WebSite, my design and build. It was great fun, took me far to long too do, but that is too be expected when there is no direction and the site has to flow as you go. I hope the group is happy with it. I think it turned out nice. It should be good for several years to come.
The cats are doing great, they are finally becoming a part of the family. Willy is still a bit skittish but improves all the time. I am getting better at making their food. I am making it fresh twice a week. The recipe has gotten easier to do. They sure love their raw turkey.
I still haven't gotten back to exercising. It is going to happen soon. (maybe)
It just isn't my thing. I did lose 90 pounds without it. I now need to lose 15 maybe even 20. I haven't weighed myself in over a month. That alone tells me how crappy I have been feeling and eating. I am not going to get better any time soon if I don't stop eating the blankiety blank sugar. I never thought this would happen to me. I went through times when I ate too many raisins and dates, those are nothing compared to the crappy candy I am tossing down now. I didn't even gain when I messed up but now, just not the case. My size 4's are a bit snug. I want desperately to get back in the 2's.
Maybe typing this will make me think better about what I am doing to myself. Something has to do it. I need to watch my victory video. Bad!! I know I won't. Makes me sad. Tomorrow will be a better day.

The Changing Taste Buds

2010-03-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

What the heck is going on with me? For over 2 years I have enjoyed foods that I really don't want right now. The first one I realized I didn't want was Stevia, then tea. I have tried it with raw cane sugar and don't even like that. Soon I found myself not even wanting my favorite frozen Blueberries.
Unfortunately want I am doing it eating BREAD, it is sprouted Whole Wheat but it is still BREAD. I had some Irish Soda Bread, Scones, etc, etc, all supposed to be Whole Wheat.
My most recent no no, I am not enjoying my usual huge servings of veggies. In fact I haven't had any in weeks.
I do still manage to get my seed breakfast most days. I sometimes have eggs with, yep, BREAD.
I am having a hard time getting back into good Calorie Restriction. Every morning I have the same talk with myself. "Do it right today". I did manage a no chocolate day yesterday and feel quite good about it today. I am not back using the scale everyday.
What the heck is my reason now? I am not depressed, can't use that one.
My taste buds have changed.
This has happened to me many times before. When I was obese it happened more often. I am not wanting lots of the crap I used to eat, ice cream, wine, pasta to name a few. So today I am going to really try to get myself back weighing and measuring and recording my food.
I just have too.
Damn this coffee tastes good. Yikes, I haven't had coffee in over 2 years either.
I want a Skinny Latte so bad. Good thing I am stuck here all day designing a new Website. Keeps me from poison.

Finally weighed in

2010-02-22T22:23:00.000-08:00

I did it, I remembered to weigh before tea.
To my surprise I weigh exactly the same as I did the last time I weighed, right down to the ounce. 135.2. I now know I am eating what my body needs to maintain its weight.
March 1 I will be back to Calorie Restriction. For me that will be reducing my daily calorie intake by 400 calories.
You say that is nothing do ya? My maintain calories, which go by AGE, height, weight, sex, and activity level are 1445. So by reducing them by 400 is 30%. I can do that most of the time. I do have a few days I go up to maybe 1300.
The important part is for me to use the cronOmeter.
Slack time is over.
Well it will be March 1 anyway.

Fixing my Metabolism

2010-02-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

I have another week of fixing my metabolism. All is going well, now.
I was sick for a few days this week. I bought some imported organic raspberries that gave me a bit of food poisoning. I wasn't as sick as others have reported, sick enough to feel pretty lousy though. I did work through it.
All is well again.
I have been forgetting to weigh myself in the mornings and refuse to get on the scale after even a cup of tea. It has been over a week of forgetting, seems to become a habit I need to break. There is no way I can tell how I am doing without the scale since most of my days are spent in men's huge pj's. I feel good so I doubt I have had a gain.
I still find it hard to eat more than 1200 calories a day and am not sure I am since the slacker in me hasn't been using the CronOmeter every day like I should be.
We went out to dinner last night, Japanese, I had Chicken Yakatori and some steak thing. Didn't care much for the steak. I did enjoy the plum wine, very sweet stuff but tasty.
The rice was left in the cute little bowl.
I am so ready to get back to my CR and less calories. I just plain feel so much better and with more energy. Weird since food is supposed to give us energy. I also seem to be thinking of food more often now that I am trying to eat more. I also have given up the rice. The beans didn't cut it for me now the rice. Darn, and I have lots of both of them to get rid of.
The rice protein powder is finally gone. I feel no different without it. I did add a tablespoon of sesame seed to my seed mixture, I now have 2 tablespoons of flax seed, 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds and one tablespoon of sesame seeds. I grind them in the coffee mill and add them to an organic juice. Right now it is Acai juice. It actually tastes great, the protein powder blocked the flavor. Now I find it is sweet. The reason for all the seeds is to balance the Omegas. This way I get both 3 and 6, although I do still get much more Omega 3.

Kitty Update

The kitties are doing better, Willy is finally neutered and wearing a cone.
Bob is off antibiotics, I am trying to repair his immune system. He will be taking probiotics as soon as they get here. I am also giving them a B complex to help them through all the stress. Bob has been to the vet twice a week and he is not enjoying it. He was very upset yesterday. Normally he is a very laid back calm guy, not at the Vets. She wanted to put him on a different antibiotic but I just had to say no. I will get him healthy with food and antioxidants.
Willy was a very wild guy when he came to live with us 3 weeks ago. He now is very calm, lets us pick him up and he even sleeps on top of me. Bad habit, but from wild to this is amazing. He is a real looker.
We take his cone off so he can bathe, if we don't he gets frustrated and grinds his teeth. So far he hasn't gone for his stitches on his tummy. Why stitches, the vet had to go into the stomach to find a lost testicle, poor Willy. I love this picture of my cone heads.

Metabolism and Calorie Restriction

2010-02-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

I have been enjoying Calorie Restriction with the best Optimal nutrition I can figure out for myself, for over 2 years. I love it and have been successful with it but...
I gained a few pounds during a mild depression that started in Sept. 09 and didn't leave until Dec, 09. I did it with sugar of all things, nasty crap.
I didn't want to restrict my calories more to lose the pounds so I decided to boost my metabolism by eating more calories for one month. I am eating what my body needs to maintain 120 pounds. I haven't gained weight and didn't expect to.
My month will be up March 1, then I will go back to my usual 20 to 30% less each day. You might think I would enjoy eating more. Well, I don't. I have added rice to my diet to beef up the calories. I was eating legumes but just didn't enjoy them and they aren't good Paleo food. I was eating only 1/2 cup a few times a week. Rice is higher in calories and tastier, although I did tend to burn it because I always forget it is cooking. It takes so darn long to cook. March 1 I doubt I will be cooking it again so no need to perfect the method.
My goal is to lose 12 pounds then to maintain the loss. I will do this with CR and hopefully I won't gain again so I won't have to worry about my sluggish metabolism.
I did this last year and was successful so I have no doubt I can do it again. As long as it is only one month I can handle it.
My kitties are loving their raw diet. They do prefer poultry, both turkey and chicken over salmon. Good thing for me since the wild caught salmon is more expensive than the hormone free chicken and turkey. They seem to have gotten leaner without all the processed grains in their diet. I know their fur sure is beautiful.

Feeding pets naturally, raw food diet

2010-02-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

I have been consumed with learning how to feed our two American Shorthair kitties. They have been with us for one week today. They have adjusted very good to their new environment, located the potty boxes, water and a great place to hide and sleep. Under the bed of course.

My concern is their health.
Our first American Shorthair passed away from heart disease Dec 10, 2009. I am still blaming myself for his health issues. These new kitties will not suffer as he did, I am taking control. My husband has always been the feeder, he can continue his routine with my input. He is not going to argue with me this time. I am determined.
I refuse to eat processed foods for my health so why would I feed processed food to my pets? I won't. They will not be eating grains, the number one reason for over weight and sick pets.
My kitties are eating raw chicken thighs right now. I will be adding the necessary nutrients in them so their diet is balanced for a cat.

I will buy the highest quality human grade cat food I can find for my husband to give them. I will do the raw part. They will be fed 3 times a day.
I was thrilled to see how the little guys took to the raw chicken. It was wonderful to see how they looked like a cat should look when eating. I did cut the thigh up in small hunks but don't think I even needed to do that. Right now they are getting 5-6 1/2 pieces of raw.
We still have the dry Organic food out just in case they want a nibble. I don't know how much food to feed them yet. I am learning. I do know they don't gorge or barf up all good signs.
The chicken thighs are free range Organic, the same as we eat. When I get the supplements to add to them I will let everybody know what they are.
Please, please don't feed your pets grains. (wheat and corn)
You and they will be healthy and happy.

Calorie Restriction Paleo and metabolism

2010-01-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

What is a "want to be skinny lady" to do.
I am stuck at 134 and can't get off. I have decided to try and raise my metabolism again. I did it last year and was able to lose 10 pounds pretty fast so I am up for it again.
Last year I didn't eat brown rice or dried beans which I will be this time. I need to up the calories by about 400 a day, now that doesn't sound like much, but for me it is. I am not hungry at 1000 to1100 calories. Well maybe if I stay up past 1A.M.
I am used to eating just 2 meals with a snack usually an apple around noon so adding 1/2 cup of brown rice and 1/4 cup navy beans instead of the apple. I want them for the protein. I won't be having any fruit during the day. Fixing my metabolism will require me to eat more often so I plan on eating half the rice and beans and saving half for the second feeding,. (sounds like a rancher).
Dinner will be my usual great stuff, grass fed beef, organic chicken and wild caught salmon with my favorite veggies. I will up the veggie portion to 3 or 4 cups. I also like to have raw veggies but I am a seasonal eater and just can't eat raw during the winter, I know weird.
To fill out the rest of the day with calories I will have one or two omega 3 eggs, fried in a very small bit of butter and later, 2 cups of blueberries with 1/4 cup raspberries for dessert. I really look forward to this treat.

I read that Stevia can spike sugar cravings. I am convinced that is exactly what happened to me last fall. Eating candy which lead to the mild depression which lead to a weight gain. I even stopped working out which changed my body shape.
I am going to work out again starting Feb 1. I am sorta looking forward to it. I refuse to eat more to compensate for the calories used to work out. That is one of the reasons I want my weight and eating under control before I go.
My new plan will be not exactly CR because I can't keep my calories 20% less. In fact I want them to be 20% higher than my BMR. To check your BMR multiply your weight by 10. I want to be 120 so my BMR is 1200. I need 1200 calories a day just so my body can function. I want to consume 1400 to 1500. Wow, that sounds like a lot. I hope I can do it. I will know when my metabolism has improved. I should lose weight again.
I refuse to over eat anything. I will still use the cronOmeter and weigh my food to be sure I am not overeating.
As far as Paleo is concerned eating brown rice and beans makes perfect sense to me. Hunter gathers must have eaten them. They really are a very nutritious food. I didn't realize I missed them for the past 2 years.
I have switched to the Omega 3 eggs. They are great I can't tell the difference so I have to rely on what I have read about them.
I have found a new source for my free range beef. I hope to buy enough for 6 months soon. Everybody that eats beef should look for a local rancher or butcher for their own source for grass fed beef. We enjoy beef about 2 times a week.

Tomorrow is the big day, we are getting the 2 kitties. Everything is ready for them.
They will be eating Organic cat food made with brown rice. No grains for my kitties. This way they shouldn't have the weight and health problems most cats have from eating processed grains in their food.
I am wanting to get them some probiotics too. Anything to keep them healthy. I am pretty sure Tally's health problems was from his cat food. It is hard on me now that I have educated myself about cat foods. Just knowing we might have fed him better makes a huge lump in my chest and many tears.
Such guilt.

Calorie Restriction, Paleo continued

2010-01-26T02:26:00.000-08:00

I am in the middle of doing The UltraSimpleDiet. It is a diet from Dr. Mark Hyman. I am eating brown rice and navy beans twice a day about 1 cup each, salmon and chicken once a week, a rice protein shake with seeds and cherry juice for breakfast and a great veggie broth.
I had decided that getting rid of allergens and inflammation right now was a good thing. It has been. I lost 2 pounds, this tells me that I wasn't inflamed much if any. I don't know about allergies to food but I do know a runny nose is gone. I didn't have it all day, mostly a few hours in the morning. It has been completely gone for a few days. Now I can go back to my regular Paleo and CR diet to see if it comes back. Then I should know what food is causing it.
I read that brown rice and beans are not on the Paleo list of foods. Well guess what, they are going to be on my Paleo list. There are plenty of foods that are on that list that I will never eat. I can't see what is wrong with brown rice and dried beans. What it does for me is allow me meatless meals. I really want a few meatless meals each week. I also find it easy to take 1/2 cup of rice and beans to work. Now I don't have to take cottage cheese which I never like doing in the first place. I really wanted to get completely away from all milk products and now I will.
This past week I stuck with CR while doing this simple diet. It was very easy to do, much easier than with the foods I had been eating. My calories for each day have been around 1000. I hadn't been able to keep them below 1200 for a very long time. Since I am such an old lady I am not supposed to be eating more than 1400 a day to maintain my weight at 130. So at 1000 I am OK and on CR. I want to weigh 120, it is a better CR weight for me and I do have a small frame, I am 5ft. 6.
I sure cut back on the blueberries. From about 2 1/2 cup a day to 1 cup a week.
I need to figure out a new meal plan once I am finished with the UltraSimpleDiet. The plan is to go right into the UltraMaintenceDiet. Dr. Hyman doesn't suggest counting calories but just how can I not. I gotta, it is me. So I will eat some of the foods he suggests and still keep my calories low.
I bet he wouldn't agree with me..
My weight today, 134.8 and I am back in one pair of size 2 jeans. They must be a big 2, I sure don't fit in my skinny jeans size 2 yet. I will get there again, I am just a few pounds away.

Kitty Update
We finally found an American Shorthair in fact we have decided to buy 2 of the little beauties, both boys. One is a white, silver, the other is a Classic Silver Tabby exactly like Tally.
In fact he is a decedent of Tally's daddy, Maverick. We were thrilled when the breeder told us that. We pick them up at the San Jose cat show this Sat. They are coming to the show from Oregon.
The Greek is getting all ready. He has two of everything.
So far we think their names will be Jake and Gus. We will see when we first see them.
We are so ready for these two little kitties.

Calorie Restriction, Paleo diet plan for the week

2010-01-17T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have been asked to make a post about what I eat on the Paleo, CR and Raw food diet. It is very simple, plain cooking and eating raw. This is a typical week.
Breakfast:

2 tbs. flax seeds
2 tbs. pumpkin seeds
2 tbs. sunflower seeds
1/2 cup organic unpasteurized orange juice

Grind the raw, unsalted seeds in a coffee mill, add to the orange juice or any unsweetened juice. This mixture is thick if you want to drink it, as I do, add some hot water about 1/4 cup of less. This breakfast is about 400 calories. It is a complete omega 3 and 6 food source.

Lunch:

1/2 cup Organic 2% Cottage Cheese
Or
left over protein chicken, beef or fish 3-4 oz.

Dinner:

4-6 oz lean Organic protein, chicken, beef, or fish.
Raw spinach with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Roasted or steamed veggies with Olive Oil and sea salt.

Dessert:

1-2 cups frozen Organic Blueberries
1/2 cups frozen raspberries
Stevia to sweeten

Drinks:

Flavored green teas all day long

Extra's:

I take supplements to fill out my daily needs.
I track my nutrients with the cronOmeter
I weigh myself everyday.
I journal everyday.

Condiments:

Horseradish
Organic ketchup
Olive Oil
Lemon
Butter, very little.
Lots of spices
Stevia

This typical food diary, for me, is about 1100 calories and full of nutrition. I am seldom is ever hungry or thirsty. I drink tea for a water source and get the rest from my food choices.
If I am wanting something to eat after 7 I will make it raw celery with a bit of sea salt. yea, I know salt is bad, so is plain celery to me.

This weekly food plan intentionally low in carbs from fruit. If you can handle the extra carbs and calories eat an apple Organic of course. You could also add a few eggs a week.

Supplements:

I take several for various reasons, below are what I think are important.

Vitamin D 3 5000 IU
Probioatic
Vitamin C
Calcium

I find I get close to and sometimes over all the Vitamin B's from my food choices, I have it on hand if I want to take a B complex.

My new supplement is Glucomannan, it is a fiber that completely fills me for most of the day. Since it is a fiber you know what else it does. I highly recommend it if you want to feel satisfied for several hours a day or night. I haven't tried it at night yet. If you want to buy it online PM me. I will send a link. macomarell@gmail.com

Calorie Restriction with Low Carb

2010-01-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

I had another good day with my CR low carb plan. I always took an apple for my lunch at work, today it was a bit of cottage cheese and a ground beef patty. Perfect lunch for me.

I walked into the house later than usual and was pretty darn sleepy and hungry, the darn Greek had some yukky white bread on the counter, he had eaten almost the entire loaf, so I cut myself a small piece. It tasted just awful. I loved it because it did taste awful, so bad that I didn't want anymore of it. I added it to my daily food intake, it didn't cause any damage.
We had Grilled Halibut with raw spinach for dinner. Yum.
I seem to be always hungry after a fish dinner, so I had blueberries, just one cup. I am so much better with measuring again. It did pump up the carbs and sugar but I am still pretty low at 30g in sugar for today.
I was 137.2 this A.M. Yea
I thought the gain might come off pretty fast because of the type of crap I was eating.
~~Sugar~~

Calorie Restriction

2010-01-05T00:12:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say I am back weighing and measuring and counting calories. It was very easy to do, I have no idea why I was putting it off for a few months.
I have decided to really try hard at keeping my protein high while keeping carbs and sugars low. Today I did really great 1015 calories, 99g protein, 43g carbs and 22 g sugar.
The only way I can keep the carbs and sugar down is to stop eating apples. I need the 1/2 cup fresh Orange juice for my seed breakfast. I mix two tablespoons flax, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds that I grind in my handy coffee grinder. This mixture is packed with nutrition that starts my day. It is also packed with calories, about 450 of them.
I usually get a bit hungry around 1, that is when I go for the apple. I am going to try a full cup of 2% organic cottage cheese instead. Of course this is my winter food, summer is always more green stuff.
It worked just great today, kept me full until dinner time.
I had a top sirloin steak and roasted broccoli for dinner, a full day of nutritious food and only 1015 calories.
I didn't miss the blueberries and raspberries until around 11pm, far to late to eat anything. I never eat past 7 or try my best not to.
If I manage this again tomorrow I will be thrilled.
I finally weighed myself. I am 139.4. Yikes. That is a 12 pound gain. It will be gone in 3 months, the same amount of time it took me to gain it.
I need to weigh 120 for my height which is 5ft 6in. I did the test for frame size, I am small framed. I had no idea I have a small frame, guess it was hidden under all that fat. Now I know why I always felt fat at 135, I was, I am.

A very sad day

2009-12-10T21:14:00.000-08:00

Our pal, Tally, a pure bred American Shorthair passed away today. He was 15 years old. We are both very upset. He was fine this morning, nothing unusual. About 11:30 he apparently had a blood clot go to his brain. I rushed him to the vet where he passed at Noon today.

We will miss you Bubba.

Calorie Restriction with Winter foods

2009-12-05T23:01:00.000-08:00

Wow, I am having trouble with winter foods. (again). Seems I don't do so well without all the local fresh produce and I just can't force myself to buy imported. I have put on a winter coat of about 5 pounds. (again).
I am back to munching on those yummy sweet dried fruits again. Damn, why are they so tempting. I am trying to stay off them and do great for several days then my boss pulls out those fabulous huge dates and raisens he keeps inches away. I give in every single time. He is Persian and knows where to get the best dried fruit I have ever tasted. I told him he is a bad influence on me. Didn't do any good.
Everything else is going great.
I have a shopping and dinner date all planed with the beautiful granddaughters. We are going to San Francisco for the day shopping at the huge Nordstrom mall on Market. We plan a ride on the Cable Car to Tadich Grill on California then up to Nob Hill for dessert at the Top of the Mark. They are all looking forward to it. It will be a long and fun day.
I can sit and relax coming home on Bart, they have a 3 hour drive back to Mendocino county. Poor things.

Calorie Restriction with Cron O Meter

2009-10-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

I managed to use the Cron O Meter again today. I even did a bit better with the fruit. Maybe no so good with carbs.

I am a seasonal eater, I can't imagine going into winter without winter squash. I love it baked then topped with a bit of butter and salt. I can't stand it sweetened or made to taste like a dessert.
I buy the small ones and eat the whole thing. That is what I did today with an Acorn squash. I expect I will be doing this for a few more weeks until I get my fill of them.

I don't eat much through out the day. Normally just the flax and oj in the morning. I start getting hungry around 3 so I have an apple. I cook dinner around 5 when I don't work 7 when I do. I don't like eating anything after 7 so this is a bit hard on me. On work days I don't eat anything after 8 that is for sure. This is a good habit to get into. Once I got used to it I am not hungry or even want anything to eat after 7.

You sure can see by looking at the Cron O meter why I and everybody else should be taking vitamin D. Unless you live in a sunny place and can be outdoors to get it. I don't. So I take 5000 iu. a day. Good for depression and combating the flu.

I also take a B complex because I usually don't get 100% of that either. I guess I need to look into some Vitamin E or look for something I like that will give it to me. I haven't done that yet.
Calories today were around 1100. Not bad but not great either. To lose weight I need to be closer to 900. I need to do that just a few days a week. Tomorrow, yea I can do it then.

Calorie Restriction

2009-10-22T00:56:00.000-07:00

I have decided to get back to using the CronOmeter everyday. It is very easy to do but I quess I got lazy with using it. I sorta know why, I still am eating way to many carbs and don't need a reminder of just how bad I am.
I have had no weight loss since I got back from vacation. I did great while gone but really blew it as soon as I got home. I did gain a few pounds, they are gone now. Whew, now I can get my act together and lose the final 8.

Here is what I mean by blowing it with carbs, just look at how much fruit I had today. Not near enough protein either. I made a Greek dish with stew meat, green beans and tomato sauce. It was just OK. What I did love was the 6 Bell Peppers I roasted. I forgot them in the oven so they were like candy when I finally took them out. Almost like that dried fruit candy. I put them in a bag to let them cool then took off what peel I could, added some balsamic vinegar to them and ate all of them. Wow, what a treat.
Now I need more. I doubt I ate a total of 6 peppers, but I could have. I know I wasn't hungry for dinner but ate a bit of it anyway. Then charged into the blueberries. I gotta get a grip and eat better. I think I left off a few food items. Olive oil for one. So the calories are a bit low. Calorie wise I did OK, food wise crappy.
Oh well, good thing I took my vitamins today.

Calorie Restriction while on Vacation

2009-10-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

I was in Colorado for 6 days. It was the best trip in a very long time. I visited with family and enjoyed every second of it.
We ate all our meals out and I did very good with staying on CR and my food plan. I didn't lose because I was eating more than I do at home. I often don't eat breakfast nor lunch at home, if I do it is a fruit. We ate 3 meals a day in Colorado. I did order protein and didn't touch the carbs. I did drink wine and beer. Something I don't do at home either.
It was on the darn airplane ride home that I messed up big time. I bought a big bag of pea-nut M&M's and gobbled them all down. I wanted more. The Greek got them for me. I gained 3 damn pounds.
Now I am craving sweets, what an idiot I am. The worst darn thing I could have done.
I also bought 2 melons, 2 huge bags of huge grapes, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and apples.
Of course I am pigging out on all those tasty treats.
Weird how I am sabatoging myself after losing 100 pounds and making such a deal about it. I will get myself back in line. I have to, I feel bloated, fat and miserable. Something I haven't felt in a long time. Amazing how eating bad can do that and fast.
I wanted some candy again tonight but made sure the Greek didn't head out to buy it, he was on his way when I finally said NO.
I sure wish I lived in Colorado. Oh well, I don't, California will have to do. Darn.

Lost another pound

2009-09-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have been stressed out about work lately. Seems I can't handle working for someone else to well. I owned my own business for 25 years, that might explain my stress.
I think I am doing OK with it while I am actually working, it is when I get home and start worrying about losing the darn job that it gets to me. The end result is that I find I am eating while I am not the least bit hungry and wanting stuff I would never even consider eating, like P-nuts of all things.
I wanted the salty taste and knew Potato chips were out of the question. I had about 800 calories of the nasty things.
Since I refuse to have my food addiction foods in the house there isn't any of them too binge on so I grab fruit. Lots of it. One day it was an apple, 2 nectarines, 4 cups of blue berries, and one cup of raspberries. Wowza. I normally have just 2.5 servings of those high carb goodies a day. I could have had more that day but stopped with the last huge bowl of frozen blueberries and raspberries. My stomach was hurting.
I am still all stressed out but since I realized what was causing the over eating I got better control of it. Well almost.
I actually have a 2 pound loss. Yea for sure. I now have 5 or 7 pounds left. It is amazing how those 2 pounds have made me feel. I mean in the body shape not in the stress deal. My body seems actually a bit skinny, I have never felt that before. I love it.
I sure don't want to go down any clothes sizes right now. I have so darn many new clothes to wear and I love all of them. I want to wear them and have them look good not all baggy. The size 2 jeans are a tad loose but they feel comfy, I doubt I will go any smaller in size.
I will be in Colorado all next week. Really looking forward to it. It will be a big test for me on how disciplined I can be with Calorie Restriction while eating out everyday and visiting relatives. I think I will be fine. I have no problems with it here but of course I don't eat out on back to back days here either.
Oh crap, will I ever be stressed out about the dang job while I am gone. I feel the knot in the stomach already. I gotta get over this. The lab owner needs me as much as I need him. At least that is what I want it to be. Take a deep breath Marjie. ok

From a 2x to a 2 in 2 years 100 pounds lost

2009-08-28T20:47:00.001-07:00

I finally put together my victory video for youTube. I did it. I am 100 pounds thinner and tons happier.
Since I do calorie restriction once I am at the so called normal weight I need to lose 10% for optimal health. Calorie restriction is part of my life so I know I can do it. I will continue eating the same foods and same calories everyday just like I have been doing for 2 years. Life continues.
I lost 10 pounds this year so I expect to be at optimal weight in another 8 months. That is perfect. Slow and very steady.

Calorie Restriction, wine and more wine

2009-08-19T00:40:00.001-07:00

Yep, I drank to darn much wine at the Moondance. Had a nice case of the vintners flu the next day. I had a great visit with my daughter over the week end. She is such fun to be with.
I didn't count my calories but I did make sure I ate foods that were on my plan. No grains, milk products, sugars and starches. That was the easy part.
The wine is all carbs and calories, so of course I messed up there. But, hey it was fun and I won't be doing that for a long time. I do love wine.
So how did I do with the weight? I was thrilled to find that I came home weighing what I did when I left. 131. No loss, no gain. Way to go. A pat on my back from me.
So we can drink the wine, in this case several glasses, eat right and not gain weight.
Only 4 pounds to my 100 pound loss celebration, no wine will be involved.

Calorie Restriction with loss

2009-08-15T00:25:00.000-07:00

I used Tony's calculator to check my body fat. It says my body fat is 23. Guess that isn't bad if it is right. I can still feel and see fat right under my skin in what used to be the fattest parts of me. Arms and tummy.
Thanks Tony for the link. I have been all over your web site. I sure agree with what I read there.
Wish others would read and learn.

This morning I was 132.4. But, it is the weekend and I am going to Hopland to a solar energy bash. Lots of food, wine, music and fun. Long after there will be no sol. If I can just maintain my 132 I will be thrilled.
My goal is still to lose this final 5 pounds before I go to Colorado in September. I am certain I can do it.
Thanks every one for the great comments, they mean a lot and keep me going.

Calorie Restriction weight loss

2009-08-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

I one one pretty happy gal right now. I was 133 this morning. I finally am down one more pound, 6 left for my 100 pound loss goal. I say goal because I wanted to lose 100 pounds 2 years ago. Since then I have learned that for optimal health I should be 10% less. I am in no hurry to lose the final 10% but will sure give it a try.
My new goal for new is to lose body fat. I seem to be carrying around too much of it. I also need to get something that will measure it. I can feel the fat under my skin in my arms and stomach and I seem to have some back fat. The arms look disgusting, like cottage cheese. I would rather have saggy skin. Yuk to both of them.

I have been on some shopping spree. This has got to end. But trying on clothes has become sorta fun. I was at Nordstrom's Sat. and spent hours hunting for the perfect black slacks. Seems I have developed a weird shape or I was in the wrong department. I was in the Ms. section. I tried on several size 4 slacks and none of them fit. Way to big in the tummy, remember they don't go to the waist anymore. Slightly loose in the hips too. So I tried on a Hugo Boss size 2, the saleslady told me they run small and that was before I tried them on. They fit but a tad too snug in the ass. I finally got another designer pair that did fit better, not perfect, just better. They are now being altered.
Yesterday and today I hit the crappy stores in my area. I found a few things that fit and liked enough to buy. I had to get a Jr.s skinny jeans so they fit in the tummy and legs. I bought 2 size 2 skinny jeans. I am going to make a video and name it
From a 2X to a 2 in two years.
That should be fun to make.
Yea for Calorie Restriction.

Calorie Restriction to live longer

2009-08-04T22:28:00.001-07:00

I have been reading several articles about CR and longevity. The recurring theme throughout these articles is that CR is best started young, in the 20's, and practiced throughout life. The theory is that it will increase your life. All is good, I don't disagree with this, the problem I have it that these same articles say that is will NOT increase your life if you start CR in your 60's or later.
Now stop and think about this, somebody that is overweight, unhealthy, bad eating habits, wrong food choices, eats far to many calories, decides to practice CR. Immediately that person is going to be healthier and live longer, plus that person will not need as much health care as somebody that continues eating and abusing their body with junk foods.
This is just plain common sense. There is no proof that CR will increase life for the 20 something but I can say for certain it will make you a much healthier person at any age, even 60 and above.
Calorie Restriction is easy to do, the food tastes wonderful, it is very satisfying and it will make you very healthy, even younger looking. Such a deal!!
CR with lo carb is a better way to go. CR with no processed foods is even better. CR is just plain wonderful. It is me, it is who I am.

Calorie Restriction and carbs

2009-07-27T00:42:00.000-07:00

I am back from the camping trip. It was great having the entire family together again. The weather was a bit scary Friday, seeing the fog rolling across the hills and knowing how cold that is. We could see it for miles before we got into it. Friday was very cold. Sat. and Sun. was perfect.
That's California for you.
I didn't eat much on the trip but I was wanting to. I did eat crap Sat. Things I would never even consider at home. Sunflower seeds and baked tortillas. Yuk. Crap and I know it. I had 4 glasses of wine, and one beer. Carbs I didn't need. But for the most part I did OK. I feel pretty round so I am scared to step on the scale tomorrow but I will.
I know I can get it off pretty fast. The good thing is I sure don't miss all the crap that others eat. I brought blueberries, cheeries and raspberries. They went very fast. Seems I am not the only one that likes fruit. I did enjoy the tri-tip and a great hamburger pattie. Oh, forgot the two very small Hersey bars. I am so bad.

Calorie Restriction and camping

2009-07-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

I am not a camper type. Never have been. But, all my kids are and they have planned a weekend together on the Russian River in Sonoma Co. I sure am not going to be left out so I am going. I should be getting ready right now. Not.
My concerns about this camping deal is food of course. I was 134 this morning and want to come back very close to that. I am going to have to take my favorite stuff and try to stay away from theirs. I know the only thing I will want is wine. I intend to take some merlot and enjoy myself.
The Russian River has such great weather and cool evenings. I am looking forward to that part. Not so much the sun and sitting on the beach. My skin can't handle it. So I am wearing long sleeve light weight tops and gloves. Ha, what a site.
I hope we can rent a canoe and go up River. I will sit in the middle and be paddled. I hope.
Lo Carb
I am trying to reduce my carbs. I found out that I should have about 84g of carb a day, I am well over that. So a plan is to have my flax with cottage cheese instead of orange juice. Since it is a protein it might keep me fuller longer too. I am going to have to stop eating an apple for a snack so I can still have my 2 cups of blueberries as a TV snack. 84g. of carbs is about 2 cups or 2 fruits. I will do this until I lose my last 6 pounds. Then I will go back to eating 3 or 4 fruits a day. They are so darn good and I am not going to restrict my favorite foods.
Now that I know how few carbs I should have been eating I am amazed at having lost the weight I did. I hope the final few pounds come off fast. It has been since Jan 09 without a loss and I am finally anxious to get them gone.
Exercise
I wasn't able to exercise this week. The first time this has happened since I started in Jan. 09.
My work was very busy and disorganized. It really got in the way. I will start back Monday as if this week didn't happen. I hated doing that but I won't stop exercising, ever. I don't enjoy it all that much but I do like the way it is making my body look and feel so I will continue it. We all should, that is after we learn to eat right and lose weight so we are comfortable at the gym.

I will be back Monday, hopefully not sunburned and several pounds heavier.

Losing weight with Calorie Restriction

2009-07-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

I am such a happy camper. I am 135 pounds. I did it. I am happier with 135 than I was at any other weight I have been in this long journey. Weird huh, it has to be because that is the weight I maintained for so many years.
I have just 7 more pounds to go to have lost 100 pounds. I am going to make it. My determination is very strong right now. More than it has ever been plus I am feeling better than I have for a darn long time. I know I was putting away to darn many calories all this year. Not enough to gain but not enough to be true Calorie Restriction. I am back using the cronOmeter too. Amazing how well that great piece of software keeps me on plan. Love it.
I have given myself one week to lose one pound. I figured out how many calories I need in 7 days subtracted 3500 from that figure then divided that by 7. Wala. My calories for each day is 1000, as if I didn't already know that. Yes, I did. I have known it for some time. I don't mention how low it is often because I am not prepared to hear anybody tell me it is to low. Remember the amount of calories we need decreases with age. I am not in my 20's anymore, not even 3o's, 40's, or 50's. I am almost 70 years old. It is very difficult to lose weight and even harder when we get older. I am glad I made a life altering decision to give Calorie Restriction a try. A 100 pound loss, I can't belive I am almost there. Wow.

Calorie Restriction is going great

2009-07-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

I am doing so darn good with my new eating plan. I have black tea with stevia in the morning along with 2 tablespoons of flax seed that I grind and put in 1/2 cup Orange Juice. I take my supplements at this time too. Most of them anyway. I do take the Acai Berry Extract and Fucoxathin when I think I may need it. Really helps curb the appetite. I am getting so I don't take them everyday. Like today. It is 2:30 and I am not hungry one bit. I did have a banana at 10:30. I planned on an apple at 1:00 but forgot it. I might skip it today and have dinner around 4:00 instead. I can do with less carbs for today. They sure hinder my weight loss. Even the good carbs.
Cooking Out
I did a marathon BBQ yesterday. I grilled shish ka bob, brochettes, steaks, 24 hamburgers, a dozen yakatori, loads of chicken breasts, and about 20 pork chops. This is because I refuse to buy anything premade or packaged. I cook like this every few weeks then freeze it. I think we have enough protein for about a month. It was far more than I have done in the past. I usually do enough for 2 weeks.
What we do with the frozen meat is simple. Usually we eat it over a huge bed of raw spinach. Tonight I will cook some green beans and have the lamb shish ka bob. Can't wait.
It sure is a time saver and we get to eat what we like. What we don't like is all the additives in the processed food and not knowing where the meats came from and how they were treated makes my stomach queasy. I am pretty much the same way with eating out. That is one reason we seldom do. I am pretty picky about where we do eat out.
Weight Loss
I have lost 3 pounds this month. That is all I have lost this year. That is great news really. That means I have been able to maintain my new weight. I was 139 Jan. 1. I went up to 141 a few days, not many so that is good. Being 136 is great. I did want to be 135 today, that is what I weighed most of my life. 135 is what is still on my drivers license. I just couldn't bring myself to put 227.
I have just 9 pounds to go to make it 100 pound loss. I am hoping to do that by Sept. my 2 year anniversary with Calorie Restriction.
Reduced calories
I have reduced my calories to 1100 right now. It is easy and for my age it is in the OK range. I need only 1500 to maintain my weight, with CR we reduce the calories by 10 to 40% so I am still in the proper healthy range. I am losing about a pound every week or so. I am still exercising every other day. I have been doing that without missing one day for 7 months. It is easy to do and gets me out of the house. Only problem is, it gets me close to shopping.
I am loving shopping again. Bad, bad me.

Calorie Restriction is healthy

2009-07-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

Calorie Restriction lifestyle does not eliminate any food or food groups from its eating style. To practice CR all that is needed is a way to track your food choices and nutrients. You find how many calories your body needs to maintain its healthy weight and eat 20 to 30% less. It couldn't be easier. You eat all the foods you love just less of it.
Success
I love this way of eating it makes perfect sense to me. I was never successful following rigid diet plans. Ones that say eat this for a week or two then this and add this back in later. No good. To hard to do. I can't even remember what to do next. I hate having to check a book to see where I am.
Man Made Food
When I started Cr I also was very aware of how dangerous modern man made food is for us. Just look at people, are they healthy, lean and full of life? Hell no. Most of them are fat, and the ones that aren't and still eating unhealthy food may be sick and they don't know it.
Eating modern man made food is a killer. Period. It is not for me.
Moderation?
People taunt me with pizza, pies, cookies and crap everyday. They say I need the eat grains they are so good for us. If they are so good for us why are they all processed. Why do they take 6 hours or more to digest? Why do we have to drink copious amounts of water just to digest them? Why are they making us FAT?
I made the decision to not eat them and I am happy and healthy because of it. That does not mean I don't have an oatmeal raisin cookie once in a while. I do, half of one anyway. I share it. I don't eat a whole box, I won't eat a pizza unless I make it and I won't use cow's milk cheese either. I have my healthy pizza about 3 times a year.
So I guess I do eat crap in moderation.
Wanted for murder
What disturbs me is how people can eat cereal for breakfast, health bar(misnamed) for a snack, a sandwich for lunch, a cookie for a snack, then pasta for dinner. Even if they eat a small portion they are not eating processed food in moderation. Their stomach is always processing the processed food. It never gets a break. Never.
If this is you educate yourself. Don't be reading how healthy grains are for you, they are not, read what damage they are doing to you. Wise up consumers.
Fresh
Moderation is such a cool buzz word it is used right along with getting healthy. You cannot get healthy and continue to eat crap. Period. You will eventually begin eating more and more of the crap because that is exactly what that food is made to do. You are not eating it because it is healthy, you are eating it because your mind is telling you it tastes good. Ha, no it does not. Fresh food does taste good and it is healthy.
Period. There is no argument. Nobody can defend crap food in anyway. It isn't even filling and satisfying. I just makes us fat, depressed, miserable and hopelessly addicted.
Toss it out!!
Diet
Practice a healthy lifestyle, one that will make your life long and healthy. A diet that will keep you out of the doctors office and off modern medicine.
Get you blood work done once a year to see how great you are doing.
Don't defend bad habits. That is exactly what a person that tries to eat crap in moderation is doing. It is a path to failure.

Calorie Restriction and vacation plans

2009-07-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

I have decided to go to Colorado to visit family again. The last time I was there is the month I started Calorie Restriction. September 2007. Ninety pounds ago and several sizes. I think I was a 2X then. I bought a size 4 yesterday.
There is also a class picnic I want to go to. Funny how I am actually looking forward to doing this type of thing again. I sure didn't for the past 15 years.
I am not concerned one bit about going off plan during these two events. Eating out with Calorie Restriction is so simple. I have a steak, salad and veggies or a hamburger and don't eat the bun. I prefer home cooked fish and chicken but I can never get a steak with that great smokey taste at home. I actually look forward to eating out and eating healthy.
Yesterday I went to a Dermatologist to find out if I am a good subject for a injectable face lift. Seems I am. I go in next week for the procedure. Wow, what progress I am making for myself. Wish I had the cash for more than the fillers. I have to be happy with what I can afford and hope for a windfall so I can do more. Yea right.
I am doing alright with tracking my calories with the cronOmeter. Sorta off and on but always with nutrition and calories in mind. I do fair without the cronOmeter. I don't gain when I don't use it so that is a good thing. Of course I still don't eat the foods that would make me gain. That is not an option for me. I don't even think about them except to feel sorry for people that do eat them.
My summer is starting off great hope yours is too.

Calorie Restriction my healthy life

2009-06-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Self Acceptance
I have been hearing lots of talk about self acceptance. This is coming from fat people, they prefer fat instead of overweight.
If staying fat were healthy I would still be fat. I was fine with my body, of course society wasn't and my health wasn't, I was. I loved my old life, I drank myself silly all the time, ate quarts of ice cream at a sitting, a big bag of P-Nut M&M's almost everyday. I ate what I wanted and when I wanted to never thinking about what I was putting in my mouth. I ate things I hated just because it was there. Cakes, pies, donuts nothing was off limits. I did this for several years, maybe 20.
Weight Gain
I didn't gain weight fast. I started at 130 and stopped at 227, it took me 20 years to get there. I was still gaining weight when I decided to stop killing myself.
All the time I ate very healthy meals, very similar to the meals I am still eating.
I loved my life, I did do things different then. I seldom went out, didn't shop for clothes, didn't even do the grocery shopping, the Greek did it all. I made him buy all the crappy food.
He went shopping everyday and sometimes late at night for more wine or ice cream or a run to the fast food joint.
Health Issues
I started having some pretty obvious health problems. Panic attacks and heart palpation's, shortness of breath and always tired. I decided to get healthy. That was September 2007 and I have not stopped. I am so fortunate that I was not sicker than I was. I had blood work done to check out how I am doing. The Dr. said some of the results are better than his and he is at least 25 years younger. Calorie Restriction has saved my life and I am in complete self acceptance for my new body, health, and lifestyle.
CR saved my life
One day I just decided to stop all the bad eating. I remembered seeing a program about CR on TV and knew it would be perfect for me. I did some research and also knew I had to give up the foods that were making me crave unhealthy foods. I am a complete carb addict, still am.
I no longer eat anything processed, no grains even whole grains, which are processed by the way. I gave up rice and potatoes, all sugars, starchy foods and my best friend Wine.
I have not have any cravings for any of them. I have had about 2 bottles of wine in the past 2 years. If I want a cookie we go to Barnes and Noble for a cookie and we share it. I no longer eat pasta and never will. Potatoes, maybe someday I will have them again. I am in no hurry but peas, corn and beans, I can do without them for a very long time. Maybe forever. I bought a bottle of Merlot today. I am in no hurry for it either and it will be only one glass instead of 2 bottles.
Carbs
What I have learned is that I am so addicted to carbs they can be in any form. I can over do it with dried fruit mostly raisins and dates. I can overeat even fresh fruit, a whole watermelon or cantaloupe is normal for me but I haven't gained any weight. I don't like doing this because I am eating around 1500 calories a day instead of the 1000 to 1200 that I should be but I am still healthy because the food is.
New Me
Being healthy is also so much darn fun. I have learned I like to shop and actually try on clothes in the stores now. I am now doing all the grocery shopping and loving it. I am even thinking of other things I want to do again.
I completely accepted myself fat but I absolutely love myself thin.

Calorie Restriction back to basics is working

2009-06-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

It has taken me longer than I expected but, I am losing weight again. All fingers and toes crossed that it continues for at least 10 pounds. Making it an even 100 pounds lost since starting Calorie Restriction September 2007. This morning I was 138.6. I know it is no big loss but I got past 139 for the first time in over 20 years. I had not lost weight since January 2009.
Supplements
I have been taking a new supplement to try to curb my appetite and it seems to be working. One is Acai Berry extract. I don't know if it is just me wanting to eat less so bad I will it to work but I am actually not as hungry as I had been. From my past experience I will need to take something to curb my hunger for a few weeks then I will be OK.
The other two new supplements are Tonalin XC-CLA. I don't know if it is working yet. I will keep taking it for a few months to see. I have taken it for only 3 days.
I also bought Fucoxathin. I am very happy with all the new supplements I have added.
I will continue to take them and update on any changes in my mind and body.
Calorie Restriction meals
My Calorie Restriction is working great. I want to keep them around 1050 for as long as I can. For my age and height I can't eat too many calories in a day anyway. 1500 is all I need to maintain. I know it is higher now because I work out but I don't know exactly how many calories I burn there. The machines say 400 each time but I really doubt that. I expect it is closer to 100 so I won't rely on working out to keep my calories low.
My protein intake has gone up since I added cottage cheese and eggs back in. No more green juice for a while. It has far to many calories in it for now. Once I get myself stabilized at 127 I will add them back occasionally. I know I do better with flesh protein over vegetable, who knows what I will do.
My foods are my favorites and what I would eat even if I weren't counting calories, I would eat more of them though.

Breakfast 2 eggs cooked in olive oil spray
Lunch 1/2 cup cottage cheese
Snack apple or banana
Dinner ground beef patty or ground turkey, or other lean protein.
A huge raw spinach salad, about 5 cups or more, with olive oil,lemon and honey dressing.
Snack 2 cups frozen blueberries.

This comes to around 1050 calories each day. Of course there are days I change the snacks. There is far to much fruit that I love to eat a boring apple and banana all the time.

Back to Calorie Restriction basics

2009-05-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Well, my basics that is.
I started my diet plan September 2007 knowing I wanted to do Calorie Restriction and also eliminate foods that I felt I overate and what led me to eat even more. At the time I didn't know just how bad these foods are for us. I educated myself as I went along. Glad I did.

I read all I could about Calorie Restriction and nutrition so I tracked my food with the cronOmeter and started taking supplements if I didn't get 100% every day. I lost weight pretty fast for about 9 months. Then it stopped. I didn't change anything with the plan stuck to it. Five months later I lost another 20 pounds. This leads me to January 2009. I reached 139 pounds, a 90 pound total loss. I still need to lose about 20 more pounds but the scale has not moved since January.

Since I had been reading blogs, vlogs and books on eating healthy foods I decided to try and change mine. I did lots of different things, even fooled myself into believing that if I ate raw I could eat things that I didn't eat normally but liked. This would be dried fruit. I started buying it, lots of it. This led me to really blow Calorie Restriction. I was still eating the healthy dinners.
I stopped eating eggs thinking of the Paleo diet, no cottage cheese, that Paleo deal again. Still the weight did not budge.
My weight fluctuated between 144 to 139. I never had a 139 day back to back. I joined a gym, I work out 3 days a week and have gained inches, did not lose weight. I bought a juicer and started drinking green juice. That didn't last long. I do like the juice and may drink it again but it just isn't something that I can stick with. Calorie Restriction is. I really do love it. It is so easy to do but, it is also easy to have the calories creep up without realizing it. I do believe that is exactly what happened to me. Hell, I know it is. Now the hard part, I have to go back to basics, my basics, where I was September 07. That is where I am right now. I have added eggs back in my diet. I now have 2 eggs for breakfast and that 1/2 cup cottage cheese for lunch. I have 2 fruits for snacks during the day. Then I have that healthy meal for dinner with a huge raw veggie either a salad or spinach. I am NOT hungry but I am struggling to not eat to much fruit after dinner, another bad habit I got into.
The weight is also changing and I am feeling leaner again. I was 139 for 2 days in a row. I may be speaking up to soon with this but I don't think I am. I feel confident the scale will be 138 tomorrow.
I will not be buying and new books on other plans. My lifestyle suits me as it is. While it may be named Calorie Restriction is sure doesn't restrict in food choices. The food is plentiful and wonderful. I am the one that refuses to ever eat grains and I am healthier for it.

I am a big time tea drinker and have discovered how to take my tea to work. I ice it and take two big jugs of it with me. Aaah peace.

My day with Calorie Restriction

2009-05-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

Food today has to be at or under 1200 calories. I know it is going to be hard to get myself to get past hunger pangs but I have to get myself used to less calories all over again. I have been putting this off far to long.

I will not eat almonds today. I will eat a cooked protein for breakfast.

Update:
Failed, I had a banana instead. They are just to easy and filling. Plus they are fast exit food and I like that.

I did have one boiled egg for lunch then 4 kiwis a bit later. They needed to be eaten, poor things were going bad. :-) Right.

I lost 90 pounds eating 2 eggs for breakfast and 1/2 cup cottage cheese for lunch, fruit for snacks and the usual cooked meal for dinner. I kept the calories at 1000 to 1200 for over a year then the calories started slowly creeping back up and I haven't gotten them under control since.
I now feel like I am ready, almost the same feeling I had when I decided to lose weight in the first place.
I read a great article about using the scale. It said to weigh yourself first thing in the morning then through out the day as we drink and eat. Well, I did that today, funny, I was also doing that when I first started CR. When I first started CR there was a difference of about 5 pounds from morning to night. Then it dropped to 2 pounds. Today I did like the article said and weighed before and after dinner. My dinner added only .6 pounds. Wow, fantastic. I had a huge raw spinach salad with a big serving of salmon. I never drink with food, bad for digestion, so that was a very accurate weight for my dinner. Interesting.
This morning I weighed 141.2 after dinner 142. Cool.
I always lose over 2 pounds from the night weigh in to the morning weigh in.
I won't be able to weigh myself through out the day tomorrow, gotta work. So the test will continue next week.
Food for today:
1 banana
4 kiwis
1 boiled egg
4 or more cups raw spinach
olive oil
honey
lemon
6 oz Salmon
2 cups blueberries

Tomorrow I work so I bet I eat more fruit. I work at my bosses house, nothing there for food so I take some water and an apple.
I sure hope the scale moves off this 139 plateau soon. It has been since January.

Calorie Restriction , clean out the pantry.

2009-05-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

Calorie Restriction diets are as simple as a weight loss diet can get. It is based on reducing your daily caloric intake and helps in reducing stress on the immune and digestive systems and gain optimal health.
CR is counting the calories you take in and eating less.
You will be eating fruits, vegetables, and low calorie proteins.
There are no restrictions on the type of food you can eat as long as you pay attention to the amount of calories and nutrients.

Before starting CR, ask yourself a few questions.
Do you eat while on the go or do you eat at home?
What do you eat most of the time?
Will the new foods in your weight loss diet plan be suitable for this type of lifestyle?
Start a journal and write the questions and answers in it. If you don't eat at home think of how to take or buy CR foods.
If you're eating fast food most of the time that will have to change. This food is poison to your body, you need to think of it as just that poison.

Will you be able to eat a different type of food from others around you?
When eating in groups, how do they eat?
Will it be compatible with CR?
You can always take your own food to gatherings or look for foods that are CR. It is easy to spot.

Are you willing to change your home environment to suit CR?
This might be hardest to do. If there are children at home. They do need a different diet than an adult, once you realize you can't eat the same as they do you will be better off. You cannot reduce calories for a healthy child.
A wife or husband is another story, those calories most likely need to be reduced and food choices improved.

Do your current leisure activities fit into CR?
Do you eat a lot of junk food in your spare time?
Can you give up junk food?
Yes, give it up. It is poison remember.

Do you eat out a lot?
If you do, do the restaurants you go to serve food that fits CR?
Really go over that menu. Look for fish, no rice, no potatoes, fish with veggies, soup and salad.
A steak usually comes way to big. Get an 8 oz steak, eat half of it. No baked potato with toppings, veggies only. Get the bread off the table. Have a huge salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.

Is your kitchen ready to make a lifestyle change?
Do you have enough time to prepare your food?
Cooking CR is simple, fast and clean. No big clean up afterward.
Lets start right now.
We are going to get our cupboard, cabinet, pantry what ever you call it. It is going on CR right now.
Get ready to lose weight and get healthy.
What you will need to do this task;
A garbage bag, a big one. Get a yard clean up bag if you have to.
Step one:
Open that cupboard, take a deep breath.
Look for cereals, boxes or bags of cereal. Yes, cereal, it is processed and full of sugar, unless your corn grows in flakes and your oats in little o's with sugar sprinkles, it is processed. Think of what you're putting in yours kids tummies if they are eating this processed gunk. Yes, toss them.
Canned soups;
If you can't pronounce the ingredients you shouldn't be eating it. The smell alone should stop you from opening a can of soup.
Look for organic soups if you have to have canned soup. But, never buy creamed soups of any kind for any reason.
Add these poison soups to the garbage bag.

Tomato sauce,
Yes, that's right tomato sauce. Read the label. It has HFCS in it betcha. It also says it is made from tomato paste. That's right and now you know how to make tomato sauce that is good for you. One can of tomato paste with 2 cups liquid of your choice, water, stock or broth, you have tomato sauce with no corn syrup in it.

Catsup, if it has HFCS in it. There are a few. Get one.
Toss the nasty one out.

Pasta;
Yes, pasta it doesn't matter if it says it is whole grain or not. I don't know any wheat that grows into a penne or a bow-tie. Yes, it is all processed.
This food is calorie dense and full of carbs. Do you want to get healthy and stay that way? Toss this poison in the garbage bag.
If you are grinding your own grains, then keep doing it. That is healthy, make your own whole grain pasta.
If you see polenta in there toss it too along with white enriched rice.
Brown rice is OK but it is high in carbs and low in protein. Keep it if the family has to have a starch. But eventually you will most likely not be eating brown rice.
Sugar.
Get rid of all sugars, brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added. There are some sweeteners that are healthy. Look for pure cane sugar and stevia. Turbinado is less refined but it is refined and in the bad list.
The best brown sugar is pure cane with molasses, full of nutrition and a wonderful flavor. Eat this in moderation.

Read all the labels in any cans that are left. If they have HFCS toss them.
It is time to fill the fridge with healthy greens, lean meats, and fruit.

Eating less, is it working for me?

2009-05-07T23:52:00.001-07:00

I have been having great difficulty with Calorie Restriction lately. My calorie count has steadily climbed up to around 1500 plus for sometime now. I became aware of it after I started using the cronOmeter again. That and the dead give away of not losing any weight for months and feeling bloated after dinner. What more clues are there?

At first I blamed a small gain on exercising. I have since lost it, so I felt I was justified in thinking it was muscle gain. I do know my thighs have grown a full inch. They are now 19". Not a good thing in my opinion. Now I have to work to get that darn inch back off.

I then blamed my new way of eating on the more calories and justified it with what I had read about eating raw. That it is so healthy you don't have to be concerned about counting calories. This is sooo dumb of me. I am supposed to be doing Calorie Restriction, of course raw calories count, crap.

The raw diet also says to eat dried fruit, no wonder I love that way of eating. They are my binge foods and I know it. But I can have them so I started buying dates, raisins, plums, figs all dried and packed with calories. I still crave them like crazy. I want to find a food that will satisfy me so I don't crave the darn shrivled up things.

I really, really want to get back to CR like I was for over a year. I had never felt better in so many ways. My body felt lean, my energy and moods were high and I loved every single day. I am feeling very tired and non social again. Very moody. I hate it. Worst part I am always hungry even after I have eaten my CR dinner. Yes, I still make sure I weigh my main meals. Then I grab fruit or nuts until I am full. My calories were done for the day with the last meal. I am not supposed to be eating fruit for a snack after dinner. Bad food combination and boy can I feel it.

I am very unhappy with myself and have been for sometime. I want to get back that CR feeling again. This is going to be just as hard as it was almost 2 years ago. It will be just like starting over on a diet again.

I haven't gained any weight but haven't lost either. I am pretty darn happy about that. I know I haven't messed up my metabolism at least. I can lose weight on 1200 calories a day. Maybe I fixed my metabolism by eating more and exercising. If so that is a very good thing. Lets hope so.

I don't want to be posting anymore bad news about me and overeating. I have to get a plan in place. Am I going to stick with eating raw. I do love the green juice. It is loaded with goodness. I could go back to eating eggs and cottage cheese. I had such good luck losing weight when I was eating them. I really do like eating raw and I get plenty of protein from it. It just isn't that full feeling like from cottage cheese.

I need to make my own plan and stop reading books that say I can eat stuff I know I shouldn't .
That is exactly what I did to lose 90 pounds. I want to lose 20 more and stay with CR forever. I have to get back in control. Wow, do I love that feeling. I hate what I am doing to myself right now. I know it isn't all that bad. I still eat very healthy and keep the calories in check, just not CR.
Soon, very soon I will be there.

Calorie Restriction and Green Juice

2009-05-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

I have been eating fruit only for breakfast for a few weeks now. I find I don't get hungry until around 2PM so that is when I have my juice for the day. Today I was out of Romaine Lettuce so I used up the last of my carrots. The juice today was 13 organic carrots, a finger of Ginger, and a whole bulb of Fennel. I finished it off with some cinnamon. Wow, is this juice every wonderful. Only one problem, it is loaded with calories. Over 400 calories. It pumped up my calories way to much for the day. It does fill me up, in fact maybe to much. Guess I should juice less of it.

I am new to juicing and find I don't like cleaning the darn juicer even though it is easy. So I tend to make to much juice to justify me making it.

I will stick with the Romaine, lemon, apple, and kale juice. It is far less calories than carrots.

I went way over my calories today. I made stuffed bell peppers and ate 1.5 peppers with green beans. It is 6 hours since dinner and I am still stuffed. My calories for today were around 1600. I sure wanted to keep them at 1200. Gone wrong again.

The scale was good to me again. I have been varying my calories intentionally to see if I could repair my metabolism so I could break a plateau. I need to lose the remaining 20 pounds. I think it has worked. I was 139 today, again. I have been as high as 142.

Of course I expect a gain after eating 1600 calories today. What an idiot I am.

Food for today

1 Banana
20 oz carrot juice
2 cups blueberries
1.5 bell peppers
4oz ground beef
2 cups green beans
2 oz almonds
1 tbs. flax oil
4 cups green salad
honey
lemon juice
Calories around 1600

That is a lot of food. Tomorrow just has to be a better day.

I have my workout in the morning then grocery shopping. Hopefully I won't be starved when I get home to make my Green Juice. I need a 1200 calorie day so bad. Tomorrow will be it.

Plan it, make a plan and stick with it.

Calorie Restriction and Eating Raw

2009-04-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have been eating about 80% raw for several weeks now. I have found that I tend to not use the cronOmeter as I should with my juices. This has got to stop. Those fabulous juices, while loaded with great nutrition and enzymes, are still loaded with calories, about 250 calories. So, I need to get back to using the CoM everyday like I used to. Man, I love that cronOmeter.
Today I made my Green Juice with a head of romaine, one organic lemon, 2 organic apples, and a bunch of kale. It is so green and full of yummy goodness. I drink it on an empty stomach, it fills me up for about an hour. I then have a piece of fruit that takes me until lunch time. So for breakfast I have about 350 calories of greatness.
My concerns are protein. If I don't eat a pure protein like egg whites or cottage cheese am I doing CR right? My protein has gone down since I started eating raw during the day. I still have a cooked protein for dinner. I just don't know if this is enough. I was getting about 65g. of protein a day, now it less. I haven't tracked enough to get the full picture but I know it is less. I do get protein from all the veg, just not as much.
I also messed up pretty bad in the overeating. I have come to be addicted to dried fruit and I can really put it away. Wow, are the calories high in those tiny shriveled up pieces of goodness. I have come to realize I have been making videos about this stupid addiction for too long.
I have got to stop doing this to myself. I still eat what I deem to be healthy, no grains, no milk, no sugar, no starches, and I count my calories for all meals, then I grab those darn morsels of dried fruit. I become a sticky mess and must look like a pig devouring every last one. So, I have to leave the darn things at the store until I can control myself around them. My favorite are the organic ones, they are huge raisins. I love them not only for their taste but because there is less of them in the container. Only 7 servings of 120 calories each, so much better than a huge bag of the darn things. I am so bad.
Of course, because of the dried fruit binges, I have not lost any weight. I am going to track my calories with the CoM regularly and still eat raw during the day. My days are so simple eating like this. I have the green juice for breakfast followed by a banana or an apple. Lunch is another piece of fruit then about an hour later I have a huge green salad. Maybe 4 to 6 cups of it, maybe more. The salad has flax oil dressing which I love. When dinner comes around I am not hungry.
I cook a protein for dinner, chicken, fish or red meat. Usually a 5 oz portion with a lightly steamed veg. That is it.
The way I want to eat raw is with food combining. What that is supposed to do is get the food through my system fast and not leave behind waste or too much waste. So therefore I am to not eat meat with a grain, no sandwichs. I don't eat bread, this is just an example.
No cheese on bread either, so no pizza. I might have to break this rule for my goat cheese pizza.
I am so conflicted. Eating raw is more complicated than just doing CR. But, if I can learn it and do it right I am expecting great results. So, to me it is worth it.

Calorie Restriction diet evolves

2009-04-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

I glanced through this blog and noticed that back in January I was drinking a green smoothie made with Cottage Cheese. Well since January I have changed my entire way of eating CR. I no longer eat Cottage Cheese, which was the only milk product I did eat. I now eat fruit and veggies during the day making sure they are properly combined for fast exit from the stomach.

So far I am enjoying the fruit and the green juice drinks. My only concern so far is that I still have not lost any weight and actually think I am eating more calories. This is not good. The whole purpose of CR is to have optimal health eating less.
I will continue experimenting with the fruit and raw veg for another month and if I don't drop a few pounds and inches I will go back to the original way of eating CR.
Of course I will still drink the green juice in the AM.
I do believe in eating food in proper combination so I will need to figure out how to eat eggs and or Cottage Cheese. Timing it just right will be harder than eating fruit until 3PM each day.
I know I have not been getting as much protein as before. I know this because I have been thinking about food again. Something I hadn't done in 19 months. I have also been eating far to much dried fruit. I even bought some Lara bars, I wouldn't have even thought of buying them a few months ago.
You see, dried fruit is part of eating raw and I am totally addicted to them and know I shouldn't be eating them. It is crazy how I found a way of eating that fits perfectly into my stupid food addiction.

Weird, after typing this I can see just what I need to do. I am going back to my original way of doing CR, eating more protein and less fruit. The only thing I will keep doing is drinking the green juice on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
I am so glad I typed this out, it made me see what I have been doing wrong. What an idiot I am. I have been reading a book about raw food and I believed every word of it. I am convinced it is not entirely working for me. It sure is easy to do, that is what enticed me.
So for tomorrow I will be having fruit for breakfast and some Cottage Cheese for lunch. Hopefully I will stop these uncontrollable cravings for dried fruit and get me back to losing weight. I still have 20 pounds to lose to have optimal health.

Today I am having brunch with my family. Of course I will have a few glasses of wine and a salad. It is very easy to order proper food at the restaurant we are going to. That is why I picked it. I might even have a sandwich. Bread, see how I am thinking here. I haven't wanted bread for 19 months. I sure hope I get myself back thinking better in a few days. I sure don't want these size 6 jeans to not fit. Rats, what have I done to myself.
Of course thinking about bread and other poison foods is not eating them, I hate even thinking about them, it seems obsessive to me.
I like that superior feeling that I had. I was confident and actually felt giddy happy. I will be there again.
To much dried fruit and fruit in general must be my downfall.
Oh this is going to be hard on me. Another change!! Oh well that is what life is, it would be boring without change.

Calorie Restriction with 70% Raw Food

2009-04-09T22:21:00.000-07:00

I have been really enjoying eat raw during the day along with Calorie Restriction. It has made food choices so easy. I love how easy it is to grab a piece of fruit for breakfast. Talk about fast food.
My juicer came yesterday. I made my first green juice and loved it. I was very surprised how tasty romaine, kale, an apple, and a lemon can taste juiced. I drank 2 full heads of romaine. Amazing.
I found it filling too.
The way I am eating raw is from the Raw Food Detox Diet book. I eat fruit and drink the green juice on a empty stomach. I am never hungry. I love it. I am going to be buying lots more organic green veggies now.
My weight has been stable at 139 for about a week now. I am still wanting to lose another 15 to 20 pounds but with CR and eating raw I know the weight will come off in time. There is no need to eat less for now. My size 6 jeans are loser than they were a week ago. So I know something is changing.
It is really great to be working again. I got a phone call 2 weeks ago to help a fellow tech out in his lab. I wasn't planning on working again and almost said no. I am happy I didn't, I am enjoying myself. It is weird working for somebody else after being my own boss for over 26 years.
I just don't want working to interfere with my eating plan. So far I am doing OK. Packing a lunch sure is simple. 2 pieces of fruit. As soon as I get home I fix the only cooked food I have for the day. Today is was Salmon with Broccoli. Very tasty.
So, my life is changing again in a very good way.

Calorie restriction and exercise

2009-02-19T23:01:00.000-08:00

I am new to exercise, it was my goal to lose most of my weight then exercise. I wanted to get used to how many calories I should be eating and also to be more comfortable in my skin before I ventured out into the gym world.
Track calories burned
I have been 14 times now so I am very much a novice and have no clue what to expect. I do know it is a lot easier than I expected.
I finally learned how to track how many calories I am burning during the workout. Monday I did 312 in 30 minutes, I thought that was pretty good and started multiplying and figuring out how long it would take to burn one pound. Well, Wednesday came and I got it up to 452, so new math figures jumped in my head.
I am now going to try and get it to 500 even tomorrow and keep it there.
Of course I am very concerned that this burning 500 calories(1500 in one week) will make me want to eat more. One of the reasons I didn't want to exercise to lose weight in the first place.
Just thinking about it, hey I worked off 500 today I can splurge tonight, keeps entering my mind. Plus my body really needs the calories I am giving it. I don't give it extra calories to work out and I don't want to.
Man this exercise stuff defeats my calorie restriction.
I am exercising to gain strength and improve muscle tone. I am not worried about metabolism, slow or fast doesn't worry me.
I did notice that I ate over my calorie count for two days now. Is this a new eating pattern starting to emerge now I am working out? Crap there is always something sabotaging me.
Vloging
I am busy putting together a series of vlogs about my food choices and why.
I don't eat grains, milk, or many starches. The why has taken me into more research. I am very glad I did it. I knew they were bad for me but didn't know just how bad.
Watch for the series. Hopefully I will have them done in a week.
Learning stuff
Learning new editing software, lighting set up and writing a dumb script sure takes time.
The software is Final Cut Express. I am still not completely comfortable with it. I have two books and neither of them take me far enough. They say they are for beginner to intermediate. Where the heck is advanced?
The lighting is new too. I bought a soft box. Darn thing is huge but hopefully it will help solve my lighting problems. I need a few other lights for fill and that should be ready to go.
A script, well that is hard to do. I want it to look and sound better than what I have been doing. I write a script and camera shot locations then turn the camera on and forget what I was supposed to say, get pissed and wing it. Then all the editing to take out my dumb parts and ah's and deep breaths and cuss words.
Life is fun!

Calorie Restriction and looking fit

2009-02-12T21:41:00.000-08:00

I was leaving the gym Wednesday when a lady stopped me to say "Your sure look fit". Well, I was very shocked, me fit, I know I feel fit but look fit. I have been in the gym 7 times. It sure isn't the gym that made me look fit. It has to be food choices and counting calories, it can not be anything but. Whatever, it sure made my day. From fatty to fit without exercising. Yea!
I am now exercising to tone and for strength, still not to lose weight.
Tomorrow I get weighed and measured at the gym. Lets see if they do a better job of it this time. The young pretty helper there measured my waist and tummy at 32. Way off. Tummy to small waist to big. She did manage to get the rest of me right. (my waist is actually almost 27, tummy more like 35). I have a very, very flat ugly ass and that is why I have 38 hips.

I bought some plain full milk yogurt this week. Thinking is might be a nice change from cottage cheese, wrong, boy was I wrong. In comparing the two I found that cottage cheese has more protein, a lot more, and less sugar. Plus it just tastes better. I can make it savory or sweet.
If I want something sweet I add some Stevia, pineapple, and a bit of vanilla. Wow, what a treat.
This is 1000 times better than yogurt.
For the yogurt I get only 1/4 cup, cottage cheese 1/2 cup. So, no more yogurt. I sure wish more people would realize what they are getting in yogurt with fruit already in it. What a waste of calories and way to much sugar. Good advertisement is all I can think of why it is so popular, sure can't be because it is good for us. I don't use other milk products either. Me and impulse buying. I have to stop doing that. I bought that darn yogurt because I was seeing so many people saying how much they love it and how it fills them for breakfast. I sure can't see it as a good breakfast, to darn much sugar in it.

I had a fabulous protein day and the lowest in carbs in a long time. Giving up my blackberries or giving up 4 cups of them, has really helped me. I have lost a pound already and hope to be out of the 140's tomorrow. I was 140 even this morning. 139 sounds so much better.

My calorie restriction is still going strong, I couldn't be happier with it and the life it has given me.

Green smootie calorie restriction style

2009-01-23T21:37:00.000-08:00

I made my first Green Smoothie today. I was inspired by all the youTubers and their great looking smoothies. I never had one before.
I used Red Chard, Spinach, Cottage Cheese, small Banana, frozen Pineapple, frozen Blueberries, Stevia, and a bit of water.
It filled me up so much I am not snacking on fruit tonight. I made it after I got back from grocery shopping around 2:30. I say this because I am still not hungry, I did have my Halibut and Broccoli for dinner. By now I would have had about 4 cups of frozen berries.
I am hoping this is exactly what I need to get me through the nights without hunger.
The cottage cheese was perfect in it. Made it like Ice Cream. It also made me think of Cheesecake. I am now wondering if I can make my green smoothie taste like cheesecake. Bet I could. I would leave out the banana and add vanilla, it would need raspberries too. I have plenty of them.
I am now dreaming of my Calorie Restriction Green Cheesecake smoothie. Can't wait for tomorrow to experiment.
We are going to be in San Francisco most of the day tomorrow. Guess I better be taking my cameras. Hope it is a nice day. It has been foggy and rainy here. Winters in the city can be really nice. Better than summers.

A Calorie Restriction and weight loss

2009-01-22T23:45:00.000-08:00

Since I started Calorie Restriction 17 months ago I have lost 86 pounds. I am a complete convert to calorie counting and knowing what nutrients are in the food I eat. I know I could do better with the dark leafy greens so tomorrow I am going to try making a green shake for breakfast.
My idea is to add some cottage cheese with the fruit along with kale and spinach. The reason for the cottage cheese is for protein. I do like it with fruit so why not put try it in a smoothy. I might make it more milk shake like. I will try it tomorrow afternoon.
I ran it through the cronOmeter, it came up pretty good on nutrition.

1/2 cup non fat cottage cheese
kale
spinach
1/2 cup blueberries
small banana (for the potassium)
Stevia to sweeten it up

161 Calories

11 g. protein
29g carbs
16% of my daily requirement of Omega-3
Through the roof with Vitamin A, K and C

I would like to find something to put in it to up the B vitamins. I will be looking into that.

Calorie Restriction Day
I had an excellent Calorie Restriction day today. I have decided to try and eat a bit less calories in fruit. I have been eating too late at night snacking on berries around midnight. A huge bowl of mixed berries can add 250 calories to my day. I hope to stop this night time snacking. Right now I feel confident that I can do it, but it is early.
Tomorrow is my exercise day then grocery shopping. I have decided to stop buying our fish from Trader Joe's. The salmon has not be very good lately and the pieces seem odd shapes, like seconds. I bought Sockeye at a different store last week and it was fantastic. Trader Joe's will be getting less and less of my grocery monies. I stopped buying their chicken and produce ages ago. The only things I buy there for sure right now is the frozen berries, coffee, coffee filters, tortillas and a few frozen veggies, cottage cheese and eggs.
Weight Loss
I have been 141 for a week now. I am hoping to see a change in a few days. Guess eating all that fruit late at night is the cause. I am going to make it without eating tonight, its 12pm already. Seems I made it one night. Strange thing, I measured my waist again today, I am not obsessed with this, I thought it looked smaller so I grabbed the measuring tape. Hey, I was right. I have a 28 inch waist now. Wonder what it will be in a few months.
I have lost 17 inches in the waist alone. Wow, super WOW. There are before and current pictures of me on You Tube.

Learning Calorie Restriction

2009-01-19T23:06:00.000-08:00

It did take me a few months to get used to counting calories and nutrients. I found help online by reading blogs written by fellow Cr people. Reading what foods they were eating and how much really gave me a good start.
Two of the best blogs is Mary's cron diaries and April's cr blog.
I still had to find foods that I liked and knew what I could eat and not feel deprived. I can honestly say I have found a comfortable place. I enjoy the foods I eat and I look forward to the meals and cooking them.

Cravings
I was very hungry at first and still had food cravings for loads of carbs. All that finally passed. I don't eat any wheat products, rice, potatoes, milk products except non-fat cottage cheese and a bit of goat cheese.
I eat lots of green veggies, fresh and frozen and usually organic. I buy hormone free beef, chicken, pork and wild caught fish. I have fish twice a week. My protein serving is always 4 to 5 oz. and always weighed.

My fruit, right now, is berries, blackberries, raspberries, and blue berries. About 3 cups of this mixture a day. I find apples today, while crisp and juicy, are over sweet, way too big and flat tasting. Tasteless except for the sweet. I won't have commercial apples ever again. I am seriously thinking about planting my own apple tree if I can find an heirloom variety.

How I got started
I checked my calorie needs very carefully and know how many I need to maintain my thin self. I then reduced this by 20%. The weight is coming off fairly slow by other dieters stats, but for me it is perfect. I am happy with a 4 to 5 pound loss a month.
After I lose the weight, 19 more pounds, I will adjust my calories again. I will eat what my body needs - 10%. To find out how much you should weigh for optimal health.
For 5 ft give yourself 100 pounds
add 5 pounds for every inch above 5 ft.
I am 5ft 6in so my weight should be 130, for optimal health - 13 pounds. So I would like to be 117 pounds or very close to it.

Eliminate refined carbohydrates
Modifying the diet to eliminate refined carbohydrates and focusing on high quality protein and good fats will gradually train the body to burn more fat and less sugar. This has worked for me and continues to work. I am amazed how good it is working for me. I am 141 pounds and so much thinner than I ever was when eating milk and grains along with loads of cheese. I am convinced they are what made me feel puffy all the time. I wonder if I have an allergy to them.

Overeating
I now stop eating when the food I had weighed is gone. I am never stuffed and always satisfied. What a fantastic feeling. I remember getting that overstuffed feeling almost everyday. So full it actually hurt. I love having this new feeling of being in control of what I eat and when. Now if I binge it is always with fruit and I do it fairly often. I still manage to keep it within my calorie range. Amazing how enhanced my life is with Calorie Restriction in it.

I am currently 141 pounds, wear a size 7 and joined a gym this week. I picked a gym that suits my style. I am not exercising to lose weight but to gain muscle. I wanted to lose most of my weight by controlling my food intake not by exercising. It was food that made me fat and I knew I wanted to learn how to eat. I am now comfortable enough to exercise and enjoy it. Did I say how much I love Calorie Restriction, did I need to?

Calorie counting, calorie burning

2009-01-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

We are supposed to be on a very strict budget around here. I have no job and don't see me getting one any time soon. I owned by own business for several years, I would have a hard time working for somebody. Anyway, we are trying to live off less.
One of the things I did was turn the heater down to 71 and leave it on that setting all the time. It does get sorta cold in here but we have blankets to cuddle in and this computer room is always warm.
What I have noticed is that we actually got used to the cool house and we are feeling better. I hate to be hot anyway.
Did you know you actually burn calories keeping yourself warm? I love to sleep in a cold room and feel the cool sheets when I stretch out. I love laying in the warm bed in the AM instead of getting up. So, while we aren't doing so good with the budget we are spending less on the propane to keep us warm.
I am finally down another pound, I am now 143. I have adjusted my final weight, I didn't start this weight loss with one in mind, I just knew I had to lose 100 pounds, so that is why it was 127.
Now, I want to be what the CR folk recommend. Here it is:
100 pounds for 5 ft.
add 5 pounds for each inch after the 5 ft.
Subtract 10% from this figure.
My math:
5 ft. 6 in. = 130 pounds
minus 13 for the 10%
So there it is 117. My new and improved goal for this year is 117 to 125. Anywhere in that range is good for me.
I have never been that thin. Even when I graduated from Hi school I was a chunky 122. I was 3 inches shorter and flabby. My diet was horrible then too and continued to be. I did gain some inches in height around 19 years old. 3 in fact. I am almost 5ft 7 now and weighed 135 for several years. Then wham, bang, did I ever get fat and stayed that way for years.
For me, being 143 is a dream and I am living it.
I love feeling my new body, it is amazing that I can actually feel bones now. I can still feel the fat in my arms and in strange places that is accumulates. That is certainly not my ass. It is a bony as can be. Hurts cause it so dang fat free.
The bottoms of my feet have less fat too. Both of them have a small sore if I walk to much. I need to get some gels. I am getting some thick skin growing on the two tiny spots. Weird. But, so much better than fat for a cushion.
My skin is super soft, and of course ugly. That was one of my concerns about losing 100 pounds. What an idiot I was. My skin will always be covered up, I could never cover up 100 pounds. No hiding that mass.
I am so freaking happy.

Calorie restriction and exercise or not

2008-12-29T00:15:00.000-08:00

A great video that expresses my feelings on exercise.
I knew I had to be right about this.
My original plan to lose weight was to get control of my food and binge eating.
Now that I am in control of my food and food choices, although I still over eat it is now healthier choices and always fruit, I can start to think about what type of exercise I want to do.
I would like something that will not injure me in any way. Nothing that could hurt knees, hips etc.
This is going to have to be a decision I make, just like Calorie Restriction was to lose the weight.
I already have ruled out joining a Gym and walking. No treadmill either. Maybe I am just not meant to exercise and I am putting to much stress on myself thinking about it.
I would like to burn off about 300 extra calories 3 days a week. That is about the limit I am going to put on myself. If I feel I can handle more I will do it. Burning off 900 calories every 3 days sounds pretty good to me.
I refuse to add calories to my daily food right now. I don't want my body to ever get used to more calories. I know all to well what that leads to.
For me it leads to eating more and more, gradually building back up to where I was.
Adding a few hundred calories a day is very easy to do if you don't count calories and keep a vigilant eye on what your putting in your body.
It is like going back on a diet again, trying to get used to eating less over and over. Going through that hungry all the time stage. I can't handle it. I don't do hungry well. Best to not eat more in the first place. If I do over eat in a day I will eat less the next. Never more. Counting calories and knowing the nutrients in my food is my exercise.
I absolutely have to count calories and keep them where I have them for freaking ever and I know it.
Good thing I also love it.
A little update, I am now in a size 7 (seven) wow, wow, wow.
I bought them in a junior dept. at Macy's. I was shocked. The Greek saw them and wanted me to get them because of the brand name. Yaso, it is a Greek word with several translations, mostly hello, sorta like aloha to Hawaiian's. So for him I took them to the dressing room, I expected to get them to my knees because the legs are so narrow. The darn things went on, up, buttoned, and zipped. Of course I had to buy them. They are so comfortable.
Then a new top to go with the jeans. Size medium in the junior dept. Loving it.
Then to the women's undergarment dept. A size 36 B. Wow, where did the girls go?
I don't care where they went, just never want to see them again.
I would love it if all I had was the sack they came in. Useless appendages anyway. All they ever did was get in my way.
So, I am all decked out in my new clothes.
Not really, I am sitting here in my mens size XL, I just can't seem to give them up. I had been wearing mens clothes for so long, they were all I dare buy without trying on when I was obese.
Now I am a shopper from hell. Juniors, not bad. I haven't worn a jr. size EVER.

A interesting Calorie Restriction post

2008-12-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

http://www.taraje.com/
This blogger has a very good understanding of food choices and calorie restriction. I am impressed.

Calorie counting and HD video camera

2008-12-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Hey, I lost the 3 pound gain.
Next goal is 143. I expect that to take another 2 weeks. That is about how long it is now taking to lose one pound. I actually see no big deal with that. I would if I hadn't lost 83 already. It sure sounds, and is a darn long time.
Control hunger
I am still hungry at 11pm. I was last night anyway. But, it is getting better. This time I didn't raid the fridge. Hunger is not something I deal with very well. It gives me a nasty personality, but so does a carb high. I prefer my mellow self. Good thing I am that way most of the time.
I do like the energy rush I get from the alpha lipoic acid. Yea, give me that. In fact I am going to take a few capsules right now.
HD camera
I finally got the replacement for my HD Camera. I bought the Canon Vixia HV30. It is a great little camera. So much easier to use than my Sony TRV900. I see they are selling my old camera on EBay for $900. Wow, half what I paid for it but more than the new Canon. Wonder what I should do with it. It is a great camera just too good for me, I guess.
Anyway, this new Canon came with a pretty serious problem, it froze. Wouldn't shut down, wouldn't turn on. Amazon sent me a new one, so far it seems to be working better than the old one and doesn't have dead pixels either.
This camera is very good with light, something I couldn't figure out with the Sony. I know it is supposed to be a pro model. Guess it needs a pro to work it too.
Now I can concentrate on content in the videos instead of how to work the camera. I have a few scripts in the works.

Watch the HD video

Calories count

2008-12-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to the Bodybugg.
You will need the Display too. Wonder why they are sold separate?
I might get this thing in a few months.
Gym visit
The interview did not go well. The gym closest to me is closing in 2 weeks and they said I would have to buy the gym program that lets me work out in any gym. I didn't want that and don't want to drive even further to get there than the 1/2 hour I planned.
So no gym for me.
I do have other options, so I will try them, maybe.
I have lost 83 pounds without exercising and plan on losing the remaining 17 the same way. I do want to tone. I still plan on exercising so I can eat more for 3 days then back to more restriction on the no exercise days. That is why I want the Bodybugg.
Dang thing is so expensive. Crap!
The day went a bit better for me.
I am not as hungry anyway. It is still early though. I am not going to eat if I do get hungry.
Oh please don't get hungry.
I think I remembered something I did that may have put those 3 pounds on me. I ate a whole pineapple.
Yikes.

Counting calories, is it working?

2008-12-22T11:53:00.001-08:00

I am having a set back. A bad one.
I have gained 3 pounds in as many days. One pound a day sucks.
Today I am looking back in the cronOmeter to see what I did different. I did go over my usual calories by a few hundred, that is no way near enough to put 3 pounds on me.
I have never done this before. I need to find out what I am doing to cause it.
We did have date night yesterday. That means a cookie and tea at the book store. The tea sucked but the darn cookie was good, in fact it became two cookies. We always share so that means we both had a cookie. They are not tiny cookies.
So that could explain the problem with the gain for today but how about the day before. I can't figure it out.
Oh, maybe this is it. Hunger!
I have been sorta hungry around 11pm. I have never been, ever, not even at 227 was I hungry that time of night.
Well, I hate being hungry, so I would have some fruit that late at night. This did spike my calories but I felt ok because there are safe food, right? I am thinking not.
So now I will have to stop eating fruit late at night and not eat anything. Hoping this hunger deal stops in a week or less.
All I know is I am now 4 pounds away from my mini goal.
I keep a piece of paper where I write down each pound I want to lose and how long I predict it to take. I was supposed to be 143 today. I am 147. Rats.
Fitness
I have an appointment at the gym today. I have a 24 day free pass. I should be able to tell in 24 days if I like the place and how it works for me.
I want to burn about 300 calories there, and go only 3 days a week. I plan on reducing my calories 3 days with no exercise,then exercise and eat 300 more.
I don't need exercise to make me feel good, I already do. I want it to keep me healthy, not to lose weight. I will do that with food as I have been doing. I still believe you need to know how many calories and nutrients your getting from food and that is the only way to get and stay healthy.
There is no way I could get healthy eating cheese and ice cream then go to the gym to work it off. It still sticks in the heart, better to not even eat them in the first place.
Body Bug
I want one of those body bugs to see how many calories I actually burn in a day. That is the only way I will be able to tell what I need to maintain and lose.
The gym sells them, so does Amazon. I see they are not in stock at Amazon. These are the things they use on Biggest loser. (I think)
HD video
I have finally successfully loaded a new video to youTube in HD. It still has some problems with sound so I am not making it public yet. Also the subject sucks, it is me cleaning out the dang fridge.
It is hard to do videos with great subject matter while in pjs and with a new camera.
BTW the camera has a serious problem and has to go back. That sucks.
I hope to make a better video soon and get the right codec so it looks and sounds as good as it does in Quick Time.
Right now they do not.
I am thinking I might need better editing software too.
All I have right now is Imovie08 and Imovie HD. I am not so crazy about either of them.
I want more control, so I might need Final Cut Express.
More dang $$. Hate it.
I will have a Gym update later today.

Calorie counting

2008-12-19T12:38:00.000-08:00

I started back writing my weight in a notepad. I did this for about 10 months, when I first started Calorie Restriction Sept. 07. It really helped me because I could see how long it took to lose one pound. Back then it took 4 to 5 days, now it is 6 to 7.
What is frustrating, since I have chosen to not exercise, I regain very easily and on less calories. A good example of this was yesterday, I had about 300 calories more than normal and the scale went up one entire pound. I know from my past experience with this that it will take me the 6 to 7 days to get rid of that darn pound.
On Calorie Restriction I should reduce the calories by that 300 plus the 20%. I plan on doing that just for today. I want to see if it works for me. My calories are 1100 a day but not over 1200. So for just today I will keep them at 900. I already did the day on the CronOmeter so I know what I will be eating.
Calories In
I found this great webpage. It has more information than I usually find about food.
I don't agree with the amount of carbs it recommends and the protein seems high. I keep my protein around 60g. and carbs at 140. I know that is high for you no-carbers but it works for me. Mostly because I don't want all the fat from the proteins. I am getting all the nurtients I need from what I do eat. I know my food is balanced properly because I am using the cronOmeter to check that.
Let cramps
I was getting some leg cramps and I noticed my potassium level each day was on the low side. By adding the potassium capsules I no longer have leg cramps. That took only 3 days.
Today I am going to start using a combo omgea 3,6,9 capsule. I have to buy it first. Add these to the few I am already taking and I will not be needing any more.
I plan on getting more of the b vitamins from food. I will keep an eye on the Vitamin E to see how I do. Right now it seems low but I hate taking these darn supplements unless I can actually see and feel results. I have never felt that from Vitamin E.
Exercise?
I have a 24 day free gym pass from 24 hr. Fitness. I might have to sign up. My plan was always to start some sort of exercise close to goal. What I want to do is exercise 3 days and eat an additional 300 calories then on the no exercise days eat 300 calories less. This should make my body burn calories better and not put it in starvation mode. I would, of course, like to work off 500 calories but that might be unrealistic. I better shoot for just the 300.
Since I have this problem of going places alone and other odd phobias I hope I can force myself to do this. I know once I get started I will be good. It is the first step that bothers me.
Another reason to join a gym, I have been told by a few people that I don't need to lose anymore weight that I just need to tone. Well, there ya go. I do need to lose more weight, I am still 18 pounds from my ideal weight but yes, I do need to tone. I must look skinny because I have none to little muscle tone. This also was my choice. I wanted this. I have never liked exercising and didn't want to make my weight loss be determined by how much I exercised. It had to be food. I had to reduce the amount of food and get rid of the bad foods I was eating. I absolutely had to get control of my weight my way. Now I can think of exercising, not to lose weight but to build muscle.

Calories Count

2008-12-11T23:46:00.000-08:00

Plateau
I have finally broke the plateau. Today I am 146, since it takes me about a week to lose a pound I should be 143 by the end of the year.
Count Calories
Weighing my food, counting calories and of course weighing myself everyday has been just what I need to make sure I don't regain.
I tried several times to lose weight. There was always something I didn't want to give up. Most of the time it was wine. I do love wine. But, I know it was what was keeping the fat on me. It is all carbs and after drinking it I wanted more carbs. Lots more.
I gave up Ice Cream, sugar, rice, grains, all milk products except cottage cheese, potatoes, and of course the Wine.
No more M&M's either. I could eat the whole darn bag. To make them last longer I would eat one color at a time, the large bag size, in one evening.
Yikes, it seems like that wasn't me. It is hard to even think I was doing that to my body.
Calorie Restriction
Without Calorie Restriction in my life I would not be as healthy as I am and as lean.
I used to think about what I had to give up and felt just terrible. I got so upset that I couldn't buy all the premade foods and eat just what ever I felt like.
Hey, guess what, it has been 14 months counting calories and I am eating what I want all the time. I don't want any of the bad carbs I was eating. The thought of a bag of M&M's make me sick.
And the wine, I have had about 10 glasses of wine in 14 months. I have an open bottle in the fridge, does wine gather dust in the fridge? Anyway, it is staying there until I decide to dump it out.
Counting calories has really changed my life and it is all for the better.

Lo Calorie eating and nutrient needs

2008-12-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

Less Calories
I am a low calorie eater. I do it for several reasons, all of them to benefit my over-all health. Most importantly, right now, is to lose weight. I needed to lose 100 pounds. I have lost 80 pounds in 14 months and need to lose 20 more.
After I am 127 I will increase my calories by 10%, making my total calories 10% less than the USDA recommends for my age and height as well as activity level. Keeping the calories less will insure that I will not regain and that I will have optimal health. That is my goal, I hope to be able to keep it long term. Ten percent less is not very much each day. I believe the most important is to know how many calories I am eating each day and what is in them. I need to know if I am getting the proper amount of nutrients out of my food choices.

Time to Learn
I have decided to learn more about the nutrients in fruits and veggies. I found this great site from the CDC.

Foods
I checked to see how many fruits and veg I need in a day. I have been getting very close to that for some time. Problem is when I check the nutrients for my daily intake I am not getting enough potassium, calcium, and vitamin D.
I don't want to eat more fruits because of the high carbs and calories. I could eat more veggies but can't seem to always do that. I don't eat a raw diet and won't eat hi fat, hi calorie nuts, rice or potatoes, and I refuse to eat any dairy products so I would need to get it completely from fruits and vegetables.
The only thing I could come up with is to supplement it . I already have been taking calcium and Vitamin D.

Benefits
The benefits from taking a supplement for potassium is really good. It keeps the muscles strong and controls blood pressure and water balance in the cells.
It protects against heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. It keeps muscles strong, bowels regular and works to eliminate irritability, confusion and stress.
If the sodium intake is high the potassium will be low. I do add salt to everything I cook. I don't know if I have a high salt diet, I do like salt.

Requirements
The daily requirement for me is 4700mg with a maximum of 23,500. (These figures vary, I would do more research before taking a supplement).
I will track my food intake to see how much potassium it has them supplement to bring it up to but not over the daily requirement. I know that too much can be toxic, so I will monitor it.

I can add supplements to the cronOmeter to be sure I am getting 100% of the daily requirements of all the nutrients.
I am looking forward to taking this supplement.

Eat well balanced meals for weight loss

2008-12-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

What are good food choices when you diet?
Calorie Restriction is the most important part in weight reduction.
Everybody knows that he number of calories you eat must be less than what your body uses.
You need to know how many calories your body needs to maintain your target weight. Then reduce that by 30% so your body can burn your excess fat.
After you know how many calories your going to eat, you need to make them as nutritious as possible. Your will need to choose foods that have all the essential nutrients required for optimal health.
Last, is balance, the proportions of protein, fat and carbohydrates to stimulate weight loss while getting optimal nutrition.

Protein and Carbs
You should be eating foods that are high in protein and Low in Carbohydrate.
Good protein sources are fish, lean meats, chicken, and eggs. A reasonable target for protein, for women, is 60 g. carbohydrates 60-100g. a day.

Eat lots of green leafy veggies, mushrooms, green beans onions, parsley, and tomatoes.
Don't eat starchy and sugary foods such as pasta, breads, tortillas, potatoes, rice, and foods made with sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Good dairy choices are non-fat cottage cheese. It has good calcium and vitamin D in it and a good protein choice.
If you must have cheese make it a low fat one. But if your like me cheese says "Eat Me". I can't have it in the house because I will eat the entire weeks worth of cheese in a day. I find it better to leave it at the store. I take a calcium with vitamin D supplement.

Maintenance
After you weight is at the normal range for your height you should maintain the Calorie Restriction by a minimum of 10 % for life. You will always need to know what calories and nutrients your putting into your body.

Eating proper nutrients and calories gives you more energy and a better quality of life and the best part of all, it stops food cravings. Everything in life becomes easier, you shop for less food, you cook less, you enjoy the taste of food more and you feel and look fantastic not to mention that you have less cholesterol and a normal blood pressure. You also reduce your chance of getting sick from even the common cold as well as other serious illnesses.

Start your personal 30 day challenge.
Give yourself 30 days keeping track of your calories and nutrients to see if it works for you.
It will be the best 30 days of your life.
At the end of the 30 days, and most likely 15 pounds gone give yourself another 30 day challenge.
Soon you will be a calorie counter for life, and that is a very good thing.

Nice Surprise

2008-12-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

I have not lost any weight for what seems to me, weeks. Maybe it is only one, sure seems longer.
But, today the scales finally went back to 147. I was 147 on Thanksgiving day. That lasted one day, I was 2 pounds heavier and it wouldn't go away. So that is my nice surprise. Sure hope it stays away this time.
Plateau?
I thought just maybe I had hit another plateau. When I stared counting my calories in Sept 07 I was 227 and quickly, so I thought, lost 70 pounds. That all stopped in May 08. I didn't do anything different, still counted my calories and ate good protein and lo carb. Then finally in Oct. Nov. 08 I lost 12 pounds. That is where I was until today. I have 20 more pounds to lose.
Yes, I was 100 pounds over weight.
I started this adventure with a 44 inch waist. This AM I was shocked to see it is now 29 1/2. Wow, is all I can think to say. It is wonderful to be smaller than my husband and he is no small guy.

Eat Protein burn the fat

2008-12-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

A good article about eating protein to burn the fat in overweight and obese people.

Reuters article

"They found that overweight men and women burned more post-meal fat when they ate a high-protein breakfast and lunch than when they had lower-protein meals. That is, the added protein seemed to modify the fat-burning deficit seen in heavy individuals."

I know, for me, it has worked. I have been watching my protein intake for 14 months. Making sure I get at least 60 grams a day.
I had been trying for years to lose weight without success.
For me, I know I will never be able to eat carbs from processed foods. I will always get plenty of them from veggies and fruit.
The last paragraph in the article says it all for me. Even though I eat foods for protein I still count the calories and portion size. I do eat fish at least twice a week.

New Calorie Restriction cooking video

2008-12-04T00:17:00.000-08:00

I haven't made many videos and I am not liking the way they are compressed. It looks like the transitions are pixelated. So, no more transitions for me.
The recipe is sooo good. I can't make it enough. I, like lots of people that watch their calories, have loads of chicken recipes.

The recipe is also a web page at my other blog.
It is a typical recipe for me, quick, tasty and low in calories and fat.

Stevia News

2008-12-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

An article about Stevia. I have been using Stevia over a year now and love it.
Some people claim it leaves an after taste, I don't have that problem.
It is an herb that you can grow yourself.

I am glad to see big companies are finally going to offer it in soft drinks.
I use Stevia in my tea and sprinkle it on my berry mix.
No calories. Good stuff.

Why I picked Calorie Restriction to help me lose and maintain weight.

2008-12-01T23:41:00.000-08:00

Calories
Calorie Restriction, quite simply makes common sense. More calories in than out equals fat gained.
I found it hard to track my calories everyday and still do, although not as bad as at first. I know a bit more about foods I like and what nutrients they have that my body needs.

Dessert
I have discovered what foods satisfy my hunger and taste buds and I stick with them. I find it easy to eat out and eat with friends. Having a glass or two, or more of wine is no problem, even a bite of dessert is OK. But, cheese, for me is not an option, I find it easy to pass up. Same for other foods that people that don't count calories shouldn't eat, such as, chips, cookies, and flour based desserts.
I don't even have flour or sugar in the pantry. I never buy desserts. If I want some chocolate I have the husband stop at See's and bring home 3 pieces. I have done this only twice in 14 months. I will sometimes share a cookie with him when we are at Barnes and Noble on our date night.

Pasta
I didn't find it hard to give up processed and man made foods. The first thing I tossed out were cereals and breads.
Next was pasta, I even thought I might be able to have whole wheat pasta but found that it didn't work for me. There are far to many calories in it to make it worth it.

Eat less to live
Our body is constantly changing, a 25 year old will always need more calories to sustain their body than an older person. The problem is we don't stop eating the extra calories and it shows in weight gain, starting in our 30's. Calorie counting is the only way to know if your over eating and knowing what nutrients are in the food your eating is the only way to know if your providing your body with what it needs.

Supplements
I see no reason to take supplements to get the proper nutrients if you get plenty of them from your food.
I personally find it hard to get calcium and vitamin D so I supplement them. I do take some supplements, they are important to me and I plan on making a post about them.

Life changing
I have only been counting calories for 14 months. My life has improved tremendously, I am no longer hungry most of the day, I have no food cravings, I am looking better in my clothes, my clothes sure are a lot smaller.

I had blood work done and was shocked to find how healthy I really am. Everything is in the normal range. I was very concerned about the cholesterol as it was high when I was 170 and I grew to 227 before I woke up and started counting my calories and eating foods that nourish my body.

Start a new life
I am just one person, not a diet professional, that knew that the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to know what is in the food that I choose to put in my body. I now eat to live not live to eat. A whole new way to look at life.
Food has become my friend, I actually love to cook and eat dinner now. I used to eat all day, stopping only when I could hardly move, then send the husband out for a large bag of chips or box of ice cream.
I would then finish up my day with a cup of dieters tea. It got rid of the food alright, but not before it turned to fat.

Eat less
Counting calories and eating a bit less than my body needs, making dam sure it is unprocessed and as close to nature as possible, and most important, knowing what nutrients I am getting from it is the only thing that makes sense in my struggle to stay slim for the rest of my life.

My current weight
I am now in the normal weight range for my height and age. The chart says I am normal if I am between 118 and 154. I am 147. I am in no hurry to lose more, but hope to go down to 127 and stay there. If that takes a year I wouldn't care, I would care if I gained in that year.

Challenge
The only thing I would change in my life right now is exercise. I have a hate relationship with it. I have unopened exercise tapes, a 2 year membership at a gym that I never used once, a trampoline gathering dust, and other wasted exercise equipment. I wouldn't exercise to lose weight but to give me strength and for muscle tone.
I see no time in the near future I will be running off to exercise.
Oh well.
Maybe I will make a News Years resolution. I will make it my 30 day challenge, do it for 30 days starting in Jan. I will be there with the rest of the ladies that made the same resolution.
A thought, I give myself 30 days to talk myself into it.

Chicken Piccata
My calories were low today, maybe to low, but I did get in all my protein a bit high on the carbs again.
I made Chicken Piccata with green beans. I took pictures while I cooked it for a video. I am horrible with a video camera, any camera really. I need to learn how to operate the darn thing.
It is sitting beside me right now, looking innocent but I know better.

My calorie day

2008-11-29T20:12:00.000-08:00

I gained, grr
I have no clue what the heck I did to myself to have a one pound gain. It has to be the pumpkin custard and the wine.
I did have Merlot Thursday and one of those darn custards. When I made them I used half the amount of sugar the recipe called for. So little sugar nobody likes them but me. I have 3 left and won't touch them. The Greek adds his sugar to them, he is going to finish them.
12 Pound Challenge
Today I had a great calorie and food choice day. I decided to have cabbage more often and added psyllium 3 times a day for the fiber.
I expect to lose that darn one pound by tomorrow. This is such a set back if I intend to lose 12 pounds by Christmas. I have lost only one so far. I have always lost weight slow, very slow, but I keep at it. I am in my 15th month right now.

Here is what the cronOmeter says I did for the day.

For the small amount of calories my nutrients sure are high. Works for me. So are the carbs. I am going to have to get used to the fact that I can't get them low. I like fruit to much to give it up. I don't eat bad carbs at least, by that I mean processed grains.

Teeny Tiny weight gain

2008-11-29T00:28:00.000-08:00

I wasn't able to stay in the 147's today. Close, only .4 away. I better be there again tomorrow.
Today was a very good day with calories and snacks. Back to my usual eating plan. I was 148.4

New Jeans
I have only one pair of pants that fit, so I went shopping for one more pair. I didn't want to try them on in the store. I found a size 8 slims that looked pretty small to me, I brought them home and to my surprise they fit with a bit of extra room even. I thought maybe the first 8's might be made bigger so this time I bought Lee Jeans. I don't remember them being cut big.
Now, I am thinking, if I get to my goal of 127 I might be wearing a size 4. That is hard for me to even think about. I have never worn anything that small.

One year ago
I was reading my journal from one year ago. I was happy to be leaving the 200's. When I started CR back in Sept. 07 my waist was 44. It is now 30, wow.

It seems I was having a hard time with hunger then. I can now say that doesn't happen to me. I have very little hunger now. It is a wonderful feeling. Maybe my body has finally adjusted to the amount of calories it is going to get.

Goal for the am is 147.2.

Counting calories and enjoying a holiday

2008-11-28T00:11:00.000-08:00

I did OK today. I might have gone over in calories but not much.
I was 147.8 when I left for Hopland this am. When I got back I was 150. I usually don't weigh more than 2 pounds more in the pm than am. Sure hope I am still 147 tomorrow morning.

I checked my journal from last year. Hard to believe, Thanksgiving 2007 I was 201 pounds. Apparently I had a decent calorie day then also, but still put back on two pounds. I sure don't want to do that this year. Only a few hours to go and I will know what damage I did to myself.
Dinner was great and as lo cal as we could make it.
I hope everybody had a wonderful meal.

A small intro to Calorie Restriction

2008-11-26T22:50:00.000-08:00

Calorie Restriction to me is about eating less calories and eliminating harmful substances, and maximizing nutrients. We all should learn what foods are best for us not just for Calorie Restriction.

VEGETABLES:
Below are a few low calorie, high nutrient, and high fiber vegetables that I enjoy.

Broccoli: It is fairly low in carbs and protein, OK in fiber. One of my favorites so I will stick with this one.

Green Beans: They are low in calories and protein, a bit high in carbs. I add a small amount of olive oil and salt. That raises the calories but also adds some Omegas and it tastes wonderful.

Brussels Sprouts: This is my all time favorite. I eat it only when in season and fresh. I steam it then add just a bit of sea salt, nothing else. It is low cal with protein at 4g for 9 sprouts. The carbs are low too. The vitamins and minerals are also great. I have this a least once a week when in season. This vegetable is wonderful with Hollandaise sauce on it as well. A great protein source, watch out, it is also high in fat.

Spinach: Low in carb and calories. I cook this in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil, when cooked I add some white balsamic vinegar. We have this at least once a week.

Cauliflower: 2 cups only 80 calories with 5.8 fiber and good protein at 11g. Carbs are a bit high. I don’t server this veg. Often, the Greek doesn’t like it. I like to eat it raw.

FRUITS:

Apples: They are now sweeter and bigger than ever. One apple has about 115 calories no protein and a whopping 30 grams of carbs making it not such a good fruit choice.

Berries: I buy frozen organic blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
I mix them together and keep them in a large freezer bag. One cup is about 100 calories with a bit of protein and lower in carbs than an apple and banana.

PROTEIN:

Fish: It is a must, try to have fish twice a week. Prawns, Mahi Mahi, Salmon, Orange Roughy, Halibut are all my favorites.

LEAN MEAT and EGGS

I always try to buy hormone free meat and eggs. I prefer a Top Sirloin with all fat trimmed. I weigh it before its cooked and stick with 4 ounces.
I stay away from nuts and soy. Nuts because they are just to many calories and soy, well, I hate it.

I don’t like peas, carrots, turnips, parsnips and a few other root vegetables. I don’t eat potatoes but do eat yams and some winter squash. I never have liked summer squash like zucchini. I am finding out that winter squash my be to high in carbs for me. A 4 inch winter acorn has 44g. More than half what I should have in a day. I will be eliminating them from my food list as well as yams. The carbs are through the roof with yams. 86 in only one cup. Banned, gone forever. I did eat them recently and still lost weight, as I was looking at the calories not the carbs. Right now I am not so much interested in carbs as I am protein. One cup of yam does have 5 g. Protein. So I might finish eating the ones I have. The vitamins and minerals are good with them.

I need to think this food choice over. I need to decide what I need to do with carbs.

This is just a partial list of veggies, fruits, and proteins that I like and eat. I always have at least one serving of a green veg a day, sometimes more.

I have eliminated all drinks containing sugar. I drink teas. I try to never eat any processed foods high in sugar and fat, no bread, cereals, pastries, candy bars, no so called nutrition bars or energy bars. Those bars are not nutritional nor give me energy, they do give plenty of calories.
There is always the exception, Whole foods had a Chocolate bread this time of the year, winter, that I love and might buy again. I buy just two loaves and when its gone I am done for another year. I always freeze bread so it’s lasts for weeks.

No fried foods

Don’t eat anything fried. Cut back on saturated fats, use nonfat dairy and lean meats and olive oil. I don’t eat soy or anything that has soy in it, at least I try my best to. I don’t buy anything with High Fructose Corn syrup in it. That means Catsup, I did find an organic one without it.

I buy hormone free beef and free range whole chickens. The taste is wonderful and they have better nutrients than corn feed beef and caged chickens. If it costs a few cents more it is well worth it. I buy the beef and chickens from the rancher about 3 times a year.

Beans are a good protein choice but rice, pasta and bread are borderline, they are relatively high in calories and low in nutrients. I decided to eat beans seldom and to not eat rice, pasta and bread, except that Chocolate seasonal bread I already mentioned. If I do have bread or rice it would be brown and unprocessed as possible.

It is important to learn for yourself what specific mix of good foods you enjoy, make you feel healthy, cause no problems, and keep you satisfied.

A side effect of counting calories, protein and other food nutrients is losing weight, the other is maintain weight.

I know I will never be able to over eat unhealthy foods again. Now that I am learning what foods make me feel good and fill me up and are low in calories I will stick with them forever.
After my weight is stable where I want it, I will eat about 10% less than my calories requirements for each day. For me this is fairly low already. Knowing this does not make me unhappy but determined to not go over that amount.

Another good thing that I noticed about not eating processed foods, my body is leaner, while I still have 20 pounds to loose my body is leaner than it was when I was younger at 20 pounds heavier. Of course I realize that I have less firm muscle tone but I am still leaner and no puffy feeling.
My overall health has greatly improved. No colds, no flu, no headaches, no stuffy nose. My blood pressure is normal, so is the cholesterol, in fact my last blood test came back with everything in the normal range. This took less than a year to achieve

I am a calorie restriction convert for life.

I think I will go to Whole Foods this week end to see if that Chocolate Sour Cherry Bread is there.

An Invitation to a Calorie Counting Tea

2008-11-25T12:29:00.001-08:00

I received an invitation to a wine and cheese tasting at Williams-Sonoma today. There is no way I would blow my calories on wine and cheese but it did make me think of what I might do if I were to hold a holiday tasting party.
So I made my invitation like the Williams-Sonoma one.
Now, I want to have a party.

Mine

Nutrients and Calories for today

2008-11-24T13:37:00.000-08:00

This is a very boring way of looking at what I plan on eating for today. Not my favorite way of posting it.

I usually use images but this one shows more detail.
I am low in calories but high in protein for the day and I managed to keep the carbs fairly low so I am not going to worry about the calories today. That will all change tomorrow anyway.

I am testing myself with the carbs. I adjusted my target range after I read more about them. I think I will have a hard time keeping them as low as what I have read about.
I eat good carbs, mostly fruit, but I want to try and keep them low for a week or so to see if it make a difference.

I also had to increase the amount of Non fat cottage cheese to boost the protein. I don't usually have a full cup.
Hope this day works good for me. Right now it is time for the cottage cheese and a cup of tea.
Yes, calories do count, even if you don't.

===========================================
Nutrition Summary for November 24, 2008
Report generated by CRON-o-Meter v0.9.4
===========================================

General (68%)
===========================================
Energy | 739.3 kcal 74%
Protein | 60.2 g 100%
Carbs | 50.9 g 102%
Fiber | 10.4 g 50%
Starch | 0.0 g
Sugars | 36.1 g
Fat | 33.9 g 60%
Alcohol | 0.0 g
Caffeine | 0.0 mg
Water | 593.9 g 22%
Ash | 4.7 g

Vitamins (54%)
===========================================
Vitamin A | 871.6 IU 37%
Retinol | 151.0 µg
Alpha-carotene | 0.6 µg
Beta-carotene | 215.3 µg
Beta-cryptoxanthin | 9.0 µg
Lycopene | 0.0 µg
Lutein+Zeaxanthin | 549.7 µg
Folate | 166.7 µg 42%
B1 (Thiamine) | 0.3 mg 31%
B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.9 mg 84%
B3 (Niacin) | 8.3 mg 60%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)| 2.9 mg 58%
B6 (Pyridoxine) | 0.9 mg 61%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) | 4.9 µg 203%
Vitamin C | 89.0 mg 119%
Vitamin D | 34.0 IU 8%
Vitamin E | 3.2 mg 22%
Beta Tocopherol | 0.0 mg
Delta Tocopherol | 0.0 mg
Gamma Tocopherol | 0.5 mg
Vitamin K | 37.0 µg 41%
Biotin | 0.0 µg 0%
Choline | 312.1 mg 73%

Minerals (63%)
===========================================
Calcium | 193.6 mg 16%
Chromium | 0.0 µg 0%
Copper | 0.6 mg 70%
Fluoride | 75.7 µg 3%
Iron | 6.4 mg 79%
Magnesium | 97.6 mg 30%
Manganese | 3.5 mg 195%
Phosphorus | 599.3 mg 86%
Potassium | 1037.6 mg 22%
Selenium | 65.1 µg 118%
Sodium | 405.3 mg 31%
Zinc | 7.2 mg 90%

Lipids (51%)
===========================================
Saturated | 12.1 g 61%
Monounsaturated | 13.9 g
Polyunsaturated | 2.5 g
Omega-3 | 0.3 g 27%
Omega-6 | 2.0 g 17%
Trans-Fats | 1.4 g
Cholesterol | 511.7 mg 171%
Phytosterol | 14.7 mg