December 2009 Things going well. I am still walking in the mornings. I am still eating the same food plan and maintaining my weight loss. I feel good except for being much colder this winter then past years!

A1C is 5.6, all other numbers good.

Still maintaining, following same food plan. Seems like a workable plan for the long haul. Still lots of planning, but worth it!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever Psalm 136:1

Sometimes, our emotions – stress, sadness, anxiety, boredom… even happiness – can send us toward food in the same way that hunger can.

2 Corinthians 4:18 - For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal

While many people note down their weight after stepping off the bathroom scale, researchers at Northwestern University found that those who consistently tracked their exercise habits — especially during holidays — lost more weight compared to those who did not.

For He is good, For His mercy endures forever

John 15:11
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

God make me aware of the ways that You desire to display Your works in my life. Teach me to be obedient and humble, allowing Your glory to be revealed. Amen

Someone always has more than you. Someone always has less than you. Make the most of what you have.

An apple a day…There’s a reason we all know this saying: Apples are good for you. Recent studies suggest that included as part of well-balanced diet, they may help protect against everything from heart disease to colon and breast cancer, asthma to Alzheimer’s. One small apple is a good source of fiber and vitamin C. To get the maximum nutritional benefits, don’t peel before eating.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.2 Peter 3:17-18

Grant me boldness to worship You in Spirit and Truth and to focus on You alone.

New school year is going well. Busy but fun! I am adjusting back to eating lunches away from home. Still staying on plan, lots of prep and cooking but in a real groove now. Weight flucuation is 2-3 pounds, I am pleased with that.

54 today!

Roasted Vegetables, tastes great! I use any vegetables I want....


4 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray, divided
2 medium sweet red pepper(s), cut into 8 thick strips
1 medium green pepper(s), cut into 8 thick strips
1 medium summer squash, cut thickly on the diagonal
1 medium zucchini, cut thickly on the diagonal
1 medium red onion(s), cut into large wedges
12 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained and halved
1 tbsp thyme, fresh, minced
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
Arrange peppers, squash, zucchini, onion and artichokes on prepared baking sheets and coat with cooking spray; sprinkle with thyme, salt and black pepper.
Roast until vegetables are tender and golden brown, shaking pan once or twice during cooking, about 25 to 30 minutes. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

yes that is me, 1st time ever on trampoline. of course i hurt myself! bruised my little toe.

Fun family time last night. Dug out the old vinyl albums, danced and sang.

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless

Mother Teresa

Lord, help me to use my words today to make a difference in someone's life.

When we praise, our hearts become less hardened and bitter. When we praise, we give of ourselves and take our eyes off our selfish needs. When we praise, we see the enjoyment of our life and a God who unconditionally loves us and we can in return pass it on.

From Weight Watchers:

Use the stairs whenever possible"Taking the stairs strengthens all the major muscle groups in your lower extremity. Hamstrings, glutes, quads and calves are all going to reap that benefit," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. As a side bonus, you'll also burn a calorie for every 15 steps.
Identify and separate exhaustion from hunger. When you are tired, go to bed rather than stay up and eat.

While the claims for drinking 64 ounces or more of water each do not have a valid scientific basis behind them, drinking enough fluids to prevent dehydration is critical. This means replacing the water that is lost each day in urine, sweat, breathing, and other bodily functions. Water losses are greater in warmer climates, during strenuous exercise, in high altitudes, and in older adults. For most people, these losses can be covered by drinking about 48 ounces of fluid per day which is the amount Weight Watchers suggests as a guideline for good health.

The true source of my strength:

Put God's wisdom to work in my heart today.

from Weight Watchers:
Curbing your cravings
So your number one crave controller is to identify where it's coming from. But that doesn't mean that if a big craving comes along you can't satisfy it. Try these top tactics:
Distract it When you notice a craving setting in, try to find something else to think about. Take a walk, listen to your favorite playlist, browse your favorite Web site. Just set your mind to something else. If that doesn't work and after 10 to 15 minutes your craving's still kicking, move on.
Fake it
Try eating the lowest-fat, lowest-calorie variety of the item you're craving. If you find yourself wanting sweets like chocolate, for example (a frequently-craved food, according to studies), opt for nonfat chocolate frozen yogurt instead of chocolate cake. If you're prone to over-doing it, however, don't bring the coveted food into the house, no matter how low-fat or fat-free it is. Instead, go out for your frozen yogurt and order a single-serving cone or cup.
Feed it
If faking it doesn't work for you — say you're still craving something truly decadent, such as peanut butter chocolate ice cream or a burger — go out and get some. Just order from the kid's menu.
Dig deeper
If cravings linger, dig deeper to get at the root of them. Have you been too restrictive? If you suspect so, plan it differently, including more variety and more foods you enjoy into your diet. Is there something going on in your life that's making you anxious, angry or stressed? If that's the case, face the issue head on. For example, if you're worried about an upcoming meeting at work, do your best to prepare for it. By being proactive and making yourself aware of why you may be craving a certain food, your desire for it may abate.

Great 4th of July

Middle of summer now. Not much heat this summer and with the weight loss, I am feeling the chill. I have not experienced that for awhile!

I am still maintaining my weight loss and still following my food plan. Lots of shopping and planning but seems to be going well. Sweets and Fats do not bother me when I am around them, so that is a good thing. I think this is because I have not have any of that for some time.

Makes sense! Calorie reduction is good for me, hard to do though.

Summer 2009

After an interesting spring/early summer dealing with family issues, I am back to posting. I lost about 10 pounds under my goal weight. My usual pattern of dealing with stress has been gaining weight. Now, I am still 10 pounds under goal but it feels comfortable and I feel (right now) that I will maintain here.

I did stay on my food plan and continue to do so. This is not easy and still involves planning and time but I feel it is worth it! I am really not tempted by any foods that are not on my food plan, what a blessing.

Summer and all the exercise opportunities has been fun and good for me. I still walk every morning but have included hikes and tennis. I have not played tennis in 25 years so it has been fun picking up that sport again.

Health benefits are growing by leaps and bounds. I took a new sleep study in early May and I no longer have sleep apnea! A1C blood count as of June 12 was 5.9. Good news. Still on medications for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholestrol but who knows, maybe those will be reduced or elimated with time.

Spring 2009

March 31, 2009

Had a great spring break last week. Weather has not been very spring like but the time off was nice.

Been maintaining my weight loss very well. Keeping my weight between 144-148.

Just a few eating highlights from an article I was looking at: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/9219/best-foods-for-a-flat-belly/

Gimme a C: I love pink grapefruit and that's a good thing, since research has found that foods that are naturally rich in vitamin C—think citrus fruit, cantaloupe and red peppers—can help reduce fat absorption. In fact, skip it and you may see your middle expand, since diets low in vitamin C have been linked to bigger waistlines. Meet your daily goal of 75 milligrams by snacking on an orange or a cup of strawberries.

Tea up: Women with the highest consumption of catechins, the plant-based antioxidants in tea that may boost fat burn, put on fewer pounds over 14 years than those who drank less tea, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals. Try to choose green or white varieties, which contain the most catechins.

Peel it off: Reach for a banana and you'll banish bloat faster than you can say Buddha belly. The fruit contains 422 mg of potassium, which controls the amount of puff-producing sodium in your system. Toss a banana in your bag for a fabulous ab-flattening snack.

Go low: Consuming just one meal of low-glycemic-index foods, those that your body digests slowly, can help you feel fuller all day so you're less likely to pack your tummy with treats, a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reports. Low-GI foods include oatmeal and vegetables (sorry, not potatoes), as well as some fruit like grapefruit and blueberries.

Stroll away your sweet craving: Chocolate lovers who walked for 15 minutes reported reduced hankerings during the walk and even afterward, according to a study in the journal Appetite.

Ditch high-fructose corn syrup: Scan labels and you're likely to see high-fructose corn syrup on many ingredient lists...even on things like tomato sauce! When you do, put down that jar and look for something else. Why? High-fructose corn syrup can cause a surge in your blood sugar, and some research suggests it messes up your hunger and satiety signals, like leptin, leaving you less satisfied and causing you to eat more. When leptin responses fail, it's tougher to control appetite. The result: Extra calories get deposited as fat. To prevent this, trade packaged foods with high-fructose corn syrup for ones with healthy fats and fiber—think veggies, hummus, nuts or sunflower seeds.

I have lost weight a couple times in my past, but never was I as big as in the spring of 2007. I was so uncomfortable with the weight, diabetes out of control, and the fact that I was falling asleep whenever I was sitting at anytime during the day. How I functioned is beyond me. Let's just say the Lord was watching out for me cause sleeping while driving a car is not a smart idea.


Seeing the Doctor in the late spring, it was diagnosed pretty quickly that I had sleep apnea. After going through a few sleep studies (not fun but necessary) I started with a bi pap breathing machine that enabled me to get oxygen into my body while I slept. I immediately started to feel better and did lose 20 pounds without changing my very poor eating habits. This was from being a little more active and the relief from the sleep apnea.


In January 2008 I joined Weight Watcher's Online and their Core Food Plan. What a great adventure that has been. I was very consistent and successful with losing weight over the next year. I lost 2-3 pounds every week for most of 2008, except for at the end I was losing 1 pound per week and very happy with that.


I started walking for exercise in the summer, around 30 minutes a day. I kept that up during the winter to the chagrin of my family, walking around the house. Worked for me though. I walk 5-6 days per week.


I made it to my weight goal in mid February 2009. Weight Watchers changed around their food plans a bit at the end of December but I stayed with what worked for me. Doing WW online has worked out great for me, I entered all my food, exersize, and weekly weigh ins. The message boards helped me answer many questions.

I have dropped one high blood pressure med and one diabetic med per doctors orders. All my numbers are as they should be.

I do give credit to much support from my family and friends and to God who has been an important part of my strength.


For me the food was pretty basic: I stick with the filling foods concept. Natural foods like meats, chicken, eggs, fruits and veggies. I eat fat free products like yogurt, cottage cheese and salad dressings. I do use splenda and eat sugar free/fat free pudding. My grains consist of brown rice and barley. I tried other grains along the way but find that I like those two the best.

The food plan I am on allows other foods in moderation but I find for me that abstaining from certain foods such as fats and sugars keeps me better on track for losing and maintaining.

In future posts I will detail my daily food plan. I do not have a problem with a lack of variety so I have a tendency to eat alot of the same foods.

I am much happier and healthier now and look forward to maintaining this weight loss and living a more productive life.

Christmas 2006

May 2007

November 2008

February 2009

Introduction

I have had many people ask me to relate my weight loss journey. I will do this using this blog, adding information a bit at a time, like I lost the weight.