Sheri's Senior Moments

[sheri164]

Today is day nine for me, and I've lost about 4 lbs. I haven't been as "good" as I probably should have been - or could have been, but I've probably been better on SB than I've ever been on any other diet or WOE. I took measurements also this morning. I hadn't done that in years and years - and now, I know why..........it wasn't pleasant.

I'm 58 years old. I've got MS, and so exercise possibilities are limited because the strength I used to have in my legs is not what it used to be.

I'm trying to exercise them to get stronger (lifting my leg up to put on a pair of pants is a challenge). And, while I can walk - I can't do it for very long. I like walking in supermarkets - because I get to lean on the shopping cart when I get tired.

Anyway, this isn't about my inabilities. It's about what I can do to improve my life.

I'm working from home now. As a result, I find that I'm better able to stick to the meal plans. I don't get home from work starving any more. I'm able to snack during the day - which keeps the hunger at bay, usually.

My husband really doesn't understand, or care to understand, about healthy eating, nutrition, etc. He's able to eat nearly anything - and doesn't get why I can't too. For a smart man, he's really got a mental block about food and nutrition.

I'm cooking his non SB meals, and making mine - and he keeps offering me bread, and fruit, and then asks me if I want something when he's going to get himself ice cream or cake for dessert. It's making me crazy. I've tried to explain - but after six years of marriage - I've just given up. I figure he really doesn't care to learn.

So, I'm trying to lose about 50 lbs - and I'm down nearly 10. (Almost 35 lbs of this weight has been put on since our marriage - because I've caved into his "food pushing".)

The 6 lbs. I lost pre-SB (technically) might have been SB anyway - but I wasn't really monitoring what I was eating - I was just trying to "do something" about losing.

This is the one and only place, outside of the doctor's office, where I've allowed anyone to know what I weigh. Not that they probably couldn't guess - at 5'9" being over 200 lbs isn't exactly something one can hide.

Anyway. I'm hopeful that this WOE will work for me in the long run. I've done just about every diet they've put out. Had the most success ever on Atkins - but like many, after I went off, it all came back.

I like that SB gives me an opportunity to incorporate healthy carbs. I didn't realize I could have lentils in phase one. I've got this really yummy lentil soup recipe that I think I'll be able to adapt to SB.

I'm happy to have found this avenue of support. It's always easier to walk a path that someone else has walked before.


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[skinnypeep]

Men!!! Mine is the same way. I just sneak him veggies when he isn't looking
Hang in there, this is much better than any other "diet"

[sheri164]

Today was a busy, busy day. Drove 60 miles to granddaughter's house to pick her up, and drove another 45 miles to the orthodontist - all in heavy traffic. Stress.....full.......
Anyway, I didn't pack snacks - but did have my crystal lite OJ, my pills, a piece of celery and a spoonful of ff cream cheese before I left the house.

If I hadn't had that, I think the rest of the day mightn't have gone as well as it did.

Did a good job at lunch - think I picked all the right foods from the buffet.
Drove granddaughter back, and then drove myself back home.

Besides that when I got home there's a crew of workmen at my house (renovating) and the place is close to pandemonium city.

We had dinner out - totally SB. By the book, so to speak.

I feel really good about the entire day.

Four days to go - and on to Phase 2.

[sheri164]

This morning the painters/wallpapering crew came. The house is a mess, and smells of oil based paint.

I had an omelet with lf mozzarella, bacon and tomato for breakfast before they got here.
Lunch was natural peanut butter and celery, another string cheese stick, and Crystal Lite.
I had sf jello with Cool Whip Lite for a snack.
Dinner I had chicken, with snap peas, and spaghetti squash - a lot of spaghetti squash.
I had a sf ice pop and another sf jello during the evening.

I know I should be eating more veggies - but the supplies are running out and I'm stuck here with the work crew.

Hopefully, I'lll get out tomorrow early and restock the larder. I'm getting low on eggs too.

Haven't gotten on the scale - and I won't till Monday AM.

I'm determined I'm going to stick with SB. I'm surprised that I'm not suffering hunger pangs or cravings - so I'm feeling positive about it -
and hope that a month or two from now I'm still posting here - reporting happily that SB really works.

Meantime, the journal continues - so that if I get down about things, I'll be able to tell myself - stick with it - it really works if you don't sabotage yourself.

[sheri164]

We have to meet friends for dinner tonite, so this morning I had 3 flax pancakes with crystal lite Orange drink for breakfast.

I was able to get to the market and stock up on veggies today, so lunch was celery, cherry tomatoes, hummus, string cheese and cucumber. I had a diet cream soda with that.

The restaurant we're going to has a large salad bar - so I know I'll be able to fill up on veggies before the entree arrives. And, since they make a lot of steaks and grilled foods, picking something shouldn't be hard.

I'm thinking of having a hard boiled egg as a snack before I go to dinner, so I won't be too hungry once we get there. 'Cause they do have very good bread there - and I know I want to resist that. I figure the snack should help.

I can't wait till Monday, so I can get on the scale and see what it says.
I know everyone says this is about eating right and treating our bodies properly - but right now for me, it's about losing some of the body I've got.

[sheri164]

Well, this is the last Saturday in P1 for me.

Long, long day helping with the grandchildren - 23 months old - twins.
First time they were sleeping over with their dad - with mom not around - it was difficult. I managed to stick to the meal plan pretty well.
I had a flax pancake I toasted and spread some cream cheese on it & a V-8 at breakfast.
Lunch/snack - kind of combined - some nuts, a string cheese stick, half a dozen cherry tomatoes and a few slices of boiled ham. Had a diet soda.

Later in the afternoon, I had another V-8.

When I got home around 8:30PM, I had lettuce wraps with chicken, tomato, and a little ranch dressing, with another diet soda. The chicken was dark meat - and yes it should have been white - but dark was what was cooked in the freezer - and it was very late, and I was hungry - so I had it. Also, SF Jello and Cool Whip Lite for dessert.
I should have had more veggies - but I had as much as was available.
Shouldn't have had the 2nd V-8 - but I figured since there weren't any more vegs that I'd packed, it was better than nothing.

I resisted the bread, the pasta salad, the cookies and the ice cream at my sons house - so a second V-8 and dark meat chicken seems a very minimal indiscretion.

Tomorrow - my last day on P1.
Can't wait to see what the scale says on Monday.

[sheri164]

Sunday!!!

It's after dinner, and I've done well today.

B-Two eggs, scrambled with milk, mozzarella string cheese, spinach, and tomato. V-8, turkey bacon.

Lunch was a turkey sausage - cut into 3 lengths, wrapped in boston lettuce with mustard. Crystal Lite Orange drink.

Snacks - had a Jello, celery, walnuts

Dinner was a huge salad with boston lettuce, tomato, spouts, no dressing.
Had dungeness crab with wasabi horseradish.

I bought some things to prepare for P2 today. I got some raspberries, and a package of Whole Wheat English muffins.

Now, I'm close enough that I feel ready to read about actually doing P2, starting tomorrow.


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[sheri164]

And, I'm down 2.4 lbs more after completing week 2 of P1!

Today I had raspberries at breakfast in celebration of entering P2.

SW: 215
CW: 203.2
GW: 165
Age: 58
Height: 5'9"

[sheri164]

Today hasn't been easy - but I've kept on track as much as circumstances have allowed. I had a meal plan - but the renovations in the house have prevented me from getting to the stove and hampered getting near the fridge.

Thusfar I've had:

B - 2 egg omelet with (1) string cheese, 2 mushrooms, 1/4 red pepper, 1/2 slice onion, 1 slice of tomato, with 2 pieces of turkey bacon and 6oz. V-8.
S - missed the snack
L - Chicken Salad with celery, another piece of celery, a cup of crystal lite Orange, 2 cherry tomatoes.
S - 6 cherry tomatoes, sf raspberry jello, water
D - who knows - right now I just hope the workmen finish in time for me to start cooking dinner before 7! We'll see - but it should include my raspberries somehow.
Dessert - I'm going to have that fudgsicle dessert tonight. And, lots of water to make up for what I couldn't get all day. Tomorrow I'm coming up here with a pitcher!

Edited to include dinner: Chicken, asparagus, 2 slices tomato, spinach.
I'll have the raspberries with the frozen dessert.

Haven't had a craving today. Much better than yesterday.

[sheri164]

Made it to Friday of week 3 on SB. So far so good.

The house has been painted and papered and the upheaval hasn't done too much damage to my food plan.
All in all, I think it's been successful.

I haven't gotten ont the scale since the beginning of the week - but I did try on a pair of polka dot short that I couldn't get past my hips before.

Got 'em on this morning.

Too bad it was 44 degrees or I would have worn them.

Hoping the scale shows progress too.

It would be nice.

[sheri164]

Ysesterday, I worked around the house for about 5-6 hours. We were expecting a visit from DH's youngest daughter and her family for DH's birthday celebration. And, we wanted the house to look nice, since we'd just finished re-decorating Friday. But that entailed a whole lot of vacuuming, dusting, and putting things that had been moved back into their rightful places. And, there was laundry to do, and breakfast and lunch to prepare. We were going out to dinner. And, we had to go to the plant nursery to choose some things because we had one of those gift certificates that was expiring. The restaurant we went to wasn't very SB friendly. I managed to get a pork tenderloin, although it was in teriyaki sauce. They did give me broccoli instead of the potato, and I had a big SB salad and a diet soda.

Today, I had to reorganize my closet, and that meant more laundry, and then, out to the store for some things I needed to redecorate. Then, home again -finally, a chance to relax.

I had some Kashi cereal for breakfast, with crystal lite Orange drink.
Later on I had a piece of string cheese. For lunch I had a turkey sausage and beans. And, another orange drink. Dinner, was a salad of lettuce, tomato, roast beef mushrooms, and celery.
I also had a piece of Naan bread with a little peanut butter and a couple of pieces of bacon. Dessert was a fudgsicle.

I know I should have had more vegs - but supplies are running low again. Got to shop tomorrow. I felt I had increased my activity level so much over the weekend - being on my feet for probably 6-8 hours - that at least I could count it as exercise. So much, that my back is killing me today.

I don't feel I've overdone the carbs I've added this week, but I wasn't able to keep it to just one type. I don't know how that might affect things, but I'll just carry on this week - adding one fruit and one grain or bread total per day for the next week. Mostly I'll try to keep it to the grain rather than bread, because I have a lot of barley cooked. Perhaps I'll have it with dinners.
Got to work on my meal plan for the week tomorrow before I shop.
Hope the carbs I added haven't put too much weight back on. I'd really be disappointed if they do. I know I shouldn't, because water weight comes and goes - but I sure do like seeing those lower numbers on the scale...

[sheri164]

Ratttssss.

The scale was not very cooperative this morning. It shows I gained a pound and a half. And no, I'm not changing my ticker.

I've got some clothes I know I couldn't wear before, that I'm waiting to try on after I've lost a few more pounds. Yesterday, they were too tight - but not as tight as they've been in the past.

I know it's water weight - and my body trying to hold on to what it probably sees as a diminishing resource.

Oh well, I would have been happier if the scale had been in a friendlier mood, but it isn't going to effect my plan to eat right on SB. In fact, right now, I feel even more determined to stick with the program.

I ate lots of vegs. today, and drank tons of water. Tonight I get to shop again for more vegs, which I need desperately, along with V-8 or tomato juice.

I know it's going to work. I just have to be patient.

[sheri164]

Today is Friday. Week 4 is almost over. I wonder if the scale will be nice to me on Monday.

I'm happy that thusfar my only step off the beach has been yesterday when I ate a little too much of "approved" foods. They really aren't approved because they're over what I should have had. I started the day with 2 flax pancakes with cream cheese and a tomato juice. Snack was a piece of string cheese. Lunch was chicken breast, cucumber sticks and cherry tomatoes with a little ranch dressing. Snack in the afternoon was 2 tbsp of cool whip -
still frozen. I followed that up with a fudgsicle, after dinner of salad and lobster (we were out with friends for DH's birthday), I came home and ate a fudgsicle/peanut butter/cool whip dessert. Later that nite - 2 more fudgsicles.
That's 160 calories of fudgsicles, plus overdose on the nuts (peanut butter plus flax pancakes) and double on the cool whip.

I did not add my carb or my fruit yesterday either - which was a mistake.
Also, my intake of vegs was low - as was my water intake.

Lots of mistakes - but no excuses.

I guess that hot fudge sundae I occasionally think about was really on my mind yesterday. At least I didn't eat one of them!

[sheri164]

Friday Night.
Today I did what I meant to do. I had 2 flax pancakes with cream cheese, tomato juice and turkey bacon for breakfast.
AM Snack was celery
Lunch was lettuce wraps with ham, chicken, spaghetti squash and tomato with a little mayo.
PM Snack was a pear
Dinner was a small piece of steak, 1/2 cup of barley cooked with 8 mushrooms,sliced, in beef broth, 8 asparagus spears, & a big slice of tomato.
I drank 7 glasses of water, thusfar today. Had two cups of tea, and a glass of crystal lite orange.
Dessert was an ice pop.

Now for the really good news - when I measured myself - I've lost an inch - in all three measurements. Nice when weight loss distributes itself like that.
I'm hopeful about getting on the scale on Monday.
And, I have every intention of having a wonderfully compliant SB weekend.
I'm gonna lose this weight. I just know it.

[sheri164]

Well, today is Monday - and I've lost 2/10 of a pound since two weeks ago. Last week I showed a gain - so I could say I lost 2 pounds this week - but it wouldn't make me feel any better.

I'm disappointed - but I'm not giving in or giving up.

We went out to eat Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday this week - Wednesday and Thursday I probably ate more protein than I would have if I'd been at home - but I didn't eat bread or have dessert or do anything else to cheat, treat, or to blow the diet. Big salads with every meal. Saturday, I had Osso Bucco - and yes I had a drink - a white wine spritzer - just one, and I ate two small dinner rolls with butter. I don't know how the osso bucco fits into the SB plan. I know that the 2 rolls put me one starch over for the day - and the wine spritzer - yes I'm allowed a drink once in a while. Sunday, I did great through my afternoon snack. Then, I hurt myself somehow - pulled a muscle in my chest and back. Every move hurt. I found some meatballs and sauce in the freezer - defrosted that and made spaghetti and a salad for dinner. Yes, I had spaghetti - but only 1/2 a cup. Frankly, dinner was delicious - and I didn't have to cook, chop, or prep in any way - and my aching body appreciated that almost as much as my taste buds enjoyed the spaghetti dinner. Haven't had any cravings as a result, either.

I've eaten all the vegetables I'm supposed to, and I've only added one piece of bread and one piece of fruit into my diet through last week.

This week I'm supposed to add another carb back in. Hmmmm.....
Hadn't even given that much thought up till now. Guess I'll have to read through the stickies again to see what's suggested. As I recall, it's supposed to be 3 fruits a day and 2 starches total by the time I'm done - but I better go check.