Fat Chat

January 25, 2012: 143.4

Don't ask.

So,  I've been struggling.  I've just been very, very hungry and very, very careless this month.  While, miraculously, there hasn't been a net gain, nor have I seen the normal losses.  It's no surprise really--the pattern of finishing off the holiday treats earlier this month has continued, even after the treats have been consumed.

On January 10, I had my cholesterol levels checked, and a week later I got the results, which indicated very high levels of overall cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol.  "Good" cholesterol levels and triglycerides were both okay--but not great.  I got a phone call from my physician's office asking me to come in to speak with the doctor about alternatives to Lipitor.  I was a bit pissed off, as I told the doctor that I was certain the levels would be high (after all that holiday eating) and that I intended to give it my best effort for a few months to see if those levels could be lowered through better eating.  So, I arranged to go in for a re-test at the end of May.

I think part of my poor eating choices this month have been sort of a Screw You! reaction to the whole business!  I'm contrary that way.

Come February, however, I intend to embark on a four-month, concerted effort to lower cholesterol levels through better diet choices, a little exercise and, of course, saying goodbye to the smokes.  If I don't see an improvement in May, I'll have to consider pharmaceutical options, I guess.

Reducing fat and cholesterol from the diet isn't easy.  It requires a lot of vigilance, label-reading and planning, planning, planning. Plus, I just hate all that nasty low-fat crap out there--I don't plan on using it.  Except maybe the fat-free half-and-half, which is somewhat palatable.

How should I approach this effort?  Should I plan a strict menu for all meals, but, say, one, each week?  You know, I do need an occasion or two when I can feel free to eat what I want.  How often should that be?  What about meat?  I've read that eating meat a couple of times a week is really sufficient.  Or using meat for flavor rather than as an entire food group.

 Could anyone out there send a little structure my way?

This week, I'll be organizing my thoughts about all this and planning a menu for the coming month.  So far in my weight-loss effort, lowering the number of calories consumed has been enough for me to lose very modest amounts of weight each week.  But for overall good health, apparently this is not enough.  I guess we all know that the types of calories we eat are equally important.

Darn it!

January 18, 2012: 142.4

Just over seven years ago, I landed in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to visit my friend, Peanut, who was in law school at UND.  I arrived on New Year's Day in 2005, and I guess I stayed five days or so.  Turned out to be one of the coldest weeks on record there, with temperatures dipping to, oh, around 30 below.  That's Fahrenheit, folks!  It was truly astonishing.  I wrote a little bit about it here.

I remember a story in the local newspaper about an exotic bird--parrot, I think--that managed to escape out of someone's house during my time there.  Apparently, the animal didn't get very far, freezing to death only yards away from his prison.  I think his name was Pete.

Coming from a relatively temperate, southern climate, I made a few purchases before my trip of the outerwear and footwear variety.  My lightweight, but very warm, LL Bean parka--size medium--served me very well during my visit, and is still in great shape after all these years.  This is probably due to the fact that it gets less use here in southern Maryland AND because I've been too fat in recent years to wear it comfortably, preferring instead a large, ratty, old coat belonging to Tony, that has seen better days.

With 25 pounds lost, I'm thrilled that I'm able to put on that parka from 2005 and zip it up, even with two or three shirts underneath.  I'm all about the layers, dontcha know.

I remember that I weighed 142 pounds before my trip to that frozen wasteland.  I was on my way up the scale, having gained about seven pounds in just the few previous months.  I remember vowing to end the climb then and there.  Ha!

My culinary memories of North Dakota are few, but intense.  I was introduced to Culver's, home of the ButterBurger and deep-fried cheese curds.  Lordy, lordy!  Then there was a late-night visit in Fargo to a Krispy Kreme donut-producing establishment, where we enjoyed those sweet delicacies right off the production line.  If you haven't eaten a warm, freshly-made Krispy Kreme donut, well, you just haven't lived!

In other wardrobe news, today I said see ya to my fall/winter fat pants!  I was really beginning to like them because there was no longer any need to unzip them for any reason, fitting loosely enough to just slide over my hips.  This bagginess caused problems, though, at the lower end, where there was so much wear and tear on the hems that I appeared to be a down-on-my-luck something-or-other, I think, when out walking.  Tony never said, but I'm sure this look was an embarrassment to him and probably talked about behind the closed doors of people in the neighborhood.

In the weight-watching community, the it-fits-again coat and the demise of the fat pants are known as NSVs, or non-scale victories.

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Pound-wise, I'm a little surprised to see a loss this week.  There was, after all, a full lunch out with Mom on Saturday, including a big, shrimp salad sandwich on a croissant, with french fries, followed, the next day, by a fried-chicken, er, incident.  This is further proof that weight loss can be achieved by alternating days of full eating and days of light eating.  Something about keeping the metabolism guessing, blah, blah, blah.  Maybe you can look it up on Wikipedia when the blackout ends.

More importantly, though, is the fact that these meals don't figure well into my plan to naturally lower my cholesterol levels and blood pressure.  Clearly, more work is needed.

That's it for today!

January 11, 2012: 143.0

Yesterday, I went to the doctor to check in, as I do every nine months or so. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I'm really, really interested in seeing if I can get off of some medications that I've been taking for some years now, and I wanted to get a feel for my doc's thoughts.

About a month ago, I quit taking Lipitor (for high cholesterol) because it seemed to be causing some intense muscle and joint pain. I can say that I feel so much better in that area--but now I'll need to really watch what I'm consuming. You know I love me some butter and cheese!

I also take medication for borderline high blood pressure. I have a lot of risk factors--being overweight, not tremendously active and smoking--though I'm hoping to address each of these issues fully in 2012.

My doctor was quite amazed at the weight I've lost this past year, which made me feel all smug and everything. When I told her that I was interested in losing another 15 or so pounds, she was rather taken aback, telling me that 140 would be a good place to be. However, I think I'll need to lose those additional pounds in order to say goodbye to the blood pressure medication.

I also have a plan in place for the smoking, but I'll talk about it at a later date. Leaving smoking behind will be difficult for me, but it needs to be done.

Overall, I don't think my doctor was thrilled with my decision to try to get off the pills. For example, when I mentioned that I quit taking Lipitor, she suggested alternative medications and other stuff to take in conjunction with Lipitor to ease the muscle/joint pain. I really like my doctor, and her skepticism makes me want to be successful in these efforts. You know . . . the I'll-show-her factor.

* * * * * * * * *

I continue to get about two or three miles of walking in nearly every day, thanks to my dog, Jack. He's a year-old (or so), 60-pound, poorly-socialized, behaviorally-challenged Black Lab/Shepherd mix, who we've been treating for a host of issues--skin condition, intestinal parasites, ear mite infestation, malnutrition, overall neglect, etc. He's full of love and highly destructive, needing constant supervision. It's a real push to keep up with his attention-seeking behavior and play-with-me demands.

Just now, we're out of sync--I'm too old for him and he's too young and big for me--but I hope, as the years pass, that we'll find that perfect place and be able to settle into a comfortable co-existence.

He's looking 100% better than he was six weeks ago.

 

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Weight-wise, things are finally back in the groove, after the winter holidays. Most of the junk is gone and healthier stuff is making its way back into the rotation. Happily, my loss this week brings me to a total of 25 pounds lost!

Oh, by the way, I'm looking for some good recipes for beans of any kind, especially soups. Anybody?

See you next week!

 

January 4, 2012: 143.6

This morning, I gingerly stepped on the scale, gasped at the number displayed, quickly jumped off, scampered from the bathroom and never looked back.

Why the drama?

Well, it seems that in spite of my best, herculean, super-human efforts to consume all the leftover cookies, candy, nuts and so forth, left over from the Christmas holidays, I gained only a few ounces this week.

Was the weight displayed accurate? Who knows? Occasionally, numbers displayed on the scale seem too low, or too high, and I'll hop on and off a few more times to make sure I'm getting an accurate reading. Once in a while, the figures are incorrect.

This morning, I didn't bother to double-check, certain that I'd gained much, much more. We'll have to wait until next Wednesday to get a true picture. For now, I'll take it!

It's just a little, psychological game I'm playing, I guess, to keep my willpower and determination levels high.

I think I've mentioned that I keep a few charts going about losses and gains, and I started off 2012 with another little ploy--logging my beginning weight at 145. So, even though I had a small gain this week, I'm already--as if by magic!--ahead of the game so early in the New Year! This tiny, white lie provides a tremendous psychological boost, so utterly necessary at this time of year, what with all the over-indulgences.

My ultimate goal in 2012 is to lose an additional 15 pounds--taking me to 130 by August 1. Thus, by utilizing Anne's Peculiar Method of Weight Loss Book-cooking, I've lost 1.4 pounds! Woo hoo! Fortunately for my readers, my weight loss ticker doesn't lie, so you can always get a true assessment of how the project is coming along.

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Another of my goals for 2012 involves completing weekly, out-of-the-ordinary projects around the house. This week, that involves taking down the holiday decorations, which I got a good start on yesterday. I consider this a "project" because it's a major undertaking, so there. Another early-in-the-New-Year psychological boost? Perhaps.

I'll report in on other, goal-related progress later. Now, I need to move my ass to the grocery store to stock up on some healthier options.

Bye for now.

January 1, 2012: 143.4

So, Happy New Year, everybody!

I am so, so, so glad that the holiday season is ovah! This year's seemed particularly busy and stressful. I don't know why, because it was filled with visits with friends and family, which was wonderful. In retrospect. In most cases, I guess, we women take on an inordinate share of the burden of trying to make everything just so and setting the bar too high--cooking, cleaning, entertaining, shopping, and so forth--so we're not always (read never) able to really just lounge around all that much. Is it the same at your house?

I'm happy to say that I kicked my own fat ass in 2011, with a loss of nearly 25 pounds--something I've never achieved, or had to achieve, in the past. Feeling pretty good about that.

For 2012, I want that momentum to continue until I reach my goal--a new, revised goal--of 130 pounds, more or less, plus or minus. You know, I'm 56 years old. I'm never gonna reclaim my youth . . . nor do I want to in so many ways. (Oh, sure, I'd love to have a little more energy and not to be plagued by certain aches and pains which are a feature of middle-age, but, oh well . . . ) At 130 pounds, I'm probably gonna feel as good as possible at this stage of life, so, yes.

Aside from losing those last 15 or so pounds, I plan to reclaim my life in 2012. For nearly a decade, now, my own mental and physical health has been tied up with the failing health of my elderly parents (and other, ugly, family dramas), and I cannot let this continue. People age and die. It's a sad fact of life. But, I'm going to try to act on the advice that appears everywhere in articles and books and forums about eldercare--take care of yourself first and foremost. That's not to say that I'm turning away from my obligations in any way, but I want--need--to find some balance and perspective and acceptance. I'll work hard to do that.

Do you take any medications for things like high cholestrol and high blood pressure? I do, and I have for several years now. I want that to end, if possible. In 2012, this goal will require some alterations to diet and lifestyle. I'll be working to do whatever is possible to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, without the help of pharmaceuticals. It'll be cheaper and healthier. Less fat and cholesterol in the diet, more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, less meat . . . you know the drill.

And, obv, the smoking needs to end. I'm not currently a heavy smoker--a pack can last me several days--but, you know, I've been smoking a long time, so the cummulative effects cannot be good, at all.

And exercise. With the addition of a new dog to the family, December 2011 saw a sudden increase in walking. I'm logging about three miles daily, I figure. It's good--I like it--but I need more . . . and different.

Along with the stresses of caring for aging family members has come a narrowed social existence. Over the years, the depressive effects of watching a loved one's decline and increasing neediness have caused a desire to remove myself from a lot of interaction with others. Turns out, that's just what I shouldn't have done. Laughs, good times, getting out, talking, sharing, enjoying others, doing fun, new stuff--all so totally necessary to stay in the world of the sane. But when you're depressed, it seems like climbing a mountain just to make a date. I'm gonna get out more in 2012, dammit!

Other things that draw my interest for the new year are learning something about relaxation techniques/meditation/yoga and my continuing quest to organize and downsize our collection of possessions. Less time on the computer, less TV, more reading those old-fashioned books, more keeping up with the demands of the house, more taking care of business and staying organized.

Lotta stuff there, I know. And, as I've learned during my weight-loss campaign, change doesn't happen overnight . . . or even during the course of year. But, it's good to have goals and to strive to reach them, don't you think?

And, just so it's not all about me, me, me . . . I want to do kind things for others, whenever possible.