Fat Chat

February 22, 2012: 142.8

Hi, all.

It's been a bumpy road here at Fat Chat for a couple of weeks.  Frankly, I'm pretty sick and tired these days of the whole process--always having to consider what to eat, how many calories, fat levels and so forth.

As an antidote to the stifling sense of being in strict control for quite a while now, I went on a week-long bender, completely ignoring what and how much I was consuming.  And, it really didn't feel like a loss of control as much as an over-reaction to feeling constrained.  I dunno.  Either way, I think it's out of my system, and I don't want to do too much navel-gazing about the whole affair, giving it more weight, so to speak, than it deserves.

No surprise that the results showed up on the scale (I did continue to weigh every day, through it all).

But let's try to be positive . . .

I'm still drifting around in the low 140's, where I've been for a few months--so no major gain.

Spring is just around the corner, which means more outdoor activity.  Really, more activity in general.  And longer days with more sunlight.  And blooming things.

And, most importantly, I currently weigh less than the weight indicated on my driver's license!

February 8, 2012: 141.0

Well, I'm up just a smidgen this week.  I suspect that last week's weight was a little artificially low--maybe some dehydration or something.  Also, I'm still in the midst of nailing down a routine involving the addition of new foods, etc., so the dust hasn't settled yet.

Breakfast for me is always the same--Chobani 2% or non-fat yogurt, with added blueberries, and coffee with sugar and fat-free half-and-half and just a tiny bit of regular half-and-half splashed in, for richness.  I'm not a big breakfast person and find it hard to eat much before around 10 a.m.  I've always been that way.

For lunch, I've been alternating between a brown rice/beans/avocado sloppy mess and spinach salads with tuna fish and/or hard-boiled egg--with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese or other stuff.

I gotta say that the rice/bean dish is pretty good, with the addition of a little salt, pepper, turmeric (one of the foods which can help to lower cholesterol), curry and a tablespoon of my new favorite salad dressing--Annie's Naturals Shitake Sesame--for 60 calories.  The dressing is highly flavorful, so a little goes a long way.  As I mentioned, I slice in about a quarter of an avocado for the good fats and fiber.

Watch out for the turmeric.  It can temporarily stain, but will come out in the wash.

I'm learning that it's not hard at all to incorporate nothing but superfoods for a full eating plan, and it can even be a challenge to keep within my calorie range in doing so.  The trick is to stay organized and plan ahead, I think, making sure to have plenty of options on hand from the superfoods list.  I cook rice two or three times each week so that I don't run out.

I've been eating far less meat these days, decreasing the bad fats.  Interestingly, not including meat for the majority of meals has made preparation an easier task.

* * * * * * * * *

A weird thing.  When I was at the doctor's office a month or so ago, they measured my height.  According to them, I am shorter than I thought I was!  I'll confess to never having reached the towering height of 5'4", instead measuring 5'3-3/4" at my tallest.  They tell me I am but 5'3" these days, though I find it hard to believe that I've lost 3/4" at my relatively young age.

When I exclaimed "I'm not that short," the nurse said, "Everybody says that."  Because I have no bone-density or severe back issues, I refuse to believe I'm any less than 5'3-1/2".  I can't say that the measurement was terribly scientific or regulated--more like, it's close enough to rock 'n' roll (from their perspective).

Hello, up there!  Are you listening?

Well, I'm not gonna quibble about.  If they wanna insist that I'm but 5'3", then fine!  I'm 5'3".  (And a half!)

So, I've reconfigured my weight-loss goal back down to the 125 range, leaving me with 16 pounds to lose.  It's weight that'll put me smack in the middle of the weight-height charts for my medium build, and in the middle of the controversial body mass index range for my height.

No worries.

 

February 1, 2012: 140.4

The forecast is for 72 degrees today.  I wonder if we'll be able to get through February and March without snow?  I hope so, but I have a sense of the impending doom of one or two major snowstorms before it's all said and done.

* * * * * * * * *

So, in my quest to get off the pharmaceuticals, I bought a home blood pressure monitor--an Omron BP710, which had good ratings and is simple to use, without a lot of bells and whistles.  My blood pressure has only ever been borderline high, so I decided to quit taking those medications in order to get a true sense of the BP situation.  Do I really have high blood pressure, or do I suffer from a case of nerves whenever I visit my doctor?  The White Coat Syndrome?

For the next (at least) four months, I'm going to be my own science project, as I work to get the ol' cholesterol and blood pressure in check.  I expect that it'll be a long, boring process, involving things like adding some new foods, subtracting some others, watching fat intake, etc.

This past week I went to the grocery store to stock up on some of these super foods, which I've been working hard to incorporate into my diet.  Green tea, avocados, blueberries, yogurt, cinnamon, turmeric, beans, nuts, fish.  I'm striving to obtain the most nutritional bang for my calorie buck, and trying hard to stay within a 1,200-1,500 range each day.

I miss you, butter, but we'll meet again someday!  You, too, mayo.  Love ya!

Smoking-wise, I spent January limiting myself to five cigarettes a day.  In February, I'll aim for four and in March, three.  Some of you might be thinking, "Good grief!  Just give 'em up, already!"  But, you know, nicotine is a powerful drug.  What's more, the habit is hard to break because it figures significantly into the daily routine, and that's a whole, other hurdle.  Something tells me I'll be quitting before the end of this long, drawn-out schedule, but we'll see.

* * * * * * * * *

And what about that dramatic weight loss this week, after weeks of lingering in the 142-143 zone?  Could be a reflection of the fact that we finally--FINALLY--ran out of holiday cakes, cookies and candy.  Could be the food switcheroos this past week.  Could be that the losses were there all along, but refusing to show themselves.  Could be that aliens visited me while I slept and took some specimens back to their home planet.

Doesn't matter, 'cause I'm glad to be back in the game, baby!

Carry on.