So I have a mirror now. I know, most people have them, but we really only had the medicine cabinet mirrors. Then we remodeled the downstairs half-bath (my bathroom) and the husband hung a real mirror over the vanity. Yeah, facing the toilet. The mirror is nothing short of girnormous, and there’s no escaping it.
Now, I’ve known all along that I’ve gotten a little broad in the beam, but…I’m not sure there’s a quaint colloquialism for this. Let’s just say I don’t like that mirror.
I whined to my sister, who naturally suggested Weight Watchers. Yeah, well, you’re not putting me in a meeting room with a bunch of other women. It sounds like a Tupperware party, only without the nachos and cookies. But in the course of the conversation, she mentioned a book—The Calorie King: Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter. It even has restaurant figures.
After trying unsuccessfully to buy a battery for my camera for the second day in a row (long story), I consoled myself with a trip to Borders and happened to see the book, so I grabbed it.
I wish I hadn’t.
I use up more than my recommended daily calorie intake just in my beverages.
I’m kind of in :ignore: mode about that right now. I also, while at Borders, picked up a Silhouette Desire, Baby on the Billionaire’s Doorstep by Emily McKay, which was recommended to me. I think I might read that.
And try not to :popcorn:
Comment
Oh yayyy you bought the book! Um, the Emily McKay one, not the diet one. The big secret to losing weight – consume fewer calories and exercise more. Switch to lowfat DD. It cuts way back on those calories. :thumb:
Let me know what you think of the Desire when you’re done.
Comment
There’s lowfat DD?
Comment
I want a diet where I can lose weight but eat what I eat now and not exercise. Apparently thats too much to ask.
My friend Danny couldn’t figure out why he was gaining weight til he submitted his April expense reports. White Castle, Taco Bell, Cracker Barrel and more White Castle explains why he had to go up a pants size.
Comment
This might post twice; the first version went poof.
You can do Weight Watchers online now and skip the meetings, according to one of my friends who is a WW believer.
Cooking Light (May issue, pg. 52) has a good article by Gin Miller on a low-impact exercise routine for beginners or folks who haven’t exercised in a while. She breaks down the routine and gives a month of daily goals to achieve. You don’t need alot of equipment or stuff for this one.
Comment
I lost 5 pounds in a month just walking more. Not “going for a walk” walking, but stuff like going around the grocery store twice, grabbing a parking space way out in the lot, parking a couple blocks from school and picking up my kid on foot rather than sitting in car line. I know 5 pounds isn’t really dramatic, but considering the lack of effort involved, I’m pleased with it. I am All About lack of effort… :boogie:
Comment
Beverages are the killer — and the easiest way to cut calories, IMO. While I don’t like most diet sodas, I can deal with Splenda sweetened ones — but I only drink one a day. And we use Splenda in our tea at night. 1 percent milk is my friend.
As is water.
Not that I weigh what I did pre-babies, by any means. I can’t even get my ARMS in my wedding gown, sigh. But I do walk (not as much as I should, but when I can) and try my damnedest not to scarf down chocolate AND potato chips AND ice cream floats on the same day (no mean feat when I’m on deadline and kids keep doing stupid things and I’m a stress eater). So my weight’s…okay. Ten pounds more than I’d like, and I can’t wear anything with a waist — at least, not comfortably — but I’ve finally reconciled myself to the fact that I can’t eat whatever I want, whenever I want, anymore without consequences, aka The Gut.
The thing is, cutting back even some of the calorie intake — and even increasing your exercise slightly — should have an effect. You don’t have to go radical chicken-breast-and-lettuce, but cutting out the sweetened drinks, for instance, might be a good way to start. Worked for me, anyway. :nod:
And I hear ya on the mirror thing. Our church has one of those ginormous, right-by-the-toilet jobs in the Sunday School girls’ bathroom. Yeah, watching myself struggle back into my pantyhose is SO not my idea of a good time. :gaah:
Comment
:coffee:
Challenge yourself to try these two things…
1) anytime you feel hungry, drink 8oz of water, wait 20 minutes. You might be thirsty (same brain trigger) and it takes 20 minutes to feel “full”. Also, drink those 8oz of water 20 minutes before scheduled meals–you’ll feel fuller, and eat smaller portions.
2) no eating after…. X o’clock. Set the time, and DO IT! The worst time to eat carbs/surgars is at night after 6… but make yours a reasonable hour, or else you’ll be too tempted to cheat.
Ugh on that mirror. I’d hate that placement.
Comment
I’m going to:
1. Replace (by weaning off over the coming week) my huge, cream-heavy iced coffees with water w/ lemon (which I actually like) and my cans of Coke with lemon seltzer.
2. Park further away from Walmart’s front door.
3. Now that I know from the book and my sister I can still eat yummy stuff, try to eat better. I tried one diet plan that was zero-carbs and that was the last time I tried. I’m a carb whore, and I have to work around that.
Maybe if I see even a glimpse of results, I’ll be more inclined to walk on the treadmill rather than just hang coats on it.
And, unfortunately, we don’t even eat supper until 7:00. I’ve tried and tried to move it to an earlier time, but all my guys would rather get all their playing in first, no matter how often I point out it’s not great for the boys to eat so close to bedtime.
I might have to subtly start weaning them that way. What really sucks is that we’ve hit the camping season and when it stays light so long, on weekends we don’t even eat until 7:30 or 8:00.
:doh:
Comment
FYI, you can make a v. nice glass of iced coffee with a spoonful of Folger’s instant (I use decaf, but regular is fine) dissolved a a bit of hot water; add ice, cold water, Splenda and 1 percent milk to taste. The milk will add a few calories, but nothin’ compared with the calorific DD stuff.
You can also make it up by the pitcherful to last the day. Or for dinner.
When you get tired of lemon water, you understand. :boogie: