Weight Loss – Get Honest or Get Fatter!

I never thought of myself as a perfectionist or a liar . . . but I was. I was usually an all or nothing type of person. I couldn’t stay perfect on my diets, so I’d give up until I could start over the next day, the next Monday, or the next month. It was like I was on a stationary bike, riding hard but going nowhere. Plus, I was frustrated and angry most of the time. I felt like a big fat failure.

One day, I saw my actions for what they were – human nature. I never lived up to the standards I made for myself. It was exhausting. So, I re-thought my path to reach the goals I set. No more being down on myself for natural falls or not being 100% all the time. It’s such a pleasant change to just give myself a break – to say, “It’s ok. I stumbled but will keep at it.”

However, actually doing this mental decision in my daily life was and is tough. Yesterday, I ate 220 calories over my goal because I chose chocolate candy after lunch. It still bothers me that I ate a sugary, unhealthful snack and also threw a wrench in my calorie allotment for the day, but I’m not quitting my eating-healthfully program. I’m not bingeing like I once would. So, I stumbled. I’m moving on. I’m getting a bit used to this imperfection stuff. It feels pretty good, too. I’m still down 6 pounds, and it’s slow going, but I’m learning.

My non-scale victories for the week were not berating myself and not giving up on my goal. I also took a multivitamin each day.

I’ve had a rough day today, so far. Mentally, I want to eat for some reason, but I haven’t had anything but coffee because I’m not physically hungry. It’s a very strange combination. I am being honest with myself, though, and not trying to hide my actions. This keeps me from the binges and most of the poor choices in meals.

I’ve realized that this issue with food will be a lifetime struggle. I’m in my fifties, short, not super active, and have had a hysterectomy, so my metabolism is sluggish. I don’t exercise per se because I’m still too large and get out of breath too easily (I also have asthma). So, for now, I just get as much physical exercise as I can doing housework and running errands.

It’s almost summer. That reminds me of my past and drinking a large Sonic slush each afternoon because it was cold and kept the hundred degree days at bay. I looked up the calorie amount in a large slush. It’s 470! That is a third of my daily allowance.

So, my imperfections are something I need to accept and the fact that I need to log my intake of foods and beverages daily is obvious.

It’s time to be real about my problem with food and tackle it the best I can. It’s time to get honest or get fatter.

The Keto Diet, and How I Make it Work

I’ve been on the Keto diet for a while now and have learned several hints that can help you. I’ve done each of these and find that every one makes a difference in my losing weight.

Track Calories – with too many calories in your diet, your body gains weight. Period. So, even though you are watching carbs to get healthy and lose some fat, keep your calories in check. Here is a way to see how many calories you need per day to maintain your current weight. Just go below this number significantly each day to lose.

Step 1: Find your current body weight in kilograms (if you live in the US, just divide your current weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms).

Step 2: Multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.9 if you are a woman or 1.0 if you are a man.

Step 3: Multiply by 24.

Eat Keto – Low carb – like 20 grams or fewer per day (I know, it’s a very low number, but it works). Aim for moderate protein and higher fat. See how to keep up with these numbers in the next paragraph.

Log Your Progress – Load the app on your phone called “Carb Manager.” It will tell you everything you need to know about starting this program. It also has a vast food log to choose from when you are logging. 😊

Get Sugar OUT of your diet – Low fiber and high sugar is a recipe for disaster! Try eating the opposite of this. Too high of sugar can also mess with your hormone levels and intestinal balance.

Drink More Water – try for at least 64 ounces per day. I’ve noticed time and again that sometimes I want a snack – bad. But if I drink some water, the “hunger” goes away. I was thirsty instead! It’s a strange phenomenon but it’s true. Thirst can mask itself as hunger.

Get Enough Electrolytes – When you eat Keto, especially in the beginning, you will lose a lot of water from your body. You’ll need to replace electrolytes you are losing. Add these (buy on Amazon) to your drinks once or twice a day, and you’ll not experience the headache, fatigue, and general “keto flu” you hear about when beginning this way of eating.

Start Lifting Light Weights – Strength training is very important for all around body health. At home, grab some light to moderate weights and just lift. Try this link to see how to lift properly: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/a40035772/how-to-start-lifting-weights-for-beginners/

Get in Low Carb Veggies – Don’t ignore vegetables just because you are watching carb intake. There are plenty of low carb choices out there. Try this site for a few ideas: https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/low-carb-fruits-and-vegetables

Include good fats and remove others. Vegetable oil has been linked to inflammation in the body. So have corn, safflower, sunflower, and soy. Stay clear of these and choose either olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil.

Getting healthier is a mind change. Unless you decide to really devote your energy to changing and improving your eating, this won’t “stick” with you. I know – from experience.

I’m making beef jerky today. I bought a food dehydrator and meat slicer (I didn’t have to have this part. LOL). Below is my recipe for marinade and making the jerky. It’s a good snack for those on a low carbohydrate eating plan. Don’t go crazy with it, though. Remember . . . moderation is the key.

Beef Jerky – Makes about a pound of jerky

Take 3 lbs. of eye of round (the leanest I could find) and remove the excess fat. Discard the fat. Freeze the beef for 1-2 hours to make it easier to slice. (If you have had the butcher slice your beef into 1/8- ¼ in slices, no need for this step). Tenderize meat with a mallet but not too much. You don’t want mush. Marinate in layers in a med/large bowl for 4-24 hours in the fridge. (Marinade ingredients below.) After this step, remove meat and lay it on paper towels to take away excess liquid. Shake some coarsely ground black pepper on the slices (if you want black pepper style jerky). Place beef in a pre-heated 160-degree dehydrator for 4-6 hours. Rotate trays if needed to evenly “cook” the jerky. Remove when the meat is to your liking. Don’t overcook or you’ll have shoe leather. 😉

Marinade –

½ cup soy sauce

4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 Tbsp brown sugar

4 tsp salt

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp liquid smoke

1 cup beef stock

Keto / Fasting Day 1

I turned 59 yesterday. I’m a Cajun woman, heavier than I have ever been, and I’m in terrible physical condition. I get winded just walking from my car into a store. It is insane! I decided, after trying every diet I could find – for over 30 years, to change my entire lifestyle . . . not just try a change for a few weeks.

Every time I lost a few pounds on a diet, I gained back what I lost PLUS ten plus more. No exaggeration. It was scary. I was out of control.

I need to lose about 130 pounds now. I will exercise daily. I am also on the Keto eating program and do Intermittent Fasting.

I have diabetes, type 2 because I have gotten so heavy. This means I am insulin resistant or have Metabolic Syndrome. Look up this syndrome if you aren’t familiar with it. If you are fat, you likely have it. Many Americans do. I will write a blog about Metabolic Syndrome after this one – in case you want to subscribe and get more info here.

It is the year before I turn 60. I want to make it a positive and productive year – one that will lengthen my life and make me a happier person.

I’m on blood pressure med and a diabetes med. I take a statin for cholesterol woes and an allergy pill because I have asthma. This means I have a daily inhaler plus an emergency kind that I must carry with me wherever I go. I have Bipolar 2, so I’m on Abilify (which can hinder weight loss) and Prozac, so I don’t experience deep depression and hopelessness.

Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? It does get old. I’m wearing a 3x plus size top and a 3x leggings. It’s all I can find to fit me correctly right now. I’m 5’2 and have a medium frame. My hair is thinning, and my skin is ruddy. It is SO time to get in shape!

I hope you will follow along with me and give me your opinions and suggestions that will be helpful to me. I will put up pics as I go.

Today, I finished a 12-hour fast at 7:00 a.m. I broke the fast with some protein and fat and some coffee. I will post pics of interesting meals regularly, as well as recipes I try and food choices & health tips while I am losing weight.

On today’s physical activity agenda, I will lift 1-pound weights while sitting on the edge of the sofa. I will also walk 5-10 minutes on my treadmill. It’s all I can do right now. Sad . . . .

It’s very disheartening, and it frustrates me greatly that I have gotten to this advanced weight and poor health. My doctor gave me the OK for this plan of fat loss. I’m not a medical professional. I’m merely an ex-mortician losing weight and improving my health through this blog. Hopefully my ups and downs and successes and failures will help others in similar situations.

I’m counting on this blog to keep me honest with myself. Overeaters Anonymous says honesty with yourself is imperative. I have an addiction to food, and it’s not an easy thing to live with.

Join me on this journey. Subscribe, and you’ll get my twice a week blog posts and pics.

Here I go . . . .

Weight Loss and How to Stick With It!

This doesn’t look like a “diet” plate of food, does it? Well, guess what? It is. I’ve been fighting the bulge battle for 30 years and have lost every go round. Not lost weight but lost the diet game. I’d lose a few pounds and then gain back that amount plus a few more. I did that EVERY time I dieted.

I have tried multiple diet plans, too. Expensive ones where the food comes to me in the mail, Low Carb, Low Fat, Richard Simmons’ Deal a Meal, Cabbage Soup, Counting Calories, TOPS, Weight Watchers, etc.

I came to realize that it wasn’t the actual diet, per se (some were odd), but the fact that I didn’t stick with the plan long term. Well, who could stick with eating NO bread for the rest of her life? Not me. I chose a long term eating plan that I could stick with this time. Weight Watchers has always been suggested by my doctors, and I always enjoyed the freedom with that way of eating, so I began WW (their new way of referring to themselves) last week.

So far, so good but I’m having trouble with one area. The fact that I get “too” much freedom is a bit of a hindrance, believe it or not. The current plan has 200 FREE foods, meaning they have a zero Smart Points count (I get 28 points per day to spend on food. The bacon and eggs above equal 6 Points). On this list is white meat chicken, fruits, veggies, seafood, and other goodies. They assume the average dieter (which is not me) won’t overeat on eggs or beans, etc. They’re wrong.

My new antidepressant makes me hungry, so I find myself eating these free foods in quantities that aren’t diet-friendly. Example: I had a can of beans for lunch. A whole can.  Weird stuff.

Anyway, I thought I’d let my readers know that this plan really does work if YOU work it like you’re supposed to. With a few exceptions, I’ve stayed on plan and eaten very tasty meals. I drink water, iced tea, Coke Zero, and coffee mostly. I try to stay hydrated, though.

Oh, and I usually hated going to weekly meetings. I didn’t like having to take the time out of my day to do one more thing. However, my friends, I see now that these meetings are quite helpful. It’s not the weighing in for me, it’s the information from the other members and my fantastic leader (her name is Candy. LOL) and the camaraderie. It really does help me realize I’m not eating like this alone. I get some great ideas from the meetings.

So, I urge you, if you need to lose pounds – seriously – check into a plan that you know you will be able to LIVE with, and then take it head on!

I am sipping iced green tea with Stevia while I type. It’s refreshing and reminds me that spring is on the way!

Good luck, dears ~

 

One Last Hurdle!

From late 2007, when my world changed 180 degrees, until a little under a year ago, I was like a hurdling meteor with an eye on a permanent place to land. However, instead of a hard-hitting, one-time crash, I’ve been flying through differing degrees of layers before making a comfortable orbit. It’s a much nicer way to find my new normal.

Feels like I’ve jammed about twenty years of living into the last five, and I’m exhausted. However, I’ve come away more “myself” than I’ve ever been before. There’s something to be said about being authentic; there’s less stress and more joy.

Through an extreme high and several extreme lows, I’ve come to a place of comfort. The only medicine I’m now on is a mild blood pressure med. No more antidepressants, mood stabilizers, cigarettes (gross!), alcohol (almost had a problem there), extreme shopping, or any other indulgence people try. I’m free from it all and proud of it.

I have one last hurdle, though. It’s the hardest addiction to break for me. I am unhealthily fat. I need to lose a significant amount of weight to feel good again. This is proving to give me the toughest battle. I’m surprised. I never had any weight issues until I had children, and then any weight-gains were minor. Not so now. It’s hard giving up this last and most adamant obsession.

I’m still very happy with what I’ve done with life so far. I’ve overcome some immense obstacles. So, I feel a bit spoiled in whining about this last one, but my head of steam is evaporating!

Joined Weight Watchers online. Weigh in each Sunday. Hoping for a last push of energy from this body and brain – to reach that goal of health. C’mon . . . cheer me on!

XO to all of you!