Before:

Shexsy after!

Here are answers to the questions you (and I) posed to John:

1.  What kind of weight issues have you had in your lifetime? I [...]]]> John lost 43 pounds over the course of 2009 and hit goal in November of 2009.  He has maintained his loss for 6 months now.

Before:

Shexsy after!

Here are answers to the questions you (and I) posed to John:

1.  What kind of weight issues have you had in your lifetime?

I have had from 20 to 40 lbs to lose ever since I was about 10 years old.  I was always really poor in gym class, always picked nearly last for team sports.  In adulthood I went through various phases of trying to lose/losing some/ gaining it back slowly; you know the drill.

2.  What made you decide to lose weight?

I was inspired, about 2/3 by Lori’s lasting weight loss, and the other 1/3 by just wanting to not be another overweight American.  I don’t have health insurance, so I’ve got incentive to get healthy on my own and reduce my contribution to soaring health costs.

3.  What were your strategies to lose?

First, I recorded everything I ate using The Daily Plate (now part of livestrong.com).  After four months of that (which really helped remind me of how many calories are in a lot of foods I encounter regularly), I starting using my own take on Weight Watchers points to keep a count.  I just let 1 point = 50 calories (never mind about the fat and fiber part of the calculation — they pretty much cancel each other out).  It just makes it easier to count.  Instead of “gee, I had eaten 775 calories today, and dinner was 460, so… how much have I eaten now?“, I now just round everything to the nearest point and keep track of points in the notepad on my cell phone.  So a 485 calorie breakfast is 10 points, lunch of 425 is 9, snack is about 6 points, and I am at 25 points for the day, easy.  I’ve never actually been a member of WW, I just like the point system.  Now I don’t even write my point total down at all, I keep it in my head.  It is nearly always the same or very close because I have a very regular routine (10 points for breakfast, 8 for lunch, 6 for afternoon snack, 10 for dinner = 34 points)

Then there was the exercise part.   When I started I was 213 pounds, and allowed myself 2000 calories or 40 points a day.  (Today at 170 I get about 1800 cals on maintenance, plus exercise calories).  Whatever exercise I did I got a credit for those calories burned.  I started Jan. 1, 2009, so for the cold months it was mostly just walking, from 30 to 60 mins per day of fast walking.  Starting in late March to early April I began getting in bike rides and running.  I had never been able to run more than about 8 minutes at a time in my life, but I worked on it, alternating walking and running and covering 5k.  I gradually increased the amount of running in spurts, from almost none, until the end of the summer I could run the whole 3 miles.  Biking had been part of my life for many years, but I got more serious about that and took longer and longer rides with Lori.  It is great for fat burning, and for burning enough calories to really eat something!  I don’t know if it’s technically correct but I give myself 2 points extra food per mile of walking, 3 points per mile of running, and 3/4 point per mile of biking.  I find giving myself credit for those points really gives me incentive to exercise.

4.  What was the hardest part about losing?

I think the hardest thing for me is controlling what I eat for desserts and snacks after dinner.  We tend to eat dinner by 5:30 and be done by 6pm, so that leaves a lot of time there to wander to the kitchen.  Lori likes to stop eating after 8pm, but I find it works better for me to try not to eat anything until at least 8pm, then have something which keeps me satisfied until say 10pm and maybe at the most have one more small snack before bed.  If I eat before 8 I am liable to keep snacking semi-continuously.

Also to help out my sweet tooth, I started keeping hard candies around.  I can pop one or two after a meal instead of wanting a dessert right away.  I have to be careful not to abuse them by having 5 or 6, but even when I do, at 20 calories each it is not a big sin.  I will never vanquish my sweet tooth, I just have learned to work around it a bit.

5. What would you say is the key to your success in maintaining?

I think a regular day-to-day routine, portion control, and limited eating out have been the most important.
Most restaurants are in the business of making the food as rich and satisfying (to American tastes) as possible without regard for calorie-content or health.  Everyone is on guard when it comes to fast food chains, but you also have to worry about casual dining eateries that I call collectively “T.G. McChiliganbee’s” (an amalgam of some places you can probably recognize), and just local mom-and-pop restaurants as well.  You have to be so careful if you eat out on a regular basis.  I think it is no coincidence that Lori and I reached our peak obesity at the time I was making a lot of money and we ate out daily at least, and often multiple times per day.

6. Do you have to work as hard as Lori does to maintain?

I’d like to say yes, but that could result in divorce.  No I don’t.  I don’t lift weights at all.  She’d go on 5 or 6 mile runs (before her injury) while I do 3 miles max.   I get close to 2000 per day, while she does not.  It generally seems easier for men, but then again I have 2 uncles with serious weight problems, while my sisters have never had trouble with their weight, so maybe it’s genetic.

7. What has been the best part of losing the weight?

Buying new clothes and looking better in them.  Feeling stronger and healthier is its own reward.

8.  What do you for fitness? I know you ride a bike, but what about lifting? Do you love it like Lori does? (Editorial note here, Lori laughed and laughed at this question)

No I’m not a lifter at all, I don’t go to the gym.  This spring is making me think I’d like to get a stationary bike setup of some kind at home, to stay in better shape over the winter.  Up until now I have just switched to walking (outside) during the winter months.  But it’s a looonngg winter here and I was surprised how much strength and endurance I lost this year.

9. Which is harder for you, losing weight or maintaining and why?

In the past, maintaining was always difficult, mostly because at some point I’d get at least a bit depressed and just stop caring.  But I heard about a recent study that says that exercise is actually more important for maintaining weight loss than it is for losing the weight in the first place, and I am exercising a lot more this time around.  Although I don’t much like running itself, I do notice and like the seratonin lift I get after finishing.  I think that has helped me avoid the depression (along with an excellent e-book I found a few years ago, called ‘The Way Up from Down’, by Priscilla Slagle, a psychiatrist who suffered from moderate depression herself.  It is available for free download at www.thewayup.com.  She recommends a regimen of certain standard amino acids, tyrosine and tryptophan, plus vitamins.)  This time I’ve gotten through Thanksgiving, Christmas, the SuperBowl, 4 days on a floating 24-hour buffet they call a cruise, and our Mardi Gras and Easter dinners with basically no gain (okay, 1 lb).

10.  Favorite foods that fit into your healthy lifestyle?

I love breads, so I guess I will never be a low-carb dieter.  Dark chocolate shall be eaten daily, by me, amen.
Love of food should be part of your motivation!  If you let yourself go, someday a doctor is going to tell you not to eat this or that anymore.  And you are going to be forced to give it up, and probably feel like sh** too.  With control you can eat smaller amounts of the foods you love and take care of your body.

11.  What are your plans now for future fitness or healthy living?

I have no desire to run marathons, climb mountains, or become an ironman right now, but I’ll let you know.
Eating wise, I will just keep enjoying a variety of foods and avoiding anything resembling guilt.

What is one tip you can give to someone who is struggling to stay on track?

Don’t remove favorite snacks from your house completely.  But, never take the whole bag or box with you out of the kitchen (and don’t stand in the kitchen eating from it (ahem, Lori)).  Get some very small dishes (we have a set of 4oz ramekins).  Fill one up and put the bag away.  Set it down and see if you can wait til the top of the hour before you eat it.  Drink a big cup of tea or other non-calorie liquid with it.  Enjoy!

——————————–

Thank you, John!  I am so proud of you.  I am glad you are fit and healthy now because I want you to be around for a long, long time

After treadmill warmup:

I actually ate a good amount of food yesterday.  I did not record the food I ate (except what showed up in picture form   ).  In [...]]]> I ruminated a little on Jinx’s comment about whether or not I ever let my guard down.  The short answer to that would be no, not ever completely.

I actually ate a good amount of food yesterday.  I did not record the food I ate (except what showed up in picture form   ).  In fact, I even took off my GoWear fit for the day when I got back from my run. I just wanted to enjoy the day.  With that being said, I have learned some things.  I despise feeling stuffed.  I don’t like it when I am so uncomfortable after eating that I can feel my stomach bulge (something that I could not notice at 250 pounds) or that I wished I hadn’t eaten something.

That last part is so important to me.  I have made it my mission to not feel guilt or remorse over food anymore.  To do that meant to conquer the part of me that would just eat and eat because it was the holidays (or whatever occasion) and the food was there.  I don’t have to eat 5 slices of cranberry bread because 5 slices are available to me.  I don’t believe in deprivation, but I also know that is is okay to *not* want something.  I didn’t have any pumpkin pie last night because I didn’t want any.  I certainly could have had it because it was there, right?  What I really wanted was the cheesecake.  I knew that if I had both the cheesecake and the pumpkin pie, I would have been stuffed.  So, I didn’t have the pie.   I loved everything I ate yesterday (okay, the moose was a little overcooked, but anyway… I nibbled on the cashews and chocolate pieces probably more than I should, but that happens.

As you all know, enjoying food on a daily basis is important to me to keep the weight off.  That way I don’t feel the need to gorge on particular days of the year, especially since I don’t restrict my calories to the extent that I feel the need to do that.  That is just what works for me.  Everyone is different in how they need to approach these things.

Maybe that is what is meant by everything in moderation?  I don’t know.  That phrase is pretty relative

Anyhoo, I woke up this morning and thought a nice walk was in order.  It was so foggy that I decided to go to the track for safety sake.  Crazy Black Friday shoppers and all that!  I couldn’t keep from a little running, though.  I did 3 miles and jogged one lap out of each mile.  Nice and easy.

Came back to protein pancakes!

Full of ‘cleansing oats’ as John said this morning

John was off today, so it kind of feels like Saturday!  No shopping on Black Friday here.  I don’t like crowds and pretty much avoid the mall from here on out.  I will be participating in Cyber Monday, though!

I won the football picks last week, so it was my choice for a meal out.  I decided that I wanted some pizza for lunch!  We went to East End Eatery, which I lurve!  John and I split a calzone (I so love that he splits meals with me!).  Side salad to start:

And then the calzone.

Fresh out of the oven and delicious!

Now is the time to get into the spirit.  Time to put up the Christmas tree!  Pixie wanted to help:

The rest of the afternoon was spent assembling and decorating!

I love real trees, but John is allergic – so we have had a fake one for many years.  I would like a nicer one, but the ornaments are the important part!  I think I will showcase one a day via pictures starting in December.

After finishing up, we had lattes and a slice of sweet potato cheesecake.  How thin can you slice cheesecake and still have the slice hold its integrity? This thin   :

I’ll have to get the link for the cheesecake recipe from John.  This is the real deal, though!  Good thing there isn’t much left.

I realized that yesterday was sorely lacking in fruits and veggies!  I had 1 banana and some cranberry sauce and a few green beans.  Ooops.  So, I decided on another salad for dinner.  2 in 1 day – that is pretty rare!  I had something similar to the other day:

Turkey (you think??) with BBQ sauce, feta cheese, and sliced almonds on hearts of romaine.  It really tasted so good!

Making more ornaments tonight.  These things take forever!  Staying warm and snug tonight.  Rain is moving in with likely some sloppy snow by morning.  Think I will be going to the gym in the morning to run!

Question:  Black Friday shopper?  And if so, did you score any great deals?

Debby wrote an eloquent post on this subject the other day, and she commented to me about how it was good to hear someone else with the same issues.

I [...]]]> I was going to title this something like struggles in weight loss and maintenance, but I really want to focus on reframing that word.  

Debby wrote an eloquent post on this subject the other day, and she commented to me about how it was good to hear someone else with the same issues.

I get emails or comments from time to time about how I stay so focused and determined.  Here’s the secret – I struggle, too!  I really think being a successful loser and maintainer is understanding that you are going to face tough times and you won’t always win.  Put me around certain foods or in certain situations and I will face plant into enough food to make me uncomfortably full – even when that was not my plan.

Sometimes it is just the urge to let up and eat.  When that happens, I refer to it as the old me having a temper tantrum.

Old me:  I want to just eat without thinking about it.  It’s not fair that other people can eat food and not gain weight.  Why can’t I just eat what I want when I want?

Following cues from the Beck book, I try to reason with said self with things like:  You know you don’t need to eat 6 servings of cereal, 1 is enough.  Of course it isn’t fair, but you just have to accept that and move on.  You can eat whatever you want when you want, but you have to be prepared to weigh 250 pounds again.

The old me sounds pretty petulant, right?  That voice pops out from time to time and sometimes reasoning with it just doesn’t work.  It’s much easier to give in.  We’ve all been there.

I have learned that when I do give in, it isn’t the end of the world.  I won’t gain back 100 pounds with 1 day of bingeing.  I do seem to be able to stop it pretty quick these days, though, and I think that is the result of years of practice.  I am not like a lot of the bloggers or people on forums I read that charge on down to goal losing a large amount of weight and keep it off.  It’s been such a long process (years) for me both physically and mentally.  This blog has actually been a useful tool for me to ponder things and get feedback (so thank you, gentle readers!).

I do win sometimes, though.  And all that good food you see on my blog is the result of learning to love different foods and making them taste good.  If you haven’t read my food philosophy, you can here.

I guess I would leave you with the thoughts that even when you get down to a happy weight, don’t expect to magically stay there, or that you are completely changed.  Heck, the journey down is the same way.  As imperfect beings, there will always be challenges, but what will make you successful is how you cope with those when they arise and learning how to speak to yourself with kindness.

1. First and foremost, I have to like the food I am eating and that food has to be good. If [...]]]> I wanted to talk a little bit about my food philosophy now. I do blog about food a lot and thought I would share what drives what I eat and how I view it.

1. First and foremost, I have to like the food I am eating and that food has to be good. If I were to have to eat dry toast, plain egg whites, lettuce and sugar free jello, I just would not be happy. (Not knocking anyone who loves these, it’s just not me). Yes, the scale would probably plummet down, but I would be miserable. I figure if the food I eat is satisfying to my taste buds, it will be satisfying to my mind. That means if I want a cookie, it’s the best *one* I can find, not a whole sleeve of Oreos to try to satisfy a craving. You really only get so much food in a day, so make it worth eating.

2. I don’t consider anything off-limits. Now, that doesn’t mean that I am going to eat a pound of chocolate a day or dive face first into cookies (although that has happened before), but I never tell myself that I cannot have something ever again. That is a sure-fire way to send me on a binge of said item. What I do is to give foods a nutrient cost, so to speak. More fat/calories gives the food a higher cost. So if you think of your daily foods as a bank balance, if you have a higher weight item, then the other items need to be of a lower cost (ie lean proteins, fruits, veggies, etc) to balance out. I think this way over a longer period as well. So, if I know we are going out for dinner one night, that means I need to rein it in a little bit a couple of days prior. This eliminates the guilt factor. This reason is why you see me eat bagels a couple times a week. I love them, I plan for them, I enjoy them. Yes, this requires thinking about food, but mindless eating got me up to 250 pounds.

3. I know where my food comes from. I am not a vegetarian, and am really not interested in becoming one (although I had thought about it for a while). However, I do care how the meat I consume is processed and raised. So, we purchase our meat locally from small farmers. We are pretty lucky that we are able to do this here and have a wide variety of products to choose from. It does make eating out a little difficult at times, but we do try to stick to those principles. There are other things we try to get locally, or at least make sure it is from the US. It’s apple time, but interestingly enough – a lot of apples in our store (Pink Ladies) come from New Zealand. ???? So we do a lot of label reading, even on produce.

4. Never feel guilty about eating. Ever. Foods are not inherently good or bad. Food does not have morals. It doesn’t judge you on how much you eat of it. We do that all by ourselves. I have those days where I eat more than I should of those costly nutrient foods, but you know what? There is always the next meal to be back on track again. I think it is worse to beat yourself up about it because then it makes what you ate not worth it (see #1), which compounds the problem.

Following these guidelines for me has helped me keep off over 100 pounds for more than a year and still enjoy food, because it really is worth enjoying!

I don’t know if you need to have a personal philosophy about food, but it really wouldn’t hurt you to take a hard look at why you eat what you do.

I joined the National Weight Control Registry a year ago, as I had maintained at least a 30# weight loss for a year and [...]]]> Well, I was going to post about my day, what I ate, exercise, the usual, but I got a packet in the mail today and thought I would talk about that.

I joined the National Weight Control Registry a year ago, as I had maintained at least a 30# weight loss for a year and decided to join, even though I was not at goal.  Today was the 1-year update packet that was sent out with a survey for me to fill out on the last year as it relates to my weight.  Interesting that I am pretty much the same weight as I was a year ago, even though I was a bit lower at one point.  Anyway, they included a little sheet on Secrets of Successful Losers.   The database has over 6000 people in it. The successful maintainers tend to do the following:

1.  They eat a low-calorie diet.  Most are low-fat and they eat 4-5 times a day.

2.  They eat a consistent diet from day to day.  These maintainers also tend to eat the same during the holidays and special occasions.

3.  They eat breakfast every day.

4.  They are very physically active.  Averaging about 60 minutes per day.  Walking is the #1 exercise.

5.  They weigh themselves frequently.

6.  They watch limited amounts of television.  About 10 hours a week.

7.  They don’t let a small weight gain become bigger.

How many of these things do you do right now?  I pretty much do all 7, although I don’t know if what I eat constitutes a real low calorie diet, and I eat moderate fat.

Interesting to note that the above 7 things are pretty much what you do to lose weight as well.

The other interesting tidbit is that once you have maintained your weightloss for at least 2 years, the risk of regaining the weight is cut by more than half.   So it seems as though time is on your side the longer you keep the weight off.