Wednesday Weigh-In - Eating Out

I completely forgot to write my post last Wednesday.  The holiday on Monday (Memorial Day here in USA) threw me off all week.

I've reached the point where I can do "eating out on a diet" without going totally off the plan.  And I don't feel deprived or like I'm settling for A when I'd much rather be eating B.  We're selective about the restaurants we go to; we avoid a local place I refer to as House of Fry, and Friendly's, that diet disaster, is off-limits.  Here are a few tricks I've picked up:

• If the entree is large, mentally (or even physically) separate it into two smaller portions.  Eat half and take the other half home for a meal another day. 
• I don't need an appetizer, main course, and dessert.  In fact, I don't even need an appetizer and a main course.  And I don't order dessert; the chocolate cake will still be on the menu in six months when the diet is over.
• Sometimes, a salad with an appetizer is all I need.  But don't let them drench the salad in dressing.
• Read the menu carefully; fried food is often disguised with other terms.  If in doubt, ask your waitperson for more information.
• Turn the bread basket away.  Drink water while you wait for your order.  And talk; it is hard to chew and swallow while talking.

I'm turning Wednesday Weigh-In into a monthly, rather than weekly, post. Reporting in helps keep me at it (probably the reasoning behind Weight Watchers meetings) but the pounds are coming off slowly and I don't have much to say about it.  No point in boring everyone when I could be talking about quilting.

The stats:
weight lost this week: -1.2 pounds
weight lost YTD: 4.4 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Positive Reinforcement

Despite the fact that the needle has barely budged since I got the new scale, I have lost some of my "padding."  I am wearing pants I bought in 2008 that were too tight last summer, and that makes me feel like I've accomplished something.  You may recall my post about weight-loss rewards and he importance of non-food presents or pick-me-ups (as I call them).  Well, I cashed in one of my rewards last Saturday when I used my birthday gift certificate for spa services at Metropolis in Princeton.  I had a service called the Spa Mosaic Body Treatment, a sort of fancy massage.  It was heavenly! 

I've promised myself another one when I reach my goal weight.

The stats:
weight lost this week: -0.8 pounds
weight lost YTD: 3.2 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Diet Buster

The week was a disaster as far as the diet goes, just look at the stats below.  And all the fault of this product:

My daughter introduced me to it after having it at school.  Nutella, nectar of the gods and elixir of love as far as I can tell.   I mean, seriously good.  "OMG, it rocks!" as Hungry Girl would say.  Similar to peanut butter but made of chocolate and hazelnuts.  Only problem is that is has about a gazillion calories in a tablespoon, which is the minimum amount you need to spread on a piece of toast. 

So, I've been a bad girl and the stats show it.  I will try to get back on track.

The stats:

weight lost this week: +1.6 pounds
weight lost YTD: 2.4 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Now Eat This!

Have you heard about this book?  Now Eat This, by Rocco Dispirito.   A woman I work with was enthusing about it so when I saw it in Barnes & Noble, I bought it in an effort to help the weight-loss cause.  (I've always considered it unfortunate that it is not enough to just read weight-loss books, low-cal cookbooks, and exercise instructions; you have to actually put the advice into practice.  That's the hard part; I don't have any trouble with the reading.)

Anyway, its a cookbook with recipes for "America's favorite comfort foods, all under 350 calories."    For example, in Cheesy Turkey Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa and Cilantro, he comes up with a version that has only 314 calories per serving (previously 990 calories), while Almost General Tso's Chicken comes in at 310 calories.  In No Cream-No Cry Penne Alla Vodka (one of my Italian restaurant favorites!), he trades low fat Greek yogurt for the traditional cream.  I'm going to try a few of these recipes and report back.  My weight loss effort has been stalled, creeping along at about a pound a month, so I need something to jump-start the effort.

The stats:
weight lost this week: 0.5 pounds
weight lost YTD: 4.1 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Lunch

Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen, in their YOU on a Diet plan, recommend sticking to just a few different menus.  The thought is that by limiting the need to make decisions or food choices, you reduce the number of occasions on which you can make a bad choice.   In an effort to get the weightloss back on track, I will be following this advice and limiting myself to just a few alternative lunch menus:

1.  Soup - the cafeteria at one of my clients' office building serves very good soup and it is the first station.  If I eat soup the day or two each week that I am there, I will get a healthy, low-calorie (I avoid the cream-based soups) meal and avoid the temptations offered at the other stations.  If I don't like the soup choices, I can have a container of yogurt with a piece of fruit. 

2.  Tuna on one slice of whole wheat bread or toast - my staple lunch at home.  I make my tuna with low-fat mayo, chopped celery, and a few chopped green olives for flavor kick.  I also add pepper.  I like it mounded on the bread slice and toasted in the toaster oven.  Occasionally, I add a bit of shredded cheddar cheese to the top before toasting.

3.  Taco Bell Fresco Ranchero chicken soft tacos - This is my alternative when out and about on the run.  The Fresco Ranchero chicken soft taco is from the "Drive Thru Diet Menu" and is pretty tasty.  Two of them with a Diet Pepsi comes in under 400 calories. 
I eat any of the above with a piece of fruit (apple, pear, clementine, small banana); at home, I can have my unsweetened, frozen berries.  For a beverage, I drink hot tea, iced tea (both unsweetened, but that's how I like my tea anyway), or one of the 10 calorie versions of Fuze.  I drink a lot of water during the day, between meals.  Yes, it's a bit Spartan but hopefully, it will work.

The stats:
weight lost this week: +0.4 pounds
weight lost YTD:  3.6 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - A Birthday Celebration

This past Friday was Miss Main Street's 15th birthday.  She didn't want a big celebration.  After opening presents, she went with her friends to dinner at TGI Friday's, followed by a movie.  I went out to dinner with the women from my sorority alumnae group and Mr. Main Street stayed home to grade papers!

One thing the birthday has done, though, is forced me to focus more on the weight loss effort.  I  can really no longer blame the need to "lose a few" on having birthed a child when the child is now 15 years old!


The stats:
weight lost this week: 1.0 pound
weight lost YTD: 4.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Less of Me

Although the stats don't show it because of switching scales, I think I have really lost about 10 or 11 pounds so far, which is not exactly on track to lose 20 pounds by July 4 but I am pleased anyway because I have confirmation that there really is less of me. 

First, I had to retire my favorite pair of jeans.  They had gone beyond roomy to just plain too big.  In fact, not only did they slip down on my hips but I could take them off without undoing the zipper.  Fortunately, I had already purchased a new pair in a smaller size.

Secondly, we had a warm spell here, like spring had really arrived, and I got excited and placed an order on the Talbots website.  All pieces in my usual size, which had been getting a bit tight, in fact, often didn't fit at all when I went shopping in January.  Not so now, in fact, everything I ordered has to go back - all too big!  Yippee!  Despite the wasted postage, I say, "Yes!"

The stats:
weight lost this week: 0.6 pound
weight lost YTD: 3.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Persevering

Some of you have emailed me with encouraging words about my weight loss efforts.  Thank you so much, it helps a lot!  And I lost a bit more this week, despite the temptation of chocolate eggs!

The stats:

weight lost this week: 0.8 pound
weight lost YTD: 2.4 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Workouts

I'm getting back to my workout routine after a long hiatus while I nursed a nasty cold and lingering cough.  I am focusing on increasing the intensity of my workouts.  I don't see how I can possibly devote any more time; I usually get to the gym 4 or 5 times a week and workout for about an hour and 20 minutes each session.  So I am trying to ramp up the intensity to increase the calorie burn off rate.  I've increased the incline on the treadmill for my walking workout, and lengthened the amount of  time I spend at the most intense speed/incline combo while spending a shorter time in the middle speed before I begin the cooldown.  So far, so good.  Although it didn't appear to make an impact on this week's weight loss stats!

The stats:

weight lost this week: 0.4 pounds
weight lost YTD: 1.6 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Return of the Stats!

The fact that I lost any weight at all this week is something of a weight-loss miracle.  I had a crazy week at work, putting in such long days that I never made it to the gym.  Plus, I had a two-day meeting in New York City.  Though fun and productive, the meeting was not diet-friendly.  Cookies and brownies appeared in our conference room every afternoon and we went out to dinner at a Cuban restaurant.  Must have a mojito!  I had to compensate with major deprivation the rest of the week.

With my new, "tell it like it is" scale, I've reset the stat tracker.

The stats:
weight lost this week: 1.2 pounds
weight lost to date: 1.2 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Recalculating

Our old scale was, as my daughter puts it, a friendly scale. It did not want to hurt our feelings so it shaved off a pound or two (or five) to make us feel better.  Our new scale is stern and precise and tells us like it is.  Here is our new scale:















It tells me my weight, in nice big digits, to the tenth of a pound.  And with the change in scales, I am, as the GPS voice says, "Recalculating!"  Or maybe I should say, "starting over."  So, starting with debut of the new scale, stats are:

Lost this week:  0.0 pounds
Lost to date:  0.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Portion Control

Portion control is one of the areas I am focusing on in my effort to lose weight.  My weight gain is the result of eating more than I need, more than I metabolize - too many sweets, too many snacks, and portions that are generally too large.  I've cut way back on sweets (painful!), drastically reduced the number of between meal snacks I consume (not as difficult as I thought it would be); now I am turning to portion control. 

Breakfast is easy in this respect.  My oatmeal recipe makes four servings, which I portion out in individual covered bowls.  And my cold cereal is easy to measure out in right-size portions.  Lunch isn't too difficult.  I usually have soup and a piece of fruit, a diet-friendly sandwich, or, occasionally, leftovers from a restaurant meal.

Dinner is more difficult.  I grew up in the days of the Clean Plate, raised by parents who themselves were raised by Depression survivors and immigrants who found the good life when they came to the USA.  Leaving food on my plate goes against my lifetime training.  I started by doing it deliberately, leaving a bite or two here and there.  After a few weeks, it is not so difficult.  Restaurant meals are very often way more than a standard single portion.  We go out to eat about once a week; while it doesn't seem like much, 500 extra calories here and 500 there and before you know it, you've packed on some pounds.  So my new trick is to eyeball the plate and draw an imagery line that divides what I will eat from what I will take home in a doggie bag.  Each time I do this, it becomes easier.  Hopefully, it will have the desired impact!

No stats this week.  My scale broke and the new has not been delivered yet.

Wednesday Weigh-In - The GOOD and the BAD

The Good - We went to a party at some friends' house on Saturday evening and I wore a pair of my formerly too tight pants.  Except now they are not too tight!  That was a sign that I've made progress and was very gratifying.

The Bad - I've had a cold for 17 days.  It is much better now than it was a week ago but I still cough like a person near death after any exercise.  So I haven't been to the gym in all that time.  I'm fearful the pounds are piling on but I can't tell because...

More Bad - our digital scale seems to be broken.  When I get on it (or anyone else gets on it for that matter), the numbers flash seemingly at random, then after a long time it finally settles on a number, again at random, and readouts are not consistent between one weighing and the next a few minutes later.  Much as I would like to weigh 116 pounds, I'm not fooled into believing I really do!  So, I will be shopping for a new scale.  In the meantime, I'll repeat the last set of stats.

The stats:

weight lost this week: ?
weight lost YTD: 8.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Cravings

I've had a bad cold for over a week now, impairing my senses of smell and taste, so cravings have not been much of an issue lately.  That's unusual, chocolate and cookies being my regular downfall when on any diet.  As mentioned before, I've found the Vitalicious products helpful.  And single-serve Jello chocolate pudding fills the need on occasion.  But for the long term, I need to find the secret to making these cravings occur less frequently, and making them satisfied with less when they do occur. 

Has anyone found the solution yet?

The stats:
weight lost this week: 1.0 pound
weight lost YTD: 8.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Hungry Girl

In last week's Wednesday Weigh-In, I mentioned Vitalicious products.  I learned about Vitalicious from Hungry Girl.  Once you get past the "OMG, it rocks!!!" prose style, the Hungry Girl website (and email newsletter) is a great resource for anyone trying to shed a few pounds.  Hungry Girl was founded by Lisa Lillien, just an ordinary woman who was trying to lose weight.  She is not a nutritionist or a doctor; she does good research and provides sound advice. 

Her restaurant reveals, the nutrition stats for menu items at popular chain restaurants, are particularly illuminating.  Macaroni Grill serves a chicken dish with over 1400 calories per serving!  Good to know before you blow your daily allowance on one entree!  With this feature, you can learn how to eat out while maintaining your weight loss regimen.  Useful, even if you are not on a diet.

In Chew The Right Thing, she provides reinvented recipes that take much of the fat and calories out of favorites, like fried chicken.  Unfortunately, many of these recipes don't work for me because I try to avoid ersatz foods like artificial sweeteners.  But one trick I picked up that I really like is to substitute canned pumpkin for some or all of the fat in baked goods.  It keeps them moist, with a nice texture, and anyone who doesn't know about the pumpkin would never guess it was there.

Check out Hungry Girl and if you like what you see, sign up to receive the newsletter.

The stats:
weight lost this week: 1.0 pound
weight lost YTD: 7.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Vitalicious

I am a terrible sweet tooth and I particularly love chocolate. Unfortunately, sweets and chocolate cannot make frequent appearances on the menu while dieting. But I found this magical, low-cal chocolate goodie that works to satisfy during those "Yes, I'm on a diet but I must have some chocolate NOW!" moments.

It is Vitalicious! Their Vitatops are delicious and really fill the need when I have a craving for chocolate. They are only 100 calories apiece and are packed with fiber so they fill me up too. I like all the chocolate flavors but the Deep Chocolate is especially good. They taste just like a chocolate muffin, though a tad drier than the muffins you get at bakeries (but then, bakery muffins have 700+ calories!).  The chocolate tastes authentic and some flavors even have chocolate chips or dried fruit in them.

I haven't found Vitatops or any other Vitalicious products in stores around me so I order in bulk from the website and keep them in the freezer.  They thaw ready to eat in about 10 minutes.

The stats:
weight lost this week: 1.5 pounds
weight lost YTD: 6.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Staying Motivated

Vanity is my motivation for this diet.  Weight creep was starting to make itself seen in a little extra padding here and there, enough to push me up a size and make shopping for clothes a little bit less enjoyable.  I know I won't get my 32-year-old body back, but I would like to look and feel better in my clothes.  So that is what this is all about. 

I have a few favorite outfits - good wool pants, a pretty winter skirt - that are currently too tight to be comfortable.  But a few more pounds lost and they should be a good fit again and will give a needed boost to my end of winter wardrobe.  So that's my short term motivation.

The stats:

weight lost this week: +0.5 pounds
weight lost YTD:  4.5 pounds

A few indulgences combined with too few trips to the gym.  But I am back on track so hope to have better stats next week.

Wednesday Weigh-In - Sensible Eating Plan

I am not following any particular diet plan, like Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, etc.  I am following my own plan, which I refer to as Sensible Eating.

Sensible choices - more fruit and vegetables; avoid fried food, cream sauces, anything overloaded with cheese.
Sensible portions - that means smaller than what I have become used to, especially in restaurants.  Plus, it is not necessary to eat everything on my plate.
Sensible approach to sweets - I am a sweet-tooth and chocolate is my drug of choice.  Eat only rarely, and in small amounts.  Most difficult step to follow!

For example, when my husband and I went out last Saturday, to our usual Saturday night date-night restaurant, I had five grilled shrimp on what they serve as a side salad.  It was enough.  I was comfortably full without being stuffed. I don't need to feel stuffed, in fact, I would rather not feel stuffed.  Must remember this more often!

The stats:

weight lost this week:  1.0 pounds
weight lost YTD:  5.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Rewards

I tend to use food as a reward.  Oh, that interview with the prospective new client went well; I'll stop at Starbucks for a Caramel Macchiato.  Or I'm at the mall shopping with Miss Main Street in the stores with the extremely loud music with incomprehensible lyrics; a stop at Hagen Daz would make a good pick-me-up.  You can understand why I'm carrying an extra 20 pounds.

So I need some new rewards.  While I like the occasional papaya, it doesn't give me the satisfaction of, say, a chocolate truffle.  But I'm trying to make it work.  Still, I think it would be best for the long term if I could adopt some non-food rewards.  One of my Christmas gifts was a gift certificate to a local day spa.  I'm planning to use it at the 10 pounds lost point. But I need some treats of the more daily or weekly variety.  Do you have any ideas for me?

The stats:

weight lost this week: 1.5 pounds
weight lost YTD: 4.0 pounds

Wednesday Weigh-In - Breakfast

In an effort to stay on-plan, I have two alternate breakfast menus:

1.  A cold cereal mix of Fiber One and Trader Joe's Ginger Cashew Granola.  I love this granola and mixing it with the Fiber One cuts the calories while upping the fiber content.

2.  Hot oatmeal - I make mine in the Crock Pot.  Mix 1 cup of steel cut oats with 4 cups of vanilla almond milk (a vegan milk alternative, sold near regular milk in the supermarket - lower in calories than skim milk and I like the flavor); cook on low for 3 1/2 hours, stirring several times during the last 90 minutes to keep the oatmeal from sticking to the sides of the pot.  This makes 4 servings.  I refrigerate in individual, lidded bowls, then add about a tablespoon of milk and microwave for 90 seconds to re-heat.  Liven up by mixing in one of the following add-ins:

• 5 chopped walnuts and a tablespoon of pumpkin butter (or apple butter)
• 1 tablespoon of low-sugar fruit spread
• 1/4 cup of unsweentened applesauce
• 1/2 a banana, sliced

With a cup of coffee (I take my coffee black, no sugar, even when not dieting so no way to cut back on calories there), this tides me over until lunch most days.  If not, I have an apple or clementine as a late morning snack. 

The stats:
weight lost this week: 2.5 pounds
weight lost YTD:  2.5 pounds

Yep, I'm happy with that!