This is the fastest it's ever come off. I'm not quite sure why - I am eating three meals a day, plus three snacks - but I have completely cut out alcohol, caffeine, and white potatoes and white rice, and cut back severely on added sugar and refined carbohydrates (like white flour) I read somewhere (I think that book that Kathy and Teachum were talking about earlier) that sticking with as many whole foods - things that haven't been highly processed before you buy them in the store - as you can is a good idea The portions I'm eating aren't huge either, and that helps too - This is what I ate today:

Breakfast:
1 poached egg on 1/2 piece whole wheat toast
1/2 grapefruit
decaf tea

Lunch
1/2 sandwich w/ ww bread, slice havarti cheese/ham/avacado/red onion/lettuce/mayo
can of V8

Dinner will probably be some sort of veggie chicken stir fry with loads of veggies, and a small amount of brown rice, with either a half a grapefruit for dessert, or half a container of Cascade yogurt with a some raisins and peanuts and granola tossed in.

I've been making sure I eat a snack mid morning and mid afternoon - either a part of a banana and a big spoonful of crunchy peanut butter, or some triangular cheese (that stuff with the cow on it) on a big piece of celery. The hardest part is NOT EATING after dinner. That's when I really want to snack.

On top of that, I'm doing 45 minutes of aerobics at my jazzercise class 5 or 6 days a week, and lifting weights 3 times a week, plus the exercise I get horsing around at the barn 5 days a week. But I've pretty much been doing the exercise all along - so it's really the amount of food I cut back on (cookies, candy, mochas, potato chips, beer, wine, and more cookies ) that have made the difference. I expect after another week the weight loss will start to be more gradual.

I did have a shocker at the gym today - Mr. Jodi and I had our body fat tested - they have a special scale - there are 4 levels

Blue is "Athletic"
Yellow is "Ideal" (that's hard to see - it's "Ideal")
Green is "You have some work to do"
Red is "You are a big fat cow"

Mr. Jodi was on the borderline between ideal and athletic, and I was on the borderline between needing work and positively bovine. My body fat came in at a whopping 40.5% Gads.

Jodi

Eating better and less, and exercising. Exactly what I was afraid of....

All I can say is, the first 4 days were the hardest. Once you start seeing some results, you start to feel like you might actually make it. Of course, I've done this now twice before and gained weight back. I'm hoping three's a charm.

Jodi

Here's something to keep us all motivated (found at Portal of Evil yesterday):



The New "American Standard"?

"...tested to 2000 lb..."

(Question is whether it's easier to remodel our homes or ourselves... )

That's not a joke, is it?

Jodi, some unsolicited advice. (I *am* trying to stay off my soap box but when it comes to this subject, it's hard). First of all - good for you. You are definitely on the right track - particularly with the quantity and variety of the exercise. Wow! The fact that you've been doing all of that, and still gaining wait, however, tells me that you're heading into the middle age black hole at which point your metabolism is whacked. But contrary to popular belief, this is not a sad fact of aging that we must resign ourselves to. It *can* be reversed. But, it takes a commitment to to change your diet permanently.

The good news is - that doesn't mean eating less. In fact, it usually means eating more. You're on the right track cutting out the sugar and refined grains. But, don't overlook the benefit of good fat. Another popular myth is that eating fat makes you fat. In fact, fat is crucial to good metabolism and maybe more importantly - it's what makes one feel sated. It's therefore important that you have good fat with every meal. Good fat includes that found in eggs, dairy and even animal fat (your cholesterol levels ultimately being the measure of how much).

You should also have fiber (as in a fibrous fruit or vegetable) with every meal. Ideally, every time you eat (including snacks) you should have a protein, a fibrous fruit or vegetable and some fat.

You should not lose more than two pounds a week. If you're losing more, you're compromising your metabolism (i.e. eating too little, and burning off muscle mass). If you're losing more than this, you're in danger of doing the yoyo diet thing which you've indicated has been your downfall. Schwarzbein explains the yoyo effect at length and stresses repeatedly the importance of going at it slowly (i.e., eating right) if you want the results to stick. Another point along these lines - you should never be feeling hungry. I was struck by your scanty breakfast. I'd add at least one more egg, a whole piece of whole wheat toast and some veggies (as in a peppers and onion omelot). I find that having a hardy breakfast generally staves off the need for a mid-morning snack, and it gives your metabolism the jump start that it needs first thing in the morning.

You mention enjoying the sweetness of fruits and other non-sweetened foods. One of my biggest treats these days (and I have always been a dessert hog) is fresh fruit (or frozen if I don't have fresh) in a bowl with light cream. It seemed so decadent, and once you're reacclimated to the taste of natural sweetness, it's absolutely orgasmic - but it's *good* for you! I also eat a huge amount of nuts, which again many shy away from thinking they're too fatty.

I really encourage you to read the book. Her approach is completely scientific and based on her years of experience as a practicing endocronologist. It's totaly changed my outlook on food and eating - - I'm eating considerably more and much better than used to, I seldom feel deprived (I ate a total of maybe five cookies and a sliver or two of pie between Thanksgiving and now), and I've lost about 20 pounds (since August), sleep better, my mood is much better and more consistent, and remarkably, I haven't been sick since I've started on this, whereas in the past I was always a cold and flu magnet, and felt like I spent most falls and winters sick or recoving from the last sickness. The Schwarzbein method works not only for weight loss, but regaining one's general health.

I was talking to a friend in church the other day. She's a 70 yo dynamo, but she was complaining about how tired and achy she is all the time. I asked her about her diet, sans a lecture (she's a big foodie) and her response was that at most, she'd gain 2 or 3 years of life if she altered it, and she wasn't willing to sacrifice the things she loves for that. I then asked her if she'd sacrifice them for a better quality life (e.g. having her stamina back and losing the aches and pains). That one left her pondering. For me, this really is all about quality of life. Good diet, regular exercise, stress reduction and tending to hormone replacement (prn) are the basic tenets. Heh - and being able to wear skinny jeans again is a lot more fun than a sugar-laden dessert.

What the....? The Schwarzbein principles? Kathy, I thought you had recommended the Schwarzenegger principles! No wonder I haven't lost much weight. On the plus side, I am really enjoying the aerobic groping classes...

Well, in that case, show us your pecs, Mr.!

Are you really doing aerobic groping? I did a class last night. I had done a couple early in the fall, but then I managed to pull a ligament in my knee falling out of a kayak, so that gave me a reprieve. I am the biggest, most uncoordinated klutz in the room, always two or three steps behind everyone else or going in the opposite direction, but it really is kind of fun and certainly gets a sweat worked up.

You are correct Kathy - and I have read Schwarzbeins writings, as well as a bunch of others nutritinal experts. And I'm not worrying about fat, I know that it is one of the things that keeps me feeling full. I am actually amazed at how much longer an egg sticks with me than when I used to just eat some yogurt with a bit of granola on the top. Truly the only things I'm cutting out are the added sugars and the refined carbohydrates (as well as white rice, potatoes and alcohol) - and it's made a huge difference in how I feel in the afternoon and evening.

Jodi

Day 10 167.5

148 by 48

quote:

Originally posted by jodi:
Mary Anna is going to be in Seattle in the beginning of February - PJ and I were going to try to get together with her, when are you going to be there?

Jodi

I'm flying over on Thursday night, Feb 1 and back on Sunday the 4th. Is Mary Anna doing a book thing?

YES! That very weekend!

MaryAnna's book thing

We should try to get together?

Jodi

Last night, the Romaine lettuce tasted sweet. How weird is that?

Day 12 168.5

Jodi

148 by 48


Day 13 167

Day 14 166

Day 15 164.5 Ok, I'm not sure why it went so low today, but I did get on the scale in the middle of yesterday, and it said 164. I am truly not starving myself. I even had a piece of chocolate and a Mocha (decaf, 2% milk, with not too much syrup made by Mr.Jodibucks) yesterday.

Day 16 166.5

Day 17 166

Jodi

Today, I had my body fat tested again - since they thought I might have been dehydrated the last time, and it did go down to 36.5% which is right in the middle of the average but needs work category.

Yesterday I treated myself to one of those nice big packages of smoked salmon at Costco - expensive, but no more than 3 or 4 mochas would cost, and it's lovely as a snack. It's amazing what you start to think is "lovely" when you aren't eating junk any more. (although I did whimper a little bit when walking by the bakery. ) Also I made a huge Calzone for everyone for dinner, and managed to only eat one helping. That was a first. It takes less food to feel full, which is a good thing.

Day 18 165.5


Jodi

What is that background for your current avatar? It looks like a bulging purple blouse over blue jeans or somesuch. Is that what it is? (Your mention of calzone reminded me of the leftover lasagne in the fridge from last night. Off to microwave lunch...) (But, for the record, the only reason there are leftovers is because I thought of your example here last night and only had one sensible serving then, though I could easily have had a second.)

It's bulging love handles being held up by a very tight purple spandex workout top over grey spandex yoga pants. I'm scheduled to take another one tomorrow, and will put that one up behind my avatar when I do. I've taked three sets so far - the first one I shot in the mirror, then I rigged the camera on the tripod in my studio. I had a little trouble with the set-up, though - the shadow the flash throws on the off white wall is almost the same color as the pants, and so from a distance makes my legs look bigger than they are. So I'm going to experiment with some dark fabric tacked to the wall tomorrow. My goal is to get a running series of me from love handles to athletic *snort*, kind of like that guy who took a picture a day for two years and posted it on YouTube. Mine will be posted on YouTub. *snort* Actually, when there has been some obvious progress, I'll start posting them here.

Jodi

Have achieved GOAL WEIGHT - though it was mostly through massive dehydration - but that means we're within striking distance of really achieving goal weight - 90....