Back again!

Hello there, world, it's been a while.

Right at 2 years, in fact. My how things have changed.

First things first. Since this is a blog about healthy eating, I should confess that for a while I was not eating healthy. By late January 2012 my weight had rocketed back up to about 349 lbs. Spring and summer 2012 I managed to get my weight back down to about 318. Over the winter, 10 pounds snuck back. Over the past month, I've shed them away. Yesterday morning I weighed in at 317.6 lbs.

There has been huge change in my life. During summer of 2011 my experience working at the restaurant changed drastically. Business there plummeted and so did my hours. I started working part-time at the news again. Around August/September I realized that in order to earn a decent living I would have to either commute an hour each way to Wichita to work, or I would have to move out of Hutchinson. First week of November 2011 I put my house on the market, packed up my things and moved back to Charleston, SC. I had a Craigslist roommate, no job and no real plan to speak of.

I got lucky in terms of work. About 3 weeks after I moved to Charleston I was contacted by a temp agency for a customer service position. 4 months later I was hired on by the company I was working for. 6 months ago I got a promotion. I make decent money, enjoy what I do, and can see opportunity for growth and advancement.

I was unlucky in my choice of roommates. January 2012 I was told I would either have to take over the lease by myself or move out - with 15 days notice. I found a cute apartment in Park Circle and I've been nesting here ever since. Oh, and in September 2012 my office moved from a location 25 minutes from my apartment to a location 7 minutes from my apartment. Adios, commute.

So, over the past year I've done relatively well keeping my weight near 320 lbs. It's time to move my healthy habits to the next level and drop some more weight!

Last week my parents and I started a challenge amongst ourselves. Whoever loses the greatest percentage of weight between May 2 and August 31 will win two new outfits, courtesy of the "lesser losers." I've stated Weight Watchers online to help me stay on track, and I plan to blog about my exploits - hopefully to inspire others and motivate myself.

Hello there, world, it's been a while. But I'm back, and ready to rock!

Bye Bye, Paxil Munchies

So, last week and the week before I was hungry all the time. I blamed it on the Paxil. Now my munchies are gone. Maybe it was just a getting-to-know-you thing between my body and the drugs. Appetite seems to have returned to normal.

Unfortunately, I don't seem to be feeling any less "blah". I still have that borderline-depression-don't-feel-like-doing-anything feeling. Perhaps I perpetuate this by not doing anything. Maybe if I actually forced myself to do things, I'd feel more like being productive.

My weight this week has remained steady. No weight lost, probably because of pizza consumption. I order pizza when I don't feel like cooking and/or don't have anything to cook and/or don't feel like leaving the house. Unfortunately, even a small amount of pizza has a large amount of calories.

The Journey Continues...New Job, More Weight Lost, and my battle with the Paxil Munchies

So, I promised I would be sharing more blog posts throughout my Choose 2 Lose experience but did not follow through on that promise. I give you no more promises, but I do come bearing an update.

A big part of the reason I have not been posting much lately is because I have changed jobs (yet again...yes, I know). I got hired as a cook at Wilder's Bakery and Bistro around mid February, and for a while I was working there and at the Hutchinson News (65-70 hour weeks, yikes). Even after I resigned from the News, I was still getting used to being on my feet all the time and the more physical nature of working in a kitchen. I was tired all the time and pretty much all I did was eat, sleep, work, watch movies on Netflix and do laundry. I'm finally starting to get into the routine of having a somewhat physically demanding job.

Working a job that requires me to be on my feet 40 hours a week has definitely helped with achieving my weight loss goals. Since starting at the restaurant, I have lost about 15 pounds. Yesterday I weighed in at 309 pounds. I have lost 37 pounds since I went to the doctor before my trip to Panama.

About 2 weeks ago I started taking generic Paxil (anti-anxiety/anti-depressant) which I think is affecting my metabolism. I am hungry all the time. It's seriously so bad I've started referring to the phenomenon as the "Paxil Munchies." They come on almost without warning and I feel like I'm starving even if I just had a snack a couple of hours before. In order to deal with this constructively, I try to eat about 5 small meals a day. I also make sure I have high-fiber granola bars on hand at work for a healthy snack, because we don't really get designated breaks, and it's a "grab what you can and stuff it in your face while trying to do 15 other things" situation.

Despite constantly eating, I have lost 8 pounds in the past 2 weeks (before I was losing 1-2 pounds/week). Something has reved my metabolism up, and for now I'm not complaining. Last night, I went out dancing with some friends and I wore a pair of jeans (2 sizes smaller than what I was wearing last fall) that I have not been able to wear for about a year and a half or two years. It was great motivation to continue eating healthy!

Sample day of Amy's Paxil Munchie diet
Breakfast:
2 cups of coffee w/2 tablespoons of heavy cream
1 1/2 cups Active Lifestyle red berry cereal
1 cup skim milk
1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
4 sliced strawberries

Mid-morning snack:
1 cup skim milk
1 medium banana
1 Active Lifestyle granola bar (high fiber, high protein)

Lunch:
Turkey Sandwich:
2 slices light wheat bread
1/2 tablespoon light mayo
1/2 tablespoon stone ground mustard
4 oz turkey
few thinly sliced red onions
few spinach leaves

1 cup low fat yogurt w/ sliced strawberries
1 medium apple

Afternoon snack:
1/8 "cookie cake" (equivalent to about 2 2-inch chocolate chip cookies)
1 cup skim milk

Later afternoon snack:
1 cup lowfat plain yogurt with 1/2 sliced banana

Dinner:
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup black beans (cooked with tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and spices)
1/8 cup shredded cheese

Night snack:
4 cups popcorn popped with 1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup pomegranate juice

Okay...that was actually 7 small meals. Did I mention that my meds make me hungry? All. The. Time. My strategy is to be prepared with something healthy to munch on so that I don't give into the temptation to run to Burger King or order from Papa John's.

Choose 2 Lose

So, its been a while since I've posted anything here. During the holidays I got out of my healthy eating habits and gained back about 5 pounds. I still have lost a total of 16 pounds since starting my weight loss journey. Wintertime is always difficult for me because I am more prone to depression, and the combination of darkness, loneliness, and cold make me crave high-sugar, high-fat comfort foods.

At my workplace, we have formed teams for Choose 2 Lose. This is a program put on by the Hutchinson Clinic in which teams at different companies compete in a weight loss/fitness challenge. The program lasts 10 weeks and teams receive points for days participants work out, number of pounds each participant loses, and percentage of weight lost by team members.

Each Choose 2 Lose team has a team captain. I was elected captain of my team. Part of my strategy is to provide weekly healthy eating tips to my teammates and archive them on this blog so that they are easily accessible to my teammates and to others who are interested in weight loss.

Sometimes the greatest motivation is motivating others.

Day 35

I weighed in on Sunday. Last week I lost 3 pounds for a total weight loss of 20.4 pounds.

In an effort to try and incorporate more vegetables into my diet, I made a veggie-heavy pasta sauce last night with canned tomatoes, red peppers, red onion, swiss chard, mushrooms and ground beef.

I had a new roommate move in yesterday afternoon and I have several tasks that I am working on for the Kansas Equality Coalition. My parents are coming next Monday to visit for Thanksgiving. What I'm saying is: I'm pretty busy so you may not be hearing much from me this week.

Day 31

Breakfast (7:30 a.m.)
1/8 "Thing" (2"x4" piece)
Hot tea with splenda

The Thing is gone! I'll have to work on some sort of fruit and nut bread, cookie or bar that is a bit more pleasant. It was edible, though.

Snack (10:00 a.m.)
2 clementine oranges

Lunch (12:45 p.m.)
2 1/4 c. broccoli cheese soup

Snack (2:00 p.m.)
2 oz dry roasted almonds
1/4 c. chocolate chips
1/4 c. raisins

Dinner (5:30 p.m.)
2 c. broccoli cheese soup
5 c. popcorn (popped in oil with salt)
1 O'dell's Ale

Day 30

Breakfast (7:30)
1/4 of "Thing" (4"x3" piece)

Read yesterday's post. The "Thing" is a late-night creation. It's okay. It's a somewhat bland carbohydrate vessel for putting rasins and walnuts in my belly. There are ways on which it could be improved. Perhaps someday I will make real granola bars, or walnut-rasin wheat bread. For now, I have the "Thing" and it is edible if not great, so I will eat it until it is gone.

Snack (9:45 a.m.)
1/8 of "Thing" (2"x3" piece)
2 clementine oranges (tangerines? satusmas? mandarins? What the hell are these things?)
2 c coffee w/ 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

Lunch (12:30)
1 1/2 c. broccoli cheese soup
2 Weight Watchers chicken ranchero snack wraps

I wound up eating dinner at my friend Jon's house. He had picked up a bunch of hours d'oeuvres from Sam's and wanted to try some.

Dinner (6:45 p.m.)
2/3 c. mixed nuts
3 bacon wrapped tenderloin bites
1 mini spinach dip
1 chicken spinach cup thing (?)
1 mini raspberry brie en crute
3 "little smokies" in blankets

Snack (8:00 p.m.)
5 c. popcorn, salted, popped in oil

Day 29

Its been a couple weeks since I kept a food journal - updating throughout the day the foods and beverages that I have consumed and calculating the calorie content. I find food journaling helpful because: 1. It helps me keep track of how many calories I am consuming; and 2. It helps me make sure that I am eating enough fruits, vegetables and dairy.

Breakfast (9:00 a.m.)
1 slice wheat toast
1 teaspoon honey
2/3 tablespoon peanut butter
1 pear
2 c. coffee with 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Lunch (12:30 p.m.)
2 Weight Watchers chicken ranchero smart mini wraps
1 grilled cheese sandwich
1 1/2 c. skim milk

The comfort food craving continues. Last week, I made a chicken-noodle-veggie casserole. Tonight, I made broccoli cheddar soup. I've had a bag of frozen broccoli hanging out in my freezer for several months, and it was starting to show signs of freezer burn. Soups, stews and casseroles are good ways to use up less-than-perfect produce.

Dinner (6:15 p.m.)
2 c. broccoli cheddar soup

About the soup:
It started with a roux made from about 3/4 stick butter and 1/2 c. flour. To that, I added about 1 1/2 cups lowfat, low sodium chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups skim milk. That mixture was brought to a simmer, then 2 cups frozen broccoli pieces were added. Once the soup reached a low simmer, I added salt and pepper to taste, then added about 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar. This resulted in a soup with a medium-thin "creamy" base. It wasn't as thick (or as high in calories) as most of the broccoli cheddar soups I've had in restaurants.

Snack (8:30 p.m.)
1/2 (4"x7") of "Thing"

So, I was kind of hungry, wanted a granola bar but didn't have any. I set out to make my own. But I didn't have any oatmeal. But I did have whole wheat flour. What resulted was a "Thing." The "Thing" consists of 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup rasins (briefly reconstituted in water), 1/3 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 egg and 1/3 cup skim milk. I wanted to make an 8"x8" pan of "granola" bars. The mix I made up didn't quite fill the pan, so it wound up being 8"x7". The "Thing" was about 1/4 inch thick. It was okay. I was hungry. I ate half.

Day 27

This week I weighed in at 328.6 pounds. I only lost 0.4 pounds this week, but I have lost a total of 17.4 pounds since early August.

This was a busy week. I ate more restaurant food than I have in the past few weeks. At Monday's 140conf, there were heavy hours d'oeuvres from Marcella's. Tuesday night I met with the Reno County Democrats at the Anchor Inn (greasy, heavy Mexican-American buffet). Wednesday, I didn't feel like cooking so I went through the drive through at Spangles (cheeseburger and fries) before going to the grocery store. Thursday I assembled a casserole during my lunch break and then threw it in the oven before heading to the Fox Theater to volunteer during the performance of Oklahoma!

Last night I volunteered at the Fox for another show, then went to my friend Christian's house afterwards. Although I ate dinner around 5:30, by the time Christian and his roommate Jason pulled enchiladas out of the oven at 9:00, I couldn't resist trying them. Around 1 a.m. I had another. Oh, and Friday night I made a batch of (18) homemade chocolate chip cookies. I'm the only one who has eaten any. There are only 6 left.

By eating more meals at home next week and by being a bit more meticulous with tracking my food intake during the day, I hope to loose 1.5 to 2 pounds.

Day 22

Yesterday was my first day working the 5:30 a.m. shift at work. After work, I got the awesome opportunity to attend the 140 Character Conference Small Town at the Fox Theater.

I was under the impression that the conference would be about how to use Twitter and ...stuff...and...well, I wasn't really sure what it would be about, but I got a free ticket from my friend Patsy Terrell so I went. It was more than I expected it to be. The conference consisted of many 10-15 minute presentations by a variety of people - educators, volunteers, the Hutchinson Police Department, the girl who got Topeka to change it's name to Google, marketers, adventurers and farmers.

The conference was less about "This is the internet. This is how to use Twitter. This is how you use social media to make money." and more about "Hey, we have a never-before-seen opportunity to connect with people around the world in amazing and incredible ways. This is my story. This is something awesome that has happened because of this crazy technology."

The conference was organized by Jeff Pulver and Becky McCray. It was the first "Small Town" 140 character conference. Others have been in New York, LA, DC, Vegas and other large cities. At the end of the day, Jeff and Becky told us that Hutchinson had the 4th highest turn out (better than DC, Boston and San Francisco) and the most people still in the audience at the end of the day. They also told us that we had the best live vido streaming and wi-fi connection - thanks to my friend Ron Williams at HutchNet Wireless.

Yesterday I did pretty good, although I did consume a large amount of cheesy, creamy spinach dip and a croissant (as part of a turkey sandwich). Today I slept very late and had some white bean and chicken soup for lunch. The soup consists of mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot), garlic, chicken broth, about 1/3 chicken cut up into small pieces, and 3 cups navy beans. I made the soup Sunday for dinner and had some for lunch yesterday

Day 20 - First week of work craziness

So, the whole daily journal thing kind of went out the window this week. I started a new job on Tuesday. Even though I'm only working part time, this is the first time in a while that I've had to keep a regular schedule (and be awake before 10 a.m...way before 10 a.m, actually). Although I had a day off on Wednesday, I didn't feel like doing anything except watch the Mad Man season 1 disk 2 dvd and other movies/shows on Netflix watch instantly. Let me give you highlights from the last few days:

Tuesday - snack day at work and fried chicken dinner at a volunteer banquet

Wednesday - grilled cheese and turkey sandwich, popcorn

Thursday - chicken, mirepoix and light gravy/broth over crash-hot potato (my new obsession), lots of coffee

Friday - Hutch High football game, small peppermint mocha at Metro Coffee afterwards (complete with whole milk and whipped cream)

Saturday - work at 7:00 a.m., crazy busy, more chicken & potato, more coffee

Today:

Breakfast (10:30 a.m.)
2 eggs, over medium
5 slices bacon
8 oz smoothie (1/2 c frozen peaches, 1/2 c lowfat plain yogurt, 3 oz skim milk)

I plan to make a white bean and chicken soup in a bit for dinner and food for this week.

This week I lost 2.8 pounds for a total of 17 pounds lost in the past 13 weeks.

Day 15

First day of the new job! Up before daylight! Breakfast...at breakfast time!

Breakfast (6:45 a.m.)
1 1/2 c. Special K Red Berries
1 c. skim milk
1 c. coffee w/1/2 tablespoon heavy cream

I have a little bit of a soft spot for statistics, so I'm kind of addicted to Google Analytics. This site allows you to track statistics about who visits your site. So far I have had 78 visits from 53 unique visitors. This blog has been viewed by people in 4 countries other than the United States: France, Brazil, Canada and the United Kingdom. Within the United States, this blog has been visited by people in 12 states. The majority of views come from Hutchinson, Kansas. My visitors from Illinois and New York spend the most time on the site (10 min 25 sec and 9 min 20 sec respectively). For all visitors, the average time on the site is 1 minute 43 seconds.

(End geek-out for the day)

Day 14 - availability and cost of nutrition

So, I got that job I interviewed for last week, yay! I've been having a pretty in-depth discussion about nutrition availability on Facebook with Cody Heitschmit. More about this later - I've got to go in and sign all that "yay you have a job" paperwork.

Breakfast (11:30 a.m.):
1 1/2 c. Special K Red Berries Cereal
1 c. skim milk

Coffee (12:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.)
4 c. coffee
3 oz heavy cream

Yes, I've had 4 cups of coffee in an hour and a half window. Insert pscychotic twitchy grin here: O.o

Snack (3:30 p.m.)
1/2 c. low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon honey.

Back to this nutrition discussion. It was prompted by a column in the Hutchinson News. In the article, the author expresses dismay at seeing a family using a Vision card (food stamp money) to buy pop, candy and other non-nutritional items. He goes on to ponder about how to ensure that food stamp funds are providing nutrition to low income families instead of paying for nutritionally deficient items.

The main focus of the article was on the items being purchased, how to limit the use of government funds to purchase non-nutritional food, and how to educate people who use these benefits about proper nutrition. However, one point stuck out at me - the author seemed to be dismayed that food stamp users were purchasing food at a convenince store "at convenience store prices." Admitedly, in Hutchinson, Kansas, grocery stores are very accessible, even in low-income neighborhoods, and shopping at Kwik Shop is probably unnecessary.

In the discussion, I brought up the fact that in many parts of the country, people do not have easy access to nutritious food. In many urban areas (and, after futher digging, rural areas, too), low-income people may live over 1 mile from a large grocery store or supermarket. For people who cannot drive, it can be difficult for them to get access to affordable, nutritious food. Many convenience stores carry bread, milk, eggs, and canned goods, but there is a lack of availability of fresh fruit and vegetables.

In discussions about nutrition, we often focus on what people are or are not eating. Sometimes, we have to look at the availability of nutritious foods. Are fruits and vegetables available at affordable prices in all communities? Unfortunately, in some places the answer is no. In many areas groups have organized community gardens in these areas and have encouraged small corner stores to increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, it is difficult for small, non-chain stores to provide fresh produce at low prices because they do not have access to the bargaining power and bulk prices that large supermarket chains do.

I think Jason Probst's article brings up some important issues about nutrition. Our country is facing a health and nutrition crisis, and we are getting to a point where we have to have a very serous conversation at the national level about how to provide actual nutrition to our low income population rather than subsidising eating habits that lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Beyond government assistance, we will need to have an in-depth discussion about how we teach our children about nutrition and how to promote healthy lifestyles among our entire population. It may sound cliche, but obesity IS an epidemic which leads to lost income, lost productivity, and ultimately loss of life. In order for us as a nation to live quality lives and be productive, nutrition needs to be a priority and not an afterthought.

On a different note...

As some of you may know, I have been unemployed/temporarily employed/under-employed for about 6 1/2 months after resigning from the City of Hutchinson in order to explore different career options. I've been trying to get my own business doing event planning and providing personal chef services off the ground, but it will be a long time before that business is profitable enough to pay all the bills. A few weeks ago I started job hunting. I took the first offer that was given to me because I am running out of savings very fast. The schedule is part time and will allow me to continue working on the business if I so choose or take on another part time job. However, it will be a long time before I am earning anything near the income I was earning at the City of Hutchinson.

I have made some minor adjustments in my spending and lifestyle over the summer. However, because my personal long-term economic forecast is grim, I need to buckle down and cut costs. Nutrition is a priorty to me and I will continue to purchase nutritious foods. Although many people think that processed foods are cheaper, prices are often similar or lower for homemade foods made "from scratch." Oftentimes, the real hang up is the time needed to prepare healthy food from scratch. Dry beans need to soak for several hours or overnight. Bread has to rise, a whole chicken needs 1 1/2 to 2 hours of cooking time versus 20-30 minutes for boneless skinless chicken breasts. However, planning and dedication can ensure that you get the most nutrition for your money.

Friday night I went to the grocery store. I spent $43.67 on about a week's worth of food. I may need to go back for a specific ingredient, but that constitutes the bulk of my grocery shopping. Albeit, I am only one person...but still, a week's worth of groceries for under $50 per person is not bad. Keep in mind that I have other staples that will round out my meals, but those are often incorporated into my regular weekly shopping.

What can $43.67 get you (from Dillons on 30th)?
5 pounds of apples
1 large head of cauliflower
1.65 pounds of broccoli crowns
2 cloves of garlic, 2 pounds of carrots
1 bunch of celery, 2 yellow onions, one red onion
1 two-pound tub of Dannon low-fat plain yogurt
1 carton (20 tea bags) Twinning's Decaf Earl Grey tea
1 carton (20 tea bags) Stash English Breakfast tea
2 whole chickens (one for the freezer to be used at a later date)
1 loaf Dillon's sliced wheat bread
1 gallon of skim milk
1 package (8 cubes) of vegetable bullion

If I had not bought the teas (just drink water or the coffee I have), bullion (make my own vegetable stock) or the 2nd chicken (purchase at a later date), then my grocery bill for the week would have been about $30.37. By cooking with whole, unprocessed foods, I am able to eat a healthy, low-cost diet.

Dinner (5:45 p.m.):
3 c. steamed white rice
1 1/2 c. broccoli flowerets
1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3 slices bacon
(everything was combined together - kind of a one-bowl meal)

Snack (8:45 p.m.):
2 oz roasted almonds

Snack (9:30 p.m.):
1 teaspoon salted caramel sauce
1 c. skim milk

Final calorie count for the day: 2208.

It just so happens that my first day at my new job is tomorrow...which is also the department "bring stuff to work for someone's birthday/because we feel like it" day. I made an apple galette with salted caramel sauce and couldn't resist sneaking a spoonfull of the caramel. I hope my offering of sugary goodness will win me brownie points with the new co-workers.

Day 13

I weighed in this morning at 331.2 pounds. Last week's weight was 331.8. This week I lost 0.6 pounds. This is evidence of how just one or two days of overeating can affect your weight loss goals.

Today I decided to try Jillian's new Sunday brunch. They just started 3 weeks ago and aren't really advertising yet. It was a buffet, and most of the stuff was pretty good. A few things were a little bland, but overall it was a decent brunch. I personally prefer a brunch where you can order off a menu - it is typically a bit cheaper, you can make healthier choices, and it isn't as easy to overeat. As we saw last week, when confronted with a buffet or other endless source of food, I, like many people, tend to overeat.

Brunch, Jillian's Italian Grill (11:00 a.m.):
1/4 cup fresh fruit
1/4 cup quinoa salad (with cranberries, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber and onion)
1/8 c. caprese salad (tomato, mozzarella, vinegar, olive oil, basil)
1/8 c. penne w/tomato sauce, mini meatballs and cheese
1/8 c. green beans
1 slice bacon
1/8 c. scrambled eggs
3 oz. ham (carving station...nice)
1/10 c. escallopped potatoes (potatoes au gratin?)
1 oz. chicken marsala (chicken with white wine mushroom cream sauce)
1/3 biscuit with 1 tablespoon sausage gravy
3 homefries (seasoned 1/4 inch potato cubes)
1/4 egg benedict (english muffin, canadian bacon, poached egg, holandaise sauce)
1 pumpkin pie individual tartlet w/ 1 1/2 teaspoon whipped cream
1 mimosa (sparkling wine and orange juice)
3 c. coffee
2 oz heavy cream (for said coffee)

The problem with buffets, especially if it is the first time you've had the buffet at a particular restaurant, is that you want to try everything. Even eating very small amounts (about 2-3 bites worth) of most of the things on the buffet add up very quickly. This goes double for things that are cheesy or creamy - escalloped potatos, chicken marsala, holandaise sauce, gravy.

The total calorie count for this extravaganza: 1494. For many people, this would be their caloric intake for the whole day. For me, this is over half of what I need. I should have eaten about 1/2 of what I consumed, passed up items that didn't look particularly interesting, and rejected the owner's insistance that I sample the eggs benedict.

I have about 1000 calories "left" for the day - that's about how much I can consume without "busting" my diet. Considering how full I feel at the moment, that shouldn't be a problem.

Dinner (8:00 p.m.):
1 weight watchers quesadilla (black beans, cheese, vegetables, about 230 calories)
1 bacon egg and cheese sandwich
    2 slices whole wheat bread
    1 slice bacon
    1 large egg
    1/4 c. grated cheddar cheese

Calorie intake for the day: 2287.

Day 12

I'm trying to get back on track to eating healthy after a few days of some less-than-great choices.

Lunch (12:00 p.m.):
3 Taco Bell beef soft tacos

Dinner (4:30 p.m.):
1 Weight Watchers "Smart Ones" Chicken Parmesean
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 c. skim milk

At this point I have consumed about 1320 calories.

This evening I attended the Hutch Haunts event that was put on by the Reno County Museum and the Hutchinson Theater Guild. Dinner was served there. It was a $45 event, but I got a free ticket thanks to my friend Patsy Terrell, who got two free tickets so she could blog about the event. Yes, I have a blogger friend who gets swag. Hopefully, one day, I too will get free stuff for projecting my thoughts into the interwebs.

Dinner again (5:45 p.m.):
1 turkey and provolone sandwich on a bun with lettuce and honey mustard
1 individual serving bag of Baked Cheetos
1 pumpkin cupcake
1 Bud Light

Snack (10:15 p.m.):
1 small oatmeal cookie
1 caramel brownie (about 2" square)

This Hutch Haunts event was about 4 1/2 hours. Actually, I left after 4 1/2 hours, but there was still another portion that would probably take about 30-45 minutes.

Calorie total for the day: 2242

Day 11

Today was very unproductive. Slept late, stayed in bed and watched old Dr. Who episodes, and didn't do much of anything until about 3:30. I got up, got dressed, and went to see the movie Secretariat. That's right, I didn't eat anything today until I got to the theater.

Snack/Lunch? (4:00 p.m.):
5 c. movie popcorn with butter (small bag)
Movie sized Peanut M&Ms (about 5.3 oz.)

Went to dinner at Marcella's with the YP gang...

Dinner (8:00 p.m.):
1 1/2 slices parmesean cheese bread
salad with 5 oz beef tenderloin
1.5 tablespoons blue cheese dressing
2 glasses red wine

Stopped by the Kansas Main Street Association Conference post-banquet dance...

After dinner drink (9:30 p.m.):
1 Bud light

Then met back up with the YP gang at the Rusty Needle...
1 Schafly Octoberfest draft

Total calorie intake: 2255. Even for only two "meals". Calorie dense foods like butter and candy and liquid calories like beer and wine can add up real quick

Day 10

Today is a big day. I have a job interview this afternoon and a friend is coming over at 11 for a day of cooking, so there will be recipes to post later. I actually got up for normal people breakfast time!

Breakfast (8:15 a.m.):
2 c. Special K Red Berries cereal
1 1/3 c. skim milk
3 c. coffee w/ 2 1/2 tablespoons hazlenut creamer (7:30 is early)

Well, cooking day has been postponed. My friend is feeling under the weather.

Lunch (12:30 p.m.):
1 1/2 c. steamed white rice
7 oz. roast beef
1 c. gravy w/ 2/3 c. spinach wilted in

Interview went okay, I think. Going to Third Thursday tonight!

Dinner (5:00 p.m.)
1 Weight Watchers Smart Ones quesadilla
1 glass white wine

Sorry it took me a while to finish this post. I didn't get home until late Thursday night and today...well, I was just lazy.

Snacks/Dinner (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
3 pieces pineapple
3 carrot sticks
1/2 teaspoon ranch dressing
2 crackers
2 .25 oz cheese cubes
1/4 cup popcorn and candy mix
1 ginger cookie
1 hot dog on bun with ketchup
1 cup peanut and candy mix
1/4 cup potato cassarole
1/4 cup baked broccoli and cheese
1 Bud light
1 chocolate chip cookie

Apparenly, snacking is my downfall. Total calorie intake: 2896.

A picture is worth 1,000 words...and shows you when you've gained 100 pounds

A few days ago I talked about why I was writing this blog. In that post I told you what my weight was at different points in time. Since my Freshman year of college (about 6 years ago), I have gained about 110 pounds.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in photographs. I have never been much of one for saying "Ooh! Ooh! Take my picture!" but in college a fair number of photographs were taken and posted to Facebook. This summer I went to Chicago and Panama, and, among about 400 photos taken during those trips, I only have one picture from each trip of myself. Both were taken at the insistance of friends, saying "you have to have a picture of yourself in (insert place here)."

I had never been particularly self conscious about being photographed, but about 2-3 years ago I started avoiding photos when possible, because, frankly, I wasn't liking what I saw when they were posted to Facebook. Somehow when I look in the mirror, I don't see a huge person. However, when I see myself in photographs, especially when standing next to normal-sized people, I am painfully aware of my weight.

Seeing myself in photos is part of what motivates me to lose weight. I don't want to be twice the size of a healthy person. Sometimes in my daily routine it is easy for me to begin to think that my body is normal or that this is just the way I am. Sometimes I need an outside reminder that althoug I have always been heavy, being fat is not who I am, but rather what I have become.

So, a photo montage of the past 6 years.

Freshman year, about 230 pounds:



Another Freshman year photo:



Beginning of Junior year. Not sure of exact weight. 230-250? I'm the one in the pink next to the wall:



Graduation, May 2007. About 280 pounds:



Third Thursday, May 2009. About 305 pounds:



Chicago, June 2010. About 340 pounds:



Panama, September 2010. About 340 pounds:



Weight gain is gradual, and sometimes it sneaks up on us. Photos can be a reality check. As I continue on this journey, I will periodicaly post photos - and hopefully we can see the same in reverse!

Day 9

Breakfast (10:30 a.m.):
1 1/2 c. Kellog's Special K Red Berries
1 c. skim milk

Lunch (1:15 p.m.):
1 acorn squash stuffed with wild rice stuffing
1.5 c. wild rice stuffing
    1/2 c. wild rice
    1/8 diced granny smith apple
    1/4 c. golden raisins
    3/4 c. low sodium chicken broth
    salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon grated parmesean
2 tablespoons roasted squash seeds
2 c. coffee w. f.f. hazlenut creamer

The stuffed squash was AMAZING! It was also pretty easy to make.

First, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Rub the flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the stuffing. In a small pot with tight-fitting lid, mix 1/2 c. wild rice mix (unseasoned), 1/8 cup diced granny smith apple (or other tart apple), 1/4 cup raisins and 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (for me, a dash of salt and a liberal amount of pepper). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes.

When the rice and squash are finished cooking, spoon rice mixture into the cavities of the squash halves. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesean. Return to oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

If you're vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth. If you're vegan, sub veggie broth and leave out the parmesean.

I also roasted the seeds from the squash, but unfortunately I left them in the oven a bit too long. I tried a few, but they really were burnt. Just seperate them from the squash goo, rinse, let dry on a paper towel, then mix with olive oil, salt, and any other spices you'd like and roast at 375 for about 8-10 minutes (apparently 20 is way too long).

Snack (4:00 p.m.):
2/3 c. f.f. no sugar added peach yogurt

Snack (5:15 p.m.):
2 oz. smoked almonds

Tonight for dinner I was invited to join the Kansas Main Street Conference for a mini "Taste It" Downtown Hutchinson. Typically "Taste It" is a quarterly event where people buy tickets and visit 10-12 restaurants downtown to sample food. Food is included in the price of the ticket, but people pay for drinks. Tonight they did a smaller version just for the conference with 6 restaurants. I missed out on two restaurants because I attended another event.

So, we traveled around to different restaurants - dinner took about 3 hours.

Dinner (6:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
10 wheat tortilla chips (Anchor Inn)
3 tablespoons salsa
1 mini bbq sandwich (Danny Boy's)
1 oz serving baked beans
1 small slice pepperoni pizza (Carl's Bar)
1 small slice hamburger pizza
1 Ginger Bee beer
2 oz beef fillet (Marcella's)
1/2 tablespoon blue cheese sauce
1 very tiny roasted potato with sour cream
1 glass Riesling white wine
1 individual pumpkin tart (Jillian's)
1 "Cougar" cocktail

So I added up my food calories for the day and came up to 2587. Not bad, right? Oops, forgot to add in the alcohol. Final count? 3012 calories. I definately need to watch my calories the rest of the week. Yes, I did some walking this evening, but not 400 calories worth. FYI, before "dinner" I had only consumed about 1400 calories.

Amy, why are you so concerned about eating enough calories?

Our bodies need a certain number of calories to function based on our activity level, age and current weight. When we increase activity level without consuming more calories or if we cut our calorie intake, we lose weight.

When there are drastic increases in calorie burn or decreases in calorie consumption, our bodies begin to burn protein (muscle mass) as well as fat. The loss of muscle mass, aside from making us weaker, reduces our ability to burn calories and regulate blood sugar.

According to an article from MSN Health & Fitness, different people can lose weight at different rates without losing muscle mass:

Obese to morbidly obese: 3 to 5 pounds per week
Overweight: 2 to 3 pounds per week
Lean to average: 1 to 2 pounds per week
Very Lean: .5 to 1 pound per week

Although I fall into the obese/morbidly obese category, I am aiming for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. For me, this means consuming 2600 or fewer calories per day. I learned last week that when eating whole foods prepared at home (rather than eating pre-packaged foods or restaurant food), it is easy for me to reduce calorie consumption and almost hard to eat 2600 calories per day without making a concerted effort. I don’t stress too much about it, but I do try to eat at least 2000 calories per day.

In addition to trying to prevent the loss of muscle mass, slow weight loss helps us make the gradual adjustments necessary to sustain a long-term healthy lifestyle. Many people lose weight rapidly through diets that they don’t plan to follow for the rest of their lives. Once the diet is over, they return to their pre-diet eating habits and gain weight again – often more than they originally lost. This leads to a cycle of “yo-yo” dieting.

An article from Livestrong.com (Lance Armstrong’s foundation) talks about the dangers of dieting, especially “yo-yo” dieting. A factor that many people do not consider when dieting is the stress it places on the heart. As stated in the article:

“When you gain or lose weight, your heart must adjust to accommodate more or less body weight. Since your heart is a muscle, rapid weight loss or constantly losing and then gaining weight can place a lot of stress on your heart. As your weight changes so does your blood pressure and heart rate. You may also experience irregular heart rhythms and eventually heart failure. It is actually better for your heart to maintain a set weight then to continually gain and lose weight.”

Another danger of dieting is cutting out foods that provide necessary nutrients. This is why I like the nutrition tracker from MyPyramid. This USDA program allows users to enter the types and amounts of food that they eat and then analyzes it for nutritional content including protein, fiber, calcium, various vitamins, potassium, sodium, Omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol. Many of us don’t get all the nutrients we need, and when people start eliminating foods during a diet, the risk of missing out on important nutrients is even higher.

Although we are often concerned about having too much fat, it is important to normal body functions. Fat is necessary for the formation and function of the brain and nervous system. It forms the membranes of every cell in your body. It also helps make hormones and transports vitamins from the intestines to the rest of your body. Eating extremely low fat diets can have negative effects on alertness, memory, and energy levels. To learn more about the importance of fats in your diet and the different types of fats, check out this article from youngwomenshealth.org.

A healthy diet will include carbohydrates, protein and fat. In addition to these “macronutrients,” we need to be conscientious of the vitamins and minerals that our body needs and food sources that provide them. And don’t think you can just sub in a multivitamin for healthy eating. Although they can help people who are extremely malnourished, the best sources of vitamins are a variety of fruits and vegetables. The natural combinations of vitamins and minerals from food sources are often more effective than a multivitamin. Don’t believe me? Read what recent research has shown about the effectiveness of multivitamins in preventing cancer and heart disease. Momma told you to eat your vegetables. She was right.

So, in summary, be aware of what you’re eating and how much you are eating. Aim for steady and sustainable weight loss. Eat whole foods. Eat a balanced diet. Thank you, and good night.