Today is an anniversary day that I, frankly, did not have much faith in attaining. Temptations along the way have been many and reliable. Also reliably difficult to resist for the most part. For the other part, I did not always resist. I still like the things that are so bad for me. Well, if I can attain 500 days, I can certainly attain another 1/2 K!
Overall, I have lost 64 pounds. Although my current daily caloric intake is just 1541, my weight loss has slowed to a virtual crawl. I can no longer say the pounds are melting off, but crawling off like a tiny turtle.
I spoke with a nutritionist at my hospital last week. I asked her if, after such a long time dieting, my body has actually become accustomed to surviving on my present intake of food. She said yes. So, the way to lose more weight after the 500 days of fairly consistent dieting is to give it a nudge: either drop the calories much further, or get more exercise on a regular basis. Knowing myself, either of these will be a real challenge, but I must make a choice and do what I can. I want to lose a minimum of ten more pounds. Anything more than that will be a real bonus for me.
Hmmmm. Do I keep making more goals for myself? I guess so.
I suppose the calorie droppers will be in the form of vegetables and fruits, both store boughten and home grown. My vegetable garden has been supplying me with plenty of fresh herbs, strawberries, shallots, and snow peas. Spinach has come and gone. Some cabbages as well as carrots are ready to harvest, small tomatoes and peppers will be ripening in a month or so, and cucumbers and melons are gaining size. Brussels sprouts will take a while yet. The beans have flowered and I see tiny green beans forming. I don't eat much meat, but I will cut down on it.
As for exercise, I'll be doing that while doing other tasks. I've always despised the boredom of exercise, but I'm pretty sure I can do something while I'm brushing my teeth, or watching tv. (Today is an Errol Flynn marathon on TCM to celebrate that gorgeous man's birthday.) Further reports will be posted irregularly, but I will let you know when I reach another milestone.
Overall, I have lost 64 pounds. Although my current daily caloric intake is just 1541, my weight loss has slowed to a virtual crawl. I can no longer say the pounds are melting off, but crawling off like a tiny turtle.
I spoke with a nutritionist at my hospital last week. I asked her if, after such a long time dieting, my body has actually become accustomed to surviving on my present intake of food. She said yes. So, the way to lose more weight after the 500 days of fairly consistent dieting is to give it a nudge: either drop the calories much further, or get more exercise on a regular basis. Knowing myself, either of these will be a real challenge, but I must make a choice and do what I can. I want to lose a minimum of ten more pounds. Anything more than that will be a real bonus for me.
Hmmmm. Do I keep making more goals for myself? I guess so.
I suppose the calorie droppers will be in the form of vegetables and fruits, both store boughten and home grown. My vegetable garden has been supplying me with plenty of fresh herbs, strawberries, shallots, and snow peas. Spinach has come and gone. Some cabbages as well as carrots are ready to harvest, small tomatoes and peppers will be ripening in a month or so, and cucumbers and melons are gaining size. Brussels sprouts will take a while yet. The beans have flowered and I see tiny green beans forming. I don't eat much meat, but I will cut down on it.
As for exercise, I'll be doing that while doing other tasks. I've always despised the boredom of exercise, but I'm pretty sure I can do something while I'm brushing my teeth, or watching tv. (Today is an Errol Flynn marathon on TCM to celebrate that gorgeous man's birthday.) Further reports will be posted irregularly, but I will let you know when I reach another milestone.
Good going, mom! The trick is to find exercise you like, and learn to love it! I like my stair sessions in the gym more than i do many other things in my life, and you can be that way too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yog. (That's a long "o".) Yep, it will be a trick. Thus far, I've started walking again, around 6-10 blocks each time. I inspect people's gardens while I walk. I do about 10 standing push-ups a day, and sit-ups on the futon while hooking my feet under the cedar chest. My shallow knee bends are done at the bathroom vanity. Most of all, though, I'm in the garden, up and down, and walking a good deal, most every day. Tomorrow I'll mow the lawn, since it won't be too hot for me to be out in broad daylight. Thank you for your repeated encouragement. I remember that when we made a goal for me to get down to 170 by the end of June, I thought it might not happen because my resistance was getting so low. But it happened well before time, and my next 10-pound weight loss may take another three months, but that's perfectly okay!
DeleteI am so proud of you for sticking to this for so long and achieving such a big loss. I keep yo-yoing back and forth and not gaining. I really need to get back on it soon as I can't hardly stand to put my pants on right now - very tight and painful, and I refuse to buy yet another wardrobe in the next larger size. Sigh....I had hoped to start walking every day with my new life but the stress of the life change has caused some very bad eating habits again. Perhaps soon things will even out and I can resume my goals.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Jester,
DeleteOn Science Friday on NPR today, Ira Flatow had a very interesting guest. He spoke about resistance, which gets a workout from both you and me. Here's a link to the conversation: http://www.npr.org/2012/06/22/155582854/what-your-brain-looks-like-when-you-lose-self-control.
Thank you for your kind words to me. It HAS been a long time. Believe it or not, I'm still trying to wear out my size 20s, but I'm so saggy and baggy looking in them, that I'm finally putting them in my Goodwill donations. My 18s are also way to big. I'm generally in 16s. I saved all them while I was gaining weight, because I was sure that I would get back into them some day. If I need smaller sizes than that, I'll get over to Goodwill, and Second Showing, and the Salvation Army store, and Good Steward, and the other local second hand stores.
I understand completely what you mean by yo-yoing and stress and bad eating habits. Soon, thing will even out, and you will reach your goals. Take care.