Nov 7, 2010 Lorelei Sieja
Losing Weight with Lorelei - photo by me
I didn't get to taste the Swiss chard recipe yesterday. My younger girls came over for dinner and we had pancakes. Now how's that for diet food? I use only whole-wheat flour, and have for years. I used to add white sugar to my pancake batter, but I haven't done that since my husband developed diabetes. I buy either pure maple syrup or agave syrup now. My children don't even like the pure maple syrup, so they bring their own bottle of grocery store flavored, colored, sugary goo. I ate fewer pancakes than I would have pre-diet, and served a big bowl of peaches with dinner. And that's another diet secret.
You don't have to give up anything when you diet, just take smaller portions.
Think about that for a minute. If you used to eat a quarter pounder burger at McDonald's, now you should switch to the regular, 2oz patty when you find you must eat out. I'm not advocating fast food, but it is part of our culture. It would be hard to never eat at McDonald's again. So, just make wiser choices. Order one of the salads, and ask for grilled chicken instead of crispy. Order a smaller burger. Ask for water instead of soda or a shake. And now McDonald's has little bags of sliced apples instead of fries. You do have to be careful when ordering some "health food" choices at restaurants. I've read that some salads actually have more calories than an entree, with all the toppings and extras they put on.
The reason most diets encourage eating salads and fruits and raw vegetables is because they are high in nutrients and low in calories, so you are less likely to feel hungry than if you try to live on a 2 oz. burger with a small order of fries. Many of us with a weight problem have a weight problem because we don't like the way low-calorie foods taste. So we have to retrain our palates. We have to teach ourselves to like foods that are good for us. Go slowly. Try one new food once a week. Eat it many times in that week - small portions. Try it several different ways. Try it raw. Try it simmers, boiled, baked, or roasted. If after a week, scratch that one off your list, but come back to it a year later. Tastes change.
In the mean time, eat the foods you normally eat... just smaller portions.
Today's lower calorie menu:
- bagel with neufchatel and fruit spread
- banana
- C.O.R.D.
- nuts, raisins
- lasagna, tossed salad, applesauce
C.O.R.D. stands for "clean out refrigerator day". We eat C.O.R.D. at least once a week. I don't normally serve it on a Sunday, but we're leaving on a two-day trip on Tuesday, so I need to eat up some produce. I have salad fixings, eggs, tortillas and cheese in there to work with.
Health and Fitness: Today's Exercise Plan
20 minutes of the Pilates DVD, and walk the dog. My hand is still sore from my hand surgery I had last summer. I went through all of the physical therapy my insurance allowed, but I haven't been as diligent to continue the exercises on my own. I guess I'd better get back to that. I can lift a coffee cup and a pitcher of water - both things I couldn't do before the surgery. But my wrist just aches all the time, and I have no strength in my right arm. Our apartment complex has a wonderful gym with treadmills, weights, and more. I just need to visit the office when they're open and get my key fixed. I haven't been able to get in the gym. I hate to admit it... but I'd had that key for six months before I realized it didn't work! Shows just how much I used the gym!
Find out what exercise options are available to you, and use them! Is there a gym where you work? Some larger companies are putting them in, as more and more businesses realize that its cheaper to invest in health than to pay for insurance claims. If your company doesn't have one yet, maybe you could suggest it? The YMCA or YWCA often have low-cost gyms, swimming pools and saunas for public use. If you own your own home, maybe you could invest in a treadmill or weight machine. Check out whatever free shopper paper is published in your area. The famous "bow flex" machine can be quite expensive, but there are often used ones in local shoppers.
Tomorrow is my weigh-in day. I'm concerned, as I haven't been able to stick strictly to my menu plan for three days in a row. This afternoon I plan to watch some television with my youngest daughter, and probably take a nap. Then I plan to get in a vigorous walk later in the day.
Good luck, to all of us!
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