Nov 2, 2010 Lorelei Sieja
Make a Note of Your Starting Weight - photo by author
My first twenty-four hours of the new diet has been a success! I ate all the foods I planned to eat, and didn't add too many other choices throughout the day. I did add a glass of orange juice, and I ate one small tootsie roll... it happened so fast, and the candy was in my mouth before I remembered I was dieting! Ah, old habits die hard. I don't even keep candy in the house, but it was the day after Halloween, and everyone still had candy. Anyway, I dropped just over two pounds. That isn't really something to brag about. It is common to lose several pounds the first day, as it is mostly water weight. I hope to lose a pound a week, which would be good, steady weight loss. Since I have 100 pounds to lose, I don't expect to make my ultimate weight-loss goal within a one-year time frame, but if I manage to stay on a diet for one year, I'll have managed to make healthy lifestyle changes and the rest should eventually come off as well. So included here is the photo of my bathroom scale this morning. Just over 200 lbs. Yes, I started and a frightening 203 pounds, which is terrible for a woman who is a quarter inch shy of five feet.
Plan exercise into your diet
I did go for a 20 minute walk yesterday. I hope to make it thirty minutes today, and add ten minutes of my DVD Pilates workout. I bought the program with some one-pound hand weights several months ago, and have yet to begin. Since I had hand surgery this summer, my right hand is still weak. I think the one-pound weight exercises will be good for rebuilding strength.
I am sipping a cup of coffee at the moment. I had thought about giving up coffee for my diet, and I still might. I don't like coffee black, and that dollop of cream packs on the calories, since I will drink more than one cup if I make a pot. But I have a carton of creamer in the fridge still, and figure I'll use it up, then make the decision. I should mention it's decaf. Caffeine can have multiple negative health impacts, and I gave it up about twenty years ago. I am giving up all sodas - sugar free or regular. I seldom drink it, so it isn't much of a sacrifice.
Today's Menu Plan:
- Oatmeal Melange, coffee
- cantaloupe
- Coleslaw, whole wheat crackers, almonds, tea
- oranges
- Potato Soup, 1 oz cheese, carrots, celery, black olives
- handful of raisins & peanuts
The oatmeal was delicious. My recipe is quick and easy to make, and even people who don't care for oatmeal tend to like it. Puree one apple and one banana in one cup of water until smooth. Dump in a pot and add 1/2 cup raw oatmeal. Stir and cook until done (depends on the type of oatmeal you buy, between one and five minutes). The original recipe called for a half a cup of yogurt in the water as well, but I shy away from dairy products. Suit yourself. This is generally sweet enough on it's own, but you might add a tablespoon of honey or some cinnamon if you need to improve the flavor.
Prepare Food in Advance of Hunger Cravings
My coleslaw is already made, which is part of the battle for eating healthy. Don't wait until you're hungry to go to the kitchen. Slicing and dicing fresh food is time consuming! How much easier it is to just run through a drive-through and get something quick, or order a pizza delivered when you're tired. After all, you work hard, and you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor! But that thinking got me where I am today. One hundred pounds over-weight. I have to cut myself in half!
The coleslaw has no mayonnaise in it. Here's how I make mine:
Core and quarter one head of cabbage and two apples. Chop them finely using a food processor, working in batches. Dump into a large serving bowl. Squirt 2 tablespoons of raw honey into the empty food processor, along with about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, a tablespoon of olive oil and some black pepper. Whirl the ingredients together, then pour over the cabbage and stir. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. You can add finely grated carrots or red onion to the coleslaw, if you desire.
I found a potato-soup recipe that I'll sort of follow. You can find the original recipe here. I think I'll adapt it, by cutting the potatoes up fairly soon and put them in the slow-cooker. I have almond milk in the fridge - my choice for a dairy-free milk substitute. I don't happen to have raw cashews on hand, but I do have raw pinenuts. They should blend up about the same. And finally, I'm really looking forward to tasting this! The dash of rosemary will be something different. I traditionally added milk, sour cream, cream cheese and crumbled bacon to my potato soups, which I won't be doing tonight, so the rosemary will be a welcomed addition.
So, here goes... Day Two on my new healthy choices life style. Wish me luck!
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