Down 10 Pounds 1000 to Go!

Well, I might be exagerating here.

But it seems that once the doc told me
the bad news about my cholesterol and
triglycerides, I got a little more serious
about this.

So 3 weeks after getting the news, I started
watching more what I was eating and how much
or it I was eating. And in the past 3 weeks
I lost that much needed first 10 pounds.

I feel at this point I might grow feathers,
or possibly gills. Chicken and fish, chicken
and fish, ooooh, turkey, chicken and fish.

Here's a tip:

If there is something (in the way of diet food)
that you like to eat, eat it often.

Part of changing the way one eats is the never
ending quest for more healthful recipes. I
personally can't try to come up with something
new all the time. That would just sabotage my
efforts. But I have a few fish and chicken
recipes that are staples now and I eat them
often.

Another Example:

I eat oatmeal and Cheerios for their cholesterol
lowering effects. I like both of them. So,
instead of trying to come up with a new
breakfast plan, I just alternate between
these two.

I add a banana to my Cheerios, so that I
get in one serving of fruit right of the bat.

I add frozen cherries, or blueberries (or
any frozen fruit that you may like) to my
oatmeal. I also add a little bit of crushed
walnuts. And a little cinnamon...This gives
me something to actually
chew on and makes that bowl of oatmeal a lot
more satisfying.

NOTE:

1. Measure our the fruit first. Don't just eyeball
it thinking you know what one serving is.

2. Put the fruit in a microwave safe bowl and
nuke it on a low setting while the oatmeal is
cooking. This way the fruit is nice and warm
and doesn't cool off the oatmeal too quickly.

Be back tomorrow with a few more tips.

Ahhhhh...Tasty Treats - No Tricks!

Chocolate Pudding!

Who doesn't like that?

Jello makes a sugar free chocolate
(and probably other flavors)pudding
that you can make with Fat Free (skim)
milk! It's not bad at all.

30 calories per serving
4 servings to a box
(heck you could eat all 4 and not have
to worry)

0 calories from fat
0 fat period (and no trans fats)
0 Cholesterol
110mg Sodium
Total Carbs 7g
Sugar 0g

This helped me get over a craving.

Also found out that I love celery and
hummus. Together! Better than stuffing
the celery with peanut butter or cream
cheese. Well, better for you. Low calories,
lots of chewing, very satisfying.

Just a couple of things I thought I would
share.

It Gets Easier

One thing I have found is that it is almost
impossible to keep up with what you eat if
you don't keep a food diary.

I highly recommend Spark People for their
diary that not only tells you how many
calories you are eating, but fat content,
fiber, vitamins and so much more. It's a
great way to plan your meals and keep within
the bounds of your dietary needs.

Hop on over to Spark People and tell 'em
CowgirlBlues sent ya. I don't get any money
for this, just fun points.

I cannot say enough great things about this
FREE program. Tons of wonderful recipes,
exercises and a lot of inspiration. It's
a winning (er uh losing) combination!

I'm a Big Weenie

Can't eat one, but I am one. LOL

Ok, I had my little fit about losing
weight because it happens more slowly
than I would like. I'm impatient. I'm
an "instant gratification" kind of girl.

Probably a shared trait with others trying
to lose weight. Just my own mind making me
stronger in number probably.

After about 5 hours at my cardiologist office
yesterday, I came out with initially good
news. My cholesterol and triglyceride levels
were about 40% better than my last visit 2
months ago. And I had lost 7 pounds. Not
as much as I would have liked, but I didn't
do any exercise, just food changes, ie: diet.

Gotta say, this does make me feel a little
better about losin' the weight. Now to step
it up a little, right?

Is Losing Weight The Hardest Thing In The World?

I let this keep getting away from me.

Time has never seemed to move so quickly.

It's as though I am trying to fail at this
sometimes.

I got an injury that set me back a year just
because walking, moving, even just sitting up
became extremely painful.

I'm watching another season of Biggest Loser
go by and I'm still sitting on my couch in a
fog of Vicodin half the time.

Blood tests reveal horrid levels of triglycerides
and cholesterol. I can't seem to stay awake
most of the time...medical tests are coming
next Monday to begin the process of seeing
just how bad I've let food destroy my health.

I know that in order to be any kind of healthy
I must diet and exercise. And still I sit here
not doing anything about it.

Anyone else out there have this sort of experience?