Saturday, December 31, 2011

The end of another year

Today is the last day of 2011.  I'm not one to make resolutions on this day, I have made too many promises to myself to use this day as an excuse to make more. 

One day at a time for me...today is just another day to keep planning my food, sticking to my plan, and cleaning up my side of the street.  Just like every other day.

But, to be 100% honest, I did want the scale to be below 230 by the end of the year. 
And today I hit 229.5!  I know I have no control over the numbers on the scale, but I can be happy when they go my way.
The trick is to not be depressed when they don't...


12/31/11 - weight:    229.5
                Protein:      156
                      Fat:      151
                      Ecc:       40
                       Cal:   2488

We are going out for steak tonight.  I will have steamed veggies (no potato) and a Caesar salad with no croutons.  There is no alcohol in the casino restaurant we're eating so we'll have some red wine later.  Otherwise I had eggs and a chicken sausage for breakfast and for lunch I'll have burger with mayo and mustard.  Then, throughout the day I will have four cream cheese clouds.

Oh, I want to report back regarding yesterday.
First, the restaurant we planned on going at the Science Museum (with the burger and cheese curds) was closed!  So we had to wing it.  I HATE winging it.

So instead I had a bunless hot dog with a bowl of chili (about 1.5cups of chili).  It was a lot of meat with half black beans and half chili beans, which means the carb content was lower (black beans are lower in carbs).  I also got a little container of veggies and dip.  I was really full when done eating, but it kept me satisfied for the entire night and I had no desire to eat when we got home four hours later (WHEW).
I don't have actual counts because chili varies in carbs so much, but what is most important is that I feel I made the best choices available to me.

The Science Museum was great!  We where there FIVE hours! 
There was a man who created a little device that looks like the straw hats they wear to work in rice paddys.  It had six windows with camera's pointing out each window.  He was able to drop it down in a road and a tornado went right over it, and he caught it all on film!
So we sat in a circle of screens and was able to watch the tornado go right over the top of us.  It was awesome!!!
We heard people telling what it was like to live through Katrina, and we learned a lot about the four different types of volcano's (did you know there are four types??).
We chose a night the museum was open late and hardly any children (or people) were there.  It was FANTASTIC!!

Tonight we're going to a concert (and the steak restaurant mentioned above) and possible to a party after, or just home for a glass of wine in the light of the Christmas tree.  Either way, it should be a fun day with a great evening with friends! 

Hope you enjoy your last day of 2011!

Friday, December 30, 2011

Keep rollin

I'm still here, I'm still keeping my food counts, I'm still planning my meals.
One day at a time, right?

12/30/11 - weight 231
                  Protein:  135
                  Fat:  133
                  Ecc: 44
                  Cal:  2157

We are going to the Science Museum tonight to experience Nature Unleashed.
I'm as giddy as a small child at Christmas!  I am fascinated by weather and the power it can unleash

While we're at the museum, we will eat supper.  I will have a bunless burger and 15 cheese curds.  If I don't think the curds look good, or if I think I cannot stop eating at 15, I will have a double burger with no bun and NO cheese curds.

These are the conversations I have with myself....if you cannot follow the guidelines for certain foods, then you don't get any.
I'm not sure why this works for me, but it does.  My problem?  I have to remember to SET guidelines, which I don't like to do because once a guideline is set, then I have to follow it.
Oy the games we play in our heads, eh?

But...today I have guidelines, and I will follow them.  And if I cannot, I have a backup plan (which does NOT include going crazy and eating everything in sight *wink*).

Hope you all have a good day!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Back...again...

I have terribly neglected my blog.  For that I am truly sorry.

I had to get some things figured out, and then the holiday hit, and then I had a bunch of friends/family having surgeries or in the hospital...needless to say it's been a whirlwind!

But I'm back...again...*blush*

My abstinence is strong as usual, but my carb eating has not been monitored in much too long, so I started counting again on Tuesday.  Here are my catchup stats:
   12/27/11 - weight 234 (YIKES!)
                     Protein:  130
                     Fat:  150
                     Ecc: 30
                     Cal:  2049
   (ate pretty normal as to how I like to eat: meat, fruits, veggies - this was a pretty
     ideal day)

   12/28/11 - weight 232.5
                     Protein:  132
                     Fat:  133
                     Ecc: 41
                     Cal:  2168
   (attended my partners work party, had wine and gnocci, low on fruits and
     veggies)

   12/29/11 - weight 231
                     Protein:  116
                     Fat:  113
                     Ecc: 44
                     Cal:  1712
   (this is my plan for today so it may alter by end of day, plenty of fruits and 
    veggies planned, little light on protein, may add some if hungry)

What?  These mean nothing to you??  Let me share my food guidelines.

Protein:    I need a minimum of 98g, but feel best when I have about 130
Fat:         This number should be very similar to my protein number.  However,
               there are days I have <100g protein so I up my fat to at least 150g,
               and similarly if my protein is >160, I try to reduce my fat.  This can
               happen when I eat tuna (lower protein so I add mayo and avocado)
               or eat a big steak (lots of protein but lower in fat). 
Ecc:         I aim for this to be <45, but am fine if it goes up to 60 occasionally. 
               But no more than 60.
Calories:  I don't monitor these, I am always just curious as to what they are :)

There you have it...my eating guidelines in a nutshell.  For my actual food plan, please see this post.

How about you?
Are you on track now, or are you waiting for the New Year to make a new resolution to lose weight?