Health and Fitness September, 2021

[LadyMaverick]

Today is the fifth monthly anniversary of when I started logging what I eat. I started on April 15th.

For me, logging has been absolutely vital in learning about my body and how different foods affect it.
** There are times that I don't want to log what I ate because I know it wasn't the best choice and/or the portion size was large. I log those foods anyway.
** There are times (potlucks) that I have to estimate because I don't have a food scale or knowledge of ingredients. I log those foods anyway using my best guess. I try to estimate high rather than low.
** There are times that I'm stressed out and just want to mutch on something continually. I log those foods too.
** There are times that I don't plan and just grab whatever is available which usually leads me to overeat. I log those foods anyway.
** There are times that I don't care about eating healthy and just want some good ole fried fast food. I log those foods too.
** There are times that I just want to indulge myself. I log those foods too.
I have consistently logged everything I have eaten for 154 days no matter what.

The only exception I have to logging everything that I eat, is I allow myself ONE bite of a dish without logging it. I am fairly rigid about this rule because I have to draw a line somewhere or I will gradually expand it (I know me). If I take the second bite then I have to log it. I started doing this because it is a challenge to cook for others and not taste it to see if the flavors and ingredients are correct. Another reason I do this one bite rule is I believe the first bite of anything is the best. This knowledge means I can take one bite of a dish or dessert and be okay with not eating more of it because I know I've had the best bite. (IMHO)

Logging everything means I have proof that I am going as fast as I can with losing weight. I am super frustrated to be losing weight so slow but I look at the facts and don't see a way to speed it up. I have learned that I have to keep lowering my calories in order to keep losing weight. I remember the years past when I would lower my calories to 3000 and the weight would drop off easily. My older body doesn't work as it used to in my youth.
My calories for the past 5 months =
1481 April Average
1320 May Average
1269 June Average
1242 July Average
1174 Aug Average
1136 Sept Average

Which resulted in weekly weight loss =
-1.84 loss weekly April
-1.12 loss weekly May
-0.61 loss weekly June
-0.5 loss weekly July
-0.86 loss weekly Aug = this increased weight loss rate came from bumping my protein % up
-0.61 loss weekly Sept

I am 19 lbs lighter than I was 5 months ago. I eat whatever I want but I just don't eat as much as I used to eat.

[Twins' Mom]

LadyM, I wish I could motivate myself to do the same.

[DeeClutter]

WTG, LadyM! Wish I could say the same. However, that being said, I do see my numbers beginning to fall and that makes me happy. I reached the next 'decade' this morning (159.8) so that definitely makes me smile. I know I won't be as low as I'd like to be when I see my cardiologist on Tuesday, but at least it is coming down now. My dietician tells me it's because I'm no longer fighting the Blood Sugar lows and trying to keep that count up to 'normal' in the mornings. I evidently was consuming too many calories trying to do just that. I have dark chocolate candy bars just sitting now instead of having to replenish them. Makes me happy. Now on to see what DCardioligist will say Tuesday. Wish me well, please. I'm hoping he sees an improvement in my heart health.

[Harriet]

Hmmm... ...

wonder where did my post go in which I responded to Dee when she wrote:

What I didn't know was that exercise causes blood pressure to be lower for 12 hours after exercise. Just a little tidbit, good to know.

Out into cyber mystery space, I presume. Anyway, thank you, Dee, for the info. Would exercise, then, be a help to combat white coat syndrome, I wonder, for those who experience it, and worry they aren't getting true readings, or have widely fluctuating readings. (Also keeping feet flat on the floor and zero talking while nurse is trying to get the reading, lol! You can elevate your bp by trying to keep up a conversation and get bp taken at the same time.)

You're doing so well, LadyM, both with loss and records.

I agree that more fruit servings can mean variety and I'm pleased when that happens. From dd41's recent foray into "misfit" produce delivered, our households have had figs, pluots, nectarines, giant blackberries, new-to-us varieties of pears (can't remember names). Also oyster mushrooms (which are not plants, but variety, yes!). Also agree that it's wise to make sure our vegetables are available to us and not neglected, either.

HRH and I have both held the loss we had - me a few pounds from move and he about 15 from the difficulties following the 3rd eye operation making him too sick to eat. He weighed the same at gen. practitioner visit the other day as he did a couple weeks earlier, so it looks like he's staying where he is. Not a good way to lose, but he does seem to have found that he can maintain healthily.

Best cardiologist wishes to Dee.