Friday, February 19, 2010

Well, it was inevitable, I guess.
I've hit the wall. I've hit the plateau.

After about only four measly pounds weight loss, I hit a plateau........???
Is that possible?

Since December 19, 2009, till now, 6 days a week (with maaaybeee... 3-4 days off), every morning at 5-ish, alternating treadmill and circuit.
That is TWO MONTHS!
I work hard.
I've cut back on portion sizes.
What is wrong?

Today I am taking a break, doing homework, exercising my mind today.
I'll see more results, I'm sure. I love learning.

I don't know at this point what it takes to lose weight, but I am determined to find out, then DO it.
People say all the time, "Oh, I have no problem losing weight. It's keeping it off that I have a problem with."
Well, I don't say that.
I can't say that.

Four pounds does not a success story make, unless it is accomplished in two weeks, not 2 months.

Back to the drawing board, so to speak.

Go, Patty.
Uh, yeah... right!
Go anyway!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Balancing Act

Paper is written.
Final has been taken.
Class is over.
Waiting on the grade.....
Signing up for the next class.

Working on the degree.
Seriously.

Friends need help.
I love them.
I help.
Cook.
Tutor.
Listen.

Kids with behavioral problems.
Family issues.
Set up meetings.
Kids cry.
Parents bewildered.
Kids lie.

Commitments.

Exercise.
Eat healthfully.
Prepare food.
Don't cheat.

Fun things to do.
Design curricula.
Write tests.
Psychology.
Teach it.
What an opportunity!

I am blessed.
Thank you, Jesus, for my life.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Don't quit..... but if you do......

I couldn't make it that morning.
I didn't feel good and I didn't get enough sleep.
I skipped my morning workout!

One of the reasons I do it in the morning is so I don't have to think about it for the rest of the day. It doesn't hang over my head. Well, when I skipped, even if it was for very good reasons, I had the tendency to obsess. Oh, no, what if I can't go later? What if I am getting sicker? What if.... etc?

So, what if I just re-confirm my commitment, make no provision for the flesh, and decide to do it at another time? Once I decided, well, actually committed, then it was no problem. I worked out after school, didn't have quite so much energy, but ... mission accomplished.

Don't. Ever. Quit.
But.... if you do, fix it!

Yay, Patty, go!
You can do this!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Portion Control

Weight loss. It is about portion control, after all.

You will most likely eat what is on your plate as it is placed in front of you. We "eat with our eyes."
If you are "starving" you might want to load up your plate and eat quickly to satisfy your appetite. But eating quantity does not sate the appetite -- eating slowly does. If you believe having "seconds" is the only way to feel "full," then make them small servings.

We've all heard the guidelines for portion control: a serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards. A serving of spaghetti is the size of a baseball (not a Nerf ball, Patty!) An ounce of cheese -- the size of your thumb. A glass of milk is 8 ounces, not 16. One piece of bread is a serving, not two -- what it takes to make a sandwich.

Eat a half sandwich, but arrange it attractively, cut it diagonally. Folding over a piece of bread slathered with peanut butter feels like a snack, not a meal.

If you normally prepare your own dinner plate, let your spouse or your child do it for you. Then it is not YOU eating with YOUR eyes.

Make that plate one of your pretty-- but smaller-- salad plates. Dinner plates are large, more decorative than anything at this point. If you still want to use them, use them as chargers.

Always set your table. Use the good dishes, cloth napkins, crystal water goblets. Don't forget the tablecloth or the special place mats. Satisfaction really does have much to do with what you see.

I'm not a nutritionist, I am not a fitness instructor or a personal trainer. I am an overweight middle-aged woman who has loved the study of psychology all of my life. I can see many, many applications of how the mind can work in conjunction with a new life-style plan. If every journey begins with the first step, then every decision begins with a thought.

The brain generates solutions as it is presented with ideas; it produces more ideas. The brain does not decide what is wrong or right, it simply seeks to execute the plan it is given. Your mind gives it the plan. Your decisions activate the process.

"I can't help it." "I couldn't stop myself." "I forgot all about my resolution."
All of these statements reflect transitory thoughts that act on momentary impulses.
That's why the guilt follows -- because your brain is still on the right track! Your mind, your decisions, your impulses took you off course.

Be intentional. Act with purpose. Be in charge.

I lost TWO pounds this week!
Yay! Go, go, go, Patty!!!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Evaluation

It 's been going on for about a month now: exercise six days a week, every early morning, starting at 5-ish.
We have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, a little sugar, some milk, usually a cup of coffee or two.
Oatmeal is for our cholesterol count; it's not a diet item. On the weekends we have veggie omelets. Delicious!

Lunch usually consists of either a cup of soup, a multi-vegetable mixture topped with red wine vinegar or a spoonful of dressing, a sandwich on ww bread, or some grilled chicken or turkey breast -- or a duo-combo thereof. If there is cake or cookies in the teacher's lounge, I'll take a tiny piece but that is very, very rare. Sweets are not my downfall.

I even make the soup. Lean cut beef in the slow cooker with fresh veggies for vegetable soup, chili with turkey meat and fresh tomatoes and red, green, and yellow peppers.

Weekly I prepare a vegetable tray with peppers, squash, cucumbers, green onions sometimes, broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, black olives, banana peppers, and a bed of greens -- spinach and romaine.

Snack often is an apple, sometimes with peanut butter. Sometimes I have a banana or an orange or a half PB sandwich. During the day, I snack on a 1/4 cup portion of protein trail mix, mainly nuts and seeds.

Black coffee, unsweetened tea, quarts of water...
At night hot green tea, occasionally a glass of red wine.

Food selections and portion control seem pretty good so far. Sounds good, huh?

But I'm thinking I get in trouble at suppertime. Everything is early, earlier and earliest, so by the time school is out, I am hungry. Hungry! If we go get pizza, I eat a half (a small pizza at App's is not really small.) If we have tacos, I have five of them. And a diet Pepsi.

Okay, I cook. If we have spaghetti, I have two plates, with cheese and butter, a little sauce. If chicken and noodles are on the menu, I have seconds, mainly because of the noodles. I love any pasta, noodles - packaged or homemade, rice, bread, and French bread is the treat of all treats! Chinese food, have to sample so many dishes! I roast potatoes with olive oil to make "fake" french fries. I whip potatoes with skim milk. Broccoli with a little fake butter, sauteed squash in sesame oil, plain green beans, corn, snow peas, steamed carrots..... stuff like that.

Later snacks can be popcorn (with salt) or once in awhile a trip to the DQ for a small vanilla frozen custard. I eat the cone. Of course.

I have not lost any weight, well, maybe one pound or two, so my lack of weight loss has to be due to the portion sizes in the evening.

So, for this week, I am making a concerted effort to minimize suppertime dishes and servings.
One serving.
Only.
No late snacking.
A little experiment to see if that makes a difference on the scales.

Next week I might try cutting way back on ... salt. Well, maybe not.

Yay, Patty!
You can do it!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The circuit

I love the circuit

15 minutes of fast-paced treadmill
to warm up muscles

18 or 20 reps on the machines
alternating with a minute of step aerobics

total 45 minutes

hip sockets turn smoothly, walking becomes graceful
back is straight, posture tall
breathing is deep, more powerful

energy is abundant
hunger pangs are stilled
temper is mellow
patience is long

sleep is restorative
mornings are welcomed

why didn't I do this years ago?

Monday, January 18, 2010

If it's Monday, it must be treadmill day...

Uphill, incline 5, brisk walking.

Pump, pump, pump

An energizing 3 miles and about 45 minutes later I feel great.

Another day done.

Another day closer to my goal.

Go, go, go.