Learning the Art of Eating Like a Skinny Person

I thought it would be good to start a journal where I can record my daily food intake, and journal my thoughts and feelings on my journey to the new skinny me. Not only do I want to learn how to "eat" like a skinny person, I want to learn how to "live" like a skinny person in my activity/exercise level.

Height: 5' 8"
Current Weight: 178 lbs.
**Goal Weight: 145 lbs.**
(They say my ideal healthy weight is 147 lbs., but a healthy range is between 131-160 lbs.)
Pounds to lose: 33
Would like to lose this by: October 18, 2010

My Weight Loss Ticker with current stats:

http://www.weight-loss-center.net/we...647e_small.gif


I started on a new challenge yesterday, so I am counting 33 weeks from then. That will allow me to lose an average of 1 lb. per week. Yes, that is low and boring, but I am trying to be realistic. I am 41 years old, and in June will turn 42. The older you are, the slower your metabolism, so I am trying to give myself an attainable goal so as not to get too discouraged. If I do better than 1 lb. per week, I will have reason to celebrate. :)

Monday (yesterday)
B - Egg sandwich made with 2 scrambled eggs, 1 slice cheese, and one slice whole wheat bread, with a little lowfat mayo (made with olive oil) and a teensy squirt of spicy mustard.
L - Ham & cheese panini from Starbucks, Frappaccino Light w/sugar free caramel (Grande)
AS - Chips & cheese from Taco Bell (which is about 5 nacho chips with a small container of cheese for dipping)
D - 5 whole wheat & berry pancakes, the first two with a little pure maple syrup and peanut butter, the last 3 with peanut butter and artificial pancake syrup (ran out of maple syrup).

Exercise - 40 min of mall walking, plus 10 min of running during play with my DD at home.


I'm not sure what happened with yesterday's dinner. I went overboard with the pancakes. I should have stopped at two pancakes and had something else after that, something much lower in calories. I guess I talked myself into thinking "Well this is dinner, so 5 pancakes can't hurt, right? Normally you have more at dinner anyway." :rolleyes: I so did not have my thinking cap on.

I made up for it today, though. I have been carefully counting calories, and don't plan to go over 1600 cals for the day.

Today
B - 1 cup Raisin Bran with 15 almonds and 1/2 cup of 2% milk
L - 2 small bean & cheese burritos, 1 yogurt
AS - 1 measured cup of nonfat frozen yogurt, 1 cup decaf green tea
D - Homemade chicken & vegetable soup (made with chicken breast, fat-free organic chicken broth, mixed veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots; and salt, pepper, and garlic--all put in the crock pot and cooked on high for about 4 hours--the chicken breasts [from frozen] & chicken broth first, then the veggies [from frozen] for the last 2 hours). YUM!

Exercise: - 30 minutes of brisk walking, with Hannah in the stroller


I still had 595 calories left before eating dinner, and with my best estimation for calories for dinner being about 250 to 275, I think it's safe to say I came in under 1600 calories. Probably closer to 1500 which is even better. I've tried only doing 1200 - 1400 calories in the past, but wound up being way too hungry and miserable. I think it's a matter of what my body can get used to. Once I can stay at 1500-1600 per day for awhile, I will try to cut back even more, and if that doesn't fly, I'll try increasing my exercise/activity level.

Thoughts/feelings today: I have come to realize over the past several weeks that I tend to be a stress-eater. When I'm feeling particularly stressed, I tend to eat more - sweets in particular. It's a self-defeating habit, really. When we are stressed is the very time we need to treat our bodies well; yet, I tend to take an "I don't care" attitude when stressed and eat what I want, when I want. I need to find other outlets for relieving stress - a good book, a nice long hot shower, a walk in the park, etc.

I also need to work hard on eating slower. This is something I have to make myself think about, because I've already woofed down my food before the thought even crosses my mind half the time. I don't know how or why I developed this habit, or even when it started, but I did take notice of it one day. I used to wonder why my DD would take such huge bites of food--for example, shoving half a large banana in her mouth--until one day I realized, she's been copying me!!! I am a SAHM, so she's with me pretty much 24/7, so who is she going to be the most like? Me, of course. Scary thought. I might not eat half a banana at one time, but I do take big bites, and I eat pretty fast most of the time. And toddlers tend to exaggerate their mimicking, so if I want her to eat smaller bites, then I need to be eating teensy weensy ones!

I think what I need to do is make myself a sign: WHEN EATING REMEMBER TO SLOW DOWN & TAKE SMALLER BITES! and put it where I'll see it more than once a day - the refrigerator is probably a good place to start.

Wednesday
B - Slim Fast meal bar, 8 oz. 2% milk
L - 2 small burritos, 1/2 cup green beans
S#1 - 1 granola bar
S#2 - 1 apple (didn't finish)
D - About 1 cup mashed potato mixture (cheese, bacon bits, green beans & corn)
Dess - 1 cup nonfat frozen yogurt

Exercise - 30 min of brisk mall walking + 30 min workout at home

Total Calories: 1,280 :)

Thoughts/Feelings: Today didn't seem too hard, because I haven't had that much of an appetite today. I did have a "moment" when I got into our mini-van to drive us all up to the mall and my DH had some chocolate chip cookies sitting there on the console. But I was prepared - I had brought a banana and an apple with me, which I set down on TOP of the plastic container of cookies (covering them up). Bam! So there! :) On the way there, I was a little hungry, so I had one of the granola bars that was also sitting on the console. On the way back it was around dinnertime, so I was a little hungry again, and I had the apple. My DD wound up having the banana. My DH had also brought an apple and had one, too, but he also ate one of the cookies. I was tempted for a moment, but then looked away and concentrated on driving. Go me! :)

I figured out that my total calories for yesterday were only about 1,280. Wow, didn't think I had come in that far under my goal of 1600 or less.

I noticed this morning I was hungrier, though. Usually a bowl of Raisin Bran w/nuts sprinkled on fills me up, but this morning I was still hungry afterward. So I made myself a protein shake. I had a late breakfast, so figured the protein shake could count as a mid-morning snack since it was around the time to have one anyway :)

I make my protein shakes using Slim Fast High Protein mix, 1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries (instead of ice), and 1 cup of 2% milk. It's very yummy, and healthy, too.

Thursday
B - 1 C Raisin Bran cereal with 15 mixed nuts (mostly almonds & cashews) and 1/2 C 2% milk
MMS - Homemade protein shake
L - Grilled chicken & sausage gumbo soup (Campbell's Chunky), 5 saltine crackers, caffeine-free Diet Pepsi, 4 oz. grapefruit juice
[I'm eating the soup right now, and don't think I'm going to be able to finish it. It's "okay" I guess, but not something I'd choose again when selecting soups. It's filling me up pretty fast, too.]
AS#1 - 1 cup nonfat frozen yogurt
AS#2 - 1/2 Slim Fast meal bar
D - Egg sandwich made w/2 scrambled eggs, 1 slice Amer cheese, 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread, about 1 T lowfat mayo, squirt of Dijon mustard. Eggs were cooked in 1/2 T Smart Balance spread.
LNS - 1 yogurt w/15 nuts, 1 mozz cheese stick

Total Calories: 2,025 :(

UGGGH - I goofed on my calorie count yesterday! :doh: I was keeping track of it by writing it down, but totally forgot to write down the grapefruit juice or the nonfat frozen yogurt, so I didn't add those calories in -- if I had, I would not have had the Late Night Snack! Which means I went well OVER my maximum allowance of 1,800 calories, and I didn't get any exercise to boot! I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I mostly just lazed around all day. I'm hoping that the fact that I only had 1,280 cals the day before will help "balance things out."

I need to do really well today! That shouldn't be a problem because I'm feeling better and have lots of cleaning to do to prepare for watching my baby niece tomorrow for a few hours. My SIL is going to drop her off here. I haven't been coughing nearly as much so far today, just mainly sneezing and sniffling and blowing my nose, so maybe I am finally starting to get over this chest cold I've had?

Friday
B - 1 packet low sugar oatmeal (made w/water), 15 nuts (mostly almonds)
MMS - Mozzarella cheesestick
L - Chicken sandwich (made w/2 slices 100% whole wheat bread, one slice of cheese, 1 T lowfat mayo, a squirt of dijon mustard, and leftover crock pot chicken & veggie soup with the 'juice' drained off. Used chicken breast, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots for the soup)
Dess - 1-1/2 cups nonfat frozen yogurt
D - About 2 cups split pea soup, 2 cornbread muffins
LNS - 1 apple, sliced w/1 T Jiff peanut butter (which is low in sugar) smeared on

Exercise - 1 hour of fairly strenuous housework

Total Calories: 1,769

(Saturday): Once again my calorie count was a little high yesterday. It doesn't bother me too much as long as it's under 1,800 calories, because I can still lose a little weight at that level, but once I start to lose more weight, that will no longer hold true (the more you weigh, the more calories you can consume and still lose weight). So I really need to aim for 1,600 cals or less right now. Hmmm, what can I do to do that? I need to go back and look at the 1,200 calorie day I had to see what I ate that day, because it seemed to satisfy me - however, I think it may have been because my appetite was down that day. My appetite seems to have picked back up the past couple of days.

Yesterday I struggled with wanting something sweet. The resee's cups my DH has in the refrigerator drawer were calling my name. But I resisted! I just kept telling myself.. just make it til Sunday, just make it til Sunday... then you can eat whatever you want that day (I'm allowing myself one cheat day per week).

Thing is, I'd better do really well today if I don't want tomorrow to sabotage my entire week's worth of effort! I need to get in more exercise and eat less calories today. I think I will shoot for between 1,200 and 1,400 calories and at least 45 min worth of exercise.

This morning I've been feeling pretty nauseated, though, and have already had one bout of the runs (sorry if tmi to whomever might be reading this). I really hope it's just some passing thing and not the beginning of some type of stomach virus. I'm not even completely over this cold yet. I wasn't hungry at all for breakfast and was tempted to skip it, but I am part of the PO Biggest Loser Challenge and don't want to lose the point, plus eating breakfast is important to jump start your metabolism, so... I decided I could probably get a protein shake down my neck.

Saturday
B - Homemade protein shake: 1 scoop Slim Fast High Protein shake mix, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 cup 2% milk
MMS - 4 oz. grapefruit juice
L - 1 Hormel Compleats meal, 1/2 cup peas
AS#1 - 1 cup nonfat frozen yogurt
AS#2 (closer to dinner) - 1 mozzarella cheese stick
D - 2 chicken hot dogs w/a little over 1 T lowfat mayo, squirt of spicy mustard, and appx 1/2 cup chili on whole wheat bread (1 slice per hot dog - didn't have any hot dog buns)
Dess - 1 container chocolate sugar-free pudding
LNS - 2 dill pickles

Total Calories: 1,645

Exercise: 30 min of brisk walking + 30 min workout at home

At least I stayed closer to 1,600 calories today and got in an hour total of exercise. I would have been happier if I had been able to stay closer to 1,400 calories, but if I make myself too miserable, I'm less likely to stick to it. Eating less and changing bad habits is hard enough without feeling hungry all the time on top of it.

I think my daily dose of nonfat frozen yogurt helps keep me sane, too. It's not the usual rich ice cream I "used" to eat, but it is close enough, and has a lot less calories. I could cut back to 1/2 cup, and eventually I may wind up having to do that if it means losing that last 10 lbs. to get to my ideal weight, but for now, I'm going to allow a full cup in order to give myself a fighting chance to win this battle to lose the weight.

Tonight I really wanted something else to eat for a late night snack, but I wasn't truly hungry plus I didn't want to add any more calories, so I had water instead. A little later after that I did get truly hungry, though, so I allowed myself 2 dill pickles, which is only 10 calories. :)

ETA: The nausea from this morning stayed with me most of the day, but I didn't have any more bouts of the 'runs' and I pushed through the nauseated feeling and exercised anyway. It got better this evening, then after dinner it went away. So apparently it wasn't a stomach virus. Phew!

Sunday - CHEAT DAY: Didn't keep track of food or calories
Exercise: 45-min workout video (aerobics/weights combo with ab work)

Yesterday it was so nice to take a day off from counting calories. I treated myself to 2 cookies at breakfast, an ice cream treat after lunch (though it wasn't that great - tasted really funny to me), and pizza and cheesecake for dinner, which I really enjoyed. Despite getting home late, I decided to do a 45-min workout video, because I was so afraid my one day of eating more would sabotage my efforts this past week. It was a good workout, and I'm glad I did it.

This morning (Monday) was weigh in day! 176 lbs - 2 lbs lost this past week :)

Not exactly something to jump up and down and spit nickels over, but I'll take it!

Monday
B -Oatmeal and 2 eggs (sunnyside up) cooked in 1/2 T Smart Balance spread
4 oz. grapefruit juice
L - 1/2 bag peanuts, 1 small cheeseburger, 1 peanut butter cookie
S - 1 protein bar
D - Appx. 6 oz. turkey sausage, stir-fried with about 1/2 T stir-fry sauce, garlic, salt & pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, & 1/2 cup brown rice (used Olive Oil Spray)
Dess - 1 cup nonfat frozen yogurt (oops)

Total Calories: 1,815

Exercise:30 min of brisk walking at the mall

I would have done better had I not had the nonfat frozen yogurt (it would have put me closer to 1600), but I was really really craving it tonight for some reason. Funny, I was eally craving the peanut butter cookie after lunch, too. Makes me wonder if the workout yesterday is making me crave carbs more today. Or... it could be because I had more sweets than usual yesterday, so it made me crave them today, too. Hmmm. Maybe it wasn't worth it to have so many sweets on my Cheat Day.

Tomorrow night I have a birthday party to go to. I plan to allow myself a small sliver of cake. To me, personally, it just doesn't seem right to share in someone's birthday celebration without sharing in their cake as well. It's part of the "celebration" or "feast," as it were. No worries, though, I plan to do that 45-min workout video tomorrow.

Maybe tonight I can find some type of activity to do to burn some more calories, without doing "too much" so as not to give my muscles a chance to recover from yesterday's workout.

Tuesday
B - 1 pc. whole wheat toast w/1 T peanut butter, 4 oz. grapefruit juice
L - Hormel Compleats Turkey & Dressing meal, appx 3/4 cup NF Froz yogurt, Diet Sierra Mist
S - 1 resee's cup & 1 resee's stick (my DH just HAD to leave them sitting there in the fridge, didn't he! :lol:)
D - Meatball sub from convenience store (it had the cals listed on it), Diet Pepsi
Birthday Party for a relative - 1 small cupcake and 1 small scoop ice cream, water to drink
LNS - 1/2 of a large banana, 1/2 T peanut butter, water

Total Calories: 1,758

Exercise: 45-minute workout video

Wednesday
B - 1 cup Raisin Bran, 1/2 cup 2% milk, 15 nuts
L - Hormel Compleats Chicken & Dumplings meal, 1 cornbread muffin, diet Mtn. Dew
AS - 8 oz. grapefruit juice
D - 6 oz. ham steak, appx 1/4 C spinach, appx 2/3 C sliced new potatoes & cheese, diet Sierra Mist
Dess - 2 cups nonfat frozen yogurt (I knew I had enough cals left :))

Total Calories: 1,515

(Thursday): I did well on my total calorie intake yesterday, and it's a good thing since I didn't get any exercise in. My body seemed to be telling me that I needed to take a day off from exercise anyway.

Thursday
B - Atkins protein bar, diet Pepsi
MMS - 1/2 slice of egg casserole (at M.O.P.S. meeting)
L - Cheeseburger, appx 1/4 C mashed potatoes, 2 fries (eaten off husband's plate)
AS - Kid's size ice cream (at mall)
D - 1 Hormel Compleats meal
Dess - 1 cup nonfat frozen yogurt

Total Calories: 1,620

Exercise: 30 min of brisk walking at the mall

Once again I did well on calorie intake, and even got in 30 min of exercise! :D I had to estimate what the calories were for my lunch, so I "over-estimated" at 500 cals just to be safe. I was proud of myself for only getting the kid's size ice cream at the mall, which is the equivalent of about 1/2 cup. I estimated 200 cals for that, even though that might be a little high, but it was dark chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cup mixed in.

I am starting to get used to the calorie-counting now, something I thought I'd NEVER get used to, but I don't think I ever got beyond a week of doing it in the past before I gave up. I'm now getting close to two weeks of doing it faithfully. It's so true how things start to become 'habit' after awhile.

Yesterday morning when I got dressed, it felt like I might have lost a little more weight as my clothes were a little looser. However, by yesterday afternoon I started to feel quite bloated. Today I've been bloated pretty much all day long. Not sure what could be causing that as it's not "that time of the month" yet. I do know that if I drink too much milk, that can cause it, but I haven't been drinking much milk lately. There may have been a little milk in the Hormel meal I had at lunch yesterday, but I wouldn't think it would be enough to cause the problem? That's why I like recording my food, so I can try and change things up and see what might help.

I've been concerned about something the past couple of days -- I've been feeling quite lightheaded (today is the 3rd day I've had it) and I just haven't felt right. My blood pressure tends to run low and I've had this problem before, but it has been worse lately. At the mall today, I bent over to stop my DD from putting another little girl's shoes on her feet, and when I stood back up again I got so lightheaded and dizzy that I thought for sure I was going to faint. Everything started to go black-- I stopped and steadied myself, and thankfully didn't faint, but had to sit down. Then every time I'd get back up I'd feel it again, except not quite as bad as when I had knelt down. I took Hannah and went to get a bottle of water out of the vending machine and after drinking that I seemed to feel a little better. It's not like I don't drink enough water - I drink 10 cups a day on a regular basis! It's not that hard for me because I'm usually thirsty enough. Then on the way back home from the mall, my DH (who had dropped us off at the mall to go get some supplies from Lowe's and then picked us back up) was driving, and I started to doze off, and had to lie down and take a nap once we got home. I slept for an hour and a half and it only seemed like 20 minutes to me. I did feel at least a little better after the nap.

(I should say here--for those who might be reading this--that I forgot to put in the exercise I got on Tuesday, so I went back and put it in.)