44 lengths so far this week. Unfortunately, tonight is curry night. But my pounds will be healthier pounds...
Yesterday was a bad day and involved a bag of sweets.
On Friday we go to Devon, where there is no control over food at all, but on the plus side (weather permitting, and it is snowing again) there are many tors to climb and exercising opportunities of the fresh air variety.
I think I need a pep talk!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday Weigh in - Dr Mom
Down another half a pound to 153 lbs. If I keep on at half a pound a week, I might manage to lose my 20 pounds this year! Mind you, if I ate less and exercised more, that might help too.
Today it is raining.
Today it is raining.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Death By Eating
Sunday was a ridiculous eating day.
First of all the kids begged us to take them to the diner for breakfast (see last post), which we didn't finish till about 10am.
Then we were heading up to San Francisco to see a ballet at 2:00pm, so we had to eat an early lunch. At 11:30am we were forcing ourselves to eat sandwiches.
We ordered drinks and snack for the ballet intermission - experience tells us that we need something with caffeine in it to revive us at half time - and the only small thing on offer was a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries. Hubby declared that he felt queasy afterwards.
Then at the end of the ballet, which was only 4:30pm, we headed to Max's Opera Cafe on Van Ness, as we had promised the kids we could eat dinner there. Pointing out the early hour, I suggested that we drive back home and go out to eat downtown, but Deep Thought revealed an urgent need for the loo - which she had failed to mention while we were in the theatre - and so Max's it had to be. I think the kids mostly like this restaurant for its desserts, but on this occasion they were forbidden to have any. We ordered our entrees which, when they arrived ten minutes later, proved to be as enormous as any we've ever seen. I had the crab cakes with fries and coleslaw. I didn't eat any coleslaw - too much onion - and only one of the three crab cakes. Deep Thought had half my fries. She had ordered a BBQ pork wrap, which provokes images of a healthful sandwich substitute full of salad, yes? How wrong can you be? She ate about a third of it, and an untouched half came home. Little Starlet, who is currently in a meat and two veg stage, ordered the beef brisket with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. There was enough mash for at least four people. She bravely made an igloo in the middle of it, then most of that came home too.
What is it with restaurants? Why do they insist on giving such big portions? I imagine it is so people think they are getting value for money, but all that happens is that you bring the excess food home, keep it in the fridge for a couple of days and then throw it away, complete with the extra refuse created by the "to go" plastic boxes. Really quite ridiculous.
Incidentally, the ballet was "The Little Mermaid" which was the first modern ballet that we'd taken the kids to. They didn't like it much, especially because the music was discordant; but Hubby and I enjoyed it more than the traditional fru-fru ballets like "Swan Lake". We actually found it emotionally affecting, which is definitely a first for us with ballet.
First of all the kids begged us to take them to the diner for breakfast (see last post), which we didn't finish till about 10am.
Then we were heading up to San Francisco to see a ballet at 2:00pm, so we had to eat an early lunch. At 11:30am we were forcing ourselves to eat sandwiches.
We ordered drinks and snack for the ballet intermission - experience tells us that we need something with caffeine in it to revive us at half time - and the only small thing on offer was a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries. Hubby declared that he felt queasy afterwards.
Then at the end of the ballet, which was only 4:30pm, we headed to Max's Opera Cafe on Van Ness, as we had promised the kids we could eat dinner there. Pointing out the early hour, I suggested that we drive back home and go out to eat downtown, but Deep Thought revealed an urgent need for the loo - which she had failed to mention while we were in the theatre - and so Max's it had to be. I think the kids mostly like this restaurant for its desserts, but on this occasion they were forbidden to have any. We ordered our entrees which, when they arrived ten minutes later, proved to be as enormous as any we've ever seen. I had the crab cakes with fries and coleslaw. I didn't eat any coleslaw - too much onion - and only one of the three crab cakes. Deep Thought had half my fries. She had ordered a BBQ pork wrap, which provokes images of a healthful sandwich substitute full of salad, yes? How wrong can you be? She ate about a third of it, and an untouched half came home. Little Starlet, who is currently in a meat and two veg stage, ordered the beef brisket with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. There was enough mash for at least four people. She bravely made an igloo in the middle of it, then most of that came home too.
What is it with restaurants? Why do they insist on giving such big portions? I imagine it is so people think they are getting value for money, but all that happens is that you bring the excess food home, keep it in the fridge for a couple of days and then throw it away, complete with the extra refuse created by the "to go" plastic boxes. Really quite ridiculous.
Incidentally, the ballet was "The Little Mermaid" which was the first modern ballet that we'd taken the kids to. They didn't like it much, especially because the music was discordant; but Hubby and I enjoyed it more than the traditional fru-fru ballets like "Swan Lake". We actually found it emotionally affecting, which is definitely a first for us with ballet.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Good and Bad Choices
I am also eating too much, dear OEM. I've fallen back into the trap of evening snacking. Yesterday was brazil nuts and a biscotti. We were watching a very dubious movie on the TV - "Appaloosa" with Jeremy Irons playing a most unconvincing cowboy baddie - so some sustenance was required.
This morning we succumbed to the appeals of our children to go to the diner. I didn't have my usual bacon, poached egg and hash browns meal, but instead had french toast with fruit and a little syrup. I skipped the butter. I'm not so stuffed as I am usually after a trip to the diner, but I can't help suspecting that this morning's meal was less nutritious than the usual one. I guess I did have fruit, and that's unusual for me.
Hubby has a new theory based on something he read somewhere.... That we should avoid processed foods, but that animal fat is not really bad for you after all; which probably means that bacon is bad, eggs are good. But then again, if bacon tastes that good, how can it be bad for you?
This morning we succumbed to the appeals of our children to go to the diner. I didn't have my usual bacon, poached egg and hash browns meal, but instead had french toast with fruit and a little syrup. I skipped the butter. I'm not so stuffed as I am usually after a trip to the diner, but I can't help suspecting that this morning's meal was less nutritious than the usual one. I guess I did have fruit, and that's unusual for me.
Hubby has a new theory based on something he read somewhere.... That we should avoid processed foods, but that animal fat is not really bad for you after all; which probably means that bacon is bad, eggs are good. But then again, if bacon tastes that good, how can it be bad for you?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Doing Badly
I am eating too much again.
However, I did manage 38 lengths of the swimming pool this week, so that is something (though not much if Dr Howard Whatsit is to be believed).
Happily, last weigh-in had returned to 17.08. Now, how to avoid the Easter chocolate overdose?
However, I did manage 38 lengths of the swimming pool this week, so that is something (though not much if Dr Howard Whatsit is to be believed).
Happily, last weigh-in had returned to 17.08. Now, how to avoid the Easter chocolate overdose?
I can still surprise myself
Specifically by taking the kids to a coffee shop and only eating half the almond croissant. Admittedly, it was the size of a rugby ball, but in days gone by I'd have eaten it all, even though I was feeling full. Today I brought the uneaten half home in a paper bag for Hubby to eat after he got back from his cycle ride. To say he was surprised by this would be an understatement.
Friday, March 26, 2010
You Can't Lose Weight Just by Exercising
I'm not sure this will be earth-shaking news, but according to a study reported by the Associated Press on Wednesday this week, it is virtually impossible to lose weight just by exercising. Restriction of calorie intake is an important part of the overall process.
The study, undertaken by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a government body) and published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed 34,079 non-dieting women for 13 years. About 13% of these women started the study with a healthy weight, a BMI under 25, and gained little or no weight over the 13 years. These women reported doing the equivalent of an hour of moderate activity each day. More overweight women in the study rarely reported doing anything near this much, and they also consumed more calories. (Does this sound familiar yet?) One of the conclusions of the study is that the guidelines issued by the US government in 2008 recommending half an hour of exercise five days a week will not stop any weight gain unless combined with calorie restriction. It seems that some people think that the exercise alone is likely to stop weight gain.
Here's a little thought to leave you with: Dr Howard Eisenson of Duke University, quoted by the AP, reminds us that a candy bar is about 200 calories. To burn that off would take an hour of moderate speed walking.
The study, undertaken by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a government body) and published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed 34,079 non-dieting women for 13 years. About 13% of these women started the study with a healthy weight, a BMI under 25, and gained little or no weight over the 13 years. These women reported doing the equivalent of an hour of moderate activity each day. More overweight women in the study rarely reported doing anything near this much, and they also consumed more calories. (Does this sound familiar yet?) One of the conclusions of the study is that the guidelines issued by the US government in 2008 recommending half an hour of exercise five days a week will not stop any weight gain unless combined with calorie restriction. It seems that some people think that the exercise alone is likely to stop weight gain.
Here's a little thought to leave you with: Dr Howard Eisenson of Duke University, quoted by the AP, reminds us that a candy bar is about 200 calories. To burn that off would take an hour of moderate speed walking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
