Today is my 100th day of the HMR Diet.
Yesterday I signed up for three months of maintenance. I am committed to staying with this plan.
So let's all toast with some nice cold water to another 100 days.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Week 14 - 4 pounds
Weigh in: 207.5 pounds
Total loss: 37.8 pounds
Number of beers I had at my class reunion Friday night: 4
Number of pounds lost this week: 4
Hmmm. A new weight loss tool? Probably not.
I have officially switched to the HMR Maintenance program. Before anyone gets all worried, let me just say that I will still be losing weight. I just get to eat under different guidelines than the Healthy Solutions program.
The maintenance part of HMR is really about transitioning back to real food. I am still expected to use 14 meal replacements a week. Either shakes or entrees. And I still need to eat 35 servings of fruits and vegetables a week. After I get all of that in, I can make my own choices. In order to lose weight, my choices are going to have to stay on the reasonable side of lean proteins and whole grains.
The best part is that there is no "in the box" or "out of the box" anymore. I don't have to feel bad for having a salad with chicken on it. (Not that I really felt bad about that choice, but I did have to declare it out of the box.)
Anyway, I have just moved one more step towards eating healthy and in control.
Total loss: 37.8 pounds
Number of beers I had at my class reunion Friday night: 4
Number of pounds lost this week: 4
Hmmm. A new weight loss tool? Probably not.
I have officially switched to the HMR Maintenance program. Before anyone gets all worried, let me just say that I will still be losing weight. I just get to eat under different guidelines than the Healthy Solutions program.
The maintenance part of HMR is really about transitioning back to real food. I am still expected to use 14 meal replacements a week. Either shakes or entrees. And I still need to eat 35 servings of fruits and vegetables a week. After I get all of that in, I can make my own choices. In order to lose weight, my choices are going to have to stay on the reasonable side of lean proteins and whole grains.
The best part is that there is no "in the box" or "out of the box" anymore. I don't have to feel bad for having a salad with chicken on it. (Not that I really felt bad about that choice, but I did have to declare it out of the box.)
Anyway, I have just moved one more step towards eating healthy and in control.
Monday, July 28, 2008
By Request
Pumpkin Cookie
(I believe I have warned in a previous post that the results may not resemble anything that looks like a cookie!)
Use a scoop of HMR 120 (or a shake packet of the others)
Add 1 Tablespoon of Fat-Free Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
A couple of shakes of Pumpkin Pie Spice
A packet of Equal or Splenda
Mix in about 3 Tablespoons of water
Spray Pam Cooking Spray on a microwave safe plate. Pour the glop from above onto the plate and microwave for 65-70 seconds. It may not be pretty, but it is kind of good for breakfast.
I call my lastest favorite a Cinnamon Cookie. It is the same as above only I substitute a few shakes of Cinnamon for the spice. And I use a teaspoon of Splenda Brown Sugar Substitute for the sweetener.
These can be life savers when you want something solid. I feel that way on weekend morning a lot. This fills the muffin craving for me. Let me know how it turns out for you.
(I believe I have warned in a previous post that the results may not resemble anything that looks like a cookie!)
Use a scoop of HMR 120 (or a shake packet of the others)
Add 1 Tablespoon of Fat-Free Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
A couple of shakes of Pumpkin Pie Spice
A packet of Equal or Splenda
Mix in about 3 Tablespoons of water
Spray Pam Cooking Spray on a microwave safe plate. Pour the glop from above onto the plate and microwave for 65-70 seconds. It may not be pretty, but it is kind of good for breakfast.
I call my lastest favorite a Cinnamon Cookie. It is the same as above only I substitute a few shakes of Cinnamon for the spice. And I use a teaspoon of Splenda Brown Sugar Substitute for the sweetener.
These can be life savers when you want something solid. I feel that way on weekend morning a lot. This fills the muffin craving for me. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Still Hard
And I don't mean in a good way. (wink, wink)
I just wanted to put a little note out today to say that this dieting thing is difficult. It isn't easy to keep going day after day. The weight loss isn't happening as fast now. The sizes aren't changing that quickly. And yet, I still have to sacrifice what I want for what is healthy. Everyday.
Maybe I need to set some goals. Small goals to help me through this middle part. Anyone have any ideas for small goals and rewards? Some of my goals should be exercise related. I need to increase my exercise. And yet, I don't like to sacrifice much of my free time.
I usually walk during my breaks at work which gets me an automatic 30-40 minutes of walking in each day. I want to try to develope a quick 10 minute arm workout for the evenings with small hand held weights.
I want a burst of that good motivation that comes with the start of a diet. Do they sell that in a bottle? Can you find it on a website? Let me know.
I just wanted to put a little note out today to say that this dieting thing is difficult. It isn't easy to keep going day after day. The weight loss isn't happening as fast now. The sizes aren't changing that quickly. And yet, I still have to sacrifice what I want for what is healthy. Everyday.
Maybe I need to set some goals. Small goals to help me through this middle part. Anyone have any ideas for small goals and rewards? Some of my goals should be exercise related. I need to increase my exercise. And yet, I don't like to sacrifice much of my free time.
I usually walk during my breaks at work which gets me an automatic 30-40 minutes of walking in each day. I want to try to develope a quick 10 minute arm workout for the evenings with small hand held weights.
I want a burst of that good motivation that comes with the start of a diet. Do they sell that in a bottle? Can you find it on a website? Let me know.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Week 13 - .8 pounds
Weigh in: 211.5 pounds
Total loss: 33.8 pounds
I'm at this weird place in my body where I'm not quite fat anymore, but not at all thin either.
Obviously, I've lost some weight and I feel great. I am at the edge of normal clothing sizes which will eventually give my a lot more options when I get around to shopping again. I don't feel so grossly swollen like I did before the diet started.
And yet...not thin. I still have a lot of weight that I would like to lose. I would like to get down a couple more sizes of pants. I'm guessing that I am at the halfway point to where I would like to end up. And I'm tired of the Healthy Solutions part of the diet already. Oh no!
I know what is happening. I have hit the three month limit to my dieting attention span.
Almost any diet I have gone on in the past has had about a three month shelf life before I lose interest and give up. Luckily, this time I don't feel like giving up. I just feel like changing things around a little. And my counselor is encouraging me to do that. The idea is to keep me interested and willing to keep working on it. If I feel stagnated by what I am doing, then we will come up with a different plan that fits better. I love this attitude by the weight loss staff.
I will be working out my new plan with her during the next week and I'll let you know what the end result is. The most important end result will be that I will continue to lose weight.
Total loss: 33.8 pounds
I'm at this weird place in my body where I'm not quite fat anymore, but not at all thin either.
Obviously, I've lost some weight and I feel great. I am at the edge of normal clothing sizes which will eventually give my a lot more options when I get around to shopping again. I don't feel so grossly swollen like I did before the diet started.
And yet...not thin. I still have a lot of weight that I would like to lose. I would like to get down a couple more sizes of pants. I'm guessing that I am at the halfway point to where I would like to end up. And I'm tired of the Healthy Solutions part of the diet already. Oh no!
I know what is happening. I have hit the three month limit to my dieting attention span.
Almost any diet I have gone on in the past has had about a three month shelf life before I lose interest and give up. Luckily, this time I don't feel like giving up. I just feel like changing things around a little. And my counselor is encouraging me to do that. The idea is to keep me interested and willing to keep working on it. If I feel stagnated by what I am doing, then we will come up with a different plan that fits better. I love this attitude by the weight loss staff.
I will be working out my new plan with her during the next week and I'll let you know what the end result is. The most important end result will be that I will continue to lose weight.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Week 12 - 2.5 Pounds
Weigh in: 212.3 pounds
Total loss: 33 pounds
That is much better! Last week's gain is gone and anouther pound on top of that.
I forgot to do my measurements this month. So I'm just going to wait until the beginning of August.
Total loss: 33 pounds
That is much better! Last week's gain is gone and anouther pound on top of that.
I forgot to do my measurements this month. So I'm just going to wait until the beginning of August.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Daughters and Weight Loss
This diet is taking place while my daughter is hitting a critical age. She just turned ten this summer and is starting to be very body conscious. Of course, this worries me as to how she will be warped by my dieting.
My mom was heavy while I was growing up. I remember her being on Weight Watchers and at a different time she did Nutrisystems. She lost a bunch of weight on each diet, but she always gained it back. Now I am following in her footsteps. She was beautiful and confident. She always dressed well to make the most of her shape. But as a child, people often said "Your mom is so pretty, if only she would lose weight." I often agreed. Not being heavy until later in my adult years, I didn't understand at the time what was stopping her.
I do realize now how hard it is. How your body fights you every step of the way. I can look back and realize that I have never really changed my eating. I dieted, then I went back to the way I was eating before the diet. I think that was her problem too. I never really learned to eat the vegetables and fruits that I am eating now. This may be the first time I am actually making a real, lasting change. (I hope!)
I've wished a lot lately that my mom was still alive to talk to about dieting. I would like to have heard her feelings about the subject rather than just my own fading memories of what she was like at different weights. And I talk to my own daughter about the diet I'm on so that it isn't some big mysterious thing that I am doing.
One of the first things I did was meet with my daughter's doctor and my daughter to discuss the reasons why I am on this diet. The doctor and I explained that I need to do this for my health and not to look prettier. (It is definitely a benefit that I don't complain about though.) The doctor discussed my daughter's weight (which is low) with her. She gave her the goal to gain a couple of pounds before her next visit. We discussed all of the healthy things she could eat that would help her feel less hungry and give her more energy such as cheese, fruit and yogurt. She dances almost seven hours a week and has a hard time keeping her weight on. I don't want her to get the idea that thinner is better. Healthy is better.
We met with her doctor again this week. My daughter had gained two pounds. She was very proud of herself. It was such a foreign thought to me, but I was excited to see that her mind is in the right place. My diet has become so common for her that it wasn't even mentioned during the visit.
Now if only I could get her to eat more vegetables...
My mom was heavy while I was growing up. I remember her being on Weight Watchers and at a different time she did Nutrisystems. She lost a bunch of weight on each diet, but she always gained it back. Now I am following in her footsteps. She was beautiful and confident. She always dressed well to make the most of her shape. But as a child, people often said "Your mom is so pretty, if only she would lose weight." I often agreed. Not being heavy until later in my adult years, I didn't understand at the time what was stopping her.
I do realize now how hard it is. How your body fights you every step of the way. I can look back and realize that I have never really changed my eating. I dieted, then I went back to the way I was eating before the diet. I think that was her problem too. I never really learned to eat the vegetables and fruits that I am eating now. This may be the first time I am actually making a real, lasting change. (I hope!)
I've wished a lot lately that my mom was still alive to talk to about dieting. I would like to have heard her feelings about the subject rather than just my own fading memories of what she was like at different weights. And I talk to my own daughter about the diet I'm on so that it isn't some big mysterious thing that I am doing.
One of the first things I did was meet with my daughter's doctor and my daughter to discuss the reasons why I am on this diet. The doctor and I explained that I need to do this for my health and not to look prettier. (It is definitely a benefit that I don't complain about though.) The doctor discussed my daughter's weight (which is low) with her. She gave her the goal to gain a couple of pounds before her next visit. We discussed all of the healthy things she could eat that would help her feel less hungry and give her more energy such as cheese, fruit and yogurt. She dances almost seven hours a week and has a hard time keeping her weight on. I don't want her to get the idea that thinner is better. Healthy is better.
We met with her doctor again this week. My daughter had gained two pounds. She was very proud of herself. It was such a foreign thought to me, but I was excited to see that her mind is in the right place. My diet has become so common for her that it wasn't even mentioned during the visit.
Now if only I could get her to eat more vegetables...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Week 11 - (+) 1.6 pounds
Weigh in: 214.8 pounds
Total loss: 30.5 pounds
A gain! Wow. Hmm. I have no excuse for that. I would be upset and try to find a reason if I hadn't stepped on the scale first thing this morning and seen a new low. Just goes to show that the time of day and other factors really do matter in weighing in.
We went to Chicago for a trip this last weekend. I managed to eat in the box in spite of being in a different place. I made shakes in my hotel room. I ate fresh fruits and vegetables whenever we went anywhere. I didn't have access to a microwave to heat up my entrees, so I skipped them on Friday. I ate two of them late Saturday when we got home. All in all, I did the best I possibly could have to stay on plan.
It is a real disappointment when you work that hard and don't show a loss at weigh in time. I feel like I was so... virtuous, I guess. And good things should come to people who are being good, right?
This week in class we discussed looking at the past 4 weeks as a whole instead of judging ourselves on our weekly weigh in. That puts me at 3.3 pounds lost while I was doing the transition to Healthy Solutions. During this time, my body has been refilling my glycogen stores and putting back some of the water that came off in the beginning.
My body should pretty much be done with that adjustment and the weight should start coming off again.
Total loss: 30.5 pounds
A gain! Wow. Hmm. I have no excuse for that. I would be upset and try to find a reason if I hadn't stepped on the scale first thing this morning and seen a new low. Just goes to show that the time of day and other factors really do matter in weighing in.
We went to Chicago for a trip this last weekend. I managed to eat in the box in spite of being in a different place. I made shakes in my hotel room. I ate fresh fruits and vegetables whenever we went anywhere. I didn't have access to a microwave to heat up my entrees, so I skipped them on Friday. I ate two of them late Saturday when we got home. All in all, I did the best I possibly could have to stay on plan.
It is a real disappointment when you work that hard and don't show a loss at weigh in time. I feel like I was so... virtuous, I guess. And good things should come to people who are being good, right?
This week in class we discussed looking at the past 4 weeks as a whole instead of judging ourselves on our weekly weigh in. That puts me at 3.3 pounds lost while I was doing the transition to Healthy Solutions. During this time, my body has been refilling my glycogen stores and putting back some of the water that came off in the beginning.
My body should pretty much be done with that adjustment and the weight should start coming off again.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Week 10 - 3.1 pounds
Weigh in: 213.2 pounds
Total loss: 32.1 pounds
A little haiku for you:
my weight loss is great
i still have to work at it
new pants fit my butt
Total loss: 32.1 pounds
A little haiku for you:
my weight loss is great
i still have to work at it
new pants fit my butt
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