THE INCREDIBLE WEIGHT-LOSS!

Not really low-fat, but...

2010-11-20T20:24:00.000-06:00

Hopefully, this is my last night as a smoker. I have smoked for 40 years, less 6 months. My doctor says that you don't gain weight because you quit smoking. He says that people do that to themselves. He said if I stay on the low-fat, I will not gain. Boy, I hope he's right. Crossing my fingers.

It's better than I thought!

2010-01-13T06:33:00.001-06:00

I started trying to lose again last Wednesday. I lost 1.2 pounds in this first week.I didn't figure I lost anything, so I'm happy. I did nothing except change what I was eating. It was very,very cold over the weekend. We set new low temperature records on 3 mornings. I did mostly nothing except huddle up and try to stay warm. Oh! That must be it,huh? The vibrations of my shivering over the weekend must have shook that 1.2 pounds loose! I finished the M&M's that I had in the house. Now to concentrate on forgetting about the bags of itty bitty Crunches that I have in the bottom of the freezer! I'll concentrate on the multitudes of salad veggies that I have in the house instead.
I almost forgot to add that I've posted a couple of new recipes in the recipe section. There's one for chicken soup and I forget the other one. Oh! Veggie fried rice. It sounded good too.

Okay, I've been bad!

2010-01-01T07:25:00.002-06:00

For one thing, I haven't posted in ages. The other thing is that I haven't been trying very hard to get the weight loss going again. I decided at the first of December to just sort of do what I wanted for the rest of the year. Ha! On January 16th, it will be 2 years since I started losing. I'm going to start again.I still want to lose about 80 more pounds. I want to see if my body will think it's starving again and start eating the fat again. Hey! It's worth a try, now isn't it?
I had lots of new recipes to post, but I procrastinated. Alas, the old computer died a sudden tragic death and I lost them....GRRRRR! That will teach me,huh? The new computer is totally AWESOME! It's a thing of beauty. I will try not to let the recipes stack up on me. I can post faster with this truly awesome puter. I will post the 2 recipes that I have now.

8 REASONS YOUR DIET ISN'T WORKING

2009-07-09T10:28:00.003-05:00

I read this in Family Circle yesterday. This is a pretty long article so I'm going to put the reasons and parts of what it said. I might add a comment too.;-)

Americans spend $33 billion each year on diet programs,products and gimmicks--yet we weigh more than ever. Why are we getting bigger when we're trying that much harder to get skinny? Too many carbs? Too much fat? Mindless eating? Excessive stress? Perhaps. but chances are it's just a small diet mistake that's stopping you from losing those extra pounds.

#1 DIET DOWNFALL--
You follow the plan that worked for your friend.

Forget about the latest fad diet. Even if your best friend swears she found the secret to weight loss, it might not work for you. Truth is, different methods work for different people.

UNDO THE DAMAGE--

The trick to losing weight and keeping it off is finding a diet you like-- that way you'll be able to stick to it. Carbaholics should go with a Mediterranean diet. The fiber-rich complex carbs help control hunger. Carnivores can lose weight eating a protein-heavy diet with primarily lean meats--think grille turkey burgers,roasted chicken and baked fish. A large number of women find success with low-fat plans.

ME: You know how I feel about low-fat.....it's better for your heart too! That triple by-pass won't be any fun even if you ARE thin!

#2 DIET DOWNFALL--
You eat a small breakfast.

When it comes to your morning meal, size matters--a lot. A recent study found that eating a substantial breakfast can help you lose some serious weight. 94 women were put on a low-calorie diet. But half the women had a big breakfast(610 calories) and the other half a more modest(290 calories) morning meal. The surprising discovery: In just 8 months the larger breakfast group shed, on average, 40 pounds, while their smaller breakfast counterparts dropped a mere 10 pounds.

UNDO THE DAMAGE--
Aim for roughly 500 calories for breakfast. Not hungry in the A.M.? It's likely you're eating too much or too late at night. To get your appetite in sync,close your kitchen at 8 p.m.

ME:The larger breakfast worked for me through 101 pounds!

#3 DIET DOWNFALL--
You're clueless about calorie counting.

Overeating during meals isn't the only way to pack on weight. Did you know that nibbling on just one extra slice of cheese a day translates to 10 extra pounds a year? Add on that one can of regular soda you treat yourself to every afternoon(just for a quick pick-me-up) and you're adding another 15 pounds. Every bite and swallow counts,not just the one you take when you're sitting down to a meal.

UNDO THE DAMAGE:
Food logs are perfect for people who are all-day snackers. When you write down what you eat you become more aware of what you put in your mouth, helping you identify problem areas. If writing it down is too tedious, stop and think about what you ate last. In a study in England, women who were asked to recall their last meal, ate less in an afternoon snack.

#4 DIET DOWNFALL--
You skip meals.

Many women go without breakfast or lunch because they have a special occasion later or overindulged the night before. By 3 p.m. all hell breaks loose. The proof: A USDA economic research service report released earlier this year found that stretching the time between meals from 4 to 5 hours causes you to overeat. Waiting 6 hours makes it even worse. When you finally do eat, you'll consume substantially more and also choose less healthy options.

UNDO THE DAMAGE--
Try to go no more that 4 hours without having a little something to keep you satisfied, That will keep you from overdoing it at your next meal.

#5 DIET DOWNFALL--
You load up on superfoods.

Don't be duped. Even good-for-you items like nuts, avocados and dried fruit can undo your diet if you consume too much of them. To lose, you need to consume less than you burn.

UNDO THE DAMAGE--
No matter how good something is, you must always use portion control. Think a light sprinkle of nuts on your salad, not a handful. A couple of slices of avocado,not the whole thing.

#6 DIET DOWNFALL--
You're canceling out the benefit of workouts.

Think that hour-long run entitles you to a couple extra slices of pizza? Not so fast. We overestimate how many calories we burn exercising,but underestimate how many we eat! Take a protein- and fiber-packed bean burrito, for example. Sure it's healthy, but not as a post-workout snack between meals. TO BURN OFF IT'S 360 CALORIES,YOU'D HAVE TO BIKE FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF!

UNDO THE DAMAGE--
Try something like 8 oz. of low-fat yogurt with fruit or 2 tablespoons hummus with 3 whole-grain crackers. Reward yourself with something non-food. Think manicure or a movie marathon.

#7 DIET DOWNFALL--
You watch what you eat only Monday to Friday.

During the week our lives are usually scheduled and organized, so that's the way we eat. On Saturday and Sunday that structure goes out the window. And so do diets, according to a 2008 study from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. When they tracked dieters' habits, they found that people ate most on Saturday and Sunday ( and ate the most fat on Saturday), bringing their weight loss efforts to a 2-day screeching halt.

UNDO THE DAMAGE--
Make a game plan to allows you to sensibly splurge. Before the weekend starts (say, Thursday night), think about what you'll be doing and where you'll be eating. Plan where you want to spend your calories and where you want to save. That does NOT mean skipping meals. Rather, cut here and there to leave some wiggle room for favorite weekend indulgences. Maybe skip your morning juice,forego the fries at lunch, and snack on an apple instead of ice cream in the afternoon so you can bank those 762 calories for a special dinner or Sunday brunch. To beef up your calorie bank even more, go a long walk each day.

#8 DIET DOWNFALL--
You don't plan for stress.

Even the best diet doesn't account for insane deadlines,fights with your husband or run-ins with your teen. Women are overloaded. Frequently, food is used to soothe or even as entertainment when you're in the mood to escape.

UNDO THE DAMAGE--
Go ahead and indulge. The stress of trying to fight it is worse than just giving in. Having a small treat like a mini candy bar,single serving container of pudding or low-fat ice cream bar right after dinner can keep you from spending the whole night fighting the urge to splurge. If you need to burn off steam, think exercise or talk to a friend---you'll be less likely to want to soothe yourself with snacks.

Well, I think I'm back for more regular posting!

2009-06-04T09:53:00.002-05:00

I've some back pain for the last 2 months and haven't much felt like sitting here for long. It's a regular thing that happens every year when the rain starts. Since it's June now, rain will be really scarce in Texas! Well, I should correct that to say in MY part of Texas. I think there is a dome that they can close over us and keep the rain out until they really want it! Anyway, I had 3 really,really good days back-wise, but we got yet another front last night and I woke up in pain again. It seems to be much better again today though. I'm optimistic that it's nearly done though. I'm ready to start on that other 74 pounds now though. While I have the back pain, it's so intense that it actually causes me to be nauseous most of the time. I DO NOT like feeling nauseated. I guess I don't really have to say that I sorta gave up trying to lose while this was happening, I guess. Anyway, I'm up about 6 pounds which in my opinion isn't too horrible for over 2 months. I've decided not to start counting pounds again and posting it until I lose the 6 first though. Yea, it's a mind thing. I think I've mentioned that my mind is wierd before though.
I cooked my Miracle Rice yesterday. I've missed it, I think. Anyway, it's time to give the dratted 74 hell. HABANERO POWER FOREVER! I posted some new recipes on the recipe pages!

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!!

2009-05-12T06:43:00.003-05:00

"Heart Attack Entrées with Side Orders of Stroke"
Overly Salty Restaurant Meals Present Long-Term Health Risks for All, and Immediate Danger for Some

WASHINGTON—Unsafe levels of sodium chloride, or salt, in chain restaurant meals increase one's chance of developing hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The nonprofit food safety and nutrition watchdog group today is exposing chain restaurant meals with dangerously high levels of sodium and is renewing its call on industry and government to lower sodium levels in foods.

People with high blood pressure, African Americans, and people middle-aged and older—70 percent of the population—should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily, according to the government’s dietary advice. Others should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Yet it is almost impossible to get restaurant meals with reasonably safe levels of sodium. A lifetime of eating much more than the recommended amounts of sodium presents an increased risk of disease in the long term. But for some, particularly the elderly, consuming 4,000 mg or more of sodium in a single meal can present an immediate risk of heart failure or other serious problems.

CSPI researchers examined 17 chains and found that 85 out of 102 meals had more than a day's worth of sodium, and some had more than four days' worth, including these:

Red Lobster Admirals' Feast with Caesar Salad, Creamy Lobster Topped Mashed Potato, Cheddar Bay Biscuit, and a Lemonade: 7,106 mg

Chili's Buffalo Chicken Fajitas (with tortillas and condiments) and a Dr Pepper: 6,916 mg
Chili's Honey-Chipotle Ribs with Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Seasonal Vegetables, and a Dr Pepper: 6,440 mg

Olive Garden Tour of Italy (lasagna) with a Breadstick, Garden Fresh Salad with House Dressing, and a Coca-Cola: 6,176 mg

Olive Garden Chicken Parmigiana with a Breadstick, Garden Fresh Salad with House Dressing, and Raspberry Lemonade: 5,735 mg

Children eating at chain restaurants don’t fare much better than their parents or grandparents. According to the Institute of Medicine, children aged 4-8 should consume no more than 1,200 mg of sodium per day. These meals that have one or two days' worth of sodium:

Red Lobster Chicken Fingers, Biscuit, Fries, Raspberry Lemonade: 2,430 mg

Chili's Country Fried Chicken Crispers with Rice and 1% milk: 2,385 mg

KFC Popcorn Chicken with Macaroni and Cheese, Teddy Grahams, and 2% milk: 2,005 mg

Jack in the Box Chicken Strips Grilled, Buffalo Sauce, Fries, and 1 % milk: 1,980 mg

Olive Garden Chicken Fingers, Fries, and Raspberry Lemonade: 1,835 mg

#1 DIET MYTH THAT MAKES US FAT

2009-04-26T14:45:00.002-05:00

Low-carb andno-carb strategies make it harder, not easier, to lose wieght. You actually need carbs to burn fat, according to Nancy Snyderman, MD, chief medical editor for NBC News and author of DIET MYTHS THAT KEEP US FAT AND THE 101 TRUTHS THAT WILL SAVE YOUR WAISTLINE---AND MAYBE EVEN YOUR LIFE. Why? Because your body uses carbs to fuel its energy-producing system. Try whole-grain cereals and breads, brown rice, and, YES, potatoes.

GOT MY NEW HEALTH MAGAZINE!!!

2009-04-26T14:39:00.003-05:00

I really love this magazine. I learn something every time it comes in the mail. Here are a couple of interesting things that I read in this one.

3.1 That's the speed, in mph, at which you'll burn the most fat if you have 10 or more pounds to lose!!!! They say this came from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

Bike off you diabetes risk---in 3 minutes! Go all out on an exercise bike for just 3 minutes and your body may get 23% better at using insulin to move sugar from your blood to you muscles, according to a new European study. Researchers thing the large muscles you use to pour it on may be the most efficient at using insulin.

Down 100.6 pounds!

2009-04-08T19:35:00.002-05:00

Well, I finally broke the dam on the 100 pounds! In celebration(?) of this, I posted the fat pic and the not-so-fat pic on the right side! Gonna get daughter to take a new one soon.

Very interesting!

2009-04-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

I love estate sales. I usually go to a couple each weekend. Yesterday I went to one and bought another old low-fat cookbook. It was published in 1956. It said that the average American back then took in 100 grams of fat or even more a day! Well, that made me wonder about the average now. I looked on the net and found this:

Weight Management: The American DilemmaThe problems of obesity and lack of nutrition awareness also seem to have a cultural component. Take a look at fast food restaurants. Most of these restaurants offer "super-size" or "value" meals, which often contain an entire day's worth of calories and fat.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveal that Americans' total daily caloric intakes have risen by 148 calories per day since 1980. This amount reflects an extra 15 pounds every year.
Interestingly, the same studies show that the amount of fat in the average American diet has decreased from 40 percent of total calories to 33 percent during the same period. So even though calories from fat have decreased -- at nine calories per gram of fat versus only four for a gram of carbohydrate or protein -- Americans have more than made up for their lower fat intakes with larger portion sizes of other types of foods. Larger portion sizes equal more calories. And more calories lead to weight gain, regardless of the source of the calories -- fat, protein, or carbohydrate.
Fat provides a feeling of fullness, which can help some people avoid eating to excess. By cutting fat out of their diets, people may loose this signal to stop eating. In addition, many "low-fat" and "no fat" foods can be just as high -- and in some cases higher -- in calories compared to the regular versions.

How to Estimate Portion Sizes
What's a portion size? According to the American Dietetic Association, you can use the following "models" to approximate portion sizes:
One deck of playing cards equals one serving (three ounces) of meat, poultry, or fish (can also use the palm of a woman's hand or a computer mouse).
Half a baseball equals one serving (one-half cup) of fruit, vegetables, pasta, or rice (can also use a small fist).
Your thumb equals one serving (one ounce) of cheese.
A small hand holding a tennis ball equals one serving (one cup) of yogurt or chopped fresh greens.

Now I would venture to say that personally, I would be willing to bet that I was eating possibly triple the average fats, at least! One article says that most fast food meals contain A WHOLE DAY's worth of calories and fat. I used to eat at the Golden Corral almost every day. After reading their nutrition page, I quit that! Lord have mercy, no wonder I weighed 300+! I hope this can be helpful to someone out there.

Veggies are good for us!

2009-04-04T16:05:00.002-05:00

I was getting a little bored of the same things though. I tend to do that. Today is the 5th anniversary of my mom's parting with this life, so I've had her on my mind this week. I think that's what got me craving these dishes that I grew up on! I hope ya'll will try them. Veggies are good. Summer's coming and these are really good when it's hot! I just made a big ol' bowl of marinated cucumbers and put it in the fridge. I have a pot of potatoes cooked and cooling for potato salad too! You can't even beat these recipes with a stick!

If you read the blog...

2009-03-29T15:10:00.002-05:00

you know how I feel about hot peppers. Well, I found some jalapeno tortilla chips! I like them a lot. The only question in my mind is...how could you tell if they went bad on you? They are dusted with GREEN! Bwahahaha! Sorta disgusting looking, but definitely very good!

Spice Up Your Meals!

2009-03-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

Spicy foods contain chemical compounds(capsaisin) that kick the metabolism into high gear. Eating a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can temporarily boost your metabolic rate by 23 percent. Some studies suggest the effect only lasts about half an hour, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red-pepper flakes.

Thanks!

2009-03-23T20:48:00.006-05:00

to spercious and Sherry for joining my blog as followers! I'll do my best to keep posting things to make it worth following..hahaha! I read another metabolism article that was interesting,but I have to fine where I read it first before I can post it! In order to comment on here...You just click below the posts on "0(or however many) comments". A little separate window will pop up and you just type in there! I've been thinking of starting a thread where other people can post there weights and losses and goals if the want to....what do you think?

OK! I walked this morning!

2009-03-22T16:28:00.002-05:00

Went for my mile and rode the bike for another 2. I had jelly legs after the bike! I actually felt pretty good though! I guess I'll keep on doing it!

Interesting article in Prevention magazine!

2009-03-22T15:48:00.002-05:00

7 Ways to Beat Stress

This article said that your body responds to stress-physical or psychological- in the same way. So every time you have a stressful day, your brain acts as though you're in physical danger and instructs your cells to release powerful hormones. You get a burst of adrenalin, which taps stored energy to fight or flee. At the same time, you get a surge of cortisol, which tells your body to replenish that energy even though you haven't used very many calories in your stressed-out state. This can make you hungry....very hungry. AND your body keeps pumping out that cortisol as long as the stress continues.
Sooooo chronic stress can keep you from losing weight, in spite of normally healthy eating patterns and exercising! This can even cause you to add pounds!!! Stress causes you to crave sweet, salty and high-fat foods because they stimulate the brain to release pleasure chemicals that actually do reduce tension. This soothing effect becomes addictive, so that whenever you are anxious, you reach for fattening foods.
Another thing that happens is that while your adrenal glands are pumping out cortisol, production of muscle-building testosterone slows down. Over time, this can decrease your muscle mass, so you burn fewer calories.
Cortisol also encourages your body to store fat-especially visceral fat, which is really dangerous because it surrounds vital organs and releases fatty acids into your blood.raising cholesteral levels and insulin levels.
This was written by a Ph.D and she says to do these 7 things to reduce stress.
1. Drop and do 10
She says any exercise,no matter how little will make your blood circulate more quickly, transporting the cortisol to the kidneys and flushing it out of your system.
2.Go slowly at meals.
She says that slowing down eating may lower cortisol levels.
3.Stop strict dieting.
She says that constant dieting can make cortisol level rise. When you cortisol spikes, your blood sugar goes haywire, first rising,then plummeting. This makes you cranky and then ravenous.
4. Give in to cravings.
When stress drives you toward something sweet or salty, it's ok to yield a little. Just stop at one.
5. Curtail caffiene.
Next time you're under duress, pick decaf. When you are under stress, caffeine drives your cortisol levels even higher!
6. De-stress breakfast.
Deficiencies in B vitamins,vitamin C,Calcium and magnesium are stressful to your body. Fight back by eating a breakfast that high in these. Some OJ, a grapefruit,or a large handful of strawberries to supply C: 6-8 oz. of low-fat yogurt, which has calcium and magnesium: and a whole grain bagel or toast with a bit of peanut butter.
7. Sleep it off.
The most effective stress-reduction of all: Get enough sleep!

A REVELATION!

2009-03-15T15:58:00.002-05:00

I think I'm onto something here. I was reading an article in a magazine last night and it said that as you reduce, you should reduce the amount you eat. This makes sense! It said that as you get smaller, you need less to keep you going. It said in order to keep losing, you should be taking in less food. I just didn't think about that at all! I guess that because I lost 100 pounds that I would just continue to lose. Anyway, this makes so much sense to me. I've been eating the same amount since I started this and now I'm gonna try reducing amounts and see if I start to lose again! I still have 75 pounds to kick some butt on!

Whoohoo!

2009-03-10T15:32:00.002-05:00

I walked a mile this morning! I thought about walking a second one,but the sun came out and that was that! When I got back to the house, I got on the bike and rode 3 and a quarter miles! My back didn't hurt when I rode the bike, so I do think that the back pain was caused by the weight. Anyway, I think the losing without exercise has come to an end. That's ok! I can deal with it! I feel so much better now that maybe I won't hate it so much....well, I can hope anyway! It doesn't really matter though because I have to do it. I WILL lose the other 75 pounds!
I"m cleaning out the closet today. I have a stack of fat clothes that is now about 7-8 feet tall! I tried some on just to see the difference. Boy, what a difference! I looked like a little kid playing dress up in mom's clothes! Bwahahaha!
Ok. gotta go finish the closet.

I bought a new scale!

2009-03-08T10:04:00.003-05:00

Well, I broke down and bought a new scale. The old one was just driving me nuts. This one seems to weigh 10 pounds higher than the old one did. I figure 100 pounds is a hundred pounds. If this scale is right though, then I actually weighed 314 when I started losing. That means I had 185 to lose instead of 175. Ugh! Anyway, for now I've decided to just subtract 10 when I weigh and keep up with my loss and when I get to end I'll worry about the other 10! I'm NOT stopping until the scale reads 129 though! I'm gonna have to force myself to exercise though. The losing has virtually stopped. Maybe,just maybe, I might have to force myself to get on that damned exercise bike this afternoon and see what happens!

100 POUNDS!

2009-02-25T15:37:00.001-06:00

I finally hit the 100 pound mark on 2/23/09! It took me 13 months and 1 week! I'm turning into one of the disgustingly happy people who used to annoy the hell out of me. Hahahaha! I had no idea how miserable I was I guess. I feel great. I'm happy. I switched jobs, so I'm not miserable there either anymore! When I manage to quit smoking, I'll be so stinkingly buoyant and happy that nobody will be able to stand me!!!!!
I've cleaned my whole house. It was in pretty bad shape. When I was so overweight,I didn't have the energy. I do now. My next project is going through the tons of fat clothes that I have and getting them out of my closet. I started that yesterday. I found a bunch of size 1X pants that fit me now! Last winter, I was wearing size 5-6X! Whoa! 1X is much better!

Do's and Don'ts

2009-02-24T08:47:00.003-06:00

Someone asked for a list of dos and don'ts. I hope these help! I've lost 100 pounds now, so I hope that can inspire some of you.

Don't:
Don't do a lot of eating out.
Don't give up all your favorites.(You will feel deprived!)
Don't use cooking oil if you can help it.
Don't cook a recipe that you don't have any idea what the fat content could be.
Don't lose too fast. ( You want your skin to remember where it lives!)
Don't give up if you slip!
Don't concentrate on calories. Just don't eat something that you know is loaded with them.
Don't skip meals,expecially breakfast!

DO:
Eat lots of veggies.
Keep your fat grams as low as possible in everything you buy.
Use no-fat cooking sprays instead of oil.
Buy a carton of egg whites.
Use fat-free milk.
Buy things that say heart-healthy because the fat will be lower.
Switch to a smaller size plate.
When you eat, make your plate HALF veggies, 1/4 protein and 1/4 should be like pasta,rice,potatoes, etc.
If you have sweets, buy the small size of anything. I buy lots of 100-calorie snacks because of portion control.
If you can eat them, use hot peppers in your cooking. They speed up metabolism!
Always eat breakfast..it starts your metabolism.
Eat a small snack halfway between meals to keep the metabolism going.
It's ok to eat a late snack before bedtime. Just make it something healthy....not a whole meal or a big slice of that bad,bad cake,etc.
Low-fat soups are a good thing.
Cooking with Healthy Request "cream of" soups is a good thing. They are your friends!
Trim off every visible spot of fat on meats.
Use skinless chicken. Breast cuts are best.
Turkey is a good thing.
Use the leanest hamburger you can get.
Buy a bottle of I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER spray.
Use fat-free products that are available in anything you like.
Keep your portions down.

I HAVE ADDED A COUPLE OF NEW THINGS!

2009-02-15T10:07:00.003-06:00

I added a gadget at the top on the right where you can subscribe to posts and comments. You pick which way you want to subscribe. You can still sign up to be a follower down lower though. Love ya all!

97.5!!!!!!!!

2009-02-15T09:05:00.002-06:00

Yup! That's right! My habaneros worked again! Another pound and a half.Whoohoo! Ok, enough celebrating. Anew friend wants to know about how much to eat and since I don't actually count anything, the only thing I can think to do is tell her what I ate yesterday and hope it gives her some idea! Here goes, Tasha!
Breakfast:
1 egg+2 egg whites,scrambled
2 Jimmy Dean turkey sausage patties
1 English muffin-half with olive oil margarine & half with fruit spread
Diet Pepsi (this has the least sodium of all of them that I can find that actually taste good)

Small bag of Funyons cause I missed my snack and we were late for lunch and I thought I was dying!

Lunch:
Miracle Rice(I had about 2 cups of it)
Steamed cabbage with I can't believe it's not butter spray and salt and pepperAbout 3/4 cup
Corn on the cob-2 half ears with ICBINB spray
1 100-calorie Mrs.Freshley's swiss rolls(CHOCOLATE!!)
Diet Pepsi

Snack:
About a cup of my Miracle Rice

Dinner:
About a half cup of Red Steak( it's smothered steak with catsup in it)( yes,it's my recipe)
1/2 a medium baked potato with a little of the gravy off the steak on it
small can of English peas with ICBINB spray and lots of black pepper
small can of asparagus(nothing on it)
Diet Pepsi(do we detect a trend here?) hahaha!

1 more 100-calorie Mrs. Freshley's swiss rolls! (I DO love that chocolate!)

That's what I ate and I lost 1.5 pounds overnight!
I'm going to check now and see if the recipe for Red Steak is posted. If it's not, I'll post it! It's very good. My husband loves it and I have modified it to be lower fat.

Welcome to my new Inspire friends!

2009-02-09T20:31:00.002-06:00

Starting next week when I switch over to my new job, I plan on posting more of my weirdness! More recipes,etc. If you come here, please click on the right side to become a follower.....I would love to know that you came here.

Back on track!

2009-02-04T07:46:00.001-06:00

Yep, I seem to be losing again. Oh well, doesn't everybody need a hiatus from the battle during the holidays? I'm happy and that's good!

Whew!

2009-01-25T14:35:00.001-06:00

I made it to 95 pounds! Happy,happy,happy!

OK..the holidays are over....

2009-01-07T16:10:00.002-06:00

I can be normal again....Lordy, I hate the holidays! I'm planning on doing everything in my power to NOT spend another holiday season in retail. Anyway, I've been stuck on 93 pounds for over a month. I still consider myself successful though because although I haven't lost more, I haven't gained any either!

I'M ON VACATION..

2008-10-25T09:03:00.002-05:00

and while sitting here on my butt, I've lost another 1/2 pound! I ate cake yesterday too! Went to Walmart and they had a marble butter sliced creme cake on the markdown rack. It only has 6 grams of fat in a slice. Boy, is it good?! I stay away from the bad cakes though. I don't even consider buying the ones with frosting etc. I read the label on this one before I bought it. My husband buys the evil cakes!! I don"t touch those!

SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING..

2008-10-25T08:54:00.001-05:00

I really thought I had already posted this in here,but I went back and checked all my posts and apparently I didn't. I read awhile back in one of the magazines I get that for every pound you lose, it takes 7 pounds of pressure off your knees!!! I HAVE 630 LESS POUNDS OF PRESSURE ON MY KNEES!!! I can tell it too! My knees and feet feel great compared to last year.

IF YOU VISIT...

2008-10-24T11:19:00.003-05:00

and decide to join me in low-fat living, you can comment here and post your goals,etc. Click on the word "COMMENT" under this post.

MY CELEBRATION!

2008-10-23T17:36:00.002-05:00

I hit 90 pounds lost today and the way I chose to celebrate was to go get my flu shot and let my doctor feast his eyes on less me!Bwahahahahaha! He was rightfully impressed. Betcha money that he didn't think I could do it.Fooled him! I met a very nice lady who asked for my blog addy,but I forgot to ask who she was. So if you're the nice lady at the doctors office, please let me know if you come here.

Is there anything anyone wants to know? I'm sorting recipes. Hope to start adding more....maybe this week. I'm on vacation..... This means that I'm in a very big goof-off mode!
You can do this,people! Let me know when you start losing.

WOKE UP WITH MY TEETH CHATTERING...

2008-10-18T20:08:00.000-05:00

Last night, I had my MIRACLE RICE for dinner with steamed cabbage and hominy(yes, I like hominy). Very,very low-fat meal.I think it must have been no more than half a gram of fat. I woke up at midnight with my teeth chattering...I was absolutely freezing! Ha! I haven't been cold at night in October in about 20 years. Anyway, due to reading that if you're chilly at night, your metabolism has to work to warm your body. I covered my feet better but not all of me so I'd stay on the chilly side. Yahoooooo! Got up this morning and had lost another half pound since yesterday morning! Boy, doesn't 89 pounds sound good? It sure does to me!

IF YOU VIEW MY SITE....

2008-10-12T09:10:00.002-05:00

If you come to read my low-fat observations,etc.,I'm asking you to please join the followers list on the right below my old picture and let me know that you came. I would so love to know that you checked it out and if I convince anyone to try low-fat living and they start losing(yes,you will) I would love to know that you are trying and I would be more than happy to make a post where we can put other peoples successes! I am HALFWAY to my goal! It is 4 days short of 9 months since I started and I AM HALFWAY!!!!!!!! If I can do this...you can do this! WE can do this! My husband and I went to the local fair the other night. I had no trouble with my feet! Last year, my feet would have been screaming from just walking from where we had to park. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to walk around that place and not have any trouble doing it! If I can get some of you to go with this, I just might have to change the name to...THE WONDERFUL WOMEN OF WEIGHT LOSS! PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU COME HERE.

I'm adding a line here to say that it is now 10 months and 8 days and I have reached 90 pounds lost! Please join me. WE CAN DO THIS!

READ THOSE NUTRITION LABELS!

2008-10-08T20:06:00.000-05:00

Don't forget,ladies, read those labels on everything you buy to eat! Glance at those calories if you must, but really pay attention to the fat grams per serving! Keep them as low as possible! Buy fat-free and low fat! Eat lots of salad..it fills you up! Use fat-free or at least low-fat or lite dressing! Switch from a dinner plate to a salad plate! You can't put as much on the smaller plate! Check out the Smart Ones frozen dinners..made by Weight Watchers....they are very good! I won't kid you...I used to do some BIG eating! These dinners are kinda small so I add a big salad and sometimes even a veggie if I'm really hungry! Read the labels though and then compare to some of the regular frozen dinners...oh brother! Here's some motivation for those who need it....go to the websites of some of the restaurants you would normally eat at...go to their nutrition page and read what you've been eating! If nothing else,check out the McDonald's one! I love Big Macs and Lord,help me, it's almost time for Mcribs to come back! I checked out those pages back in January when I started eating low-fat and haven't eaten a thing from since!

When you buy a magazine and see that recipe for a scrumptious looking cake etc., read the nutrition info at the bottom of the recipe before you make it!!! There was a recipe in one I saw awhile back that had around 2000 calories(!) and enough fat grams for 2 days in ONE SLICE!!!! I bought my husband a slice of German chocolate cake today. I had 3 bites(OMG...GOOOOD) Don't deny yourself everything..it will make you give up! Don't bake that scrumtious cake though if you don't have the willpower to stay away from it!

Vitamin B-12....

2008-10-08T20:03:00.000-05:00

I read this morning that people who eat eggs in the morning lose more belly fat than those that eat things like bagels. It said it was because the eggs have B-12 and that makes your metabolism work harder. I have scrambled eggs every morning..ha...more good news!

DO YOU RECKON...

2008-09-28T08:45:00.000-05:00

that eating the habanero peppers that I eat causes you to have wierd dreams? Before I started this diet, I hardly ever dreamed. I just went flat out asleep. Dead to the world! When I started the diet, I started dreaming! Very wierd dreams! I don't like to dream. I just want to sleep,but I guess I can live with it. I don't usually remember the dreams,just that they are very strange. Friday night though I ate my miracle rice with and extra load of habanero salsa. HOT,HOT,HOT! When I woke up from this dream, I made a conscious effort to remember it 'cause it was the wierdest one yet!
THE DREAM:
I was in my house telling George W. Bush how I've lost 85 pounds(i figure he was gonna appoint me as the national weight-loss guru or something) when it started to rain....and rain....and rain!The yard started filling up with water and getting deeper and deeper! Next all these Prairie Chickens started floating by. Then came the muskrats and they were catching the prairie chickens! My daughter let my superfat wienie dog and my itty bitty whatever-it-is dog out and they started trying to catch the prairie chickens too! George Bush and I were out in the rain and water trying to catch Lily and Sofie before they washed away. My daughter was laughing her butt off and my husband(he can't swim) was standing on the porch saying, G__damnit! Son-of-a b__ch! Then I woke up!
I weighed a half pound less Saturday morning! It must have been all that chasing dogs in the rain! My friend Joyce said I should post this dream because it was too good not to! She says shes more interested in my dreams now than in my weight loss! Ha!

I BOUGHT A BOOK...

2008-09-28T08:38:00.000-05:00

last weekend at an estate sale called Low-fat Living written by a doctor. I've only read a little so far but he confirmed a couple things that I've read before. He says not to skip meals because it triggers your body to hoard fat and the other thing was to drink ice water because that triggers your metabolism because your body has to warm the water! Well, I've been drinking more water, so I guess you can say I'm exercising more cause your metabolism isn"t all that it triggers! I'm getting some exercise by running back and forth!

I'M BACK!

2008-09-19T19:04:00.000-05:00

I haven't written much lately...had a bit of trouble...somebody hit my car in the parking lot at work and I've been concentrating on getting that straightened out! Everything is good now. I got a car I like 100% better!

I've lost 82.5 pounds now! I'm only 5 away from halfway now!! Exciting!

TIMELINE OF MY WEIGHT LOSS...

2008-08-24T15:17:00.007-05:00

2008-
1/16-304 LBS (I didn't weigh for a month after I started cause I was afraid nothing was happening and I would be upset!)

Ok, I need to add a note here before putting down the amounts and when. When you first switch your style of eating, your body will think it's missing things it needs. Everu body has a certain amount of fat cells that you will never,ever get rid of,but when it starts making extra fat cells that's what gets you in trouble. This is terribly unfair but women have more of the permanent fat cells than men,too! So when you cut out all that stuff that is bad for you,e.g. fat,cupcakes, pie,candy bars,etc., your body will literally start eating itself! It goes after the extra fat cells and starts consuming them. The first 6 months of your diet change are the easiest. Although my body must have thought I was killing it because I'm still losing pretty good considering that it's past the 6 month mark. Ok,here goes....

2/6-294..10 lbs
2/13-282-22 lbs (12 lbs in ONE week!)
2/14-281-23 lbs (I got excited after the 22 in 1 week,so started weighing more)
2/15-278.5-25.5 lbs
2/17-277-27 lbs
2/18-274.5-29.5 lbs
2/24-272.5-31.5
This is when I had bronchitis and didnt eat peppers.
3/2-270.5-33.5
3/9-268.5-35.5 lbs
3/16-264.5.39.5 lbs
3/23-261.5-42.5 lbs
4/1-260-44 lbs
4/6-257-47 lbs
4/14-255-49 lbs
4/15-254-50 lbs!!!!
4/19-252-52 lbs
I must have hit a plateau here because nothing happened for about 3 weeks. I was sorta upset,but I know better now.
5/6-249-55 lbs
5/9-248-56 lbs
5/10-247.5-56.5 lbs
5/13-247-57 lbs
5/20-246-58 lbs
5/22-245.5-58.5 lbs
5/24-244.5-59.5 lbs
5/26-244-60 lbs!!!!
5/27-242.5-61.5
Another plateau!
6/4-241.5-63.5 lbs
6/10-240.5-64.5
6/20-238.5-65.5
6/23-238-66 lbs
6/28-236.5-67.5 lbs
7/2-236-68 lbs
7/9-234.5-69.5 lbs
7/15-233.5-70.5!!!!!
7/17-233-71 lbs
7/22-231-73 lbs
7/26-229.5-74.5 lbs
8/6-228-76 lbs
This is another week when I didn't eat peppers. Learned my lesson there.
8/16-227.5-76.5 lbs
8/19-226.5-77.5 lbs
8/20-225.5-78.5 lbs!!!!!!!!!!
*!*8/27-224.5-80 lbs!!!!!!!!!
9/16-221.5-82.5lbs!(This was 8 months.)
9/20-220 lbs-84 lbs!!!
9/23-219 lbs-85lbs!
9/27-218.5lbs-85.5 lbs!
10/2-218lbs-86lbs! (1.5 from halfway!!!!)
10/3-217 lbs-87 lbs!! (1/2 pound from halfway!)
10/11-216.5-87.5 lbs!!!!!!! (HALFWAY!!!!)
10/14-216 lbs-88lbs!
10/16-215.5 lbs-88.5 lbs!
10/18-215 lbs-89 lbs!!
10/23-214 lbs-90 lbs!!
10/25-213.5 lbs-90.5 lbs!!
11/29-213 lbs-91 lbs!
12/6-212 lbs-92 lbs!
12/7-211 lbs-93 lbs!! (Over the Plateau?)

2009!

1/25-209 lbs-95 lbs!!!!
2/4-208 lbs-96!!!!
2/15-206.5 lbs-97.5!!!
2/23-204 LBS-100 POUNDS!!!!!!!! WHOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4/8-203.4-100.6 lbs! Over the plateau again?

As you can see, I lost like gangbusters the first month or so. That was that deprived body.Bwahaha!
When I get to 87.5 pounds, that will be halfway to my goal!

HEALTHWISE....

2008-08-24T14:49:00.000-05:00

At 304 pounds,I had acid reflux soooooooooo bad that I would wake up at night and it seemed the entire contents of my stomach were almost up in my mouth. It was horrible. One week after I started the low-fat style of eating, I no longer had it. I'm not kidding. It was so amazing to go from miserable every night and going to bed dreading what was going to happen to just sleeping with no problems! I LIVED ON ROLAIDS FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS!I have not needed even one in over 7 months.Wait...I lied. I did need a Rolaids once a few months back,but I'll tell you about that in another post. That was a lesson learned!

Another benefit is that my feet,legs and knees feel better. My feet used to hurt so bad that I dreaded walking anywhere.They are so much better. I actually walk faster than some people when I go shopping now. ;-)

Now this is a big plus...I used wear size 12 shoes. I now have some that are 11's. Ok...ok...so I got my dad's feet. Enough on that subject.

I can shave my legs again! I'm very nearsighted and I couldn't bend over far enough to see my legs good so I ended up striped! It only took about 50 pounds to get close enough. Ha! No more velcro legs!!!

When I laid on my back, I had to have my head higher because it made it easier to breathe. No longer a problem!

I just feel better in general.

Oh....I must include one drawback that I've discovered in the last couple of weeks. Due to the lack of head fat, I'm now starting to get sinus headaches again. I think the fat insulated the sinuses(my theory), but I don't care. That's what they make ibuprofen for!

SOME THINGS I'VE DISCOVERED....

2008-08-24T08:47:00.000-05:00

My husband subscribed to some magazines for me. I get Health,Weight Watchers and Cooking Light. They are really quite helpful. I think it was in Health that I read that the capsaicin in hot peppers speeds up your metabolism,which burns fat. I am a firm believer in that now. I liked hot stuff anyway, but now I'm really convinced that this works. Awhile back I had bronchitis and I didn't feel like eating the hot stuff. I didn"t have anything for a week with peppers in it and didn't lose a thing. The next week I started with the peppers again and started losing again.
As you know, I live in Texas and last week was sorta hot so I didn't eat the hot stuff. MISTAKE! I didn't lose ANYTHING! Bummer! Monday night after work I made what I call my miracle rice. I'll do the recipe in a minute. Guess what? I've lost 2.5 pounds this week! I'm up to 78.5 pounds gone! This stuff is about the lowest fat thing I make... here it is...

DEB'S MIRACLE RICE

1/2 pound superlean ground beef(or turkey)
1 small onion,sliced
1 1/4 cups rice (approximately)
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with habaneros
1 small can HOT diced green chilis
Tomato paste,approximately 4 tablespoons
Water
Black pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper,to taste
Chili powder,to taste
Garlic powder,to taste
Ground cumin,to taste
Cilantro,to taste
Mrs. Dash extra spicy,to taste(optional)
Triple XXX habanero hot sauce, to taste(optional)

Brown the hamburger and onion slices. You may have to spray the skillet with no-fat spray. The meat I buy cooks off nothing because it's so lean. After browning, start adding the other ingredients. Most of my measurements would be a few shakes of the spice bottle. I prefer this stuff sort of on the dry side, so I start out with less water and keep an eye on it as it cooks. If the rice isn't done and it's running out of water,add some. If you want it sorta soupy, no problem just add more tomato paste and water. Just cook with a lid until your rice is done.
This is NOT as hot as it sounds. This also makes a skillet full and I keep it in the fridge and when I'm not in the mood to cook, I heat some up. It's just as good leftover as it is fresh. This stuff is my takeout substitute. It's quick,easy and keeps for a week!
I tell myself that if my mouth is burning, so is the fat!

I've eaten MIRACLE RICE for 5 of my meals this week,I think,if I remember correctly. I've lost 2.5 pounds since last Sunday. I did absolutely nothing that would be classified anywhere near exercise either. I figure when the weather cools down and I start exercising again, I might just disappear! Ha! Gotta see that first to believe it!

THE BASICS...

2008-08-17T08:14:00.000-05:00

This is what I decided to do... no eating out EVERYDAY....will cook my food so that it will be as low-fat as I can get it. I don't forego sweets,etc.I just moderate the intake.
I down-sized from a dinner plate to a salad plate. That's just to trick you though. It looks like you're eating the same. I use fat-free mayo,fat-free salad dressing,fat-free milk,etc. I also switched to spray margarine. You use less but it gives you the taste. I spray a baked potato,frozen veggies,canned veggies,fresh veggies....
For my sandwich that I take for lunch at work, I switched to wheat bread. I take a salad to eat with my sandwich because at first I only took the sandwich and I was still hungry after lunch. I eat a big salad with every meal except breakfast.I don't add things that have fat in the salad either. Lettuce,carrot,cabbage,sliced celery,cucumber,grape tomatoes and fat-free dressing,that's it! I should mention that I wasn't a big salad eater before. I really enjoy my salad now though. I discovered a new thing yesterday. It's called Kernal Seasonings popcorn seasoning. The bottle says to put it on popcorn,soup,salad,etc. I tried it in my salad and I liked it. I got the parmesan & garlic flavor. I can't wait to try it on a baked potato. The best part is...NO CALORIES...NO FAT in it!!!!
I have 3 flavors of no-fat cooking spray...canola,olive and butter. Did you know that you can fry an egg in no oil? Just keep the temp. down and spray genorously.Takes a little longer but,in my opinion, it actually tastes better. The fried egg is my Sunday morning treat. Love it!

THE BEGINNING...

2008-08-17T07:57:00.000-05:00

Ok...I decided to go with the low-fat cooking because I knew that it worked since I had tried it before and it worked. When I got home that day, I got on the internet and typed "easy low-fat recipes in my search box and I started looking for things my family would eat. My daughter is 14 and a vertual eating machine,BUT she doesn' like tomatoes in things...example: diced tomatoes. My husband absolutely WILL NOT eat cheese. He won't eat green vegetables either. Sometimes if I want to make something that has veggies, he'll cook something for himself and my daughter and I eat whatever it was that I wanted to make.
Three days after I started the new way of eating my doctor's office called and the blood he took showed that I was on verge of diabetes. He said I had to change the way I eat. I told them to tell him,"Ha! Already done that!!" When I went back after 2 months so they could check the blood again, he was happy. I read that if you lose 7% of your body weight, you can possibly ward off diabetes. I guess that was so in my case. Hooooooooooray!

LAST YEAR....

2008-08-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

I was really getting disgusted with being so overweight. I'd start thinking about losing,but then I'd see a story about somebody losing weight(usually on tv) and how they had to have surgery to remove the excess skin. I can't afford that so I'd forget about for awhile.
In January of this year, I had what I thought was a spider bite on my stomach. It just kept getting worse, so I had to go the doctor about it. While I was there, I talked to him about losing weight. Specifically,what would my skin do if I lost weight? He said if I lost slowly, my skin would go back to where it belongs. He said if you lose the weight very quickly, your skin doesn't know what happened and doesn't know where to go,so it just hangs there.

Well, I left the office and went to the grocery store. I bought healthier stuff and vowed to cook. ( I don't particularly love to cook,did i mention that? My middle name has been takeout for at least ten years!) I bought low-fat,no-fat,etc. Lots of salad veggies,lots of canned veggies. I started cooking and NOT eating takeout.

I went on my diet on January 16th,2008. At this time, I've lost 76 pounds! In two days, it will be 7 months since I started. I thought if I started this blog and told about my experiences,maybe I could inspire some people to help themselves without the expense of having surgery or one of those plans that cost a fortune for the pre-made meals(I couldn't afford that). If you found my blog,please come back. I'll be posting my strategies,recipes,some of my odd sense of humor. I should be back later today to post again and get this thing really going!

A little history...

2008-08-14T07:48:00.000-05:00

I was a chubby early teen...got thin in high school and stayed that way pretty much in my twenties. The problem was that I love food and absolutely DETEST exercise!I met my husband when I was 14 and I still adore him. When he was 41 years old, he had a heart attack and had to have triple by-pass surgery. At that time, we had no kids( he was supposed to have to have surgery to make that possible) and we were common law. We got married 3 days before the surgery in his hospital room.His heart doctor told us that to lose weight, PAY NO ATTENTION TO CALORIES! Keep your fat content down. Well, using that as my guide, I lost 40 pounds in 1993.OK..here comes my downfall...3 months after his surgery( and mind you, this wasn't the type of surgery that was supposed to do the trick), I WAS PREGNANT!!! I had already started menopause. Anyway, I had my beautiful daughter two days before i turned 39.When I went for one of the last checkups before delivery, I asked my ob-gyn about the pain in my hips. He said," Oh, it's probably athritis. That's one of the things that happens sometimes when an OLDER woman has a baby." Older? OLDER?!? Did he really say that? Oh yes, he did! I told him," Well, ain't that a kick in the head? Old,pregnant AND arthritis to boot!"So you can see it coming, can't you? 40 years old,a toddler,hates exercise,TIRED,holds down a job,too tired to cook..... Yup,you guessed it. Started gaining weight...and gaining