On my way...Day 2

December 30, 2007
First of all, let me just start by saying that there is MUCH to be said for water weight!!! I lost five pounds from yesterday until today. Can you believe it? FIVE POUNDS!!! That is 1/4 of my total weight loss so far. WOW! On Friday night I made a pot of Lipton Noodle Soup - no chicken - so it is almost completely broth. But, if you check out the sodium content on the package, it is unbelievable! So Saturday when I weighed I felt horrible - because I was up so much. Then yesterday, i was more careful. Lots of water, hot tea, and some coffee, and this morning I was down five pounds.
We, as unique people, have to do unique things in order to achieve success for our health. What works for you may not work for me, and vice versa. I am able to eat with my family, but eat something completely different from them. For instance, if my family is eating a meal that consists of cheeseburgers and french fries, baked beans, whatever, I will sit there with them and eat a Boca burger - which is very decent (not excellent, but pretty tasty) and will eat french fries - but baked - maybe even a baked potato. If they are eating spaghetti, I will eat it also, but will have whole wheat spaghetti. I have a friend who is not able to take this approach. She is not able to eat differently than her family and has to manage her weight differently. I am writing this journal, not to say this IS THE WAY TO DO IT, but to say “this is what is working for me, and it’s okay to tailor-make your own plan of what works for you.”
Another thing that works for me is weighing every day. If I’m up a pound or two I can adjust my eating accordingly for that day. I can also think about what I ate the previous day, as it might just be water weight. This way I don’t let myself get out of control with my eating. For some people this approach does not work and will drive them crazy! The key for me is to not let myself get in a funk about it if I am up a little bit. I just have to keep working to bring it down.
The following foods are staples, absolute MUST-HAVES in my house for my consumption - (my husband does not care for this list!):
Whole wheat spaghetti - at all times there must be a bowl of cooked spaghetti in my fridge!
Popcorn - does not matter what kind, butter, kettle, natural, whatever
Tuna - this is a must-have for anyone’s weight loss regimen. If you add tuna into your diet, you will lose weight. I can eat tuna salad, tuna fillets, or those new flavored tuna packs that you don’t have to drain (hot and spicy is my fave!). Also, tuna lunch kits come in really handy when you’re in a hurry, and they are really tasty. I had never had one of those until this past September, and it has turned out to be a real lifesaver for me.
I said tuna, but any kind of fish has to be on hand - tilapia is really good too, it’s very mild. I don’t like fishy fish - tuna is the exception.
I do not keep cokes for me in the house. If I need a coke, I will stop and get a diet drink just for that time, and usually don’t even finish it, I normally give it to my kids. I get really tired of water though, so the singles drink mixes work fantastic for me. I especially like the Hawaiian Punch Sugar-free mixes - $1.00 or less for a box of 10. I can use one packet for 32 oz of water - i think it says only 16 or 20 on the box, but it’s pretty strong stuff. I also like Crystal Light - there are so many different kinds, but I really just like the basic iced tea flavor, or pink lemonade.
Brown rice - this is not generally eaten alone because I like some flavor with it.
Broccoli florets - if I’m gonna eat broccoli I can do without all of those stalks! Stores usually carry their own brands that are pretty cheap for this sort of things. Try not to skimp on your veggies, they’re hard enough to eat as it is - might as well be good!
Carrots - usually baby carrots since these are easy to thrown in a cup and eat at my desk or in the car, whatever…
Stir fry mix - I get Beef and Broccoli stir fry mix in a little yellow pack - can’t remember what brand it is. Use one pack of chicken of your choice - I prefer boneless/skinless tenders or breasts (1 lb or so), and 1 pack of frozen broccoli (1 lb or so). It’s so easy to make, quick and delicious!!! i use the brown rice to go with the stir fry, and I can pretty much bet on losing weight after eating that for a day or two. It’s super-healthy.
You will find in this journal that I can eat spaghetti for just about every meal of the day. I used to get the cheap sauce just thinking it was okay. But, I must say that now PREGO is the only sauce for me. I told my husband I am absolutely ruined because I have to have Prego now. A meal with whole wheat spaghetti, Prego, and parmesan cheese gives you - fiber, veggies, and dairy - YUM! I prefer to leave the meat out on that.
My main struggle as far as meals go is breakfast. I am not really much of a breakfast person because things upset my stomach really easy in the morning. So some days I just eat popcorn, or skip it all together. If you have any suggestions for an easy-on-my-stomach breakfast, please send them!
Also, the hardest time for me to control my intake is when I’m overloaded with reports, and am having to stay up late, or all night, or getting up in the wee hours of the morning. Serious seratonin chaos for me. So, if you have any suggestions for me on staying awake without eating one of everything in my kitchen on the hour every hour, please let me know!