We're trying to be only moderately strict on the diet with the holidays. But we are bending a little. Yesterday, I joined my wife for lunch at a local Italian restaurant.
While it is possible to make healthy, low-carb Italian food . . . I do not approve of the practice. :-) I had an order of beef ravioli in meat sauce. And bread. :-) And cheesecake for dessert.
Of course, there's a price to pay for such indulgences: We've HIGHLY limited carbs for the last few days.
This evening we'll have roasted turkey breast, and the boys will have full servings of mashed potatoes. I'll take much smaller servings of the carbs. Yes, as my Facebook followers know, there's fresh-made bread to eat with the turkey. But we're being good with all of our other meals, and taking a pass on the snacks today.
My peak of weight loss was just before our "Early Thanksgiving" dinner with my parents last Saturday, at 47 pounds of weight-loss. I've added about 3 pounds since then, and hope to hold the weight gain to no more than another 2 or 3 pounds over the long weekend.
Wish me luck. This is the heart of holiday eating season -- three thanksgiving meals, followed by a Christmas party on the 2nd, birthday party on the 3rd and another birthday party two weeks later. Whew!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
180 Day Reflection
OK, for you purists, I am a couple of days late. Monday November 14 is actually 182 days. But on my ACTUAL 180th day, I was out the door early to volunteer with my son's Cub Scout Pack, so humor me.
After six months on the South Beach Diet, I've lost just over 40 pounds. Disclaimer: we had a big weekend, with a winery trip and several restaurant meals, followed by birthday cake last night. Last week I peaked at 47 pounds of weight loss. I fully expect to reach 50 pounds of loss in the next few weeks, before Thanksgiving bulks me back up.
I have a couple of observations about the process thus far. First, even though the South Beach Diet makes a big big deal about "good carbs" and "bad carbs" and (starting today for 12 days) "no carbs at all" -- what seems to me to be the most important thing is portion control. Last night I had a nice cut of beef loin. A year ago I would have had 8 or 12 ounces, wrapped in bacon. Last night, 4 ounces plain. A year ago, there would have been a cup of rice or a full sized baked potato on my plate. Last night, no starch at all. A year ago, a couple of servings of veggies. Last night, a half cup of black beans. A year ago, no salad. Last night, 4 ounces of lettuce with a few garnishes.
Second, unlike every other attempt I've made at losing weight over the years, this one -- once you're off of "Phase 1" -- is pretty flexible about those "oops" moments. When we're on phase 2, we expect to lose a pound or two a week. . . and I've noticed that a restaurant meal, or a "bribery visit" to Dairy Queen, fits into that plan pretty well. As long as we only blow it once a week or so, we still lose a pound.
Third, snacking is very important, as is proper hydration.
Fourth, exercise seems to be less important than I originally thought, although still very important.
Finally, having my wife on the diet with me has been a key to its success, even though I've lost a lot more weight than she has. (On the downside for me, it's a reminder that when I've lost another 40 or 50 pounds, I'll be just as overweight then as she was when she started.)
On to 50 pounds!
After six months on the South Beach Diet, I've lost just over 40 pounds. Disclaimer: we had a big weekend, with a winery trip and several restaurant meals, followed by birthday cake last night. Last week I peaked at 47 pounds of weight loss. I fully expect to reach 50 pounds of loss in the next few weeks, before Thanksgiving bulks me back up.
I have a couple of observations about the process thus far. First, even though the South Beach Diet makes a big big deal about "good carbs" and "bad carbs" and (starting today for 12 days) "no carbs at all" -- what seems to me to be the most important thing is portion control. Last night I had a nice cut of beef loin. A year ago I would have had 8 or 12 ounces, wrapped in bacon. Last night, 4 ounces plain. A year ago, there would have been a cup of rice or a full sized baked potato on my plate. Last night, no starch at all. A year ago, a couple of servings of veggies. Last night, a half cup of black beans. A year ago, no salad. Last night, 4 ounces of lettuce with a few garnishes.
Second, unlike every other attempt I've made at losing weight over the years, this one -- once you're off of "Phase 1" -- is pretty flexible about those "oops" moments. When we're on phase 2, we expect to lose a pound or two a week. . . and I've noticed that a restaurant meal, or a "bribery visit" to Dairy Queen, fits into that plan pretty well. As long as we only blow it once a week or so, we still lose a pound.
Third, snacking is very important, as is proper hydration.
Fourth, exercise seems to be less important than I originally thought, although still very important.
Finally, having my wife on the diet with me has been a key to its success, even though I've lost a lot more weight than she has. (On the downside for me, it's a reminder that when I've lost another 40 or 50 pounds, I'll be just as overweight then as she was when she started.)
On to 50 pounds!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Of wardrobes . . . and malfunctions
Yesterday was my wife's birthday and today is a State Holiday. So . . . my parents helpfully picked up the boys from school yesterday. They kept them overnight and today for us while we went away to celebrate. Enter wardrobe malfunction #1. In July, I purchased a new pair of swim trunks. On July 2, when I bought them, I was wearing a 45 inch waist. Today a 40. Luckily this fact was remembered BEFORE I jumped into a swimming pool wearing a swimsuit that was 5 inches too big. So as of yesterday evening, I have a new speedo. Here's a picture. :-)
I didn't know speedo made baggy shorts style swim trunks, but I'm glad they do.
The second wardrobe malfunction of the weekend was that in my haste to pack on Thursday afternoon, I grabbed KAREN'S winter coat, and not mine. So I spent my day Friday shivering in a navy blue sports coat.
Even with the wardrobe issues, it was a fun weekend.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Maintaining
From 24th October (my dad's birthday) through the 17th of February (my birthday), our calendar is blessed with 7 birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day and a couple of important wedding anniversaries, not to mention several 3-day-weekends which give mid-winter opportunities for a quick getaway.
I can tell that this is going to be a rough time for the diet, so we're working hard. Yesterday, I hit a new peak with 45.5 pounds of total weight loss. However, we celebrated the end of a stressful week and some good behavior at school with dinner out (and bad restaurant behavior from the very boys who'd been good at school).
With the exception of an occasional break like last night, we're pretty faithfully sticking with Phase II of the South Beach Diet, which limits Carbohydrates to "good carbs" of whole-wheat and only one or two servings a day, and pretty strictly limits portion sizes.
For example yesterday's pre-dinner menu.
Breakfast: one slice of whole wheat toast and 4 oz skim milk + a very large cup of hot tea.
Mid-morning snack: one ounce baby carrots
Lunch: one slice very lean smoked ham on whole wheat with a slice of low fat cheese and spinach.
Afternoon snack: one ounce mixed nuts.
We are planning dinner out next Thursday for my wife's birthday (just the two of us!) and my goal is to lose another 1.5 pounds from yesterday morning before then.
That would put me under 230 pounds for the first time since about 1998.
For those keeping score, my peak weight was 278 and my long term goal is to be under 200 pounds.
I can tell that this is going to be a rough time for the diet, so we're working hard. Yesterday, I hit a new peak with 45.5 pounds of total weight loss. However, we celebrated the end of a stressful week and some good behavior at school with dinner out (and bad restaurant behavior from the very boys who'd been good at school).
With the exception of an occasional break like last night, we're pretty faithfully sticking with Phase II of the South Beach Diet, which limits Carbohydrates to "good carbs" of whole-wheat and only one or two servings a day, and pretty strictly limits portion sizes.
For example yesterday's pre-dinner menu.
Breakfast: one slice of whole wheat toast and 4 oz skim milk + a very large cup of hot tea.
Mid-morning snack: one ounce baby carrots
Lunch: one slice very lean smoked ham on whole wheat with a slice of low fat cheese and spinach.
Afternoon snack: one ounce mixed nuts.
We are planning dinner out next Thursday for my wife's birthday (just the two of us!) and my goal is to lose another 1.5 pounds from yesterday morning before then.
That would put me under 230 pounds for the first time since about 1998.
For those keeping score, my peak weight was 278 and my long term goal is to be under 200 pounds.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Off the Wagon -- Thud
A little less than 3 weeks ago, we restarted Phase I, to try to get off of a "plateau" in our weight loss. It worked like a champ. In the first 10 days on Phase I, I dropped from 239 to 232 pounds. Ahh, but then the flip side of the coin. In a period of just 4 days . . . I experienced the dreaded "Snack Day" at work, a visit from my in-laws and a birthday party at "The Pizza Machine." I tried to be healthy on snack day (I took grapes), and for the in-laws we had low-carb options at lunch, and dinner was pretty healthy too (chili with ground turkey replacing the ground beef, and more beans than meat). And apparently "Pizza Machine" was a euphemism for "Eating Machine" -- which was ME. At the end of our extended weekend of Gluttony -- I was back up to 236.
I've mostly behaved this week, and I'm now back down to 233. We'll see what this weekend does to me. . .
I've mostly behaved this week, and I'm now back down to 233. We'll see what this weekend does to me. . .
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Back to Phase I
We're now a week into our third try on Phase I of the South Beach Diet. As a refresher, this phase is the most restrictive. We are not allowed to eat any carbohydrates and are limited to very low fat items. So the question is: "What CAN you eat?" Well, here's an example.
This is my lunch today. A spinach salad, carefully measured: 1.5 ounces of Spinach (about a cup); one ounce of baked ham, shredded; a teaspoon of diced raw shallot; a teaspoon of diced roasted red pepper from a jar; a half a teaspoon of shredded low fat Swiss cheese; a half teaspoon of low fat Newman's Own Raspberry Vinaigrette and a half ounce of unsalted mixed nuts for crunch. (Planters has a new "Nut-trition" line: http://www.planters.com/varieties/nutrition.aspx -- although it's not shown on the website today, they have a "South Beach Mix")
Is it working? You bet. As of this morning, I've lost five and a half pounds since last Sunday morning. (Although I've "cheated" 2 times -- once with crackers and cheese, twice with Dairy Queen, which we used to bribe boys into good behavior.)
Another week and we can introduce carbs back on Phase two.
On the downside -- the 40-inch waist-size jeans I bought last weekend -- they keep falling down.
Is it working? You bet. As of this morning, I've lost five and a half pounds since last Sunday morning. (Although I've "cheated" 2 times -- once with crackers and cheese, twice with Dairy Queen, which we used to bribe boys into good behavior.)
Another week and we can introduce carbs back on Phase two.
On the downside -- the 40-inch waist-size jeans I bought last weekend -- they keep falling down.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
More zeros
Labor day weekend, I blogged about about the power of zero. On that occasion the "zero" in question was 240.0, my weight. I've not gone back up to that point, but I have hit a slight plateau in the weight loss, bouncing back and forth between 236 and 238 pounds. The 40 I want to talk about today is a different, but related milestone.
We went shopping after lunch. For the first time since about 1997, I purchased two pairs of pants with 40 inch waist. For comparison, the jeans I bought last January were a 48 inch waist. I didn't buy any shirts or jackets today, but discovered I am now able to get into a size 46 regular suit coat. (That's down from a size 52)
However, we've decided we're tired of being stuck at the weight where we are . . . so starting tomorrow morning, we're moving back to Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. This is the most restrictive phase of the diet, being very lowfat, and totally eliminating carbs. We'll stay on this phase for two weeks, and see how it goes. Last time we did this I lost about 12 pounds in those two weeks.
We went shopping after lunch. For the first time since about 1997, I purchased two pairs of pants with 40 inch waist. For comparison, the jeans I bought last January were a 48 inch waist. I didn't buy any shirts or jackets today, but discovered I am now able to get into a size 46 regular suit coat. (That's down from a size 52)
However, we've decided we're tired of being stuck at the weight where we are . . . so starting tomorrow morning, we're moving back to Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. This is the most restrictive phase of the diet, being very lowfat, and totally eliminating carbs. We'll stay on this phase for two weeks, and see how it goes. Last time we did this I lost about 12 pounds in those two weeks.
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