Paying attention

I had to attend a "work" function last evening that included hors d'eorvers and dinner.
I intentionally skipped the appetizers so tht I would eat a good dinner.
Problem: the dinner was lousy! I'm a plain eater: no spices, I hate pepper, I like good ole' american fare.
The dinner choices should all have been good, but there were soooooooooo many weird ingredients in the meat and chicken, that I went back to the appetizer table and ate those instead.Not a good choice. The appetizers probably had more calories and fat than the dinner combined.
I figured i might get a decent dessert taste out of all this, but no.\Dessert was a concoction called: mango and coconut mousse topped with a gooseberry.
What the hell is a gooseberry? when it came tot the table it looked like a tomatillo! And the whole thing was wrapped in fudge, so I couldn't have eaten it anyway!
Bad night out indeed.
Next time I will research the dinner options with more care and plan accordingly - like eat dinner before I go!!

The End?

So, it's my 50th birthday today. The goal was to lose 50 pounds by now.
I lost 17.
I still have 33 to go until the end of the year.
I guess 33 isn't as daunting feeling as 50 was, but it still has been a struggle.
Every ounce is a struggle. I've been going to the gym 4-5 times per week for the past month. I've followed the weight loss plan - most days - as closely or as perfectly as I could.\
I read an article a while back that claimed every body has a set point where it's happy being at that weight.
My body must feel glorious! because it likes this weight I am now REALLY A LOT!!
So, I will keep plugging along, trying to lose ounces. I am no longer thinking in pounds because that just seems too difficult for my body to actualize. Ounces seems more realistic.
A few things have fallen from this journey, tho, that are good. I am definitely eating BETTER and HEALTHIER foods. I have returned to the gym so I am now getting set exercise. I feel I have a better grasp of what my body needs in terms of nutrients, and what it doesn't : white flour, sugar, fried foods, preservative laden foods. My hair and nails look great because of all the protein I now get.
So all in all it has been a DIFFICULT journey but one that will continue. I will check in periodically, esp when I get new food info to pass along. Please keep following my progress because I really do do better when I have eyes watching me.
Happy Birthday to me!!

OBESE

So I have the bloodwork of a ten year old, but am still classified as OBESE.
I can't catch a break for loosing!

Wellness checkup

So I went for my 20/20 wellness checkup today.
Weight was 5 pounds more than my scale at home; waist circumference was at least an inch more than I measure.
They had my bp at 120/80 when it routinely runs 90/60.
Lets hope my bloodwork turns out correctly!
I swear, if I am classified as OBESE again this year I am going to spit. Far and heavily!
I will have my blood work results by tomorrow, everything else in a week or two, so I'le tyou know the classification.\
God, this is humiliating. I wish they could use my measurements and my scale for their values. Its so much more friendly to me.
Anyway, once the values are in I have to fill out this HUGE questionnaire and when that's done, I get to receive my $ 75.00 "present." I can use it towards membership in health gym or to get new sneakers at the local shoe empoirum.
haven't decided which I'll do yet.
Pray for me!!

The Mall

So, I went shopping yesterday for the first time in a long time just for me.
I figured since I started this journey, I might as well see if the clothing dept. had anything new in a SMALLER size for me nowadays.
The most shocking thng to me, other than the poor quality of what passes for fashion these days, is that my feet GREW a half size! I went from a ridiculously large 8.5 up to a 9!
WTF!
DIsregarding the lousy clothes for a minute, WTF!
I have HUNDREDS of pairs of shoes in an 8.5. What am I supposed to do with them now? It's one thing to discard clothing that doesn't fit, BUT SHOES!
I LOVE MY SHOES! That;s always been my go-to item for making me feel better. It's an old fashioned cliche, but truw: fat girls loves makeup and accesoories: bags, SHOES! etc. Because you are never too fat not to wear makeup or have fab accessories.
Call me Imelda anytime! I LOVE MY SHOES!
IS there a weight loss program aimed at feet?

Somethings I really didn't know

1. Diabetes TRIPLES a woman's odds of developing heart disease.
2. Women with diabetes are more likely to die from heart disease than diabetic men are.
3. WOmen with diabetes are at a higher risk because of high blood pressure, lower HDL ( the good cholesterol), and more abdominal fat.
Was there ever a better reason to lose weight, do sit ups and get in shape??
Let's see: I'm a woman, almost 50, with a lot of belly fat.
Granted, I don't have diabetes.
Yet.
And I am doing my damnedest NOT to develop it.
Sits up: there a good thing.

MORE news

This must be the month for magazines to publish blood values,.
MORE magazine's May 2010 issue has an article titles HOW TO LIVE HEALTHY LONGER.
IT not only lists more blood values you should have checked ( ie If Your waist circumference is over 35 it is danger sign for women) and stats ( 1600 is th enumber of calories that the average woman should eat per day to maintain a healthy weight), but it also lists strategies to curb bad behavior, like eating magnesium rich foods to combat memory loss and the ancillary vitamins you need just to maintain your health.
It's worth reading.
The line that stood out to me the most is the following:
"80% of heart attacks in women are attributed to unhealthy habits - filling up on fat laden food, carrying around excess weight, being a couch potato and smoking."
The way I interpret this statement is that 80% of women could prevent heart attac ks from happening if they, a: stop eating crap; b: got up off their butts and exercised, and c: STOP SMOKING.
80%.
That's 4 in 5 women who have had heart attacks- they could have been prevented just by changing a few simple things.
WOmen can rule the world with information like this. Pass it on to every woman you know and encourage them to read the article.
More to come. ( get it?! MORE to come?!)