Celebration...10 pounds Down and 20 To Go

It's Friday night. Classes at CNM are over, though I still have projects to complete and turn in and a final next week.

But, what I'm really celebrating is the first major milestone on my weight loss program for this summer! On May 29, I set my self a goal of losing 30 pounds this year. I weighed in this morning at 191, so I've actually lost 11 pounds. I've got a lot more to go, but it's a major sign of progress.

I attribute this success to several factors:

1. Renewed commitment to exercise, in particular walking regularly. I've been getting out in the morning for extended walks (3 miles or 5 on Sundays) and walk about a half mile to and from classes in the evenings. This lets me burn off about 1800 calories a week. It also has my blood pressure and resting pulse down (my doctor was very happy to see this) and I also have more energy in my walk. Even after a morning walk, I feel like bouncing up on my toes when I walk just because I'm lighter and have more energy.

2. Getting more serious about diet changes. I've noted a few of my diet recipes on this blog and will post more in the future. An example is this recipe from Corinne Trang's Asian Flavors Diabetes Cookbook.

Coconut Rice Noodles With Shrimp and Peas

I made a couple changes, doing a half recipe, substituting vegetable for the grapeseed oil which I didn't have, and making a paste with 1/2 Tbsp of hot curry powder and 1 Tbsp of water since I didn't have the Red Thai Curry Paste either. Also, I had to heat it back to a boil after adding the liquid and rice noodles and boil it for about 4 minutes to thicken the liquid and let the uncooked noodles absorb the liquid.

Despite the warning on the recipe, my version didn't taste very salty at all and my honey concurred. The only significant sources of sodium are 180 mg from the fish sauce and whatever is in the shrimp.

It also cooked up very quickly with little preparation. And, it tasted good!

In general, I've been trying to eat more non-starchy vegetables and salads, as well as seafood. And, a big factor is just limiting portion size. Eat until you're not hungry, don't keep going until you're sated!

3. Willpower and commitment. I really want this so I make my self resist certain urges, like the feeling in my tummy right now saying "I want something". It's not acute and a healthy measured snack like the 10 cherries I had tonight while working on the computer helps control snacking on calorie rich foods like the Oreo cookies sitting on the counter.

4. Limit portion size. You can eat the healthiest foods in the world, but if you eat too much of them, you'll still gain weight. The dose makes the weight gain. The restaurant industry in particular has gradually trained us to think we need a 1/4 or 1/3 pound hamburger when a 3 ounce patty is fine. Or, how about an 8 ounce sirloin or a 16 ounce T-bone? I try to aim for a 3 ounce serving of the main protein food, like salmon or chicken or beef, and add more vegetables to the plate. Having a boiled dressing cole slaw (which keeps for days in the refrigerator) readily available is a big help.

5. Enjoy the improvements! A year ago, I was squeezing into 38 inch pants. Now, I can wear 34's or size 14 and they actually have room for my fingers inside!!! My apple has gone down from 44 to 43 inches and will probably need some serious ab work to reach the low 30's, but I know I can do it.

6. Look forward to the reward. I've promised myself a Super-Heroine costume for Halloween and want to look the part!

7. Also, don't agonize over minor up and down weight changes as long as you can see steady overall progress.

So, take care of yourself. You deserve it!