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Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Will Get Back to You When I Can See My Toes


Well, cake got involved yesterday. I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully deny my inner four year old. As many of you pointed out yesterday, that's no excuse for not trying. I agree.

I'm touched by the outpouring of support for this endeavor. Some of you mentioned that you relate to my issues. Naturally, I'm glad in the misery loves company way. In comments, some of you have noted that you'll get started on this as soon as this food or that food is gone. I completely understand.

As I've mentioned in emails to some of you, Sophia's birthday is on the 7th and so there will be more cake in the house. She's turning eleven and wants a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. Too bad she doesn't want a radish cake with Brussels sprouts frosting. Now that, I could away from without feeling the least little pang.

And since she has the nerve to turn eleven, I suppose I should have the decency to stop considering this extra heft my last little bit of pregnancy weight.

Thanks for your comments yesterday, even those of you who offered advice, you bunch of rule breakers. As predicted, I heard from the water pusher. I still say noted. I also heard from those of you who've had good results from moderation, even the most basic of exercise, Weight Watchers with fabulous group leaders, and the subtraction of just one food sin at a time. I heard warnings about the perils of using the old "muscle weighs more than fat" argument for having another Krispy Kreme and I'll keep in mind that it's not just the cake, but the potato chips, too, that add more cushion for the pushin.

I was glad to hear, too, from the folks who don't want me to delude myself with ideas that I, too, can look like an adolescent boy with concave cheeks and ribs all pokey outy. It's true, I was never a chick who could balance a ruler across her hip bones so I promise not to go too nuts.

The other comment that caught my eye was the one about not becoming too judgmental and preachy. As if! And even though I am not a fan of Dr. Pepper anymore (I think I threw it up in the 7th grade), it's highly unlikely that I'll ever fully give up drinking the occasional root beer or Coca Cola. I mean, if you don't drink at least one Coke a month, they won't let you vote in the state of Georgia, so right there is reason enough.

The point is, though, this is for my health and hopefully will last long enough for me to fit into some of the clothes I've been drooling over on etsy. This is not to shame you or anyone you love. I've never been an all or nothing kind of person, even when I've wanted desperately to be one. If I offer any tips at all, it will likely be in the form of "don't try this at home without medical supervision and a fire extinguisher close at hand."

So where does that leave yesterday? Was it a success? If you're interested, you can see the chronicle of shame and horror here. There's a general post, a nutrition post and an exercise post. Bets on how long the nutrition and exercise posts will last? Nevermind. I'm going to log the fun stuff over there instead of cluttering this blog up with my constant ruminations about my input and output, the crush I have on my elliptical and when I think I can start wearing pants with zippers again.

For those of you who'd rather not click that link, here's a quick recap of lessons learned:
1. I can zip through 45 minutes on the elliptical as long as I am distracted by something good and commercial free on the telly or by having someone with which to chat. Thanks to MathMan for keeping me company yesterday.

2. According to my elliptical's readout, I "ran" 8 miles in that 45 minutes. Now, I don't trust the accuracy of that, but it's nice to know that I could manage a 5k as long as I'm being towed along on my trusty exercise machine. Listen, I don't really imagine myself participating in something as bone jarring as running this frame through a 5k unless orgasms are involved. So.

3. If Sophie and I are going to have 'tea' when she arrives home from school, I must choose things that contain fiber, perhaps some lean protein and not a lot of carbs. Hot chocolate with toast can't be my fall back so that I get my sweet tooth fix.

And finally, these Hershey's Kisses in the drawer next to me? They need to get gone.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a carrot to nibble.



12 comments:

  1. I see you have a picture of a shy carrot and a proud one.

    If you are going to drink Coke, look for some Coke from Mexico that is made with sugar instead of high frutose corn syrup. I have been avoiding HFCS for many years now as I don't think it's healthy for the body.

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  2. Hi Lisa, I just caught up with your last couple of posts and we are in the very same place. I had lost 13 lbs. last spring and was feeling pretty good about myself - still 20+ lbs. overweight but at least the BMI scale no longer tipped into "obese." (I too am short - even shorter than you, just 5 feet - so 8-10 lbs. = a size, to say nothing of the fact that my belly is too big for whatever size I am so elastic waistbands are a must).

    Then I proceeded to gain it all back.

    In the meantime after 4 years of not drinking due to fear of another oral cancer, I said screw it and started drinking again. I was pretty moderate at first but gradually went back to my old ways - drinking wine every day instead of only on weekends as I'd vowed to do.

    So as of yeterday, no wine. And once I retire in 3 weeks I will hit the dieting. I still have Christmas candy to use up!

    I did sign up for yoga classes starting this Saturday, which will be my first foray into any kind of exercise. Yoga is the only thing I can stand because I hate to sweat.

    I think once I stop working I will be walking more and eating less since I'll have less stress. Like you I am a stress/emotional eater.

    I hope to get back to the idea of having the wine on weekends again but for now it has to be off the list.

    You are definitely not going to be making this journey alone! We can encourage each other as we go along!

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  3. Second on the Mexican Coke. Not only is there no HFCS, you can taste the difference -- and the Mexican is better. Just be sure to check the ingredients label, too, because I've run across a few that did have HFCS.

    I had vowed I would offer no advice, but here's a thought: don't be afraid to throw stuff away. If there's leftover cake after the party, just toss it. Once it's in the garbage with the roaches, it's not going to look nearly as tempting.

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  4. Remember, "When there's will there's also a Ding Dong."

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  5. Hey Girl
    I have lost and kept off 40 lbs since my divorce. I would credit a modified South Beach/Low Glycemic index, Fighting Fat over Forty approach, but I'm pretty sure the reality had more to do with being able to stop overeating to smother the rage in the pit of my stomach after Buzz Kill finally moved out.

    It also had a lot to do with gaining a sense of control because what I ate was pretty much the only thing I could control.

    Hang in there
    xo
    T

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  6. yay Lisa!!

    ditto on the Mexican Coke too!! I was thinking that too.
    seriously, when I can get myself off of sugar and refined carbs, (it takes a good 3-4 days to get over the cravings) it's like my brain is returned to me--mental clarity is on the menu again! So put that in yer pipe and smoke it.

    And last nite I got into bed with my sweetie after showering and slathering Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Butter all over myself, (it's just a tad 'dry' here in the desert) he's all like, 'hmmmm....you smell good, what is that? hmmm....sniff--you smell like a Krispy Kreme!'

    If ya can't eat em, join em!

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  7. I just ate a cream filled donut from Publix, shame shame.

    Does that completely negate the lean cuisine I had for lunch?

    Moderation/control/diet, whatever is so hard for me. But I'll get there.

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  8. I read somewhere that kosher/parve coca cola uses sugar and not HFCS, so people who miss the old stuff load up at Passover.

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  9. I'm on an eating binge that is totally emotional. Swallowing my emotions rather than whacking people in the head with them.

    I'd rather whack people in the head.

    I love that 'weigh your fat' machine thingie.

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  10. Ah well, I guess I'll have to confess that my plan for giving up the habit that keeps me skinny (and developing a great crop of wrinkles) is the fact that cigarettes cost $100 a carton in Canada - and that's not even considering Camel Filters are imports there and so much more expensive. You know I wasn't even a smoker til I came to the US when Carter was President and then they went and elected Reagan. Well, it's an excuse that's worked for me..

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  11. If you eat some cake, so what? Even I've known you long enough to know that you are beautiful, regardless of how much meat you carry.

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And then you say....

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