Shopping in my own closet

Monday, March 16, 2009

I think I have done the final cut in my closet. Although maybe I need to do yet another run-through -- do I really need 3 little black dresses? Truth be told, there are more than 3, but there are 3 beaded little black dresses.

I have very few items in my closet these days that don't fit me. A few dresses -- the ones I really like, that I only got to wear maybe once. I'm not sure I'll ever wear them again, but it ain't over til the thin lady sings in this instance.

When you release something out into the universe, you open yourself up to receive even more. I decided to donate a couple of dresses I've been holding onto for a long time. One fit fine, although it might actually have been a bit big, but I decided it was no longer "me". The other almost fit, and I know it would fit someday, but it had those 80s shoulder pads in them -- and not the removable kind, either.

OTOH, I was extremely pleased to find a size 6 satin blouse that almost fit. I could wear it, but it's still just a bit too tight to move my arms in comfortably. I really didn't think that one would ever fit again. I'm sure it's something that must have run large in its day, because it hasn't seen the light of day in quite some years. That's okay, though; I look forward to wearing it next year. And a blouse I bought almost a year ago, that was oddly tight in the arms, now fits. Finally!

I think we both have to give away our fat clothes as we lose weight, and save a few motivation pieces -- not all, but the ones that you know will make you feel great to wear. It may take years to get back into them, but in some ways, that only makes it all the sweeter.

It's a little scary, at times. I'm realistic. I'd like to be like my WW leader, who has been a leader for 30 years (which means she's been at least near her goal weight for 30 years), but I know there's certainly a chance I could gain at some point in my future. I've had to spend a lot of money on just jeans this year, and money is a bit tight. I definitely don't want to have to go up again.

For now, though, I am still going down. I will leave the future to the future. Today is a gorgeous day, and we're finally beginning to dry out. I took a nice, long walk with the dogs, and we even got to see donkeys, goats (and kids), and pigs at one of the places way down the road. I was able to say goodbye to the woman & her dog I run into very occasionally, and I haven't seen her in months. My husband will be home this weekend (although this is the last time before we move -- we think, anyway). Life is good.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

STARTSPARKING 3/17/2009 12:53PM

Bless you for going through your closet to donate items. Sometimes it's hard to let go of items that still kind of fit. However, good for you for recognizing it's no longer "you" and that they can benefit other people who need them more than you do. I have this bright green college T-shirt that I received as part of a graduating class. It has been almost 20 years since I wore it, but I've held on to it for its sentimental value. I think it fits again, and it's perfect to wear it for St. Patrick's Day today! I'll just have to remember to put it on later today. Otherwise, I'll have to wait a year for another opportunity. Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friend. Report Inappropriate Comment

MTER67 3/17/2009 5:38AM

Yea! I am glad you had a great day. Got some better weather and also the chance to free your closet of some things you no longer want/need. Good for you! I also need to start going through things--my clothes, the kids' clothes and toys. The task is SO daunting, I have been ignoring it. I am not looking forward to dragging all the bags out to the car to donate! Happy St. Patrick's Day! Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_GRIZZ 3/16/2009 8:25PM

Sounds like you had a very good day. I donated all but 2 pieces of my 'fat' clothes. The 2 pieces I saved are 'trophies' - lol. when I'm feeling less motivated to continue with my journey, I pull them out to remind me how big I really was. It works wonders. Smaller pieces are great motivation too, unfortunately, I had a few but forgot about them. By the time I realized they were there - I tried them on and they were too big. Oh well. Hope you have a great day tomorrow. Report Inappropriate Comment

Going for 3

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Weeks of weight loss, that is. I'll put my goal out there. For a long time I was stuck in a holding pattern of gain, lose a little bit more, gain not quite all of it back, lose a little bit more . . . things were inching down . . . slowly.

I have lost weight for the last couple of weeks; I want to go for 3.

It's pre-TOM for me, and I can already feel it. Not the hungries -- not yet, thankfully -- but I feel really bloated today. So my mission this week is to really pay attention to what I'm eating. I often take tastes when I grocery shop -- this week is was a whole grain crumbcake -- small, but still the whole thing -- but I did count it. In the past, I've just had it and not counted it. Nothing counts when you eat standing up, right?

I need to definitely push fluids, since that helps to counteract bloating. Pineapple is good for bloating, too, due to its digestive enzymes. I'm not hugely fond of pineapple, but it might be time to make another fruit salad with some.

If I'm mindful, I know I can do it.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JENNYJACKP 8/15/2011 10:46AM

I know I'm a few years past the original post but I'll have to go out and get a fresh pineapple, thanks for that tip! I just started my TOM bloat and I can feel every bit of it. :( Besides pushing the water, I'm going to keep a closer eye on my sodium and carb intake and have some more salads and fruit this week. Thankfully I don't crave a lot of chocolate and sugar during TOM. Report Inappropriate Comment

MTER67 3/16/2009 7:53AM

Isn't ginger good for bloating, too? Or maybe it just works for nausea. Good luck counteracting TOM and having another week of weight loss. You can do it! Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_GRIZZ 3/15/2009 10:58AM

You can do it - yeah you! You go girl! Keep on, keeping on! Good thing to know about pineapple - thanks for sharing. I just cut up a fresh pinapple last night - it was so good! We all love it here. Report Inappropriate Comment

Cutting the sugar

Saturday, March 14, 2009

For a long time I've been drinking Silk's fiber-enriched Vanilla soymilk. But it has something on the order of 17 gm of sugar per cup. That's more than 4 teaspoons of sugar! Okay, I don't have a carton here now -- it might be less, but it still had a whole lot of sugar in it. No wonder I like it. Last week I decided I get enough fiber on my own, I don't need it in my milk and I definitely don't need all that sugar.

So I bought the light Silk soymilk instead. It's interesting, because often when you buy something low fat they bump up the sugar to make it taste better -- part of why low fat doesn't often correlate to weight loss. But the light soymilk has much less sugar -- and I can definitely taste the difference.

If I can save myself 1, 2, or 3 teaspoons of sneaky-added sugar a day, that's bound to help me on my journey -- not to mention making me a whole lot healthier, and helping me to manage my sweet tooth, too. I do find the less sugar I eat, the less I crave it. Don't get me wrong, I'll always love my sweets -- but it's not a I-must-have-something-sweet-with-every-mea
l feeling. I'm eating a lot more plain oatmeal and frittatas lately.

And I finally made my own pizza! Almost. I did use a prepared crust. I had all these canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste in my pantry -- and I'm trying to work my way down through the stuff in my pantry. So I made myself some margherita pizza (which is simply pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil). Came out really good, too. I fried up some onions and garlic in olive oil, added a small can of diced tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce (which had 4 gm of sugar!), and a can of tomato paste. Spread that on my crust, added about 4 ounces of sliced mozzarella, and baked it, then sprinkled it with some basil.

Once the dust has settled from my move, I definitely envision making my own frozen pizzas on a regular basis. We'll have to see how DH likes this; he likes the frozen one I buy (he'd prefer pepperoni, but that's the sacrifice you make when you don't do the shopping or the cooking).

I think one of the biggest differences for me is cutting out processed foods. I wasn't eating a lot before, but boy, just a little can really pack on the pounds. It's amazing what is hiding in your frozen dinners, nutrition bars -- even your milk!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MTER67 3/14/2009 8:56PM

We always make homemade pizza and once you get the hang of it, it really doesn't take a lot of time--it's just the flour that makes a mess of your kitchen which is a pain. I agree that processed foods sabotage a lot of folks. I never buy them--except for the occasional frozen lasagna when we need a desperation dinner. I find that after eating them, I am thirsty all night. Most are loaded with sodium and fat. I used to buy the chocolate silk as a "treat" for myself a few years ago--I bought those little boxes and would pack them for myself and the kids when we went out. I liked it, but never quite grew to love the flavor. I prefer my milk to come from cows! Ha ha Take care! Good luck emptying the cupboards--dontcha hate that? Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_GRIZZ 3/14/2009 10:17AM

I love home made pizzas. I make mine on pita bread. Greek pizzas are my favourite - the more spinach the better. We've been doing it for a while and find that home made pizzas taste even better than ordered out pizzas now. We know exactly what's in them and they somehow taste fresher and 'cleaner' (as in less processed). Way to go! Report Inappropriate Comment

KRISTINARAINES 3/14/2009 8:16AM

I made my own pizza last week too. Mine didn't turn out so good though! This cooking stuff is still kinda new to me! My dough was to thick and doughy. Next time I will probably go with the dough already made. Report Inappropriate Comment

GRANNYOF05 3/14/2009 8:11AM

Good job on making your own pizza. I buy the frozen dough in the grocery store. Just haven't gotten around to try to make it myself. My husband also likes pepperoni, so I put it on about 2/3's of the pie. Because that is what he eats. I'm making one today. I also put oregano on top of mine. I like mushrooms and I put those on my side of the pie. That way we both get what we like. Have a great day. Report Inappropriate Comment

I know I can do it

Friday, March 13, 2009

I don't know why this time seems different from past attempts, but I just feel I can do it. It's the first time in many, many years that I've lost a fair amount of weight. Little surprise that it's also the first time in many, many years that I'm attending weekly WW meetings. There's magic in those meetings -- you can find out all the info to do WW on your own, but the truth is you aren't really doing it -- because the meetings are a big part of the plan.

So what if you don't know if you can do it? Fake it until you make it; never give up; fall 7 times, pick yourself up 8 -- pick your metaphor. From the time I joined WW about 20 years ago, I never have given up. Yes, I've gained weight -- but I never stopped trying to eat healthy and I never stopped exercising.

If your head isn't in the right place, you probably won't get to your goal . . . now. But how much healthier will you be if you just keep trying? And how much heavier & miserable will you be if you give up?

Winners never quit & quitters never win.

As I sit in my meetings, chatting with friends & acquintances, someone will inevitably ask if you've had a good week -- and most have to check their tracker first. Did they lose, gain, or maintain? I know that the number on the scale is not an indication of my week. No, I don't like to see it go up -- but that's just part of life, and often not a reflection of either how I ate or how I actually feel.

Funny the things that hit you at odd times. Yesterday I was thinking about whether or not I'd had a good day. There were good parts & there were bad parts, as with most days. It's been cold and wet for several days now. It's easy to get up, hear the rain pouring down, and want to just pull the covers back over your head. Then it hit me: what if I only had a short amount of time -- or no time -- to live? What wouldn't you give to feel the rain on your face, even if it's cold, if you're confined to a bed or a hospital?

Every day is a gift. Every day is a miracle. It's up to us to find the good in every day.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MTER67 3/14/2009 4:46AM

Nothing to add here. Great blog. You are right, even on our worst days, we still have so much to be thankful for. Thanks for the reminder of that. Report Inappropriate Comment

KARBIE18 3/13/2009 9:15PM

You are so right. I rarely get upset about how slowly I'm losing, but every so often, when I'm whining to myself about doing everything right and still not losing, I remember how much healthier I must be than I would have been if I hadn't tried. I love what you said about the rain. It definitely puts things into perspective. Actually, though, since I'm obsessed with flowers, I can usually appreciate the rain. Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_GRIZZ 3/13/2009 8:27PM

So true - there is something good in every day, a silver lining so to speak. They are everywhere - we just have to look and accept them. Glad you enjoy your meetings; I love mine too. Report Inappropriate Comment

Running away from problems

Thursday, March 12, 2009

They say you should never run away from things -- only sometimes, you should. Actually, I don't have any real pithy thoughts on that -- except if maybe you should run away from burning buildings -- but I just couldn't come up with a snappy title. I did think about "Yes, I CAN!" in homage to Obama.

I CAN run a mile. For some that thought would be a no-brainer. For me, it's a huge accomplishment. My husband didn't really seem impressed, but I don't think I've ever run a mile in my life -- until yesterday. If you could call it running at 3.5 mph.

It was a cold, blustery, rainy day yesterday (today is actually worse). After finishing my exercise DVD in the afternoon, I decided to dust off the treadmill and take it for a run. I was just curious to see how long I could go unencumbered by the dogs.

Technially, I didn't run the entire mile; I did warm up and cool down for 4 minutes -- but I could easily have done it, I know -- I cut it short simply because I knew the dogs really needed to get out.

It has taken about a year of consistently adding short jogging intervals to my walk to get to this point, but I've tried in the past, and I don't think I've ever been able to jog much more than 5 minutes at a time in the past -- and that would leave me huffing and puffing.

I am not a runner, like some of my friends. I do not really look forward to running, and I don't enjoy it as alone time. I just know that I really need to move more to be consistent in my weight loss goals, so I just do it. I do always feel better after my interval walks, but I don't look forward to them like I do to Zumba, Turbo Jam, or YBB.

I'm really proud at how far I've come. I know that there have been times in my life that I've been fitter -- thinner, more cardiovascular strength -- yet this is something I've just never been able to do before. I had to push myself to do it, and I had to be consistent about practicing.

On a side note, I live in the self-styled "live music capitol of the world" -- for another month or so, anyway. Yet we rarely avail ourselves of it. We don't drink or dance, so we never go down to 6th street. Sadly, I've never been to South by Southwest or ACLfest -- our two really big music festivals.

Our rodeo has live music. It's always an eclectic mix: lots of country, some pop, and usually some golden oldies. We've been to the rodeo a couple of times. Once, just to be able to say we've been to a rodeo (they're actually kind of fun). The second time, just to be able to say we've seen James Brown (we even took my parents, who were then in their late 70s -- not that that's their type of music).

Well, we're going again. I mentioned to my husband there's someone playing there I'd really like to see, and he'll just happen to be home. So he said let's go, which really surprised me. I said you won't have the time, you've got too much to do. But I looked into it and emailed him how much it would cost. He called back, said do it, and get 2 extra tickets for friends of ours (actually, he ended up getting the tickets).

We're going to see Sarah Bareilles. I mentioned how much I love her "Love Song" a while ago in my blog -- how it always puts a smile on my face. Oh, and our friends? They happened to have an extra ticket to another concert. I declined it -- don't slap me! -- it's to the Boss (Bruce Springsteen, for those that don't know). I'm sure it would be a great show, but I'm not a huge Springsteen fan really, and it's getting really close to our move and I'm already behind.

  

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MOMMA_GRIZZ 3/12/2009 7:47PM

Good for you for jogging that mile - way to go! That's something I've never done but hope to one day. Yeah You! That's great that you are going to a concert with DH - you both deserve time together. Sometimes we just have to make ourselves a priority, higher than all the others. Have a great time! Report Inappropriate Comment

GRANNYOF05 3/12/2009 8:19AM

You should go to the Springsteen concert. Why? Because you need to get out and enjoy life. Whenever my husband doesn't want to go somewhere, I usually get him there eventually, and believe it or not, that's when he comes back to me and says, that was fun. So you go girl...and enjoy. You might not get another chance to see those friends again, since you'll be moving. And congratulations on your running. It takes time. Something we all have, but don't use too wisely. Enjoy your next run. Comment edited on: 3/12/2009 8:20:20 AM Report Inappropriate Comment

MTER67 3/12/2009 8:00AM

You declined a ticket to Bruce Springsteen? Are you nuts? Oh well, glad to hear that you are going to go see Sara Bareilles. That should be good and it is nice that you are taking advantage of the Austin music scene a little before you go. Congratulations on running the mile. You have been smart and methodical and this accomplishment is proof positive of the fitness strides you've made. You may never like running, but perhaps the fitter you become and the farther you can run--the less you'll HATE it. You may actually learn to enjoy it, who knows! Report Inappropriate Comment