Bree - 25 August 2008 05:45 PM

Maybe it was a safe way to hit on you. I’m so happy you got to go, and lost a pound!

How did the new clothes work out?

Bree

Thanks! I think everything worked out clothes-wise. I wore the navy suit on the trip, turned out it was very comfortable even without a controlling undergarment, just regular pantyhose (which I never wear in Florida in the summer anymore if my legs have a bit of color). I looked professional but comfy. Turned out the woman I visited at the office was very casual and I saw lots of casual clothes in her building, but I didn’t feel overdone. Shoes, feet, legs, all handled all the walking well. Friday, wore my red and white polka dot top (Minnie Mouse but cute) with white shorts during the day for L.I. errands with my friend, then changed to jeans for my evening.

I think our friend was being flirty with me. He didn’t talk a lot with me one-on-one, but he kept drawing attention to me and I could hear him talking about me with others. He’s a very sweet guy. Another fellow was very overtly hitting on me, someone I hadn’t met before, and I think he may have thought I was as easy as (unfortunately) one of my friends was, who aggressively flirted with one of the men and left with him. That wasn’t going to be me and I was, of course, staying with a family with teenagers in the house. My friends seemed to have subtly intervened in the situation.  I mean the attention was somewhat flattering, but having a friend be protective just blows that away.

Tonight a woman at Jazzercise reminded me I should join her and her friends for Tuesday night trivia. I’d have to skip my class to do it, but I would like to try. This week I’ll be too tired (still catching up from last night’s late arrival home) but maybe next.

I had stressed myself into a cold sore before the trip, but managed to hide it pretty effectively with the right shades of lipstick.

Whew, what a couple of days!

I managed Jazzercise classes Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday night and a class Saturday morning in the Orlando area, but no gym time, and I did a lot of bigger eating this weekend. Got on the scale this morning, I’m up six pounds. Hopefully some of it will come right back off, but I’ve really got to get back into my zone. Somehow hitting my goal size, going on my vacation, losing the object of my affection, and just in general being a bit more stressed out got me really off track for a week or so. I’m pretty sure I can right myself and keep losing again soon.

It’s good to remember how quickly one can slip up. That and how much more weight I want to lose and how much more toned I want to be. This weekend I realized also how many of the women I know are overweight. They see me as inspirational, but they also see a woman who “doesn’t need to lose any more weight” while I definitely want to be within the “fit” range for my height and get rid of the remaining flab. I’m definitely listening to my inner voice on that stuff and not someone else.

It’s been a good week as far as exercise. I did five Jazzercise classes, a pretty strenuous gym visit, and got a little walking in besides. I’ve been pretty good as far as food, since my overindulgent weekend, though my weight still isn’t back down to where it was. I seem to have thrown my body all off-kilter with changed sleep cycles, feeling bloaty, etc., and sleep has been really rough.

Mentioned to a Quaker friend of mine that I seem to have gotten a little off the path spiritually, as all this diet and exercise focus seems to have made me focus on the superficial, at least for a while. She answered, “I don’t know why the ego is pooh-poohed so much. All is holy.” Wow.

I’m finding out that one of my out-of-town acquaintances might be a little sweet on me. Not the one I thought I wanted, not someone I know very well. But it was pretty amazing the way he looked at me. Like he thought I was somebody special. At whatever weight or age, I haven’t had a lot of that in my life. I’m not saying my head’s been turned, but it was nice. I also connected with some other people I enjoyed getting to know a little. Been two weeks but I am still feeling pretty good about myself based on things that happened on that trip. I heard yesterday that my name came up in a discussion with some of our guy friends and they all said I looked great. My female friend knew I needed to hear that so she passed it on!

Had a chat last weekend with my friend who reads all the diet books but can’t stick to anything. We found an absolute parallel with that and my inability to commit to a writing project. I tend to come up with ideas for plays and such, and never do anything but read background “research” and get lost in that.  It was funny sharing those blocks together.

Hi Ann,

Well done for doing all that exercise! I’m not allowed to do any at the moment, so I’m super jealous!

That’s so nice that one of your friends has a crush on you! It’s a huge confidence booster! Plus it’s so nice that you’re connecting with people. It’s such a rare thing and I know that I used to think I didn’t need close friends because I love reading books, writing, exercising and studying, but it makes you feel really good when you can have a proper conversation with someone doesn’t it? Hope your good week turns into a great month, a fantastic year, and so on!

Nienke

Hi, Nienke!

Thanks for your words of encouragement. Yes, I have been reflecting a LOT about how much more I find I need contact with people—whether in writing or in person—over the two years of this life-changing journey. Even if I’m just getting out and being “alone in a crowd”—like at the beach or someplace.  I write to friends a lot more.

Not 100% sure about the crush. But in any case, the attention, which was respectful and fun, was very flattering.

Since you’re a reader, I’ll mention that I just finished something you might like—The Time Traveler’s Wife.  Oddly enough, I didn’t even know where the Science Fiction section was in my library, but two people had recommended the book so I felt obliged to try it. It was largely a romantic novel, that just happened to have a time-traveler in it. Well-written and enjoyable, thought-provoking on the timetables of relationships I guess (imagine knowing from a young age that this person is going to be your lifelong spouse, how would that change the trust factor and other things along the way.)

I also grabbed The Zero, by Jess Walter, recommended by a male acquaintance, and I think it’s a bit more satirical, more my speed, but I haven’t started yet. Comparison to Joseph Heller on the jacket is a plus for me.

Hope you’re taking it easy.

-- Ann

It’s back to basics for me. I’m spending this week logging in calories at Daily Plate. Had gotten off the habit, but I’ve had this nagging feeling I’m overindulging every day. Yesterday, even with a (gasp) fast food treat (Arby’s beef sandwich and potato cakes) I was still in at 1600 calories, and less exercise netting about 1300, on track, though it didn’t feel like it.

Today so far I’ve done the split breakfast, a half-bagel with some whipped cream cheese with my first cup of coffee. Then a break from work at 10:30a to make a little Egg Beaters ‘omelette’ with some veggies and one cut-up piece of cooked bacon, which adds so much flavor and not that many calories. Moderation, check. I was liberal in recording how much cream I used in my coffee, better to round up I guess.

I’m about to make my chicken wrap (frozen chipotle chicken breast strips, everything cooked in the break room microwave) and steamed veggies, and sit outside for a bit.  I’m hoping writing about it (just for my own benefit) will help reinforce what I’m doing. Doubt I’ll even use a full serving of reduced fat cheese on the veggies, but I may go more on the avocado…

Thank you so much for the book suggestions, I have a new book I’m dying to read, but the print is too small for me at the moment, but our lovely library does large print versions, so I’ll have a look for them! And well done on your calories, I don’t think I could manage with only 1600 calories, especially thinking of that wrap you described - mouth watering!

Thanks, Nienke!  1600 is actually more than usual. The DailyPlate suggestion for me to lose a pound a week (and I’m not anyway) is 1330 or so. Granted, that’s *net* calories, and tonight’s class will work off maybe 3-400. My appetite lately is crazy! I almost miss being inappropriately jealous and heartbroken, as I just wasn’t hungry and had to force the proper calories. (I don’t really miss it. And I still feel a bit foolish.)

Does your library do audio books as well? That might be a nice option.

I think I used slightly under the amount of cheese (grated it all together, then used a little on the veggies and a little in the wrap) but I did add a dollop of low-fat sour cream, and I splurged after lunch and used a packet of real sugar in my coffee. I still feel vaguely hungry, and I thought I might, but I thought I’d let things settle first before deciding what else to have. Maybe I can postpone till 3:30 or so and have a mid-afternoon snack when I go for my sleepy-wake brisk walk around the hallways.

I miss cooking things from scratch, but because I live alone, I find it hard to portion-control. Here at the office, I take pre-cooked frozen chicken from the supermarket, but the vegetables are all fresh. I have a potluck in October; might make more of those curried chickpeas (recipe posted on these boards) as they were a big hit in the spring, but I will probably try something new. Something that says “autumn” even though we’re in Florida and it’ll likely still be pretty warm. (Oh, how I look forward to an October weekend in Boston with one of my best friends! Crisp cold air! I need to round up a coat.)

Have you tried cooking from scratch, then freezing it in individual portion sizes for the week? It would even save money—more for clothes!

Bree

Bree - 16 September 2008 03:39 PM

Have you tried cooking from scratch, then freezing it in individual portion sizes for the week? It would even save money—more for clothes!

I used to do this quite a lot. However, lately, I guess I eat more fresh vegetables than anything, so I just make salads and steam veggies as needed, and the little bit of chicken or whatever, I just buy frozen. I did make those turkey burgers some months back which lasted forever in the freezer! There might even be one or two left. If it ever gets cool I may make some chili and freeze it up. Or soup, or something I used to make and eat leftovers stored in freezer bags for weeks—a good ol’ pot roast with extra roasted veggies.

I came out just over the calorie limit yesterday, at 1796 gross, 1474 net. I’m okay with that.  Today will be leaner in the evening.

I never realized a packet of sugar is only 10-15 calories. Thought maybe fifty. I put one in my second cup of coffee. For the most part I have given up sweetened coffee, but sometimes use a Splenda.

Odd incident last night—I showed up at the Jazzercise center with my bag of clothes. Only, instead of grabbing the black shorts I as I thought, I’d grabbed a black “shaping undergarment” of the type that comes halfway down the upper leg, smoothing the thighs, hips, and tummy area under clothes. It doesn’t ‘fit’ anymore for those purposes. I had no other pants (was wearing a skirt) so I put them on as shorts. They sort of looked like bicycle shorts, and weren’t tight or restricting, so I got away with it. I might wear them again! Ha!

LOL - at least they were black!!!

(You’d be suprised what I have seen some ladies wear as swim suits in the pool.  When I worked in the Rec. Center I occasionally loned out dark coloured t-shirts!!)

Great job for making do and still getting a workout in.

I packed my gym bag early this morning after bringing up a clean load of laundry so I’d have a clean workout shirt.  I tossed the shirt on my chair and the rest of the load on my bed to put away tonight.  Grabbed the other items of the my workout outfit and put them in my bag.  I was debating if today was going to be a rest day and it is a good thing I didn’t go to the gym after work, because it was only when I got home that I discovered the shirt was still on my chair… (but I do have a spare set of clothes in my car, or I could have worked out in the nice T-shirt I wore to work).  I’m just going to go for a walk tonight.

Catherine, where IS that butler to take care of us? I keep waiting.

I’ve already gotten off the track with monitoring my calories. It’s not that I probably couldn’t go back and recreate the last four days or so (though I probably won’t). And it’s not that I went crazy either. And of course, my weight is about the same.

Got a little distracted. In a very pleasant way, catching up with an old friend and magically, after a long period of corresponding, becoming much more candid and vulnerable to each other. And yet I worked out on the same routine, did some lovely beach walking, met some new people, and managed to keep a pretty even keel food-wise. Not bad.

That sounds positive! I think your body will let you have the extra calories every now and then, and if you’re having fun where’s the harm!