I Haven't Told You Yet....

For the past week I have been doing something I always thought would be excrutiatingly painful...something that always sounded like pure torture to me and just a plain mood killing thing to do...I am counting calories. I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth. Not only am I counting them, but I have figured what my weight and height need every day and I'm taking in 500 less...to lose weight. I really don't like being on diets. It takes a lot of motivation for me to go in that direction, but once I do, I'm really into it.


It started with Lent. What can I give up? How can I cut back in my areas of excess? Do I stop eating my Rainbow Chips Deluxe cookies? I'd really been addicted those and it was getting worse and worse. Instead of just 2 after lunch, I was eating 3-4...and instead of just after lunch, I would eat them as a midafternoon snack and and after dinner dessert. It had to stop.


Or should I give up icecream? It's always been my favorite evening treat when the kids were all in bed and I could fully indulge myself. For some reason, after a tough day, frozen custard (especially my favorite turtle sundae) always cheered me up. After Thanksgiving, I always have to sacrifice this indulgence, but would still grab Dairy Queen every now and then.


Maybe I should cut back on my portions? I often eat past being full and never think twice about another helping of bread. My worst behavior doesn't really happen with meals at home, but parties with appetizers, eating out, and anything that encourages me to eat more than I normally would.


Or should I just eat more healthy? I often throw a meal together and realize later that I did not serve a vegetable. I always make sure I have fruit, granola and yogurt around for the kids, but did I ever make an effort to eat it? No.


I decided to do it all. Not give it all up, but cut back drastically on what I eat in a day and make sure what I DO eat is good for me. I decided to find food that didn't make me feel like I was on a diet. My breakfast hasn't changed much, because it was already pretty healthy. However, with lunch, I've changed my ham into turkey. I've cut back on my mayo and changed it to "light". I'm making sure my wheat bread is 100% whole wheat and not just "made with whole wheat" (I didn't realize the difference!). My chips have turned into baked Lays or wheat thins. And guess what...no more cookies (unless I want to waste 80 calories on ONE FRICKIN' COOKIE!!!). When your counting, if you add one place, you can subtract somewhere else...but sometimes that's at a great cost and it's just not worth it!


My icecream has been replaced with fruit and yogurt sprinkled with granola cereal. YUM!! And I don't have to feel guilty eating it mid day! If I'm hungry for a snack, I eat an apple, banana, a 90 calorie granola bar, or wheat thins. It's a challenge to find things that don't rob me of my allotted 1300 calories a day. Salsa, lettuce greens, pickles, mustard, parmesan cheese...are all surprises that contain basically NO calories. So I'll pile on the greens with a little of Paul Newman's Sesame Ginger salad dressing!! It's so good. I sprinkle it with Feta cheese for extra flavor and when I have fresh veggies, I love red onions and peppers thrown in.


This has been going on for a week now, and despite some boughts of real hunger (I kept telling myself it was burning the fat), it's not been too bad. Since I'm not totally strict and will allow myself a little treat (half a brownie at my sisters and an errant cookie every now and then), I think it helps me go the long haul. I'd never make it if it was too strict. I know myself better than that. My real challenge is at get togethers. At a Superbowl party I went to, I tried to eat lightly the day of the party and then let myself snack on chips and salsa and veggies in light dip. I did treat myself to half a chocolate cake. I know I went over that night, but I allowed myself to slightly over without a pig out binge (which is my normal party behavior...especially where there is buffalo chicken dip...DAMN that stuff is addictive!!)


OK...I know I'm making you sick now. I try not to talk about dieting. Does ANYONE really want to hear about someone else's diet? NO! It makes you feel guilty and jealous of the person with all the self discipline. I will talk at great length with other dieters (my sister, Becky, is on the same diet). People would vomit if they heard our conversations. I reserve all that obsessive talk with her. And since Lent is coming up, I will blend in quite easily. I just couldn't wait until Ash Wednesday. My Catholic neighbor thinks it's silly that I'm not going to have a true Fat Tuesday. Oh well. You have to strike while the iron is hot.


There is still one piece to tell you. I want to exercise, too. I know...isn't it all maddening?? I'm doing things my way this time. I've tried the treadmill in my house. It doesn't work. Kids follow me, they want to play on the treadmill and in the evening I'm too tired. I've decided to get out of the house! I'm going to try Jazzercise. The recent 80's Dance reminded me how much I love to dance...and any exercise I do, MUST resemble dancing. That's Jazzercise! I'm going to sign up Saturday. Since aerobics is dying out, I can't find these classes anywhere...but Jazzercise is going strong! They have so many times to chose from, I feel good about being able to fit it in. I'm thinking about doing Tuesdays 5:25pm, Thursdays 4:25pm (have Sam and Abby watch the kids for the hour I'll be gone), and Saturdays at 9:30am. If something comes up to mess any of those times, I can go to an evening slot (not preferred) or use their day care and do a 9:30am slot (also not preferred). Since it's not going to a gym and running a treadmill, doing stairs or pumping iron, I think I will like it and actually enjoy it. I'm hoping that will be enough to keep me going. I don't want this to just be a Lent thing. I want it to be a life change.


So after a week on this diet, I've lost 5 pounds. I'm sure it will be slower going from here. That was too easy. It must have been all water or something. I doubt fat could burn that quickly! Plus, it's not healthy to keep that pace anyway. I'm sure my body was just shocked by healthy eating.

Ok. I've divulged it all. I'll try not to talk too much about it.