Thursday Thirteen - Edition #1 - Thirteen Things I’m Doing to Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

Thirteen Things I’m Doing to Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

1. Participate in physical activities I actually enjoy!
I don’t think I’ll ever be a gym rat or a marathon runner however I really enjoy light hiking (either with a group or with just my IPOD) and Yoga. Right now I am slowly building my stamina back up for hiking and I plan on finding a yoga class I like this spring.

2. Parking my car WAY OUT in the parking lots when weather permits.
A sneaky way to get in some additional exercise.

3. Giving up desserts for Lent
I am a sugar addict.

4. Taking supplements religiously
I am currently taking a multivitamin, B12 supplements, Biotin (for my nails), a swig of Flaxseed Oil, and calcium chews each day. I have been really bad about doing this in the past.

5. Moving towards a plant-based diet
I started doing this last year when I was trying to figure out a way to get more veggies in my diet. I was filling myself up on meat and ‘forgetting’ to eat my vegetables. I decided to have days where I just wouldn’t eat any meat and you know, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Then I attended a vegetarian fair and I was inspired to make the change.

6. Staying off of the scale
This is a bad bad bad habit I’ve developed over the years. At one point, I was weighing myself 3-4 times per day. Now my goal is to weigh myself no more than 1 -2 times per month.

7. Making water my exclusive drink
When I moved back to my home state last year, I picked up my old ‘sweet ice tea’ habit.

8. Accepting that as I’m making this transition, hunger may strike at inappropriate times and I need to deal with it.

9. Meal Planning
One of the many good pointers I picked up from the Weight Watchers program.

10. Keep healthy snacks at my fingertips and the ‘bad’ stuff off the counter.

11. Breaking the movie popcorn habit.
I don’t need popcorn at the movies….nope, don’t need it. Instead I will smuggle in some extra tasty water…MetroMint

12. Accepting invitations to eat out only if the restaurant has some healthy choices that I will like. For example, a group of friends are going to a Brazilian Steakhouse. I passed on that one. I don’t eat steak and I’ve heard the salad bar isn’t really anything to write home about. Unfortunately I’m a moody eater so before I go out these days, I look online to make sure there are at least 3 or 4 healthier options that appeal to me.

13. Hanging out at the local farmer’s market like I use to hang out at the mall. I’m learning more about what’s in season and hopefully this will inspire me to cook more, eat out less.

Want more Thursday Thirteen? Go here!

I Scream for Ice Cream

I gave up desserts for Lent. Yesterday was particularly difficult as we were having the most beautiful weather and when that happens, I want ice cream. A simple ice cream cone from McDonalds or one of those delicious custard drinks from Rita's.

I know I can make it to Easter I just know it!

My goal after Lent would be to limit desserts to special occasions such as my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other events instead of having it as a part of my daily meal. Matter of fact, on Easter Sunday, I will allow myself to have *one* treat and then I just may not have another one until my birthday in JUNE!!!

I think I'll make that deal with myself.

Now Or Never

Look at that beautiful fruit! Yes, I think it is that time again. The "it's-time-for-fruit-and-rice-diet" time. Darling Lucy always laughs and rolls her eyes when I say I am going to go on that particular diet. I told her I went on that diet a long time ago (can we say in the eighties?) and was successful. True, I did cheat a little on Fridays when I went to Happi House in San Jose, CA and had rice, udon and the chicken salad with my good friend Sharon. I love Happi House! I wish they had those little restaurants here in the South..but alas, they do not. I can only remember the Happi goodness now.

Now, the Rice Diet is world famous and has been for some time. It all started in Durham, NC and people still come to dine on fruit and rice. It was originally designed for people who suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes. The doctor who started it all was stunned to discover it also helped people to lose weight. The initial diet is strict with only fruit and rice (maybe two weeks or so) and then you can go on to add other good foods, like vegetables and eventually beans and fish.

I will admit eating only fruit and rice did make me a little light-headed and a tad irritable once in awhile. I think taking vitamins while on the diet is a good thing.

Yesterday, I bought bananas, cantaloupes, apples and some frozen fruit. I do have some canned fruit in the pantry, like peaches and pears. I ate a banana this morning and okay, so maybe I would like a cinnamon and raisin English Muffin with butter. But, I will try and refrain from the muffin. For lunch and dinner, you are allowed 3/4 of rice and two fruits. That's it. I know that we should not restrict our foods - like "no carbs" or "no carbs", etc...but maybe if I can stick to this for at least a week, maybe I will feel better and possibly drop a pound or two.

In the meantime, I will think once in awhile about those fun, Friday lunches at Happi House.

Come to think of it, I may eat some vegetables, too. How bad could that be?

Darling Lucy's Transition to A Healthier Lifestyle

Hello everyone! My handle for the purpose of this blog is Darling Lucy.

This is a blog where my partner-in-crime and I can blog about our journey to lose weight.

First announcement:

I have decided to take on a new attitude for 2008. I have been using the word 'diet' for years and all I've done is gain more weight. So now, when people ask if I'm dieting or how is my new diet coming I will reply "I am not dieting. I am making a transition to a healthier lifestyle". Somehow when I put it that way, I don't have such a feeling of dread. It just seems more positive to me. I have failed at pretty much every "diet" I've been on so I've finally accepted that diets just don't work for me. I need a full overall, a permanent change. I need to find the way that I'm going to take care of my body on a daily basis for the rest of my life. Diet implies (to me) that it's a temporary and sometimes desperate measure while 'transition' is more final. It’s time for me to gradually leave my bad eating habits and my couch potato ways behind me.

Please drop by from time to time to see how we are doing.

Darling Lucy

Spam! Beautiful, Frying in the pan Spam! I eat Spam maybe once a year. I like it fried and on buttered toast. It is disgusting to some; some are repulsed; some are grossed-out. Why? People love hot dogs or bologna...isn't Spam similar to hot dogs or bologna? In any case, I love the stuff once a year.
Protein shakes. I was reading an article in a magazine last night where a woman was over 500 pounds and she lost over 400 pounds. She did this by eating protein shakes and soy bars. I have had a few protein shakes, but wasn't that thrilled by them. There are recipes in the magazine for some protein shakes and a Pina Colada one sounds deelishous! I think I could stand a protein shake like that. Unfortunately, I get too hungry just drinking a shake. Like Slim Fast for example....who on earth can be full by just drinking a little drink? Am I such a big hog that I can't be satisfied by a few ounces of liquid? I guess I am ...oink oink. My daughter drinks protein shakes and seems to really like them. She adds fruit to make them more palatable. I guess I could drag out the blender and throw some whey protein in there and see what happens. Or, I could eat some cottage cheese..isn't cottage cheese like 'curds and whey'? Then I could put some peaches or pineapple on it. Kind of like a protein shake...maybe?
I had a Lender's Onion Bagel this morning with some whipped cream cheese and coffee with half-n-half. I really need to stop with the half-n-half already. I used to drink coffee black for years and then I tried a little cream in it and I was hooked. I could stop..I really could. Honest.

Stay Tuned

Please stay tuned for exciting news from us, the ThinkingAboutShrinking gals. Okay, so maybe we have been on (combined) like, 987 diets so far.... Rice and Fruit, WW, Lo-Carb, that Lemonade Cleansing diet, the See-Food Diet. You name it, we've done it. We have lost weight and regained it and lost it and gained....well, you get the picture. Join us in our journey as we once and for all LOSE THAT WEIGHT!!! Now, I have to get ready for work...what am I going to take for lunch? A sandwich? Some canned soup? Carrots, that's it, I'll just eat carrots..and maybe some Ranch dressing.....no, I'll take some crackers and some yummy garlic cheese spread....no, wait.....maybe just a Lean Cuisine.....STOP THE INSANITY!!! Until next time...