family

So...about this diet thing...I should not call it a diet as it really isn't. It is a lifestyle change...My lifestyle change is not shoving everything I see into my mouth. Or attempting too. Portion control. I can have everything and anything I want, but only have the following amounts to use every day.

Every Day I have the following to use up:

1600 calories (I know many people who are losing weight go for 1200 calories a day, but really people? How long would I survive on that? Not long at all I can tell you!) These calories are made up of:
220 carbohydrate
36 fat
100 protein
2500 sodium (my personal bane)
300 cholesterol

Unfortunately at the end of the day you may have calories left, but depending on what you ate, you could be scrounging around looking for something that just has carbohydrates and cholesterol in it! Believe me those fat grams roll down quickly!! The cholesterol, not so much, unless you eat eggs. Sodium is a HUGE problem trying to stay close to that number especially eating anything processed, or in restaurants. You can pretty much forget about ever eating anything but plained steamed rice in a chinese restaurant ever again.

The bright light in all of this is that you can get extra calorie credits to eat if you exercise...which is why I spend an hour swimming every other day at least so I can get some food !!! Although, you do not get extra sodium or cholesterol, so sometimes, you really cannot do too much with the extra calories you get. You just don't feel quite as guilty eating then.

Now, psychologically, it might have been obvious to everyone and their dog that I needed to lose weight, but I did not always recognize it as it crept slowly on over the years. Having a hard time getting around the boat I would put down to "getting older" It went on so damn easy!!!!!! Intellectually, I knew that things would be easier on me and I would not sweat as much if I took off weight, but god, I did not want to. I used to say "everyone needs an addiction and mine is food. It is better then cocaine"





That worked fine until the amount I was spending on medical prescriptions outweighed the price I was spending on food every month. And maybe even the amount I spent on food for the entire charter yacht!!! Between the prediabetes, the high blood pressure, cholesterol meds, heartburn medications...I think I finally got scared. Besides the fact that actually getting up into my bed would mean my heart would beat fast for 5 minutes and I would have to lay there and let it calm down. Lets not even talk about walking. Funny, SCUBA diving was always fine though!

When I started losing weight 3 months ago, I figured if I took off 50 lbs, I would be doing good, although that still put me overweight, I could say "well I have big bones" Plus "studies show that only a 10% weight loss would have a good effect on alot of these obesity issues"

The first month was great, I lost like 15 lbs! And was feeling so positive I changed my goal to lose 60 lbs over all. 3 months later, I have lost maybe a lb or so under 30 lbs. So half way there. But this is hard work! Some days it is so discouraging. I still look at the amount of food that I can eat with dismay MOST days. Your stomach may shrink but I have never not once been one of those people who on a diet say things like "any suggestions? I have a hard time getting in my 1200 calories a day?" and then on the blogs there will be a hundred suggestions on how to increase their calories...

REALLY PEOPLE?????

I cannot say it is easy. It is not for me. On a good day, I am thrilled that I can actually feel bones in my body instead of just fat rolls. I very rarely get out of breath. I can bend over and tie my shoes. I can ALMOST fit into clothes that are not big girl clothes. I have more then halved all my medications, and probably by the time I get back to the islands and have blood tests, I will be able to throw most if not all away. I have energy to spare. I can roll over in bed without needing a "breather". I can swim a good clip of front crawl for an hour. Emotionally, I am more settled and I do not feel quite so "old" It was quite a revelation for me that so much I blamed on "getting older" was actually "getting fatter". I can wear something other then a nightgown (but don't expect me to give it up on charter!). If I look down I can almost see in between my legs again. I had forgotten the stretch marks I owned underneath the belly roll. I can probably also fit into a seat on the airplane in economy, not that that will make me go back to flying economy though probably....

I miss my food. I miss MASHED POTATOES, unlimited carbs, french fries and unlimited amounts of pizza. I miss brie cheese. Deep fried cheese. I miss comfort eating. I have days of self doubt wondering if I can keep this up...and know people it is not like i am on a strenuous "diet". I have visions still in my head of sitting at a buffet and shoving stuff left and right into my mouth with it falling out everywhere just like cartoons! Emotional eater much??????? When I see numbers that are so low on the scale I get discouraged, thinking, this will take forever. I want it to be faster. But, I guess not enough that I am willing to eat less calories every day and I know for a fact that I would NEVER EVER keep it up long term if I did. It took me 3 months to lose 30 lbs. Even if it takes me 9 months to lose the other 30 lbs, it is still a whole lot shorter then the decade it took me to put it on living on a charter yacht.

Funny, even as I write this I see the pro's far outweigh the cons. I guess I am just going through a stage... Even now I know that I have nothing on the boat that actually probably still fits me. For gosh sakes my breasts are hanging out of the sides of my nightgowns here! Had to leave you with a mental image that no one needed...

Anyways, that is my "let you into my personal head space" moment. Some days it sucks. Some days it doesn't. Now, I think I will go get in the swimming pool so I can possibly eat some food later on today.



One good thing i have managed to work into my food that is semi satisfying is thin crust pizza, usually Margherita with some lightening up on the calories. It works

Lisa reminded me that it was time for me to blog. She is good that way! I want her to start keeping a blog so I can bug her as well...Speaking of R&L, a package came in the mail on Friday from our Florida address for Richie. I think it has been sitting in Florida for a few months but this was in the package! I don't know whether they had guests who thought he needed a hair piece or what! But, Rich, I have it safe and sound at the house for you, so you can get it...



Sears told us they were delivering the new bed for the parents room on Friday. In between 330 and 530. It is now Sunday at 830 and we are still waiting! Yep, we cleaned out the room to fit the new bed etc. Dad managed to snag moms spot though for sleeping so HE was fine...


Kevin and I went over to Falker Wines on Saturday for a wine appreciation course...


It was very pretty!


There were only 4 of us in the class, so we had lots of one on one attention. I realized how large of business vineyards are here with the tons of limo's and bachelorette party showing up !


You know these barrels from France cost over a thousand dollars? And last about 4 years...The vineyard valley here is only about 18 miles from the coast and is a great micro climate for grapes...Apparently it was even better 20 years ago before so many people starting moving into the valley, It has made the ambient heat greater, and hence less fog at night and apparently grapes like the extremes in temperature. Hot during the day and cool down at night.


After the tour, we made our way down to a VIP room for lunch and the tastings...Lunch was good!


All of it....They do a nice job, and for the price they charged they were not making any money!


Kevin who apparently has not drank more then a couple glasses of wine in his life thought it would be a good idea to chug port. Not such a good idea!


We had lessons in smelling and tasting wine, which I believe I mostly was way off base. I think mostly what i learnt was that there was a lot about wine that I did not know........And that they cannot grow a good Pinto Grigio grape in this area to save their soul!


By the time we left mid afternoon it was very busy and off we went to the mall to do some shopping. My son has gained about 50 lbs since he came with us a few months ago, so it was time to buy some things that actually fit!

It has been a much quieter week in Murrieta, with some work actually being done and lots of shopping for both the house and the yacht being done. To my happiness we had a new upright freezer delivered....


And, yes, I am going to be spoiled. I will be seriously whining when I go back to the yacht next month and none of these wonderful appliances come with me! I am not too sure there are too many left to buy for the house now...


The fancy meals out in Las Vegas are another already forgotten memory, but good old home cooking sure tasted good for a few days!




And my husband? Straight to the work shop and I don't think I have seen him for a week except for meals. He even goes back there after dinner!


Yes, he is enjoying himself and I am sure he will be whining even more then me when he does not have his workshop on the yacht.


We have put my parents on recycling and garbage detail. God knows with all the stuff that the USPS and UPS is bringing to the house there are no shortage of boxes...


We did get mom a "ducks nest" for in front of the TV though..She loves to lay out there and watch TV when she cannot sleep at night...


Bazza has my bathroom torn apart putting in new shower hoses for me..You don't want to get a mental picture of me trying to bend my body in half to get underneath the tap to wash my hair! I asked for a hand held shower.


Went out last night to SOUPLANTATION for a soup, salad and pasta buffet. Had never tried it before. Probably won't try it again too often. Cows to the trough people, cows to the trough is what I felt like...... Then to cap that off we went to see the movie MACHETE. That made the old spaghetti westerns look like Academy Award Material let me tell you!



And for those around Southern California, well this kind of speaks for itself doesn't it!