Before & After

Fifteen pounds, fifteen inches and one year:

That's the difference.


Helpful tools?

1)  MyFitnessPal app on iPhone & desktop
2)  Counting Calories (weighing & measuring food)
3)  Curves Circuit Training
4)  Zumba classes
5)  Diet Buddy DD#4 (who as of today 8/1 has lost 30 lbs since this time last year)

Curves Circuit Training

Top 10 reasons I exercise at Curves ~

 Safety -
 The location is well-lit and close to home.  I feel comfortable driving home even after dark.

All Girls
 I just feel less self-conscious exercising around women.

Climate Control
Neither inclement winter weather nor scorching summer heat impedes my workout.
Plus the HVAC is pretty consistent indoors :-)

Camaraderie
I've made some friends who help make the task more enjoyable.

Weight Control
Losing pounds was never my first priority.  But after 2 1/2 years of consistent training, my shape is firmer. I've only lost 6 pounds, but that includes 2% body fat.  Update: 2017 - I lost 6 more pounds after writing this post and have been able to keep it off by continuing with the Curves Circuit.

Improved sleep
On the days that I exercise I am less likely to wake up in the middle of the night.

Improved metabolism
Lab results to prove my numbers.

Improved mood
If perhaps I arrive at the club a little out-of-sorts, I always leave feeling better... even accomplished

Improved digestion
Indigestion/gastritis symptoms are fewer and far between.

Low-pressure sales
The staff doesn't push products.  Even though there are clothes, vitamins, protein powder, etc displayed prominently, I appreciate that I don't feel compelled to buy.   2017 pdate:  I have enjoyed snacking on Curves bars and wearing a couple of pieces of their clothing.

Top Ten Reasons to Join Weight Watchers

1)   I have never tried their plan(s) before.
2)   I want to jump start my metabolism and loose some weight.
3)   I like the vast array of resources and information.
4)   I think the accountability will help my ability to exercise will-power.
5)   I hope to relieve some major indigestion by making better food choices.
6)   I want to use regular food, not packaged meal shakes/protein bars.
7)   I like the online version and mobile application (read no meetings!).
8)   I have a friend who signed up and encouraged me.
9)   My doctor (DH) thinks it's the best diet of all.
10) It changed what I ate for dinner tonight!






Wish me luck!

PS  Photo of homemade Blackeyed-Pea and Sausage Soup and cheddar cheese toast.  Recipe for soup will be posted sometime next week.

Portion Distortion

This post is nothing but a bookmark for myself. I have struggled to keep my weight in line ever since I was a teenager. I learned some good lessons early on and they continue to help me wage this battle.

Every now and then I have to regroup. So, this morning I took this quiz on portion control and calorie-counting. I guessed right on the calories all the time, but misjudged how much time it would take me to burn up those calories. Guess I need to review Covert Bailey's Fit or Fat.

Another source of irritation is the way foods are marketed: with pictures of larger than life portion sizes, which distort our perspectives.

Just remember....that morning bagel?












At least four servings (of bread/grain)!!

Dinner is the most difficult meal for me to keep in proportion.

What about you?

Breakfast









Bolthouse Farms *Perfectly Protein*
Vanilla Chai Tea w/soy protein
10 g protein per 8 oz


This high-protein breakfast drink is right tasty, albeit a little sweet. I solved that problem by brewing a cup of plain Chai and combining the two. The bottle contains enough for two quick meals. See more choices at their website.

FITNESS FRIDAY

Day Break

Black Coffee 2-8oz cups

Morning

200 calories
20 oz water by noon

Noon

300 calories
20 oz water by 3p

Afternoon

20 oz water by 6p
Exercise

Evening

700 calories

This is the meal I usually mess up. 700 gets eaten very quickly :(

Most days I have 1500 calories at this evening meal. So, this is a public reminder to myself.

Dana, do the math. You already know that every bite counts, even 50 calories. You already know that subtracting 600 calories per day from the daily intake with result in an approximate half-pound/per week loss.


What's your fall-back diet plan?

Kefir

Donna at Quiet Life asked about kefir.















Here's a little blurb about its nutritional value copied from Kefir.net.

Both kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products...
...but they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.
Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species.

It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.

Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, invalids and the elderly, as well as a remedy for digestive disorders.


It's refreshing to the tastebuds and soothes the lining of my stomach when it's irritated. It's not too sweet like these new-fangled coffee drinks. I tried a Bolton Farms, Vanilla Chai (soy), and I think it's too sweet and too carb-laden.

I never have cultivated a taste for buttermilk, which is also very nutritious. Loads of Southern folks like it plain and with cornbread broken up in it.

What's your favorite *wierd* drink?

Food for Fit Women


After skimming such an article in a fitness magazine, I thought this would be a fun meme to encourage us to keep our diets more healthfully.

Are these fifteen items on your weekly grocery list, in your refrigerator now, or consumed regularly?

Romaine Lettuce – Yes, I usually have a salad for lunch, but when I serve one for dinner, I like to use *Spring Mix* or Baby Spinach.
Sweet Potatoes – Yes, but not often enough. I once knew a lady who ate one for breakfast several times per week. I keep thinking about trying this.
Berries – There are some strawberries in the ‘fridge now and there were blueberries in my salad yesterday.
Kiwifruit – Again, I love fruit in salads or I particularly like kiwi and pear together with cottage cheese (a summertime lunch)

Chicken – Yes, in all forms: boneless skinless to whole hens.
Pork Tenderloin – Just bought one yesterday for our Valentine’s Day Dinner. I will be serving it with brussel sprouts and corn on the cob.
Ground Beef -95 % lean – Here I usually buy 80/20. And I’m not sure why fish isnt on this list because I like to buy that every other week.

Yogurt – Yes, but I prefer kefir. It’s higher in protein content.
Milk – Skim only and I drink it sparingly.
Cottage Cheese – a regular lunch item, combined with fresh fruit.
OJ – I cant stomach the acid. I prefer V-8 juice.
Eggs – Love them!! Hard-boiled, scrambled, fried, poached, omelettes. No school-aged child left my home without eating one. It’s brain food!

Whole Grain Breads – Yes, eaten sparingly.
Oatmeal – Not the instant kind. I love this on Saturday mornings with brown sugar and raisins.
Olive Oil –extra virgin – Yes, but I also use Safflower oil.

Let me know how you score.

Tea Heaven

Rooibos Caramel


MateVana








Equal parts of these two special teas make my new favorite warm drink for the Fall.
It was the recommendation of the store clerk and I am pleased.

Twinings English Breakfast Tea...move over!

PS I've noticed some fellow bloggers like Portsmouth Tea Company. Any comments about the different suppliers, as I am tickled with my first foray into specialty teas?