Neko-chans Diary

Neko-chan

New member
-- How much weight do you want to lose?

Right now, I want to lose 40 pounds. Then I can continue from there.

-- What is the time frame for reaching your target weight?

One pound every week or two.

-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?

Eating better (more vegetables! and fruits! and less junk!), and exercising more.

-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?

My two dearest friends are really supporting me, and one is even losing weight with me.

-- How realistic is your goal?

I think it's achievable.

-- When will you start?

I started the 22nd of May.

1. What is your current height and weight?

5'4", 245 pounds

2. If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?

I want to say 135, but 140, 145 might be more suitable for my age and height.

3. At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?

Well...I would hope I was somewhere around 220 pounds, or less. But 220 seems more reasonable.

4. Why do you want to lose weight?

In my current state, I am extremely unhealthy, I have a diabetes and heart disease risk, I always have aches and pains that a person my age shouldn't have until years later, and I want to fit into clothes that aren't sized in double digits.

5. Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?

I want to lose the extra poundage before I have children.

6. What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?

I have terrible self control. Like now, I am fighting the urge to raid the freezer for the ice cream, even after I had some as a treat after dinner. But I am working on self control, and I'm not going to get up and raid for the ice cream.

7. Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?

Inertia. I've been over eating and overweight all my life, I'm just stuck in a rut. However, I have discovered a big stick, and it's been raining, so the sides of the rut are getting soft...

8. What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?

I NEED TO EAT MY VEGETABLES! I never get enough produce in me, I always eat too much meat in a sitting. I have to balance my diet. Also:

I NEED TO EXERCISE MORE! I'm a total desk jockey, it is not even funny how much time I spend in front of the computer, even when I'm bored of it.

So, I have to break some bad habits I have.

9. Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight?

Yes, but I gained it all back. I can tell you that fighting with and being insulted by your mom of all people about being overweight doesn't help.

10. Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?

STRESS and DEPRESSION. I eat when I'm stressed and depressed.

11. What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?

Having to record every little detail (like with Weight Watchers). You have to want to do that stuff, and at the time, I didn't want to do it, so it failed for me. Now, I do want to do it, but I won't be doing WW again.

12. Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?

Already have. I spent a week observing my habits, both in eating and exercise.

13. Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?

All the time. I usually cook simple meals, and often enough my meals are things that are cold, like salads, since we are getting into hot weather again. Occasionally, I cook something for lunches that I can freeze, like hand made hot pockets, or something that involves more than one step in cooking.

14. How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?

I used to go out ALL. THE. TIME. It was such a horrible habit, and I would always hit the fast food Japanese/Chinese joints. When they started recognizing me, I stopped because it was too embarrassing. I haven't eaten out in a month, now.

15. What are your three favorite foods?

Oh my, that's really hard to decide. I'm going to say cheese, chocolate, and chicken, as I do love those a lot, but really the list is endless. I do especially love fresh strawberries (indeed, fresh fruit of any kind) and smoothies.

16. What are your three favorite restaurants?

Hm... Hibachi-san, Rita's, and Adele's.

17. What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?

-Portion control
-Eating the right foods
-Eating the right balance of foods

18. If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?

I'd be wondering what kind of dream I was having... But I would be able to wear the smaller jeans, and I'd be able to jog and run without running out of breath and feeling every impact like torture in my knees.

19. Do you eat when you are not hungry?

No. Well, that's not exactly true. I have been known to engage in boredom eating, but I've pretty much squashed that habit now.

20. Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?

I used to when I was much younger, but then I caught myself and realized what I was doing and stopped it cold, recognizing it as an unhealthy mindset that was causing it. I read up on it, and haven't had a problem with it since.

21. Do you hide your food or eat in secret?

No

22. Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?

I do tend to eat more when I am feeling down, yes.

23. Do you eat as a reward?

Not...really. I don't think so anyway.

24. Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?

Yes, I usually eat at the desk as I work at the computer.

25. What do you normally eat for a meal?

I have made it normal to eat a meal of about 75% vegetable matter, and 25% of meat, or 50% vegetable matter, and 25% meat and 25% of some starchy thing, though usually I don't have time or patience enough to bother with a starchy thing.

26. What type of snacks do you eat?

Hm... granola bars, boiled eggs...er, handfuls of dry cereal on occasion.

27. In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?

Walking. A lot. Karate every Tuesday evening. Soon I will be having Judo every Monday and Wednesday evening as well. And I have been doing crunches, sit ups and push ups on my own, when I'm thinking about it.

28. Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?

Home, The junior college soon (for the judo class), and the Karate School on Piner and Marlowe.

29. What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?

Walking. Swimming, and, when I get the chance, soccer. Also, I love dance classes, and yoga.

30. What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?

My pants are getting loose. Soon I will need smaller pants, otherwise these will fall off my butt (they almost nearly do now).

31. Do you have rewards for certain goals?

Buying a new pair of pants? And then pinning the old ones to the wall as I down size.
 
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Checked this morning and I'm still holding at the "empty" weight of 240, which is very good. :D ("Empty" weight would be what you weigh when you get up first thing in the morning.)

Started the day off with my traditional smoothie (juice, a few raspberries, two large strawberries, two carrots, one banana).

It's salads for both lunch and dinner, because I work long hours today, and I won't feel like cooking at 9:30 tonight.

I'll get plenty of exercise chasing kids and working around the bakery today I think. :)
 
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how many calories a day are you planning on taking in? seems awfully low if you're just planning on salads for luncha nd dinner and a smoothie for breakfast.

you really want your meal plan to be sustainable long term.. and not leave you feeling deprived...

Have yourself a great day
 
My salads are actually pretty substantial. They have veggies and a little shredded cheese and ranch dressing and boiled egg on them, and they are fairly good sized. As it was, I supplemented it with a piece of chicken for dinner. Salad is usually suitable for lunch though.

I don't count calories usually, simply because I always fail when I do that. It's too much to think about, so I'm focusing on the lifestyle change and exercise right now. I still have habits I need to boot, I know, but I am working on it. :)
 
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I have (graduated from/out of/into?) my size 24 jeans into my size 20s. :D They are a little snug, but that's good. I want to be able to feel the difference as I lose more weight.

Alas though, my bathroom scale needs to be readjusted. I went in to see the doctor today, and my weight rang in at 245 with a couple decimals. :(

That's a little bit of a disappointment, but I can deal with it. Just means I have to work harder to lose that extra five pounds. Poos I say. And I was feeling so good.

So, my weight is now reset at 245. One good thing is that it still means I've lost a few pounds, they were just lost off a larger number. Arg. Oh well, shift gears and take the hills, they say. I'm not letting this slow me down.
 
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Woo! Two entires in a day (but then, the other wasn't much, and kind of a bummer).

I have tried my first recipe from this site! :D It was so good, I know I'll use it again (in fact, I've made sure of it). I had found the Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken posted by ugachick, with a few modifications:

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard (well, yellow mustard, but to me, mustard is mustard...)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I used plain yogurt instead; I don't buy mayo...)
1 teaspoon steak sauce (Worcestershire)
4 skinless, boneless chicken
breast halves (instead I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs)

Also used:

Several grinds each of black pepper and dried chili.

To cook for one (who has a package of five fresh chicken thighs):

Bag four of the thighs in plastic baggies, and place one in a bowl. Set aside two plain ones (of course, you can flavor all of them, but I think some people like variety. :) )

Evenly distribute the mustard sauce between the remaining two baggies and the bowl. Seal and freeze the baggies for some other time.

Cut the chicken thigh in half if it isn't already. Thoroughly coat with the sauce.

Heat up a small frying pan. Use no oil.

When the pan is hot, lay the halved thigh out in it, and cook until the meat starts to pale. Turn periodically, seasoning with the pepper and chili to taste (I like it spicy, so i used lots), and basting with the remaining honey mustard sauce.

It should take 15-20 minutes or so to cook all the way. Serve hot with a big salad or other veggies.
 
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I should get into the habit of writing a bit here everyday, or at least every other day. If I don't, I forget about it, and I don't want to forget about it,b ecause it helps me to remember my goals.

This evening I have karate. :D it's wonderful fun and great exercise. When I can get through karate, working as hard as the others or harder, and not feel like I'm having a heart attack or have been hit by a truck, then I will be so very happy. :D

I am proud of my self control. In the unhappy event of discovering that I weigh five more pounds than I thought I did, I didn't get all depressed and hit the ice cream which I know is in the freezer. Instead I turned it around, found a yummy recipe from this site, and made a healthy dinner for myself.

Today, I had a bowl of bran cereal with granola (I didn't feel like making a smoothie this morning) and fat free milk, and I'm not hungry, and haven't over snacked (which I was horribly notorious for doing), and I've even been doing cleaning (I am in the midst of a sorting project, trying to get my bedroom cleaned up and prepared for painting soon).

But as I write this I realize that I'm sitting at the comp doing nothing but typing here. :ack2: That won't do! I have to keep reminding myself: there is no one online to chat with right now, I have things to do if I ever want to get this painting project done, and the extra moving around will burn calories more than sitting here typing.

So I conclude this entry for now, and maybe I'll have something later to put up.

Cleaning here I come. :leaving:
 
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Okay, I'll be honest with myself: today was a bad day, as far as eating right went. Had Chinese for lunch, ate too much, had ice cream later on because it is so horribly hot here and I was desperate for some kind of relief. Did some walking, but only what was necessary, as I don't want to end up upside down in a ditch somewhere from heat stroke, but I had just enough energy to come home and sleep away a good part of the afternoon, instead of cleaning like I had wanted too.

Bad Neko. :toetap05: Very bad Neko.

So, I've included a few things I could do to make summer heat more bearable for me:

What to eat/drink:

Slushies! I used to do this all the time when I was house sitting a couple years ago for my sister. I'd take one single serve packet of Wyler's Light lemonade mix, and put it in a blender with ice and a little cold water and blend it up till I had a slushie ice freezy thing that was great when it was hot. Though I don't have any lemonade mix right now, I do have those frozen juice concentrate things. A little bit of that just to flavor the ice would be fine, I'm sure. Frozen berries or other fruit would be good too.

Frozen unsweetened fruit. Especially if they are cherries, but those are expensive right now, even frozen (but oh, I do love frozen cherries). But I could suck on a few of those, and they would be flavorful, healthy, and cold.

Lot's and lot's of ice water! I need more water than I am getting right now (especially after that Chinese food. :ack2:)

Don't eat anything that requires cooking (and thus, heating up the house), so that means lots of cold veggies and fresh salads, cold yogurt (though should I avoid dairy on hot days?), and chilled fruit.

What to do activity wise:

I need to beat the heat in the middle of the day and afternoons (that's what takes me out so much), so keeping the blinds shut and house as dark as possible will help with that. I already leave the windows open all night to air the house out and cool it down, and leave fans running, so closing those earlier to keep the house cooler would be a help as well.

Keeping to low key activities that don't get me too worked up, but do keep me moving around, so I'm not being a lump all day (well, all afternoon).

Examples:

Moving boxes
Picking up the floor
Vacuuming/shampooing carpet
Filling in the scuffs and holes in the walls (for painting later)
Dusting
Organizing the desk
Cleaning junk out the drawers of desk and dresser
Organizing closet
Packing up clothes I don't want anymore
Laundry

Often I can't stand wearing clothes in this heat, so I strip naked and wear instead a large sarong that I've dampened. Not soaking wet, but just damp enough to keep my skin cool. (Am doing that right now actually, and oh, it feels so good).

Cold showers help to some extent, but I can't always hang out in the shower.

--------------------------------

Hm, that's all I can think of at the moment. If I was going to write anything else, I have forgotten what it was. Anyways, tomorrow is another day, and I can get back on track. :)
 
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Wow it must be hot where you live!

I used to live in Cairns and wow it was hot there, but my body deals well with heat.

Dont stress about the chinese, make sure you keep your water up though because chinese take out has heaps of sodium!
 
Yeah, today was about 95. I live in Northern California, and granted, it is June, but it could very well be a very hot summer for us (judging by the scorchers we had in April and May).

But for all I know, it'll be raining tomorrow. o_O (I doubt it, but one can hope...)

But because of the extra weight I pack, I have lot's of insulation, and I tend to be very warm anyway, so whenever the day gets hot, it's bad for me, as I get totally wiped out by the heat.
 
Ack! I haven't posted here in a while. :S

Okay, been busy being very extremely tired lately, but I do have a few good things to say:

School has started, so I'm now taking a graphics class and judo, alongside of my weekly karate lessons.

I got my bike fixed, and have started riding it to work (oh the glory of that!)

Also, I got a raise. :D Okay, so that doesn't mean much to my weight loss, but it certainly improves the mood a bit.

I also joined the Birthday Challenge, so I hope I can succeed in that.

Now, things I need to improve upon:

I need more rest. I've been going to bed late and sleeping badly, so right after I finish this post, I need to pack my stuff up for tomorrow and go to bed. Today I was so tired, I had gotten so frustrated I started crying, and after a short nap in a quiet place I had eaten a Nutrageous bar and drunk a cold Godiva coffee drink (right after taking three aspirin for the raging headache). Bad Neko! But I wasn't so depressed after that at least, and was able to get my work done.

Also: I need to find more substantial stuff for breakfast. Two packets of instant oatmeal didn't last me past nine o'clock.

Meanwhile, I bought some spinach, so I'm going to experiment with green smoothies. I also have several pounds of fruit and meat to preserve before it goes bad.

Anyways, have a good evening all.

Oh, another note: I had forgotten my house keys today, and was forced to climb in through a window I had jimmied, and was proud to notice I put very little effort into the climb. Now I know my muscle strength has greatly improved. :D
 
Hello everyone. I'm back.

I won't go into a lot of detail, but a couple months ago my life fell apart. I spent a few weeks emotionally shattered, and in that time lost the will for just about everything but living. I admit to ignoring all attempts at weight loss and watching what I eat, and somehow managed to get through work and school and other things. I managed to put on at least 25 pounds, and have lost the muscle tone I gained over the summer and before the break point. I was very depressed most of the time and completely uninterested in my health.

I've had some time to heal now, and though it still hurts to think about the event, I try not to. I'm not so depressed anymore, and am finally getting my life back to normal (well, as normal as it can be with work going insane and me being behind in school because I have so little time to get stuff done. :( )

Anyway, I finally got around to thinking about my body again, and a long look in the mirror and an analyzing thought or two about my current state of fitness, and a couple reminder emails from Weight Loss Forum got me back here finally.

A short reminder of who I am: 21, female, 270 or so pounds (20-25 gained in the last couple months), with concerned doctor.

I must say that I would never have been able to make it through the trials without Ian, who proposed to me not long ago. We plan to get married in 2010, when I have my schooling finished here. I also plan a trip to Tasmania next year. So I think those are very worthy goals to lose weight for, both my vacation and my wedding.

I actually have to go to class right now (which is dance), but I'll be back soon to write more about my goals.
 
All right, back from the first two classes of my day, and ready to ponder some more in my diary.

Most of my diet failures stem from boredom and lack of variety and lack of willpower. I'm willing to be honest with myself when stating that eating is my weakness, and that I tend to eat without limit (being bored and depressed is my enemy in this.)

Because I work two jobs and go to school, I'm pretty tired most of the time. Aside from dance two days a week and what walking I do in between then and during work, I don't get any other exercise. I tried riding my bike to work, but that exhausted me before the day even began, and it was making it hard to do my job because I'd be shaky and tired the whole day.

more later...
 
It is great that even after a hard time you are now back on the wagon despite problems that arise in life.

tassie is a great, what time of year are you planning your visit ?
 
August actually, so it'll be winter there but summer here (in the US). It'll be fun though. :) August is a very slow month, no holidays, so that was the one I was given to vacation in. It'll be cool to turn 22 in another country.

Now, I was tired last night and just didn't finish my other post, and have since forgotten my train of thought. I recall pondering exercise, so lets see...

I have a very busy and off the wall schedule, so it's hard to get solid exercise in everyday. I'm usually tired and sore after work (because I'm horribly over weight and putting strain on my joints and back) and rarely feel up to taking the bike out, or going for a walk. There was a while when I was so depressed I simply stopped eating, but that bounced back to the other extreme, and yeah. It's a vicious circle.

It's also hard to eat right, since I'm usually too tired to fix entire meals, and often skip on elements like vegetables. I have made one change in my diet in this whole time. I noticed that I'd buy beef, and then put it in the fridge and just forget about it, even though I'd look at it, and choose something else (like the chicken). So I just stopped buying beef, since I don't seem interested in eating it anymore. Makes life a little more simple. I like chicken and fish better anyway I think.

I also have a weakness with eating out a lot, because... I just do. I like the experience I guess. As a baker and born home cook, I like to experience food in it's many forms. It's a double weakness, because it's both food and retail therapy for me (has it occured that I have more problems then even I may think??? :( )

It boils down to being depressed I think. And having poor judgement and no willpower.

*sigh*

Obesity is in the family. But damned if I'm going to end up like a few of my relatives.

I've tried going free form, by myself, but that doesn't work. I'll stick to it a while, then fail miserably.

So I need structure I guess. I'm hoping to find a little bit of structure here, and anyone with suggestions and encouragement is welcome to post. The main thing is exercise, and I will be taking a look at my schedule to work with it.

I was going to write more, but have forgotten what I was going to write. >.<
 
Okay just risen this morning, I weighed in nudie and came up 265 according to my scale, so I'll be doing everything based on this bathroom scale of mine. It's Thursday, so this will be the beginning of my week.

My goal this week: To not spend money "eating out". If I succeed in this goal, then...I'll give myself a gold star or a sticker or something. :p

Foreseeable "bads": I have to bake cookies tomorrow for an event on Saturday. I'll have to be careful not to "sample" the dough or the finished product. At least, not too much. Also, the event is a bake sale and luncheon, so must be careful what I eat. Will also be headed to a "hen party" that same afternoon. Ack! Must definitely watch what I eat.

Breakfast was a three egg omelet with half a small patty pan squash chopped, 1/8 chopped onion, one slice of reduced sodium bacon that had been cut into pieces, black pepper and sage. Also had a couple small tomatoes and a small plum. I feel like I should have another piece of fruit, but I feel full right now, so I won't over feed myself. Also had some leftover pink lemonade. Should hold me over till my first job finishes, and I can get a snack before my second job.

I also need to increase my water intake, as I don't drink near enough. So I'm taking a big water bottle with me to work.
 
good luck with your eating, it can be hard to resist sampling the product.

what sort of exercise have you been able to do ?
 
Most of my exercise comes from walking (at school, work) or lifting (literally lifting, small children, heavy mixing bowls, big boxes). I've noticed a considerable increase in my shoulder muscles, but also a problem with carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve compression (which thankfully has been helped greatly by the use of an arm splint and constant reminders not to lean on my elbows).

I used to do karate, but my job and school got so messed up schedule wise, and the karate school itself started messing around with its schedule and it's billing, that I haven't been doing it. I actually have to get back to sensei about it, so I'll see what I can manage. It's across town too, and I have no convenient transportation (the bus takes two hours and at least two transfers to get there, and that's tiring and wasteful). I love karate, but it's hard to keep up with my other stuff right now. X_X

Oh, and I dance twice a week in class.

Ugh, not doing well this week at all. I think my defenses are down, and I'm so tired I just don't care. I ate way too much today. X_X And way too much junk since Thursday. I'm so tired I can't think straight. It's going to be a very long series of weeks if we don't find three new employees at work soon. I've been getting up at 4:30am Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to work, and working both jobs on Fridays. I've been grumpy and withdrawn all weekend. I just want to sleep and I've been having very mild grumpy stomach too (probably from all the crap I've been eating).

/whinging and complaining

This isn't a very good start to losing weight. Again. :(
 
how do you people post threads.ive searched this website with a fine tooth comb and i only know how to reply to messages
 
Ugh, colds are evil. Not feeling too energetic doesn't help the eating healthy regularly thing. :banghead: Today, though, I made an effort to track what I ate. I hope to be responsible enough to track what I eat in this food diary.

Food Diary, Day1
Oct 09, 2008

Breakfast:

1 small cream cheese filled pumpkin muffin (I love things cooked with pumpkin, but as baked good go, I could probably have gone without this muffin. It was over spiced to my tastes, and though filling, wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be.)
1 small Starbucks hot chocolate with hazelnut flavor (I've been kind of relying on hot chocolate lately to keep stuff loose and moving with this cold and trying to avoid the caffeine in coffee, but again, the flavor I didn't really super enjoy. It was good, but I could have just asked for a plain hot chocolate.)

Snack:

1 tiny chicken finger
the kids didn't eat. (I was tempted by the mini English muffin pizza, but didn't go there.)

Lunch:

4 thin slices sharp cheddar cheese (little, off one of those 1/4 lb blocks)
5 1/4 slices off a small Gallo salami
1/2 cup trail mix
1/4 cup broccoli salad


(It was all simple and easy to fix, and the salad had been leftover from the night before. Salami and cheese harkens back to the poorer days of my Italian family's heritage, and just seemed good. And of course, the trail mix, which has lots of raisins and healthy nuts, and just a little bit of chocolate.)

Snack:

1 mug hot chocolate with marshmallows
1/4 cup trail mix


Dinner:

1 coconut crusted tilapia fillet, baked
(As I'm eating this, I find that tilapia is probably not my favorite fish. Though I love coconut, this also has mango and papaya and spices, and somehow, isn't very appetizing. I had cooked the two fillets in the package, one for today, and one for tomorrow, but I won't be buying this particular kind next time. I can probably get away with eating only half the fillet and just finish the veggies.)
1 sweet potato, boiled and baked (Sweet potatoes and yams are among my most favorite starchy tubers. I rejoice the autumn season when they go on sale.)
approx. 1/2 of a 1 lb bad of steamer vegetables, edamame, green beans and mushrooms (Trying for the 25/25/50 ratio of foods, I made sure I'm eating more veggies. The edamame [soybeans] with help boost healthy protein intake.)

Apart from the fish, there were no seasonings.

Cold weather is slowly moving in. It's October now, fall in my books, and already my fruit choices are changing. Winter vegetables moving in, and summer berries moving out. I'm looking now for squashes and root/tuber types of foods. Unfortunately, about the only fruit they have consistently over the winter is apples and oranges, and those are not my favorite fruits.

I love my berries, but it's much too expensive to purchase them frozen. :banghead: Plus, they aren't as good eating unless you put them in something.

I've learned something...

...I can't eat all this. :S

Note for future meals: Half a sweet potato, only, half the amount of fish. The veggies can remain the same, I've eaten most of those.
 
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