Transformation

JanaNanner

JanaNanner

New member
I've done so much reading about healthy eating and weight loss since the beginning of this journey, and one particularly interesting piece of information that I encountered was a statistic stating a higher probability of weight loss success for those involved in online weight loss support groups.

So, here I am.

A lot has happened already in the three weeks since I began. There have been so many changes in me that make this feel so right, even though I haven't even lost much weight yet.

It's not a diet. It's a way of living. It's a complete and total transformation in the way that I have come to view food and my body.

There's so much that I have to say and express about this path I've chosen for my life, but the most important thing I could say over all else is this: I'm changing-- not just my body, but my entire outlook on living.

I had a small amount of chocolate today for the first time in a couple of weeks and it felt foreign. My body just doesn't respond to it the way that it used to. It felt really empowering. I chose to have chocolate, rather than giving into a craving, because the craving wasn't even present in me. Chocolate has lost its power over me because my own power to make healthy decisions has grown so much in just these three short weeks.

I don't miss potatoes or white bread, either. It's amazing.

One of my few last remaining weaknesses is ice cream. :D In the past three weeks I have had it twice. The first time was a 1/2 cup scoop for 150 calories. The second time was Dairy Queen and... well, that was a lot more than 150 calories. Note: If I'm going to have ice cream, avoid Dairy Queen at all costs. It's way more satisfying to indulge in a small portion of ice cream while still feeling good about my calorie intake.
 
Well done.:) I think that the changes that go on in your head are very important for you to be able to make long lasting changes in your body, so you seem to be totally on the right track.
I didn't know about the statistics about weight loss forums but I'm not at all surprised. You can pour your heart out to your diary any time of the day or night and it's so therapuetic to write things down.
Anyway enough rambling from me. Good luck on your weight loss journey.
Val
ps I'm also amazed about my lack of interset in bread now. I was the sort that had to buy 2 sticks of bread as I would eat most of one in the car on the way home.
 
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ohh, I totally know what you mean about chocolate feeling foreign and your body not responding! It's strange but at the same time very cool - empowering as you said!
 
Good luck on your journey and beating those ice cream cravings! I don't know if you have "skinny cow" ice creams where you are from but check them out! Very yummy and not too many calories!
 
eyckmans said:
ps I'm also amazed about my lack of interset in bread now. I was the sort that had to buy 2 sticks of bread as I would eat most of one in the car on the way home.
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It's really strange how quickly my view of bread and potatoes changed. When I look at them now, they're undesirable to me. I think it's interesting how the body gets addicted to certain types of food and once you ween off of it, you no longer want it.

espressowhip said:
ohh, I totally know what you mean about chocolate feeling foreign and your body not responding! It's strange but at the same time very cool - empowering as you said!
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I used to think of chocolate constantly. I wanted it all the time.... I have easily eaten ten chocolates at one sitting in the past. It's bewildering to go from that to never thinking about it. And it's not as if it isn't available to me. There's an entire box of Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffles sitting in my kitchen and I've had a total of 4 of them since I got the box a month ago as a gift. I love it. It's one thing to not have it around. It is another to have it and not want it.

Sunflower said:
Good luck on your journey and beating those ice cream cravings! I don't know if you have "skinny cow" ice creams where you are from but check them out! Very yummy and not too many calories!
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I am definitely going to look into that. :D Thanks!
 
So, now it is time to talk about the little hurdle I've stumbled suddenly across this past week. Along with making healthy eating decisions, I was also in the process of incorporating healthy activities, as well. Just around the same time that I lowered my calorie intake and began counting calories, I also began walking a track a couple of times a week. I began slowly, just a half mile at a time and gradually increased the distance until I was walking a mile. The last time that I was at the track, I jogged half a lap. I felt tremendously accomplished because it had been a very, very long time since I had done anything more than walking. I had the biggest smile on my face as I left the track that day. I was so proud and motivated even more to keep progressing.

A couple days later, the pain became continuous. I will not lie: I knew something was wrong from the first day that I walked that track but I told myself it was my intestines because I've always had problems with them. I walked a lap, took a short break until the pain eased, then walked another lap again. I decided that, as long as I took it easy on my body by including those breaks between laps, it would be alright.

My doctor called me yesterday and an MRI indicates that I have 2 herniated discs. I'll be seeing a specialist on Friday to be more thoroughly evaluated, but as of now, my track progress has come to a screeching halt. It really saddens me a little that, in an attempt to become healthier, I may have either caused this to happen or at least made it worse.

I'm not sure I completely regret it, though. The feeling that I had after I jogged that half lap... I felt like I was running to the finish line and nothing could stop me. I haven't given up, I've just slowed down. I think that the finish line is patiently waiting for me, knowing I will cross it, even if I must crawl toward it for years.
 
Eating is a dangerous activity, filled with evil, deception and, most frighteningly, hidden calories. I read today about loopholes in the reporting of certain ingredients in low-fat foods. Apparently, a lot of low-fat foods accomplish supposed low-fat status by containing ingredients that the FDA does not require be accounted for in nutritional information. They are only required to include those particular ingredients in the list of ingredients. One way to determine if a product has hidden calories is to check the reported weight of a serving and then add up the grams reported in the nutritional information. For example, the Healthy Choice meal I had tonight supposedly weighs 295 grams, but the nutritional information doesn't even account for as much as 100 grams... and that's terrifying. What am I eating?

I'm really interested in a whole foods eating lifestyle-- the trouble is that I'm extremely lazy when it comes to preparing food, so my freezer is filled with healthy choice and lean cuisine. I'm good on snacks. Fruits and vegetables make for a quick, easy bite to eat. But when it comes to a meal, I often default to microwavables.

Today I ate:

Breakfast 9:30 AM
Special K Red Barries (1 cup)
2% Milk (½ cup)

Snack 11:30 PM
Baby Spinach (2 cups)
Campari Tomatoes (2 small)
Swiss Cheese Lite (1 slice)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 tbsp)

Lunch 1:45 PM
Santa Fe Rice and Beans (Lean Cuisine) (1 meal)
Campari Tomatoes (3 small)

Snack 4:00 PM
Whole Wheat Bread (1 slice)
Cream Cheese (2 tbsp)
Avacado (1/3 fruit)

Dinner 6:30 PM
Roasted Chicken Marsala (Healthy Choice) (1 meal)
Gala Apple (1 fruit)

And for the most part, it looks good-- except today I had two microwave meals. Never mind that, combined, they're supposedly only around 500 calories. That assumes there are no hidden calories... and I'm fairly certain now that there are.

Following is a link to the blog post and the video that began me on this issue. I was researching Skinny Cow Icecream, hoping it would be a yummy alternative to the calorific goodness that is Ben and Jerry's.
 
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We are starting at really similar weights! :) I found that really motivating last time I lost weight and was part of a forum community. Anyway best of luck to you and i'll be watching you blog for progress :)

As for ice cream, maybe try fruit/yogurt popsicles? I forget the brand...i think maybe dole...but they are quite good and i think only 80 calories each...and plus with popsicles your portion is already decided for you which helps hehe
 
shygemini said:
We are starting at really similar weights! :) I found that really motivating last time I lost weight and was part of a forum community. Anyway best of luck to you and i'll be watching you blog for progress :)

As for ice cream, maybe try fruit/yogurt popsicles? I forget the brand...i think maybe dole...but they are quite good and i think only 80 calories each...and plus with popsicles your portion is already decided for you which helps hehe
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One thing I've tried is Fudgesicles with no added sugar. They're 40 calories for one and they taste really chocolatey. But I also really like fruit bars by Edy's. I love those in strawberry. <3 I haven't actually had one since I began all this, though.

Good luck with your weight loss! I hope we can all encourage each other and motivate each other here at the forum. :)
 
My whole body is in defensive right now. I can't even think straight. I just received the third degree from my best friend about the way that I'm eating, over text messages. She's questioning it. I did not just jump into this. I can't tell you how much reading and research I did about this in order to be sure that what I am doing is healthy-- it's not a diet, but an effort to make healthy eating decisions. I'm counting my calories, creating a reasonable calorie deficit of 500 calories from my maintenance calories, eating a lot of whole foods like fruits and vegetables, drinking water constantly, and eating smaller meals more often throughout the day to boost my metabolism. What is there to question in that?

I'm annoyed. When I was eating 3000 calories a day, she had nothing at all to say. Now that I'm acting toward a healthy lifestyle, she has a problem? It's not like I'm starving myself, for crying out loud. Not even close. 2000 calories a day is hardly starving.

Breeeeeeath, Jana. Breath.

P.S. I really need to buy a scale so I have some kind of idea what progress I'm making. Haha. I can't go to the doctor's office every week to find out how much I weigh. They may find that peculiar.
 
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Welcome Jana!

And good luck! Always great to see a new face!

Keep posting your progress!

Take care!
 
I'm euphoric! It's working! I weighed myself and I've lost 6 pounds in one week! This is WORKING! And it's not "Ah, I'm suffering and depriving myself of food" working. I'm satisfied, just making healthy food choices. This is AWESOME.

Keys to success so far:
1) Eating lots of small, snack-like meals throughout the day.
2) Eating tons of fruit and vegetables.
3) Drinking only water, with the exception of a V8 here and there and milk in my cereal every morning.
4) Measuring out portions (and my next step is more accurate measurement with a food scale instead of measuring cups, but I'm poor so the scale is still on hold).
5) Calorie counting
6) 500 calorie deficit

Today is a good day. :D
 
Apples are amazing. I feel so full after eating one and they're only 75 calories. They fill me up more than some 500 calorie meals do. Also, if I have calories to spare, apple is completely and totally meant to be had with extra sharp cheddar cheese. <3
 
Well done on the weight loss.
Sorry to hear about your back, my family have a history of herniated discs and they are so painful.
I know exactly what you mean about running. I tried it for the first time a week ago and it made me feel soooo good.
Don't listen to your friend. I don't know why but there are a lot of people that don't want you to change and do everything they can to discourage weight loss. I get people trying to force food on me that I really don't want and trying to talk me out of walking so much. It's really frustrating.
Keep up the good work.
 
PS I agree there is something so satisfying about apples. Years ago I used to go to aerobic classes with a group of friends. My friends would all have a bacon sandwich afterwards but because I thought that it was pointless to do the exercise and then eat bacon I used to have an apple. It got to the stage where I would crave that apple after the class and would quite happily eat it over the sandwich.
 
eyckmans said:
Well done on the weight loss.
Sorry to hear about your back, my family have a history of herniated discs and they are so painful.
I know exactly what you mean about running. I tried it for the first time a week ago and it made me feel soooo good.
Don't listen to your friend. I don't know why but there are a lot of people that don't want you to change and do everything they can to discourage weight loss. I get people trying to force food on me that I really don't want and trying to talk me out of walking so much. It's really frustrating.
Keep up the good work.
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eyckmans said:
PS I agree there is something so satisfying about apples. Years ago I used to go to aerobic classes with a group of friends. My friends would all have a bacon sandwich afterwards but because I thought that it was pointless to do the exercise and then eat bacon I used to have an apple. It got to the stage where I would crave that apple after the class and would quite happily eat it over the sandwich.
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At first I thought she was excited about it because she said that when I get down to her weight we could share clothes. But as long as I've known her, I've been the fat one, so maybe in the back of her mind she really doesn't want me to change.

I would be so sad eating a bacon sandwhich after a workout. I'd feel absolutely certain that I had just put myself through an hour of torture all for nothing. :p Haha. It's kind of like putting money in a savings account, only to withdraw it five minutes later and go on a shopping spree.
 
I keep thinking "If only this had happened two, three years ago... just think of how far I could have come by now." But of course, it didn't happen two or three years ago because I wasn't ready. It's happened now because I am ready for it to happen, finally. But I can't help wishing I had been ready a long time ago.

I read a book a few years back... I can't remember what it is called now, though I know I have it on a book shelf somewhere. In it, the main character lost weight by convincing herself that food was covered in maggots or fungus or something equally unpleasant. In any case, she made food extremely undesirable with the power of her mind. It occured to me that the way that I view food now is... similar. When I see cake, I see fat. When I see chips, I see fat. When I see potatoes and white bread, I see fat. It's all fat. And because that is what I see now, I see something that I don't want.

It's actually been ridiculously easy to cut those things out, considering how weak I used to be to them.

But now, when I see other people eating them, I desperately want to plead with them not to. Kind of like, "Do you realize how many calories are in that...?" because, after a month of counting calories, I have a pretty good idea of how many calories are in that large tub of buttery popcorn and that enormous slice of pizza... and that second and third enormous slice of pizza... and good gracious, are you really going to eat the whole pie? I can't watch.

And I am absolutely certain that someone sat watching me, reeling inwardly as they lay witness to every bite I took, somewhere along the line. I feel their pain.
 
Today was a harder day than usual. I feel discouraged because I haven't really lost weight since Friday, which is disappointing after the terrific week I had before. And for some reason I am just extra hungry today. It's not that I'm craving unhealthy food... I'm just really hungry for some reason. I haven't reacted by binging or eating unhealthy foods or eating beyond my calorie limits, but it's frustrating after having so many great days of feeling continuously full. I think that part of the reason is that I slept over at my mother's house last night... Visiting her and my sister wreaks havoc on my eating routine because they don't have the carefully selected variety of foods that I do at home.

Oh well. I'm cleaning tonight and that always gives me a nice little sense of control over things (and hey, it burns calories as well), so I'll feel better when I'm done. :)

P.S. If on Friday, I haven't lost at least 2 pounds, I'm thinking of dropping my daily calorie intake a little.
 
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I feel the same. I can't make myself cook some of the dishes that I used to cook for my husband because I feel as if I would be putting his health in danger so I have found lighter ways of cooking most things and truthfully he hasn't really even noticed.
I often see overweight women that look unhappy and I'd love to help them to lose weight but you can't say anything to anybody without being offensive. I've also found that when people ask me how I lost the weight they don't ever take my advice but go on some new fangled crash diet. I don't understand that because if they see that it is working for me then why not try it. It seems that most people just want a quick fix not a lifetime commitment. I guess that's the way I was for many years and it takes a lot of failures to come to the conclusion that we need to do this properly and sensibly to make it work.
JanaNanner said:
But now, when I see other people eating them, I desperately want to plead with them not to. Kind of like, "Do you realize how many calories are in that...?" because, after a month of counting calories, I have a pretty good idea of how many calories are in that large tub of buttery popcorn and that enormous slice of pizza... and that second and third enormous slice of pizza... and good gracious, are you really going to eat the whole pie? I can't watch.
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