From Jiggles To Joy

Excuses, Reality Check, Turning off the Hunger

2012-02-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged and been on track. It started with taking a seasonal job that prevented me from going to my TOPS meetings beginning in November. Then the anxiety of my son deploying in December added to shift my focus off the goal. The New Year arrived with a flurry of doctors visits, tests, and concerns that have facilitated a big struggle to balance my life and loosing ground with my weight loss battle.

In desperation, I even discussed bariatric surgery options with my doctor and this morning got an email from her regarding a referral to a specialist. "I just can't seem to turn off the hunger" I told her in my email response. So on My Group Health website, I decided to do a search and see if there was any advice on Turning Off The Hunger and found this excellent article that compares overeating and the response our body and mind gets from it to what drug addicts get from opiates. I DON'T WANT TO BE AN ADDICT!

Here's the article. It is an excellent and motivational read.

IS YOUR BODY TELLING YOU TO OVEREAT?

It's 3 p.m. Your eyelids are heavy, and there's a familiar gnawing feeling in your stomach. What sounds better to you: the cookie you bought at lunchtime or the tired-looking carrot sticks in the refrigerator? You're not alone if you reach for the cookie — and there's a reason for that.

Eating what we want, when we want it, is practically a constitutional right for many Americans. Unfortunately, what we want has been hardwired into our bodies for eons, and it's rarely carrot sticks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently dubbed American society "obesogenic" — an environment that promotes overeating, unhealthy foods, and lack of physical activity.

"The fact that one-third of adults and 16 percent of children in the United States are obese is the result of a complex combination of how our bodies work and an environment full of very convenient, energy-dense foods," says obesity expert David Arterburn, MD, MPH, investigator at Group Health Center for Health Studies. "Our body's triggers for hunger are simply stronger than the drives that make us feel full."

Your Body's Instincts: Food = Survival

Early humans developed hunger as a means of ensuring adequate fuel for their bodies. When we get hungry, the sight or smell of food increases the flow of blood to pleasure centers in the brain, and the stomach produces more ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates appetite.

Everybody has a unique pattern of ghrelin levels rising and falling in their bodies every day. If you aren't hungry in the morning, but are ravenous at lunchtime or at midnight, there's a physiological explanation. It's not that you aren't trying hard enough to control your eating urges, or that you lack willpower.

"Foods with a lot of sugar and fat stimulate the brain in a way that's similar to opiates like morphine," says Dr. Arterburn. "You see these foods and you associate eating them with a calm feeling or a sense of relaxation. People who are addicted to opiates have similar feelings about those drugs."
Some people can successfully retrain this urge by finding a replacement that stimulates the brain in the same way, like exercise. Sounds crazy, but the next time you want a sugary, fatty snack, try a brisk walk or exercise routine instead. Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which are natural opiate-like chemicals in the brain that increase pleasure and minimize pain.
Sleep also affects appetite. Lack of sleep prompts the stomach to produce more ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and less leptin, a hormone that makes you feel full. This means you may feel hungry, even when your body has had quite enough. The answer is simple: Get more rest. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.

An Alternative Response to Stress

Your body doesn't know the difference between getting a past-due credit card statement and swimming a river surrounded by snapping alligators. Both can cause stress, resulting in increased levels of cortisol (the "fight or flight" response) in the blood.

Using food to deal with stress is, again, a natural response to the brain's desire for pleasure and the return to a relaxed state. But anything that brings you personal pleasure, inspiration, or a sense of well-being may work as a calorie-free destressor. For example, try listening to music, getting a massage, reading, meditating, gardening, or playing with your children or pets.

The Key to Healthier Eating: Be Mindful

"If you're not thinking about what you're eating on a daily basis, you're probably gaining weight," says Dr. Arterburn. "As little as 100 extra calories a day — that's a small soda — can add up to five extra pounds at the end of the year."

Dr. Arterburn recommends keeping a food diary. Record what you eat, including beverages and condiments, and the approximate calories. Then start reading labels for calorie counts — and don't forget to factor in serving size.

"I think people started to equate fat-free with calorie-free, and began paying less attention to serving sizes, which have continued to grow," says Dr. Arterburn. "Counting calories is the only way to know if you're overeating."

This article is from My Group Health online

Northwest Health | SPRING 2009

By Pamela Richardson

Down 6 Pounds In One Week!

2011-11-09T18:43:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to step up to the scale at the TOPS meeting last night to get the wonderful weigh in results showing a big 6 pound loss in one week. Actually a week plus one day, as I couldn't go to my regular meeting due to my work schedule and visited another meeting on Tuesday evening.

What made the difference in this unusually large weekly loss? Well it all comes down to the math of better food choices and more movement.

As I looked over my calorie consumption and exercise journal for the week, I see that I kept my calories at a very balanced 1200 every day. I allow myself up to 1500 balanced food group calories, but just wasn't hungry for more than the 1200 during this past week.

On top of the disciplined intake of food, my energy expenditures were higher than normal. I kept up with my hour a day moving in the swimming pool at LA Fitness plus did a bit more walking than usual as I try to increase my levels of mobility, flexibility, balance, and endurance.

So it all comes down to simple math, 3500 calories less than what you burn over the week equals 1 pound of fat loss. This means to lose 6 pounds I burned 21,000 extra calories, that my body had to turn to my fat cells instead of the food I was taking in to find the energy.

I've never been fond of math, but this kind is fantastic!

I'm not allowing myself any mindless munching. Every morsel that goes in my mouth is mindful and recorded. Every exercise I do is recorded. Then I do the math. Gains and losses should no longer be sneaking up on me with surprise attacks.

There is one variable that I am also watching vigilantly. My salt intake. I'm no longer having pre-prepared foods that are loaded with hidden sodium that can make me retain water like crazy, puff up like a helium balloon, and not reflect a weight loss, or worse yet, raise my blood pressure dangerously high.

My clothes are getting baggy, my blood pressure is down to normal, and I've lost 43 whopping pounds since starting on the journey May 31, 2011. I'm not quite jumping for joy, since I've still got too much excess weight to get off the ground easily, but I am celebrating the great start on my jiggles to joy journey.

She's Really An Angel

2011-11-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

Lin Scanland

Her husband teased that she's too clumsy to have wings in heaven so he bought her a pretty pink pair to wear. She looked divine in them for Halloween, but Lin Scanland really is an angel.

Because of her outstanding service to TOPS WA 1147 Graham, the group voted her the Chapter Angel of the year. She was awarded the honor at the recent TOPS Fall Rally in Puyallup.

According to her fellow TOPS members, Lin goes above and beyond what is required of her. Here are some of the items she is credited with helping her earn her Angel wings.

She drives 42 miles from her home in Ashford to Graham each Monday and 42 back home, to lead and inspire TOPS.
She is always there and always very early.
She keeps many files for TOPS and KOPS on her home computer.
She sends out a weekly email agenda to Co-Leader and officers.
She is on the phone committee for TOPS and takes her duty seriously.
She plans the KOPS Anniversary ceremony for TOPS WA 1147, Graham.
She makes up the yearly Award Certificates as well as Chapter Helper certificates.
She fills in for the treasurer and secretary when needed.
She places publicity in newspapers and on Craig's List.
She's a genuine friend to all, ready to give a helping hand or lend an ear to one's problems.

Lin has also been a 7 year member of the Pierce County KOPS Lighter Way Honor Society.

Halloween Aftermath -3.4 lbs!

2011-11-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

We made it through Halloween without eating one single candy bar! I even lost 3.4 pounds more toward my ultimate goal this last week!

Our neighborhood was mobbed by little trick-or-treaters. We got away from the guilt of not passing out goodies, and the consequences of slipping up and eating what we bought to pass out, which is what we usually do.

Instead we decided not to even have the tempting treats in the house and headed to LA Fitness, Jim to the treadmill and me to the pool.

TOPS in costume at our weekly meeting on Halloween. I'm in the middle as 'FAT CAT 2011 wanna be TOP CAT 2012' working toward the biggest weight loss in our chapter to be a Thinner Winner and achieve my goal by the end of 2012. Pictured left to right: Rosana Hefley, Lin Scanland, Pam Reising, Rhonda Madison, Leona Drtina, Beverly Satter, Janet Peterson, Rhonda Divina kneeling, Donna Watters, Lorraine Crandall, Julie Day,

If you painted your pumpkins or set them out uncarved, now's the time to harvest all the great nutritional value in them. Quarter the pumpkin, set aside seeds and pulp in a colander, and lay the chunks of pumpkin on a cookie sheet, bake at 350 until soft, remove skin, puree flesh in blender and store in freezer containers until you make your pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Here is a crust-less, low calorie recipe for your pie. http://www.food.com/recipe/crustless-pumpkin-pie-low-calorie-46700

Don't toss those pumpkin seeds. Roast them for a delicious, nutritional snack. Just be careful how many you eat. Here's how to make them http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/roasted-pumpkin-seeds/detail.aspx

Join us at the gym with a FREE LA Fitness pass!

2011-10-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the link to a FREE pass to LA Fitness where you can join me in the swimming pool any day of the week, or hubby in the raquet ball court, or try out their big variety of classes that are all included FREE with the membership. They're all over the nation, so I'm sure you'll find one near you. Click here to print your FREE pass

https://www.lafitness.com/Pages/FindClub.aspx?flow=GuestPass

We go to LA Fitness on the South Hill of Puyallup and occasionally Lacey or Vancouver, Washington when we're visiting family in those areas. Hubby loves the racquetball games, my favorite activity is swimming.

Group classes include aerobics, aqua fit, belly dancing, body works plus abs, boot camp conditioning, cardio jam, club boxing circuit, core training, cycle zone, hip hop, kickbox cardio, latin heat, mat pilates, senior fit, step circuit, step II plus abs, step scuplt, striding, sunrise yoga, tai chi, total body conditioning, yoga, yoga beat and zumba.

There is a basketball court, a huge weight and strength training area, and cardio equipment.

The swimming pool is always warm and indoors, a jetted spa, and a dry sauna in the incredibly clean women's and men's locker rooms are the perfect way to top off a good work out.

They also have great certified trainers available, both men and women, in an assortment of ages, to help achieve your goals.

You can take a virtual tour of LA Fitness by clicking on the link.

https://www.lafitness.com/VirtualTourPlayer.aspx

Lost and Found

2011-10-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

I lost 3 pounds again last week by tracking my food intake and swimming every single day, but I’ve been worrying about keeping up the sustained reducing over time. I need to take off 2 pounds every single week to achieve my goal in the time line I’m working toward.

I found this really neat tool to calculate how many calories you’re burning in a day and it is free to use. You just click on the link, then fill in the blanks with how many minutes you do of each activity on the list in a day. It even has sleeping, sitting, reading and writing on the list as well as sports activities!

Remember your total minutes in a day are 1440, so try and total that as you fill out the list accounting for what you do. After you enter everything you do in a day, by minutes, it will give you a total of how many calories you're burning in a day.

Then if you’re counting your calories or food exchanges, you need to burn 3500 calories more than what you eat to lose 1 pound. So if you’re eating 1500 calories a day on the exchange plan, then you need to do enough activities in the course of the week to burn 7000 calories more than what you ate every day.

I REALLY like this tool and see exactly what I need to change to get those 2 pounds + off every single week.

I must be mindful of everything I put in my mouth. For me this means writing absolutely everything down. Then using this great calculator to figure out the calories I’m burning should take every bit of guesswork out of the equation and help me achieve that 2 pounds a week until I reach goal, then help me sustain my goal weight.

Here’s the link to try it yourself. http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

Fun at Fall Rally

2011-10-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day we had at TOPS Fall Rally in Puyallup on Saturday. Quite a few from our Graham Chapter attended for a magnificently motivational time together. Leader Lin Scanland (long red hair, black shirt) was given the Chapter Angel award for her tireless efforts with TOPS WA #1147 Graham.

Guest speaker Robert Sweetgall was amazing with his stories and activities to get the room pumped up and our heart rates going and he did it all with humor and fun activities. Robert said he was Forrest Gump before Gump existed. He made an 11,208 mile foot journey, walking through all 50 states in one year, averaging 31 miles per day. You can learn more about him on his website http://www.creativewalking.com

Graham TOPS member, Beverly Satter, got in the spirit of the day with an energetic walk, hop, and dance around the room in one of the activities Robert had teams competing in.

Seeing the high percent of people who have achieved and maintained their goal weight and KOPS status over time was a huge inspiration to me.

Don't miss the opportunity to attend one of these events in the future. It was well worth my $9 investment and totally exceeded my expectations.

-30 Pounds and Counting

2011-10-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

I was hobbling across the parking lot to the Orting Food Bank carrying my donation of 30 pounds of potatoes when a volunteer came dashing out to help me. I declined her offer to take them off my hands.

I wanted to experience and savor what it felt like to bear the burden of those extra 30 pounds weighing down my body. They were the symbol of the 30+ pounds I've lost since my first TOPS May weigh-in.

I was determined to be reminded with every step the impact my obesity has on my body and feel the difference these first 30 pounds I've lost is making. I was huffing and puffing before I made it to the building. My knees were literally creaking. My arms were burning under the extra load. And this was only for a 1 minute walk!

I left the donation and as I walked back to my car feeling the freedom of the loss of over 30 pounds, I did the math in my head of how many more sets of 30 pounds I have to lose to reach my goal. I calculate it will take me until the end of 2012 to get there.

I don't feel discouraged by the length of the journey ahead. Instead I feel encouraged with the realization of the difference these first 30 pounds is making in the strain on my body, and how much greater the improvement will be with each 30 more I take off.

30 pounds of pure fat. Just imagine it. Take a pound of butter from the fridge and wad it up into a ball. Now picture how many pounds you have to lose and how much fat that actually is weighing down your body, impacting your joints, your organs, robbing you of vitality, strength, health and energy.

I suppose it sounds like a silly exercise, but it is just one of the mental pictures I'm using to keep myself on track, reaching toward my goal weight and improved health.

I plan to make many more treks to the Orting Food Bank as I reach weight loss milestones, carrying the symbol of how many pounds I've shed. I want to feel the pain and impact of the burden I was bearing and be reminded of the gain I'm experiencing by losing my excess weight.

I'd love to hear about the things you do that reinforce the positive changes in your life. Send me an email to jrmadison@comcast.net and share your ideas.

Falling Down and Getting Up

2011-10-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

I've had balance and falling problems this year due to health issues I'm dealing with. I crashed and burned several times this summer, but the last time was the big bubba of face plants.

As I hurtled forward, my mind flashed through what was going to happen. If I didn't stop the fall with my hands and knees, I was probably going to put my head through the wall. I quickly decided a concussion was not the best choice and hit the floor very hard stopping myself on my good leg.

As I lay there, thankful I didn't headbutt the sheet rock, it occurred to me that I was going to have problems getting up. I was in the hall, nothing to grab on to, and my wrists, knee, and leg hurt so badly that I couldn't crawl on them. To top it all off, I was home alone.

Eventually I pulled myself upright gripping the door frame, and iced the worst parts of black and blue bruises. I thought all was improving until a week later my leg swelled up like a balloon and turned an ugly purple red.

I ended up on antibiotics to fight the infection and spending a lot of time in bed with the leg elevated and iced. I ultimately recovered and the down time gave me the opportunity to contemplate other ways I've fallen down in life and the recovery process.

I'm not talking about physical falls now, but life tumbles. Things like going through divorce. That's a fall I'd rather not experience again. It was painful. I did learn that with time you heal and recover. You try to learn from your bad choices and pain to not repeat the cycle, make different and better choices, and have a healthier relationship in the future.

Falling down happens in my eating and health habits. I've been trying to establish new and improved eating and exercise patterns in my life, but sometimes I fall down and make bad choices. It slows down my progress, but if I get back up and keep working on it, I will improve. My body responds, my health responds, my mind responds, I feel better.

It's not always easy. Some days I don't feel like going for my swim, but I've been faithfully keeping at it. Some days I don't want to weigh, measure, and write down everything that I eat, but for me that is part of getting up. I have to eat and move mindfully. If I don't, I consume more than I need and I don't move as much as I should.

Sometimes I'm afraid to go to my weekly weigh in at TOPS. I'm fearful that instead of the loss I'm working so hard to see on the scale, I'll see a gain. But the weigh in is part of getting up from the fall for me. It is an accountability to myself and others. It is a time of meeting with like minded people who also know and understand what it is to fall down and fight to get back up to achieve their health and fitness goals.

At this morning's weigh in I was the week's biggest loser in our TOPS group with another 3 pounds gone from my frame. Some of the others lost and some gained. I'm so glad everyone came and that when we do fall, we have people who love us, give us a hand up and help us get back up and on track.

'Souper' Suppers!

2011-10-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

The cool weather has put me in a mood for soup. It has been fun coming up with modified recipes to get nutrient rich, low calorie versions that are tasty. As big as hubby is, he's a picky eater, so if it passes the Jim test, I feel pretty good about the concoction. I've had 3 winners in the past week. I took a scalloped potato soup recipe that I saw in a magazine, replaced the heavy cream with skim milk, added loads of vegetables, and it was a huge hit. I've seen the Dr. on PBS touting the benefits of eating GOMBS (green beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds) every day, so I made a wonderful vegetable beef soup that had the GOM part and a sorbet dessert made with strawberries, nonfat milk, and flax seeds, that was delicious and very filling for the BS part. The third winner is a spinach soup that not only Popeye would love, but Jim does too! I'm working at keeping my salt intake down, and since store bought soups are loaded with sodium, these healthy home made versions are made without added salt for me, and everyone else in the house can put as much as they want in their own bowls. I'd love to get your favorite soup recipes. You can send them to me at jrmadison@comcast.net. Check out this great article and recipe on soups by clicking on this link to an article that ran in the Tacoma News Tribune for Chef Rocco DeSpirito's Slim Soup .

VENDORS & CRAFTERS WANTED FOR HOLIDAY BAZAAR!

2011-10-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

$ell your wares & see your profits soar at the 'Have Fun at Thun Holiday Bazaar' Nov. 19-20th, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-3. Vendor space available for $30 per 6’x8’ or $40 per 8’x8’ space. $10 extra for a 6’ table & 2 chairs or bring your own. Reserve your space today! 253-846-6715 or tmasura@yahoo.com. Day of bazaar, follow the signs from Meridian & 168th St SE from the entrance to Pierce County Airport Thun Field to the Talon Aviation hanger at 17006 105th Ave E. Puyallup. Thun Fun Holiday Bazaar sponsored by and benefit for nonprofit Take Off Pounds Sensibly, WA #1147 Graham.

Farewell to Joy Cook

2011-10-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Founder of the Take Off Pounds Sensibly TOPS WA 1147 Graham group, Joy Cook, gave a fond farewell program at today's weekly meeting. She was presented with a gift from the chapter for her years of service and inspiring programs.

In 1988 Joy earned the prestigious recognition of TOPS Washington state queen for achieving goal weight and losing 124 pounds.

"Stick with it...success is incremental...it might be 1/4 pound at a time to get to goal, focus on living and eating healthy" was her parting advice to the group.

"We know how to lose and gain weight, we have to learn to live in the middle at goal," she added.

When she moved to Graham she couldn't find a group to transfer to that worked with her schedule of availability, so she started a new chapter. Over the years it has blossomed to 39 members with several who have reached their goal weight and maintained it earning them KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) status.

Joy and her husband are moving to Arizona to pursue a career opportunity. She looks at the change as a way to demonstrate to her grown children that at over 60 years of age you can still do something new in your life.

Jim’s Low Calorie Culinary Concoctions

2011-07-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jim, JJ & Jordan at Orcas Island Pottery

Hubby Jim is not only great with the grand kids, he's terrific in the kitchen and makes the best salsa ever. We eat it fresh in 1-2 days. We’ve given up the fattening corn chips as the dippers, and now use celery sticks, red pepper strips and cucumber slices, for dipping scoops. This salsa recipe is loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C and great tasting low calorie nutrition. It’s also good as a flavorful topper on egg dishes, salads, or a baked potato. If you must have chips, try making the low calorie, no fat alternative homemade, fresh baked pita chips recipe below.

Sassy Salsa

Finely chop the following ingredients:

2 cups tomatoes 1 cup onion

½ green bell pepper ½ cup cilantro

½ -1 jalapeno pepper (results in mild to hot)

1 large clove garlic

Add the fresh squeezed juice from:

½ lemon ½ lime

Salt to taste with 1tsp to 1 tbsp salt

Jim mixes all this together with a handy hand crank chopping device we picked up at the fair years ago. Hand chopping and mixing works great for this recipe. We learned to not use a blender to chop and mix the salsa as it pulverizes the ingredients into a runny mess that is only good to drink, but not good for dipping.

This is really popular at family and workplace gatherings. The fresher the ingredients, the better the taste and texture.

Fresh Baked Pita Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the whole pitas into 8 wedges. Separate the two layers of each pita. Place the 16 triangles in a single layer on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake until crisp - about 9 or 10 minutes. This recipe serves 2 people, 8 pita chips each. They are perfect warm from the oven and heaped with fresh salsa. Half of a medium, 6-inch diameter Pita bread averages only 62 calories. Check the nutrition label on the pack you buy.

You can add seasoning variations to these by lightly spraying them with PAM and sprinkling with Italian seasonings, salt, garlic, or other favorite spices.

JULY 4th FOOD & FREEDOM

2011-07-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

Holidays and a bountiful feast seem to go hand-in-hand, or hand-to-mouth in my case. This Independence Day I decided to celebrate not only our nation's freedom, but make a stand for freedom from my addictive and harmful binge eating habits. You'll have to read to the end to see if I won my battle and lost, or lost my battle and gained.

I set my TOPS SMART goal for the week, planning for the temptations the holiday and our mini vacation to Orcas Island would bring. I determined to stick with my sensible eating plan of 1200-1500 calories a day, and enjoy being with family more than eating food.

I set the stage for success by packing the ice chest with healthy food choices and planning our meal menus ahead of time.We had lots of bottled water in the car for the long drive and ferry trip to the island.

Rather than planning to lay around, read, relax, and snack nonstop as we often do, I filled our days with active adventures with the grandchildren, parade viewing, beach combing, pottery making, playground and tree house exploration.

I did make a monstrous pot of whole wheat spaghetti for the gang to enjoy, but consciously limited my portion size, bypassed the garlic bread, and had a healthy salad serving.

Instead of pigging out on gargantuan bowls of ice cream as I usually would, we bought a carton of ice cream sandwiches, only enough for me to have one after they were shared with all, and I stayed within my exchanges and calories for the day.

The result was a very nice loss at my weekly TOPS weigh in last night, bringing me to a grand total loss of 27 pounds over the last 5 weeks since starting the program. The change in my measurements over these 1st 5 weeks on TOPS is 2 inches off my chest, 6 inches off my waist, 5 inches off my hips.

A very nice start in my battle to win the war over obesity and find freedom from fat.

Keep on track with a low cal snack

2011-06-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Since I know one of my greatest weaknesses is ice cream in any form, I’m on the lookout for items that fill me up, quench my thirst, and satisfy my cravings and icy cold, sweet tooth, snack attacks, especially in hot weather. Here are a few of things I’ve discovered that help. Please send me an email, or give me a call and share your favorite food and beverage items under 50 calories a serving.

Favorites with 0-50 calories

Diet V8 Splash is very satisfying on a hot day as a cool- down alternative to high calorie ice cream shakes or smoothies. Jim likes the Berry Blend, and I prefer the Tropical flavor. I mix 8 oz of V8 Splash with 8 oz of water in a tall glass of ice. It has the flavor and vitamins of regular V8 Splash, but with just 10 calories and 3 grams of carbohydrates per 8-ounce serving. An 8-ounce serving of Diet V8 Splash is a free food exchange, according to the Exchange Lists for Meal Planning, 2003 by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association.

Sugar free Popsicles, Fudgsicles, and Creamsicles range from 15 to 40 calories a serving. Even with these low calorie choices, I have to be careful to retrain myself that one serving is enough, and keep drinking that cool clear water to fill the empty spots in my gut and imagination.

Fresh or frozen berry homemade treats are wonderful mixed in the blender with ice, or placed in a small bowl to control the portion size and help me stay mindful of how much I’m eating. It’s really easy to eat more than a handful of blueberries, strawberries, grapes or cherries if I don’t watch the quantity and set myself out a limit of one serving at a time, again, with that big chaser of water.

Tangy cucumber salad is very tasty and satisfying. I slice up 1 large cucumber into 1/8 inch rounds, add slivers of fresh onion, toss in 1 tbsp diet mayo and 1 tbsp cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. I’m not fond of bacon bits, but Jim is, so we just a sprinkle 1 tsp of these on his half of the batch to add one of his favorite flavors and it’s still under 50 calories. Yummy to the tummy!

Manly Mani-Pedi Rewards

2011-06-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

Learning to reward ourselves with something other than food takes some thought and planning. For Father’s Day I took Jim for a surprise manicure and pedicure. I dropped him off at the salon, told him to be good and tip well.

I returned an hour later with my grandson JJ to pick him up. JJ was wide eyed at seeing great big grandpa reclined in the vibrating pedicure throne, with a tiny little technician punching him, topping off his mani-pedi with a deep tissue massage and brisk pounding of his arms, shoulders and calves.

I asked the ladies having their nails done if he had behaved himself, and they replied, “we hardly knew he was here except for his occasional groans of pleasure”. Jim said he felt thoroughly pampered and that it was the best dad’s day gift he’d ever gotten. “Now I know why women love having these done” he said while shuffling around in a mellow daze for the rest of the day.

In the past I have rewarded myself and celebrated with food, typically ice cream or sweets. Now I’m looking for new ways to treat myself well.

It’s easier for me to recognize and reward someone else, than to reward myself, but I’m working at changing that way of thinking. Maybe one of these days, perhaps when I’ve lost 50 pounds it will be my turn for a mani-pedi.

Reducing is the name of the game & we're keeping score

2011-06-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

My hubby Jim isn't just chipping and slicing on the golf course these days. He's actually working the TOPS program along with me and has lost 13 pounds in the first 3 weeks. I beat him out with a 20 pound loss in the same time frame, but who's keeping score. We are of course! This is the first time in our marriage that we're actually working at reducing and improving our fitness together as a team. Back in the day, he was a dashing and slim Jim in his military uniform. Now, as is par for the course in many of us baby boomers, we don't look a bit like the person hidden somewhere under our layers of bulky body-fat insulation. It is so much easier to change my eating habits when Jim is also working on changing his. I'm very thankful we're playing the losing game together this time and proud of his great success on the first fairway of the TOPS course. We've got a long way to go before we reach the 19th hole, but we both have a dream, desire, TOPS team and plan to be winners. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

What’s stress got to do with it?

2011-06-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing the impact that stress has on my life. When I’m not dealing with it effectively, I find myself eating mindlessly for comfort and relief. Not only is that a bad solution, it doesn’t relieve my stress and it packs on the pounds like there’s no tomorrow, helping me to arrive at the obese state of affairs I find myself in today. My third week TOPS SMART goal was to journal my stresses for at least 3 days. Boy, it seems like I let a lot of things bug me. Identifying them was my first step in dealing with the nasty little pests.

My Uptight and Out of Sight Stressors

· Work pressures

· Family disagreements and misunderstandings

· Financial worries

· Reductions in income

· Clutter in the home, office or yard

· Driving in traffic

· Husband not listening

· Crowds and noise

· Loud TV

· Too much TV

· Health concerns

· Fuzzy brain and lack of mental clarity

· Children’s and grandchildren’s problems

· Friend’s problems

· Impending retirement

My Stress Busters

· Getaway to Orcas Island

· Swim

· Play the piano, psaltery, or guitar

· Write a song expressing my thoughts and emotions

· Visit a friend

· Visit kids and grandkids

· Take a trip to a lake, river, or ocean beach

· Fish

· Canoe

· Beachcombing

· Visit and share music at a nursing home

· Garden

· Creative writing

· Pray

· Read

· Meditate

· Nap

· Phone a friend

My stress busters aren’t necessarily in this order, but these are some of the things that relax me. As I made my list, I realized that some I haven’t done in more than a year. It’s time to get back to the simple pleasures in life instead of taking the easy way out by overeating. .

Getting in the swim of things

2011-06-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Swimming is one of my favorite forms of fun and exercise. It’s great with grandkids, perfectly relaxing and a wonderful stress-buster anytime. You feel weightless, even when you’re not, it’s a natural analgesic for aching joints, and you use more calories than just sitting around. Burn up to 250 calories by walking for 30 minutes in water up to your chest while moving your arms around in the water*. My second week TOPS SMART goal was to get in the water and exercise at least 3 times a week. I loved it so much; I plan to keep it up long term.

*Data from www.discoverwalking.com/blog/burn-calories-walk-in-water.php

“Grandma, how did this get so big?”

2011-06-18T23:20:00.000-07:00

As I walked down the hallway of our home with my 3 year old grand daughter following close behind, I felt her little hands patting both cheeks of my rear end and her inquisitive little voice asking “Grandma, how did this get so big?” Later in the day my little grandson commented “Grandma, you’re really fat.” You have to chuckle or cry at the honesty of little children. At their eye level vantage point, the jiggling immensity of my size must obliterate the view of anything else. The photo in the right side bar shows me at the biggest I ever plan to be when I joined TOPS 5-31-11. It’s all downhill from here. I plan to be a smaller, better grandma in the years to come. A 16 pound loss in the first 2 weeks at my TOPS weigh-ins is an encouraging start down the long road to goal.

The Journey Begins

2011-06-18T22:46:00.000-07:00

It seems impossible to think of losing over half of me. I’ve tried and failed time after time, on program after program, yet here I am, back on the weight loss band wagon again.

While the doctor has a long term goal for me that seems as insurmountable as climbing Mt. Everest, my short term goals are simpler, SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) little steps as recommended by Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS).

To help with accountability, my local TOPS group has us put our personal weekly SMART goal in writing during the meeting, and then gives us recognition if we achieve the goal by the following week.

I decided my 1^st week SMART goal was to memorize the TOPS pledge. I printed it out on little slips of paper, and placed them in the car, on my desk at work and home, in the bathroom, and the kitchen. I put the words to music and sang them. I meditated on them, I let them sink into the depths of my psyche and challenge my way of thinking.

It starts with, “I am an intelligent person”. Sometimes I feel like I’ve got all my marbles intact, other times I feel like a total nincompoop. I found this affirmation hard to say at times. I have to remind myself that while I may not be the brightest bulb in the vanity, God designed me with a brain to meet every challenge I would ever face in life. OK, I can make myself say it and believe it. “I AM an intelligent person”.

The next phrase is, “I will control my emotions and not let my emotions control me”. Now this is a huge challenge for me. I’ve long known that I’m an emotional eater. The only way I could say this part so that I could believe it was to add my own preface to the sentence, “with the help of God.”

The following 3 pledge items really sent me into self examination as I committed them to memory. “Every time I am tempted to use food to satisfy my frustrated desires, build up my injured ego, or dull my senses…” Yep, that’s me with a huge history that shows on my huge frame how many times I’ve used food to deal with my frustrations, stresses, and hurts.

Finally the pledge ends with commitment to my actual plan of action. “I will remember, that even though I overeat in private, my excess poundage is there for all the world to see, I will Take Off Pounds Sensibly”. I have it memorized now. It's in my head, and working deep into my heart. A mantra, not just to recite at the beginning of a meeting, but daily, hourly, minute by minute when I need to overcome those urges and the poor eating habits that have led me to the shape I'm in today.

TOPS PLEDGE

I am an intelligent person. I will control my emotions and not let my emotions control me. Even though I am tempted to use food to satisfy my frustrated desires, build up my injured ego or dull my senses, I will remember, even though I overeat in private, my excess poundage is there for all the world to see. I will Take Off Pounds Sensibly.