Sunday, January 16, 2011

Weight Loss check in 3

I don't know if I count the starting point as a check in or not, so I am calling this check in 3. (The first being the start, the second being last week.)
I think I mentioned it before, but last week I was down about 3 pounds at weigh-in. This week (a night late-oops) I weighed in another 1.5 pounds lighter. Woot. So far, 5 pounds. I would have lost more, but I had a mid-week brownie craving and made a batch. We ate half the batch in one day. The rest is safely in the freezer for the next craving. But, I'm excited. Alann has to go and rain on my parade with "it's just water weight, or body fluctuations". He said that more about himself than me, but I don't care. I'll take it. I figure, if I feel like I am losing weight, and the scale says I am losing weight, than that is motivation to keep doing what I'm doing, right? My pants feel a bit looser. I feel a bit better about myself. We all win, right?
I said that I would post more about the "diet". It isn't really a diet. More of a dietary reconfiguration. There isn't anything dramatic, that is for sure. Mainly, I am adding more fruits and veggies to our meals. I am really really watching my portions and trying really hard not to finish the kids' plates. (You are guilty of that too right??) Or, if I am going to finish the kids' plates, I don't give myself seconds first. I'm also trying to really notice when I am hungry and full. I'm drinking water first when the snack craving hits (because I know myself and most of the time, when I get really snacky, I really just want a drink). I am being more careful about the ways I am cooking things- how much butter, oil, etc I am using. We are having soup once a week and beans once a week. I would love to up beans to 3 times a week, but we need to move slowly. Beans are hard on the littles. (Beans are really really good for you and eating them helps you feel full and stay full and the fiber is of course good for losing excess um..stuff.) Also, the most traumatic part for me- limiting my treats. We agreed on a 1-2 oz treat per day, or dessert. We got candy from Santa in our stockings, plus all the christmas cookies, so lets just say I was eating a lot of treats. So now I am watching myself. I ask myself- do I really want this? Will I enjoy this? Or am I just upset or frustrated with the kids? Do I need a drink? A walk? A facebook break? That has helped a lot I'm sure. Another trick we have learned- smoothies. Seriously, these things are addictive. One of us has made one almost every day. I bought a bunch of frozen fruit and our smoothies consist of frozen fruit and a little juice. Sometimes I use water, sometimes I use milk, sometimes I use ice cream (though that falls into a dessert category), just depending on what exactly I am after. If I'm feeling snacky, sometimes I whip up a smoothie and I can enjoy that for a lot longer than a handful of chips. And it is a lot less calories and good for me too. Sometimes I make a smoothie in the morning for breakfast (usually with toast and some yogurt or other small protein) and then I can sip the smoothie all morning. It takes me a long time to drink it. But since it takes so long, I don't get hungry, I don't reach for the chocolate or cookies or whatever. I think it's working for us.
Something slightly health related. I have a doctor's appt set for Wednesday. I'm going to go get a check up (haven't had one in um,...ever. Maybe before college?) and have them check my blood and talk about possible SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Basically, I am tired. ALL THE TIME. Yes, I know I have two kids. Yes, I know I spend most nights up once or twice. But it is really starting to bug me. It doesn't matter how long I sleep- 4 hours, 8 hours. It doesn't matter if I sleep 8 hours and take another 2 hour nap. Some days (when Alann is home), I'll go to bed early, get up with the kids, and then take a nap. I sleep for two hours or more and still want to keep sleeping. It just doesn't feel right. I'm also really really really irritable right before that time. I know that is normal PMS, but I've never had it before. I've read in my parenting magazine that it is actually common for women to get depressed right before their period, and that they can treat it. So I want to just get checked out and make sure everything is okay. Maybe I just need an iron supplement or some vitamin D. Maybe I need an antidepressant. We will see. But I tell ya what- I am tired of being tired!

1 comment:

Debbie said...

Throw some exercise in there and might help the fatigue. And, really, chasing kids all the time makes one tired! Keep up the great work!