Feeling Like we can Run Again

We are feeling like we can run again. We really need to start the exercising part of this diet, quite honestly. We have both lost over 20 pounds each and I personally am at 211 right now. Well, at least I was this morning. I am losing about 1/2 pound per day average. At this rate it will only take me 422 days to disappear. That's a little over a year.

We have been quite faithful in our diet. I say that because there is some wiggle room every once in a while. The key is that we want to be healthy and loose the weight we have accumulated over the years by not eating healthy. It just plain feels good to not have to carry around so much extra weight. The meals we are eating are not that burdensome as to throw us off the diet either.

We have looked at and are trying some alternatives for meals, such as breakfast. We bought some organic oats and grains and Ezekiel bread for changes in what we eat most of the time. Most of the time we eat eggs and veggies for breakfast but we can mix it up with some oatmeal, fruit and breads like pumpernickel and rye once in a while.

Lunch is mostly veggies and something like a piece of fish or a chicken stir fry or salad with oil and vinegar dressing. We use olive oil and a vinegar mixture with Italian spices and some garlic as a topping. A good variety of veggies keeps things interesting. Dinner is about the same but we have had hamburger meat and rice or keenwa (sp) or one of our favorite chopped salads Marlene makes with cabbage and lots of other finely chopped veggies.

And of course, you knew I had to throw in another statement about popcorn. It is, of course, my favorite food, next to watermelon. Watermelon is just starting to come into season so I will get some of that soon. Just a side note: Two years ago I lost twenty-five pounds on a watermelon diet. Ate regular sized meals and all the watermelon I wanted in between times when I got hungry. The only problem is that when the watermelon ran out I didn't stay on a regular diet of moderation and I gained it all back again.

Anyway, I was talking about something else. Oh, of course, it was popcorn. Did you know that there are some people who don't like popcorn. Can you imagine? Not eating popcorn at a movie, or before bedtime for a snack? Well, I had never heard of such nonsense and it still puzzles me how anyone could turn down a delicious bowl of popcorn. My recipe for popcorn is made in a Stir Crazy popcorn popper and I use a small portion of olive oil to pop it with. Sometimes I use Orville Reddenbockers popping oil when no one is looking. They don't notice and it really works better because it is specially blended to pop the corn at a higher temperature. Plus it's nostalgic and that has to count for something. I use a small portion of "Land-O-Lakes butter (1-2 teaspoons) and some olive oil to put on top of it. The kids love it and I am partial to it as well.

Well, my goal is 190 so I have about twenty pounds left to go. That should happen in about 40 to 50 days if I get busy and start to exercise. I'll keep you up to date as much as possible. Until then, eat healthy and pop some popcorn.

And the Diet Goes on

I haven't reported anything for a while about the diet we are on but everything is going well. I must say this . . . as we continue to eat the approved and recommended foods on this diet, we are enjoying the menus more and more. The foods are limited but our imaginations are not. I'm not talking about pretending that what we are eating is something else or making believe we are full when we are not. We are actually full when we eat the foods we eat and not just because our stomachs are shrinking. The portions are very close to what we ate before, but we are allowed to eat 5 meals a day and that keeps us from being hungry. Most of the times we eat only the three meals our house prepares for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Never-the-less we are not left hungry.

As for the popcorn, you knew I was going there, didn't you? Yes, we still eat popcorn. About three or four times a week and usually an evening treat. It is mostly a habit but when we are watching a movie or talking with friends it goes well with either. Popcorn is an approved staple, I think?

We are starting to look at what restaurants we can eat at as well. Many don't have a salad type environment and we have to be particular in what we eat. Sometimes we can just eliminate the cheese, sour cream, bread and other extras and eat the main menu items. We are careful not to eat the processed foods. Most restaurants at least have some kind of salad, even if it's just a table side dish.

We have lost a considerable amount of weight since we last reported on this blog but to be honest, probably not as much as I was hoping for. This is definitely not a quick weight loss program. It is a program of eating that keeps you healthy and does afford slow weight loss. Tara says she has lost about 20 pounds and I have lost about the same.

One thing good that is happening because of our diet is our household members are looking more carefully at what they are eating or should eat. That is with the exception of the young men in our house. They usually eat everything in sight and don't show one pound of weight gain from it because their metabolisms are so high that they burn it off immediately upon consumption.

More late, got to go to a meeting.

Stay happy and pursue health.