New Beginnings...

Wow, I'd just about given this blog up for the ghost, when two things happened yesterday.

First I want to put forth a huge thank you to Stace from Piffel Drivel and Fluff, for encouraging me to keep this blog going, by giving it a new spin. I love the idea!

She has a wonderful food philosophy that I can totally relate to. And stick with! What is it you say? It's simple.

Instead of focusing on dieting, which as we all know, I can't stick to any, I'm going to focus on the pleasures of food. Enjoy your food, without any worries or guilt. The idea is feel happy about what you eat without beating yourself up for eating something like say, a pizza. If you are mentally cool with it, than physically you probably will be too.

Few. Finally something I know something about!

I know! So easy.

Now, this doesn't mean that I don't need to loose weight or be healthier. But I'm not going to make myself miserable dieting either.

This brings me to the other thing that happened.

Yesterday was a lovely spring day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. In short it was the perfect day for a motorcycle ride.

Everything was set. Good weather? Check. Motorcycle? Check. Day off? Check.

The hitch? I couldn't fit into my riding pants! I was too fat! The horror. Because I'm a stickler for safety, I refused to ride in my stretchy pants.

Call me crazy, but if we should happen to fall (not that I don't trust you sweetie!), I didn't want a thin layer of cotton to be the only thing between me and the pavement.

To say my husband was disappointed is an understatement, and believe me I felt horrible. He was really sweet about the whole thing, but still. How embarrassing that we couldn't ride, because I was too fat.


We ended up having a nice, relaxing day, but we also had a long talk.

Both of us agree things need to change. Not just for me, but him too. We have unfortunately started to lead a very sedentary life style. Instead of doing all the fun things we used to, we have taken to spending almost all our time at home on the computer. Him working, and me blogging or surfing the internet.

Obviously this is not good. So we decided that both of us would start doing a bit of exercise each day. If we can't get out of the house, then at least we will make an effort to do sit ups and such at home.

Also? We are giving up desserts. Yes giving them up. I know this sounds drastic, but we both feel it is a huge contributor to our weight gain.

So of course I went around the kitchen last night finding all the yummies, and asking my husband but what about the cake I just bought, or the ice cream, or the Cadbury cream eggs? Too bad we had just gone shopping the day before.

Cutting out desserts is something we both should do even if we weren't trying to loose weight, since we both need to be careful about diabetes, as it runs in our families.

Instead of feeling sad about this, I actually feel encouraged. Like I said earlier I'm not dieting. I will still eat and enjoy my foods, even if they aren't low fat. I will not worry about that. In fact I'm not making an effort at all to make low fat meals.

If I choose to make dinner low fat, than fine, but I don't have to.

It helps that my husband is doing this with me, so we can hold each other accountable. With the exercising, and cutting out desserts, I feel this will help on the weight front a little.

I also believe that by at least getting some exercise my body will tone, and then I'll feel more comfortable with it, even if I do weigh more than the 118 lbs I wanted to get down to. Those days are long gone, I'm afraid.

The main thing is, is to be comfortable and enjoy myself. It's mostly about having a positive mentality. If you feel good mentally, you will feel good physically. Thank you Stace!

So it it with a good conscience that I can honestly say, that Easter Dinner tonight was wonderful! In fact it was so good, I had seconds. Mmm Mmm.

Nutty Behavior

Honestly I don't know why I bother. I might as well stop this blog, because it's obvious that I cannot stick to any sort of diet regime for any period of time.

However, I think I'll keep pressing on, in the off chance that I do miraculously start shedding the pounds.

What I need is some kind of drill sergeant like this guy,


that will kick my ass if I am caught sneaking bad foods out of the refrigerator. As this won't actually happen, what with it being hard to find mutant giant frogs in military dress , I have to find a way to do this on my own, and that my friends is so much harder.

Seriously today I consumed so many nuts it isn't funny. I probably gained 5 pounds from a combination of the high fat content and sheer volume of nut eatage. If I start sporting a top hat, monocle and twirling a cane like this guy

I wouldn't be at all surprised. Although I'd be really worried.

I don't know what my recent obsession is with nuts, but it's crazy. I never really cared for them before and now it seems I consume several varieties a day. I think it's partly because of the salt factor, because immediately after eating them, I have a strong urge to scarf down something sweet like peanut butter cups. And then the vicious cycle repeats itself, because after the sweet I need the salty. This is why I can sometimes be found to my husbands utter astonishment, eating a dill pickle one second and a brownie the next.

A worried look always passes over his face, but I assure him that if I were indeed pregnant it's likely I wouldn't be craving foods I already love, it's the weird combinations you have to worry about. Somehow I don't think he understands.

Anyhoo, my weight has reached epic proportions, and those three pounds I mysteriously lost before, are back with reinforcements. As I watch my feet disappear, and large fleshy rolls appear along my midsection, it's clear, that I really need to get my butt in gear.

If I didn't live out in the sticks, I might consider joining a gym with a personal trainer to hound me. Seeing that there aren't any gym's around, I have the perfect excuse not to.

However this doesn't mean that I don't have to at least stop gorging on the calories. Seriously I ate mouthfuls of whip cream today. I think I've hit an all time low.

If anyone is out there... Hello... hello... hello...

Do you have any tricks of the diet trade that have worked especially well?

Keep in mind that I have almost zero willpower, so it has to be fairly simple for it to stick, however, I'm always willing to learn new tricks. Who knows I might even keep at it...

Now if you'll excuse me I have some fettuccine Alfredo to eat. What? It has broccoli.

Successful Eating Tips. Can You Follow Them?

Well I realize I've been somewhat remiss with my posting this past week and I'm sorry. I honestly haven't had much to report since I can't seem to follow through with anything.

Anyhoo.. I found these tips on Flip This Body blog (good blog by the way), who got it from Hungry Girl (another good site, great weight loss ideas), while I was searching for diet inspiration, and thought I'd share it here. It's very insightful...

Top ATE Tips for successful eating in 2008:

1. Don't go "on a diet". (See I told you.)

While diet plans can be helpful, if you think of yourself as being "on a diet", everything will be too black and white.(Exactly. i.e. boring!)If you're on a diet and suddenly you have a little setback, you may decide you're "off your diet" (Um..Yea did that a few times) and go back to your old ways. Think of your new eating plan as more of a lifestyle change -- one that will have ups and downs, with good days and bad. (Is it okay if you have more bad days, than good?)

2. Don't deprive yourself. (Haven't I been saying this all along?.)Remember, your new eating plan shouldn't be about deprivation. (I knew it.)It should be about SATISFACTION. (Halleluhah!) Find foods you LOVE -- ones that satisfy you but are better choices. This is KEY. (Amen)

3. Drink lots of water. (oh. Um.. Does apple juice count?)Water is good for you. It's good for your skin and your metabolism. And it helps fill you up. Plus, not enough water can make you cranky and more likely to make bad food choices. (Is that why I eat so much ice cream?)

4. Listen to your body. (It told me to have lasagna and garlic bread tonight) It knows things. If you know that eating cereal for breakfast makes you hungrier throughout the day, then don't eat cereal in the morning. (But I like my Fruit Loops) Pay close attention to your body cues. This will help tremendously.

5. Live one day (or even one MEAL) at a time. (hey isn't there a t.v. show with that title?)Don't be discouraged and beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon and eat badly -- just be more aware of what you eat during your next meal. (hmm..I'm getting hungry.)

6. Get exercise with activities you enjoy. (But I can't possibly have that much sex in a day!)I used to HATE exercising. I feared it. Now I exercise but only do what I like (which happens to be walking on a treadmill 5 times a week while watching reality TV, ( I'd like that idea. Except hubby thinks this is lazy and won't buy me a treadmill) and weight training 2 times a week with a friend). Find something you actually like to do, and you'll do it. Don't take on an exercise routine that causes pain or discomfort (Don't they all?)-- you'll just end up ditching it completely.(too bloody right) (And I know this isn't an EATING tip, but it's important!)

7. Let yourself cheat a little. (Always do.)Everyone strays once in a while. It's totally normal. (I knew it!) Splurge when you need to, and enjoy it (don't feel guilty)! (I haven't been) Then get RIGHT back on track (oops.), and prove to yourself that you can handle a cheat meal now and then. (obviously I need more training in that area.)

8. Keep track of what you eat. Write it down. (right now I know I won't follow through with this) As dorky as it sounds, you WILL 100% without a doubt do better if you hold yourself accountable for what you eat by keeping a food journal. Just do it -- even if you only write in it every OTHER day.


So now you have it. All you need to know in order to loose weight.

Now all I need to do, is follow through...

Make room for ice cream..

I just had an idea on how to loose weight!

Eat less dinner. That way you can eat more dessert, thereby not gaining any extra weight. After all you are eating the same amount of calories, but just distributing them better, by taking them out of the regular meal and putting them towards dessert.

What? No good? Rats.

Back to the drawing board. I swear I'm gonna come up with a way to loose weight and eat ice cream at the same time.

For now though, I leave you with this...

I gained 1 pound back. I guess that ice cream caught up with me afterall. Drat.

But I like my ice cream..

Well I'm proud to announce that I have still kept the 3 pounds off! Of course I haven't lost anymore, but I'm not complaining cause I'm not gaining. Yea me!!

However, I came to another realization last night. See I suffer from back troubles and thought that the extra weight I'm carrying around is not helping my back heal. I'm pretty sure If I slim down It will help the pain. And that's just what I needed. A motivation. Something that will keep me from straying to the ice cream and pizza.

I have to admit also that although, I haven't been eating healthy per se, I have been eating less. Which I think is why I've kept the weight off. My meals are smaller and I'm not snacking as much during the day. Basically I'm doing exactly what I said during my last epiphany...

P.S. In the last 5 minutes I've spent writing this blog, there has been 3 diet commercials and one pizza commercial on t.v.

Hmmmm... are they trying to tell me something...

Dieting: It never goes out of style...

Since I don't have much to report on my diet, other than I'm hungry, and that I have kept the 3 pounds off so far(yeah me), I thought it would be fun to go back in time and take a look at some old diet advertisements that for some reason never took off...

Some things never change...Well actually they do. Take a look at some of these weight loss tips:

Well If that's all I have to do. I have no problem eating!

Well isn't this typical? The men are allowed to eat all the food. However, it doesn't seem like a good idea to eat 1 lb of meat a day, nor all that butter, maybe that's why women live longer...

And now, a word from the meat institute: "Do you feel tired, listless, washed out? Don't blame it one the heat. Blame it on lack of meat! It might be due to a lack of quality protein, the kind found in meat. All meat. Any meat, not just beef. Don't forget your frankfurters or wieners folks. A delicious way to help keep trim!" (How come no one told me this before?)

Shake, Shake, Shake...Shake your groove thang....


Why this never took off, I'll never know. A device that lets you lay around and do nothing, while it reduces your hips? Come on. It couldn't get better than that.

Here's a diet I can relate to. Candy. One of my main food groups. You mean if I eat candy, I can loose weight? Sign me up!

This is downright scary. I wonder how many people realize that these pills contain a uninary incontinence aid? And look at all the options. Orange pills, red pills, blue pills, green pills, happy pills...

A must read for every teenager. Get clear skin and loose weight, and you too will be popular!

No more laxatives. Just chew gum and the weight will melt away.

Hmm..Maybe there is a reason, these never took off. Could it possibly be that...

diets don't work?

In other news...

How gross is this? Selling tapeworms as a diet aid? Ick.

On another note, I'm proud to report those 3 pounds I lost, are still gone! Funny thing is, I haven't changed my eating habits yet. Although I think the stomach issue, I've been having these past few days, may have had something to do with it.

As long as it's coming off and not on, I'm not complaining.

And no, I don't have a tapeworm. At least not intentionally. Ha. Ha.