Friday, February 2, 2018

Weight 116.8, calories 2016. Too many chocolate cake and almond calories... maybe I need to fast intermittently? I don't know if I could subscribe to that completely, but it is interesting. This is an example of what I found when searching for information after Momsy mentioned it yesterday. Apparently there are 3 main methods with the first appearing to be the most common:

1. The 16/8 Method: Also called the Leangains protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, for example from 1 pm to 9 pm. Then you "fast" for 16 hours in between.
2. Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
3. The 5:2 Diet: On two non-consecutive days of the week, only eat 500-600 calories. Eat normally the other 5 days.

In a way, I perhaps do #3, but with the calories not so low? I'm pretty positive I wouldn't be able to do #2. I could do #1 with a 12-8 window, but I think I'd still have to watch my calories because my window right now isn't much longer for most of my eating - if I eliminated breakfast I'd definitely be eating 1-9, but I only eat 125 calories for breakfast.

Apparently the night before last DH was wandering around our villa at 1:30 am and couldn't figure out where to go. He ended up in SIL's bedroom and she had to guide him back to bed (I was asleep). So now I have to lock the door when I go to bed because I'm afraid he could graduate to outside wandering. Luckily we have a bathroom in the master and double windows to get out of if there were a fire. But it's another step in the progression which is quite disturbing. Plus he seems to be finding it difficult to decide what to wear. The last few times we went out he either put on something inappropriate or changed clothes 3-4 times. AND I have to check clothes for laundry now - they don't always make it into the hamper.

I noticed that the men in the park have coffee when we do (at the same Panera). I think they build camaraderie playing bocce, talking at the pool, etc. DH has said he wished he could make friends like we have with the walking group. I've realized that because he doesn't interact normally anymore that probably isn't going to happen. He doesn't respond properly and he can't participate in regular conversations. Plus he makes some people a little uncomfortable. Everyone is very kind to him, but they don't really want to hang out with him. I guess it is good that he doesn't fully understand that.

Today is going to be another nice warm day. We have coffee this morning with the walking group and a dance this evening at the lodge here. In between is likely to be pool time, and DH will go to pool aerobics.

Have a fascinating Friday!

Weight: 189. I only have 1lb. left "in the bank" to gain before going over the recommended guidelines :( And 5 (or more) weeks to go. I'm not sure whether to "to hell with it! It'll all be over soon anyway", keep doing what I'm doing, or start trying to watch it these last few weeks/walk a little, etc.

I had an appointment yesterday and she didn't mention my weight so I guess she's not concerned. I go back in 2 weeks and weekly thereafter! So soon! She told me it's now time to install a carseat and pack my bags...just for my ease of mind.

Liz-interesting about the intermittent fasting. DSS is doing that currently and as an onlooker it doesn't seem really fun. He's constantly drained of energy and unfortunately it makes family meal time**** or miss. I have heard youtubers who swear by it and I do think there's some science to back it up. And especially if I didn't have a sleeve, I think that's really appealing--to eat larger meals. Because I know when I try to eat very clean and 5-6 meals...1200 calories or even 1400 calories divided so much makes for very sad "meals." That being said, I don't think I could ever do it. My biggest goal in all of this is to preserve the tightness of my sleeve. And I don't think I could get enough calories in eating twice a day unless I ate unhealthily or large portions. Plus I love to snack.

I have been thinking about my diet plans for after baby. I hate that I have to diet again. Urgh. But maybe most of it'll come off easily? So much is up in the air, but I'm thinking I'll give myself a "grace period" of March to adjust. I know a lot of friends and family bring in food, and family will be coming and staying to help me. Plus I'm sure exhaustion and adjusting to a new baby will be enough work without adding dieting to it. I think my goal will be merely to remain fed, and hopefully get some nutritional foods in there. The day after Easter is when I plan to begin some type of planned "diet". Maybe not entirely in the weightloss sense (we'll see about that) but more in the planning out meals, making them healthy, etc. And then I'm thinking around May 1 is when I'll be okay to start exercising again and maybe determine a calorie range then, etc. All subject to change of course. I do plan on making some freezer meals that won't break the calorie bank. So many of them, though, are utter garbage. Nothing but "sugar sauces" on chicken or pork over rice, or casseroles.

Hmmm... interesting points about fasting. I don't think I would seriously consider it, but wanted to check it out.

If you are going to be nursing the nugget, you may not have to do too much "dieting", as a lot of calories go into milk production. I had my only biological child when I was 17, so I don't have a vivid recollection but I feel like my weight gain (to start my obesity roller coaster) actually started after I stopped nursing. I was on my slimmer phases when younger DD and DS came through adoption and I gained weight after they came too (obviously no nursing there). But I see a lot of women who don't nurse seem to lose the weight over a few months fairly easily so maybe metabolism stays high for a while (no scientific knowledge here, just conjecture)?

I was thinking the same as Liz, that if you nurse, your require more calories than if not. So maybe it will be a much more natural progression into eating less, as time goes on. It's great that the warmer weather (unless you already live in a warmer climate - being in Maine, I just assume it's cold everywhere lol) will be in swing when you can get back to exercising - just in time for long walks with the nugget.

I have no interest/desire in considering 24 hour fasting for me. I'd be cranky and afraid it would mess with my low blood pressure (98/60 is my norm). Restricting calories 1-2 days a week or shortening my eating window would be worth a try if I get above my range and logging doesn't give me the desired result. I support any healthy options that work for individuals, and love hearing new ideas for my bag of tricks. I fully understand that I can't depend on my body's current aversion to excess sugar to permanently prevent a foray into sugar/carbs could lead me to uncharted territory. I want my bag of tricks FULL !

Hopefully, our snow shoes are arriving today. Never in my wildest dreams did I picture trying snow shoeing ! Just walking, then cross country skiing challenged my stamina to the breaking point. I am noticing my balance has really deteriorated. I hit some blac**** while walking yesterday and felt sheer panic as I tried to keep my feet under me. The one legged yoga poses are impossible if I don't hold on to something. Guess I know my next goal !

We got an air fryer, mostly for healthily breaded fish. I found catfish nuggets yesterday, soaked them in a milk wash, and threw together a cornmeal /whole wheat Panko breading... fabulous and NO OIL !

TGIF... and find your balance !!

Some of those intermittent fasts sound a lot like what I've done in the past, or my parents do now...practically starve all day and then blow it on one big meal. And it hasn't gotten them to their desired weights.

That being said, I do think it's a good (and normal person) thing to know when they'll be going out to dinner and eat a very light lunch, for example. I remember one time on Weigh****chers there was something they'd dubbed the "Wendy plan". For those of you who never did WW, at this particular point in time you'd get a points range and then could save up unspent points to spend on special occasions. The Wendy plan would have you eat at the very low end of your range for a couple days of the week, and intersperse that with very high days and moderate days. The idea-being to keep your metabolism guessing. I really like that, though the problem I ran into was invariably I'd have my ultra high day which was supposed to be followed by an ultra low day and then around 4 or 5 that evening get a dinner invitation. So I still found it better to save up my calories for a rainy day

I actually try to do that (balance the high and low days to an average). Staying at the same calories each day would be hard for me and I also think there is some validity to keeping the body guessing.

My co-worker has air fryers and brought two in for the office. She made pre-packaged fried foods for the office before her medical leave, and the food was crispy. The food was a bit healthier, as it wasn't actually fried, but not really healthy. I think it would be good for making homemade versions, like you described. I got the poor person's version of an air fryer, a few months back. It's a basket tray that fits over a cookie sheet. They're made out of red copper, so clean-up is easy. I've made oven fries and lightly breaded chicken and pork in it, and they have been crispier. I got it at Sam's club for $20.

Greetings TGIF People

145 today. Gallery duty here in a bit.

Lots of interesting talk about the IF but I still don't understand the benefit of it unless its some sort of reset. Not sure I would do well at it. The minute I decide I can't eat, then thats all I think about doing. Better to have "permission to eat if needed" and easier to not do so. But Dr. Cirangle told me he does a juice cleanse once or twice a year and just had fresh juices from a nearby juice bar plus protein tomato soup for a day or two. Its kind of a re-set I think. I tried some of the local juice bar stuff and its ok. You can buy refrigerated ones as well but some taste awful.

BB, I think you are doing great on your weight and Nugget. Some women gain a lot and it melts away. yep, get that car seat and such.

Liz, sorry DH is having more issues. Suffering confusion must be so isolating. My mother needed care givers for her inability to move but you might consider one for companionship. Some of my mother's were wonderful friends to her.

Diane O, I too have some balance issues and am really afraid of falling. Just have to be super careful.

Well the chiropractor did help my back yesterday and prescribed some exercises to stretch and strengthen the affected area. I wonder if I could do them at the gallery since sometimes no one comes in for hours.

Well time to get moving. Gotta make more coffee for my gallery day.

Diane S

Glad the chiropractor helped, Diane. I used to go monthly for adjustments, and they really did help.