February 7, 2014

Feb 07, 2014

It has been a tough winter.  I don't know if it is the cold (not as bad a Iowa) or the gloominess (again, not as bad as Iowa) or what, but it just seems like it has been long and my desire for spring started early.  I am so ready for it.  And everyone in TOPS seems to be struggling with the same few pounds--up then down then back up:(  I was feeling good about my weight on Monday but then by Thursday it seemed to have gone back up.  I did, finally, break the 190 mark, but I won't 'trust' it until I am below 190 for at least a couple of weeks.

It seems like I have had to work really hard to accomplish very little.  I'm working out six days a week, at least 30 minutes each day (averaging about 4 hours a week), and keeping my portions small and my choices mostly healthy.  Still give in to baked goods every so often but not as often as I'd like.  It takes a lot of effort just to lose .25 pound or not gain.  And then I have business trips during which I know I will gain simply because of the food options.  Even if I don't overeat--which is a big enough challenge--the food is just more caloric when prepared at a restaurant.  So it is discouraging just to think about.  Maybe things will look better when it is spring. 

Despite my mood--and the scale--I know good things are happening.  People are making comments, I can fit smaller sizes, etc.  I even have little muscle bumps in my arms!  Popeye has nothing to worry about though.  So I am trying to stay focused on things like that and keeping the mood in context. 

Speaking of traveling, I did set up with a lady from TOPS a plan to take photos of the food I order and what I leave on the plate as a way to keep some accountability.  Maybe that will help.  I need to plan what I am going to take for the travel days, what I can take for my vacation days to save on eating out, and so forth.  My goal would be to at least not gain anything.  I'll miss 2 weeks of meetings, so it will actually be 21 days between offical weigh-ins. 

I'm thinking about eventually getting a real metabolism test done.  Seems like I can eat very little without gaining.  So I'd like to know really what my caloric needs are.  Exercise doesn't use up enough (only 165-170) for my morning bike to really count that way.  And for me, exercise is really about health not weight-loss.  I know it helps with metabolism and efficency, but not enough to negate that cookie!

I've also started reducing my red meat consumption.  Problem is that beans and lentils are higher in calories--better for you but worse for you!  I'm not going vegetarian because I like the taste of animal protein and I have yet to find a decent vegetable broth.  So I don't eat much red meat but I'll make the beef broth.  And sorry, but my split pea soup will have ham hock based broth if not the ham. 

Oh well, I'll get through this winter, spring will be better, and life will go on.  So very cheery!  Actually, life is good.  Good things happening at work.  Fun times with friends. Just a bit of a winter mood.

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