Day the Third

Tomorrow, I publish some of the GREAT ideas from some of my readers who didn't comment.
But first...yes, I dragged the rebounder out of the closet.

I didn't rebound on it, but it's out where I can--right in the living room. That's huge.

• Eating lots of raw carrots and finding that the taste isn't too awful. I still need to make that drizzley dip for it or steam these suckers.
• Managed an orange this morning. They are so much work, but a good orange is worth it. Note to self: buy the navel oranges you choose yourself, not the ones in the bag.
• What would I do without my own personal trail mix of organic raisins and raw organic almonds? I buy both in semi-bulk and then have to nosh upon. Organic raw sunflower seeds are great with raisins or with dates (the fruit variety, not the "wanna go to a movie?" variety) Why raw? My doctor of 22 years ago--who shall now be referred to as Dr. X--told me that raw seeds and nuts have their enzymes intact--they are living food.
• Drinking about 2 quarts of water a day--I have my quart mason jar at work (no, not filled with "sweet tea"; I prefer my syrup on waffles or pancakes...) and I try to drink a full jarful in the morning and one in the afternoon.
• Will be eating an apple on the way from work to Choir practice tonight...that's about 1/2 hour drive.
• OH...had some Wolfgang Puck Organic Chicken Noodle soup for lunch. Because it was fast and it was there, that's why.
• Big goal is to have some yogurt tonight but am out of honey and any decent sweetener (and no $$$ until tomorrow for strawberries--thanks Jana. Brilliant idea.)
• Tomorrow, will be buying Fage Greek yogurt (higher in protein, and just oh-so-good), more honey or some decent sweetner (brown rice syrup?), blueberries, almond butter (because it's good. As my friend Thad says, "It needs to TASTE GOOD." Word, Thad...) and of course, the "stuff" to make salads.
• I LOVE SALAD. I am a salad junkie. One of the reasons I have been eating less--and "less fun" food is that when I get through about a week of that? I just crave salad afterwards. Salad starts feeling like this major sybaritic treat.
• Let's see if I run on the rebounder tonight...with Choir practice, don't be puttin' money on it...

Day the Second (11/9/2010)

Oh, what to do--what to do?

Here I am on Day 2, and this is what I'm doing:

1. Thinking about getting my rebounder out of the closet. You know rebounders--those little trampolines that you jog or run on. Very big deal back in the 80s. My doctor at the time said that they stimulate the lymph system. All I know is that I can jog on it without having to get some dandy outfit, or run in Tulsa's vile heat or piercing cold, or expose myself to the smart alecks on Riverside Drive yelling, "Run, Granny, run!" And I can watch a movie at the same time...oh yeah, rebounder comin' out of the closet today...
2. Drinking plenty of water...I have the worst time with this. I literally have to get a quart mason jar, fill it with water and give myself a time limit ("Drink it by 2 pm or you're chuggin' it...")
3. Eating yogurt--mostly because I got it last week and I'm not going to throw it out. It's plain, organic and I've been adding honey, fresh blueberries and walnuts for the antioxidents. I feel so virtuous...
4. Trying to eat raw baby carrots. I know carrots are good for me--my friend Jennifer said she read somewhere that if all you do is eat one carrot a day, you're way ahead of the game no matter what else you have been doing. I wonder if that counts if you faceplanted into a pumpkin cheesecake. Of course, pumpkin is a yellow vegetable, so perhaps pumpkin cheesecake is indeed a health food...hmmmm...it's this sort of sophistry that has me up in the Big Girl Clothes...
5. Realizing that no matter "how good it is for you", it doesn't count if you can't make yourself eat it. So...I need to lightly steam the carrots (because that brings out their sweetness and makes them more...pleasant...to eat) and make some sort of dip I can drizzle on. No, I'm not going out and buying a big ol' tub of "Rainch"...the mayo of the new millenium, complete with extra salt...
6. I want to make this yummy-licious Thai inspired peanut-butter drizzle for the wee carrot tykes...all natural ingredients. Will post this on another day once I have actually MADE it again...
7. Trying to eat an apple every day. Haven't had my apple yet.
8. Really want to eat an orange, but that's a project. Still, an orange is so sweet and yummy.

Here's what I'm trying to do--ADD foods that are good for me and ignore the fact that I'm nervously waiting to see when my Coca-Cola jonez is comin' back...

And make myself get on that rebounder. Will she do it? Tune in tomorrow...

Day the First

I'm conducting an experiment. There is too much of Weltha. Yes, that's my real name.

My weight has been up and down for years--mostly up. I know that sounds familiar.

One of my friends suggested blogging my year of getting my weight under control. I thought it was a great idea.

But first, a few disclaimers...

1. I'm not a medical doctor (teach literature), and this is not a medical advice blog. It's a blog of my journey to get this weight under control, made public.
2. I may have a few recipes at times. This is not the place to go for meal plans or recipes. It's just...my journey.
3. I'm not going to give anyone advice or ask for it myself. I'm just putting my odyssey online as a record. At times, there will be the proverbial laughter and then tears; I know there will be triumphs and moments where I am facedown in the mud while the rain pours on me. It's just the story of my journey.
4. I'm not trying to diet myself "down" to some pre-chosen weight. And I'm not a "Big Beautiful Woman." More power to the Emmes out there, but I'm not one of them. I am overweight, and I am not healthy. And not happy with it.

Today, I decided to weigh myself. I'm 5'10" tall. I am fairly fine-boned--not that you can tell with this weight hanging on me. I have high cheekbones and good skin, right along with a tendency to jowliness inherited from my dad's side of the family. (Thanks, Grandma Nellie!). I have actually been at a healthy weight as an adult once: I spent a year under a doctor's guidance on Fit for Life, which caused me to be very slender but healthy and full of energy. I liked that.

And then...a guy I was dating took too much attention, and I started eating to keep him company. Is this familiar to anyone? I caved in, and now...I am way overweight.

A Few Things I Believe:

• There is no magic key to weight loss. You eat fewer and "better" calories, you start moving, and you lose. The how fast depends on too many variables to go into at the moment.
• My body knows the best weight. All I have to do is eat well and exercise; eventually, I will "get there", drop a little below, look like DWO (death warmed over...) and then gain a few back to look good. Been there, done this.
• The surgical route is not for me. It is for some people. Just not for this one.
• I will never wear sample sizes. I don't want to. I want to fit the slender-but-normal sized wardrobe lurking in my closet.
• I'm tired of not fitting airline and movie theatre seats. I want to fit them.

This is a long post today...but I promise complete honesty. If I eat a bag of Almond M & Ms, I 'fess up.

And the info you want to know? Today, I weighed 250 lbs. This is probably about 100 lbs over where I will land--again, I have no idea where my body is going to get to. I just know it's not going to be 250 lbs.

Every Monday morning, I will--I promise--weigh myself and post the weight. Once a month, I'll change out my photos (I would have them today but I've goofed up something in the format of them)

and as always...thanks to many people: Janis (her idea), Melinda and Donna (photos), and David (for the title of the blog)