weight watchers

Gratitude Continues After Thanksgiving

December 3, 2014 by admin

Mason is ready for his Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love picking up the turkey from a local farm that grew it for us. I love making the menu and trying new recipes. I love the smells wafting from the kitchen. I love the relaxed feeling after enjoying a hearty meal. I really love the leftovers.

I make a full Thanksgiving dinner, even when it’s just the two of us. Fortunately, though, we had company: my stepdaughter Sarah, her fiance Neil, and Mason the dog. Mason, a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix, is a rescue dog who, just over a year ago, didn’t know how to play or walk on a leash. Now he’s flying cross-country.

We had some snow over the holiday, which is unusual for us. On Sunday we drove out to the Olympic National Park, which was a true winter wonderland, and enjoyed a pleasant, though chilly, hike in the woods. I’m grateful to live in such a beautiful place.

Lake Crescent area, Olympic National Park

This week, the opportunities for gratitude continue to pile up. Some are small — I am back on Weight Watchers and lost weight, even on Thanksgiving week. More important, I feel better and more empowered now that I’m back on the program.

When a Grandchild Dies is almost ready to return to print, thanks to on demand publishing. I am checking the proof and making some final changes, and it should be available in a few more days.

Tomorrow I will turn 56 years old, but I am in good enough shape that when I use the book Eight Weeks to a Younger Body by Joan Pagano, I can use the weight program for the 35-44 age range, and the flexibility program for 26-35. I am grateful to be strong and healthy.Bazaar Girls Yarn and Fibre Emporium

This week, our local playhouse, Bazaar Girls Yarn and Fibre EmporiumKey City Public Theatre, is presenting Cinderella. KCPT offers fine productions, and I am proud to be a co-sponsor this year as “Nadine Feldman, Author.” It’s my way of starting to come out more as an author while supporting a fine organization. Henry participates from time to time as both an actor and playwright, and I am grateful for the relationships we are building there, especially with Denise Winter, KCPT’s artistic director. I am sharing sponsorship with my good friends at Bazaar Girls Yarn and Fibre Emporium.

And finally, yesterday, with a swipe of a pen, a judge ended a lawsuit against us. I am cautious about getting too excited about this, because we didn’t “win.” The plaintiffs withdrew the suit without prejudice, so they could re-file the lawsuit. However, for now, at least, a two-year legal battle has ended. We can go back to enjoying life in paradise.

What are you grateful for?

One more Mason photo to add joy to your day!

Blog of the Week: Snack Girl

June 21, 2012 by admin

I guess food and weight are on my mind this week. After a couple of weeks of travel, plus a few more weeks of hanging out downtown to avoid the remodeling, I am back up a few pounds. Why is it so hard to lose the weight, but so easy to gain it back? This week I have returned to the Weight Watchers online program from which I had strayed, counting my points and measuring my portions. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: when I measure portions I eat less but feel more satisfied. Funny how that works!

Losing weight, for me, is about maintaining health. In my case, family genetics don’t allow me to get away with any extra weight — we are cholesterol prone, with a nasty history of early heart attacks and strokes, and I want to stay off medication if at all possible. So far I’ve been successful, but a few extra pounds here and there caused numbers to creep up a little.

If you’re a snacker, I invite you to check out Snack Girl. Snack Girl offers a variety of ways to enjoy snacking but cut the calories way down. Visit the site, and you’ll get plenty of recipe ideas as well as thoughtful blog posts. In fact, the other day while discussing Cinnabon alternatives, she made sure that the Cinnabon photos were in black and white — just a small way of reducing temptation!

And here, because I’m feeling abundant today, is a bonus recommendation: Right after I had decided to recommend Snack Girl, I ran across a blog post by one of my fave bloggers, Bella, at One Sister’s Rant. Reporting from the world of fashion, Bella has alerted us to a new term “fatkini.” It’s frustrating that we women are still hating ourselves and our bodies and using derogatory terms to describe ourselves and our clothing. I’m all for health and maintaining healthy weight, but let’s be kind to ourselves, shall we? Go visit Bella and her pooch, Roxy Lee, and show them some love.

It’s a gorgeous day on the peninsula. I’m leaving the crazy remodeling noises to get a nice, long massage today! I hope you all have a great weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Tuesday!

Weighty Issues

March 14, 2012 by admin

Some years ago, when my grandma was getting on in years, she started to lose weight. I had remembered her as carrying some extra pounds, but she was never fat or obese. When she lost weight, she also lost perspective and couldn’t see that she was getting too thin. If anyone told her of their concern, she accused them of jealousy.

Maybe some of you at midlife and beyond think it will never happen to you, but do a search on “anorexia at midlife,” and you’ll get a surprising number of hits. Apparently the quest for perfection doesn’t end in the teenage years.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been on a weight loss journey since mid-December, and I often think of Grandma in these past few months. While I have needed to lose some weight (we have heart disease in the family, and my cholesterol was slightly elevated), I want to stay in balance and not try to get too thin. I’ve been doing Weight Watchers online, and it’s been a blessing on many levels. One is that I HAVE to eat a certain amount every day, which keeps me honest. I’m also re-evaluating my goal weight and deciding what is “good enough.”

This weight loss journey has brought up a myriad of feelings and fears. I guess I thought that those were for people with a lot of weight to lose, but I’ve had quite a roller coaster with the 12 pounds or so that I’ve lost so far. Anyone relate to these?

1. How do I handle ________ (fill in the blank — Valentine’s Day dinner, kid visit, funeral food)?

The real dread is that I’ll fall off the wagon completely. One big dinner could turn into two or more, that slippery slope into relapse and weight gain. Lately, though, this hasn’t been a problem. If I’m going out to eat and the restaurant has a website, I check the menu and go in with a plan. If they don’t, I can divide my meal in half or more. If we’re getting pizza, I load up on veggies and have one slice, not the whole durn pizza.

2. I’m afraid I’ll gain the weight back overnight.

This has been weird. On Weight Watchers, we have discretionary “points” that we can spend during the week. Hubby and I enjoy a “date lunch” on Wednesdays and a dinner out on Saturdays, and I make the rest of our meals at home. When we are out, I still have to remind myself that it’s okay to enjoy myself, that having a pleasurable meal does not mean I’m going to instantly gain weight back.

One reason is that I’ve had a lot of trouble losing weight in the past few years. My thyroid was off-kilter for a while, we traveled a lot, and after I crossed 50 my metabolism went south along with other body parts. My success of the past few months has been a pleasant surprise, and I’m pinching myself. My new mantra is, “What I’m doing is working.” I have to remind myself of that a lot so that I can enjoy our dining out, that building in some treats within reason is important.

3. I’m learning that less is more.

When I first started measuring my portions (a big reason, I believe, as to why I’m succeeding now), I would look at my meager plate and say, “Where’s my dinner?” I decided that I could get a larger helping if I really wanted one. Funny thing is, though, that smaller helping is always enough. Always. In fact, I don’t have those extremes of being either stuffed full or ravenous. Instead, I’m nicely full until the next meal.

4. Moving and Not Moving

I’ve been active for years, so the thought of exercising more seemed impossible. Instead, I’ve made a few adjustments. I walk more for mental health than exercise, and have stepped up the aerobic activity through exercise videos. Since my writing work is sedentary, I try to do some movement in the afternoon as well as the morning. I also use weights a few days per week, to build muscle mass and therefore improve metabolism. I’m working toward those Michelle Obama arms!

That said, I notice that I have to make myself take two days off per week. After years of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I have to find a middle way of exerting myself, but not too much. Even now, having been symptom-free for years, if my heart rate gets too high I have a little “crash.” I usually take Thursdays and Sundays off from exercise (unless I want a walk or some gentle yoga).

5. Depriving Deprivation

One thing I’ve learned about myself is that if it ain’t fun, I ain’t doing it for very long. Some diets are so boring they make me want to cry. We love good food, and deprivation doesn’t work. Fortunately, we love our veggies, and our meals are colorful, interesting, and delicious as well as healthful. Eating a healthful diet is always more pleasurable than junk food.

6. Taking the Slow Road

While it’s fun to watch the numbers go down on the scale, I’m taking a leisurely approach. Last year I took a few sessions from a personal trainer, but I felt like he was pushing me to lose faster than I wanted. Losing weight slowly, I am getting used to being a smaller person again. Yes, it’s an adjustment. Sometimes we’re scared of hitting that ideal weight — we’re afraid of attracting attention or having to change our identities in some way. It’s odd to see that thinner person in the mirror.

This journey has been rewarding, even the scary parts. I’m getting closer to my goal and am enjoying the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. In the past, maintenance has been hard for me, mainly because I’ve gone “on” and “off” of diets instead of making a lifestyle change. I’m learning that there’s no “there” to get to. Once I hit the magic number, it will take gentle attention to stay there — and that’s what I hope to keep in mind. Not pushing, forcing, straining, judging, or beating myself up…just some loving care. Some days I’m better at it than others, but I’m learning. Day by day, I’m learning.

Where’s My Dinner?

January 3, 2012 by admin

A lot of us start the new year with an intention to lose weight. For most of us, that resolution will disappear by the end of January or shortly thereafter. I’m no exception. The last time I hit my ideal weight was in 2006, and that lasted for about five minutes. Then the kids had their birthday (twins, May 18), Hebrew school graduation, and high school graduation, all within a few weeks. A move followed, and before I knew it, I had gained everything back. This is a tough pill to swallow for someone who never had to watch what I ate when I was young.

I don’t have a lot of weight to lose — 10-12 pounds. Being petite, though, a few pounds make a big difference. Plus, the family genetics do not tolerate extra weight well, so I have to keep a close eye on cholesterol and triglycerides. While some in my family need medication even at a healthy weight, I seem to be able to manage my numbers via the scale.

And I would be lying if I said I didn’t want my pants to fit better! I’m one of those “apple” shapes, so extra weight hits me square in the belly and waist. Things are a bit snug these days, and I’m too cheap to buy bigger pants.

It would be easy for me to say, “Well, I’m over 50, and I have a thyroid disease, so it’s hard to lose weight.” That would be true. At 50+, I am losing muscle mass, which affects metabolism. While I take medication to regulate the thyroid, it’s tricky to get the right balance.

But…

My big culprit is our travel. Even though our vacations are active, with plenty of hiking, biking, and more, we make up for it in the restaurants. Bread! Dessert! Wine! Oh, yeah, the entrees, too! We hope that with our upcoming move to Washington state, we can enjoy outdoor activities without having to leave home (and home cooking).

I started employing my 2012 weight loss strategies in December and lost 2.6 pounds in three weeks during the holiday season, so I think I’m on to something. I’ll write about exercise tomorrow, but here are my food strategies:

First, I had a check-up. I am waiting on the results, but my doctor thinks we may need to adjust my thyroid medicine. Low thyroid is common among women of my age, so it’s worth checking out.
I have returned to the tried and true Weight Watchers program. Some time ago they instituted a new program that didn’t work for me, but they’ve made some adjustments for 2012 that make sense. I do Weight Watchers online, but if I’m having trouble losing weight, I have promised myself that I will go to meetings.
My goal is to lose about a pound a week. Gradual weight loss tends to work better for most people. In my case, that seems to be about the most I can lose anyway — but I am going to allow myself all the time I need.
Helpful, though not required, is that hubby is on board, too. He lost 60 pounds several years ago before I met him, and he has to be diligent about keeping weight off. Having a buddy in cahoots with me makes a big difference.
I’ve ordered a food scale! When I recently started measuring portions with cup measures, I would look at my plate and say, “Where’s my dinner?” Apparently what I think is a cup of spaghetti is more like…three. Funny thing is, the measured portions are always plenty! The problem is, some of the serving sizes are listed in grams, leaving me clueless, so the scale should help keep me honest.
When I go out, I check menus ahead of time to create a plan. My sister-in-law prepared her annual Hanukkah dinner, complete with yummy latkes (potato pancakes). Because I knew ahead of time what was being served, I planned my choices and portion sizes in advance. Turns out that one latke is enough (I normally can eat three or four).
If I’m unsure of the “point” count of a meal in a restaurant, rest assured I can usually cut my portion in half (or more) and bring the rest home. As soon as I get the food, I divide it. I’ve gotten two meals out of my New Year’s Eve dinner, and still have some left over.
Speaking of New Year’s Eve, we avoided the fixed price multi-course special meal and instead ate earlier, when we could order the restaurant’s usual delicious fare. I checked the menu online ahead of time and walked in the door knowing what I would eat.
I load up on fruits and veggies, which I love. None of this 3-5 servings per day for this girl! I usually go for double.
I will not deprive myself. I simply cannot do diets that restrict my food choices. I served a chocolate cake at a family gathering on New Year’s Day, and yes, I had a small piece. I also had a glass of Chateneuf de Pape, which went well with my spaghetti and meat sauce, I might add. Weight Watchers allows for “discretionary points” so I don’t have to avoid the occasional treat.
We make our meals as attractive as possible, with lots of color. I buy as much as possible from farmers’ markets, with herbs from my garden (I have lots of greens growing nicely, too, as I write this). We believe that eating well should be pleasurable and fun, with fresh ingredients and delicious scents filling the home.
Each week I have foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids, often in the form of wild Salmon. I also take an Omega 3 supplement and have flax oil in my morning smoothie.
I power up my foods with herbs and spices that can have medicinal benefits as well as making foods more tasty. For example, my morning smoothie includes cinnamon that may regulate blood sugar; nettle for detox and extra nourishment; and turmeric for brain power. And, I hear that cayenne can rev up metabolism as well. At the very least, my food smells and tastes great!

Tomorrow I’ll write about exercise; Thursday I’ll talk about the ways I sabotage myself along with ideas on how I hope to end the sabotage this time.

Do you have any tips to share? Let me know!

Discovery Tuesday: Integrative Restoration

September 20, 2011 by admin

I’ll tell you my dirty little secret about the “daily rest” that I’ve decided to do: the idea came about as a result of trying to lose weight.

Yep, you read that right. At 52, I have found that losing weight ain’t as easy as it used to be. Despite our hours of hiking in Switzerland, I came back three pounds heavier! Of course, I convinced myself that I needed some extra food to give me energy for the hikes, and I suspect that I overdid things a bit, despite my best intentions.

I told Henry that I wasn’t going to travel in October. Besides the fact that I want to plant my fall garden, I also wanted to eat at home, where I can better manage food ingredients and portion sizes. Before we went on our travels, I also did a lot of reading and investigating about losing weight at midlife, so I could come home with a plan in mind.

The net result is this: I will leave my cardio program as is. On a fitness test, I scored in the “excellent” range on cardio, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I also scored well on flexibility, which makes sense since I love yoga so much. As I suspected, though, I learned that I need to add strength training, and I found a regimen to follow in the book 8 Weeks to a Younger Body by Joan Pagano. I’m just getting started, but I’ll report back, hopefully with some fantastic results.

In terms of diet, I still find the Weight Watchers program to make the most sense, though I’m making sure that my meals and snacks have a protein-fat-carb ratio close to The Zone, which has brought me success in the past. My reading has suggested to me that I am probably a bit carb-heavy on my diet.

The other problem I see is that I’m a high-strung sort of woman, and I need to keep my stress levels down. Stress, as most of you know, raises cortisol levels in the body, and this can affect our ability to lose weight. In theory, lowering our cortisol levels can improve our ability to lose weight.

Yoga helps, and I also get regular massages. I’ve gotten back into a meditation habit, but I wanted to do a little more. Hence, the decision to make time to rest on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

One of the best ways to do that is through Richard Miller’s Integrative Restoration program. I’m including the link to his store, as opposed to one particular recording or book, because they are all worthwhile. I’m particularly fond of his six-volume Integrative Restoration program, which provides six one-hour guided yoga nidra practices.

In yoga nidra, or yogic sleep, we are guided into a state of heightened awareness of the various sensations in our body and mind. Miller has us notice the insides of our mouth, for example — it’s a detailed journey that keeps us conscious even as our bodies gain an extraordinary level of relaxation.

Yoga nidra has proven invaluable in therapeutic environments. Soldiers suffering from PTSD, for example, have benefited from Miller’s work. In our day-to-day lives, which have become increasingly stressful, we may live in a chronic revved-up state of tension, and integrative restoration can help us break that cycle — at the very least we’ll feel better, and who knows? Maybe we can lose some weight, too!