I ate okay last week, but I did splurge Friday night, eating Chinese for supper.
However, I managed to walk a mile on Tuesday and Wednesday. I can tell a major difference in how I feel on days that I walk. I feel much better when I walk in the morning.
I finally managed to record my food on myfitnesspal.com on Saturday, and learned that I am eating way too much sodium. I read that someone with high blood pressure (like me) should eat around 1700 mg of sodium per day. The max sodium that someone with normal blood pressure should eat is 2500 mg. Well, on Saturday I ate 4,819 mgs of sodium, which is what I've been eating every day. Folks have mentioned on my blog about not eating processed foods because they contain a lot of sodium. For example, I didn't realize that fat-free cottage cheese contains 430mg of sodium per half cup serving. This info was right there on the label, but I didn't bother to look at it.
RTFFL: Read the Fu**ing Food Label instead of RTFM: Read the Fu**ing Manual. Being a PC tech, I have seen RTFM many, many times, and I too catch myself not figuring out how to operate new products because I don't read the manual. Well, in this particular instance, I didn't read the food label. Which, basically was sabotaging my weight loss plan.
Well, from now on I am going to enter my food and exercise on myfitnesspal.com, and there's a link at the bottom of this post for both the exercise and food diary. Take a look at my new and improved food, exercise, and emotion plan, which lays out all of the changes that I plan on implementing. I believe that I can still meet the 300 pound challenge, but once I meet that target, I do plan on gradually slowing down the weight loss. Because I've read in multiple places that for long-term results, one should lose approximately 2 pounds per week. So, losing the initial 300 will hopefully completely change my life, and then I can lose the rest slowly to keep the weight off forever.
I do plan on eating sensibly the rest of my life. I don't look at my weight loss as a one time event, and then go back to eating whatever I want. I have a lot of plans for the future including possibly a triathlon.
So, tomorrow I will continue chipping away at the 300lb goal. My challenge right now is finding foods to eat that are low in sodium and meet my other calorie, fat, etc measurements. Oh, this week I am skipping the salads, and
One final note, I want to start drinking green tea because I am drinking way too much caffeine by drinking a lot of coffee. I plan on drinking coffee at home in the morning, but then drinking green tea instead of coffee at work. Green tea has a lot less caffeine, and
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View my food diary at: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/svinson6
View my exercise diary at: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/exercise/diary/svinson6
Both green & white teas are lower in caffeine (almost zero). Don't depend too much on the weight loss benefits of green tea, no matter what they say out there. I just haven't seen it. I've known others to try, I've almost always drank it, and I just don't think it's a huge factor. But if you like it, it's a great option for getting in your "water" aka liquids.
ReplyDeleteI have a weight loss coach friend that has suggested drinking a mixture of 100% Pure, unsweetened cranberry juice & water mixture of about 7 to 1. I just eyeball it in my drink bottle and it gives the water a little zip. I've seen from that,amongst some other bigger changes (like supplements from Walmart that she suggested) my weight loss go from an average of 1.2 lbs. a week to 3.2 lbs. Not a bad change!
Keep up the great work. And remember, this IS a change in LIFESTYLE not a diet. You're too young to live inside that unhealthy package of a body.... break out and be the healthy, great, young, vibrant, young man you should be!!!!!!
I'm glad you realized the sodium sabotage. That can lead to water retention which in turn can lead to a higher number on the scale that's not fat.
ReplyDeleteyeah, I have a bit of green tea here but I don't really drink it. Even though it's not very hot here I'd probably be better off drinking iced green tea and not hot.
doing good and yeah, I'd lay off the cream cheese and maybe get some Brummel and Brown spread? I think that's what it's called however, I don't remember the cals and fat amount. It's been a while.
Stephen,
ReplyDeleteTom and I have been telling you since the beginning to watch the sodium, so I am glad you finally understand how much that is hurting your efforts. Every bit of sodium and starchy carb makes you retain water, and water retention means weight gain.
Worcestershire Sauce is 2,695 mg of sodium per cup! It would be really good if you can try eating without ANY sauces, except lemon and a little olive oil, and give your tastebuds a chance to adapt to what real food tastes like. So many people have no idea. They are so used to all the sauces, they have lost that completely. People are highly adaptable. Try it. --Robin
You think of all your bloggin' peeps when you are out there doing all your deeds.
ReplyDeleteThe day at the races is just one of many many things you will soon enjoy, thanks to the work you are doing today!
You are making progress like a fiend! WOW - really impressed!
I love your sensible, even methodical, attitude toward weight loss. Gather data, review data, identify problems, formulate solutions, incorporate solutions. Now I intend to check out your diaries at myfitnesspal.com and see what that's all about. Hope you will update about the low-sodium foods you discover.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the sodium, priorfatgirls Dad is trying to change his eating habits. It's very hard and overwhelming at times reading all of the labels.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the hard work and it will pay off in the end.
Kim
Sorry for the Worcestershire sauce suggestion. I mentioned it was low in calories, but it's not low in sodium. My entire seasoning collection is basically olive oil, lemon, kosher salt and black pepper. That's it. I don't know if kosher or sea salt is any better than table salt, but that's all they use on cooking shows, so I'm going with it until I learn better!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see more of your hard work pay off!
You are doing so great! You have a great attitude!
ReplyDelete