Eating With My Family

I was in such pain from a muscle spasm in my back that wraps around to my side, that I made an appointment with my Chiropractor this morning. He used moist heat and then adjusted my back. I was able to get some relief but not enough so that I could walk my 2 miles today. I will have to make up for that when the pain is resolved. I don't know how I hurt my back either, just gradually getting worse since last week.

Dolores, Aaron and I helped my Mom hang some mirrors and some other chores, and then we all went out to lunch at Johnny's Chop House in Antioch. This is our favorite restaurant. They are known for their steaks, seafood, pasta and burgers. The food is always excellent and I highly recommend it. In fact, Aaron and I renewed our wedding vows on May 16 this year and our reception was at Johnny's. It was so fun to get married all over again with all of my new family members present. I was looking for something healthy on the menu so I ordered 6 raw oysters for my fat free protein and I had the veggie melt on multigrain toast. If you know me well, I am no where near a vegetarian so this was an experiment. It was absolutely delicious. They grilled tomatoes, green peppers, onions, zucchini and put it on toast with 2 different kinds of melted cheeses. I was very pleased. I ordered a glass of Crossings Sauvignon Blanc which goes so well with oysters!

We came back to the house and watched a movie together - Almost Famous. An old favorite of ours. We only had about 10-15 kids come to the door for Halloween and Aaron was on candy detail since my back hurt so bad. I kept to my vow of not having any candy.

For dinner we had chicken breast sandwiches on pumperknickel bread with a small amount of olive oil mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. (I had an open-face sandwich) I also enjoyed 4 reduced fat Cape Cod potato chips so I wouldn't feel denied. Since it's Saturday, I sipped another glass of wine.

Food For Thought:

At lunch today we were discussing the Mediterranean diet and all that I'm learning. I've been reading about Parmesan Cheese. The book states that "there are 2 types, Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano, but the former is infinitely superior. A really fine Parmesan may be aged for up to seven years, during which time it matures, becoming pale golden with a slightly granular, flaky texture and a nutty, mildly salty flavour. Always buy Parmesan in the piece and grate it yourself."

We reminisced about the time that one year for our anniversary we decided to order 2 pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma, Italy. It was shipped along with a cheese knife and packed in 2 1-pound sealed bags. This cheese was the most delicious cheese we have ever tasted. It was hard but also creamy and nutty, salty and grainy like stated above. We didn't have the heart to grate it so we kept flaking off pieces and eating it with different Italian red and white wines over the next couple of weeks. We shared it with our friends and family and everyone was taken by how delicious it was. We're all used to Kraft grated Parmesan cheese but this is definitely no here near this American favorite. If you want to make a memory that will last the rest of your life, try ordering 1 to 2 pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma, Italy. It's a little pricey, but it's worth it.

(9:09 pm)

It's Working!!!

First Friday:

I weighed in this morning and found that I was 198 pounds!!! I lost 1.5 pounds this week. I'm thrilled to know it's working. I had an extra special glow as I got into my Julia Child outfit and rode to work today.

What fun pretending to be a very important cooking icon in America as well as someone with great character. Someone called me Betty Crocker at work today and I almost hit him with my wooden spoon.

I did very well with my eating today and was quite proud. I stuck to the plan and was very hungry by dinner time. We ordered some food for delivery tonight. I had a sandwich and a salad and a few shoe string french fries. We shared some wine and watched Dexter. A great Friday night.

Food For Thought:

I promised that I would tell you about growing up German and then learning I was 1/2 Italian. I was adopted at birth to a couple named Bill and June Hake. They were both German and Lutheran and raised me that way. My maternal Grandmother was an excellent cook and owned her own deli in Chicago during the Depression. I was no stranger to deli meats, sauerbraten, spaetzle, sausage, bread, cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, etc. They conveyed to me that I was German and Norwegian and also Lutheran. I believe this is what they truly thought.

Last year I was reunited with my birth mother, Susan Warner Malone. Upon our first conversation over the phone I learned that my real father was Italian and she is a mix of Bohemian, English, French, German and Irish. Oh, that just makes so much more sense. I was eating German food growing up but craving Ravioli and garlic bread. After speaking with my real Uncle Ralph, I've learned that my 50% Italian consists of 25% Sicilian, 12.5% Neopolitan and 12.5% Calabrese. It's very important in the Italian culture to know this ratio.

This also explains my love for wine. Aaron and I have studied (and sipped) many different wines over the past 10-12 years and have cultivated quite a palate. Our favorites are French and Italian.

In closing tonight, I just wanted to mention that my blood sugar tests that I take every morning when I wake up and every evening before I retire have been very good this week. Overall I am pleased with my results.

(10:34 pm)

Having Fun on the Journey

I am having so much fun being on this journey already. So many people are behind me and support my efforts. Thank you to everyone!

Last night I added 5 push ups to my exercise routine. Wow, they were hard to do with my weak muscles but I like the fact that I did them. I felt so energized when I was done that I asked myself "why didn't I start this sooner?" I guess I just didn't feel bad enough to make a change. I'm really aware of my body today. I know it's because of the exercising - finally. Just slightly tender but manageable.

I walked all around the grocery story on my lunch hour today gathering together items that would be found in the Mediterranean area - artichokes, olives, various vegetables, as well as the makings for chili for supper tonight. My Mom (Sue) came over for dinner so we all ate together: Aaron, me, my Mom and Aaron's Mom (Dolores). We all get along so well and that makes me very happy. I had a small bowl of chili with 7 oyster crackers and I'm still full.

Food Triggers:

I know Halloween is Saturday and normally I would have a house full of candy - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! Not this year. I've ordered a couple bags of candy from Peapod.com and they will bring them on Saturday with the rest of my grocery order and I've vowed to not eat any. After Halloween, I'll take the left overs to work and it will be gone in 3 minutes!

Tomorrow at work we have a Staff Appreciation Luncheon planned (we have a great boss!), which I am coordinating. Our Oktoberfest menu includes Sauerbraten, Chicken Schnitzel, Spaetzle, Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut, salad, and for dessert - apple slices. This is going to be very difficult to get through because I am planning to eat some of this food. I've been thinking about it all week. I'm going to have some chicken, salad, sauerkraut and 1/2 of an apple slice. I will have 1 bite of the sauerbraten (marinated beef) and 1 bite of the polish sausage. That way I will not deprive myself but I won't overdo it either and I will be able to enjoy all of the flavors and still keep on track. Successful dieters are the ones who plan ahead.

We are encouraged to wear costumes for Halloween at work, so since I'm coordinating the FEAST, I've decided to dress as Julia Child. Since I'm 5'2 I'll have to stand on a box like Meryl Streep did in Julie and Julia. (Great movie!) Fortunately, I took french in high school with Madame Kathy Pondorff (now Kathy Mathews) so I'll be able to play it off pretty well!

Food Tips:

A good friend of mine (Joyce) gave me a tip on unsalted canned vegetables. She buys the Jewel brand whole kernel corn and stewed tomatoes and says they are really good. I purchased them today and will try them in a dish next week.

I bought a loaf of bread at Jewel today which looks, feels, smells and tastes terrific. It's made by "Today's Tempations." It's a big round whole grain loaf that comes sliced with grains all over the top of the loaf. It's fat free, sugar free, cholesterol free, lo carb/hi fibre and no preservatives added. 1 huge slice is 45 calories, 6 carbs, 4 grams of fibre and 5 grams of protein. It's a soft bread and the color is like a wheat bread. I tried the end piece tonight with a drizzle of olive oil and was very pleased. Bread without butter is a very important ingredient in the Mediterranean diet.

More on the Mediterranean Diet:

I've just begun reading a cookbook called "Mediterranean Cooking - a culinary tour of sun-drenched shores with over 400 dishes from Southern Europe" The authors are Jacqueline Clarke and Joanna Farrow. Hermes House is the publisher in London. I'm only in the introduction and am already learning so much. For instance, I did not know that Italian mozzarella was made from buffalo's milk - hence the name Buffalo Mozzarella. Layering it with fresh basil leaves and tomatoes represents the colors in the Italian flag. Don't forget to drizzle all three with olive oil and serve as an appetizer or in place of a salad.

I'm also learning about the benefits of this diet from the Mayo Clinic's website. Such as their suggestion to use extra virgin or virgin olive oils because they "are the least processed forms, meaning they contain the highest levels of the protective plant compounds that provide antioxidant effects." You can read all about the diet on their website www.mayoclinic.com

I also use olive oil to soften my hands in the cold weather months. Unlike some hand creams, there is no perfume or alcohol, it's all natural and my skin feels silky smooth.

Food For Thought:

Ok, I'm a little nervous about getting on the scale tomorrow morning but I'm in this for the long haul. And we're all in this together, right? I'm going to be saying my prayers tonight. Also, I've decided that my absolute curfew is 11pm lights out. I've read in several places that getting the right amount of sleep will help you lose weight and stay healthy.

Tomorrow I will tell you how I thought I was German and Norwegian for 44 years and then found out I was 1/2 Italian. It's a very interesting story so stay tuned.

(10:38pm) the time is off on the post so until I learn how to correct this, I'm going to write it in.

Establishing The Rules

My Daily Routine:

So you don’t have to bother seeing this listed every day, my daily routine will be the following:

My alarm clock – Aaron – will wake me at 6:15am so I can walk in place 1 mile. This takes 15 minutes. I will then be rewarded with a cup of coffee (no cream or sugar) as I watch a little news with my Honey before I hop in the shower. I eventually will increase the mileage.

I eat the same thing for breakfast each morning. A creature of habit, I guess. 1 fat free yogurt and 1 hard boiled egg. My dietician has suggested I throw away the yolk 3 times per week to reduce my high cholesterol. I’ve also decided to get rid of my salt shaker.

Since I have Type II Diabetes, I eat a morning and afternoon snack. Usually a high fiber and protein breakfast bar, unsalted nuts or an instant oatmeal packet in the morning and always a piece of fruit in the afternoon.

Lunches usually consist of a brand name frozen boxed light meal with lean protein, vegetables and a healthy carbohydrate. Or, I will make a sandwich on whole grain bread with lean meat, lettuce, tomato and a ¼ of an avocado. Sometimes we eat left-overs from dinner the night before.

Dinner is where I like to experiment so you will be reading about my attempts at cooking gourmet light meals.

My Food Plan:

I’m currently researching the benefits of a Mediterranean diet – using herbs and spices to flavor foods (instead of salt), olive or canola oil, avocado, unsalted nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, low fat cheese and yogurt, a small amount of red meat and red wine, whole grains and pasta. I’m trying to incorporate more of these foods into our diet.

I plan to eat a total of 1400 calories a day with a small allowance of a little more on Saturdays.

My Exercise Plan:

Monday through Friday mornings, walk in place 1 mile, Monday and Wednesday evenings Yoga and stretching for 30 minutes. Tuesdays and Thursdays walking for 15 minutes on my lunch hour at work. Saturdays and Sundays walk 2 miles.

My Weigh-In Plan:

Each Friday morning, I'll step on the scale and report my weight loss.
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My Motivation for Today:

Today I bought myself a pair of new shoes. You just can’t find a good pair of blue shoes but I was successful. The motivation for my new shoes is reminding myself that I need to continue taking steps toward my goal. I also bought a new lipstick. When I circle my lips with the new color and look in the mirror each morning, I will remind myself that I need to put only healthy foods into my mouth. I thought I would take it a step futher and try to be conscious of what I am saying as well - striving to be more constructive and complimentary.

Tonight's Dinner:

Since I love cooking and writing about food, I'd like to elaborate on our dinners. Tonight I made Filet Mignon and trimmed all the fat off. I sprinkled garlic powder and crushed black pepper over each filet and pan seared them on a hot cast iron pan (no oil or butter or salt). Once browned on each side I finished them in the oven for a few minutes to let the juices run. I toasted 1/2 whole grain English muffin with a thin slice of low-fat cheese and placed 1 filet on top for Aaron and one for me. I also sauteed in olive oil some sea scallops (7 each) and sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese over them with a red and black pepper mix. As a side dish I served canned peas with a can of mushroom pieces tossed with lemon pepper. Aaron had a Vodka and sugar free lemonade drink and I had 5 ounces of red wine.

Food For Thought:

For the past 2 mornings I have been walking in place along with my DVD. Our living room is right above my mother-in-law's bedroom. (She lives in the basement). I am trying to do it very quietly so I don't wake her so early. Tonight she came upstairs to see how everything was going with the new plan and I asked her if my exercising was bothering her. She let out a huge laugh and said, "I thought you guys were having sex!" My husband, Aaron, said, "At 6:15 in the morning?" She replied, "Your father was ready to go anytime, I thought maybe you took after him!"

Ok, so I guess we're all going to have to get used to my new journey! Wednesday night, now time for Yoga...

(8:22pm)

Examining my relationship with food

Last night I made a fabulous dish of sauteed shrimp mixed with shell pasta, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, scallions and button mushrooms. I added in a little olive oil mayonnaise and served it warm over a piece of whole grain toast.

I prepared our lunches for the next day - a can of chicken with a little olive oil, lemon pepper and black olives to be eaten with some natural apple sauce.

After 20 minutes of exercising and stretching on my Yoga mat, I sat down to crochet 2 Granny Squares for the afghan I'm working on.

This morning my husband, Aaron, woke me (upon my instruction) 15 minutes early so that I could walk in place 1 mile with my new "walk at home" DVD before getting ready for work.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

Well, this happens to be who I am today. I'm beginning what I hope to be "not just another diet." I have a goal in mind and this time I am going to stick to it and finally achieve that goal. I need to lose 60 pounds and I plan to lose that weight in 365 days.

I am writing about this for several reasons. I love writing, I need to be held accountable, I need support and perhaps I can help someone else as I struggle through this endeavor.

I love to eat and have many problems because of my relationship with food and drink. I am 45 years old, 5'2" and weigh 199.5 pounds. I have type 2 Diabetes, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, high cholesterol, depression, a herniated disk in my neck, back pain, foot pain, hip pain, GERD, and weak muscles from not exercising. I don't get enough sleep and until just recently, I was not eating the right foods or portions. The only problem I don't have is high blood pressure. I am a walking time bomb and I finally woke up and committed to doing something about it. My plan is to be around to thank myself some day for taking control of my health.

Please join me as I journey through this adventure and work hard to chisel away the extra pounds to see what I am really supposed to look like. I'm hoping that you will be with me on October 27, 2010 when I step on the scale and see 139.5

Are you with me?