I think I counted wrong a couple times along the way but it’s been approximately one year since I went on the low-carb diet.  I totally expected to have lost more than 50 lbs. by now, but that’s okay.  Sometimes I think, “Well obviously this low-carb plan isn’t working for me anymore” but then when I go off of it I’m hit with such bad cravings that I scramble to get right back on.

With that said, I think I’m gonna take tomorrow off.  It is, after all, a holiday, and there isn’t gonna be another holiday for a long while.  Yeah I took a day off while I was in New Orleans, but this is different.

See how easy justification becomes?  Ha!

My boys want me to make a “traditional” 4th-of-July meal tomorrow, with chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers cooked on the grill and all the cool stuff that goes with that.  I was making a mental shopping list out loud in the car tonight and I kept saying, “Well I can’t have that, but…” After saying that four or five times, it occurred to me that I wouldn’t be eating much of this meal I’m preparing - pretty much nothing but the meat.  No buns.  No potato salad.  No macaroni salad.  No baked beans.  No fruit salad.  No strawberry shortcake (I could have some strawberries but no cake of course).  So yeah.  Meat and strawberries.  Woo.  Hoo.

Yeah I could make me some cauliflower.  I could even make it up to look like/almost taste like potato salad.  But still, it’s not the same as enjoying that meal combination that everyone else will be enjoying.  Because that’s what it’s all about, it’s the combination.  Not just the hot dog, but the bun.  Not just the barbequed chicken, but the baked beans too.

So I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’m thinking yeah, one day.  Just one!

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Tonight we went to the movies and saw Ice Age 3.  It was awesome!  We all agreed that it was a great movie with a lot of laughs.  Two thumbs up!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

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Eileen - Day #361 - Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Weight today:  229.8       Change since last post:  -3.8 lbs.
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Wooohooooo!  I am - for the first time in 10 years - down into the 220’s!!!  BARELY into the 220’s but HEY I saw it this morning on the scale, that big shiny TWO, so I’m there!!!  YEAHHHHHH!!!!!

****Happy Dancing****  ****Happy Dancing Some More****

Ahem.

How did I do it, you might ask.  Did I burn a zillion calories this past week?  Did I exercise my butt off?  Did I work extra hard?  Nope.  I was SICK!!!  Arghhhh!!!!  I spent four freakin’ days in BED, laying around doing NOTHING!!  And I lost almost FOUR POUNDS!!!!

*Sigh*  It’s a heckuva way to lose weight but, hey, I’ll take it.

So yeah, sorry I disappeared again but between my mom going into the hospital and me being sick, I haven’t been spending ANY time online.  I haven’t even updated my own stuff on my w8challenge site either!!!  Thank goodness the site basically runs itself now because I just haven’t been around to do anything.

Speaking of which - today is the last day of the JUNE CHALLENGE!!  I just now added the JULY Challenge, so if you are an existing member and you want to continue in July, just click on the GROUP MGR button and July is now listed as a choice (in the third box).  You can join July and still switch back and forth to June.

By the way, my mom is okay.  She had a “dizzy spell” and then fell and couldn’t get back up.  My daughter was there with her and she called 911 and rode with her Grandma in the ambulance to the hospital.  Luckily there were no broken bones (Mom landed on her butt TG LOL), but her cumadin levels were really high (which probably caused the dizziness and disorientation) so they admitted her, kept her for three days and then sent her home.  I’m very happy that her doctor decided to take her off cumadin altogether.  This is the 3rd time her level got too high and it makes her very sick (and at risk for a bad bleed) when that happens.  Mom will be taking Vitamin K and a daily aspirin instead (she has a pacemaker so she needs her blood a bit thinned).

Thank you to everyone for your kind support and well-wishes!!  Y’all rock!!

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Eileen - Day #352 - Sunday

Weight today:  233.6       Change this week:  -1.4 lbs.
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Hey everybody!

Sorry I disappeared off the face of the earth like that!  I had a work-trip to New Orleans and I really expected to be able to post from my hotel room and say, “Hey everybody I’m in New Orleans” but as it turned out I was VERY busy while I was there (work-related busy and non-work-related busy) and so yeah I never did get a chance to post.

But I’m home now!  Exhausted, but happy to be home!

I took a day “off” from my diet while I was gone but nevertheless I’m still down from my peak last week and hopefully that will continue to be a trend.  I haven’t been counting anything (I get so sick of counting counting counting) but by now I know if I’m eating on plan or off plan and I’ve been staying on, well, except for that one day.  Can anyone guess why I went off-plan for a day?  I had to have something that I’ve heard about forever, something yummy that is native to New Orleans, something that comes in threes and has about a kazillion calories.  I’m betting someone here knows!

OMG I could write a freakin’ novel about the trip itself AND all the yummy food I ate while I was there!!  Yummy food that I ate WHILE on plan!!  I will say this - the low-carb diet was MADE for New Orleans!!!!  Rich yummy satisfying foods which don’t NEED the carb-stuff that comes with them!  I happily discarded carby sides and totally enjoyed the delicious array of amazing low-carb entrees that NO had to offer.  Okay my mouth is watering just thinking about them.  =D

Hey, I copied this from my w8c personal page:

Happy Father’s Day!

Edited to add:  YES!  The N’awlins favorite that I just had to indulge in was the classic order of Beignets from Cafe Du Monde!  I thought I’d post a couple pictures.  Careful!  Food porn ahead!  =D

Mm-mm-mm-mm-mmmm!!!

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Eileen - Day #343 - Friday

Weight today:  I dunno, I didn’t weigh in.
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I was a bit absent this week.  It’s been a hectic one, full of family drama.  *Sigh*  Dontcha just love that phrase “family drama?”  It’s borderline redundant.  In my experience, anyway.

Today was my 48th birthday!  My husband bought me a beautiful opal ring (I, uh, picked it out myself over a month ago!) and we went out to the movies and dinner tonight, the four of us (hubby and both my boys… ahem, young men).  It was a really good day.  =D

We went to see Angels & Demons.  I was very impressed!  Ron Howard did a great job with this movie adaptation of the book!  Much better than he did with DaVinci Code!

We didn’t play tennis tonight, and that was my fault.  Earlier in the day I told everyone that I really wanted to play and so since it was my birthday my men agreed that yeah, we’d all go, but then it was so hot outside and I didn’t wanna get all sweaty before the movies, so I changed my mind.

But tomorrow is Saturday!!  Woohoooo!  I’ll definitely play tomorrow!

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Eileen - Day #338 - Monday
Daily intake goals::  < 35g carbs / < 1700 calories
Exercise yesterday:: none
Net carb grams yesterday:  ?      Calories:  ?
Weight today:  234.0     Change:  +3.2    Total weight loss:  -51.2
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What a week! The work-trip was quite productive and very very busy.  I’m very happy to be home.

I went off-plan on Saturday, then on Sunday I ate on-plan all day long, then blew it at the movies.  Yeah, the dreaded popcorn again!  OMG that is the only temptation that gets to me.  I love me my popcorn!

Today I’m back on the wagon!

It’s always incredible to me how much I gain when I eat off-plan.  Three whole pounds this time.  Three!  I’m assuming that it’s partly water-weight from so much salty stuff (low-carb is naturally low-salt) because even though I did go off-plan and eat a buncha stuff I’m not supposed to eat, I know I didn’t eat ten-thousand calories (three pounds worth!)!!!  I’m not worried about it, though, because I’m gonna work it off.

My hubby works the days shift during the summer, so we can play tennis in the evenings!  He worked a ten-hour day today and I left it up to him as to whether or not he wanted to go play and he said yes!  He wanted to eat first, though, so we didn’t get to the courts until 8:15, which meant that there was only about a half-hour of daylight left.  It’s okay, though, we got a half-hour in, of really good sweaty workout.  It was a good re-introduction to exercise!

Yeahhhhh I’m back!!!

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Eileen - Day #332 - Tuesday
Daily intake goals::  < 35g carbs / < 1700 calories / > 64+ oz. water
Exercise yesterday:: 30 min. tennis w/son
Net carb grams yesterday:  33.6      Calories:  1210
Weight today:  230.8     Change:  -0.4    Total weight loss:  -54.4
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Except for my knees, I feel wonderful!  My back is still giving me a twinge now and then but I can stand upright and move normally (not like a disjointed robot, lol) so I am very thankful for that!  I have a big (working) weekend coming up and I’m so happy that I feel so good!

Yeah, I’ll be at a hotel on Disney property from Thursday to Sunday.  I called the resort and asked them if they had tennis courts (omg am I addicted or what?!) and they said that they do have tennis courts but guests need to bring their own rackets and balls (which I expected) BUT it costs 12 BUCKS AN HOUR PER PERSON to use the court!  OMG!!  Poor Walt would be astounded to know that his dream for a happy place for families had turned into such a cash-sucking-leech!

Guess who ain’t-a-gonna be playing tennis.  **Frustrated and exasperated sigh**

Speaking of tennis (lol like I talk about anything else lately), I went to the court with my son last night and tried to play.  I say “tried” because it actually didn’t work out so well.  My knees were hurting me and I couldn’t run.  Granted, I don’t run all that much anyway but last night I couldn’t run at ALL, and that was frustrating me big time.  I know it’s because of the 2 HOURS of tennis that hubby and I put in on Sunday, that my knees are all swollen, but it was annoying nevertheless.  I gave up after only 30 minutes, and I left the tennis court in tears.  (Poor Kevin, I think he thought I was unhinged or something!)  (Okay maybe I was, a little.)  (LOL!!)

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Eileen - Day #330 - Sunday
Daily intake goals::  < 35g carbs / < 1700 calories / > 64+ oz. water
Exercise yesterday:: none
Net carb grams yesterday:  17.2      Calories:  1238
Weight today:  231.2     Change:  -1.4    Total weight loss:  -54.0
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This past Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I was flat on my back.  This happens maybe once, twice a year, I get a spasm in my back and I can’t stand or walk without excruciating pain.  Finally on Friday it let up enough that I could attend my daughter’s graduation.  Then yesterday I felt much better, almost normal.  Almost.

Basically I’ve just been majorly pissed off because I haven’t been able to play tennis all week!

Today I woke up and for the first time since Monday I could stand up straight without pain.  My husband agreed that yes, we’d go play tennis together.  Maybe because I’ve moaned and groaned about 5,000 times this week about how I miss playing tennis.

We went this afternoon and played for two solid hours!!!  We were both soaked with sweat and I felt like my muscles had turned to jelly, but the exercise was amazing!!!

I am well and truly hooked on this tennis thing.  =D

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Eileen - Day #328 - Friday
Daily intake goals::  < 35g carbs / < 1700 calories / > 64+ oz. water
Exercise yesterday:: none
Net carb grams yesterday:  26.8      Calories:  1191
Weight today:  232.6     Change:  +0.2    Total weight loss:  -52.6
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Well it happened.  I never thought I would see the day.  But it came and went, and we lived through it.  I only cried four times.

My daughter graduated from high school with a regular diploma.

It’s been a really really long story to this momentous event.  Years of attending IEP meetings.  Of fighting for services and accommodations.  Of watching her struggle so much harder than everyone else to learn even the simplest of concepts.

Years ago, she tested out with an IQ of 68 - borderline mental retardation.  Today - surpassing all expectations - she graduated with a 3.0+ GPA.

I am very proud of her, my daughter Paige.

P.S.  Before the graduation ceremony, my mother said to me, “When did you buy those clothes you’re wearing?”  I said, “Years ago - they were in the back of my closet, too small for me to wear.”  To which she replied, “The reason I asked is because they’re way too big and baggy on you now.”

Wooohoooo!!  =D

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Eileen - Day #323 - Sunday
Daily intake goals::  < 35g carbs / < 1700 calories / > 64+ oz. water
Exercise yesterday:: 60 min. tennis w/the Hubby
Net carb grams yesterday:  28.7      Calories:  1244
Weight today:  232.4     Change:  -0.8    Total weight loss:  -52.8
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I can feel that I’ve lost some fat recently.  I can feel it in my clothes.  I can feel it in how I fit behind the steering wheel.  I can see it - a little - when I look in the mirror.  Despite all that, though, I wasn’t perceiving results because it wasn’t showing on the scale.  Or was it?

I’m gonna look backward here and recap a little history.  Back on February 9th I weighed in at 234.6 and I celebrated because I’d finally hit the 50-lb. lost milestone.  Then - within a week! - I gained almost five pounds!  On February 15, I weighed 239.4 and then I hovered around that weight for a long time.  On April 12 - almost two months later! - I weighed in at 238.6.

Right after that, on Thursday, April 16, I posted an entry to this blog that started with, “I have renewed motivation!!”  At that time I dropped the lower limit on my carb and calorie intake and I stepped up my exercise to an hour a day.  Since that date, my weekly Sunday weigh-ins have looked like this:

April 19          236.6          2.0 lb. loss from previous week
April 26          235.8          0.8 lb. loss
May 3             234.8          1.0 lb. loss
May 10           235.4          0.6 lb. gain
May 17           235.0          0.4 lb. loss
May 24           232.4          2.6 lb. loss
.                                    ———-
.                                     6.2 lb. loss

Now 6 lbs. in 6 weeks may not sound like a lot to those who can typically lose 2 (or 5 or 10) lbs. a week, but for ME, it’s an astounding rate of loss!

I just needed to celebrate that!  =D

Edited to add:  I just thought of something more I want to celebrate!  Today Hubby and I went to the movies (Night at the Museum 2) and he loves to sit in the very top row (this theater has stadium seating so the top row is way up high).  Anyway, he was ahead of me and with his long legs I was almost running up those stairs to keep up with him, and when I got to the top I realized - hey! - I’m not out of breath!  There was a time, not so long ago that I would have had to climb one stair at a time, nice and slow, and even then when I got to the top I would be breathing hard!  THEN, Hubby’s earphones wouldn’t work (he’s hearing-impaired), so I had to go back down those stairs and when I came back up, this time I ran!  On purpose!  Okay it was more like a jog than a run, but I made it to the top and was only slightly short of breath!  Wooohooooo!!!!

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Eileen - Day #322 - Saturday
Daily intake goals::  < 35g carbs / < 1700 calories / > 64+ oz. water
Exercise yesterday:: 60 min. tennis w/the girls
Net carb grams yesterday:  24.8      Calories:  1282
Weight today:  233.2     Change:  +-0.0    Total weight loss:  -52.0
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When I was looking for old pictures of Kevin, I came across other old pictures (on CDs) and so yesterday at work I was sharing them with my co-workers, MP and MM, who are also my friends who I’ve known for many years.  The phone rang and MP went to answer it, so MM was sitting next to me as we continued to browse through the photos one by one.

We were looking at a set of pictures from when I went to Salt Spring Island off the coast of Vancouver.  That was, I think, in 2004.  Yeah, that sounds about right.  2004.

When we came to one particular photo, both MM and I gasped.  And we looked at each other, and said “Wow” at exactly the same moment.  Then we both looked back at the computer screen and at the same moment we both said “Wow” again.  It was a weird and funny moment.  But it was also a significant moment … for me.

It was significant that finally I recognize the change in myself.  Fifty pounds is still only one-third of what I want to lose and I have so, so much work left to do - that I sometimes feel like my progress is rather inconsequential.  But when I saw this picture, my immediate thought was, “OMG I don’t look like that anymore!”

And it meant a lot to me, that MM’s immediate thought was “Wow Eileen, you look WAY different now!”

The thing is, back then, in 2004, I wasn’t weighing myself.  I had no idea then and I have no idea now how much I weighed when that picture was taken.  I THOUGHT - up until yesterday - I THOUGHT that after I quit smoking in 2007, my weight shot up to the highest it had ever been - 285.2 - that’s what I thought.

Now, looking at this picture from 2004, I’m not so sure I wasn’t beyond that weight even back then.

Wow.

Every time I see a picture of myself so heavy like that, I remember feeling uncomfortable.  Just so uncomfortable in my own skin.  And though I’m not done, I’m not there, I’m not anywhere near goal yet - IT IS SIGNIFICANT that I am no longer THAT uncomfortable anymore.

Wow.

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P.S.  I bought two pairs of shorts today - size 18/20!!  Woohooo!!!