Deportation of the expat fat

It took me year to gain the expat fat and it may take me a year to lose it. I’m not following a specific program but  trying to make incremental changes in eating habits and life style to lose this weight. No surprise then that without a dramatic approach, I’m not getting dramatic results. Depending on the day of the morning weigh-in, I’ve lost up to five pounds. I have at least 10 pounds to go.

I’ve ratcheted up the exercise program, walking about four times a week for 60 minutes, sometimes twice a day. I continue to use the FOUR flights of stairs in my house to supplement my formal exercise. I’ve been doing some stretching, if not full blown yoga, about three times a week. I pulled a strength training exercise poster out of an issue of More magazine (the magazine for Grrrls over 40), and my next step is to put it up in the TV room and JUST DO IT.

As for eating, I’m trying to limit portions and eat smarter. Some days I do that well, other days I don’t. However, I think the balance tips towards more good days than bad days so I tell myself that even when the scale doesn’t register changes, I am eating healthier overall.

Remember the “diet” cookbooks I bought when I started? Haven’t used them at all. Shame on me! I’m like an old dog trying to learn new tricks. Recipes and meal planning fall into that category. I’ll get there eventually. One change at a time.

I did pull out my summer clothes and try them on, knowing full well the pants wouldn’t fit. I figured seeing my clothes and visualizing myself wearing them again would inspire me to do the right thing and make good choices day in and day out. Really, I’m sick of dressing like a college student, pulling up the same pair of jeans or sweatpants day in and day out.

Final thought this week: I resolve not to eat anything standing up. Seriously.

I often grab a handful of this or that while standing in the kitchen. All those calories add up and I’m not even fully aware of what I’m eating and why. I need to make myself SIT DOWN and pay attention every time I put something in my mouth. One of my goals is to eat only when I’m hungry—no exceptions!

How are the rest of you doing? Progress? Pointers? True confessions?

May 2, 2007

Comments

[Flubberwinkle]

My pointer:
I'm trying to chew my food 100 times before swallowing. That way, hopefully I'll be eating less because my stomach will send the message to my brain that I'm full.
My progress report:
I think my brain is deaf and/or illiterate. It refuses to recognize "all full, please stop sending food down" message.
;-)

[V-Grrrl]

Ah but Flubberwinkle, think of all the calories you're burning with the vigorous chewing. : )

[Arabella]

Portion control works best for me. I dole out the portion that I'm going to eat and then put the rest away. That way, I get to eat a little bit of the rich, delicious stuff, but I don't overdo it. I also try to fill up on healthy stuff so that I'm not hungry and tempted to snack on whatever is around and tastes good.

[wordgirl]

My biggest vices are 1) Portion control and 2)snacking. I've been saturating my system with cold water (and a lemon slice). I have a tiny portion of what everyone else is eating and I usually try to eat a salad with everything. That fills my stomach with something besides carbs. If I'm absolutely passing out from hunger, I nibble on baby carrots, baby kosher dills, or apple slices dipped in yogurt. At night I never eat sweets...but treat myself to a glass of wine and a handful of cashews or rice cakes.

Yoga three times a week (MWF) and T-TH I run or do "intervals" what combine sprints and walking. Weekends usually sees me going on one long power walk with my husband.

Next? Dust off the weight machine in the garage for some upper arm stuff.

[Annie]

I'm so guilty of eating while standing. My son will be one next week (Eeeek!) and the only way to eat my plate of food without his hands in it is standing at the counter most days. I also have no sense of portion control. To help me there, especially with sweets, I am buying those hundred calorie snack packs of cookies. I'm good and eat only one, so I get my sweet fix without overloading on calories.

[TB]

Good for you V-grrrl. It sounds like you are being realistic about all of this. I think things tend to go south if you set unachievable goals.

True confession - I need to join you in your endeavor. I've been saying it for six months now and it just keeps getting worse, but I have no motivation. Sigh.

[Mignon]

You're doing it exactly the way I want to (someday). But I'm definitely following your lead starting right now with the no-standing-and-eating rule. That's a great idea.

My other plan was to gradually decrease my meal size as the day progresses, but that's nearly impossible with my meat'n'potatoes husband. So instead I've completely cut myself off after dinner is over.

[Tonya]

I'm sort of stuck on the "what can I eat with one hand" diet since this kid is like a growth on me. You can only eat so many granola bars a day, though.
It finally got warm up here and I notice a LOT of women wearing their summer clothes from last year - and they DON'T FIT! (Skinny bears don't make it through the winter, eh?) But, that isn't stopping them. Noooo, the cellulite and bulges are just wiggling down the sidewalk in stuff about 2 sizes too small. That turns out to be pretty good incentive for me, just seeing all that.

[Dan]

Don't limit portions, or youwill get hungry.

Make sure you eat your favorite junk food though in smaller bites. Mine's chocolate.

For my main meal which is lunch I eat alot of raw vegetables and fresh fruit with a minimum of meat or smoked salmon.

I think a radical increase in exercise may not lead to an increase in weight loss because you are shocking your body, but I hope it works for you anyway.

Don't eat WG's rice cakes. Yech!

[Di]

Lol ... you reminded me of the packet of M&Ms I had stashed in my bag. My expat fat makes me sad some days ... ahhh, but the M&Ms will sort me out.

[Shirley]

Good for you V-grrrl on making some new changes! Some other great ideas here as well ... many mirror those from the current book I am reading, French Women Don't Get Fat--great book! It's a wonderful read even if you don't want to change eating habits ... just for the different perspective, delightful recipes, etc. How am I doing? Well, on the exercise side in training for my breast cancer walk, I am doing wonderfully! Walked 19 miles this week plus did yoga daily (twice today) and some other cross training (Walk Away the Pounds tape). On the eating side, I am not doing as well, but the last few days have been much better ... smaller portions, healthy foods, and the scale is going down. Just have to keep it going. I know this training will be easier if I lose weight along with it. Good luck to all--we can do it!

[Ernie Jo]

I'm not sure how I ended up at this post, but I'm glad I did. All of a sudden, this week, it has started to bother me that I am a lot squashier this pregnancy than ever before.

My first-trimester eating habits (all food, all the time) now need to be broken, since my appetite is less and I don't get nauseated at the first sign of hunger. So I'm working on exercising a little self-control, my motto being, "Eat less or eat better."

Starting with salad or fruit as an appetizer to a meal is my way of filling up on good stuff so I don't feel guilty when I decide to go for that bowl of ice cream later.

But as for exercise, I have not had a walking or jogging regimen in place since last summer, before my appendix decided to desert me. Once I'd recovered from that, the mornings were too dark or cold. Now I'm feeling fine and would love to jump back into powerwalking, but alas, my hyper-extendy hip joints only get more so w/ pregnancy, so powerwalking-- while good for my heart & stuff-- ultimately makes it really hard for me to get around as my pregnancies progress.

I should still try, though.

Hope you're having some results with your walking resolutions and food restrictions and all.

(Don't know if you actually read these when they're posted so late after you've written. It's been months!)