Friday:
The first good thing is that I ate really healthily yesterday. I've chosen to use the guidelines of the CSIRO diet - high protein, moderate carb, lots of fruit and veges and not much fake stuff - but I am also keeping it within calorie limits (1400 - 1600). I am reading that Beck diet solution book and I've been practising things like not reading when I am eating (very hard for me! I read while watching TV, in the bath, I'd read while typing this if I could) so I can register what I am eating, and not overeating when I am full - not even vegetables. It was such a relief not to be stuffing myself with carbs every few hours. And I weighed myself this morning, I have lost 1.2 kg! since two days ago as my body gets rid of all the water retention caused by the carbohydrates. I've started today with a good breakfast so it is still going well.
The second good thing is that I was able to wear my CPAP all night! First time since I got the flu. I woke quite often during the night, and it made my nose a bit sore (have to get used to it again) but presumably I got some better quality sleep in between. I've had bad dreams all night the last two nights, lots of stuff about my kids like my brother-in-law not paying attention and driving the car over a dock into the water and worrying about getting my children out before they drowned. And dreams about being really angry with various people. Not sure what is going on there. But anyway, the sleep is improving, thank goodness.
But the bad thing is my eye. It got really sore and red on Tuesday and the doctor gave me ointment for conjunctivitis (probably from my flu) which seems to be helping slowly. But this morning I woke with my eyelid hugely swollen and I'm all puffy right around the eye. It's impairing my vision and I look like the elephant man. Tim checked Dr Internet and it says conjunctivitis can get into the eyelid, so it's probably just that. I need to do the grocery shopping today, and also my little boy is singing in a concert at lunchtime at the local shops (he's better today), but I feel super ugly and also I'm not sure if I should be driving. I'll wait until lunchtime and see how I am.
I didn't exercise yesterday, and even walking the kids to school this morning was an effort. I assume I've still got germs having a party in my body. But it could be partly psychosomatic, feeling miserable about my sore eye affecting my energy levels. I'm so looking forward to being well again! But I am not waiting to get well before I do something about my weight. If I can't exercise yet, I can control what I eat. And healthy food can only help.
Showing posts with label CSIRO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CSIRO. Show all posts
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Does a little piglet live in this bedroom?
Thursday:
Yesterday and today I've been tackling my son's bedroom. I probably haven't tidied it properly for a couple of months, my husband devoted half a weekend to it a while ago. He just has so much stuff! A lot of it in tiny pieces. Yesterday I did a bit by myself then after school got the kids to help me. Their job was to pick up every single piece of Lego they could find and put it in the big block (Duplo) box or the little block (Lego) box. It took the three of us about half an hour, but it made a bit of a difference to the amount of stuff on the floor.
This morning before school, the two of them got out most of the Duplo and built a tower beside his bed. Sigh. At least it's stuck together neatly not spread all over the floor again. Yet. I can't put it away because they were talking excitedly about playing with it this afternoon.
Today I looked with some despair at what remained. I pushed it all into a big pile, then decided I'd just pick out all the rubbish. I filled a big bag with used tissues, and rocks that came home in his pockets, and Uno cards from a deck that I threw out a while ago because it was missing so many, and packaging from various toys, and squashed paper aeroplanes, and artworks done at school now torn and smudged, and Texta lids, and bits of broken toys. And it diminished the pile by about half! Getting there. And you can get from the door to the bed, and to the chest of drawers, and even to the window to open the blind. Amazing.
After a bad sleeping night I bought some cold & flu tablets this morning. I don't take medication much. I think suppressing symptoms can sometimes be a bad thing. Also I took a lot of medication when my shoulder was at its worst and then later found that a lot of people were having heart attacks on that drug and I think there was even a class action against the company. Anyway I took a couple of the day tablets and it has dried up my nose a bit but I feel kind of dizzy and hollow. I think I prefer just having the flu symptoms. But I am really frustrated with being sick for so long.
I'm still sticking to my food plan but it's been much harder for the past couple of days for some reason. Just my mood, I think. I want to comfort myself with food. I've nearly given in a few times but somehow struggled on. I think the tracking is helping - I have a chart with 5 boxes for vegetables, 2 for fruit etc that I fill in each day and I also always know what my main meals are going to be. I have the fruit and any leftover dairy for snacks. So I can look at my chart at any time and know what I have left outside my meals. Right now, after taking into account my upcoming dinner of fajitas (one in a tortilla, then more meat and salad wrapped in lettuce leaves) I know I can have one more fruit and one more dairy, and also have a fat serving left which I could use for a few nuts. So I can have something for afternoon tea and there will still be a little something left over for evening.
I've found it really helps me to have something in reserve. Even though I haven't usually been eating after dinner (off-plan, I used to eat a lot in the evenings!), I don't like the feeling that I am "not allowed" anything else until the next day. Knowing I could have a piece of cheese if I wanted to, or half a serve of fruit, keeps me feeling safe.
Yesterday and today I've been tackling my son's bedroom. I probably haven't tidied it properly for a couple of months, my husband devoted half a weekend to it a while ago. He just has so much stuff! A lot of it in tiny pieces. Yesterday I did a bit by myself then after school got the kids to help me. Their job was to pick up every single piece of Lego they could find and put it in the big block (Duplo) box or the little block (Lego) box. It took the three of us about half an hour, but it made a bit of a difference to the amount of stuff on the floor.
This morning before school, the two of them got out most of the Duplo and built a tower beside his bed. Sigh. At least it's stuck together neatly not spread all over the floor again. Yet. I can't put it away because they were talking excitedly about playing with it this afternoon.
Today I looked with some despair at what remained. I pushed it all into a big pile, then decided I'd just pick out all the rubbish. I filled a big bag with used tissues, and rocks that came home in his pockets, and Uno cards from a deck that I threw out a while ago because it was missing so many, and packaging from various toys, and squashed paper aeroplanes, and artworks done at school now torn and smudged, and Texta lids, and bits of broken toys. And it diminished the pile by about half! Getting there. And you can get from the door to the bed, and to the chest of drawers, and even to the window to open the blind. Amazing.
After a bad sleeping night I bought some cold & flu tablets this morning. I don't take medication much. I think suppressing symptoms can sometimes be a bad thing. Also I took a lot of medication when my shoulder was at its worst and then later found that a lot of people were having heart attacks on that drug and I think there was even a class action against the company. Anyway I took a couple of the day tablets and it has dried up my nose a bit but I feel kind of dizzy and hollow. I think I prefer just having the flu symptoms. But I am really frustrated with being sick for so long.
I'm still sticking to my food plan but it's been much harder for the past couple of days for some reason. Just my mood, I think. I want to comfort myself with food. I've nearly given in a few times but somehow struggled on. I think the tracking is helping - I have a chart with 5 boxes for vegetables, 2 for fruit etc that I fill in each day and I also always know what my main meals are going to be. I have the fruit and any leftover dairy for snacks. So I can look at my chart at any time and know what I have left outside my meals. Right now, after taking into account my upcoming dinner of fajitas (one in a tortilla, then more meat and salad wrapped in lettuce leaves) I know I can have one more fruit and one more dairy, and also have a fat serving left which I could use for a few nuts. So I can have something for afternoon tea and there will still be a little something left over for evening.
I've found it really helps me to have something in reserve. Even though I haven't usually been eating after dinner (off-plan, I used to eat a lot in the evenings!), I don't like the feeling that I am "not allowed" anything else until the next day. Knowing I could have a piece of cheese if I wanted to, or half a serve of fruit, keeps me feeling safe.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Week One
Monday:
Starting weight: 81.5kg
Week one: 80.0kg
Loss: 1.5kg
yay!
When my old scale died some months ago I bought an old-fashioned one with a dial instead of digital. The digital ones look very precise, weighing you to the nearest 100 grams, but if you try hopping off and back on a few times you see how inaccurate they are - I can apparently gain or lose nearly a kilogram in few seconds of breathing! Or at least that's how it is with the mid-price ones I have bought, on a probably-uneven floor (although I try to use the flattest bit). Anyway, given that, I decided the old-style would give me close enough. I'll probably go by quarter kilograms.
I've been reading "The four hour body" by Timothy Ferris which claims to be a carefully researched guide to the optimal way to lose body fat, gain muscle, have great sex, and other things I haven't got to yet. I'm not in the market for a new diet, I like my current one, but I enjoy reading stuff. A couple of my friends have been following his weight-loss guidelines for a while. It is an extremely restrictive diet of mainly protein and legumes six days a week with a binge one day a week. And I mean binge, you are encouraged to overeat junk, I think to stop your body going into starvation mode. My friends have lost a lot of weight on it but the husband fainted at least once, hitting his head on the wall as he went down at work and ending up in hospital.
Other ways to speed up fat loss include ice baths and various supplements.
Apart from the details, he has four interesting principals:
1. Make it conscious
2. Make it a game
3. Make it competitive
4. Make it small and temporary
The first one involves food journaling or photographing everything you eat - being aware of it and tracking it in some way. He says it doesn't matter if you count calories (he totally disagrees with calories-in/calories out) or use some other method as long as you are mindful of what you are eating. A "fat" photo of yourself stuck on the fridge is also recommended.
Making it fun and competitive are self-explanatory, I think, if not necessarily easy. I always find starting a new diet regime fun, planning it out and tracking it. But how do you keep it fun? I'm not doing Weight Watchers or anything similar so I don't have a competitive element.
The last point seems to be saying you don't have to decide to give up chocolate forever, or say you are going to walk for an hour every single day. I'm not totally clear on this one as it seems to argue against the "lifestyle change" concept. He says to take off the pressure, give yourself a small goal that you know you can achieve, and commit to it for a couple of weeks as a test drive.
That was just a couple of chapters of a huge book, he really goes into detail about everything. At the moment I'm up to the section where he talks about the importance of the upper left hand quadrant (from the woman's perspective) of the clitoris.
Starting weight: 81.5kg
Week one: 80.0kg
Loss: 1.5kg
yay!
When my old scale died some months ago I bought an old-fashioned one with a dial instead of digital. The digital ones look very precise, weighing you to the nearest 100 grams, but if you try hopping off and back on a few times you see how inaccurate they are - I can apparently gain or lose nearly a kilogram in few seconds of breathing! Or at least that's how it is with the mid-price ones I have bought, on a probably-uneven floor (although I try to use the flattest bit). Anyway, given that, I decided the old-style would give me close enough. I'll probably go by quarter kilograms.
I've been reading "The four hour body" by Timothy Ferris which claims to be a carefully researched guide to the optimal way to lose body fat, gain muscle, have great sex, and other things I haven't got to yet. I'm not in the market for a new diet, I like my current one, but I enjoy reading stuff. A couple of my friends have been following his weight-loss guidelines for a while. It is an extremely restrictive diet of mainly protein and legumes six days a week with a binge one day a week. And I mean binge, you are encouraged to overeat junk, I think to stop your body going into starvation mode. My friends have lost a lot of weight on it but the husband fainted at least once, hitting his head on the wall as he went down at work and ending up in hospital.
Other ways to speed up fat loss include ice baths and various supplements.
Apart from the details, he has four interesting principals:
1. Make it conscious
2. Make it a game
3. Make it competitive
4. Make it small and temporary
The first one involves food journaling or photographing everything you eat - being aware of it and tracking it in some way. He says it doesn't matter if you count calories (he totally disagrees with calories-in/calories out) or use some other method as long as you are mindful of what you are eating. A "fat" photo of yourself stuck on the fridge is also recommended.
Making it fun and competitive are self-explanatory, I think, if not necessarily easy. I always find starting a new diet regime fun, planning it out and tracking it. But how do you keep it fun? I'm not doing Weight Watchers or anything similar so I don't have a competitive element.
The last point seems to be saying you don't have to decide to give up chocolate forever, or say you are going to walk for an hour every single day. I'm not totally clear on this one as it seems to argue against the "lifestyle change" concept. He says to take off the pressure, give yourself a small goal that you know you can achieve, and commit to it for a couple of weeks as a test drive.
That was just a couple of chapters of a huge book, he really goes into detail about everything. At the moment I'm up to the section where he talks about the importance of the upper left hand quadrant (from the woman's perspective) of the clitoris.
The freedom of no choice
later Sunday:
I've always struggled with breakfast. I used to not eat it at all, and later I had a lot of trouble finding something that was both healthy and digestible. Some people can get away with not eating breakfast, life is not one-size-fits-all, but I do much better if I do eat something. I've tried lots of things over the years and was never happy (I ate and loved Cruskits with butter and vegemite for years, but they are basically high-GI biscuits with fat and salt on top - not a healthy way to start the day).
The CSIRO plan calls for a serve of high fibre cereal each day. You can argue for or against packaged cereal, but it is in this diet. Doesn't have to be for breakfast, I suppose (I quite like cereal for supper) but that is the logical place to fit it into the plan. So I just decided to have Sustain each morning. I used to eat it, and my husband still does, it is a reasonably healthy option. Having a million choices wasn't working for me, so I just gave up that choice and ate it each day. And it was a relief! I eat it and get my fibre intake and it's filling and then it's done with and I don't have to worry about it.
I still spend a lot of time planning the food for the rest of the day, making sure it's tasty and balanced and VARIED, but at least I don't have to stress first thing in the morning.
I've always struggled with breakfast. I used to not eat it at all, and later I had a lot of trouble finding something that was both healthy and digestible. Some people can get away with not eating breakfast, life is not one-size-fits-all, but I do much better if I do eat something. I've tried lots of things over the years and was never happy (I ate and loved Cruskits with butter and vegemite for years, but they are basically high-GI biscuits with fat and salt on top - not a healthy way to start the day).
The CSIRO plan calls for a serve of high fibre cereal each day. You can argue for or against packaged cereal, but it is in this diet. Doesn't have to be for breakfast, I suppose (I quite like cereal for supper) but that is the logical place to fit it into the plan. So I just decided to have Sustain each morning. I used to eat it, and my husband still does, it is a reasonably healthy option. Having a million choices wasn't working for me, so I just gave up that choice and ate it each day. And it was a relief! I eat it and get my fibre intake and it's filling and then it's done with and I don't have to worry about it.
I still spend a lot of time planning the food for the rest of the day, making sure it's tasty and balanced and VARIED, but at least I don't have to stress first thing in the morning.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
First week
Sunday:
My first week of the CSIRO diet has gone really well. I've had excellent compliance, my only slip being one extra serve of fat on one day as I'd run out by dinner time and needed a splash of olive oil to cook with. Actually my worst day was yesterday, not because I ate anything I shouldn't but because I didn't have nearly enough vegetables. Better today.
The only thing I still haven't managed is the minimum 30 mins exercise each day. I've done more like 15 or 20 mins, just walking. The last dregs of this annoying virus have me nose-blowing and coughing and still with a sore throat but I'm sure I'm nearly over it now. At least water consumption hasn't been a problem because I'm always sipping to soothe the throat.
Apart from all the menu planning, most of my thoughts have been revolving around the possibility of moving state very soon. My husband should hear about one job this coming week. If he gets it (or another) there will be such a flurry of packing, and getting the house ready for sale, and looking for a new house and school etc. Exciting but rather daunting. I used to move about once a year, when I was single, and really enjoyed it. But now there's four people's worth of stuff, and we've been in this house about eight years so there's been plenty of time for junk to accumulate.
I even picked up a few packing boxes today. Not to start packing, exactly, but we have stuff lying around that we don't want to throw away but don't have a place for. So I want to start boxing up a few things that we won't care if we don't see for another three months. Like we cleared a stack of sheet music out of a drawer in my son's room ages ago so he could use the drawer, but didn't have anywhere to put it so it's just sitting on top of a desk in a teetering pile. A box out in the studio is the best place for it at the moment.
I'm allowed two pieces of fruit a day and I've been really enjoying tangelos. They are a cross between a grapefruit and a mandarin, so they are tart and sour but with sweetness as well, and they peel and segment easily like a mandarin. I never liked grapefruit until I had one straight off a tree. They are sour, but lovely. The ones you get from the shop have settled into a sullen bitterness. Actually I don't like mandarins, because as a child I overdosed on mandarin-flavoured soft drink. By overdosed, of course I just mean drank so much I felt very sick, not that I was actually near death or anything. Anyway, I no longer like the taste. Yet tangelos, a combination of two things I don't like much, are delicious! Also strawberries a suddenly very cheap at the moment so I've been having them chopped and stirred into my unflavoured/unsweetened Greek yoghurt. Yummy.
My first week of the CSIRO diet has gone really well. I've had excellent compliance, my only slip being one extra serve of fat on one day as I'd run out by dinner time and needed a splash of olive oil to cook with. Actually my worst day was yesterday, not because I ate anything I shouldn't but because I didn't have nearly enough vegetables. Better today.
The only thing I still haven't managed is the minimum 30 mins exercise each day. I've done more like 15 or 20 mins, just walking. The last dregs of this annoying virus have me nose-blowing and coughing and still with a sore throat but I'm sure I'm nearly over it now. At least water consumption hasn't been a problem because I'm always sipping to soothe the throat.
Apart from all the menu planning, most of my thoughts have been revolving around the possibility of moving state very soon. My husband should hear about one job this coming week. If he gets it (or another) there will be such a flurry of packing, and getting the house ready for sale, and looking for a new house and school etc. Exciting but rather daunting. I used to move about once a year, when I was single, and really enjoyed it. But now there's four people's worth of stuff, and we've been in this house about eight years so there's been plenty of time for junk to accumulate.
I even picked up a few packing boxes today. Not to start packing, exactly, but we have stuff lying around that we don't want to throw away but don't have a place for. So I want to start boxing up a few things that we won't care if we don't see for another three months. Like we cleared a stack of sheet music out of a drawer in my son's room ages ago so he could use the drawer, but didn't have anywhere to put it so it's just sitting on top of a desk in a teetering pile. A box out in the studio is the best place for it at the moment.
I'm allowed two pieces of fruit a day and I've been really enjoying tangelos. They are a cross between a grapefruit and a mandarin, so they are tart and sour but with sweetness as well, and they peel and segment easily like a mandarin. I never liked grapefruit until I had one straight off a tree. They are sour, but lovely. The ones you get from the shop have settled into a sullen bitterness. Actually I don't like mandarins, because as a child I overdosed on mandarin-flavoured soft drink. By overdosed, of course I just mean drank so much I felt very sick, not that I was actually near death or anything. Anyway, I no longer like the taste. Yet tangelos, a combination of two things I don't like much, are delicious! Also strawberries a suddenly very cheap at the moment so I've been having them chopped and stirred into my unflavoured/unsweetened Greek yoghurt. Yummy.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Career
Friday:
I had a little peek at my weight this morning, I'm down about a kilogram after four days which is great. I want to be under 80 again! And this is with no exercise (because I'm still sick), and sugar in my tea and not counting calories - but I am following a careful plan which allows a certain number of "servings" of various foods each day. Plenty of protein, fruit, dairy and vegetables. I have noticed the drop in carbs, I have to plan my meals to take that into account.
Of course the thing I have noticed the most is the lack of junk food! I get two indulgences a week, like 20g of chocolate or a glass of wine. So I had a square of chocolate and little piece of fudge on Tuesday, but otherwise no biscuits or cake or chocolates or chips or KFC etc. I miss chocolate the most, I am accustomed to having some every day. Not a lot; but a piece here & there, whenever I want it. A nibble of sweetness after meals or in the evening. And it all adds up. Which is why I got over 80 kg again.
I will limit the grumbling to saying I had a very restless night with my sore throat and still feel blah today, worse than yesterday. Runny nose and headache and cough etc. Better and worse, worse and better. It will pass eventually. But I'm not exercising at all and not writing much either with my stuffed-up head. I feel like all these days are just passing, wasted, while I slump around and watch TV. But at least I'm not letting it stop me stick to my diet plan.
I was thinking about my career this morning. I had to leave my full-time desk job eleven years ago due to RSI, I stayed home and had my kids and did some study. For the past few years I've been a freelance editor, working only a few hours a day. Recently I went back to an office part-time, but after about a month the RSI started coming back and after six weeks I was glad to leave. It seems I can't even do five hours a day part-time, even after all these years. This rather smashes my dreams of looking for work with a fiction publisher, which I had always planned to do after I got some experience and after we moved to Sydney.
I need to re-think the next 20 years or so. With the kids at school all day, I am not a full-time mother any more. I mean, I am, but I have time during the day to earn some money. I was getting as much freelance editing business as I was able to do, but with my very limited hours and low pay rate I wasn't really making enough money for it to be worth-while. I'm writing a novel now (again, with very limited hours of typing) but even if my book/s is/are eventually published I can't rely on a living wage from that.
I am a desk jockey. That is what I have aptitude for. I am a thinker and a writer and sitter. But I need to start planning for something else.
I had a little peek at my weight this morning, I'm down about a kilogram after four days which is great. I want to be under 80 again! And this is with no exercise (because I'm still sick), and sugar in my tea and not counting calories - but I am following a careful plan which allows a certain number of "servings" of various foods each day. Plenty of protein, fruit, dairy and vegetables. I have noticed the drop in carbs, I have to plan my meals to take that into account.
Of course the thing I have noticed the most is the lack of junk food! I get two indulgences a week, like 20g of chocolate or a glass of wine. So I had a square of chocolate and little piece of fudge on Tuesday, but otherwise no biscuits or cake or chocolates or chips or KFC etc. I miss chocolate the most, I am accustomed to having some every day. Not a lot; but a piece here & there, whenever I want it. A nibble of sweetness after meals or in the evening. And it all adds up. Which is why I got over 80 kg again.
I will limit the grumbling to saying I had a very restless night with my sore throat and still feel blah today, worse than yesterday. Runny nose and headache and cough etc. Better and worse, worse and better. It will pass eventually. But I'm not exercising at all and not writing much either with my stuffed-up head. I feel like all these days are just passing, wasted, while I slump around and watch TV. But at least I'm not letting it stop me stick to my diet plan.
I was thinking about my career this morning. I had to leave my full-time desk job eleven years ago due to RSI, I stayed home and had my kids and did some study. For the past few years I've been a freelance editor, working only a few hours a day. Recently I went back to an office part-time, but after about a month the RSI started coming back and after six weeks I was glad to leave. It seems I can't even do five hours a day part-time, even after all these years. This rather smashes my dreams of looking for work with a fiction publisher, which I had always planned to do after I got some experience and after we moved to Sydney.
I need to re-think the next 20 years or so. With the kids at school all day, I am not a full-time mother any more. I mean, I am, but I have time during the day to earn some money. I was getting as much freelance editing business as I was able to do, but with my very limited hours and low pay rate I wasn't really making enough money for it to be worth-while. I'm writing a novel now (again, with very limited hours of typing) but even if my book/s is/are eventually published I can't rely on a living wage from that.
I am a desk jockey. That is what I have aptitude for. I am a thinker and a writer and sitter. But I need to start planning for something else.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Sunshine and curly hair
Tuesday:
I'm into day two of take 2 of the CSIRO food plan. It's going well. Last night I was grumbling because I'd only had one serve of vegetables at lunchtime so I had to have FOUR serves with dinner! That is a lot of vegetables. But I ate it all. More careful today to distribute them more evenly.
Today I had my hair permed. I used to do that all the time but then straight hair became fashionable. Dead-straight hair pulled down beside my face is absolutely the worst look for me so I always have my hair pulled back. But finally I just decided I'd rather be pretty than fashionable (anyone who knows me would laugh at the concept of me doing anything fashionable anyway) so I had it done today. I don't look like a poodle, I just have curly hair now. Still smells a bit from the chemicals, though, which isn't nice. But I loved being pampered at the hairdresser, a mini massage and having my hair washed twice and reading a trashy magazine without guilt.
Canberra has thrown itself into spring with gay abandon, with sunny skies and soaring temperatures. I walked for 45 mins yesterday and 20 mins this morning before my hairdresser appointment, picking up the kids from school will add another 15 mins today. I downloaded a pedometer app for my iPhone but only remembered to turn it on just before my walk (missing a couple of hundred incidental steps, I estimate. I'm only up to 2346, I'll be lucky to get to 5000 today. Need to work on that. Apart from my formal exercise, I don't move around much. Both work and leisure time involve a lot of sitting.
My staring weight, yesterday morning, was 81.5 kg, the highest it has been for a couple of years. But I'm doing something about it now.
I'm into day two of take 2 of the CSIRO food plan. It's going well. Last night I was grumbling because I'd only had one serve of vegetables at lunchtime so I had to have FOUR serves with dinner! That is a lot of vegetables. But I ate it all. More careful today to distribute them more evenly.
Today I had my hair permed. I used to do that all the time but then straight hair became fashionable. Dead-straight hair pulled down beside my face is absolutely the worst look for me so I always have my hair pulled back. But finally I just decided I'd rather be pretty than fashionable (anyone who knows me would laugh at the concept of me doing anything fashionable anyway) so I had it done today. I don't look like a poodle, I just have curly hair now. Still smells a bit from the chemicals, though, which isn't nice. But I loved being pampered at the hairdresser, a mini massage and having my hair washed twice and reading a trashy magazine without guilt.
Canberra has thrown itself into spring with gay abandon, with sunny skies and soaring temperatures. I walked for 45 mins yesterday and 20 mins this morning before my hairdresser appointment, picking up the kids from school will add another 15 mins today. I downloaded a pedometer app for my iPhone but only remembered to turn it on just before my walk (missing a couple of hundred incidental steps, I estimate. I'm only up to 2346, I'll be lucky to get to 5000 today. Need to work on that. Apart from my formal exercise, I don't move around much. Both work and leisure time involve a lot of sitting.
My staring weight, yesterday morning, was 81.5 kg, the highest it has been for a couple of years. But I'm doing something about it now.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Plans for Spring
Friday:
I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to get started (again) on weight loss and I decided I want to focus on "do" not "don't" so I went looking on the internet for a chart where I could tick off boxes for doing good things like eating vegetables and exercising. I found one that was pretty much what I wanted except it was a whole page for each day, which is a lot of paper if I was going to print them out. Then I remembered that the CSIRO diet had a chart for their plan so I went looking for that. And ended up deciding to do the CSIRO diet again.
I went back through my archives and found that I started that plan almost exactly two years ago - 3 September 2011 - and started off well but faded away and officially quit on 15 October, around seven weeks later.
It's high protein, moderate carb, low fat. I've ordered the books from the library again but had a look on their website and printed out the checklist and I think I remember everything pretty well. The hope is that if I eat all those fruits and vegetables and proteins I won't have room for junk. It is not a fad diet, CSIRO is a group of Australian scientists (government, I think) and their diet follows the current guidelines for amounts of everything.
We have a busy weekend that will include a 60th party, Father's Day and eating out twice (in addition to those celebrations). I also haven't shopped with this diet plan in mind. So I will start on Monday, 2 September. And if I have any time on the Sunday, 1 September, the first day of spring, I will "spring clean" the cupboards and throw away all the junk in the house.
I had about four days of feeling well (and I made the most of it, getting out and enjoying the sunshine) and then yesterday I woke up with a bad sore throat. Felt yuck all day, went to bed early, this morning went back to bed after getting the kids to school. Sick of being sick. My son is complaining about not feeling well too. This has been a really bad autumn and winter for illness. Oh well, it will pass.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to get started (again) on weight loss and I decided I want to focus on "do" not "don't" so I went looking on the internet for a chart where I could tick off boxes for doing good things like eating vegetables and exercising. I found one that was pretty much what I wanted except it was a whole page for each day, which is a lot of paper if I was going to print them out. Then I remembered that the CSIRO diet had a chart for their plan so I went looking for that. And ended up deciding to do the CSIRO diet again.
I went back through my archives and found that I started that plan almost exactly two years ago - 3 September 2011 - and started off well but faded away and officially quit on 15 October, around seven weeks later.
It's high protein, moderate carb, low fat. I've ordered the books from the library again but had a look on their website and printed out the checklist and I think I remember everything pretty well. The hope is that if I eat all those fruits and vegetables and proteins I won't have room for junk. It is not a fad diet, CSIRO is a group of Australian scientists (government, I think) and their diet follows the current guidelines for amounts of everything.
We have a busy weekend that will include a 60th party, Father's Day and eating out twice (in addition to those celebrations). I also haven't shopped with this diet plan in mind. So I will start on Monday, 2 September. And if I have any time on the Sunday, 1 September, the first day of spring, I will "spring clean" the cupboards and throw away all the junk in the house.
I had about four days of feeling well (and I made the most of it, getting out and enjoying the sunshine) and then yesterday I woke up with a bad sore throat. Felt yuck all day, went to bed early, this morning went back to bed after getting the kids to school. Sick of being sick. My son is complaining about not feeling well too. This has been a really bad autumn and winter for illness. Oh well, it will pass.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The beginning
Monday:
Day one of the CSIRO diet is going well. Of course it has only been about 5 1/2 hours, but I am feeling strong.
I forgot to mention that I weighed myself at the gym yesterday -- 80.4 kg. Up half a kilo (about 1 pound) since last week. Up and down and up and down. But with the diet starting today I am hoping it is all down from here.
Woke with a bit of a headache this morning and had the usual hassle getting the kids ready for the day. They were playing some game at breakfast that involved lots of giggling and lots of Cheerios on the floor. The cereal I had planned to have was down to the last bowlful of the packet which meant it had a lot of crumb dust. Luckily we had another box, so I threw the old stuff away. Had my cereal with milk and a little piece of cheese to bring it up to a full serve of dairy.
Dropped the kids off, no spare time before BodyPump so straight into it. I increased the weight on my bar to 1.25 each side and went up to a 5 kg plate for the squat track. It seemed just right for me at the moment. I left before abs.
Stats: 47 mins, 82% zone 0, 18% zone 1, 98 calories, average HR 96, peak HR 123.
Then I jumped on the cross-trainer (otherwise known as elliptical machine). As I was doing it after Pump today instead of before, my sprints were not the sprints of yesterday. Still pretty good effort.
Stats: 20 mins, 17% zone 0, 44% zone 1, 29% zone 2, 10% zone 3, 78 calories, average HR 121, peak HR 148.
Finally I got on the treadmill for a 10 min cooldown, 20 calories.
I had my banana in the Pink tea room then had a shower and went to the shops. I talked to the shoe saleslady about my revised shoe needs. She thought the cross-trainers I owned were great for Step, Attack and Zumba; but not so good for walking or elliptical or future jogging. So I bought a new pair. I have two pairs of exercise shoes! A new pair before the old pair have fallen apart. This really is a new me. The saleslady said it didn't matter which ones I wear for BodyPump, so if I was going straight from class to the elliptical I should wear the new ones.
The shoes were expensive but came with a free heart rate monitor, which I will save for when mine breaks.
I went to Target for some depressing sportsclothes trying-on. My existing 2 pairs of shorts and 3 t-shirts that have a nice low neck to release the body heat were just not enough. I got a new pair of shorts in size 14 but had to go up to 16 for a t-shirt which was weird as I am not at all top heavy. I hate having to buy size 16. I only got one, I couldn't be bothered changing all the 14s I tried on for 16s.
So I am all geared up for as long as I am this size. I'll buy new stuff when I get to size 12!
I had my high-protein moderate-carb lunch of leftover roast beef and potato with lots of salad. I am drinking water with a slice of lemon instead of cordial to cut down on sugar, but I will still be having sugar in my tea, which is apparently fine. I have ordered the CSIRO book and recipe book from the library.
This diet doesn't count calories, but I plan to at least for the first couple of weeks. I am also going to put in my exersize; but CalorieKing registers about 3 times as many calories used for exercise than my heart rate monitor does. So I am going to make up my own exercise categories rather than rely on their calculations.
My long term goal is to get down to 58 kg, which is the top of "normal" for my height; and to be fit and healthy, which is a bit harder to quantify. A steady half a kilo weightloss would get me there in the 10 months before my next birthday, so that is my plan. 16 weeks to Christmas, an 8 kilo loss would get me down to 72 kg which would be awesome. But in the slightly shorter term, I plan to stick to this diet for 12 weeks, basically the whole of the Australian spring, then review.
If I can't lose half a kilo a week on a healthy, balanced diet while exercising five or six days a week... well... I don't know what I will do. But there is no reason why I shouldn't.
Later: I have finished my eating for the day; eating everything I should and nothing I shouldn't. I didn't quite manage to eat 200g of meat for dinner, only because that wouldn't have left enough taco mince for my husband. I had two taco shells, then wrapped the rest of my meat/tomato in lettuce leaves. I think the main challenges are going to be to eat 5 serves of vegetables every day, and the 3 serves of dairy. Oh, and not eating any junk food. I was at shopping centres twice today; with the smells of the food court and the visual lure of donut shops and chocolate bars and everything else I like.
But day one went very well.
Day one of the CSIRO diet is going well. Of course it has only been about 5 1/2 hours, but I am feeling strong.
I forgot to mention that I weighed myself at the gym yesterday -- 80.4 kg. Up half a kilo (about 1 pound) since last week. Up and down and up and down. But with the diet starting today I am hoping it is all down from here.
Woke with a bit of a headache this morning and had the usual hassle getting the kids ready for the day. They were playing some game at breakfast that involved lots of giggling and lots of Cheerios on the floor. The cereal I had planned to have was down to the last bowlful of the packet which meant it had a lot of crumb dust. Luckily we had another box, so I threw the old stuff away. Had my cereal with milk and a little piece of cheese to bring it up to a full serve of dairy.
Dropped the kids off, no spare time before BodyPump so straight into it. I increased the weight on my bar to 1.25 each side and went up to a 5 kg plate for the squat track. It seemed just right for me at the moment. I left before abs.
Stats: 47 mins, 82% zone 0, 18% zone 1, 98 calories, average HR 96, peak HR 123.
Then I jumped on the cross-trainer (otherwise known as elliptical machine). As I was doing it after Pump today instead of before, my sprints were not the sprints of yesterday. Still pretty good effort.
Stats: 20 mins, 17% zone 0, 44% zone 1, 29% zone 2, 10% zone 3, 78 calories, average HR 121, peak HR 148.
Finally I got on the treadmill for a 10 min cooldown, 20 calories.
I had my banana in the Pink tea room then had a shower and went to the shops. I talked to the shoe saleslady about my revised shoe needs. She thought the cross-trainers I owned were great for Step, Attack and Zumba; but not so good for walking or elliptical or future jogging. So I bought a new pair. I have two pairs of exercise shoes! A new pair before the old pair have fallen apart. This really is a new me. The saleslady said it didn't matter which ones I wear for BodyPump, so if I was going straight from class to the elliptical I should wear the new ones.
The shoes were expensive but came with a free heart rate monitor, which I will save for when mine breaks.
I went to Target for some depressing sportsclothes trying-on. My existing 2 pairs of shorts and 3 t-shirts that have a nice low neck to release the body heat were just not enough. I got a new pair of shorts in size 14 but had to go up to 16 for a t-shirt which was weird as I am not at all top heavy. I hate having to buy size 16. I only got one, I couldn't be bothered changing all the 14s I tried on for 16s.
So I am all geared up for as long as I am this size. I'll buy new stuff when I get to size 12!
I had my high-protein moderate-carb lunch of leftover roast beef and potato with lots of salad. I am drinking water with a slice of lemon instead of cordial to cut down on sugar, but I will still be having sugar in my tea, which is apparently fine. I have ordered the CSIRO book and recipe book from the library.
This diet doesn't count calories, but I plan to at least for the first couple of weeks. I am also going to put in my exersize; but CalorieKing registers about 3 times as many calories used for exercise than my heart rate monitor does. So I am going to make up my own exercise categories rather than rely on their calculations.
My long term goal is to get down to 58 kg, which is the top of "normal" for my height; and to be fit and healthy, which is a bit harder to quantify. A steady half a kilo weightloss would get me there in the 10 months before my next birthday, so that is my plan. 16 weeks to Christmas, an 8 kilo loss would get me down to 72 kg which would be awesome. But in the slightly shorter term, I plan to stick to this diet for 12 weeks, basically the whole of the Australian spring, then review.
If I can't lose half a kilo a week on a healthy, balanced diet while exercising five or six days a week... well... I don't know what I will do. But there is no reason why I shouldn't.
Later: I have finished my eating for the day; eating everything I should and nothing I shouldn't. I didn't quite manage to eat 200g of meat for dinner, only because that wouldn't have left enough taco mince for my husband. I had two taco shells, then wrapped the rest of my meat/tomato in lettuce leaves. I think the main challenges are going to be to eat 5 serves of vegetables every day, and the 3 serves of dairy. Oh, and not eating any junk food. I was at shopping centres twice today; with the smells of the food court and the visual lure of donut shops and chocolate bars and everything else I like.
But day one went very well.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet
Three posts in one day. Hmm, have I nothing better to do?
Anyway, remember what I wrote this morning about taking the dieting thing slowly with just a couple of mini goals a week? Well, nah. I think I do better throwing myself into something and getting measurable results which motivate me to continue.
So, from Monday I am going on the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. Some Australian science boffins came out with this book a few years ago, apparently based on actual science and studies of people on different diets, and it went straight to the bestseller lists here. I don't own the actual book, but I was looking through it at my dietician friend's house a few weeks ago (she doesn't totally agree with it, by the way) and I wrote down the daily plan. I really feel that I need firm guidance. Just "eat better" is not doing it for me. I just read through their website, which confirmed what I had written earlier, and I was able to print out a weekly diet checklist which is great. The amount of calories allowed is much the same as on my online journal at CalorieKing.com (which I haven't been using very often).
CSIRO stands for Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Reseach Organisation, by the way.
I am really excited about going on this diet. I have already planned out my menu for Monday and Tuesday.
The diet is described as being high protien, low fat, moderate carbohydrate. It allows more (lean) meat than most diets and less carbs but it is not ultra low-carb. About three serves of bread/pasta etc a day plus two fruits and lots of vegetables. Plenty of protien, which suits me as I am a carnivore. It also includes two indulgence foods per week.
I tried a low-carb diet once, SureSlim (paid for by my mother, who has always worried about my weight more than I do), just before my wedding. I did lose 5 kg but I was obnoxious and miserable the whole time. My husband has often said I am never allowed to go on a low-carb diet again.
Conversely, a diet that worked for me without the horrible side effects was when I had gestational diabetes. They put me on regulated carbohydrates spread throughout the day. I found this very easy, especially as I was doing it for the baby not myself, so I think this CSIRO diet will suit me. It has small amounts of carbs spread through every meal and snack.
There are two ways in which I will not be sticking to the plan religiously. Firstly, I will be eating hi-fibre low-GI white bread instead of wholegrain which I hate, and I hope this doesn't make too much difference. Secondly, I will be having full fat dairy products; and I know that this will make a difference to calorie count and fat intake. The diet calls for low-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt but I just don't like the taste or texture. Maybe eventually I will get to that, but I want to still enjoy my food even when dieting. I'm sure it will help me stick to it, if I am not trying to force down food I don't like. Quality not quantity! I will keep an eye on my calorie count and I may have to reduce my fat/oil allowance. I don't actually have to count calories for this diet, it is based on serves of various foods, but I think I will at first just to see.
I am a bit torn because I want to start now but I don't want to miss out on junk food tomorrow. I shall try to be moderate. And start on Monday.
Anyway, remember what I wrote this morning about taking the dieting thing slowly with just a couple of mini goals a week? Well, nah. I think I do better throwing myself into something and getting measurable results which motivate me to continue.
So, from Monday I am going on the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. Some Australian science boffins came out with this book a few years ago, apparently based on actual science and studies of people on different diets, and it went straight to the bestseller lists here. I don't own the actual book, but I was looking through it at my dietician friend's house a few weeks ago (she doesn't totally agree with it, by the way) and I wrote down the daily plan. I really feel that I need firm guidance. Just "eat better" is not doing it for me. I just read through their website, which confirmed what I had written earlier, and I was able to print out a weekly diet checklist which is great. The amount of calories allowed is much the same as on my online journal at CalorieKing.com (which I haven't been using very often).
CSIRO stands for Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Reseach Organisation, by the way.
I am really excited about going on this diet. I have already planned out my menu for Monday and Tuesday.
The diet is described as being high protien, low fat, moderate carbohydrate. It allows more (lean) meat than most diets and less carbs but it is not ultra low-carb. About three serves of bread/pasta etc a day plus two fruits and lots of vegetables. Plenty of protien, which suits me as I am a carnivore. It also includes two indulgence foods per week.
I tried a low-carb diet once, SureSlim (paid for by my mother, who has always worried about my weight more than I do), just before my wedding. I did lose 5 kg but I was obnoxious and miserable the whole time. My husband has often said I am never allowed to go on a low-carb diet again.
Conversely, a diet that worked for me without the horrible side effects was when I had gestational diabetes. They put me on regulated carbohydrates spread throughout the day. I found this very easy, especially as I was doing it for the baby not myself, so I think this CSIRO diet will suit me. It has small amounts of carbs spread through every meal and snack.
There are two ways in which I will not be sticking to the plan religiously. Firstly, I will be eating hi-fibre low-GI white bread instead of wholegrain which I hate, and I hope this doesn't make too much difference. Secondly, I will be having full fat dairy products; and I know that this will make a difference to calorie count and fat intake. The diet calls for low-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt but I just don't like the taste or texture. Maybe eventually I will get to that, but I want to still enjoy my food even when dieting. I'm sure it will help me stick to it, if I am not trying to force down food I don't like. Quality not quantity! I will keep an eye on my calorie count and I may have to reduce my fat/oil allowance. I don't actually have to count calories for this diet, it is based on serves of various foods, but I think I will at first just to see.
I am a bit torn because I want to start now but I don't want to miss out on junk food tomorrow. I shall try to be moderate. And start on Monday.
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