Official Tuesday Weigh-In

I'm developing superstitions, telling myself that if I went back to weighing myself on Thursdays, all would be well.

Also, my 5-year old daughter who has no body issues weighed herself on my new scale and it reflected a weight 7 pounds higher than on the old (now broken) scale.

All the same, I was unhappy to see 185 on the scale this morning. 

So, let's talk about something else.  How about books?

Several books have been sent to me for my review.  I have wanted to bake a recipe from each book and tell you about it.  I've wanted to follow the instructions for sculpting my body using the BONUS! WORKOUT DVD INCLUDED, but I have not.  These books sit near my desk taunting me, so I am just going to tell you about them and be done with it.

The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts by Jackie Mills, MS, RD
I love the look and feel of this book.  It's a big soft-cover, the kind that will easily stay opened on your counter-top. 

As the title says, these recipes are designed with diabetics in mind.  They are meant to be a compromise between "disappointing sugar-free, fat-free desserts and sugar-laden, high-calorie sweets."  The categories include:

Great Cakes
Quick Breads
Sweetie Pies
Smart Tarts
Fruity Desserts
Custards and Puddings
Cookies & Bars
Pleasers from the Freezer

The Eat-Clean Diet Workout by Tosca Reno
Like her previous books, this one is a beautifully illustrated book.  This book appears to be comprehensive and may be quite possibly the next-best thing to having a personal trainer.  I have hope that I will one day sit down (on my exercise bike?) and read this book cover to cover and then put it into practice.  It comes with a handy-dandy bonus workout DVD.  I need to pop that thing into the DVD player and get busy.  (I'll let you know when I go from thinking about it to doing it.)  I do believe that following a weight-training program like the one Reno details in this book is essential to my fitness plan. 

Dr. Gott's No Flour No Sugar COOKBOOK by Peter H. Gott, MD
I like this cookbook a lot.  It's divided into two sections.  Part I explains how to thrive on the No Flour, No Sugar Diet.  (He has written a book with that title.)  The second part, the majority of the book, is devoted to recipes.  He divides them into categories:  Breakfast, Snacks, Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Wraps, Entrees, Side Dishes and Desserts.

I did bake a recipe from this book, the Banana Oat Muffins.  The texture was very good and, although they were significantly less sweet than  a typical muffin, I liked them a lot.  (I am a big fan of muffins.)  The recipes in this book are straightforward and call for common ingredients.  The sweetener he recommends is Splenda, my favorite sweetener.  I think this is a cookbook I will definitely use.  (And my family won't even know that I am cooking "healthy" for them.)

How Not To Look Old by Charla Krupp
Check our her website and you'll find out all you need to know about this book.   She promises "fast and effortless ways to look 10 years younger, 10 pounds lighter and 10 times better."  I'm thinking that I ought to read this book and quick!   I'm fairly low maintenance, but as I age, perhaps I ought to rethink that strategy.   

* * *
Okay, that's it.  I can cross that off my non-existent to-do list and stop feeling guilty about it.

Meanwhile, those of you who are losing weight will want to check in . . . and those of us who aren't, will NOT want to, but we will anyway because that's what we ought to do. 

Comments

[Sara B]

I am up and up and then some this week. 226.6 - which is a 1.8 pound gain. Remember how last week I said that I would be virtuous and show a loss this week? Didn't happen. *sigh*. Do you think your new scale is broken since your daughter was 7 pounds heavier? Or do you think your old scale was lying to you, in a nice way? This week I'm focusing on lean protein to curb my snack-alicious ways. Have a good week.

[Sarah]

I weigh the same as I have for the last few months. 201 down from my all time high of 244. I haven't gone running in almost two weeks and I am running a 5k on Sunday. I was having some severe foot pain and decided I needed to rest it but I have lost momentum. I am trying really hard to talk nice to myself and figure out how to motivate myself to get and stay in wonderland. I have seen it briefly when I got down to 197 for a day. The smartest thing you are doing is weighing in every week because I have done this a couple times and as soon as you start avoiding the scale that is when the real trouble starts. I really think this week will be your week. One day at a time. I am going to try to focus on how great I feel when I wake up in the morning with a few good days behind me. I feel like I can take on the world. I am going to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible and when I really want to eat I am going to resolve to organize a drawer or cabinet or clean a closet. I can't wait to see what next week brings. Good luck!

[Michelle]

Mel, your scale sounds suspect.... No way that your daughter gained 7lbs?? Anyways, plateau's suck, been there done that. You're an inspiration, hangin' tough. No doubt, you'll break through soon. Last Sunday I started Atkins, already down 8lbs. Cutting out/down carbs definitely works for me....

[Sandy McCann]

Well, my dear AF is still holding me back (she seems to be coming more in the range of 32-36 or so days even though I am still hooked on noting the old 28 day schedule.)

Anyway, got the full bloating ans such going and so weighing 174.2 today. I am not unhappy with that as it is still lower than the 180ish place I had creeped up to over the holidays and then been stuck at. Still room to focus on doing something abotu ridding myself of more fat. The zig-zag was working great...just need to get back on the plan.

[Janb]

Hi Mel! Thanks for the Brita water purifier! I love it!

I am at 168 today, which is three pounds less than what I weighed last week - the last week of my gallbladder surgery recovery.

Today I was back on the treadmill and wonder of wonders, I made it for the whole hour! I didn't exceed 3.5 mph and that's usually my starting point for my walk, but it's something. I did manage to keep my 9% incline, so I haven't lost a lot of ground in my workout during these two weeks. I want to start the yoga again, but I am going to give a full month of recovery before doing that.

I am back to eating better, baby steps. Yesterday I ate mcdonalds for breakfast and that's over, today I started out with my old staple, oatmeal. Felt good. I am now cooking some squash and scallops (not in the same dish, LOL, ICK!) for my dinner. No butter or oil, just real food.

Today I am back in my jeans, although the incisions are still tender a bit, and I think - I hope not - I may have a hernia from the surgery. Praying that's not the case, and going to have it checked out soon.

Take care and thanks for the reviews and for always having this weigh in. I rely on it and I love your site, as usual. Take care!

[Amy]

I'm weighing in at 194.8 this week. I have been fighting in the 190's for a few weeks. I am ashamed to admit this is the highest I have ever been. Even when I was pregnant with each of my children. I can remember not that long ago I was down to 162. What happened? Sneaking food and telling myself that this ONE thing wouldn't make me fat. But one thing after another and here I am. But I just got back to work after going grocery shopping on my lunch. If I have healthy foods in my desk then I will be less tempted to eat garbage. So here we go...I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.

[Brianne]

Yup, you're right, I don't want to weigh in either, but I have to admit I'm 245 again. Sigh.
Really, getting up at 6AM to exercise can't be all that heinous, can it? :::shudders:::

[jane]

I am checking in. Three years ago, I weighed 185. I lost 25 lbs. I got to 160, and I am 5' 2", so I'd like to get to 140 or 135. I stopped being disciplined and ran into some knee problems and other things too.

I weighed 165 on Sunday. I have weighed that, roughly, somewhere around there, for 3 years now. I am hovering there. I started South Beach again this week. It really works for me until I need to begin adding carbs back to my diet. This time, I am going to be more careful about that. Also, I am adding some exercise. I am not seeking perfect, but I am seeking a better sense of my body, and a healthier body. This much weight can't be good for a person who is short.

Thanks for letting me share.

[LeeAnn]

164 ugh. this last 15 pounds is killing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ceci]

hmmmmmm...being honest...weighed for the first time since giving birth to baby #4 today (Thur) at 224! excited b/c i've delivered babies and stayed the same weight after delivery as just before delivery. we officially start our diet on monday...i've been cleared to do cardio exercise beyond walking too!

[Jennifer Lyall]

Wow! I can relate to your story. People look at me now and think that I've never had a weight problem, but I gained 50 pounds with my first pregnancy and it took a few years to lose it.

I found I was beating myself up... I can tell you what I weighed when I was in university, what I weighed when I got married, what I weighed before I got pregnant for the first time, how much I gained with each pregnancy. There were days when I felt for sure I must be pregnant again because my tummy was so big. I've been so worried about my weight, and dreaming of days when I could weigh what I did in university.

After my second son, I managed to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Then I accepted the fact that I will not be thin again, and I was beautiful the way I was. I wore "pretty" clothes, that were a little more frumpy, but it was comfy and looked nice. But I didn't feel sexy.

Then I did a detox (my second- the first time I lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks) and started reading the labels on the boxes of the food I was eating. It was SCARY! The amount of chemicals I was putting into my body in the way of food additives and artificial colouring, it's incredible what mfg use.

The biggest turnaround for me, was seeing a biological (holistic) dentist. She told me I had candida- a systemic yeast infection. I had to live with no sugar (definitely no artificial sweeteners- those are just chemicals - check out www.mercola.com for the real deal on them), no wheat, no dairy, no sweet fruits and taking supplements for 6 weeks. I lost so much weight, especially on my hips. This also propelled me to be so much more aware of what I was eating, and cooking creatively

I then did an allergy test, and discovered I had intolerances to gluten (this is what was giving me the bloating in my belly), dairy, almonds, eggs, peanuts and kidney beans! Once I stopped eating these foods, I stopped getting colds as frequently!

I'm not perfect.... I cheat, (I had ice cream yesterday and a muffin I made the day before that) but I eat so much better over all.

I encourage EVERYONE to read the ingredient list on what they eat. If you don't recognize it or can't pronounce it, put it back. Healthy eating needs to become a way of life for you and your family- that's the best way to succeed. It won't all happen overnight, but it will come gradually. It's taken me 6 years to get to where I am now!