Motivation

RANTING BURNS CALORIES!

This is an open, ongoing, support-encourage-motivational-RANTING thread. Feel free to skip to the end, or spend days reading through all of this ...

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I have decided that "Diet" is a 4-letter word.

I find myself muttering and uttering the word around my house these days with loathing and vehemence previously reserved only for comments directed toward liberal politicians. In fact, I seem to be talking to myself a lot more these days .... sort of a running, sarcastic commentary on all the foods I can't eat, or on various other related topics. I wonder if there is a link between calorie-deprivation and Tourettes Syndrome? Grrrrrrrrr.....

I am now on Day 8 of the dreaded D-word. This is already the longest period of time that I have ever successfully remained on a diet. And I seem to be growing grouchier and feistier each day..... at least when I am alone and no one is around to hear my running rants. (My wonderful DH has heard some of my more memorable rants on the subject of broccolli and reports that I am hysterically funny when I am hungry!) I am counting carbs. I am counting calories. I am counting fat grams. Sheesh ... now my math anxiety is about to kick-in!

Mini Rant #1 .... what masochist decided that the serving size of cereal was anything less than 2 cups? Have you ever measured out 2/3 a cup of cereal? Or even a full cup? And placed it in a bowl? Those few little flakes and pieces just sit forlornly at the bottom of the bowl, shivering and lonely, even when we dribble on a few meager droplets of skim milk! Sheesh. Well, I can tell you that there is simply no way that my oversized body is going to be happy with that tiny amount of cereal ... so I have been eating TWO servings for breakfast. SIGH. And while the side of the box says that I can supplement the cereal with some fruit, they probably don't mean eat 45 cherries with your cereal -- much less 1/2 a watermelon, huh?

Mini Rant #2 .... Things NOT to say to someone who has told you that they have just started on a diet:

1.Good, you sure needed it.
2. It's about time.
3. Really? It doesn't look like it.
4. Again? Haven't we heard this before?
5. Gosh, how much weight do you need to lose?
6. What do you weigh? I've always wondered.
7. I never need to diet, I have a fast metabolism.
8. Really? I can eat all I want and never gain weight.
9. Is THAT why you are so grouchy?
10. I sure hope you plan to exercise a lot more.

AAAUGGH! All of these responses are just the thing to make me even grouchier .... so just smile and say something encouraging and supportive, ok? I will let you know how it is going.

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=^..^=  Molly 

WELCOME TO MOLLY'S MOTIVATIONAL RANT / CHAT THREAD ... FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR RANTS, TOO!  YOU CAN EITHER READ FROM THE BEGINNING OR JUST JUMP ON IN ON THE LAST PAGE ... JOIN US! 

Molly I told my son that it was officially the first day of winter and he quickly replied no it's not.  Then the smarty pants went and got the calendar and proved it.  Our calender says you are a day early.

Original Post by 4square:

Molly I told my son that it was officially the first day of winter and he quickly replied no it's not. Then the smarty pants went and got the calendar and proved it. Our calender says you are a day early.

 Depends on which side of the international date line you are on  ;)

 

AJ 

International Dating? Hmmmm....

(FYI ... my wonderful DH just pointed out that the ONLY dating I get to do -- internationally or domestically -- is with him.)

Skiing in France? Wow! What fun! The ONE time in my life I tried skiing (back in high school) ... I broke my leg/ankle in the store (trying on skis.) It's clearly too dangerous a sport for clumsy ME! Power shopping ... now THERE'S a sport I can get behind!

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Weight Loss Upperdate ... As of this morning's breath-holding, careful-balancing, repeated steppings on the scale, I've lost a whopping .8 for this week. (Jeepers, what is that? 13 ounces?)  Well, there's still hope ... I will try again tomorrow and Sunday and will go with whichever date is lowest. According the Calorie-Count ThumbMeister, I should reach my weight goal in the mid 22nd Century, give or take a decade.

* * *

What are you looking forward to (or planning) for 2008? In addition to dropping below 300 pounds, here is what I am aiming for (or looking forward to!) ...

* Aim for 10 meatless meals per week
* Aim for 10+ servings of vegetables per day
* Aim for 40+ grams of fiber per day
* Aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio excercise per week
* Increase weights/strengthening/toning
* Aim for eating red meat no more than 2 times per week (or less)
* Decrease reliance on processed and packaged foods
* Increase daily ingestion of water
* Lose 55 more pounds (65 down, 55 to go!)
* Improve cholesterol
* Improve triglycerides
* Improve blood pressure
* Improve blood sugars
* Get off insulin (Hey, we can all dream, right?)
* ride my bike more
* walk more
* swim more (in the summertime)
* rebuild my wardrobe once my weight has stabilized
* consider getting a part-time job (eeek! Did I just say that?)
* rebuild savings account
* more trips to the dog park with Corey and Minnie
* plant more flowers
* Get "Greener" (more recycling, etc.)
* Read more, watch TV less
* Pray more, worry less
* Celebrate my 43rd birthday in March -- thinner! (and Ron's 42nd in July)
* Celebrate my (April 12) 5-Year Wedding Anniversary with Ron
* Enjoy our 7-Day Alaska Inside Passage Cruise in May
* Celebrate my One Year of Healthy Eating mark in August
* See my wonderful DH get promoted (wouldn't that be delightful?)
* Continuing animal rescuing/fostering activities

=^..^= MOLLY

Original Post by 4square:

Molly I told my son that it was officially the first day of winter and he quickly replied no it's not.  Then the smarty pants went and got the calendar and proved it.  Our calender says you are a day early.

Well, December 22 in my 4 month Anniversary of Dieting, so it CAN'T be the First Day of Winter in Molly's World. (After all, it's all about me, right?) Besides, maybe I meant whatever International Date-Line thing I would've needed to mean for me to have some semblance of important date accuracy.

* notes that cats rarely correct you when you get dates wrong, unlike smarty pants kids. Thinks that aforementioned small child shall be named the Official Date Keeper of Molly's Diet Rants. *

=^..^= MOLLY

 I wonder.......  do you list everything you do in your activities? For example.. I haven't timed or bothered with the little things like getting dressed, hanging up my clothes etc.  not because I don't think they are burning calories, but because days are filled with dozens of inconsequental tasks that are only one or two minutes long.  I know that I need to get more physical exercise, but logging the calories for changing into blue jeans, or hanging up my coat isn't gonna effect anything very much.  After a few days, could I just estimate so and so many calories for minor home maintenance and XXX more for personal hygiene?

I have taken advantage of the little activity suggestions, (hints?) that tell me how many calories a certain item is, and what I can do to neutralize it.  Not often, but the other night I was feeling so sick from hunger, I caved in and had a piece of bread and hummus before bed, but to neutralize it, did 15 minutes of weights before going to sleep. *grin*

Anyway, it seems like this whole thing is taking hours and I would like to know some short cuts, that don't undermine my self honesty. On the positive side, I lost another pound.

Fransen: I know that I personally only log intentional workouts.  And when I deep clean my house.  Which is most Saturdays.  But if I don't log it, then I don't eat enough and spend Sundays feeling icky.  Since it adds about 600 cals to my everyday stuff.

I figure the rest of the stuff is minor.  But then again, I also don't count the molly mcbutter cheese powder that I put on my popcorn (5 cals).  But I do count all my veggies, and my crystal light intake, but since I rarely drink regular water its typically 40-60 cals of crystal light. 

Kitty Parents!  How cool is this?

I saw it on the sidebar here, and thought - hey, that's something a multi-kitty family could use! :)

http://www.catgenie.com/

Not sure if it works, but I'd often thought that there's GOT to be a better way to get our kitties to clean up after themselves!

Thanks for sharing that!

I was curious about those, but, sigh! I can't afford it. I've been meaning to look for info on it though, and you helped me out!!! Thanks!

Original Post by fransen:

 I wonder.......  do you list everything you do in your activities? For example.. I haven't timed or bothered with the little things like getting dressed, hanging up my clothes etc.  not because I don't think they are burning calories, but because days are filled with dozens of inconsequental tasks that are only one or two minutes long.  I know that I need to get more physical exercise, but logging the calories for changing into blue jeans, or hanging up my coat isn't gonna effect anything very much.  After a few days, could I just estimate so and so many calories for minor home maintenance and XXX more for personal hygiene?

I have taken advantage of the little activity suggestions, (hints?) that tell me how many calories a certain item is, and what I can do to neutralize it.  Not often, but the other night I was feeling so sick from hunger, I caved in and had a piece of bread and hummus before bed, but to neutralize it, did 15 minutes of weights before going to sleep. *grin*

Anyway, it seems like this whole thing is taking hours and I would like to know some short cuts, that don't undermine my self honesty. On the positive side, I lost another pound.

Yay for losing another pound, WOOO HOOO!

I don't log my activities... I just log my food. Logging my activities was taking more effort than it was worth to me.  The only calories burned I need to "eat" back are treadmill ones, and I just look at that number before I go foraging in the fridge.

Bread and hummus before bed sounds awesome ... anytime you are feeling "sick from hunger" ... EAT something healthy. We are all learning to listen to our bodies.

(My body says "OOOPH" a lot, ya know?)

=^..^= MOLLY

Original Post by zarelha:

Kitty Parents!  How cool is this?

I saw it on the sidebar here, and thought - hey, that's something a multi-kitty family could use! :)

http://www.catgenie.com/

Not sure if it works, but I'd often thought that there's GOT to be a better way to get our kitties to clean up after themselves!

 

We tried that (for free) at the no-kill kitty shelter that I volunteer at and it SO freaked out 99% of the kitties that they stopped going anywhere NEAR it and were peeing and pooing all over the place out of stress.

Just sayin'

=^..^= MOLLY

Original Post by mollymouser:

International Dating? Hmmmm....

(FYI ... my wonderful DH just pointed out that the ONLY dating I get to do -- internationally or domestically -- is with him.)

Here is something for you to mull over then.....

What came first.... the chicken or the egg... or in this case the dating or the marriage??

Just assume you are on the island Tonga on January 1, 2008 and meet the man/woman of your dreams, date for 10 minutes and then decide to get married New Year Eve. So you both hop on a plane and fly the 557 miles to the country of Samoa to be married on the beautiful sand beaches on December 31, 2007 just before the new year.

Hey kids your mom and I met January 1, 2008 and got married December 31, 2007....

To make a long story short it is the first day of winter in Tonga...  therefore, you could still say you were correct Molly.

 

AJ

Now THAT"S a 'Brain-Twister!'

Whirl-wind courtship? Whirled clear back-wards...??? Lol!

I've heard of, "Time Stood Still", but that's really wild!!!

Thanks for sharing!

P.S.- Thanks for the info, Molly!

AJ - that would make a pretty cool story.

As for the kitty cleanup - oh, well, sometimes things ARE too good to be true! :)  When I had pups, I WAS able to train my doggies to poop ONLY on one little corner of the yard, though, so at least that's something - much less cleanup, and I could just open the door and let them out on cold days!

Rant - roadtrips and eating choices.  I am going on a roadtrip to my sister's for Christmas.  It seems that, for some reason, my brain gives itself permission to eat any which way whenever I'm in the car for longer than 2 hours at a time.  I don't know if it's a throwback to college all-nighter trips, or if it really needs the sugar and caffeine high, but I can't seem to ever take a car trip without indulging in junk food!  It's like if I don't eat gas-station food (even though I could easily pack a few things for the 1 1/2 meals I'll miss) I'm not really "on a road trip."  And HoHos, cappuccinos and beef jerky are not the healthiest of food choices-even if I don't go over my calories!  Yet one more weird food habit to break, I guess...

* Is still freaked out by the suggestion that I'll have kids someday to explaining my weird dating habits to!!! *

>>> THUD <<<

:: giggles ::

Interesting Molly Trivia ... my wonderful DH and I never dated. We went from friends to boyfriend/girlfriend in one evening, and then "courted" for 5 weeks ... when we got engaged.  Only THEN did we mention this to our friends who were pretty much SHOCKED! ... hee hee hee!

=^..^= MOLLY

Wow Molly- I guess when you know, you know.

I have a friend who met her husband through friends, hung out for two weeks, got engaged at the two week mark, got married 6 months later, pregnant two months after that, and had a baby a month and a half before their first wedding anniversary.  She was 39 when she was married.  I think being older has something to do with it too.  No need to mess around.  When you meet the right one, you just know.

Fransen- I only log in intentional exercise too.  I figure I burn about 1800 calories just being alive.  I count all the small daily living tasks as a part of that 1800 calories.

Christmas is coming!  Is everyone ready?

Fransen, if you've been logging those little activities fairly often you should have a good idea of how much they increase your daily calorie burn. Use that to pick a energy use level that fits most closely and then don't worry about it.  I.E. Maybe you should use 'light activity' instead of 'sedentary'.

My wonderful MIL was here last weekend and I meantioned that both my DH and I have a ravenous sweet tooth.  Didn't the little stinker go home and tell SIL!?  Guess what showed up in the mail yesterday?  A cheesecake sampler!!!  Thoughtful...and yet not.  SIL is a tiny little thing so it probably didn't occur to her that the sweet tooth (teeth?) isn't a good thing. Fortunately my 22 yr old son and 20 year old stepdaughter LOVE cheesecake. I love them but their waste lines are their problem!

I'm with the majority here - I only log intentional workout activities.  I figure everything else comes under the daily calorie estimation I set.

Regarding being ready for Christmas, which I had been stressing about, this is a piece published in our local paper.  Our pastor at church sent it to our e-mail prayer chain (don't you love technology!).  It touched me, and I thought I'd pass the link along to you all:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/opinion/oped.ap x.-content-articles-RTD-2007-12-19-0048.html

Have a wonderful day!  My DH, sons & I are going to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra this afternoon and I am so excited!!!!

Pattikins I wasn't going to read that but I did it anyway, it was wonderful!  I think everyone in here could use that....thank for sharing it!!

Good Morning...I just read it too since 4sq. did.  I just want to say that I'm "normal". hahahahah  sorry I enjoy laughing and that's also a joke around my house that we claim to be "completely normal".  Then we procede to add funny...

Actually I did not go to bed at all last night.  I'm not here to Rant about it either.  Because if I feel "normal" ha ha I could care less about anything else.  It all is now meaningless to me.  Feeling normal is great even if you miss one nights' rest.  Not sure why as I did not have caffeine. 

But b/c this is the Rant forum.....um...I'm here to rant that my cat is a problem child.  And that pets while they are so adorable can really get in your crawl.  I treat my pets like royals but...

HAPPY NON RANT!!! 

WOO HOO!!! FOUR MONTHS OF HEALTHY EATING!!!

Today marks the four month mark of when I began my getting-healthy-weight-loss-adventure back on August 22, 2007! I am now just one and one-half pounds away from the "Promised Land" of the 200s (for the first time in FOREVER) ... and I'm sneaking up on a couple of other milestones (a 75-pound loss and losing 20% of my starting weight!) This week was an especially frustrating one as I saw a two-pound water weight gain early in the week, and had to wait (and treadmill it away) until it slowly disappeared. One thing I have learned is that I can't let water retention and discouragement be excuses to stop eating healthy ... and I just need to keep going and push through!

My wonderful DH gave me a delightful present ... the Hairspray DVD that I could watch while on the treadmill. He set up a portable DVD player (with headphones) right on the treadmill (no TV in the room where the treadmill lives), so now I can watch movies while I walk (and walk and walk!) It really made it more fun for me ... YAY! And my rule is that I can ONLY watch that movie (and any others I watch) while I am walking on the treadmill!

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN REPORT

WEIGHT LOSS REPORT FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22.

Starting weight: 369.0

Current weight: 301.4

Weight lost this week: 2.6 pounds

Weight loss to date: 67.6 pounds

Percentage of weight lost (of starting weight): 18.3 %

Weeks of Dieting: 18 weeks

Average Weekly Weight Loss: 3.75 pounds

Special Comments: PMS ... getting closer to goal

Next Goal: Get below 300 pounds!!!

=^..^= MOLLY