Intervention

Well, 187 sucks. Especially after having seen and tasted 186. And because I did make it through four out of seven nights last week without snacking! I can't say the other three nights really earned me any weight loss, though, so those are the breaks. My immediate goal is to make it down to 185 before heading home to Maine on vacation in two weeks. I haven't seen my parents or older sister since New Year's Day (when I weighed 195). These are some changes I'll be making, effective right away:

Fitness
As I continue adjusting to using the indoor walking track for my weekday workouts, I'm going to add a few more "limbering and stretching exercises" to my routine. Here are some morning exercises recommended specifically for "business women" by beauty expert Helen Follett (St. Petersburg [Florida] Times, June 11, 1940). "Busy women, you who work… we ask for five minutes of your time between the leap out of bed in the morning and the leap into the bathtub."

4. The first exercise is for the purpose of air washing the lungs and keeping the chest in form: Stand erect, feet fairly far apart; clasp your hands behind your neck. Force the head and elbows back, inhale through the nostrils, expel the air through the lips. Breathe in as the head goes back; exhale as you return to first position.

5. This for keeping waist, thighs and hips slender. Stand tall, hands on hips. Lift on your toes, let the knees spread, lower your body until you are in a squatting position, buttocks resting on the heels. Rise slowly.

6. Wig-wagging exercise for keeping bust and arms normal: Stand tall, lift the hands high and far back. Swing the hips from one side to the other, stretching the arms full length, keeping fingers and thumbs spread. Use your muscles. Be conscious of them. Mere movements don’t mean a thing. It must be a real workout.

Reducing
The real change this week is that I'm doing away with the 7:30 cut-off. From here on out, should I feel driven to snack late at night, I'm going to allow myself to eat fruits or vegetables. I'd rather be coping with the effects of having snacked on a banana late at night than having eaten half a bag of ranch-flavored rice cakes! I'm also going to continue reducing the portion of the packaged, pre-processed foods I typically eat for dinner, cutting down to half the serving I would've helped myself to just a couple weeks ago. Now my dinner plate should be half prepared foods/half veggies.

New Routines

Did you ever notice that as soon as people find out you're regularly walking, they come out of the woodwork to try and make you their walking buddy?

First, a co-worker asks me if she can match me up with a friend of hers who needs a walking buddy. Then another person I know through work tries to get me to commit to a walking relationship. I hope I don't come off as impolite, but I'd really rather walk by myself. Let's face it. Sometimes walking with another person can speed you up --- sometimes it can slow you down. The people I pass when I'm walking are almost always in pairs. And the last thing I want to do is to have to rush to the park to sit around and wait for somebody who might be late showing up - and then might show up toting a kid or two. Complete with strollers. I've got business to take care of!

I gathered up all my courage Monday evening and went into the rec center to purchase a membership and take my first indoor walk on the walking track. The rec center may be located just a few steps away from the park where I've been walking on the weekends --- but it's a whole new world in there! It's louder for starts. The walking track is built around a basketball court with racquetball courts nearby. There's lots of testosterone in the air as most of the people using the basketball court are young men in the 15-25 age range. I've only been there twice, but I'd say there's a more competitive feeling indoors than there is with the folks using the outdoor track. (It's actually the first time I've wanted to check my rear view in the mirror to see whether those new exercise pants are flattering or not!) The track is pretty small, so I can easily do 30 laps in a 60-minute walk. Thank goodness for that iPod. I'd perish without it! I'll still have a chance to walk outdoors one day a week. The rec center is closed on Sundays.

As for snacks, I'm doing remarkably better at the only-fruits-or-vegetables thing than I thought I would. Of course, it helps that nectarines are in season here. I picked up some beautiful, small nectarines last weekend at one of the natural foods stores. They've got a great selection of produce and I was in quest of some parsnips for my vintage dinner - but the nectarines caught my eye. Have you seen how big the fruits are in some of the supermarkets these days? They must be breeding super-sized fruits for super-sized customers. And bigger isn't always better. I'm a nectarine nut, so imagine my excitement when I saw these massive nectarines at the supermarket last summer. Ack! They were mealy and bland and never got to that lovely soft stage where the fruit just melts in your mouth. Anyway, I've been having one nectarine every day at about 3:00 in the afternoon. That's it for snacks. This weekend will probably be more challenging than my weekdays have been, but I'm feeling ready to face the enemy.

Here's the menu for my vintage dinner last Sunday:

Parsley Buttered Potatoes
Pan-fried Parsnips
Molded Salad of Cranberry Sauce (canned), Celery and Apples
Butterscotch Pudding with Nuts

I haven't had Parsnips in years. In fact, I remember being slightly traumatized the last time I ate them. It's been a long time, though, so I figured I ought to give them another shot. They have a spicy, celery-type scent as you're working with them, but once cooked they were pretty bland. Didn't taste like much of anything. What I've heard since then is that Parsnips are tastiest in the fall when they're fresh from the soil. Alas, my first attempt at a non-gelatin Molded Salad was a dismal failure. I tried just heating up a can of the jellied cranberry sauce, adding the celery and apples, and putting the concoction in the fridge to chill - but it never quite set. I'm going to track down some of the agar a couple of my readers mentioned and try that next time.

It's Thursday evening, which means that it's time to clean my bedroom. The first order of business will be the daily chores recommended by America's Housekeeping Book (1945). This will be my new weekly routine for the bedroom:

Open windows top and bottom for free circulation of air.

Remove all bed covers; stretch over end of bed, or over chairs, off the floor. Remove soiled bed linen; place near door to be taken out. Place mattress pad over chair near window to air.

Bring in cleaning equipment: carpet sweeper or vacuum cleaner (according to need), dust mop, dust cloth, damp cloth. Bring in fresh bed linens.

Turn mattress top to bottom one week, and end to end the next week. Make bed.

Dust high objects if necessary (mantels, high shelves, window frames and sills, tops of bookcases, etc.).

Dust radiators covers if necessary.

Brush upholstery if necessary. Straighten covers. Plump up pillows.

Dust furniture and low objects if necessary.

Dust exposed wood flooring with dust mop if necessary. Use carpet sweeper or vacuum cleaner on rugs or carpets.

Polish or wash accessories and return to place with other objects removed during cleaning.

Final touches: Straighten draperies, shades, curtains, etc. Take out cleaning equipment and waste basket. Bring back clean ash trays, accessories, flowers and waste basket. Close windows if desired.

I'm kicking off my new monthly chores (recommended in 1945 as weekly chores) by making my bedroom the featured room this week. So here are the extra chores I'll also be doing in there tonight. Brushing walls is a whole new thing for me this week. More on that in another post...

Collect lamp bases, bric-a-brac and dressing table fittings that need polishing or washing, and dresser scarves to be laundered.

Brush walls when necessary. Dust high mouldings, door frames, window shades and Venetian blinds when necessary. Brush draperies (or use brush attachment of vacuum cleaner). Dust mirrors, pictures, lighting fixtures, lamps, woodwork; wash any of these articles if necessary.

Dust radiators (covers and coils) or registers; clean thoroughly when necessary. Brush baseboard or use brush attachment of vacuum cleaner. Dust book shelves and books as necessary. Wash windows when necessary.

Remove cushions from upholstered furniture. Use brush attachment of vacuum cleaner on furniture (getting into all crevices) and cushions. Replace cushions.

Rub wood surfaces of furniture to polish; apply wax or polish when necessary. Polish metal hardware if necessary. Wash glass table tops.

Use vacuum cleaner for cleaning of rugs and carpets.

The evening is short and I've got a bed to strip. Time to shed my dress and get to work!

Intervention

*sigh*

I might as well have done nothing for the last two weeks. No exercise, no deprivation. I weighed in at 187 this morning, which means that I've lost 0 lbs. in the last two weeks. Heck, I was losing 0 lbs. per week while I was living a completely sedentary lifestyle and eating whatever I liked! Why not just do that again? It was a lot easier...

This is really starting to piss me off. Of course, I've had a bad attitude about everything for the last few days, including the housework. I didn't get finished cleaning the bathroom 'til late last night and then I had to get up at the crack of dawn this morning to start all over again with the wash. What am I doing it all for if there's no time when it's finished just to relax and enjoy my clean house?

Maybe it's just the heat that's really getting to me. In any event, it's time to stage another mid-mission intervention. Two weeks of hard work for 0 lbs. just doesn't feel like a good trade for me.

Fitness
Walk 60 minutes a day, four days a week. I'm going to make the transition to using the indoor track this week. One more lunchtime workout today to make up for last Friday (long story) and then I'll plan on using the indoor track Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturdays and Sundays.

Diet
I think it's clear I'm going to have to dramatically reduce my caloric intake if I'm going to begin losing any real weight. All the modern authorities tell us that healthy snacks and small meals spread throughout the day is the best way for people to eat, but I'm going to trust my instincts here: When I lost 40 lbs. in my early twenties, I didn't do it by continuously eating. Instead, I chose not to snack at all between meals. As much as I've enjoyed my little power snacks for the last week, I think they leave me more susceptible to late night temptation. It's as if they're keeping me from getting used to the feeling of hunger - and waiting it out. I think I'll see if I can't find some middle ground here. I'm going to allow myself to snack as often as I like between breakfast and 7:30 p.m. as long as I'm snacking only on fruits or vegetables.

Meal Plan

Raise your hand if you know how easy it is to make homemade Scalloped Potatoes...

Scalloped Potatoes
Buttered Beets
Carrot Strips
Baked Apple Stuffed with Dates

I was completely caught off-guard when I started preparing my vintage dinner last Sunday evening. I thought Scalloped Potatoes would be one of the tougher potato recipes in my cookbook. Wrong! It's one of the few potato dishes that don't involve having to boil or even parboil the potatoes beforehand. It took me maybe 15 minutes from start to finish, then the oven did the rest of the work. My mom's a wonderful cook, but the only Scalloped Potatoes we ever ate were the rubbery kind that came in a box.

And I think I've discovered the trick to Beets. Boil them in as large a pot as you can find in your cupboard. A five- or six-quart Dutch oven should do the job. Make sure you've got a lid for the pot that fits tightly and don't boil them at too high a temperature. If I don't do any one of these things, I'll end up with pink water stains all over my stovetop! The Baked Apple Stuffed with Dates was quite good, too. But what I love most about it was that I was able to make it in a single serving size. No leftover sweets hanging about this week.

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SCALLOPED POTATOES

6 medium-sized potatoes [I cut this recipe in thirds.]
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
Milk

Pare raw potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Place in a baking dish a layer of the potato one inch deep, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle a portion of the flour over each layer, add a part of the butter in bits. Repeat and continue until required amount is used. It is best not to have more than two or three layers because of difficulty in cooking. Add milk until it can be seen between the slices of potato, cover and bake (350-400 degrees F.) until potatoes are tender with a fork (1 - 1 1/2 hours). Remove the cover during the last fifteen minutes to brown the top. Serve from the baking-dish.

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My transition to healthier snacks (fruits or veggies plus protein) is going pretty well. I'm measuring out the proper serving sizes for now, but hoping to be able just to eyeball them soon.

Hummus = 2 tablespoons
Low-fat Organic Cottage Cheese = 1/2 cup
Almonds = 25 nuts (This seems a bit much. I could probably do just fine with half that or less.)

The only thing that really frustrates me is that I keep forgetting to pack a snack so I can get that late afternoon pick-me-up while I'm still at work instead of being ravenous when I get home at 5:30. I've got to try and remember this tomorrow. Pack both lunch and snack. I'd rather eat a snack at 3:30 or so and not be in such a rush to eat something as soon as I get home.

One of the things I'm rapidly discovering about reducing is how important planning can be. A couple weeks ago, a friend asked me to lunch. I accepted - and then remembered my rule of thumb: "No eating anything I haven't purchased at the grocery store." Well, I did promise myself some exceptions for social occasions, but I had to do some planning so I could enjoy the experience without feeling guilty. I added 30 extra minutes to my walk the day before so I wouldn't miss out on my workout. And I also suggested we hit a restaurant where I knew I could get a yummy salad. This Friday, I'm meeting up with a group for drinks after work. I rarely drink sodas, so I think a diet soda would be treat enough for me. I may not be home 'til late, so maybe I'll check the menu ahead of time and find out if there's something resembling healthy which I might be able to consider dinner.

Here's an example of poor planning. I had promised to babysit my nieces one evening after work. It's tough to cook anything there for yourself with a toddler and baby to mind, so - without even thinking - I figured I'd "pick something up" on the way to their house. That afternoon, I suddenly remembered my then-new rule of thumb. Eek! What would I do? Well, I ended up stopping at a sub shop to pick up a veggie sandwich. It could've been worse, but it could've been better. Next time, I'll pack a dinner from home - something I can heat up quickly.

I'll wrap up this post - which somehow became entirely about food! - with a dilemma facing me for this weekend's vintage dinner. The salad course is a Molded Salad of Cranberry Sauce (canned), Chopped Celery and Apples. I never make molded salads as gelatin is an animal by-product, but do any of you know if it would be possible to mold something using the jellied cranberry sauce that's sold in the can? It certainly starts out molded... I was wondering if it'd be possible to fold the celery and apples into the jelly, then form it into some sort of shape. Any advice?

Intervention

I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have stepped on the scale yesterday morning. I knew I was retaining water - as I always do when Aunt Flo's visit is pending. I knew it'd probably be useless to weigh in for the next three or four days... But I was greedy for another drop on the scale after last week's victory. So I did it. And, wouldn't you know it, I'm up two pounds to 189.

All day long, I tried to talk myself off the ledge, so to speak. "Stay calm. Keep up the work you've been doing. Weigh in again in a few days and you'll probably be right back down to 187. If that!" Well, that worked for awhile. By bedtime, the cramps were taking hold of whatever resistance I had left and I cheated. I wasn't even that hungry. I just started craving a pickle, then began building the perfect Triscuit snack in my mind. A Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuit with cream cheese and a slice of a kosher dill on top. So I made myself a plate of them (they were good) --- followed shortly by a handful or so of Ranch-flavored Quakes Rice Snacks. I had a fitful night's sleep and, when the Wash Day alarm went off at 4:45, I shut it down. This is the first Monday since January that I haven't done my laundry at its appointed time!

Clearly, this snowball of disappointment over yesterday's fruitless weigh-in is rolling downhill - and quickly gathering speed. I refuse to let it roll another inch, so I'm staging a mid-mission intervention. Effectively immediately!

Fitness
Walk 30 minutes a day, four times during the week. Walk 55 minutes a day, both days during the weekend.

Reducing
All snacks (consumed prior to 7:30, of course!) must consist of the following: fresh fruits or vegetables plus either one serving of almonds, one serving low-fat cottage cheese, or one serving hummus. (Note to self: Must investigate these serving sizes. And other nuts would probably be okay. I'll check this out.)