The Next Level

It’s time to get serious, again. I am moving to the next level. In 3 weeks I’ve been on a plateau. I was pursuing the web page "How to Eat” and some things hit me.
1. I need to give up alcohol
2. I need to give up caffeine; in my case caffeinated tea
3. I need to give up snacking; eat 3 meals only
4. I need to give up bread and cracker; even though its whole grain its keeping me from filling up on veggies/fruit

The Plan:
1. I’m going cold turkey on the alcohol. I will have it socially out with the buds, but not a home or going out on my own, period.
2. I’m weaning myself off the caffeinated tea. My first week I will allow myself one cup of caffeinated tea in the AM and one caffeinated green tea in the PM. I can have decaf at other times. The second week, I’ll cut out the caffeinated PM Green tea. The third week the caffeinated AM tea.
3. Eat only three meals, if hungry!
4. I have found unsalted nut and non-sugared dry fruit on my field trip to Springfield and finding a Trader Joes. Get rid of the other stuff.
5. Give up the ‘healthy’ whole wheat bread and crackers.
6. Need to exercise, yeah how many times have I said that.

THE GOALS:
Dr. Fuhrman’s Ideal weight for my height - 160. That will give me a BMI of 22. and hopefully the waist of 36”.

Get ready set, GO!

Weight 169.5

Wow! ETL to the Rescue to lower Triglycerides

In November I had my annual physical (it’s been three year, actually). The Nurse Practitioner Dianne reviewed my lab report and said my cholesterol was too high, 237, Triglycerides were 416 which put my pancreas at risk and my LDL could not be computed because of the high triglycerides. I’m writing you an order for Tricor, she said.I said, I’m not taking it. Give me six months and through nutritional eating and exercising, I’ll get accepted levels. Although I am not in compliance to his advice I know of Dr. Joel Fuhrman who maintains that through a diet consisting of plant food; fruits and vegetables you can achieve excellent cholesterol results. With a skeptical look, she replied, I give you three months and I want you to get your lab work done the first of February.

My three months were up and I went in for my lab work. In the three months, I weighed in for a 22 pound loss and three inches of the waist. I got a telephone call with the results of my Triglycerides reading; 141 an acceptable level, three months ago, it was 416.
When the tech gave the number, I said, wow. She said that’s what the Doc said, wow. She said, the Doc says thanks for the Dr. Fuhrman’s book, Cholesterol Protection for Life, which I dropped off for when he I came in my blood test. Definitely a Success Story. So this is a way of life time eating, now. I want to get to my optimal weight of 160, 7 pounds away and trim off another 2 inches of the waist. The doc wants me back in 6 months. Woohoo, success!

Cholesterol, total 237 > 160
Triglycerides 416 > 141
LDL *** > 96
HDL 38 > 36


*** couldn’t be calculated because of high level of triglycerides

Kale – A Scottish soul food?

Growing up in the south (USA) greens was a mainstay of my diet. But until today, I didn’t realize that kale was a Scottish soul food, too!

My Three Months are up!

Wednesday, was my 3 months on ETL and the end of the time to have my blood checked. I weighed in for a 22 pound loss and three inches of the waist. Today, I got a telephone call with the results of my Triglycerides reading; 141! Three months ago, it was 416. Don’t yet know the other lipid readings. The med assistant was to fax them to me, but didn’t get them.

When the tech told me the number, I said, wow. She said that’s what the Doc said, wow and thanks for Dr. Fuhrman’s book, Cholesterol Protection for Life. Definitely a Success Story.

So this is a way of life time eating, now. I want to get to my optimal weight of 160; 7 pounds away and trim off another 2 inches of the waist. The doc wants me back in 6 months. Success!

Weight 167.0

Today was Hugh Mercer’s Birthday. I put on my Robertson red USA Kilt 5 yarder which fit perfectly. In December, I needed kilt extenders!

B. Steel oats & blueberries
L. Blended veggie soup with wild rice. 2 Walsea crackers with hummus

When to Dr. Mercer’s Apothecary Shop to give my respects and give the docents there a container of biscotti. Dropped by the British Pub had a pint, whisky and curry chips. So, that was dinner! Bad boy!

Got 15’ on the Gazelle.

Weight – 170.0

So yesterday, I am doing my laundry. I decided to try on my trousers in the closet that are the next size down. My current fat boy trousers have gotten rather loose. Whoohoo! They fit!

The fat boy trousers get cleaned, folded and placed in the donation bag for Goodwill. They are not going back into the closet! There are a skinny boy trousers also in the closet that I hope to get on when I get to my Dr. Fuhrman ideal weight. (That’s the goal after meeting this one.)


B: Oatmeal w/walnuts & blueberries
L: Spinach salad, blended veggie soup with woild rice
Snack – almonds
D: Great northern beans with carrots, dessert – fresh strawberries with cinnamon

Weight – 170.0

Woohoo! Five pounds to go to meet my weight goal of losing 25 pounds by February 2nd!

Some challenges I am facing. I need to watch my compulsion eating. I’ve purchased some crusty bread baguettes and been snacking on ginger snaps, Sharon has in private pantry. Got to stop that!

I need to resume my food and exercise dairy.
Here goes:
B: Cantaloupe & blackberries, steel cut oatmeal with blueberries; tea
Confession: toasted baguette with ‘I can’t believe its Butter’ There is no more of it in the house I’ll promise not to buy any.
L: Green smoothie & almonds
D: Steamed kale, w/red peppers, mushrooms, green onions, garlic and blended veggie soup with wild rice
Exercise: 60’ Gazelle
Weight: 170.0

Woohoo! Weighed in this morning at 170.5. A 2 ½ pounds drop. A new low, too!

Here’s what I ate, yesterday.

Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit, walnuts & fresh blueberries
Lunch: Vegetable soup
Dinner: Greens & beans, green salad, almond milk

And today;
Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit, walnuts & fresh blackberries
Lunch: Green smoothie
Dinner: Greens & beans, Vegetable soup, mango & blackberries

Weight- 170.5

Week 8

End week 8 with a weight gain weighing in at 173. With four weeks to go to reach my goal will be tough. I need to follow the ETL strictly. No snacking (the salted nuts are killing me) and resume my exercise.

Weight-173.0

I finish 2010 at 171.5, yeah! Seventeen and ½ pounds lost since 12/7. Le's not forget the 2” off the waist. Thanks, Dr. Fuhrman!

Didn’t get the exercise in, yesterday. Where did the day, go?

Yesterday, I had my power smoothie for lunch. Wasn’t hungry at dinner time which was time to go WM. At my eight o’clock break ate an Asian pear. Stayed up late to watch a flick and ate some pistachios.

Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit, walnuts & fresh blueberries & ½ grapefruit


Weight- 171.5