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Menopausal Weight Loss

Vacation Time!

I just got back from vacation.  I was in the land of heat and humidity, aka, Florida.  I love going to Florida for a few reasons:  it's always nice to get away, it's always nice to annoy my son and I know all the good restaurants!

Sometimes, vacations can really screw up a diet and exercise plan.  I don't really follow my diet plan when I go away, but I do try to at least keep up with my walks.  The way I see it, if I'm going to eat everything bad for me, I'm going to walk off at least some of the guilt. 


Exercise is one of the most important things in keeping your weight down (I think I've mentioned this a time or two before).  True, you also need to watch what you eat, but at least the exercise keeps things manageable.  I've also noticed that the more I exercise, the less I really want to eat.


About 2 years ago, when I pigged out, I REALLY pigged out!  If I had pizza, I had 4 slices.  I had to have the biggest steak and finish all the fries or every ounce of the baked potato (with extra sour cream).  I could eat 1/2 pound of pasta in one sitting and when I made chili, meatloaf or meatballs, I used beef.  I wouldn't even consider using any sausage other than pork.  


Then, I decided to get back on track.  I reinvented my recipes.  I started using ground turkey breast for my chili, meatloaf and meatballs.  I discovered chicken sausage.  Once I got used to this new way of eating, I found that I actually liked it better.


This time, when I went out to eat, I had steak, but I had the 6 oz. sirloin instead of the 11 oz.  I ate 1/2 of my baked potato with the "normal" amount of sour cream.  I had salad.  When we went out for seafood, I had the broiled combo platter and took 1/2 home from lunch the next day.  Before this, I would eat everything on my plate and then some!  No more.  It's just a matter of getting used to a lesser pig-out.  I also noticed that when I finished my morning walk, I wasn't as hungry as I was when I started out.


Bottom line here:  I didn't gain weight on this vacation!  I walked 5 miles a day (first thing in the morning) and spent the rest of the day in the pool.  Every little bit of movement counts.


Right now, I'm on a bit of a plateau, but I'll push through it.  Since I've been home, I've been keeping up with my walks and I'm hoping to move past this.  On the plus side....I'm not gaining weight.  It's always a plus when I don't gain.  

Now that vacation is over, I'm starting to plan some new walking routes in my hometown.  I find myself walking longer and faster.  It's getting to be a habit to challenge myself to do more and I'm loving it!  Will I start running?  Not a chance!  Way too much stress on my back and knees.  I average a pace of 4.5 miles per hour, so I think I'll stick with that.  

I need to get back to my healthy habits and leave the steaks alone for a while.  Time to get off this plateau!!!!

Spring has Sprung....FINALLY

After months of cold and snow, it's finally getting to be warm outside.  Being in New Jersey, this time of year can be hit or miss with weather.  There had been days when the temperature was in the high 60s, then within days, it was back to the 40s.  Now, the temperature has been in the 60s and 70s.  Perfect walking weather.

Right now, I'm not working, so every day that it doesn't rain, I get out and walk.  When I walk, I have several routes that I like to take.  Last year, I walked 2 1/2 to 5 miles a day.  This year, I haven't walked less than 3 1/2 miles, but usually between 4 1/2 to 6 miles each time.  

When you reach menopause, there's an added challenge in losing weight.  Your metabolism isn't what it was in your 20s and 30s.  I find that I have to work harder to take off even the slightest amount of weight.  Right now, I'm at a plateau.  I'll lose a pound one week, then the next week, it's back.  I've tried everything short of starving myself.  I refuse to do without food for 2 reasons:  1) It's not healthy and 2) I love food.  So, because of this, I've stepped up my walks to the point that I'm now doing about 5 miles every day (with exceptions, of course).  In the past month, I haven't walked less than 4 miles each time.
 

Since it is so nice outside, it's easy for me to feel motivated to get out there.  I always have my iPod with the Nike+ so I know how far I go.  I'm also getting hooked on the iPod sync with the Nike site that keeps track of my walks.  I've even joined some challenges and set some goals.  Right now, I'm working on a challenge to "Walk across the US".  Each challenger walks (or runs) the distance across the US, which is 3,260 miles.  The challenge started December 27, 2007 and will and on January 2, 2015.  There are 7,888 people in this challenge and as of today, I am in 1,895th place with 597.03 miles.  Not too bad, especially when you consider that I only started logging miles for this a little under a year ago.


With Spring and Summer comes another challenge:  rain.  I'm not thrilled with walking in the rain when it's 60 or 70 degrees, but clouds don't bother me, so I'll get out and walk even if the sun isn't out.  When there are clouds, there's no guarantee that there won't be rain.  When I walk, I carry my phone and key in a small bag that's a pain in the ass to hold on to, but I've gotten used to it.  On cloudy days, I stick 2 Zip Lock bags in with my phone and key.  This way, if it does rain, my phone and iPod don't get soaked.  In the Summer, when it's hot, I have no problem going out for a walk when it's raining, as long as it's not a torrential downpour and the puddles are so deep I could swim through them.

Summer also poses a challenge for me:  heat.  I hate the heat.  This means that I have to change my walk time.  Instead of going out midday, I'll either have to get my ass out of bed early so I could start my walk just as the sun is coming up, or wait until just before sundown.  

In about 2 weeks, I'll be taking a trip to Florida with a couple of friends.  I plan on keeping up with my walks, so this could be my opportunity to train myself to get up early and walk.  Early could be the way to go since I want to spend this time with my friends and they may want to sleep in.  If they want to walk with me, I could always take another walk with them in the evening.  


For now, I'm just enjoying this weather and my time outside. 

Dining out

Dining out is usually a challenge when you're on a diet.   I would suggest waiting until you're pretty well settled into your weight loss plan before you attempt that first night at a restaurant, but sometimes, that's not possible.  

The best thing to do when you go out is to have a plan.  Many restaurants have websites that include their menus.  Before you go, check out the website, read the menu and decide what you'll have (remember, we're thinking health).   If you take the time to really look, I'm sure you can find something that will work well with your new lifestyle.  

Look for grilled chicken or fish.  A lot of the time, grilled fish is served topped with herb butter.  Ask for the butter on the side so you can control how much goes on the fish.  Same with sauces.  Try to choose a dish that doesn't have a heavy sauce, but if you must have that, get it on the side.  The more you can control, the better.

Many restaurants will also take requests.  Have it your way is NOT just for Burger King.  Ask if your veggies can be steamed instead of sauteed, or if the chicken in the chicken parm can be grilled instead of breaded and fried, or if your pasta can be whole wheat.  And, just for the record, it IS possible to eat a baked potato without a ton of butter and/or sour cream.  You can even ask what fat free or low fat options you have for salad dressing.  You can even call ahead and ask if there are fat free or low fat dressings available.  If there aren't, bring your own in a small container.

If you're serious about changing your life and getting healthy, you won't have a problem.  Most of it is common sense.  You know to either stay away from the bread, or limit how much of it you eat.  Instead of putting on a huge glob of butter, use only a small amount, or none at all.   Have steamed veggies instead of sauteed or smothered in sauce.  Go for the baked potato instead of the fries or the garlic mashed potatoes.   In other words, try to stick with food that won't make you feel guilty after you eat it.

You also need to be aware that most restaurants have giant portions.  A good trick is to ask for a to go container when your food is brought to the table.  Split your dinner in half and pack up one half immediately.  Out of sight, out of mind.   

Appetizers and desserts can be shared.  If there's a salad bar, indulge!  Filling up on lettuce never made anyone fat (not that I know of, anyway).    The trick is to go in with a plan and stick to it.  The more you read a menu, the more you'll want the gooey stuff.  


Then again, if you know you'll be going out with friends, you can eat healthy all week and use this night as your cheat night.  Just take a good, long walk the next day!!!!

So many to choose....

When you finally decide you're not happy with your weight, there are many choices to help you reach your goal.  Only you can decide which is right for you.

There's the Atkins diet, where you eliminate carbs.  I tried this for a while a few years ago and snapped because of the lack of bread (I love my bread almost as much as I love my steak).  I had a small piece of bread one day and it was like crack!!  I had to have more.  Yes, I lost weight, but once I had my bread fix, I couldn't stop and the weight came back.

Nutrisystem is an option many people found success with.  I looked into it and was seriously going to try it, but it was WAY too expensive!!!!  Yes, it's about the same as I would be spending at the grocery store in a month, but when I shop, I don't have to lay out $400 up front.  What I spend each week is manageable, laying out an amount like $400 in one shot is not.  Besides, I'm kind of fussy when it comes to food.  There are certain things I will not eat.  One of my "no way" foods is fungus (aka mushrooms), and fungus is in a lot of these foods.

Jenny Craig is another option.  I'm told the food is good and it works, but I've seen the portions.  The one person I knew who was on this plan couldn't take it for more than 2 weeks.  One night, she went to a party, saw the bowl of chips and got lost in it.   That was the end of it for her.  She did try it again and lasted 4 weeks that time, but depriving herself of foods she really wanted was too much.

Then there's Weight Watchers.  This is my personal favorite.  At Weight Watchers, they actually teach you how to eat.  You're not locked into food that's prepared and packaged; you learn to prepare the food yourself and you learn portion control.  This helps when you go out, whether it's to a  party or to a restaurant.  You could look at a menu and make the right choices.  Many restaurants now have healthy choices on their menus, so it's easier to enjoy your night out.  If you're going to a chain restaurant, you can even go on line to look at the menu and decide what you want before you even get there!  That helps you plan your meals for the rest of that day.  I know that if I'm going out at night, I'll stick with fruit for breakfast and salad for lunch so I can have what I want for dinner.

It's also amazing when you think how many empty calories there are in drinks!  The first year that I joined Weight Watchers, my friends and I met up in Florida.  I had reached my goal at that point, so I wasn't going crazy sticking to my points.  We went to Key West for the weekend and I swear, I must have used all my weekly points on margaritas! 

There are also really good frozen dinners available.  Lean Cuisine, Smart Choice, Healthy Choice....all good in a pinch.  I would bring one for lunch every day while I was working.  I wouldn't recommend eating these meals all the time, but they're great for bringing to work, or having when you're pressed for time at night.  Make a yourself a salad and you have a quick meal that's relatively healthy.

Soda is a killer.  I think I read somewhere that if you cut out soda, you could lose 10 lbs. a year.  And it's not just the regular soda!  Look at the sodium count of diet soda!  I was on a Coke Zero kick for a while and couldn't understand how, in one day, I could gain 2 lbs.  when I knew I wasn't pigging out! Looking back, I realized that the days I gained were the days I had 2 or more cans of Coke Zero.  I'm now sticking to water and iced tea (unsweetened, please).

Don't get me wrong, I think that the pre-packaged meal plans are great....for a while.  But do they teach you how to eat AFTER you get to your goal?  That's something to take into consideration.

Chicken Parmesean

Ingredients:

Chicken breast cutlets (no set quantity...how much do you want?)

1-2 Tbs. olive oil

1 package low-fat mozzarella (unless you're making a lot, then you'll need more)

Salt and pepper to taste

Marinara sauce

Marinara sauce:

3 large cans crushed tomatoes

4 cloves garlic (minced)

2 medium onions (diced)

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tbs. dried basil

1 tsp. dried thyme

Spray a large pot with non-stick cooking spray and sautee onions and garlic until onions are translucent.  Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil and thyme and let simmer for at least an hour.

While sauce is simmering, season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.  Grill chicken until nicely browned.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread some marinara sauce on the bottom of a roasting pan (I use a Pyrex roasting pan, but whatever you have is fine) and place grilled chicken over it in a single layer.  Ladle marinara sauce over the chicken and top with mozzarella.  Cover with aluminum foil and let bake 20 minutes.  Take aluminum foil off and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and turning brown.

Serve with whole grain pasta.

Sandwiches can be made with the leftovers (whole grain roll, of course).