Progress - Update

 This post isn't about sewing or quilting.  It's more personal, so if you aren't interested then you can stop reading now.

Back when I posted about my word of the year 'Progress' I mentioned that I needed Progress to be made in different areas. One of these areas is my weight/health.  I'd asked my doctor for help, since my weight has stayed the same for over 2 years now.  He referred me to a weight loss doctor.  I couldn't get an appointment until mid-March, but they moved up my appointment to last Thursday (Jan 28th).

The doctor put me on a very strict diet plan with exercise and also an appetite suppressant medication. I'm only allowed to stay on the medication for a few months.

The doctor suggested a Fitness app to use to count calories and to keep track of my exercise.  My Fitness Pal is the app I'm using. You can download it on your phone and also use it on your computer.  I'm not high tech so I find it easier to use on my computer.  This app has been a game changer for me.

Some of the foods I'm eating are already listed in the app, but one's that aren't I can add to their list of foods.  

Hubby is a backpacker and keeps track of the weight of everything that goes in his backpack.  He has a great digital scale he uses and he taught me how to use it.  It really helps.

The doctor gave me a whole packet to read.  One page is a suggested meal plan for the day.  It has really helped.

So far I've met the calorie goals each day.  Drinking the 2-3 liters of water each day is more difficult.  I have to plan around bathroom breaks now.

Counting calories is difficult at first.  I have to include EVERYTHING that I consume.  Making lunch each day takes much longer than it used to since I have to make sure to count all the calories.

Example:

Lunch
Roma - Tomato Slice, 2 Slice	10	2	0	0	2	2
Romaine - Lettuce 1 Leaf, 1 leaf	5	1	0	0	2	0
Pepperidge Farm Thin - Thin Sliced 15 Grain Bread, 2 slices	140	24	3	6	140	4
Oscar Mayer - Chipolte seasoned chicken breast, 2 oz	50	3	1	9	540	0
Helmann's - Low Fat Mayonnaise , 1 tbsp	15	2	1	0	130	0
Fresh Red Seedless Grapes - Red Seedless Grapes, 1/2 cup or approx 15 grapes	60	14	0	1	0	12
Add Food  Quick Tools	280	46	5	16	814	18

I count the calories and enter them, and the app lists the total Calories, Carbs, Fat, Protein, Cholesterol, Sodium, Sugars and Fiber (if they have all been listed in their database).  Pretty cool.  

I found a great pork chop recipe online that we tried Tuesday night. Quick Garlic Lime Marinated Pork Chops.  Oh my!  Tender, juicy and full of flavor!  Only 224 calories, too!  (and they were already listed on the app).  We'll be having these again.  I'm looking for more yummy meats that hubby and our son will eat (son is very picky).  I'd like to be able to eat with them as much as possible.  They can eat all the pasta and potatoes sides while I eat veggies.  I even started a new Pinterest page just for diet foods.

Yesterday was my birthday.  I knew after I saw the doctor that all my plans were out the window.  I had planned on ordering from Olive Garden and eating cake for my birthday.  Well, most of the things I want from Olive Garden have as many calories in one meal as I'm supposed to have in a full day.  I really wanted some cake at least.  I went down the baking aisle at the grocery store and started checking the labels on all the cake mix boxes.  TOO many calories until I got to the Angel Food cake.  140 calories per slice (12th of the whole cake).  I could handle that.  I added some fresh strawberries (18 calories) and I was happy!  Happy Birthday to me!

As for the exercise, my client (I'm a home healthcare aid) has a stationary bike.  He and I have been taking turns riding the bike most days (I'm with him 4.5 hours each day).  Win-win for both of us.  I've also bought some resistance bands and started with some of the exercises they recommend.  I need to figure out more things that I can fit into my schedule, but this is a start.  

On a good note, since I started on the diet one week ago, I've made 'Progress' on my weight goals.  My scale this morning told me that I've lost 7 lbs.  Yipee!  I have a long way to go, since my goal is to lose 60-75 lbs.

Getting started on this diet and learning how to count calories, etc, has taken up most of my sewing time, so I don't have any progress there to show you.  

This is just the beginning of my weight loss journey.  Don't worry, I won't be blogging about this very often since this is a quilting blog, not a weight loss blog.