paragraphs | I am a diet failure!

January 2023

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Custom Text

I really am. I have eaten SO WELL all week but have I lost? ANYTHING? NO. I weighed this morning exactly what I did Sunday.... I tell you what this plateau I am on is ROCK SOLID. If it was ten pounds less I'd be fine. LOL!!! I know that a lot of people are into body acceptance, which I totally believe is important, but I am a stubborn sort and don't wanna just yet. I think it is absolutely true that once you hit the 50's aka post-menopause, weight is harder to get off. Mind you, for real, I've had no problems at all - no crankies, no hot flashes, nothing. Just everything...stopped. Lucky me! But yeah.

Anyway - am considering there may be other factors involved with my body's stubborn determination to keep me right here. Stress would be the big thing which I have plenty of, working as a legal assistant now. Generally, I love my job, love the often-crazy-pace, but when it doesn't let up and I leave work with so much yet to do that I feel like I should stay late (2.5 hours overtime this week) or come in on a Saturday (um, hell no?) then, well... yeah.

This week was insane. I had filings in bankruptcy court - omg, talk about nuts? the rules! the things to do! Whenever I file anything via Pacer I am always so certain I will screw up! And then I discovered we did - but - this is the thing - it was not, is not MY job to make sure we have the right things to file. Right? I am the mere typist/filer. Yet we totally screwed up the notice of hearing (totally fixable, btw) and I am CRUSHED. And of course my boss says 'don't bring out the horribilizer..." he knows me well. LOL. But yeah. Bankruptcy filings, Northern District of Texas FW filings, filings in Dallas court, the appeals court... oh and even an administrative court... all this week. There is just so much to do and dear attorneys forget, often, that there is always so much to do AFTER the filings are done. They move on but I have a lot of cleanup online and hard copy-files and such-left to do. *thunk*

I am whiney about this and yet I love it, my job is mine mine mine, I am awesome at it, my boss told me 'you saved me' - lol - yes I love that - cuz I did - cuz I am awesome.... But DAMN. STRESS!!!

So that and knee still healing and being swollen may be contributing to the problem. Not sure. Going to keep on soldiering on though with eating 1350 calories a day because well that is a good thing, right.

Bought a physical book today. Karin Slaughter, CRIMINAL. I'm getting drawn back to mystery in a big way these days....my first love, after all. I have a lot lined up for this year but I am thinking that Fall 2013 is going to see me returning to hardcore mystery. If not before, with my new writing group. Yeah. *sitting here nodding*

I hate GoodReads. Will not be back. No I will but I am going to make myself a new one with my real name to keep track of the books I read, and keep far, far, faaaaarrr away from the m/m world there. I miss the days where I was oblivious to readers and their opinions and esp. those who enjoy being vicious and mean. Seems to be a thing there these days which is sad. Oh well. I only quit writing for two days and am back at it. Never, ever seek out reviews. Ever ever ever. EVER.

I am rambling. I need to finish these sci fi edits because I want to send this in, dang it!!!

Tags:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I know it may sound weird, but are you eating enough calories? Usually in women if you eat below 1200 a day, your body goes into starvation mode and slows down your metabolism preventing your body from losing mass.

There were two days this week that I was probably under 1000, yeah. One for sure - the day we were going crazy getting subpoenas out and I didn't get lunch at all :(. and um yeah I may be guilty of not having time for breakfast.... LOL. I don't generally snack at work either because we aren't supposed to eat at our desks, so yeah.

This week I will up it and try harder to actually eat enough every day and see what happens. Worth a shot!

If you change your name on Goodreads, let me know so that I can follow you. Returning to mystery? YAY!

Also, in weight watchers we discuss the issue of plateaus a lot and it seems that the way to fight it is to not starve yourself more but to mix it up a bit. Keep the same calorie count (or points) but eat less dairy more of something else. Throw in an extra 15 minutes of walking if possible. Additional exercise seems to be the one way to get you over the hump. It doesn't have to be a lot but your body needs a jump start of something.

The big problem I have right now is this sprained knee - it is still healing and walking around a lot makes it puff up like a puffer fish. Ok not that bad but yeah. Still healing - it felt great when i was on the steroids but now that I'm not it is more achy again.:(

Yeah...I have no idea what is going on in mystery these days but I would honestly like to take another stabbity at it.

Also, am thinking maybe I should look into WW. Those on it sure seem to find success.

I lost 40 pounds on it (then stress from family situation and holidays...) So I need to go back as soon as medical issues with parent is resolved. The key to WW is the leader. Find a leader you like. I've heard that some of them are just so-so. I lucked out and found a fabulous leader right off the bat. She's funny, so supportive, caring, just an all around great person. Also, they are on the etools bandwagon like whoa these days, so it's easy to keep track of your eating habits. The one thing that I love is that you can scan bar codes at the store with your smart phone. It's amazing how many calories are in things that you think are relativley benign! Of course, they use a point system but it's basically the same thing. The basic tenet: you can eat ALL the fruits and vegetables you want. No limit. You have to limit the other stuff. It's a very, very smart system. And a basic plan that you can stay on forever. I really recommend it.

Me up there.

LOL!!! Okay good!

What are you doing writerly-wise? I literally have not checked out the mystery scene in years.

I'm not sure exactly. Thrillers continue to dominte. Gone Girl has run away with all the hype, but I can't say that I understand why. Seems like a lot of plot busts, although the writing itself is extremely compelling. Fluffy cozys are making a huge comeback, which I think is due to Kindle sales. Kindle sales have replaced mass market paperback. My Kindle sales seem to be rather decent and chug along, despite not having a book out there. Your publisher went out of business, right? You have the rights to your mysteries, right? The first thing you need to do (and I'm absolutely serious about this) is to reformat your mysteries and get them up on Kindle. amazon itself has a self-publishing arm if you want to do it through them. I can also recommend BookBaby. That process seems fairly straightforward, plus of all the self-publishing entities, their covers seem to be the best. Which is key because covers seem to be extremely important. The visuals, you know. Now that there is literally no mechanism for choosing books (as places like Goodreads have usurped the professional review process), covers have assumed even greater importance. You need an ebook presence for two reasons: it shows a potential publisher that you're savy to what's happening in the market and it gets you BACK in the "legitimate" market after, what, a ten-fifteen year hiastus. Also, if you can't sell it, then you can self-publish it and you'll already have some sort of presence there. That's the first thing you need to do. With the popularity of cozies, you should do really well.

Me? I went over to the dark side and joined amazon's breakthrough novel contest in a last ditch hope of getting some sort of recognition for my Jane Austen pastiche. The first round of cuts happens on Valentine's Day. If I don't make the cut (I submitted it as a romance), then I'll self publish it through their publishing arm. I need to get it out of my life. I'm currently working on a m/m mystery that is loosely based on my HP stuff. Loosely is the key word. It's sort of a tongue-in-cheek take on the HP world. There will be lots of shout outs to the HP fandom, but it will stand alone. I'm up to chapter 6 and with a newly invigorated writing group, I hope to finish it by May. Then I'm going to write a serious novel. I've been thinking about this for a while. It's time to push myself as far as possible writing wise. I'm 56 years old. Time to see if I can write that big book.

Oh that is cool! Good luck with that! I have no problem with self-pubbed books. Of the favorite books I've read this year, mostly YA, there is a strong number of self-pubs. I am far more forgiving these days of typos.

Yup I have my rights back but only have the one book. I have to retype the whole thing but it is something I do want to do. I'm not really interested in writing cozies - I am just not that fluffy - but what IS pulling hard is police detective. Hmmm... Rachael IS a cop, I could totally pull her back into that line of work... rewrite the first one and get it back out available and go from there. Oh the things I would change!!! And will. Hmmm. I will check out Bookbaby though one of my crit buddies is learning everything she can about self-pubbing and is becoming a pro.

I am just getting a little tired of writing m/m - three books out now, about to send out another that will have a sequel, then have one other to write this year and a f/m anthology... busy busy! After all those, which should all be done by mid-July, except for the sci fi sequel THEN would be a great time to concentrate on mystery again. Yeah.

Cut yourself some slack. You are not a failure at all. You're eating better and feeling better and eventually the scale will reflect that. Relax.

where is my response I wrote? I will keep at it I promise. More quinoa - I loved what I had this week. Good stuff. More recipes!?

Oh lol I never sent it to you... here!

Relax! HOW! HOW? LOL. BUT DREM.... for sure I thought there'd be at least one measly pound. LOL. BAH. Stupid body!!!

Mmm but quinoa! I like it! I am going to make some tomorrow. My daughter says she cooks hers in her rice cooker. Which I don't have.... Hmmm. But the frozen w/veggies that I got at trader joe's was awesome.

Quinoa Soup With Avocado and Corn
(Adapted from Lorna Sass, Whole Grains for Busy People)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup chunky salsa, to taste
1 ripe but firm Hass avocado, diced
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges, for serving

1) In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat broth over high until it comes to a boil. Add quinoa. Drop heat to medium-high. Cook (still boiling) 15 minutes.

2) Add corn and salsa. Stir. When it comes back up to a simmer, kill the heat. Remove the pot from the burner. Add avocado. Stir gently. Salt and pepper to taste. Add cilantro. Stir again. Serve with lime wedges.

Mediterranean Quinoa with Broccoli

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli
• 1 to 2 medium lemons
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 5 tablespoons olive oil (may use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and cook uncovered for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli stalks into 3/4-inch pieces and cut the broccoli tops into small florets. Add to the pot; reduce the heat to medium-high and return to a boil. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the quinoa has no opaque dot of uncooked starch in the center.

While the broccoli is cooking, squeeze enough juice from the lemon(s) to yield 1/4 cup. Coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and place in a large bowl.

Drain the quinoa and broccoli well. Transfer to the bowl and stir until the steam subsides. Add the lemon juice, oil and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I have all these things! I think I still have my sundried tomatoes.... No wait that's roasted peppers. Darn. I love sundried tomatoes. I will get some and do this. It sounds FABULOUS. :)

Patience! Remember your weight changes with your cycles. I'm currently on the weight downslope of my cycle, but fully expect to weigh the same for the next couple of weeks as my upslope is gradually neutralized by a little weight loss. That may well be what's happening to you.
Bummer about the knees. :-( I fear for my own knees, which I think may be approaching their shelf life after 30 years of walking everywhere.

Re: Weight Watchers, the people I've known who do it have indeed done well.

And ditto

dremiel. Give not into despair! Maybe try making your first priority (mentally, brainhacking!) eating healthy, with weight loss as the bonus prize.

No cycle!! Or do I, even with no period anymore?

Yeah - I refuse to believe my knees are shot for good. REFUSE.

I'm pretty sure that even without periods, we still have cycles. Regarding specifically the ones relating to periods, I'm actually not sure of. I never did bother to weigh out my cycle while on continuous birth control. (I'm only having a period now because I missed a pill last week. :-/) But our bodies do cycle in any case. We at least have a daily cycle, releasing and retaining water on a regular basis. (I have noticed for myself that no matter what, I weigh up to three pounds more in the evening than in the morning.)

And also remember, you only just started! It's going to take a while for the metabolism to stop going, "WTF IS GOING ON!!!??!" and kick into high gear.

Anyway, food guilt is totally why I build in high calorie days into my dieting week. If I splurge on pizza one day (like I did last night! I get to go for a nice long walk today...) then I just readjust the other days of the week. Maintaining good morale is necessary! As is the protein and calcium of pizza!

Hey, are you using any sort of tracking system or software? When I first developed my method, I wrote down everything I ate in a little notebook, and now I use this nice little iOs app called Lose It! which tracks calorie intake and exercise output and lets me obsess over numbers that aren't on my bathroom scale.

I have been trying myfitnesspal.com. LOL obsess what is this obsess.... Okay you are right. One week does not a success make.

See like today - totally not hungry at all so I haven't wanted to eat. I had coffee and bacon for breakfast, and really haven't had much else yet and just saw the time - how it get so late? See, I lose track of time and forget to eat. A lot.

And remember, caffeine is an appetite suppressant! one of the reasons I like dieting is because it gives me an extra excuse to get caffeinated.

I drink tons of ice tea.... :)

I don't know if you like swimming but I know that it is really good for the low impact side of things. It doesn't even have to be lap swimming, water aerobics classes can really kick your ass! It is amazing that you can actually sweat in water. I was going to mention the eating enough calories thing too but someone beat me to it.

I think the most frustrating thing about dieting is that the results aren't immediate. But the only other thing that I would say (as I know hypothyroidism is a problem with some of my friends and relatives) that if you're still not seeing results in a few more weeks it may very well have to do with stress, post-menopause or something else health related.

Keep it up I am sure you will reach your goal!

You are a very inspiring person, you know that? And I just sit here and smile and think OMG SOON and think of your pictures.... :)

The funny thing is when I lost all the weight I lost? I lost it FAST. I look at the pictures and marvel how fast I lost and how well. I really should be happy with where I am. It is not a bad weight, I just want ten less of the not-bad-weight. LOL.

Of course my lack of exercising - can't do anything at the moment what with the knee - is contributing too. So swimming WOULD likely be good for that.

:D

Oh there will be TONS more pictures once the munchkin gets here. Should he choose to cooperate of course, so far he isn't the little brat! LOL

When you can combine working out and dieting it goes so much faster. Hopefully your knee will stop hurting soon. But swimming would probably help a lot. You can work it slowly in a weightless type environment. I know just getting in the water feels amazing with all the extra baby weight. Plus if you choose to do lap swimming you can use a pull buoy which (in case you aren't familiar) goes between your knees to keep them floating and you use your arms in a crawl stroke or back stroke. Great upper body workout if it is still tender on your knee.

These feelings plague me all the time so while I feel for you, really really do in that empathetic let me give you a hug way, also, you should know that you're pretty inspiring in how you refuse to let yourself accept what most people say is inevitable.

Keep eating healthy woman! You will see change, of that I cannot doubt because I need to believe as I am no spring chicken either and have plans of becoming thinner and healthier and ready to tackle life with a "springier" step. :)

Hugs back. I try, I refuse to be my mother who by my age was... so OLD. I am almost 51 but at least for now am usually mistaken for early 40's. LOL I will take that!

Spring in the step - that is the thing. My dad's wife has had such problems due to... everything. He's doing pretty damn well still at 80 so my sister and i decided we would just take after him. :) Can't do it just sitting around though. Gotta be proactive.

I don't know if I could handle reading reviews on the things I write. I wouldn't be able to handle the mean comments that would inevitably be there. When I type up reviews, I try to be honest about what I thought. I'm not going to like everything out there, but I try to write things in a way that won't be mean or harsh. I know a ton of people are going to like things I didn't, and vice versa. For example, I didn't like Twilight, but it wasn't because of the story. It was because of how poorly it was written. I thought New Moon was done a lot better. Each book she wrote was done better than the one before it, though I didn't like the third one in the series (due to the story this time) and thought the fourth one was good. I really like Stephanie Meyer's "The Host," which is a completely different type of writing than the Twilight series. If she hadn't put her name on it, I would've honestly thought it was written by someone else.

I didn't like Twilight because I hated Bella's helplessness. I hate hate hate hate that. LOL. I heard though that The Host was completely different, so maybe someday I will stab at that.

Best to not read reviews at all. Nope!!! I had a few days there of being stupid but am over that.LOL.

Bella was another one of the things that bothered me. I wish she'd had a different type of personality.

I've lived through menopause so l'm sure you will too. Freezing anyone out of the house yet? ;^)

Oh no I've been free for three years now, never had hot flashes, no problems at all. My doc says I am a lucky one and I agree. :)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Page Summary

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

Style Credit

Style: Elegant Notebook for Gold Leaf by rosecarmine
Resources: Yusuke Kamiyamane and Atle Mo

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~

I am a diet failure!

Custom Text

Page Summary

Expand Cut Tags

Style Credit