Have You Heard of this Pregnancy Hormone Diet?

I'm not on the diet.  But I just had lunch with a friend who is.  And yes, she's lost 9 pounds in 11 days.  But at what cost?

I don't even know how much she's paying, so I mean the figurative cost.  She's taking some hormone that is supposed to mimic what a woman's body produces after pregnancy, like to help the body shed the baby weight?  Which, I can't think is good for a person, but whatever.

And then she's only allowed to eat 500 calories a day.  500 A DAY!  I just wanted to grab her and shake her.  I mean, come on.  Anybody will lose weight at the start on only 500 calories a day.

She can only eat like grilled chicken, fish, or shrimp and fresh fruits and veggies.  Oh, and melba toast (????)  So, you can imagine, eating a meal out with her was a joy.  In her defense, they screwed up her order, twice.  I mean, when you ask for no dressing on the salad, you mean no dressing.

Then she proceeded to sit there and drool over the pasta somebody nearby was eating.  And the dessert menu so cruelly placed in front of us.  I was at least kind enough to order a salad as well, though I cheerfully enjoyed the dressing on mine.  I refrained from ordering the new pasta on Applebee's menu that is topped with provolone cheese filled meatballs.

Anyway, I am not on this diet, and I'm not going on this diet, and I have not lost 9 pounds in 11 days (or in 100 days).  Any of you tried it?

How Can Unemployment be So Time Consuming?

I swear, I don't know how I ever had time to have a job.  I've been so busy lately, and it's causing me to fall back into the stressed out eating phase.  I haven't weighed, but I'm afraid the downward trend didn't continue last week.

R's daughter S was here, and since I'm not working, and he doesn't have that many vacation days, I just stayed home with her.  Which actually proved to cause some good calorie burn.  We swam almost every day.  We played Just Dance on the Wii.  We rode bikes.

Plus, I think we actually ate healthier while she was here, because I was trying to set an example for her.  We actually cooked dinner every night but one, and we ate at the table like human beings (instead of in front of the TV like R and I usually do).

I had a big presentation to do yesterday (which yes, was a "job" of sorts, but only a one time deal).  I was completely stressed out about the whole thing anyway, and having S here the week before meant I had little time (and even less focus) to prepare.  It was originally going to be today, so I kinda thought I had at least one more full day to prepare, then they changed it.

Anyhow, that's over now.  My house is quiet again (maybe a little too quiet!), and hopefully I can get back into some healthy habits.  I'm planning to start reading Women, Food, and God.  I'll for sure keep you posted on my thoughts as I do!

Silent, Steady, and Still Here

I haven't posted for a while...

it's not because I've been away on any great adventures...(unless you consider the chaos of job loss / scramble for new life-plan to be a great adventure)

And for those that are confused - yes, both Janet and I are going through the same thing with our loss of employment with little warning.

So most of what she has said, has felt like it was also "from me".

Exercise isn't a priority (though I have been filling in as a substitute cook - and I must say, the pedometer likes this job MUCH more than my desk job).

Eating hasn't been perfect but also hasn't been out of control (stress makes me eat less).

Weight is holding steady.

Perhaps I should re-think the claim that I am good at multi-tasking...because when it comes to my life - I'm not so good. I can focus on organizing. OR I can focus on exercise. OR I can focus on being a health nut. But I'm not so good at focusing on all of the above.

And right now - I'm forced to figure out my life / income plan...in the meantime, I hope that I can hold stead on the weight front.

But I'm still here...

What Goes Up...

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I'd like to point out that my ticker has gone down.  Down I tell you!  DOWN!

It had slowly but steadily gone up for months and months and months.  As my job stress steadily went up and up and up.

But I stepped on the scale today, and I was down by about a pound.  From the last time I updated that is.  Which honestly, was a long time ago.

Anyway, hooray for small blessings! And small weight losses!

I Told You it was My Job

I spoke with a friend today who considers herself "sporadically employed."  She doesn't have a "job" so to speak, since she got fed up and quit hers about a year ago, but she does a lot of consulting and part time stuff here and there and seems to do okay.

She asked me if I was losing weight since losing my job.  I haven't stepped on a scale, so I couldn't answer for sure, but I think I might have lost a little.

She said she has lost 10 pounds without trying since quitting her job.  She says she does a lot of yoga, which she wasn't doing before, but that she used to walk three miles a day, which she isn't doing now.  And she said she's probably eating a bit better, and eating out less, but that she still loves her cookies and so forth.

She's decided that the major factors in this mysterious weight loss are absence of stress and abundance of sleep.  She was curious if I've experienced the same thing.

Honestly, at this point, I'm not sure I have an absence of stress.  I hope to reach that point soon.  And I hope to reach the fabulous sleep stage soon.  I'm still not sleeping well.

Right now I think mine is more too upset to eat.

Anyway, I'll of course keep you all posted.  And maybe this friend and I will soon publish our future bestselling book, Does this Job Make Me Look Fat?

The Plan is...There is No Plan

I haven't stepped on a scale in months.  And with all the job stress, and then unemployment stress, my eating has been crazy, and my workouts have been minimal.  Plus its hot.  Really hot.  I don't do hot.

Yes, I have a treadmill.  Whatever.

I have been getting in the pool most days, and kind of doing my own water aerobics, or water calisthenics, or water yoga or something.  So, that's good.

I'm having major PMS again too, so that doesn't help my mood, stress, or weight loss efforts.  But I'm thinking of stepping on the scale in a couple days, updating my ticker, and getting going on this thing again in some capacity.

The last time I lost any amount of weight (like 20 pounds) I was unemployed.  So, hopefully I can find the time and energy now to make a positive difference in my health.  Plus I don't have all that job stress causing me to gorge on chocolate anymore.