coming out of my shell

coming out of my shell

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Counting Calories, again

In October 2014, I wrote a post called Counting Calories. If you click on the link and read this older post you will get a pretty good idea how brilliantly effective counting calories is for weight loss, healthy eating, and promoting exercise.

Unfortunately, I am a bit obsessive when I go on a diet. I am a competitive soul, and even when I am only competing against my chubby little (5' 2") self, I fight to win. Everyday I was out on that bike trail burning up calories one by one. If T didn't want to go for a ride, I went by myself.

I was losing weight like gangbusters for awhile until I hurt my foot. How did I hurt my foot? One day it rained and rained and rained. It became apparent that I was not going to be able to go for a bike ride. I was horrified, because if you read my older post you will understand that exercise buys you more calories each day. The more you exercise the more you can EAT, and by all that is holy I wanted to eat. So, instead of riding my bike that day, I cranked up the CD player and danced like a fool for at least 20 minutes.

I forgot I am aging and I forgot I was dancing on a tile floor. My dance frenzy resulted in a small foot injury.  Actually, let's not talk about that foot injury any more. Suffice it to say that I stopped exercising for a couple of months while my foot healed. And in my despair I also stopped counting calories. Of course, over time I gained all the weight back. 


Earlier this week, like Jennifer Anniston, I became fed up with everyone thinking I was pregnant.  Naw, just kidding - nobody thinks I'm pregnant...

Now I am on day 4 of a regimen of calorie counting. The difference is that I have not been exercising. I will start exercising, maybe next week. I cannot handle getting serious about exercising right now. My counting calorie self is still too delicate, too unstable. One thing at a time, please. For now, I am just trying to acclimate to a world where I live within my caloric means and pay attention to what I put in my body for fuel.

I am trying very hard to think about freestone peaches instead of salted caramel gelato.
Back on that righteous path

18 comments:

  1. Good luck and I hope you get what you want! My daughter who is a very seriously healthy person pointed this one out to me some time ago: http://tinyurl.com/hxblp9x
    And we all watched http://thatsugarfilm.com/ and freaked out, more or less, while my very seriously healthy daughter munched her Swiss chocolate and grinned. Her secret is intermittent fasting and having dogs that need looong walk.
    I drop weight when my meds dosages are upped - esp. the cortisone that's supposedly making you fat - probably out of sheer anger and self pity.

    Whatever, enjoy the exercise and enjoy your food!!!

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    1. Thanks. I'm pretty sure it all comes down to simple math and being aware. I might go swimming this evening after the afternoon rain storm comes and goes. It is too damn hot and sunny to swim right now. I like the article, by the way. Will watch the sugar film later.

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  2. Actually, freestone peaches are mighty fine. I have been overweight in my life, but not for many years. Serious exercise went beyond reach when I fractured my back, so I settled for calories to maintain. You'll do just fine; go for it.

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    1. I have three peaches in the kitchen as I write. One is perfectly ripe, the other two are ripening. The thought of being able to eat the ripe one later today is what is keeping me going. The fractured back thing must have been really awful. Nice to hear that someone has been able to keep the weight off for many years, especially when serious exercise is not an option.

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  3. Foot injuries so limit you, sorry to hear that.
    Peaches with a little drizzle of caramel on top?
    Keep going!

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    1. Caramel will only lead to salted caramel ice cream for me. It is a slippery slope.

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  4. I am struggling to stay on track. I have several really good days and then the opposite. Yet, I too am determined.

    Yay you.

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  5. What? My comment didn't print? oh...maybe you didn't like my comment? :(
    Anyway, it involved peaches and caramel, but I'm too tired to reproduce it.

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    1. Ha! I didn't get back on the computer last night before I went to bed.

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  6. Weight is not as much a concern to me as exercise to mitigate the bone loss from cancer drugs. But, like you, I can get very disciplined about it, but then something happens - a cold, a strained muscle, too hot, too cold - I demotivate very quickly. (and then eat to comfort myself) Once I am out of the rhythm, its hard to get started again.

    I wish you luck on your goals. Eating healthier is definitely easier when peaches are in season. Unless, like me, you grill them and top them with ice cream : )

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    1. Grilled peaches with ice cream! Yum. Yes, I wish it was easier to roll with the punches and get back on track. That's my downfall.

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  7. I am you. Yes. Completely. From exercising so I can eat, to aging, to injury, to Hello, My Fitness Pal.

    The recent problem for me with calorie counting and aging is that, even when I am truthful and diligent and stay at 1500 calories a day, I lose nothing.

    My wish for you is that you are the anti-Jocelyn. Rock it, woman!

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    1. Why oh why do we have to work so HARD at this weight loss thing? Not fair! And then if I plateau for too long I feel obliged to throw a big fit and quit. In fact, I'm kind of looking forward to that day. Sigh.

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  8. Colette, Clingstone peaches would burn up a few more calories than those freestones don't you think? I feel your pain. I mucked up my knee in September, had surgery in January. Put on weight. (Insert a sad face here!) Just started adding fruit and veggie smoothies to my diet and am trying to walk more to help combat the weight gain. But on a good note: Last month or so, our dear friends from Fla came up to visit and we all went out to Madelines for a wonderfully fun Sunday Brunch with our Mimosa laden friends. However, there were not any free or clingstone peaches on that menu. Love you C!

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    1. CrabbieCat, I am quite sure you are one of my peeps, but I don't know who. I am very much looking forward to finding out. Just tell me this: why would the cling peaches be better than the freestone? The reluctance to let go? Please tell me that's the reason because it will fit in with my overall world view quite nicely. I love you, too. I'm almost sure of it.

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  9. Colette, I love your blog. I laughed my ass off, so thanks for helping me burn those caliries. Yes! Clingstone peaches do not want to let go, ever. They are steadfast and unyielding. Mmmmmm. A peach Mimosa we could make for a fine Sunday brunch when we are together again.

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  10. The thing I dislike most about aging is that I can no longer eat whatever I like, whenever I like. I now have to restrain myself. Restraint is not my forte:)

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So, whadayathink?