what to drink at the brew pup

Despite what has been going on, I had plans to go see some friends tonight at a local brew pup. I grew up and came of age in Seattle, so I love local beer, it's practically a rule here. So besides watching what I eat, I need to watch what I drink. This meant doing a little research, since beer doesn't list calories on the bottle (or can).

A Blue Moon has 164. Guinness has 128. Red Hook ESB has 179. Pyramid Hefeweizen has 170. Miller Lite 96.  Anyways, that is just a sample, it is worth thinking about.

Beer is also really high in carbohydrates, if you are trying to cut back on carbs it is important to remember that.

There is also some research that suggests darker beers have more health benefits than lighter beer, similar to how red wine has more flavonoids (which are supposed to have more antioxidants) and is better for you then white.

The best attitude for me is to think of beer as a treat. It's okay if I am eating well to have a beer a few times a week. Besides, the health benefits of spending time with my friends is invaluable.

I'm Sorry Blog

I had fallen off the wagon. Work has been very stressful. Then I had a holiday stay-cation with my partner, then my Grandma died, and then I left my job.
So ugh!
Considering what is going on I am happy with how my weight loss efforts have gone. I have not gained any weight, and I have been thinking about it a lot. I have not put in enough effort in losing weight. I had nights when I ate poorly, but still not as poorly as in the past.

I will tackle these challenges. I need to make my priority finding a new job. But this does free me up for more cooking at home, and working out. Penny pinching is good for weight loss, I think, I will find out. 

Sorry for the Break

Tanner and I had a big party on Saturday. Then my work week started. I got off track!!!

I didn't mind eating some fatty foods at the party. But I ate left overs for a few days after that too. Which means I was not journaling or thinking enough about food, so I was not blogging either.

So I need to get back on track.

I went grocery shopping this morning, lots of fruits and veggies. Lots of low fat cheeses. Taking control of what is in my house and what I decide to cook is a good way for me to take more control of what I eat. I also plan on buying a basketball so Tanner and I can have some fun workouts this week.

Party Prep!

Things have been crazy around here getting ready for our party. We are having a House Warming, Anniversary, Cinco de Mayo party. This is good because it motivated us to get the apartment in good shape. Tanner has not finished unpacking, so there are some boxes in his half of the room. But we have rugs on the floor, some art we made on the wall, and the place is going to be very clean. I think losing weight is easier when your space is organized. Everyone has a different level of organization they are comfortable with. But getting your space organized can help your mind and you life be more organized. It can also be a reflection of how you feel, if you feel like your life is unorganized, it may be time to reflect on how you feel and how well you are taking care of yourself.

I tried a new Korean dish last night. I have all the ingredients for Korean soft tofu soup that I LOVE so much. So I looked up a recipe for Bulgogi, and sure enough I have all the sauces and things I needed. It turned out so delicious. It is great that I can cook these dishes that we like at home. I can better control how many calories are in the food, and how much we spend on it.

Also, getting ready for a party burns calories! I went up and down the stairs tons of times yesterday, doing laundry, taking out recycling and bringing in things from the car. Cleaning house also burns calories if you work hard at it. I plan on scrubbing out the bathtub, and doing some sweeping, and even getting on my hands and knees to mop, mostly because we don't have a real mop.

This blog needs more fun photos and crazy posts! I know.

I will also start doing posts on my measurments, weight loss numbers, and calories and things. So we can see if all of these motivational talks are having a real effect.

Out at Bars

I went out on Sunday night with some girlfriends. It was a wonderful time. One of my close friend's birthday is today. So I ordered a round of appetizers. Bar food is not known for being healthy. I couldn't have more then two beers since I was driving us home. I could however, eat as much as I wanted. So how did I do? I have been blogging about weight loss and will power, but when I was tested how did I do?!

I did okay. I ordered the hummus plate, which had pita, feta, cucumber and olives. I also ordered the "bowl of chips" with dip. This was HUGE! They were real thick cut potato chips too. I decided not to worry about eating bar food with my girlfriends. What I focused on was eating slowly. I had a portion of food, and then rested and chatted. Even though I really wanted to keep eating. I kept my composure. But having said that, I did eat slowly for a while, and they are high calorie foods. Today I had a healthy food day, and I plan on eating healthy for a few more days, as a way of making it up to myself.

This is a tip I always hated, trying to eat slower. Either put your fork down, or take a deep breath, or a drink of water, something to slow you down. I hated hearing that! I do eat fast. But you know what? I do feel better and I do eat less when I follow this tip. So I will keep trying it out.

Tanner and I are super busy getting the apartment ready for our big party. So I will post something more interesting tomorrow.

5# is a good start

Lost five pounds in the last two weeks, that is a good enough start for me! Imagine how much I would lose if I really put my mind to it, and was more consistent!

Offbeat Weight Loss Tools

Art! I read a book once that really inspired me called Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal by Janice Taylor (check it out from the library or support a local book store if you buy it). One idea from the book that really stuck with me was the idea that one way to support yourself and your weight loss is by pursing your creative interests. Keeping your hands busy will help you eat less. Also being creative can help you work through issues that may be leading you to emotional eating. Right now I am helping myself eat less by working on getting the apartment put together. I also love sewing and quilting.

Cooking! Cooking is a great way to lose weight. If I spend the time to prepare a meal I feel a lot of pride when I serve it. This also helps remind me what healthy portions look like, since I am the person who put the portions together. My partner and I both love spicy food, cooking is a great way to make spicy food and still control the amount of oil and fats that were used.

Clothes! I don't think that this will work for everyone. When I wear cute clothes I feel better, I feel lighter and can recapture some of what it felt like to enjoy my body when it was skinny. I can't afford clothes shopping very often. But a new top that I like can change my day when I wear it, and help me eat better and move more. The actual process of clothes shopping when you are overweight can be really painful. Things fit oddly or don't fit at all. It's important not to let that lead to emotional eating in the temptation filled mall.

On another note, I have a doctors appointment today, to follow up on one that I had about two weeks ago. So I can weigh myself and see if I have lost any weight. I don't actually own a scale right now, and am only weighing myself at my mom's house or at the gym, and not very often at that.