Dave and I returned last night from a short trip to Chicago. We went to hear the CSO, which was unbelievably wonderful. However, one cannot travel to Chicago without indulging. At least I can't. I will admit that I did not adhere to any diet, unless one considers fried oysters, gumbo, a shrimp po-boy, several bites of pecan pie (deep dish) and three glasses of wine a diet. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that were the case?
In defense of this gluttony, I did walk several miles while in the city. We did not take cabs except on our return to Union Station. I am hoping that when I step on the scale that the food and exercise were a wash. If not, it is not a big deal, because I will be good about my eating and exercise today.
My last post seems to have created a bit of controversy which I would like to clear up. I was hoping that my admission to my own delight at the demise of the Latin program of my former employer would stress the point that I was trying to make...that we are indeed human, and that sometimes there is a sense of Schadenfreude when something bad happens to others. I am adding this disclaimer to clarify that I do not wish for any of the electives to fall by the wayside as German has. My choice of digital photography was simply an attempt to make a point. Learning a foreign language takes years, not weeks or months. I hope that art, tech and music enjoy full and fruitful programs. My post was intended to be self-indulgent and bitter.
Tip of the day: If you're in Chicago, eat! You have tomorrow to diet.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
A few road bumps...but it is one day at a time!
It's been quite a while since I've written to fill you in on my progress. I am making progress. Although I've had a few days when I've eaten too much, I have not yet neglected my exercise program. I've lost three pounds, and I feel much better. In the past if I'd have a bad day, I would tend to have a bad week. I'd tell myself, "Oh, hell! I'll start again next Monday." This time, I'm just starting again the next day. It seems to be an effective plan.
My road bumps are not unlike those that all of us face. The most recent that had the potential to send me into a feeding frenzy was learning that my former employer of thirty years, is elinimating the German program from the middle schools. This in essence is the death knell of the program. Why, you might ask, do I care? I've been asking myself that as well. I'm retired. However, I do care.
German is an important world language, and the district is being very short-sighted in eliminating it from the curriculum. Yes, I know that other electives are currently more "en vogue." Seriously, is it important to learn digital photography? Even I can figure out how to use a digital camera, how to eliminate "red eye" and how to post photos to the web. I've even figured out how to put my head on Elle McPherson's body! I learned this in roughly 10 minutes. Most middle school students have grown up with this technology, and can do it in a minute. Can you learn German in 10 minutes? Well, rhetorical question!
This watering down of curriculum is a trend in our schools. Subject matter that is perceived as difficult, or that might not attract huge numbers of students is unpopular with school boards and school administrators. It seems that the majority of school board members, administrators and guidance counselors had some type of horrid foreign language experience. They jump at the chance to rid the curriculum of this menace!
The trend to eliminate foreign languages is not only evident in secondary schools but also at universities. It is currently popular to add Chinese to the curriculum at the expense of the traditional languages. China will sponsor "free" teachers. Districts just need to put them up for a year. Gosh, this is a nice plan, but most of these Chinese "teachers" are not trained educators. There are many of us who speak English, but seriously, can we teach English??
I am getting worked up by writing this. I could use a Snickers about now...but I won't go there, because I exercised for 90 minutes today and that would be stupid. I'll just write a bit more about how upset I am by the move to eliminate German.
There is always a bit of Schadenfreude on the part of the other electives when one bites the dust. I remember when Latin left the curriculum, I was relieved that that pool of students could be absorbed into German. I admit this. However, the instructors of electives must remember that when one goes, the others are simply in the curriculum at the wim of an administrator.
So, auf Wiedersehen Deutsch! I'm thankful that so many students got a chance to learn this magnificent language, which by the way helped them to understand their native tongue a bit better. I'm thankful that so many former students are using German in their present careers. I am angry and sad that future students won't have the chance to learn German and that the current staff will have to fall back on a minor to keep a job.
Well, that felt good.
Tip of the day: If you feel like eating, write.
My road bumps are not unlike those that all of us face. The most recent that had the potential to send me into a feeding frenzy was learning that my former employer of thirty years, is elinimating the German program from the middle schools. This in essence is the death knell of the program. Why, you might ask, do I care? I've been asking myself that as well. I'm retired. However, I do care.
German is an important world language, and the district is being very short-sighted in eliminating it from the curriculum. Yes, I know that other electives are currently more "en vogue." Seriously, is it important to learn digital photography? Even I can figure out how to use a digital camera, how to eliminate "red eye" and how to post photos to the web. I've even figured out how to put my head on Elle McPherson's body! I learned this in roughly 10 minutes. Most middle school students have grown up with this technology, and can do it in a minute. Can you learn German in 10 minutes? Well, rhetorical question!
This watering down of curriculum is a trend in our schools. Subject matter that is perceived as difficult, or that might not attract huge numbers of students is unpopular with school boards and school administrators. It seems that the majority of school board members, administrators and guidance counselors had some type of horrid foreign language experience. They jump at the chance to rid the curriculum of this menace!
The trend to eliminate foreign languages is not only evident in secondary schools but also at universities. It is currently popular to add Chinese to the curriculum at the expense of the traditional languages. China will sponsor "free" teachers. Districts just need to put them up for a year. Gosh, this is a nice plan, but most of these Chinese "teachers" are not trained educators. There are many of us who speak English, but seriously, can we teach English??
I am getting worked up by writing this. I could use a Snickers about now...but I won't go there, because I exercised for 90 minutes today and that would be stupid. I'll just write a bit more about how upset I am by the move to eliminate German.
There is always a bit of Schadenfreude on the part of the other electives when one bites the dust. I remember when Latin left the curriculum, I was relieved that that pool of students could be absorbed into German. I admit this. However, the instructors of electives must remember that when one goes, the others are simply in the curriculum at the wim of an administrator.
So, auf Wiedersehen Deutsch! I'm thankful that so many students got a chance to learn this magnificent language, which by the way helped them to understand their native tongue a bit better. I'm thankful that so many former students are using German in their present careers. I am angry and sad that future students won't have the chance to learn German and that the current staff will have to fall back on a minor to keep a job.
Well, that felt good.
Tip of the day: If you feel like eating, write.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Thank you for being a friend.
Today's blog has nothing to due with my diet. I received news last night that a very dear friend of my daughter, Teresa, died. She was 28-years old. We are trying to grasp the finality of this, and quite frankly, I feel that I'm in a bad dream at the moment, hoping that someone will wake me up.
I want to tell you about Katie. One of the reasons that we're having a hard time realizing that she's dead is because she was always full of life. She entered the Dickinson's world in 1998 when Teresa and she were members of the Morton High track team. They gravitated toward each other, because they both realized at once that they were alike...not a part of the "cool people" who ran MHS. They were friends from that point on. I can remember driving them to the July 4th fireworks when they weren't able to do so themselves. I remembering their repartee, laughing so hard at times that I could barely stay on the road. They remained true friends throughout high school. When they both decided to attend the U of I, they decided to be roommates. They lived together for two years.
Katie and Teresa were never inseparable. At the U of I they had different circles of friends, but they always had time for each other as well. Teresa joined a sorority, and quite frankly, Katie would probably have preferred to bomb most sororities. Katie was more eclectic, Teresa, more trendy. Katie was loud and full of vim, Teresa could be reticent. They complemented each other.
After graduation, Katie went to Boston, Teresa went to East Lansing. They stayed in touch, making catty remarks about all of the Mortonites who well, were destined to remain Mortonites. (This topic was always one of my favorites to listen in on when they were together!) In 2009, their paths crossed again. Katie and her sister Megan moved to Chicago where Teresa was living. Teresa was going through a rather tough time, and the two sisters literally pulled her from her funk. They refused to let her dwell on the negative, and they brought happiness back into her life. They actually made her laugh again, so hard that Teresa told me she had to tell them to stop, because they were making her laugh so hard that it hurt!
Katie was never much for staying in one place for long, and she migrated to sunny California to study for a masters in film-making in 2010. Megan followed in 2011. This left a void in all of our lives. I didn't get to hear any more stories about these crazy sisters, I didn't get to meet up with them for drinks and dinner, and Teresa didn't have her two best friends with her in Chicago. Over Christmas break this year they were back in central Illinois, and we met up for coffee. I really have no idea why I went along with Teresa to this coffee, but I'm glad I did. I had no idea it would be the last time I would see Katie.
There is little comfort when someone young dies. I guess that they will never have to face the rigors and trials of old age, but that is all I can really come up with. I do know that there will be a void where Katie was. She was a big girl...and she had a big laugh, big plans and mostly a big heart. I will miss her.
I want to tell you about Katie. One of the reasons that we're having a hard time realizing that she's dead is because she was always full of life. She entered the Dickinson's world in 1998 when Teresa and she were members of the Morton High track team. They gravitated toward each other, because they both realized at once that they were alike...not a part of the "cool people" who ran MHS. They were friends from that point on. I can remember driving them to the July 4th fireworks when they weren't able to do so themselves. I remembering their repartee, laughing so hard at times that I could barely stay on the road. They remained true friends throughout high school. When they both decided to attend the U of I, they decided to be roommates. They lived together for two years.
Katie and Teresa were never inseparable. At the U of I they had different circles of friends, but they always had time for each other as well. Teresa joined a sorority, and quite frankly, Katie would probably have preferred to bomb most sororities. Katie was more eclectic, Teresa, more trendy. Katie was loud and full of vim, Teresa could be reticent. They complemented each other.
After graduation, Katie went to Boston, Teresa went to East Lansing. They stayed in touch, making catty remarks about all of the Mortonites who well, were destined to remain Mortonites. (This topic was always one of my favorites to listen in on when they were together!) In 2009, their paths crossed again. Katie and her sister Megan moved to Chicago where Teresa was living. Teresa was going through a rather tough time, and the two sisters literally pulled her from her funk. They refused to let her dwell on the negative, and they brought happiness back into her life. They actually made her laugh again, so hard that Teresa told me she had to tell them to stop, because they were making her laugh so hard that it hurt!
Katie was never much for staying in one place for long, and she migrated to sunny California to study for a masters in film-making in 2010. Megan followed in 2011. This left a void in all of our lives. I didn't get to hear any more stories about these crazy sisters, I didn't get to meet up with them for drinks and dinner, and Teresa didn't have her two best friends with her in Chicago. Over Christmas break this year they were back in central Illinois, and we met up for coffee. I really have no idea why I went along with Teresa to this coffee, but I'm glad I did. I had no idea it would be the last time I would see Katie.
There is little comfort when someone young dies. I guess that they will never have to face the rigors and trials of old age, but that is all I can really come up with. I do know that there will be a void where Katie was. She was a big girl...and she had a big laugh, big plans and mostly a big heart. I will miss her.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Every poet needs a muse and every dieter needs a role model
Two people I know have recently lost lots of weight. They are my role models. (In addition to them, there is also the January 1 edition of People which shows several people who have lost 1/2 of their body masses. They are not my role models, because I don't know them, and never will. In fact, a couple of them creep me out!)
My two "muses" of dieting showed conviction, determination and commitment in their quests to lose weight. One lost 70 pounds and the other 50. I know that it wasn't easy, but they had the wherewithal to stick to what they planned to do. I only hope that I can do the same.
I hope that I will be your role model. I made it through another day! (In spite of substitute teaching crazy sixth graders with an insane, Nazi substitute co-teacher who looked at me as if I were the worst classroom manager of all time! Thank God that I haven't forgotten what teenagers are like, Nazi substitute co-teacher!) I made it, and will soon enjoy a nice salad and a small, lean steak.
Tip of the day: Find a role model. We know people who have worked hard to achieve weight loss goals. Put them on a pedestal and emulate them. They've worked hard, and we can too!
My two "muses" of dieting showed conviction, determination and commitment in their quests to lose weight. One lost 70 pounds and the other 50. I know that it wasn't easy, but they had the wherewithal to stick to what they planned to do. I only hope that I can do the same.
I hope that I will be your role model. I made it through another day! (In spite of substitute teaching crazy sixth graders with an insane, Nazi substitute co-teacher who looked at me as if I were the worst classroom manager of all time! Thank God that I haven't forgotten what teenagers are like, Nazi substitute co-teacher!) I made it, and will soon enjoy a nice salad and a small, lean steak.
Tip of the day: Find a role model. We know people who have worked hard to achieve weight loss goals. Put them on a pedestal and emulate them. They've worked hard, and we can too!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine...
Another successful day is drawing to a close...only a few more hours until bedtime! This one day at a time plan is working for me.
Tonight I would like to discuss one of my major vices that has contributed to my weight gain...wine. There are 562 calories in a bottle (.75l) of average table wine. There were many times that I polished off a bottle of wine. When I extrapolate the data (yes, I did have to take statistics), it appears that wine is possibly responsible for at least 50 of my extra pounds. Some people like full-strength soda, some people like wine. I like wine.
Most dieters are unsuccessful when they totally eliminate certain foods, in this case a beverage, from the diet. I do not intend to eliminate wine. However, I am cutting back.
Why do I like wine so much? It tastes good! It relaxes me! It gives me a buzz! Any wine-lover will tell you that there's nothing like a glass of good wine (or even box wine) at the end of a stressful day. Let's face it. For most of us, that would be every day. My problem was not with a glass of wine, it was that the glass of wine after work led to the glass of wine while I was cooking which left only a glass in the bottle, and who wants to store that??! (I have never learned to pour a glass of wine as they do in a restaurant. In my book, a glass is filled to the rim!)
I have decided that drastic times demand drastic measures. I am limiting myself to a glass of wine, and only when I really want one. My new stress eliminator is exercise. I know that I will always love a nice pinot noir, that will never change. However, how much of the elixir of life that I consume will change!
Tip of the day: As you begin the one day at a time plan, I'd suggest cutting out all alcohol for a few days. You'll be amazed at how it jump starts weight loss. (I know it's only water weight, but psychologically it's been a huge plus!)
Tonight I would like to discuss one of my major vices that has contributed to my weight gain...wine. There are 562 calories in a bottle (.75l) of average table wine. There were many times that I polished off a bottle of wine. When I extrapolate the data (yes, I did have to take statistics), it appears that wine is possibly responsible for at least 50 of my extra pounds. Some people like full-strength soda, some people like wine. I like wine.
Most dieters are unsuccessful when they totally eliminate certain foods, in this case a beverage, from the diet. I do not intend to eliminate wine. However, I am cutting back.
Why do I like wine so much? It tastes good! It relaxes me! It gives me a buzz! Any wine-lover will tell you that there's nothing like a glass of good wine (or even box wine) at the end of a stressful day. Let's face it. For most of us, that would be every day. My problem was not with a glass of wine, it was that the glass of wine after work led to the glass of wine while I was cooking which left only a glass in the bottle, and who wants to store that??! (I have never learned to pour a glass of wine as they do in a restaurant. In my book, a glass is filled to the rim!)
I have decided that drastic times demand drastic measures. I am limiting myself to a glass of wine, and only when I really want one. My new stress eliminator is exercise. I know that I will always love a nice pinot noir, that will never change. However, how much of the elixir of life that I consume will change!
Tip of the day: As you begin the one day at a time plan, I'd suggest cutting out all alcohol for a few days. You'll be amazed at how it jump starts weight loss. (I know it's only water weight, but psychologically it's been a huge plus!)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Who is that fat lady in the photograph?
Certainly you can guess the answer to the title of the blog. It is I. There is a disconnect between what I see in the mirror and reality. I realize this each time I look at a current photo of me. It was actually a glance at such a photo that helped to nudge me (aka kick me in the ass) toward a serious attempt to slim down.
You can check out this picture too, if you are a Facebook friend. I'm at a party, wearing a sleeveless sundress. First, almost NO woman over 50 should wear a sleeveless dress, secondly I as a fatty should have known better. The dress is also quite a fashion statement. Because I have this idea that I will not remain a size 18 for much longer, I have taken to purchasing my "wardrobe" at WalMart. The dress in this picture simply exudes WalMart "fashion" at its finest. It's some hideous, polyester blend with a Hawaiian floral pattern. (I believe that I was sober when I purchased this!) My flabby arms, my enormous bust, my belly and my red face add to the trailer-parkesque aura of the photo.
When did I become the fat lady in the circus? My arms have dimples at the joints! When did I becom my daughter's cat, Jackson. I have this little head on an enormous body. (Sorry, Jackson, but you do have a little head on an enormous body.)
Today I took charge of this body image issue. My gym (Golds' Gym Morton) is having a 12-week challenge. One thing you have to do in order to participate is have your measurements taken and you have to be weighed. I figured this challenge would be right up my alley with my new one day at a time plan, so I was measured and weighed. Due to the shocking nature of the results, I will only share a few of them with you. On the positive side, I weighed a pound less than my January 1, 2012, weight. However, the girth of my thigh was 27 inches. Let's put this in perspective. When I was a senior in high school, my waist measurement was 27 inches.
The bad part of this exercises was that it dismayed, depressed and disgusted me. The positive part of the exercise was that it made it that much easier for me to stick to getting through Wednesday, January 4th!
By the way...I made it through yesterday as well!
Tip for the day: Don't just eyeball a scale or look in the mirror. Have your measurements taken and write them down. It is going to be a motivator for me, I know!
You can check out this picture too, if you are a Facebook friend. I'm at a party, wearing a sleeveless sundress. First, almost NO woman over 50 should wear a sleeveless dress, secondly I as a fatty should have known better. The dress is also quite a fashion statement. Because I have this idea that I will not remain a size 18 for much longer, I have taken to purchasing my "wardrobe" at WalMart. The dress in this picture simply exudes WalMart "fashion" at its finest. It's some hideous, polyester blend with a Hawaiian floral pattern. (I believe that I was sober when I purchased this!) My flabby arms, my enormous bust, my belly and my red face add to the trailer-parkesque aura of the photo.
When did I become the fat lady in the circus? My arms have dimples at the joints! When did I becom my daughter's cat, Jackson. I have this little head on an enormous body. (Sorry, Jackson, but you do have a little head on an enormous body.)
Today I took charge of this body image issue. My gym (Golds' Gym Morton) is having a 12-week challenge. One thing you have to do in order to participate is have your measurements taken and you have to be weighed. I figured this challenge would be right up my alley with my new one day at a time plan, so I was measured and weighed. Due to the shocking nature of the results, I will only share a few of them with you. On the positive side, I weighed a pound less than my January 1, 2012, weight. However, the girth of my thigh was 27 inches. Let's put this in perspective. When I was a senior in high school, my waist measurement was 27 inches.
The bad part of this exercises was that it dismayed, depressed and disgusted me. The positive part of the exercise was that it made it that much easier for me to stick to getting through Wednesday, January 4th!
By the way...I made it through yesterday as well!
Tip for the day: Don't just eyeball a scale or look in the mirror. Have your measurements taken and write them down. It is going to be a motivator for me, I know!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
I have a song!
Thank you, Matt O, former student teacher and current teacher extraordinaire!
http://www.youtube.com/
http://www.youtube.com/
Day Two
I have decided to begin a diet and exercise program for the 28th time. I believe that the first time I started was 1984, when I had "blossomed" to 165 pounds after the births of my children. I was determined not to be fat. Well, so much for that thought and for those 28 attempts. I am now 58, and actually when I tipped the scale on January 1, 2012 at 235 pounds, I decided that it was amazing I had made it to that last birthday. I'm not sure how someone who has totally ignored the food pyramid for at least 30 years has survived. It seems to underscore the resilience of the human race. No matter how much we abuse ourselves, we still bounce back for more.
I am determined to do something about my state of obesity. It seems that by calling it what it is helps. I am bordering on being morbidly obese. That means that this could kill me, right? Morbid is such a life-altering word, isn't it? So, yesterday, I decided to do something about this. My plan is to get through one day at a time for the next 365 days by exercising and eating healthier foods. Why did I start on January 2 rather than the 1st? (It's leap year!)
Each day I plan to post a little about my successes and probable failures. Today I will focus on a success. I made it through yesterday sticking to my plan. I exercised for an hour, I ate three meals and two snacks. (Yes, you can tell yourself that a carton of key lime pie yogurt is a snack, and that if you try really hard to imagine it as a piece of key lime pie, you actually can't do that.) I started drinking more water, and I started a food journal. My God! I'm overwhelming myself just reading about how much I did in one day.
To get through those 24 hours, I realized that I would need to break the day into segments. The day became 3 segments of 8 hours. The first 8 were OK. I worked out, ate breakfast...by the way, that should have been in the opposite order, because I felt like I was going to pass out as I worked out, ate a light lunch and 8 hours were gone! Snap! The next 8 hours were a trial. Ordinarily, I will spend my afternoons with a book and around 4 pm, I'll add a glass of wine to the "activity." While reading, there is always time for a few snacks, more wine, a few more snacks, etc. Yesterday, I read, went for a 20 minute walk, then read more, drank three glasses of ice water (in a wine glass!), made a remarkably healthy salad for dinner, and read more. By 9 pm, I was craving just a little snack and maybe just a small glass of wine, but because I had made a promise to myself to get through a day by changing, I did. Finally I had an epiphany! I needed to do this by myself and for myself. I'm the one who matters here. I'm the one who's morbidly obese! The final 8 hours were a breeze. I went to bed.
And here I am, already 8 hours into day two. I've eaten a healthy breakfast with whole grains and protein...not a big fan of those grains, but maybe they'll grow on me. I've worked out for 70 minutes and I just got back from a 30-minute walk. Now to help me through the next 8 hours, I'm blogging and then I'm off to the store to do some shopping for some healthy meals that I plan to organize and start preparing.
I think I can do this. I wish that I would have had the sense to do this 28 years ago when I only needed to lose 30 pounds, rather than 100, but as they say, hindsight is always 20-20. Wish me luck, and please feel free to join me in this 365 day quest to make it one day at a time! I'd love to hear from you with suggestions and encouragement.
Here's my tip of the day: Seriously consider dividing your day into segments. I think the 8-hour plan is good, but if you don't sleep 8 hours a night, try 6-hour segments.
I am determined to do something about my state of obesity. It seems that by calling it what it is helps. I am bordering on being morbidly obese. That means that this could kill me, right? Morbid is such a life-altering word, isn't it? So, yesterday, I decided to do something about this. My plan is to get through one day at a time for the next 365 days by exercising and eating healthier foods. Why did I start on January 2 rather than the 1st? (It's leap year!)
Each day I plan to post a little about my successes and probable failures. Today I will focus on a success. I made it through yesterday sticking to my plan. I exercised for an hour, I ate three meals and two snacks. (Yes, you can tell yourself that a carton of key lime pie yogurt is a snack, and that if you try really hard to imagine it as a piece of key lime pie, you actually can't do that.) I started drinking more water, and I started a food journal. My God! I'm overwhelming myself just reading about how much I did in one day.
To get through those 24 hours, I realized that I would need to break the day into segments. The day became 3 segments of 8 hours. The first 8 were OK. I worked out, ate breakfast...by the way, that should have been in the opposite order, because I felt like I was going to pass out as I worked out, ate a light lunch and 8 hours were gone! Snap! The next 8 hours were a trial. Ordinarily, I will spend my afternoons with a book and around 4 pm, I'll add a glass of wine to the "activity." While reading, there is always time for a few snacks, more wine, a few more snacks, etc. Yesterday, I read, went for a 20 minute walk, then read more, drank three glasses of ice water (in a wine glass!), made a remarkably healthy salad for dinner, and read more. By 9 pm, I was craving just a little snack and maybe just a small glass of wine, but because I had made a promise to myself to get through a day by changing, I did. Finally I had an epiphany! I needed to do this by myself and for myself. I'm the one who matters here. I'm the one who's morbidly obese! The final 8 hours were a breeze. I went to bed.
And here I am, already 8 hours into day two. I've eaten a healthy breakfast with whole grains and protein...not a big fan of those grains, but maybe they'll grow on me. I've worked out for 70 minutes and I just got back from a 30-minute walk. Now to help me through the next 8 hours, I'm blogging and then I'm off to the store to do some shopping for some healthy meals that I plan to organize and start preparing.
I think I can do this. I wish that I would have had the sense to do this 28 years ago when I only needed to lose 30 pounds, rather than 100, but as they say, hindsight is always 20-20. Wish me luck, and please feel free to join me in this 365 day quest to make it one day at a time! I'd love to hear from you with suggestions and encouragement.
Here's my tip of the day: Seriously consider dividing your day into segments. I think the 8-hour plan is good, but if you don't sleep 8 hours a night, try 6-hour segments.
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