Everyday Systems

Portion Control, Day 8: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Portion Control @ Dinner...
Exercise...

Breakfast [small plate): eggs, lite toast/lite spread/cinnamon; oj

Lunch (regular plate): salad with grilled chicken; iced tea

Dinner [small plate]: crockpot chicken seasoned with a packet of Italian Salad Dressing mix; broccoli; rice cooked in chicken broth

Exercise: over 10,000 steps; 14 min. shovelglove

Yay Jan!!!! Jam on!!!

Luv,
Deb

Dinner sounds good, Jan.

To what are you referring when you say, "lite" toast? Low calorie bread, low fat bread, or something else? Whats missing to make it lite? I've tried low sugar, low cal, and low fat bread and can't remember which was called "lite." Do you like the taste or use it to keep calories down or for some other reason?

The "lite" bread that I use is 40 calories per slice, which is less than the usual 70 or so in regular bread. I began using it quite a while back because of the lower caloric level, but continued because the family prefers it to anything else I have bought. It is soft and fresh, and doesn't seem to get stale as quickly in the refrigerator.

Portion Control, Day 9 SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Small Plate at Dinner...
Exercise...

Breakfast: egg; toast with jelly; small oj

Lunch: green beans; cauliflower; kluski noodles with tomato meat sauce

Dinner: crockpot meatloaf; corn; mashed potatoes

Exercise: 10,000 steps

My lunch seemed larger than normal, even though it fit on a regular dinner plate, but it was mostly steamed veggies, so I guess it didn't matter. In the bad old days, before No-S, I would've had more noodles and sauce, and stuck a piece of garlic bread on top of the meal just for good measure.

Dinner fit on the little plate, but I felt really full by the time the plate was empty. I should've gone a little easier on the mashed spudz, I think. Oh well, it was still much less than I was eating before.

It was a really nice day to walk outdoors with my husband, but we sure were fighting the deer flies today.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Jan:

What is a deer fly?

dru

Oh, you lucky thing you!

Deer flies are nasty biting insects that come out in the summer. They eat blood, and the bite stings horribly.

Portion Control, Day 10: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Portion Control @ Dinner...
Exercise...

Breakfast: eggs scrambled with bacon bits; 1 lite toast with jelly; small oj

Early Lunch: chicken; baked potato; broccoli; rice

Late Dinner: Polish sausage with horseradish; cabbage; boiled spudz

Exercise: 13,000 steps! plus 14 min. Shovelglove

A wonderful magnificent day. Today's success = a victory for me.

Deerflies, ugh, ugh! We called them yellow-flies in Florida, but it's the same thing. First, they zoom around your head again and again while you walk, trying to drive you insane.

You can run, but they'll still be orbiting you when you stop. Then, they make a number of false landings. You carefully aim your open palm to smack them, and hit an empty target, making a big red hand-shaped mark on your leg.

When they finally bite, they take a good chisel out of your skin with their mouth parts, leaving a tiny wound that welts up over the next several days, and sometimes crusts over, but takes a long time to heal.

The good news is, if you practice long enough, you can learn to whack 'em dead eventually, and there is NOTHING in this world more satisfying than seeing a damn "green-head" fall senseless to the ground.

PS. I forgot to mention that after being whacked quite hard they often lay still for a while but then pop back to life, seemingly made of steel. Little b@@@@ds. Aargh!

Well, you've described the deer flies accurately!

They dive bomb my head, and fly into my face, ears, and eyes. I hate that. And when they bite, which is usually on the top center of my head where my hair is parted, it hurts and itches and swells. And because it's in my hair, I can't put Benedryl on it. Boy, I hate those things. Worse than the mosquitos and biting gnats we have.

Minnesota may have 10,000 lakes, but it also has an equal number of swamps, and here we are, living right smack dab in the middle of swamp country.

Sorry to hear you have the same thing in Florida.

Yuck. They sound awful. Mean little #$%^%$S!!

I live by a river and we have mosquitos, but biting flies just sound plain nasty!!!!

I am totally impressed with your 13000 steps Jan! That is awesome! I bought a pedometer once but I am left handed, right brained and blonde so I never could figure out how to set it up properly. I gave it to my cousin.

Well, glad to hear things are going successfully for you.

Keep up the good work and keep dodging those nasty buggers.

Dru

Top of the head, owee yowee! That smarts! I'm in NC now, but we have them here as well as in Fla. Well, congrats on your completion of so many steps despite the deerflies. Now you know that when sorely tested, your resolve prevails!

Portion Control, Day 11: SUCCESS

Yesterday (Thursday) was an interesting day...

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Portion Control at Dinner... you betcha
Exercise... oh yeah babe

Breakfast: the usual eggs, lite toast/freezer jam/oj (small plate)

Lunch: the last of the kluski noodles with marinara meat sauce; taters from the night before. Had an empty spot on the plate because I was going to have some fruit in a separate bowl, but didn't have room after I finished what I had already plated up. (regular plate)

Dinner @ Subway: 6" meatball marinara sandwich. That's it!

Exercise: 25 minutes tai chi and qigong; 11,000 steps walking in a parade. That's some interesting Urban Rangering!

The streets of the parade route were not only lined with people, but there were also vendors hawking soda pop and junk foods. I didn't buy even one single thing! Good motivation for me: as I looked around at the spectators, and there were a lot from the whole county, I saw that the adults were overwhelmingly overweight, and about half the kids were also. I don't ever want to be a part of that crowd again! My weight (106) is good and it's going to stay good, thanks to Reinhard and his brilliant ideas.

I feel really good about yesterday's No-S experience. I hope the rest of you are getting as much of a kick out of all this as I am!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b326/Jan-Tz/Jan.bmp

Here is a picture of me, if that's of interest to anyone. I enjoyed seeing the other photos people posted, so I thought I'd add one of mine. [new and smaller glasses coming next month!]

Jammin Jan of the golden hair!!!
You look great! Yeah, the new smaller glasses will look cool since you don't want to hide those nice smiling eyes behind something that big!
Funny, my mental image of you was totally different!
Heh heh!
You look like a regular country/hippy girl!
Hee!
Love and Peace,
Deb
Oh ps... Why are you on a diet??? LOL....

Thanks for the pic Jan! Your hair is lovely... can that possibly be the natural color?? (I mean that as a compliment!) And I agree with Deb... you already appear to be at an ideal weight, so I hope (and expect) that your NoS regime won't make you lose any more.

Hi Jan.

It is so great to see a photo of you. I looooove your hair, dahling. What an amazing color.

Have a great weekend.

Dru

The hair is natural color, although it came out more blonde in the picture than it really is...there is more red than it appears. Also a little white at the top (I'm 53, so that's okay. When it turns completely white, I will be able to wear orange. My mid-life madness has only recently allowed me to dare to wear reds and pinks.).

No-S helped me to lose a couple of pounds; if I lost a couple more, that would be fine since it all sits south of the equator, if you know what I mean. Jeans are more comfortable at 104! Other than that, if No-S just helps me to maintain my weight, I will be perfectly content.

If you want to see a better picture, go here:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b326/ ... 45f5fe.jpg

It's cute and it involves sleeping in my husband's shoes.

Portion Control, Day 12: SUCCESS

Okay, now I gotta get serious, and post today's check-in.

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Small Plate at Dinner...
Exercise...

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with bacon bits; small dish well-drained mandarin oranges

Lunch @ Applebees: grilled chicken and spinach salad; club soda with lime (no sugar)

Dinner: poached Alaskan halibut; rice; green beans

Exercise: close to 12,000 steps; 20 min. qigong/tai chi practice

I've never eaten at an Applebee's - how's the food? What are the portion sizes like? Just wondering...

Sibyl, the portions at Applebee's are large, definitely larger than the No-S one plate rule. I almost always bring home a box of food.

Jan-Tz tells speaks the truth - Applebee's is your typical American chain - decent food, but large portion sizes. Taking home some in a box - or ordering a sandwich instead of a dinner platter - is a good way to go. (I've found that works better for me if I go on and divide what I think I'll eat and what i"ll take home before I start... then I'm less likely to just eat until I'm stuffed.)

I am happy to report that I have lost a couple more pounds. Current weight is now 104. Goal weight is 100, but if I don't reach that, it will be fine, too. I know this doesn't sound like much, but I am a very small petite person, very light-boned, and this extra weight is just fat.

Guess it is all the Urban Rangering and those smaller plates at dinner that's doing the trick. No-S is just terrific!

Jan you are toooooo funny in your husband's shoes. Why do I always fall for those things?

There is no way that you are 53. You look 12 in your photo. I'm serious.

(Speaking of 12, I don't think I've weighed 104 since I was 12.)

You are an inspiration. Keep up the good work.

Dru

Yayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great news Jammin Jammer Jan!!!
Have a great day!
Love,
Deb

Portion Control, Day 13: SUCCESS

Happy S-Day everyone!

Breakfast: small bowl of oatmeal & raisins; 1-egg omelet; lite toast/lite veg spread/strawberry jam; orange juice (My S-Day treat was the oatmeal, which made for a little larger breakfast than I usually have).

Lunch: chicken salad wrap; steamed mixed veggies

Dinner (small plate) : crockpot bbq chicken; small nuked spud/lite veg spread; corn

Exercise: it's 95 F. today but I will still have over 12,000 steps for the day, plus 12 min. tai chi/qigong

Portion Control, Day 14: S-DAY

Eatin'...
Movin'...

Breakfast: omelet; lite toast with jam; oj

Lunch: pbj sandwich; filled the rest of the plate with raw carrots and grapes

Afternoon snack: mug of iced hazelnut coffee (decaf, but contained sugar)

Dinner (small plate, but kind of piled): crockpot mix of kielbasa, sweet potatoes, and apples, all cooked together. 2 pieces of lite bread rested on top, hence the pile.

Exercise: another scorcher, so I declared today a "couch slouch" day. About 5,000 steps and 35 min. chi kung/tai chi.

S-Day treats today were the coffee and the extra food at dinner.

Portion Control, Day 15: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Small Portion at Dinner:
Exercise:

Breakfast: over-easy egg; lite toast/jam; small oj

Lunch: turkey sandwich (lite bread, deli meat, lite mayo); leftover corn; apple

Dinner: crockpot chicken and dumplings with vegetables; nuked potato

Exercise: 9,000 steps, part of which came from doing 2 miles with a Leslie Sansone dvd.

Have a good No-S week, all you who read this!

Jan, you are phenomenal. I'm happy no-s is useful even for someone in as great shape as you obviously are! Though I guess I'm pretty thin now too and one might wonder why I continue to be on a "diet." (answer: I enjoy food more this way, it's easy and natural, and I have a nasty tendency not to stay thin otherwise).

Your cat's in great shape too! Very cute.

Go Jammin Jan!
So where's this cat picture, eh wot???
I like your new subject header!!!
Where'dja get that idea? LOL
Love,
Deb

Portion Control, Day 16: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:

Small Plate at Dinner: , plus an extra because lunch was on a small plate, too!

Exercise:

Breakfast: egg, toast with jam, small oj

Lunch: 6" bbq chicken pizza

Dinner: herb-seasoned stuffing with turkey sausage; corn; carrots

Exercise: 10,000 steps, plus a bunch of chi kung.

Happy Experience today: I have been noticing the last two or three weeks that my legs have been looking trimmer, as I glance at myself in store windows and glass doors. Thought maybe it was just wishful thinking -- even though the scale showed a loss of 2 pounds, the tape measure hasn't budged. Anyway, today my husband and I were out walking (going for that pizza!) and he looked at me and said, "You've lost some weight, haven't you?" and then he poked me where the love handles used to be. Glorioski!

Keep No-S-ing gang; this works!

Yayyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy moments totally rule! Savor it girly!
Jan... Next time you are at the supermarket, pick up a family pack of Mozzarella string cheese... This should weigh roughly three pounds...
Then imagine that injected under your thighs skin...
That's what you lost... It's not wishful thinking!
So nice when people notice the change isn't it? Kudos to your "poky" hubby for being supportive!
Love,
Deb

Portion Control, Day 17: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Small Plate at Dinner...
Exercise...

Breakfast: eggs, toast/jam; oj

Lunch: leftover stuffing and sausage; apple

Dinner: macaroni with garlic butter; spinach; broccoli

Exercise: got my 10,000 steps, but between the heat (mid-90's) and the deer flies (which go after the moisture in your eyeballs ), it was not so pleasant outside. Watered the trees at the church with a 100 ft. hose, which is like wrestling with a sea serpent. Also did about 20 min. Five Element Qigong, and uncounted minutes of tai chi walking.

Portion Control, Day 18: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Dinner on a Small Plate:
Exercise:

Breakfast: usual stuff

Lunch: leftovers

Dinner: poached fish; peas; baking powder biscuits

DESSERT No calories, no sugar, no fat, no carbs, no sodium....I found this great tea at the grocery today. It is Celestial Seasonings Original India Spice Teahouse Chai. I made it into iced tea, no milk or sugar, and it smells and tastes like oatmeal cookies!

Exercise: the thermometer outside my window registered nearly 100 F. today, so no Urban Rangering for me! I do, however, have over 7,000 steps on the step-counter from grocery shopping at Walmart and other walking around, plus I did some chi kung this morning. That routine was good for bending, stretching, twisting, and rotating. Other than that, it was a quiet day.

Chai!!! Used to like that at Starbucks... That was the only thing I really did like there... (except their dark chockies...)
Enjoy being a lazybones Jammin' Jan!
100 degrees would cook anyone till they wilted!
Love,
Deb

Here's my question: does it have caffeine? (this might be a generally tea-ignorant question)

Jan: That chai iced tea sounds really good. I have some chai tea myself - I just might have to make a batch.

Thanks for the support, Jan!

I can't do caffeine, but I'm always on the lookout for fun herbal (or decaf) teas. I love Celestial Seasons ones that taste like dessert, like Vanilla Hazelnut and English Toffee, and there's one really hearty one called Roastaroma that is barley-based and is really good. I've had chai before, but it was too sweet, so maybe I'll try it plain like you did. Since oatmeal is one of my favorite favorite foods (including oatmeal cookies!!), I might just have to check this out. Thanks for the info

Portion Control, Day 19: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Small Plate at Dinner:
Exercise:

Breakfast: usual stuff

Lunch at La Casita: 3 chips with salsa before the meal; ate half the burrito, then had some more chips with salsa. All together, it was about one ordinary-sized portion of food, I suppose. Unsweetened ice tea to drink.

Dinner: tuna patty; peas; lite bread/lite spread

Exercise: over 7,000 steps plus practicing a new chi kung routine.

Daughter and I are going to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tonight. My tummy is nice and full beforehand!

Portion Control, Day 20: HAPPY S-DAY!

Good Eatin'...
Good Movin'...
Good Portion at Dinner...

Breakfast: pancakes/syrup; bacon

Lunch: orange juice & banana smoothie (too hot to eat much)

Dinner: grilled dogs and bbq baked beans ("Beanie Wienie"); grilled sweet French bread (everything grilled on the George Foreman); green beans

Exercise: 10,000 steps + chi kung practice (5 Element Qigong).

It was 99 F and 46% humidity today...much too hot for the long walk we took! Tomorrow will be more of the same.

PORTION CONTROL, DAY 21!

Today was an S-Day, so it was an easy way to finish up my second habituation period.

Good eatin' today included homemade chili con carne, soft bread sticks, and a tropical fruit salad for dinner.

Not much movin'...another humid 99 F here. 7,000 steps on the step counter and the usual chi kung/tai chi practice.

Now I need to decide on another challenge for the next 21 days.

CONGRATS on 21 No-S, all "P.C." days!!! Well done, Jan!!

On another note, you seem to think 46% humidity is high. I'll see that bet, and raise you double (92%)!

On the other hand, it occurs to me that you may not have A/C -- in which case, you are a braver woman than I!

Heya Jammin Jan!!! Congrats on another great run of days on habit!
You're Chi must really be on a spree!!!!
With all the qi gong you do, you must be in great health!
As for another 21 day goal??? Hmmm I think you're best to come up with that one, but I'd just say stick with the general "days on habit" the more we repeat and repeat the more we get "wired" to do that task...
But if that seems too dull, how about adding in a "14 minute" goal every day for 21 days.... Maybe something you have been procrastinating on (though from your actions I don't get the picture you are a procrastinator type!)
Nice to see that when you set your mind to a goal, you do so well! I am very impressed with your determination.. You must have a lot of Water energy, and innate Willpower... Do you like to dance alot?
Peace and Love,
Deb

RESOLUTION

For my next 21-day habituation period, I will do 14 min. of Shovelglove movements on every No-S Day, and will take S-Days off from that. I will continue my walking program and also the tai chi/chi kung practice.

There. It's official. Now I gotta do it!

Jan:

I am so impressed with your goal setting. Were you hungry with your reduced portions?

I think I need to set some kind of exercise goal. But I need to wait until my munchkins are back in school.

We'll be watching your sucesses.

Dru

Shovelglove Habit, Day 1: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Portion Control...
Shovelglove...

Dinner: Zatarains Jambalaya with smoked sausage...THANKS, DEB! Also cauliflower.

Exercise: 14 min. Shovelglove; 8,000 steps; chi kung practice.

I'm coming over tomorrow for some of that!
Congrats on a great day!
Love,
Deb

Shovelglove Habit, Day 2: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds...
Portion Control at Dinner...
Shovelglove...

Dinner on a small plate: I cooked a whole chicken and a bunch of potatoes in the crockpot. First time I ever did that! Very tasty. Also a serving of corn.

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 min., over 15,000 steps!, and some chi kung as well. I should sleep tonight!

I'm in awe, Jan. You're going to run out of virtues soon at this rate!

Do remember with the shovelglove that 14 easy minutes are just as good as 14 all out ones, in terms of habit. Do not risk injury for the sake of continuing to knock our socks off here.

Me too. Jan's discipline is really extraordinary. You amaze me!! YGG WBS! (you go girl, with your bad self!)

Shovelglove Habit, Day 3: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Portion Control @Dinner:
Shovelglove:

Dinner: tuna-noodle casserole and broccoli

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 minutes; 7,000 steps; chi kung practice

Don't worry, Reinhard, I'm not over-doing the Shovelglove. It's a very reasonable 14 minutes.

Shovelglove Habit, Day 4: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Portion Control at Dinner:
Shovelglove:

Dinner: Salmon patties; boiled potatoes; spinach

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 minutes; 8,612 steps

Shovelglove Habit, Day 5: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds....
Portion Control @ Dinner....
Shovelglove.... (Hey! I did it 5 days in a row!)

Dinner: pasta salad with tuna and chickpeas, in olive oil and lemon juice dressing; sauteed zucchini

Shovelglove: 14 minutes; 10,000 steps


Ohboyohboyohboy...two whole S-Days in front of me...I feel I really earned them this week! I am very very tired from several nights of late activity (daughter's theatre group performs "Seussical" this weekend), so I am glad to have a couple of days off from Shovelglove. I have really resisted temptation in the form of snacks and sweets at the after-play parties so far, but I might relax and indulge a little tonight and tomorrow and enjoy the goodies that are available. Then sleep....

Hey Jammin Jan... This weekend are you going to go really nuts and have *both* syrup *and* some jam on your toast!???
That would really be throwing caution to the wind!
Whatever you have,,,,
Enjoy it honey!!!
You are so cute with all the
ohboyohboy,,,,,
(Come to think of it, that sounds like a good s too!)
I already started last night at 2 am!
2, count em, 2 donuts from dunkin donuts driving home from that music I saw...
I felt like I was "going totally nuts!!!"
I am dragging my sorry "A" into Yoga very soon now, and hopefully that will shake off this "hangover" I have from all my "craziness"
Peace and Love,
Debbie

Shovelglove Habit, Day 6: HAPPY S-DAY!

Good Eatin'....
Portion Control...
Shovelglove...Rest Day

Yes, Deb, you have me pegged...I did indeed have toast with jam and then pancakes with syrup. Born to be wild, that's me!

Dinner: Red Beans & Rice; green beans

Exercise: 14,215 steps today (about 7 miles)

I do not like green eggs and ham; I do not like them Sam I Am!
Tomorrow is the last performance of "Seussical." What a ride this has been!

Shovelglove Habit, Day 7: BEAUTIFUL S-DAY!

Good Eats...
Shovelglove... Rest Day...
Portion Control @ Dinner...

Dinner: teriyaki steak with rice and vegetables

Exercise: 7,000 steps

My S-Day treats today were syrup on my pancakes this morning and a regular (not diet) Coke this afternoon.

Shovelglove Habit, Day 8: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds... (this is second nature by now!)
Good Portions:
Shovelglove:

Finally got the family all together; work schedules make this very difficult! We went to a place called Granite City, and I ordered a garlic butter steak with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad. Ate about a third and brought the rest home. The garlic was not overwhelming and it was a wonderful and reasonable meal.

Managed to get over 7,500 steps from walking around the mall and other walking, plus I did Shovelglove for 14 minutes.

Shovelglove Habit, Day 9: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Portion Control:
Exercise:

Dinner: meatloaf, green peas, baked potato with lite veg spread

Exercise: 8,000 steps; Shovelglove, 14 min., tai chi/chi kung practice

You go country girl!!!!!!!!!
Peace and Love and Shovelglove!
Deb

I'm happy to hear the shovelglove is going so well. No excessive soreness? Could it be that someone is actually following my bold red all caps warnings to go easy? Wow.

It's because Jan's Chi is on a spree!
Right Jammin Jan?
Good going girly!
Love,
Deb

Actually, Reinhard and Deb...you're both right!

I am still using my "baby sledge" and will stick with it for a few more months, I think. Then I will move up to a six-pounder, if I can find one. I believe in doing small things slowly, and then increasing gradually. This has worked for me in the past. If I take on too much at once, I burn out and quit.

The tai chi and chi kung help guard against soreness...not because of any mystical chi effect, but just because it involves so much bending, stretching, twisting, rotating, and squatting. I don't think that lactic acid has much chance to accumulate in the muscles with all that!

Dear Jan, Lactic acid would be considered "Dirty Qi" or "Stagnant Qi"....
There is Qi everywhere! It's just another word for Energy...
It is both physical and ephemeral all at once....
Just felt like Chi-ming in!
Huh huh!
(groan...... )

Qi gong only translates as Energy exercises... Not mystical anything...

I feel you are doing great with your work, but are keeping a little distance from what you are doing, out of, possibly, misunderstanding... No need to... Embrace that stuff! No holds barred!
After all, as one of my teachers once said, and rightfully so, "Where your mind goes, your chi follows."
So yes... all that bending twisting etc.. moves your Qi and keeps it from stagnating... Just like a river, you are removing stones from the stream when you practice Qi Gong...
Okay.. Any further Chi issues I'd be happy to discuss off list, or just leave that for now.... Hope you don't mind me letting you know my views of it..
They are very ancient exercises, as James mentioned, deeply rooted in holistic health and real medical tradition.... This is not like studying the Kaballa...

I really admire your regularity of practice! Good for you!!!!
When I was in school, I used the commute time to practice Qi Gong... I stood in the last car of the train and practiced for about 30 -40 minutes a day! Did that about 4 days a week for 16 months... By the time six months had passed.. I went from getting chronic colds, asthma, and allergies to being very healthy and never got sick... I guess Yoga has taken my attention from Qi Gong, but you are inspiring me again! A few minutes a day of mixing the Yin and Yang and consolidating my energy into my center will really help my strength and energy levels...
Boy, I remember that when I was finished with those exercises, I had so much energy that I'd be bounding up the stairways going out of Penn station, while many were snoring with their faces glued to their coffee cups, and taking the escalators... I felt like Super Girl!!!!

Good for you on using your baby sledge! You are a little lady anyway!
Better to keep with it, than get discouraged and drop it....
Yay Jammin' Chi'ing Gong'ing Jan!!!
Love,
Deb

Shovelglove Habit, Day 10: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Good Portions:
Shovelglove:

Dinner: casserole of ground turkey, cabbage, and tomato soup; green beans from a friend's garden; corn bread

Exercise: 10,000 steps; Shovelglove, 14 min.; chi kung


Deb,

Yes, I understand Chi theory! If I am distancing myself, it is because I am surrounded by people who do qigong to promote new age "spirituality." I am not in that crowd; my training is for physical health. But, yes, I am aware of stagnant chi and what the movements do to counteract it; I just prefer a Western analysis is all. I enjoy your replies, and really appreciate your interest and support!

Shovelglove Habit, Day 11: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Portion Control: (lunch was a little bigger than usual because I was a regular starvin' Marvin for some reason)
Exercise:

Dinner: sloppy joes (which my daughter calls "slopless joes" because we eat them with a knife and fork); broccoli

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 minutes; crunches and push-ups, just for fun.

I found another dessert tea that I absolutely love! This one is also from Celestial Seasonings Teahouse Chai...it is called "Chocolate Caramel Enchantment." Drinking this hot instead of iced. Oh boy, is it ever good. Not adding any sugar or milk...doesn't need it at all!

One more day until the weekend. This week has sure flown by! Hope everyone is doing well here. I read all your check-in posts, but don't often get the chance to post responses. What a bunch of wonderful people you all are!

Shovelglove Habit, Day 12: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Good Portions:
Shovelglove:

Lunch was at Applebee's, a bacon burger and steamed veggies. Ate half of everything and brought the other half home for dinner.

Shovelglove, 14 minutes; Urban Rangering, all over creation it seems, 12,000 steps.

And y'all know what tomorrow is, right?!

Shovelglove Habit, Day 12: HAPPY S-DAY!

Good Eats...
Good Moves...

Exercise today, over 10,000 steps, plus some chi kung/tai chi.

Went to the eye doctor yesterday and found my eye pressure had dropped a couple of points. It has been sitting at high-normal for years. Also ordered new lenses in new and smaller frames. Had to get children's glasses because my face/head is small...picture middle-aged mom in Nickelodeon frames with bifocals! Life is fun sometimes!

Well, Jan, you certainly have a sense of humor about it! Very much in line with your outlook on life!

Good news about your eye pressure. Congrats on another successful week!

Betsy

Shovelglove Habit, Day 13: ANOTHER S-DAY!

Good Eats:
Rest Day:

Made an interesting dinner on Sunday evening: Chili Dog Roll-ups. Spoon some chili onto a tortilla, top with a hot dog, and roll up. Make a bunch of these and lay, seam side down, in a casserole dish. Top with more chili and grated cheese. Heat in oven until warmed through and the cheese is melted. My family really liked these.

Shovelglove Habit, Day 14: SUCCESS

No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds:
Shovelglove:

Dinner tonight was spaghetti with marinara and chicken; cauliflower; zucchini

Exercise: nearly 6,000 steps; Shovelglove, 14 minutes; chi kung and tai chi in morning and evening.

The heat wave is back so I didn't get to go walking this afternoon. I was standing between two fans which were both pointing at me, and was still hot, so Shovelgloving was not too strenuous today.

Hope y'all have a great week!

Shovelglove Habit, Day 15: SUCCESS

No-S:
Shovelglove:

Dinner: baked beans with ground turkey; green beans; baking powder biscuit/lite veg spread

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 min.; 8,000 steps; chi kung practice (Temple Exercises)

If you want to see the routine I was doing today, click here:

http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/ntes.htm

You rock.

Hi Jan!!!
Hope you are well...
Hey, you're only 7 days away from your newest habit formation period!!!
Keep up the good work and vibes!
Love,
Deb

Shovelglove Habit, Day 16: SUCCESS

No S:
Shovelglove:

Dinner: We were hosting the annual bbq and awards for our church's little kids' softball team (did I ever mention that I live inside a church?), but it didn't start until 6 pm and I had to go out of our town to pick up daughter at work and wouldn't be back until 6:30, but I was STARVED because lunch was early, so I ate half a plate of picnic-type salads before I left, and then came back and had a small burger and small serving of fresh fruits (another half plate). No chips. No dessert (which had chocolate and peanut butter and some crunchy stuff). I was really pleased that even with lunch a half hour early and dinner an hour and a half late, I was able to stick with No-S without (a)caving or (b)over-eating or (c)passing out from hunger on the highway. Not wanting to toot my horn (HONK!), but it was a victory for me. And I didn't feel at all deprived!

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 minutes; 10,000+ steps; some tai chi practice.

Shovelglove Habit, Day 17: SUCCESS

No S: (Weird day)

Shovelglove:

Lunch and dinner were in pieces, but I think I consumed an average amount of food, although it was short in the vegetable department.

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 min.; 8,000 steps; tai chi/qigong, 50 min.

***I'm editing this early Friday morning. I was so hungry last night, that I ended up having a snack just so I would be able to sleep. My daughter made me a sugar-free version of her "apple pie burrito" which is apple slices, raisins, and cinnamon all nuked together, then rolled up into a low-fat flour tortilla. Very yummy and not even junk food! Today's meals will be back on track.

HAPPY S-DAYS!

I haven't been able to get into the board for the past couple of days, but I am glad that all is well now.

I didn't do Shovelglove on Friday and think that I will not be picking it up any time soon. The days have been very busy lately, and now I am getting ready for our Annual Madness, otherwise known as Vacation Bible School, which begins this week. I am Craft Lady, Photographer, General Gopher, and Pastor's Wife, so it's a busy time.

On Friday, I logged over 10,000 steps; on Saturday, it was over 13,000. I have been keeping up with with my chi kung and tai chi practice, which is what I need most right now.

Meals were getting a little crazy last week, but I did okay, except for that one snack on Friday evening. Even though this week will be busy, mealtimes will be regular, and that always helps.

Hope everyone is doing okay. See you tomorrow! Have a happy No-S-Week!

Monday, August 8th

No S...
Exercise...

Dinner: chicken, corn, nuked spud with lite veg spread. This was a terrific chicken recipe for a hot day (97 F here in MN today!). You put chicken legs in a single layer in a crockpot, season with lemon pepper, garlic salt, and paprika, then cover and cook on low for 7 hours. No liquid added to the pot. These were as good as baked any day, very moist, and didn't heat up the house!

Exercise: Urban Rangering, over 11,000 steps; push-ups, crunches, and pulsing lunges for strength; a nice chi kung practice this morning.

Hey Jamming Jan
Funny, you don't look like either a General or a Gopher! Heh heh.......
Hope you are having fun in Vacation Bible Camp!
Love,
Deb
ps.. When the heat goes above 95 it is so depleting... I'm really proud of you for keeping up your exercise regime!!! Great work girly!!!

Jan,

I think your generalized dual smiley system will see you through Annual Madness pretty well.... no-s is portable, and you have a number of ways to get an exercise smiley.

Still pretty amazed, "weird day" and all,

Reinhard

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005

No S:
Exercise:

Dinner: crockpot meatloaf; broccoli; baking powder biscuit. I started making meatloaf in the crock just to keep the kitchen cooler in the summer, but I don't think I'm ever going to go back to baking them in the oven ever again. They are just that good.

Exercise: Urban Rangering, about 8,000 steps; a little chi kung this morning and will do some more this evening.

Vacation Bible School went well. We were all holding our collective breaths hoping the weather would behave itself. We've had several weeks of heat and near-drought, but, of course, given lots of antsy kids in the church hall just waiting to play outside, we end up with lots of red over our area of MN on the Weather Channel map. Anyway, no rain, thunder, or lightning until we were just about to dismiss. Happy day!

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

No-S...
Exercise...

Dinner: chicken, cooked whole in the crockpot in a little chicken broth; rice cooked in the broth from the crock; green peas

Exercise: Urban Rangering, 10,000 steps; chi kung practice, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

Another day of Vacation Bible School down...I did NOT eat any of the snacks laid out for the kids!

I will not eat Bible School snacks...I will not eat Bible School snacks...I will not eat Bible School snacks...I will not eat Bible School snacks...I will not eat Bible School snacks...

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

I know I can, I know I can, I know I can, I know I can, I know I can.

(just practicing.)

I dunno...Haven't you heard the slogan?

"Bible School Snacks: They're Sinfully Delicious!"

Hard to resist.

Ha Ha!!!

Thursday, August 11, 2005

No-S...
Exercise...

Dinner: homade chili con carne; 1 grilled hamburger bun

Exercise: Urban Rangering, nearly 12,000 steps (about 6 miles); qigong morning and evening

Nope......didn't touch the sinfully delicious Bible School snacks!!!

Hey!
How can Bible school snacks be sinful, huh???
Well, maybe the guilt stopped you!
LOL..
Good for you
Love,
Deb

Today's the last day of Bible School...whew! It's been a good week, but I'm really bushed.

I survived the week without snacking, which wasn't really difficult at all. No-S is really a habit, I think! Today, though, will be a little harder. Just when we dismiss everyone, and it is noon and I am starving for lunch, we will light up the grill and have a cookout for kids, parents, grandmas and grandpas who are all there (families come for a performance of music and skits at the end of the last day). But our family tradition is to go out for pizza on the last day.

So...we will cook and serve bbq for everyone except for our family, and then go out later to eat. Husband doesn't eat meat on Friday anyway (old Catholic tradition), and daughter has even more willpower than me, so we will do this. Think I'll make a little larger breakfast than usual, to get me through the temptations and a later-than-normal lunch.

My reward is that I'm actually going to get cheese on my pizza for a change. Pure decadence!

Friday night, August 12, 2005

No-S...
Exercise...

Dinner: grilled tuna sandwich; tropical fruit salad

Exercise: Urban Rangering, 9,500 steps; short chi kung/tai chi practice

This week's done...time for some fun! Happy upcoming S-days everyone!

Saturday, August 13, 2005: HAPPY S-DAY!

Good Eats...
Good Moves...

S-Day treats: pre-breakfast snack of a bowl of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. Too sweet. Why'd I do that?

Exercise: Urban Rangering, over 10,000 steps; two qigong sessions, one early morning, and another early evening. I love days like this!

Qi whiz!!! You sure have a lot of energy!!!
Huh huh huh!!!
Glad Bible school is winding down.. sounds like you really earned a relaxing day today!
Love,
Deb

Sunday, August 14, 2005: S-DAY

Eatin':
Movin':

I was planning to make this a no-s day, to swap with next Friday, but it didn't turn out that way. A couple of snacks jumped into my mouth and got swallowed. Oh well.

Exercise: Mostly a rest day, but I did get about 7,000 steps and some tai chi practice, so that was okay.

I am looking forward to being back in the structure of No-S days this week.[/b]

Monday morning, and reflecting on yesterday's eating...

I was feeling kinda frustrated with myself because, as I said in my post, I had planned to make yesterday a no-s day, but it didn't happen. But after mulling over this for a while, I have decided there is a positive side to all this. And it is this: This way of eating has become a carved-in-stone habit, and yesterday was proof! I am content when my no-s days are no-s, and my s-days are s-days and switching them around just doesn't work. This is really terrific! I guess yesterday was a success after all, just not in the way I had planned.

See y'all tonight. Have a wonderful No-S week everyone!

Hey Jan!!! I agree! Even with my imperfections, I have some good habits carved into my "bones" already... Yesterday I didn't have much to eat all day at all... I just felt like doing nothing and eating nothing.. but by the time early evening came and Richard wanted to go and get slurpees at 7/11 I said okay... And I took a medium sized one too....
In my head there was this whole "You see Reinhard was right about S days can't really be N days..." voice, and I was thinking about my previous plan to have it be an "N" day since I had Thursday as an S day..
Well forget all that!!!!
From now on I am not switching anything.... If I need to take an extra S day for a big thing like a party or something, I'll do it, but I'm just leaving the weekend alone... Freakwitch is also right about the "Sometimes" part... I mean we don't need S days to be decadent all the time....
Only if we want them to be!
Good job on your realization!!!! I am with you Jamming Tai Chi Jan!!!
Peace, Love and Success!
Deb

Monday evening, Aug. 15th

No-S:
Exercise:

Dinner: crockpot bbq chicken; corn; baked potato with lite veg spread

Exercise: Urban Rangering, 10,000 steps

Strangely enough, I enjoy my food more on No-S days than I do on S-days. It is more satisfying somehow. I wish I had known about this program years ago (like about 25 years ago!).

Hi Jan,

I agree with you that food is beter on the no s days. I look forward to my meals and make them really good, so its a reward for no snacks.

emb

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

No-S:
Exercise:

Breakfast and lunch were fine. Dinner was eggplant parmesan at the Macaroni Grill. I ate only half and boxed the rest to bring home, which was okay, but, you know, they put that little loaf of hot-out-of-the-oven bread and the little saucer of olive oil with freshly cracked black pepper on the table, so I had to eat some of that, too. But, I didn't finish off the loaf, which is not like me at all, and I brought the rest of the bread home with the eggplant. It was a wonderful meal, just a little heavy on the portioning.

Exercise: Urban Rangering was 8,000 steps, mostly cruising through a mall. Also I did upper body weights and 125 crunches in all directions.

Hubby and I really had a nice day together, just the two of us.

Wednesday morning, early

This Daily Check-in is useful for more than accountability and support. I needed to make my week's menu and grocery list this morning, but am tired from yesterday's activities and also waiting up past my bedtime for teen daughter to get home from her day with friends, so I just clicked on page 3 of my check in and started copying down a week's worth of dinners that I had posted. All done, and I had fun reading over past posts and replies!

Hey, that's a neat idea!

I think even better though is to trawl other people's checkin threads for ideas as to what to eat for tea....

*grin*
C.

Jammin Jan!!!
I saw the "Chocolate Caramel Enchantment" Chai in the store the other day and thought of you!!!!
Love,
Deb

Wednesday evening, Aug. 17, 2005

No-S:
Exercise:

Well, Deb, since you mentioned it, I just had to have a glass of ice tea in your honor!

Dinner: sloppy joes; corn

Exercise: Shovelglove, 14 minutes, with an ankle weight attached. I am ready to increase the weight a little. When I get to two ankle weights, then I will buy the next larger sledgehammer. Urban Rangering, quiet day, only about 6,000 steps.