It’s Wednesday!

Welcome to the Valentine Edition of Weigh-In Wednesday. First the good news. Between being sick twice in the past several weeks and really paying attention to portion control, I am down a grand total of 8 pounds! Even better, is that according to E-Diets I entered back into the healthy weight range for my size two pounds ago. That’s really good news. I still have 12 more to go before I hit my target weight, so hopefully I can keep this momentum going. I suspect that about half of that 8 pounds was strictly to being sick, but that means I’ve earned the other half the old fashioned way- by watching what I eat and when I eat.

I’ve really been paying attention to hunger. Being sick I lost my appetite, so once I started eating again, it was in small portions because I really didn’t want to eat. But then I wouldn’t eat again until I was physically hungry, and I’ve been maintaining that attitude ever since. I eat breakfast in the morning and I don’t eat lunch until my stomach indicates it wants food. Sometimes, that’s not until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. And by then, I know the dinner hour is nearing, so I opt for a lighter lunch. Cheese and crackers with fruit or a small portion of last night’s leftovers. Dinner I have been eating with my family- regardless of whether I’m hungry, but I am watching my portions like crazy- heavy on the veggies, lighter on the starches and proteins. And I stop eating when I am feeling satisfied, which does mean more often than not, food being left on the plate. My sweet tooth seems to have ebbed a bit as well, so I am thrilled with a single Hershey’s miniature to take care of that “little something sweet.”

So far it’s been working. I am not by habit an evening snacker, so after dinner I am content with a mug of herbal tea if I really want something. Of course, it does help that we don’t have as much in the house right now as far as junk food goes. And I’ve rediscovered the joy of nuts and grapes as a quick bite when the snack monster attacks. So we’ll see if I can keep up the practices I’ve been working on. Fortunately for me, Andy and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in any way, shape, or form, so I don’t need to worry about chocolates or a decadent dessert. It’s just another day for us, which is just as well anyway since Andy has fallen victim to Influenza.

It also seems to be helpful to me that my dear daughter has horrible teeth. We’ve begun the dentist route this week, only to find that she has a long list of dental work to be done- including fixing cavities, cracked teeth, chipped teeth, and having a broken off molar extracted. (And she’s only 6 1/2!) Just thinking about that makes my teeth hurt, and of course, it’s going to be a nightmare watching her have all this done. So we’re going to transition to the house of no candy I think. The kids already have very little candy as it is- they still have Halloween candy, that’s how little they eat. But apparently it’s too much as it is. Candy will sadly be a treat saved just for holidays and road trips. But that’s okay, because if the candy’s not in the house, I’m not eating it either just because it’s there.

So Happy Valentine’s day if you are one to celebrate. And happy Wednesday regardless. Zander and I are going to go find something to do today to keep us out of the sick house…

And if you were hoping to find a last-munte recipe for Valentine’s today, you are still in luck, because I have just such a creature over at Kids Cuisine this morning. Valentine Snickerdoodle’s.. be sure and check it out!