Another Vacation Ruined By His Weight

A colleague of mine just returned from a cruise around Hawaii - the same trip I am taking in just a week.

He was a little bummed. His weight kept him out of a helicopter. His weight kept him off a bicycle trip from the top of a volcano. These were the two things he wanted to do most.

Did I tell you he was a little bummed? Okay, he was a lot bummed.

But let's look at this............ it is not like he didn’t know he was going on this trip. It is not like he didn’t know there were weight restrictions. He probably had a good year to get within the acceptable weight range. But you know how it goes………………I’ve got plenty of time.

Do you?

What are you missing out on because of this thing we call your weight?

Or better yet, what have you been able to do because you removed that excess baggage?

Carrots The Way I Like Them

I swore off carrots a while back. You see when I lost my weight in 1989 I lived on the little orange suckers. I ate them raw. I ate them with salsa. I threw them in a salad. I munched on them at 10:30 AM and at 3:30 PM when work was sucking so much that I needed to deal with the unhappiness. I boiled them, put parsley on them and cooked them in some orange juice. I was a carrot maniac; never really liked them, but thought I should eat them. After all, I was dieting.

I ultimately got sick of carrots. I was going to contact my Congressman about having them outlawed.

But then someone, recently, told me to cook them in a little bit of sugar. Wow. I had never heard that idea. So I ran to the store and bought a bag of carrots.

Hooray!! I can eat carrots again. You ought to try it. The little bit of sweetness might keep the cookie cravings away.

Oh, and the puppies like them too!

Can Your Job Help You Lose Weight?

Imagine if your job didn’t allow you to eat? Or drink? Imagine if your job dictated your caloric intake. Would you be skinnier?

Last night while sitting at dinner there was a table of men in dark suits right next to me and my friend. There were ten of them; and one woman. So we were trying to figure out what and who they were. First we thought funeral directors. They had that look. Then I thought a men’s church group – except the woman made no sense.

They were not drinking – only soda. So I started being nosy and listening to the conversations. 10 men. Dark suits. Italian restaurant. Hmmmmmmmmmm………..

No comments being made about business. Didn’t hear names like Guido or Vinnie or Carmine.

Then I heard one of them say “no drinking while we’re driving.”

Turns out they were all limo drivers. The limos were parked around the back of the building. They were killing time while their customers were at another party.

It was kinda fun keeping myself occupied with my imagination. Kept my mind off the delicious bread and parmesan/garlic/oil mixture that was served.

But getting back to the first paragraph. I don’t think so. In the end it’s about self-control, better choices and getting off your butt and moving a bit (as was evident by the limo driver crowd). Don’t you agree? And should you be doing that right now?

(feel free to leave me a comment)

P.S. Have you tried sliced beets and hummus on whole grain bread? It's delicious.

Amazed, Shocked and Confused.

When I sent out the email that I was no longer going to write the Hey Skinny newsletter but concentrate only on this blog, I would never have expected all the negative responses along the lines of “I will miss hearing from you” and “Good Luck.” I was amazed, shocked and confused.

The comments in the emails were along the lines of “your email always came at the right minute” or “You would get me thinking when I read your email.”

So this is what confuses me………………………The newsletter arrived every two to three weeks. So every two to three weeks you had a “right moment???????” The blog has posts at least four times per week (sometimes more) where you can turn to for ideas, motivation, humor and straight talk weight loss advice. Don’t you visit other websites every day? Just make this one of them. It’s that simple.

Or is it that you like it when things are brought to you? Kinda like dieters who want to just wake up and be Skinny. Or have their meals prepared for them. Or not to exercise but see the benefits of it.

Weight loss requires work. I guess I just added a piece of work for some of you – having to visit a website. That’s probably a heck of lot easier than planning your meals, going to the gym , and weighing and measuring your food.

But I’ll let you decide.

A Little Snack My...................

Have you had the new Grilled Snack Wraps at McDonald's?

I did! I made my semi-annual pilgrimage to a fast food restaurant in search of a better choice.

Snack? What are they nuts. These things (the grilled ones) have 260 & 270 calories in them. They've got 9 & 10 grams of fat in them. On my WW program they are 6 points each. Two, are 12 points. Yep, I ate two. 12 point s for a snack.

Or should I say dinner?

Those bastards did it to us again. Now they're trying to fool us with the word snack. We will get our revenge. Just wait!

You Don't Like It..................Go Eat Cereal

Yep, that's what my mother told us when we were kids and we "hated" what she cooked for dinner.

We also heard phrases like "do you think this is a restaurant" and "I'm not a short order cook."

You ate what was put on the table. There was not a different meal made for each of my siblings, my mother, and my father. If you didn't like what was prepared you learned to like it, didn't eat that night or you ate cereal. It was that simple. It didn't mean you were a bad parent when you took this approach either. It didn't mean that you did not love your family.

And people wonder why they have no time to take care of themselves. People wonder why their dieting efforts get railroaded. People wonder why they get tempted.

I think this is a no-brainer.

And if you don't agree with me, go eat cereal.

Is This Another Sign of Success?

I'm always looking for signs of weight loss success. Some are obvious. Some are subtle. Some are missed. Personally, I think too many are missed. I've always believed that each and every day provides opportunity for you to pat yourself on the back and say "good for me!"

So the other night I was out to dinner and I noticed something. I could care less about what was on the menu. I genuinely was more excited about being with my friend. It was new restaurant, with an incredible menu; and I was having a hard time choosing something - and not because it all sounded so good..............but because I was more excited by the company. I wasn’t there to eat. I was there to have fun.

Is this another sign on weight loss success? I'll let you decide.

Or better yet, how about taking careful note today of all your successes. They're abundant. I am sure.

Did you lose more weight?

Last week a colleague of mine asked me if I lost more weight.

I informed her no. I still weigh pretty much the same as I did when I saw her three months ago; which is about the same as I weighed eighteen years ago after losing thirty-plus pounds.

Well she said it must be what I was wearing. Her words were "you look reaaaaallllllly good"

Damn - my secret is out.

C'mon folks don't you have clothes that make you look skinny, hot, sexy, and desirable. If you don't, go get some. What an ego booster. And what a better time of year!

Of course, her comments changed my choice when the waiter stopped by to take our order.

Thanks Lynn!

Would you like chips with that?

"Would I like chips with that?" is what she said to me as she was preparing my sandwich the other day.

Of course I would.

But then I had a flashback. All those years of saying yes to questions like "would I like chips" or "would I like dessert" is the reason I had to join Weight Watchers years ago.

Why didn't they just say "Would you like a fat ass, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer with your sandwich?" I think my response might have been different.

So I said no; instead she offered me this pathetic little package of apple slices.

And then I did a little talking to myself and said "Rich, you came in here for a sandwich - that's all."

Please remember all of these add-ons being offered with your meal have only done one thing - ADDED ON TO YOU!!

Good Food. Cheap Food.

When I was growing up we had a summer place in upstate New York. There was a roadside ice cream shack that we used to visit every so often. On the window of that ice cream shack was a sign that read....... “Good food is not cheap and cheap food is not good."

I disagree.

Let me illustrate.

Have you seen the price of ice cream lately? Hardly what I would call cheap? And definitely not so good for you.

Last week for about $2.50 I made a pot of escarole soup. I'd say that is pretty cheap for a pot of soup. And good for you too. Would you agree?

People say that it costs more money to eat and live healthy. I disagree. And for those who make those comments, I just don't think you're taking the time and making the effort to figure it out.

So remember.........Good food can be cheap and it can be good!

And P.S. Don't forget to share your good, cheap foods here to help other readers.

Every day!

I just returned from walking the dogs. I ran into two of my neighbors. They were out walking. I was actually shocked to see one of them. She is normally a get out bed at noon type person (after the hangover subsides).

So I commented on how I have never seen her out and about at this hour of the day (it was 6:20 AM). She reminded me of the conversation we had a few weeks ago where she said she wanted to lose weight. And then she said "We're out here every morning."

I was just about to say "that's fantastic" when she continued with "we started yesterday."

It was kinda funny, but it gets you thinking.....................

So I leave you with this challenge..............What new better action or healthy choice can you make this morning, today or this evening?

Can you do it again tomorrow?

Then you too can feel the power of using the phrase "every morning or every day"

Now go get Skinny!

No you can't have it!

"No, you can't have it. Do you want to get fat like Jennie" said the mother to her little daughter in the supermarket the other day.

I was in the next aisle; so I made a mad dash to see what this was all about.

Ah, the little tyrant was crying about not being allowed to buy any candy.

Hooray! A parent who actually gives a damn. Of course some would argue that calling Jennie fat was not PC. But screw that; here's a mom that quite possibly understands that obesity starts at a very young age.

Did you ever wish that your parents had given a damn?

I wish my mother had offered alternatives to chocolate donuts with grape juice and any sugary cereal I chose.

What about you? Are you a parent? An aunt? An uncle? A brother? A sister? Are you setting a good example for a young one in your life?

What's for breakfast?

What's for breakfast today?

Will it be the breakfast of champions? Will it be another bagel? Donut? Or will it be leftover Easter Eggs?

Did you know there is some solid proof that a higher protein breakfast will sustain you longer through the day? Now I am not suggesting you go eat one dozen eggs or pile bacon up to your ceiling; but what I am suggesting is you take a look at how satisfied you feel before and after you eat that high carb breakfast.

Instead of eating to lose weight this morning, how about eating to sustain yourself.

Just another idea. But who am I to suggest that?

Oh wait, I'm somebody who has maintained a 30+ pound weight loss for 18 years!!!!!

How to Color Egg Beaters!

This goes out to all you egg-paranoid ones.

You will have to break down and buy eggs for your Easter Egg hunt.

Coloring and hunting for egg substitute just won't work.

And don't be afraid to eat one of the eggs. You won't die.

I find it absoltuely amazing how many people are avoiding eggs, but they're rushing to buy the latest in processed sweets packaged to make you believe you're eating well.

Eat a freakin' egg already. And you know who you are.

HAPPY EASTER!

The 30 Day Club

Oh no, they're getting crazed. They've got 30 days before their trip to Hawaii. They've got 30 days to get in shape, lose weight and get a beach body.

They knew they were going to Hawaii last year. But like most they thought they had enough time. I'll start going to the gym on Monday. I'll start exercising next week. Just one more trip to T.G.I.Fried-Days. Now they've got 30 days to pull off a miracle.

Your summer vacation is coming soon. Are you going to be in the 30 Day Club? You don't have to be. Unless of course you've only got 30 days.

100 Calories

How come there are only 100 Calorie Packs of crap?

Wouldn't it be great if there were:

100 Calorie Packs of Beef
100 Calorie Packs of Chicken
100 Calorie Packs of Milk
100 Calorie Packs of Brown Rice
100 Calorie Packs of Couscous
100 Calorie Packs of Tuna Fish
100 Calorie Packs of Fruit
100 Calorie Packs of Vegetables
100 Calorie Packs of Healthy Stuff

Oh wait, people aren't interested in 100 Calories of healthy stuff.

Or would they be? Perhaps if the food industry gave this a shot we might see better health?

What's your opinion? We'd like to know.