What a difference a snorkel makes

What? Okay let me explain. A couple of years ago my husband and I went to Discovery Cove and we were given our snorkels to keep. It sat in my linen closet until this summer when I took it out to use in our own pool. I noticed what a pleasure it was to swim without having to turn my neck to catch a breath (which also ruined my "form" since I'm not a trained swimmer). I've enjoyed using it in my own pool but then got the bright idea to bring it to the gym pool to use. EUREKA! Swimming laps has become a totally pleasurable experience. I had done the aqua jogging, but now with the snorkel I am so enjoying swimming, which, because it uses the upper body, is, in my opinion, a so much better workout than the aqua jogging (which is still better than nothing - but I can see it doesn't compare to the exertion of swimming). I have been taking it gently though, as one of my shoulder joints is doing a bit of belly aching, as this is my first real upper body workout since my rotator cuff surgery.

I have been doing 20 minutes on the treadmill, then lap swimming (I am only up to 14), then a reprieve in the hot tub, and then 10 laps against the current in the lazy river. I would like to add weights in the next couple of weeks, AND I promised my son I would use the track today instead of the treadmill. He made the point that with the track I am using my whole body, and with the treadmill, not only is the conveyor belt doing some of the work, but if I am holding on (which I do) my upper body is not getting a work out. He's right, of course. I am only up to a mile. I have been walking without my braces so I am trying not to overdo it. If I build up slowly my knees will hopefully get used to it.

You might remember that a while back I had hoped to be in the Disney Princess half-marathon but my doctor absolutely nixed that. He said that unless I could take a totally leisurely stroll with a lot of downtime between the miles, I would have to be scheduling surgery when I got back. Since that is not an option for me right now I decided not to do that, and I have to admit, I gave up everything. The time is right now (for some reason!) to pick up my activity again. Maybe because my son is doing it along with me. Who knows. Actually we get to the gym and head off our different ways, sometimes meeting up in the hot tub. So we aren't actually working out together, but it's nice to have him there in the gym with me.

Before going off to the gym I've been having an apple and a hard-boiled egg. When I get back I've been having a lovely (huge!) salad - lately with a cup of lentil salad on top of it - and fruit. Tonight we are having a friend over who is a vegetarian so there will be lots of yummy things on our dinner table!

Actually, this friend is a student of mine and a very gifted artist. I have hired her to design my gardens. I know beauty when I see it but no idea how to get there! She came to my house with a compass and worked out an entire feng-shui plan. This is an excerpt (it was quite a long and detailed report) of what she wrote at the first visit:

"Your house situation is perfect Feng Shui!!!!!!!! The front door should face South (yours faces 146 degrees SE – close enough). This is called the area of the Red Phoenix. This is a great place to put red flowers and bird sculptures (especially of birds that are ready to fly). Looking out your front door, the left side of your house is called the green dragon and should be higher (it is) than the right side of your house which is called white tiger. The back of your house is called black turtle and this is a good place for tall trees."

I am so excited!! We are going to start just with the immediate front of the house, which is very shabby and needs a lot of work. There must be something in the air - a new garden, a new exercise plan...

Anyway - have a great weekend everyone. Stay cool!!

Monday again!

Good morning! Just enjoyed a wonderful weekend - relaxing AND working. Not work-work, if you know what I mean... HOUSE work - far tougher and more exhausting that work-work any day. The weekend is my grocery shopping time, and got some very nice things. Nothing too exciting, but enough to stock the fridge for at least till Thursday, and enough to make a wonderful dinner last night along with tons of left-overs to send home with my daughter, who is dog-sitting this week and not in her own kitchen.

Lately on DWLZ, we having some nice discussions on clean eating. Everyone defines it differently, but the common thread is non-processed and whole foods, as much as is possible and enjoyable. For WW followers, it would be very much like "Core" or "Simply Filling." As I've said before, this is my "normal" - just too much of it!

Yesterday was a typical clean-eating day (the exception being one small slice of WW's yogurt pie):

Breakfast: Egg substitute (don't know the brand, but it's one without millions of chemicals and coloring) scrambled with green peppers and scallions. Normally I use only fresh eggs, but I wanted to try this new brand - still not like a fresh egg, but pretty close. On the side I had sliced cucumbers and 1/2 cup of lentils.

Lunch: Green salad with hot-smoked trout. Blueberries.

Dinner: Appetizers: Yogurt and cucumber salad, babaghanoush, feta cheese (FULL fat sheep's milk - but one little piece instead of a whole slab!) and olives; Main course: Grilled onions and zucchini, green salad (tossed with raisins, walnuts and feta), grilled chicken breast.

Lots of swimming and fun in between. This has been the best summer yet. I know people are complaining that it's right up there with record-breakers (at least here in New England) but I am savoring every single day of it. I think I've been in the pool more this summer than the past 10 years combined. However, this is NOT to be confused with exercise. Floating around on a noodle with my feet dangling into the deep water doesn't count as anything except pure relaxation and happiness. If high cortisol levels make you retain fat, then mine should be melting away...

My son is after me to get going on the exercise. Yesterday he caught a good back-view of me while I washed dishes at the sink. In the most LOVING way (I assure you he is my biggest supporter) he said, "Mom, you're not even holding your own - you are gaining weight." Ah... better than a scale. So to support me we are joining a fitness and recreation center and we are going to work out at lunch. He even offered the supreme sacrifice of getting up early so we can work out before work. He totally doesn't need this as he works out and/or runs for more than two hours every night - and that's with a weight vest! Gotta love that boy.

TTYL!

Oh my gosh - it's been ages!

I wasn't even sure if I would remember my password! I have been away for so long (sorry to the people who actually do follow my blog and was wondering where I had disappeared to!) - busy busy - some of it good busy, some of it not good busy, but most of it just daily-grind busy! I don't know where to pick up, other than right now, here in the present. I do remember that this is about the time I started blogging last year - seems as though the summer brings a little extra time to relax and reflect.

Since the name of this blog is "Samida's Weightloss Journey" I suppose I owe it to you tell you exactly where I am on this journey. I have to say, "EXACTLY where I was last year!" I have to say that some of my summer clothes are exactly the same as the ones I was wearing 10 years ago. I don't go up OR down. This can be good OR bad! lol -- I wish vanity meant something to me - but it really doesn't. I like the way I am right now. A little thinner wouldn't hurt, but that's not important to me, as my weight hasn't stopped me from doing anything in my life that I have wanted to do. I really should go back over my blog and see if I am repeating myself here! (I actually did print it out with the intention of reading all my past entries - but it came to 50 pages, and I just didn't want to sit and read it - maybe I'll bring it with me tomorrow for some beach reading.) I WOULD like to change some of the numbers on my blood tests (the usual: sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides) - but even those are acceptable so not a whole lot of motivation there. NOT to mention that my knees are shot and I will probably have pain no matter what I weigh - until I replace them. Boy... am I (NOT) motivated to lose weight, or what?

HOWEVER - that being all said, I am STILL eating super healthy - things I have already shared with you. Right now I am trying to get a handle on my appetite and hunger. It's been strange (and I would call my doctor but my thyroid function is also perfect) - but even having a fantastic breakfast, I'm still hungry mid-morning: something that NEVER happens to me; or I am hungry (really hungry - not just rooting around out of boredom) in the evening after a good dinner. For example, yesterday's breakfast was: Plain non-fat yogurt, plain mini-shredded wheats, blueberries, walnuts and flaxseed oil with lignans. (For those of you counting points it was a whopping 8 points!) There is no way in HE-double hockey sticks I should have been hungry before noon or 1PM. However, there I was at 11AM absolutely hungry. Ditto for today: This morning I had smoked salmon, almonds and blueberries, and coffee with REAL cream (the fat in the salmon, nuts and cream really should have held me till at least noon). For lunch I had lentil salad (that recipe is early on in my blog) and hard-boiled eggs and throughout the day I had snacks of fruit and nuts. Last night I had chicken Parmesan (homemade - not fried and breaded with junk, and a totally wholesome sauce made from fresh tomatoes, onions and basil) with steamed greenbeans... I barely made it to 7 before I was ACTUALLY hungry. What's up with that? Oh well, at least I pride myself on not eating junk or white carbs or sugar.

I am eating all whole, dense foods, with plenty of (good) fat intake. I have to do some investigation and see what might be going on. It could also be that my body just has to get used to a smaller quantity (yes, I am always on a quest to lose weight) even though the quality and frequency of meals is first-class. And in case any of you are wondering: NO, I haven't increased physical activity. LOL - you don't know me at all if you ask that!

I have been cycling through both the new Supercharged South Beach (OMG - if any of you tried SB years ago you have got to invest in books on the new program - other than that pesky Phase 1, it is, in my opinion, totally different and more forgiving with many more choices) and the Eat-Clean Diet (Tosca Reno). Mostly I have been using the wonderful recipes of both programs rather than following the programs themselves. I swear, say DIET and I am running the other way. Call it a "lifestyle change" if you want... I still hear DIET. lol

Anyhoo - it's great to back and I promise to write weekly (at least) and put up some of my recipes and meal ideas.

Samida