Mrs. Hillbilly asked me if she could write a blog post once a week as a way to help keep her accountable on her road to lose 36 pounds this year. I said yes, because I feel she needs YOUR encouragement {and she’s tired of listening to my ideas}. I will be featuring her blog posts each Thursday during the month of January, and then tagging them on to my Goals for 2020 posts after that so we can all keep up with her.
- Starting Weight: 186 pounds
- Current weight: 181 pounds
- Starting Belly Button Circumference 40.5 inches
- Current Belly Button Circumference 39.5 inches
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I am learning, I don’t NEED to eat in the morning! I am not hungry at all. In fact, if I listen to my body for hunger signals, I have noticed they come around 2 or 3 pm. Isn’t that strange? All this hype about three square meals a day and breakfast is the most important meal to start the day. I fell for it my whole life. Not to mention the food pyramid.
What a sucker! If you look at most small children, they eat until they are satisfied. They resist sometimes with tears and fits NOT to eat more. Why do we force them to eat? Why do we provide soooo many opportunities for snacks and sweets? I remember in my home after school the HB kids always had a snack. And that’s fine if they needed one but now into their late teens, it has become a habit. Eating because it’s THAT TIME to eat, bad bad bad. If I had to do all over again, I would ease up and just relax a bit about how much they are eating and when.
Another thing I have been pondering is why does this intermittent fasting thing seem kinda easy? Then it dawned on me. In the past when I have dieted, I have had to THINK about food all day and into the night. Plan out our meals, count calories, points, fat grams, weight, portion size, what and when CAN I eat.
I was always thinking about food and how to deal with it. What I am discovering is that now that I don’t HAVE to think about it, I don’t. Going about the day’s work, my mind is occupied about other things. Since I am not thinking about food my body apparently doesn’t really want food until it really does. Which seems to be around 2 or 3. Isn’t that crazy!
I also am thinking about keeping my hands busy. If they are busy they are not working as a shovel to put food into my mouth. Ms. Mavis hooks rugs, right? How on Earth can you eat while hooking rugs? She doesn’t, I would imagine. Hence, she only has Muffy to contend with when she gets out of control, verses my, not so little, Tuffy. Which reminds me of one of my 2020 goals, I’ll share them next week, to find a hobby that works my hands. Preferably one that I can make money with. 🙂
So, the story always goes, right? Hindsight is 20/20. Can’t change the past so we move on. Well what and how am I eating now that I have been on this journey? Not breakfast, that’s for sure! And probably not lunch. If I do eat lunch it’s usually a salad.
This is my favorite from our local Wok Teriyaki. Honestly, it’s the dressing I love. I have no idea what’s in it and don’t want to know. I do dip though so I limit my intake of this dreamy dressing. I also will make Caesar salad with shrimp, chicken or salmon. Boathouse Farm brand dressing is the best. It’s yogurt based and I find it in the veggie refrigerator section.
Dinner? I have become more flexible. Originally, I was going to fast all day on Monday and Thursday. Honestly, I accomplished this so far only two times. Because dinner is a family time. I cook for my family and I want to eat, talk and share during that time with my family. So, my fast will be from dinner to lunch on most days with a dinner to dinner on Mondays and Thursdays.
Unless I need to switch it up because something special comes along. Like my HB daughter visits from collage and we go out to lunch. Fun! How could I not go to lunch!
Lunch and Dinner meals this week have been:
- Breakfast casserole (I do love savory breakfast food)
- Chicken curry with onions and peas and NAAN bread (oops I had one small one)
- Asian Chicken salad from Wok Teriyaki
- Left over Christmas ham, bean and veggie soup (I have at least 8 containers in
there) - Sushi for two (a dear friend dropped by and surprised me)
- 5 hot wings, coleslaw and 6 celery sticks with Boathouse Farms (did I say I LOVE
this brand) blue cheese dressing (this was during football games)
Popcorn (I just didn’t feel like much but wanted something and the boys where
busy) - Fasted one evening
I told you this would be a journey and that implies adaptation. Hallelujah!
~Mrs Hillbilly
More in this series:
Carrie says
You are doing great! So glad to hear you are listening to your body. My body is screaming at me at 8am to eat something!
And yes the food pyramid is a lie told by big ag corporations, not nutritional facts.
Marcia says
same same, except, 7:30 am I’m starving.
Connie says
You are figuring it out. Intermittent fasting works for me. I eat in 8 hour window. Usually 2 meals but sometimes a snack. This is not a diet. I will continue rest of life.
If we are visiting family etc I just do the best I can. I also eat low carb and eat healthy fats. I am not a huge meat eater so carnivore diet would be hard and I have no health issues other than arthritis. We all just have to find a healthy diet of eating that works for our body.
Mel says
If you really love that restaurant’s dressing, is it worth asking for the recipe? Or, if you know what it’s called, you might be able to find a recipe. I’ve started making all our salad dressings just because we don’t use the bottled kind fast enough.
Carolina Cooper says
I am following your plan with interest, as I am doing much the same—and we started out at the same weight. But I am 5’8″ and probably won’t lose 36 pounds—shooting for 20. One thing I did notice is that you listed at the beginning of your post 39.5″ as your starting belly button circumference and now at 40.5″—was that just a reverse of what you meant to post? Anyway, congrats on those 5 pounds lost!
Mrs HB says
Yes totally a mistake plus it started at 41 inches . Good eye ! Sorry for the confusion .
Tamara says
Way to go, Mrs. HB! Keep up the good work! Steady wins the race!
Karen says
Great so far. Looks like things are working for you. It is a slower venture as we age and defiantly a mind game and paying attention to our bodies and not what we are expected to do. I have to be satisfied with usually a 5 pound loss each month, but now up to 120 pounds lost. I continue to enjoy going out and an occasional drink but I plan it. I hope to be able to do some exercising soon as I am waiting delivery of an adjustable height chair that will work with the sitting elliptical……I hope. When the weight loss slows down, we need to up our movement as much as we can with all out maladies! Getting old can suck, but better than many have had the opportunity to do.
I look forward to your posts. It feels like I have someone on this journey with me.
Mrs HB says
Thank you and what a wonderful idea about the cycle that can be used with your chair ! Keep up the good work !
Suzanne Shaw says
Thank you for this – it really rings true on so many levels for me – and validates some of my own thoughts. Been struggling with this beast since I’m 5 years old – yo yo weight. Struggles with food – which is crazy because without food we die. Food has always had a serious “entertainment” value. But I love how it brings people together, and after reading your post, I’m feeling better about all things food / diet / health related. Thank you!!
Susie Janov says
For those who will go looking for it, I think Mrs. HB means “Bolthouse Farms” dressings. 🙂 And I agree, they are great!
Mrs HB says
Oh my stars you are so correct ! I have always called it Boathouse ! Funny how when you THINK it one way your eyes see it that way . My eyes must be going as well !
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ve always thought it was Boathouse too! 🙂 How funny.
Mrs HB says
We are on same wave length .
Mrs HB says
Or is it link ?
joely says
I love Bolthouse Farms and didn’t even notice you spelled it differently, lol!
Carol @ Lake Tapps says
Mrs HB – I’ve been educating myself on IF and today got okay from my doc to give it a go!! I had a kidney transplant almost 3 yrs ago. I kinda started doing IF a little last week and then went on a weekemd getaway with friends with LOTS of food and snacks ( I enjoyed but didn’t go crazy). I still lost 5# !!
The science behind IF is like “Duh!!” this is how we were meant to eat!! And I’m not hungry… that’s so hard to wrap my head around. You’re right, we were trained to eat at certain times and we trained our kids. Like Dr. Fung said, people before the 80’s just didn’t snack. I would always make comments about how people were so THIN in older movies!! They didn’t eat and snack ALL day is how. Plus add in all the fast-food and convenience foods we have now. It’s no wonder a huge part of the U.S. is obese !!
I’m excited to share this journey with you and I’ll share my progress too. Looking forward to your next post!
If you’re on Facebook there’s a group called Intermittent Fasting Women 18:6. It’s a very supportive and motivating group!
Mrs HB says
Oh thank you , thank you for sharing . And you are wise to get doctors consent before starting . That would be my nightmare if someone decides to go on this journey w me and then had a bad outcome because they didn’t get permission from their doctor . I am so excited for you five pounds !!! You go girl !
Carol @ Lake Tapps says
Mrs. HB – is it just me or do you have a hard time looking at Miss Mavis’ posts when you’re fasting??? Lol all those yummy food pics have my tummy growling!! So delicious looking! Maybe dinner time is better to read them.
Yes I have to keep my new bean (kidney) healthy – I have to check with the docs w/ changes to diet, supplements, int’l travel etc.
Hope you’re still doing well with your new way of life (eatimg). I’m down 7 lbs so far and feel good! Time to throw in some walking or exercise now, I think… ☺
Mrs HB says
Lol I was just thinking this as I read her yummy new cherry pie filling muffin recipe!
Mimi says
Mrs. HB, It’s so awesome you’re figuring this out. It’s funny how different we all are. When my husband was working he never ate breakfast, lunch was hardly anything, he ate most of his calories after 6:00 PM and was never overweight. I would try to convince him he was wrong but for him it was exactly right. It sounds like you’re learning what is exactly right for you. Way to go!
Michelle says
Great job so far! I’ve been looking at doing this style of eating too. What about coffee in the morning? Do you drink it? I could go without breakfast, but not coffee!!
Mrs HB says
I do drink decaf coffee. Morning and throughout day. Zero Calories. I also drink bubbly waters, no calories and no sodium ones. I do’t put any milk or there stuff. Thank goodness I hate sweet coffee. Love it black!
Mrs Hb says
I think I need to reread my posts .
Michelle says
Lol! 🙂
Michelle says
I use almond milk creamer, can’t handle black. So nice that you can!!
Linda Practical Parsimony says
Congratulations!
Gina says
Mrs. H B you’ve got this! I’m down 41 pounds since July…lots of breaks. Just re lost the 10 I gained during the holidays. I feel great when I fill up on salads for lunch. I also make cole slaw and tonight i filled up on cabbage soup with chicken. Coffee and zero calorie drinks are also a must for me. I get off track if i leave my water bottle at home when i leave the house. I agree with your observations about cultural eating norms. I was skinny in high school…used to skip breakfast back then. Food has become a second thought now when it used to always be on my mind. Good going on your weight loss.
Terri says
That Bolthouse farms dressing is soooo good! And to think I didn’t try it for so long because it said it was yogurt based and I thought it would be yucky! Another one to try, if you’re looking for a low calorie dressing, is the green goddess dressing in the refrigerator section at Trader Joe’s. I think it has 20 calories a serving. I love it with spinach and berry salads, but it’s also good on other types of salads.
Since I’ve started losing weight, I’ve kept my hands busy cleaning my house and working on projects like organizing and clearing out cabinets. That’s kept my hands busy and been great for my sanity. Good luck!
Carol B says
Good for you. I’ve been doing the same thing since August and have lost 16 pounds. Can’t seem to go beyond that. Went to the doc recently, so proud of myself and she said “People your age can’t lose weight. There might be something wrong.” So she ran oodles of tests which all came back totally normal. but I agree, this isn’t a diet. This is how I’m going to eat for the rest of my life. And the “starving children” will have to forgive me for not eating 3 square meals a day.
Mrs HB says
I will look for that green goddess dressing . Thanks
Kristy says
Be careful of store-bought salad dressings! 258 mg of sodium per two tablespoons of salad dressing. If you are trying to reduce your blood pressure, you should stay under 1500 mg per day or less. I have had to start checking labels on all the food I buy for sodium content.