My Christmas Miracle

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Beginning in early October, I started on a weight loss program that focused on getting rid of unwanted calories, and more exercise. Sitting in a truck that doubles as a photo blind is not the best way to get that much needed exercise.

So, no more alcohol, way back on the cheese and ice cream, and a lot more walking and swimming.

Hitting the scales this morning, I was pleasantly surprised that throughout the Christmas season, with all that good food, I did not put the pounds back on. I may celebrate by going out for a cheese burger...

 

[N'kwala]

WTG, Mr. Sage! An inspiration for the new year for me...

 

[PaulT]

+1 Congratulations.
I struggle also in keeping the pounds at bay. Much easier to find pounds that someone else lost than to lose my own.

Paul

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Steve exercise is a good answer.Oh no wine how can you get by?
Great plan though.
I guess we both feel lucky weight is not an issue with us ,unless you mean not enough.
We have a great diet,mostly veggies and some good sea food items and maybe once in a while some grilled lamb.
Oh and the great Spanish meat products.
We walk at least 6 miles every day but we have a great place to make walking fun and easy.
Keep up the good work.Less weight is good.
Happy New Year.
Frank

 

[Taku]

Good job! I still can work off the holiday pounds without much problem - enough skiing in cold weather works wonders. But I dread the year that I can't count on that. Which will probably be the year we retire and spend the winter in Baja! Glad you made it work.

 

[craig333]

Must be an age thing. I'm doing almond milk now instead of cow milk, Easier transition than I thought. Trying to minimize red meat, dairy and eat more veggies and fruit. Doubt I'll ever go full vegan but I can certainly see leaning that way.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Go for it Steve. My problem is in some ways the opposite, yet similar to yours-my work was in the field and all those goodies I consumed keep me climbing and hiking miles over hill and dale for years-ya know kept the body strong and moving and eating up all those fat foods i ate. Like when we were in the military, feed us all that good stuff so we could run miles with a 50 lb pack. Now that I'm retired and my body is falling apart, I've too had to change how I eat, and exercise; instead of running in the woods all the time like i planned, I ended up walking the dog allot around the hills that surround my home. How the best laid plans of men fail with age ! So, I eat more veggies, lot's of nuts, eat less red meat and no-I still have my occasional adult drink-a good beer or that old person drink-vodka and cranberry juice-hmmmm! The problem is eating when at home and in the woods-my pop-ups frig has helped with that-my god, it's now full of rabbit food and oranges-the great equalizer! As a back packer, I ate it at home but not in the woods or on the job-now i can. I also have ice for my drink ! Yep in both places I eat when I am hungry!

Reno PBS had a great program on last night-it was all about food and fits right in with this discussion. It sort of goes like this. Get off the so called western diet and eat more veggies and natural things, eat things that look like food that mother nature not man created (butter not man made margarine-forget all about the trans fats and things like that and instead look how much sugar is in it). Eat less, and be like the French (yep the French) and enjoy what you eat and do it with friends and family( wine too). Pasta is good and fresh anything is best. And don't worry about it, enjoy life and food and if you feel like a steak (or in my place-lamb chops), go for it have a treat-it's good for moral too, Real good program, I'll try and find what it was named-did even think about changing some of my eating habits. Enough of that-I think ya get the point, enjoy life, eat, see ya in the field.

Smoke

 

[Smokecreek1]

It was called "in defense of food" by Michael Pollan.

Smoke

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

It was called "in defense of food" by Michael Pollan.

Smoke

I watched it, too. Good program.

 

[craig333]

Just caught that tonight. Seems pretty common sense but for years I resisted anyone telling me what/how I should eat. While watching that I got hungry, grabbed an apple. For years I rarely had fruit in the house. I pretty much agree, its not that you can't have bacon or eat a donut, you just can't make it a regular part of your diet.

I work at a bottling plant. I see the sugar (hfcs) tankers pulling up multiple times a day, 2000 sacks of sugar lined up down the aisles (because sugar is healthier than high fructose corn syrup?) We can drink as much as we like of what we produce and I'll have a sip on occasion but I'm still baffled by the guys that chug multiple cans every day. Even the manufacturers tell you to enjoy their product in moderation.

I'm doing better but my News Years resolution is keep working at. Keep making plants a larger part of my diet. One thing I have done well is increase the amount of fiber in my diet. I can really tell around the holidays when I let things slide.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Guys,there are some awesome cookbooks out there with veggie recipes.You don't have to give up a meat diet totally.
Mixing foods that are good for you and taste good plus moderation goes a long way for a healthy diet.
It also helps to have someone else to share with and help with whatever program you try.
Keep healthy in the years to come.(so you can camp more)
Frank

 

[craig333]

That was going to be my next question. Eating healthy on the road.

 

[ski3pin]

Congrats Mr. Sage! Well done......and keep at it! Remember, it's the life in your years that count.

 

[allanb]

Yes congrats Mr Sage.
I have always ate fairly well and no weight problems. My biggie is cutting out sugar. Don't drink soda or any of that. Just ice cream, chocolate and cookies,pastries. Would like to drop all sugar for 6 months, to see if that helps with aches and pains. But so far the addiction to sugar has won out. Has any of you tried this?


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Allan, it's pretty hard to cut out all sugar (and salt) unless you stop eating processed food. I'm trying to significantly reduce my sugar intake. Snacks now are organic raisins and unsalted mixed nuts from Costco. I still have a bit of sherbet, and occasional brown sugar on my oatmeal.

No more licorice, etc..

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Allan, it's pretty hard to cut out all sugar (and salt) unless you stop eating processed food. I'm trying to significantly reduce my sugar intake. Snacks now are organic raisins and unsalted mixed nuts from Costco. I still have a bit of sherbet, and occasional brown sugar on my oatmeal.

No more licorice, etc..

Steve sounds like you have a good plan.It's hard to cut out sugar/salt it's in almost every thing.
Trying to eat non processed foods is a good thing. It's hard to stay away from most of the things that Costco sells as they have a lot of processed foods in the stores.
We as stated, eat a lot of veggies.A lot are roasted.
Try some cauliflower/squash/Brussels sprouts/beets,all are yummy and make a good meal with some pasta.
There's a lot of good food to eat out there that doesn't take hours to cook or come from a "can"
Happy eating.
Keep up the "Christmas miracle".Got to stay healthy to go camping.
Frank

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Update: I just got off the scales this morning, and realized I've now lost 35 pounds since starting my weight loss program. At least two inches off the waistline, and roughly the same around the chest.

I was at 204.4 this morning, shooting to get under 200 pounds. No specific target number, but 185 sounds nice.

 

[GroovyDad]

Update: I just got off the scales this morning, and realized I've now lost 35 pounds since starting my weight loss program. At least two inches off the waistline, and roughly the same around the chest.

I was at 204.4 this morning, shooting to get under 200 pounds. No specific target number, but 185 sounds nice.

Good for you!

 

[ski3pin]

Congrats Mr. Sage!

 

[Lighthawk]

That is awesome, Stephen!
Seriously, that is big progress and quite a life changer if you gave up vino too.

We're both approaching sixty at breakneck speed. Susan was veggie when we met and I stopped red meat a long time ago. I still grill chicken or fish on the weekends, but otherwise we eat well with a big salad and bread or pasta or do mexican with homemade beans and salsa. We buy organic and have a good garden. Most of the food is chopped fresh. My achilles heel is enjoyment of good local red wine, although said to be good for the heart.

When I was in my 20's almost until my 40's I was very active with climbing/skiing/carpentry and could eat massive calories, which matches my love of good food. Now in late 50's I've realized I need to use our local gym 2x a week to maintain. The formula seems to be: gain 1/2 lb per year, post high school graduation. For me that was 1976 and I was a 145 lb skinny xc runner. You do the math and spot me a few pounds.

The old adage, "Everything in Moderation" seems to be most sensible. Add some exercise, like Frank and others here, so we can all continue wandering for a good long time.