I start work on Monday, so I am taking it easy this weekend...I will most likely be working at least one weekend day for the next few months.
Woke up starving this morning! I made something my grandma used to do...I cooked up some green beans in boiling water for a few minutes, then put them in a nonstick pan with a little olive oil and salt. Tossed them around till they got a little brown, added 4 cloves of chopped garlic, let that cook a bit, then two eggs, scrambles. Let it brown on one side, then flip it. Tiny squeeze of lemon juice...really filling, lots of fiber, and pretty low in carbs...the beans have a bit. Using a little bit of olive oil really makes the difference in this being delicious! This is a great recipe for bandster hell, cause it filled me up with good food that was still easy to chew up well. It's also great as a side dish with dinner, that's how grandma served it. 80 cal for the oil (about 2/3 of a tablespoon - I HAVE to start measuring!!!), 140 for the eggs, and 40 for the beans...260 calories!
So, I've been kinda avoiding social functions for a while. Not always, but many. For a while it was that I felt so fat, I hated all my clothes, and I wanted to avoid using public transportation as much as possible, cause I would get so out of breath going up stairs in the subway. This is definitely getting better, the easy with which I move is incredible, and I've only lost a bit over 20 lbs...so I'm stoked to see how I fell when I've lost 30 and 40 and 50 and 60...well, you get the idea.
Then, since right around Thanksgiving, I was totally MIA...I had the bronchitis, then pre-op, the surgery and recovery...so I didn't go to ANY holiday parties, etc. Which was fine, but some of my friends haven't seen me in a while. Then recover, etc. And I've been pretty strapped for any extra cash, and this particular group are big spenders. I know all the techniques to spend less money, like having enough to cover my modest share in cash before someone suggests splitting an enormous bill I didn't run up. But somehow I still end up dishing out the dough like it is going out of style!
So tonight is Eddie's birthday. And I said I would go with BF. Who now has to work...and I am dreading it...although I was excited to wear a gorgeous black velvet jacket I got from Jen with new-again jeans I haven't worn in years...I don't want to go...I know I will end up spending a ton of money. I know I will drink a lot of calories, even if I don't eat them (I will be scared of getting stuck or PB'ing on front of people who don't know about the band, or even if two of them do, they don't know any details.) And I'm peeved that BF knew about this outing, and only told me this morning he is working, so I have to show up solo, when everyone else is all coupled...that shouldn't matter, these are good old friends, but they knew me for so many years when I was single or dating real jerks, that I wanted BF to come with me...besides, I llove when he comes with me, then we can do a fun post-mortem of the evening, and he's just a ton of fun in general.
So I could stay home and watch Nip/Tuck, eat healthy food that I have already bought and paid for, go to bed at a decent hour, and enjoy my Dim Sum date tomorrow with a bunch of friends...or go, spend a ton of money, have too many calories, get pressured into drinking more than I planned, feel bad about BF not coming with me...and be anti-social...GRRRRRRRRRR!!!
2 pm
Healthy Style Indian Potato-Pumpkin Yummy
I've been reading My Bombay Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Parsi Home Cooking, an amazing Indian memoir/cookbook. It made me hungry for some delicious Indian snacks, most of which are very high in fat! I almost ordered take out from a local Indian place, but in keeping with my budgets, both financial and caloric, I opted for this treat instead:
I had some leftover roasted potatoes, pumpkin, and onions from my roast chicken cooking lesson last night. I took the equivalent of about 2/3 of a medium sized potato, a few chunks of pumpkin, and some onions, and put them into my non-stick skillet. They were already seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. I mashed them up, and sauteed them, adding just a little olive oil so they got a bit crusty. Then I added a teaspoon each of cilantro chutney and tamarind date sauce, which pack a flavor punch! I ate it with a small container of 2% Chobani Greek yogurt, so that was 17 grams of protein, about 130 calories for the yogurt, 100 for the veggies, and 100 for the cooking oil plus condiments, for a total of about 330 - but I could have used less oil. On the other hand, if I had ordered from the local restaurant, I'm sure it would have been at least 1500 calories that I ordered and ate - who can order just one thing ;)!
I purchased both of these condiments from an Indian grocery store, but you can also buy them online. They don't have a lot of calories or fat, but go a looooooong way in making great flavor. I like the Swad brand, but there are several. At my Indian grocery store, I can get these sauces and chutneys for under three dollars, but I just looked online and saw that they are much more expensive...if you are at all interested in trying them, I suggest seeking out a local Indian grocery. Surprisingly enough, they exist all over, even in small out of the way places, and definitely in large cities!
6 pm...Chicken salad - half a roasted chicken breast, half a mango, a teaspoon of mayo (full fat - I need to get some light mayo!), a bit of cilantro chutney, and a dash of raspberry salad dressing. With a few bites each of roasted pumpkin, brussel sprouts, and potato. Yummmmmm!
I was starving a few hours later, so I had to sugar-free Jello cups and was getting antsy! Could make it, and around 11.30 pm, I had a cup of Corn Pops - 120 calories, and a small container of fat free Chobani Greek yogurt - It was really good, had sweet, crunch, a ton of protein, and I ate it much slower than I would've if it was in milk...
Getting a lap-band to be healthy and even more gorgeous ;)
Getting a lap-band so as not to let weight decide what I do and how I live my life.
Yana, I took a 15% pay cut early last year and have been working 50+ hours the past two weeks...during an official "company shutdown" for which I'm being paid less than 1/4 of my normal salary. Money is tight!!! I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with sitting out a party if it seems to make sense. You're headed in such a great direction, there will be lots and lots of other parties and just think how GREAT you're going to feel in all those new, smaller clothes!! Maybe staying home, eating right and saving the budget is a good idea for tonight....??? LOVE the recipe idea, I'm going to try that!! Interesting way to cook up some healthy favorites!!! Thanks for sharing.
One of the things I promised I would not let my band do is damage my social life. I don't think it is healthy to avoid situations because of what you might eat. Instead I think you need to start working on techniques to deal with the social event.
ReplyDeleteNow the financial factor on the other side, I totally understand. If that is the reason you want to skip this get together, then that is a good reason.
I know for me when I would diet I would avoid events with eating. This always lead to me feeling left out and isolated and of course eventually being a "good reason" to stop dieting.
Don't let that happen to you with the band!
Great job on your loss so far!
I would say you have already made up your mind. If you think you are not going to have fun and will worry about the money, food, and drink then don't go. This won't be the last time you get to go out with your friends plus you are going out the next day. However, I wouldn't let just the band stop you from enjoying yourself. You might just have to plan carefully.
ReplyDeleteOne tip I heard was to have a cup of soup and then an appetizer that you know you can eat as your meal. It limits your chances of getting stuck, but probably will be higher on calories than what you normally would eat at home. However, the tipster said that since she wasn't "just" eating soup or "just" the appitzer nobody noticed that she ate much less then everyone else. I am planning on using this tip when I go out with my work team.
It's hard going these first few weeks/months in bandster hell... you are still feeling your way and are unsure of yourself. I remember it well. My social life (what there was of it lol) was also curtailed.
ReplyDeleteJust do what you think is right. I hope you ended up having a semi-good evening. :)
I am torn-you are working hard and if you don't have motivation now when will you have it but on the other hand this band is going to work and you can take it easy and enjoy yourself a little bit now. I wouldn't go off the deep end obviously but a drink or two, some fun and food is not going to stop this from working. Sure you will need to think through what you eat so you don't PB but most of the PB's are the result of eating flat out too much for the space than it is sticking on a specific food (mainly stop at the barest hint of having eaten enough and you should be fine).
ReplyDeleteI will be honest with you-The day I got the band was the last day I dieted. I eat when I am hungry and try to make healthy choices (high protein, carb last etc) but I do not diet anymore.
I am not sure if this will work for you because we are all different. Changing my mindset from diet to living mindfully had a huge impact on my psyche and I think has helped me be as successful as I have so far. I am posting this as something to think about anyway :) Good luck whatever decision you made in the end!!
Tina gave you some awesome advice, I think!!
ReplyDeleteI say: do whatever works best for you-- my dh and I made a conscious decision to bail out of any parties where there is a group bill. It is always unfairly calculated and hyper expensive. This is something that people usually stop doing in a few years-- now our friends either have a party and pay it all or no more group dinners like that. So you can look forward to getting a BIT older b/c this 'group party' thing fell by the wayside in our lives by the time we hit about 35 or so!!