Thursday, December 16, 2010

Are You Leaving? (148)

I stepped on the scale today, to see if the slight extra calories from that hot cocoa impacted my progress.  The answer would be NO, and, in fact, I'm down more, so I am firmly in the Severe Obese category.  I'm no longer teetering on the edge of Morbid Obesity. 

I would like to be down to, at least, 237 by my mid-January doctor appointment - 10 lbs below morbid obesity.  His nurse told me not to "worry" if I gained a few pounds by the next (January) appointment.  The doctor never sees patient weights (voluntarily) go down at January appointments, from where they were earlier in the previous year, having gained weight over the holidays, etc.  Won't they both be surprised?  I weighed 271 at my October appt.  hehehe

I would dearly love to have my other meds reduced, if not eliminated.  I have already had the cholesterol medication discontinued!  A reduction or elimination of medication is the surest sign that the body is improving in health, and recovering from years of poor eating habits.  I am dieting, after all, primarily to improve my health!  My eating habits are changing, and even my taste has shifted to a more healthy palatte.

Speaking of food ...

In the northern regions of Europe, traditional salads are not leafy or green, the way we think of them.  They are usually more hardy vegetables, with vinegar or cream/mayo-based dressings. 

I grew up with some of those Old World style salads, and one of my favorites is still red cabbage based.  I love red cabbage braised, but this dish (below) is not the traditional red cabbage side vegetable.  It is, instead, a traditional salad commonly found in old German Prussia (today, northern Germany and Poland).  This is Grandma's simplified version.

12 Days of Salads

Day 7:

Grandma's Old World Red Cabbage Salad

half-pound red cabbage, grated
1 medium granny smith apple, cored and grated
salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 TB vinegar
1-2 TB oil
several hard boiled eggs (opt)

Toss all ingredients together, except eggs, until well blended.  Peel and cut eggs into wedges, and garnish the cabbage with them (parsley too, if desired).  Serves 4 (or Ann)  hehehe

____________________________________________

Today is Dad's last cancer treatment.  The infusion will be this afternoon.  Then, they will remove the port next week, and that will be that.  Dad is looking forward to the holidays without doctor and/or hospital visits.  He has been a real trooper!  xxox

According to the Spawn Challenge predictions, if I stick true to the plan I'm on, I could reach my goal weight by mid-June  ... just in time for the likely family reunion!  And here I was thinking I'd just be THRILLED to have the number one as a first digit.  It tickles me to think I could actually pull off a healthy, normal range weight by then.  It will be up to me to see how close I can get, right?  Reunion photos, in particular, are forever (like wedding photos). 

Tomorrow is the 24-Update report, where I see how close I'm coming to actually fitting into the old size 24 jeans I've had in the back of my closet for years.  I try them on every other Friday, and note the progress I'm making, in an attempt to get back into them.  They are like new, they've probably only been worn a few times, while on my way UP the scale.  I hope to get more use out of them on the way down!  I've talked to the alterations place.  If I bring the jeans in tomorrow before noon, they can have them back to me by Tuesday or Wednesday.  There is no rush, because I don't think I'll be in them comfortably until after the holidays, but it will be nice to have them ready for when that special day comes!

Gosh, the last weekend before Christmas is almost upon us!  The month is flying by, just as November has.  It will be a new year before we know it.  Merry Christmas to all the bloggers who will be leaving us this weekend, until after the holidays!  I'll probably be on another week, before taking off for Christmas/weekend, but I know quite a few are leaving today and tomorrow, for a hiatus of a week or two.  To those, I'd like to say:  Merry Christmas!!  And a Happy and more successful New Year!!

11 comments:

  1. I think it's horrible that a nurse would tell a 271 lb. woman, "not to worry if she gained a few lbs." Obviously YOU know that 271 lbs. is not healthy and that was like giving you "permission" not to eat healthy over the next 3 months. Not very supportive. I am SO GLAD that you didn't listen to that and you will TOTALLY show them!! Your weight loss is totally rocking and you just need to keep it up!!

    We BOTH need to be at our goals by the beginning of summer! Your goal is 15 lbs. lower than mine but we both started at about the same. My top was like in the 320's. So here's to us!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know what you mean, Debbi, but I think my weight loss (in Oct), from the previous visit, was so different, she just didn't think - realistially - I'd continue downward from there. Of course, I know better ... but you are right. It is important to be consistent in the message, just as it is important to be consistent in our dieting efforts. I'd rather hear "You can do it" than "don't be disappointed"

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree with Debbi. Not healthy or supportive advise from a HEALTH care provider. :P

    Congratulations on the loss. You are going to be rocking those jeans in no time.

    I have a pair of size 26 Sassoon jeans (tells you how old those puppies are! lol) hanging in my closet to inspire me. These are old school 26, back before vanity sizing run amok. I will feel as if I have made some real progress when I can wear them comfortably. I haven't had them on since 1993. And they were lie down on the bed to zip them tight, back then.

    I am sticking around through Christmas. I am not traveling and I will need the extra strength to get through what is for me, binge heaven (or hell!) time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats on all you've done so far! I am a rather new follower, and I'm inspired by your weight loss.. It would be so easy to just go with what that nurse said and "not worry about" it.. but you are keeping your goals in mind and skipping forward (I like to skip.. lol)..

    So sorry to hear your dad has cancer (I haven't been following long enough to hear about him before, I guess).. glad he's on the mend and getting to have the holidays dr visit free..

    Can't wait to hear the 24 Update! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ann.. congrats on making it squarely out of the morbid obese range! That salad looks so good! I love cabbage in anything.. must be those German genes! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Way to go girl! You are cruising and I love your determination!!
    I'm so excited for those pants to fit just right, how fun will that be? And it will happen... and you WILL see that 1 first on the scale too... and I can tell you it FEELS SOOOOOOO GOOOOD!!! A lot of good things have come and are coming your way!!

    ~Margene

    ReplyDelete
  7. surprised that chick didn't hand you a sucker. Yeah, alot of doctors and nurses don't expect much from fat people. I was never once told to lose weight. I was told it would be 'helpful'.
    lol.
    Great job on the loss, keep up the good work and I hope your dad enjoys the heck out of christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your positive attitude, Ann.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cholesterol medication discontinued ? Whoa, you go girl !!

    ~kisses

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hurray for dropping the meds!!! Thats great!!!
    Good luck trying on those jeans!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What the heck is "braised?"
    As in cabbage?

    ReplyDelete