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159.0 lbs - Retool, retool!

AUGUST 31, 2010: Very near the beginning of this blog, you'll read that I tried exercising by repeatedly climbing steps on a 10-story hill near my house. At that time, I could only climb three or four stories at a time before needing several minutes to rest. Then, summer's heat came upon us, and I didn't try again.

Between then and now, I can't say that my aerobic exercise habits were any more strenuous than rebounding. So for some unknown reason, yesterday, during the 95 degree heat of the day, I was motivated to try again.

Guess what? Without a much effort, I quickly climbed all 10 stories without stopping for breath and I did this four times! And, yes, I was sweating, but I felt great. No leg-wobble after.

Amazing. I credit this change of physical capacity to rebounding.

Unfortunately, two of my store-bought rebounder's legs are broken at their connection points and because of that, I haven't rebounded in several days, which might be why my weight is staying constant.

Anyway, today I'm ordering a bi-fold ReboundAir. Note that I'm also going to buy a stabilizer bar, which is an attached, arm-high bar that I can hold while jumping. www.reboundAir.com

I've had two problems when rebounding. The first, which concerned an ankle, was corrected by wearing shoes instead of jumping barefoot. The second occurred after jumping (rather than jogging) in place for five or more minutes. That action appeared to cause neck stiffness and ultimately, a headache. I believe that by using the bar, I'll absorb some of the jumping impact with my arms, which should reduce pressure on my neck. Also, because I rebound for a half-hour to an hour at a time while watching fascinating DVR'd TV programs (check out the Worth channel!), holding onto the bar will protect me from any potential misstep problems that might occur from an abrupt distraction.

(. . . and, hey, hey hey! I can strap my TV remote to the bar. How good will that be?)

Oh, and I forgot. I believe that by holding the bar while rebounding, I'll reduce the stress on my still-recovering shoulder muscle injury, while building upper arm strength. Which gets me to wondering. If I had been stronger and more agile a year ago when I flew through the air and smashed into a wall, would I have been better able to protect myself?

Oh, and yet another thing. How much more would adults 50+ years old be able to protect themselves if they regularly participated in a reasonable, weight-bearing exercise? As I'm 66 and can now miraculously and repeatedly climb 10 flights of stairs without stopping, all because of a simple weight-bearing, aerobic exercise, perhaps I can demonstrate to others how easy it is to stay fit.

159.0 lbs - Rebounding and trekking poles

AUGUST 26, 2010: Rebounding is the most productive and easy-to-do physical fitness activity I've ever done. While going for long walks feels good, especially on nice days, they don't jog weight-loss unless those walks are fast. The best way to increase walking speed is by using trekking poles. Unfortunately, trekking poles get in the way when strolling with friends.

Even though I love rebounding, I've had three concerns. The first relates to distraction which might cause me to lose balance during a long session. The second is maintaining a fast pace. It is, unfortunately, easy to slow down into mellow half-bounds. The third relates to my upper arm injury that is still on the mend. If I move my arm too quickly and too often, it hurts. Of course, I avoid arm stress, but by doing that, I also slow down, defeating the point of exercising.

Today, I've solved all problems by rebounding while using trekking polls. The motion is similar to quickly walking with trekking poles, but the action is faster. The poles support my upper body, help me push off faster, and make me feel more confident that I'll not get distracted.

Overall, I think the use of trekking poles makes long periods of rebounding much safer and I highly recommend their use.

159.5 lbs - One pound short . . .

AUGUST 25, 2010: My goal for today was 158.5. Unfortunately, I am one pound short of the three I wanted to lose, so I'm going to subtract that miserable not-lost pound from next week's goal of 155.5 pounds.

Note that I'm sticking to my one-meal-a-day theory of weight loss, EXCEPT that I do have a light breakfast of under 200 calories. Otherwise, I do not count calories, however, I'm watching for weight-gain patterns. So far, I've found that the inclusion of bread is bad. I'll pay more attention to the carb connection as I continue to lose weight.

I'm getting a positive effect from rebounding. Here are some tips for adults who think that they might have problems jumping:

• Don't Jump: I've found that standard jumping gives me a headache. So there! I hope that this answers your question.
• Begin by Walking: Since using this rebounder, I've "begun" twice - when the rebounder was first out-of-the-box, and later, when I re-started after tweaking my ankle. During both "starts," I felt sluggish. That sluggish feeling went away in two days.
• Jog: I've found that jogging is the most productive exercise, with almost zero impact on any of my joints. I can control jogging speed, which I love, and it feels very stable.
• Wear Shoes! The surface area of a shoe's sole provides more stability on the rebounder. If you are an older adult, do not rebound in bare feet.
• Beware of Upper Body Issues: A year ago, I broke my wrist and badly damaged my upper arm and shoulder, with my shoulder muscles still healing. Although demo rebounder exercises encourage upper body motion, if you have a problem, don't do it. That said, I am getting a broader range of motion in my left arm, so a little jiggling appears to be having a positive effect.
• Watch TV: Rebound to movies or favorite TV programs. If you have not already invested in a DVR, get one for your weight's sake. The more you love what you watch, the easier it is to jog on a rebounder for a half-hour or 45-minutes at a time.
• Stabilizer Bar: While I do not have a stabilizer bar, you might want to consider one. I don't think that the stabilizer diminishes the effect of jogging and it might be better to use one if you have upper body issues.

160.5 lbs - The ups and downs

AUGUST 24, 2010: My goal for Wednesday is 158.5 pounds and I'm two pounds away.

I've noticed tremendous upward movement in my evening weights, suggesting that something needs adjusting. I've identified two possible problems. The first problem relates to rebounding. I took a week off (as previously reported), but when I returned, I felt slow and sluggish. In fact, I just regained my speed and energy yesterday. Rebounding is heaven as an at-home aerobic exercise, so I hope that over the next few weeks I will be able to report positive results without any physical issues.

Second, I increased my water consumption to see if that would promote weight loss. Nada. While I'm returning to my original low liquid consumption level, my advice to people who start dieting is to stick to a consumption level that is natural to them, rather than vary it between heavy to totally wrung out.

Tip: You *must* see the TV game show Dance Your Ass Off (Oxygen Network). Amazing. Inspiring. Exciting!

160.5 lbs - Rebounded

AUGUST 22, 2010: Relax and rebound. Get your exercise in front of your TV set, but don't get too comfortable! If you are over 50, rebound with your shoes on . . .

. . . which, of course, I didn't. Jump. Jump. Jumpppp ouch. The impact was just too hard on my left ankle (one I had broken 20 years earlier).

Four days later, my limp disappeared and I tried again, but this time with shoes on. No problem. That said, I jog on my rebounder rather than jump up and down as jumping gives me a headache.

161.5 lbs - Yes! I made my one-week's goal

AUGUST 18, 2010: Well, time to celebrate (but not with hard cider)! My goal was to lose a pound every two days, or approximately three pounds a week. Today, and I'm down three pounds from last Wednesday. Next Wednesday's goal is 158.5 or less.

Recording my weight in the morning and evening is exceptionally useful. When I found myself gaining last week, I was able to question myself as to what caused the reversal and adjust my lifestyle so it didn't happen again.

The big change in my life, however, has been the addition of a 40" flat screen TV with DVR, which I regard as the ultimate "weight loss machine." While I started out exercising in front of it via my rebounder, I began to feel ankle strain, so I stopped that activity (at least for now). In its place, I simply walk or lightly trot around my TV viewing area during the shows I love. No boredom!

I also went for walks, but because of the heat, I can't say that those walks were vigorous. In general, I've found that I can't rely on losing weight just because I'm outside and active. Vigorously walking/jogging/dancing/squirming in front of my TV, however, appears to have helped. We'll see whether those techniques will help me continue my downward weight trend over the next week.

As for eating, all food intake stops at 2 PM. That habit, combined with TV trotting, reduces any feelings of distracting hunger in the evening. If I remain sedentary all day, however, I do feel evening hunger. Note that feelings of hunger do not equate to losing weight. More about this in the future.

164.5 lbs - Free cupcakes and hard apple cider

AUGUST 16, 2010: Heck! I gained a pound a day over the last two days, . Let me tell you about my weekend and you won't understand why this happened. I sure do not!

On Saturday, starting at 10 AM, we traveled extensively through Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island on foot and subway with three grandchildren, ages 3, 4, and 5. That alone should have been a weight-loss event and the fact that I gained a pound just boggles my mind.

My lunch consisted of two hot dogs and water. Coming back from Staten Island, I had two cups of dry popcorn. Later in the evening, when back in Brooklyn, our family was showered with free Crumbs cupcakes as part of its grand opening celebration. Did I have a cupcake the size of a pumpkin? Nooooooo. I just eat half a cookie, washed down by half of a small cup of coffee.

But yes, I did eat after the bewitching hour of 2 PM. Given the day's activities, however, you wouldn't think that the small amount of food I did eat would have been enough to make me gain a pound. If nothing else, I should have stayed "as is."

And then yesterday, when I stuck to my no eating after 2 PM rule, the only change I had in lunch was the addition of 8 ounces of hard apple cider. Sob! No more cider for me until I'm down to 135 pounds.

162.5 lbs - The weight of morning and night

AUGUST 14, 2010: I've now recorded my weight measurements for three days and find it interesting to see weight change between morning and night. Without a doubt, it is gratifying to know that I'll always weigh less in the morning, which makes keeping evening weight at or below morning weight a perfect target. With this type of tracking, I'm hoping to lose a pound every two days. At the end of seven days, I'll analyze what is going on and, hopefully, I'll be able to pin-point success.

Now then, there's my new TV and DVR. While all my friends have large-screen TVs, I did not because I lived in a beautiful-yet-small, 435 square foot studio apartment for the past ten years. Unlike people who've always had large TVs, my sense of amazement over what a large-format TV provides is probably greater than what most people experience. Large-format provides so much more information that, frankly, I feel like I've been educationally stunted for not having had one in the past.

. . . but it is the DVR that has changed my life. The combo DVR and TV is a "light" exerciser's dream come true! As everyone knows, the worst part of exercising is boredom. The minute my brain gives out, my body follows, but with a DVR, my whole being stays on top of the task.

Best, DVR replays announce the remaining time of whatever is being watched, making timing-tracking easy. I love No Reservations, for example, which is an hour-long show (minus skipped commercials). Seeing my progress time (and acknowledging how much longer I have to go) eliminates all mental stress related to exercise.

So what kind of exercise do I do? Well, what I don't do is reps. What I do do is anything I please, from rebounding, to running in place, to dancing, to whatever-I-dream up. I've monitored a few morning exercise classes for movement ideas, and from there, away I go!

163.5 lbs - Introducing new controls

AUGUST 12, 2010: I'm doing several things differently than when I began this blog, or, at least, I'm expecting different results from doing the same things.

First, I am absolutely convinced that eating after 2 or 3 PM causes weight gain in everyone EXCEPT highly athletic people who practice throughout the week and those people who eat very lightly. Jogging and rope jumping does lead to weight loss, without a doubt.

I've gained weight since I was 18 years old, when I weighed around 115 pounds at 5-feet, 4.5-inches. At 24 years old, by the time I had my children, I was 120, then advanced regularly throughout the years until I reached 215 pounds. I cannot say that I did not gain weight when I was young, however, the speed at which I gained weight picked up within the last ten years, say from the time I was 55. During my 64th year, I put on almost 20 pounds in under three weeks.

The speed of weight gain as I aged might be due to increased eating of terrific, easy-to-access, ready-to-eat foods. When I was younger (and lived in a different economic climate than today), I rarely eat snack food because I couldn't afford it. By the time I was 55, I regarded inexpensive snack foods as complete meals.

Currently, my objective is to identify an eating pattern that will allow me to easily lose weight without calorie counting, or closely follow X-number of reps via exercise. That said, my objective is not to eat as much as I want of anything. Nor is my objective to do no exercise at all. What I'm looking for is the perfect combination of solutions.

New weight-management tools in my life include a 40" flat screen TV, complete with a FIOS-driven DVR, a rebounder, an Excel-based diary in which I'll record waking and going to bed weights, and a perfunctory diary that highlights whatever (not specifically food choices).

Last night was the first night I combined everything (I've had the TV/DVR combination for less than a week). I rebounded approximately 1.5 hours, although not in the same period, using very easy "walking steps," and I absolutely stopped eating at 1:30 PM. The result was that I lost a half pound when I went to bed, followed by another half pound the next morning.

With respect to TV, especially a large-screen variety that's coupled with a DVR from which you can save and replay programs without watching commercials, it creates the best exercise environment I've ever experienced! No boredom! (I'll discuss this environment in another blog entry.)

New: I've also started including a 170 calorie morning meal in the form of a Kellogg's Special K Protein Meal Bar. Several years ago, I tried other bars and actually lost weight from eating them. Unfortunately, they caused constipation, which the Kellogg's variety does not. The bar is terrific and I highly recommend it.

With respect to my "one full meal," breads are almost out. I am currently unsure about the inclusion of ice cream - I'll test it in the future. Outside of that, any other food is acceptable and I eat as much as I want. Because of the Kellogg's bar, however, I do not think I'm as hungry prior to that meal.

164.5 lbs - The beginning of the one-month test

AUGUST 11, 2010: 9/11. That will be the end of my one-month test to see if I can lose at least 15 pounds during that period.

My belief is that overweight (and related stiffness and physical degradation) is due to the media's hype of eating, long hours of sitting caused by desk jobs (for those who are "lucky" enough to have them), and our 18 daily waking hours which are not all that productively filled.

Note that the more we sit, the less our bodies will allow us to move, which further complicates healthy weight aspirations. At this moment in history, we are not wearing out due to hard, physical labor. Instead, we freeze up because of the lack of it.

We all know that we can fill our cars up with only so much fuel because rigid gas tanks hold only so much. Our stomachs, however, are expandable (much like zippered luggage that provides a second layer of room for over-packing). We eat more than we need, but there's room for all of it.

But how much extra? With a sedentary lifestyle that often includes hours of sitting while commuting, working, and eventual relaxing, we do not need much food. For many people with this type of lifestyle, 800 calories a day will cause us to gain weight. Low calorie intact, however, would cause the collapse of the Food Network, mega-grocery stores, Sam's Club, Costco, Whole Foods, the entire restaurant industry, including McDonald's, and food-related entertainment (sorry, Cake Boss).

Jogging, running, rope jumping, and other activities that elevate our heart rates to 140 BPM or higher, combined with moderate eating, will melt off fat. Unfortunately, aging, combined with the stiffness derived from too much sitting, increases our potential for injury from impact, making us avoid those activities because of current or future pain.

At this moment for me, I've discovered the right way to maintain a weight between 163 and 164, which is great, except I want to weigh 130. This means I have to find some way to adjust my habits to achieve my goals.

Since returning from my five-week trip, where eating three squares were the norm (I maintained my weight on the cruise by jogging on a treadmill), I've found myself nibbling in the evening. And by "nibbling," I mean "eating very little extra." Over the past seven days, evening nibbling has meant sipping a half cup of hard cider or snacking on a small wedge of cheese. Each time I've added even the smallest portion of food past 2PM, I've gained weight. The next day, I worked extra-hard to lose it.

Note that I exercise everyday and I am totally pain-free. When I started this process in March 2009 at the age of 65, I could barely walk, was stiff, and because of that, had a hard time moving. Today's exercise involves normal walking and many indoor activities. These keep my heart healthy and blood moving, which vanquishes stiffness, but do not erase pounds.

Over the next month, I'll write about the changes I'm making in my lifestyle. The first is to follow the advice recent studies that suggest keeping a (private) daily diary is the key to success. A second change is to keep records of my weight two times a day, when I get up and when I return to bed. And a third is to return to my one-meal-a-day plan where I do not eat after 2 PM, no matter what (or how little).

We'll see where it leads! I'm down about 40 pounds since I started a year and a quarter ago. I have every reason to believe I'll succeed.

??? lbs - Obesity, health, and flexibility

AUGUST 8, 2010: I'm purposely staying away from the scale because I don't want to know what I weigh (I'll step on it again this coming Wednesday morning). That said, there is no reason why I can't lose 15 pounds in 30 days, so whatever I weigh on Wednesday will be my set point.

The New York Times recently published an article entitled Obesity Rates Keep Rising, Troubling Health Officials. As a frequenter of Sam's Club and mega-grocery stores, it's very easy to see what is so troubling.

Increased weight on women (coupled by close-fitting clothing) leaves nothing to the imagination. Multiple bulges, starting above and below the bra-line, then at the waist, then at the point where a so-called waistband meets the hip, then again at various spots around the hip and thighs, reveal the truth...no one owns a mirror!

OK, so who is obese? The article continues by saying that according to disease centers, "a 5-foot, 4-inch woman is obese if she weighs 174 pounds, as is a 5-foot, 10-inch man who weighs 209 or more."

What's a human to do? Recently, the University of Florida researchers released a study of 250+ obese women who lost weight. Those who lost *more than 1.5 pounds a week* during the first month lost the most over time (at least 28 pounds within six months) and were more likely to maintain the new weight. (The following link is to a British publication: Crash Diets 'work best'.)

Another recently-published article indicates that the most successful weight losers are the ones who keep diaries (although not necessarily food diaries). Researchers were not completely sure why this might work, although it suggests that writing to solve an issue might be the key to success.

Between March 2009 and May 2010, I lost 55 lbs during a slow-yet-successful process. I have 30 pounds to go and I don't want to take two thirds of a year more to do it!

My biggest problem right now is social eating. If left to myself, one-meal-a-day works. Unfortunately, the food and restaurant industries push three-meals-a-day, plus snacks, and if I dine with friends, drinking is also encouraged. Strangely, the diet industry tells us that eating "less than enough" is dangerous, advice that enriches the diet industry by keeping us fat by prolonging weight loss!

Anyway, my blog objective is to identify a way to lose weight without pain and confusion and to keep that weight off. Tomorrow, I'll reveal my plan for the next 30 days, including what I think will work.

163 lbs - Bounc'in

JULY 28, 2010: I love my rebounder! Bouncing is a thoroughly enjoyable way to exercise aerobically.

What I like best is that I can simulate fast jogging on it. This gets my heart pumping with the least joint impact. I wish I could buy a unit light weight enough to bring on roadtrips!

The feet of the rebounder, unfortunately, make sharp dents in my lush, brand-new, wall-to-wall carpet. To reduce damage, I place thick, closed-cell-foam pads (which I cut out of a gym mat) under each foot. If you do this, make sure to fluff out foot-print indents immediately after exercising and store the rebounder on its side.

??? lbs - Food food everywhere

JULY 26, 2010: Between June 19th and now, I've been submerged in food. Starting with my two week, European river cruise, I was served unlimited quantities of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all placed on starched, white tablecloths by professional servers who encouraged me to eat more. Following that, my primary recreation during my two-week, New Jersey and Long Island shore roadtrips was eating in restaurants.

Today, after a month of restaurant food, I finally prepared a "healthy meal" in my kitchen; home-roasted chicken legs, followed with vanilla ice cream that I loaded with salted peanuts.

I'm not sure whether Anthony Bourdain (No Reservations on the Travel Channel), who seeks unusual cuisines, would approve, but he's welcome to stop by my apartment at any time to try one of my concoctions. Salt on vanilla ice cream is a "must."

I'm currently reading Bourdain's latest book, Medium Raw. How can such a skinny man be so worked up about food? I rarely discuss my meals, but eat like a cow. If writing about food helps him stay slim, I hope that my mentioning my passion for salted, vanilla ice cream results in pounds shed.

164 lbs - After 5 weeks of roadtrips . . .

JULY 25, 2010: Last year, I was fairly able to blog during roadtrips, but this year, it has been a challenge! For three weeks, beginning June 19, I was on a European river cruise with an intermittent Internet connection (signals tend to be lost when sailing through deep locks), followed by a two week roadtrip along the Jersey Shore and Long Island. During that trip, I had little time for myself.

So now I'm home and ready to take my weight lose to my goal of 135 lbs. Prior to this blog, I dropped from 215 to 180 lbs. and then, by June 19, I was at 160 lbs. When I returned from Europe, I only weighed 161.5 lbs, which I thought was amazing! The roadtrip with friends, however, proved somewhat fattening, so I'm up 4 pounds since June 19th.

Since I began this blog, my husband and I moved into a larger apartment and we now have room for "small scale" exercise devices. Yesterday, I purchased a Bodyfit by Sports Authority Rebounder ($45). My plan is to use it once every two hours for 10 minutes. I'm also back to my one-meal-a-day plan, except that this time, I will do a modified fast every third day, which will start on Wednesday, July 28. We'll see how these changes affect my progress!

160 lbs - Water, water, water (and food) everywhere

JUNE 21, 2010: We'll set my weight at 160 right now as I won't be stepping on a scale for the next 14 days. We'll see what I weigh on my return.

Right now, I'm residing in the dieter's nightmare atmosphere - Europe, where the finest food is served, and on a cruise, where the finest food is served all of the time. Oy!

Our breakfast buffet is laid out from port (left) to starboard (right), as is lunch. Then there is mid-afternoon coffee and cake, and at night, a six-course dinner. Tomorrow, I'll upload pictures of meal times so you can see what I'm up against!

161 lbs - And about to travel

JUNE 16, 2010: Well, by this time, I've absolutely mastered one-meal-a-day and I feel great! I eat normally during my single meal and believe that I eat the same at that single meal as I would for main meal on a three-meal-a-day plan.

With one-meal-a-day, my weight stays the same or creeps up when I include bread in that meal. I love bread and hate to deprive myself of it, so I'm planning on having great bread just a few times a week, rather banning it altogether.

From April a year ago, I've lost 51 pounds. Since the start of this blog, I've lost 19 pounds. While I thought I'd be 140 pounds by now, I am satisfied that I'm heading down with a minimum of anxiety and fuss.

BEAUTY FINDS

• Eye Makeup that Stays in Place: Something radically changed during my downward weight trajectory causing my eye makeup to constantly rub off. The product Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer absolutely works to "permatize" eye makeup on light and dark skin, alike, however, it intensives colors, sometimes too much. Without using that product, I found that substituting gray pencil eyeliner for black solves the problem. While I touch up the gray with just a bit black pencil liner, the gray appears to hold without running and surprisingly, the gray by itself is almost dark enough. The real test will come during the sweltering days of summer!
  
  
  
• Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer: According to Jergens' ads, they have found skin care breakthroughs, and their claim appears to be true. I apply this product straight-up, combined with water (best for during the day), or combined with oil (best for the evening, or bed). Because of my respect for this product, I am also going to try more of their line. You might want to, too.
  
  
  
• Clairol's Natural Instincts: I stopped having my hair dyed three years ago and loved the natural look until I met someone who lightly tinted her gray while maintaining her overall natural color. To try it myself, I used what I thought was a temporary color, Natural Instincts. For advice, I contacted Clairol through its website and was told to use a color two shades lighter than my natural color. WRONG! For a few weeks, I looked like I wore a black helmet. Worse, the product changed the color of my natural hair due to its peroxide base, which I didn't know it had. Having wrecked my hair, I decided to try it again, this time using its lightest color (09 - Champagne Toast). The results were stunning! If you are currently a dye-free (a requirement) brunette and want to tint your gray, select the lightest color available for your first application. Work darker only if needed.
  
  
  Note that Natural Instincts is NOT temporary. Over time, it does NOT wash off completely and it will change your natural brunette shade. On the other hand, unlike regular dye, it's very easy to "do it yourself," and it does not smell bad.
  
  

162 lbs - Reached Monday, didn't change . . .

JUNE 9, 2010: OK, it is Wednesday, and I'm still 162. I promised myself not to buy new clothing until I dropped to 160 pounds. But I'll tell you, no cake and no shopping is not fun.

In other news, I discovered that Clairol's Natural Instincts does not live up to its ads. According to its claims, it "lasts up to 6 weeks." To me, that meant that the product would not change the color of my hair, but rather, would cover gray for up to six weeks.

Well, it did a great job of coloring gray, but it did, indeed, permanently change the color of my dark brown hair to a new, much lighter shade.

Now that my hair is wrecked, I'm going to try the product one more time. Rather than match my natural color (which I originally did), I'm going to use a much lighter shade just to cover gray. At this point, I have nothing to lose because it'll take a year to grow it out, no matter what.

162 lb - on a roll down

JUNE 6, 2010: I've been 162 pounds for two days and hope to reach down to 161 by Monday.

It doesn't take much to trigger weight gain. As little as a non-meal glass of wine or beer puts a pound on me the next day. And don't even think about a cup of air popped, dry popcorn, let alone more tasty ice cream..

Note that I am not frustrated and I'm fully confident that I'll reach my goal of 140 pounds (and maybe even 135, depending on how I will look). By focusing on one meal (during which time I eat anything without thought to calorie counting), I can tell what drives me up (mainly!) or down. Overall, I am confident that I will not gain weight back due to boredom with calorie counting (which, of course, I ignore anyway).

I recently read an Associated Press article indicating that exercising on an empty stomach is beneficial to weight loss (To burn more fat, skip breakfast before workout). If you Google on the subject, articles published prior to 2010 are not positive, but this article published in June 2010 cites evidence supporting this strategy.

CHANGES SOON
My new website, Littleviews Travel, is about to launch! It, and Littleviews, will share some articles, however, Littleviews will focus specifically on NYC and its events, while Littleviews Travel will report on travel experiences and opportunities. I'm moving this blog to the new site because it reflects my struggle and hopefully, solution to achieve optimal eating without gaining weight. Think "cruise dining," with resulting weight gain, and you'll understand my point.

163 - 164 - 163 - 164 lbs - Rut!

MAY 30, 2010: Again, the good news is that I am not gaining. And the good news is that I know exactly what I'm eating when I go up a pound (and what I'm doing is not much; no more, perhaps, than a glass of wine or ten vanilla Oriels). The bad news is I am not below 160 pounds.

Today is the first day in over 1.5 months in which my life has returned to normal. Better than normal, actually. We moved into a new apartment and I now have a comfy writing area, so I expect to be more productive. Unfortunately, the move caused a glitch between my web hosting company and me, which means that I've not been able to make improvements to Littleviews. That resolved next week.

Anyway, you'd think that all the energy I put into moving would have scored calorie-burning points, but no such luck. I've matched each extra activity with dessert (or drink or both). It doesn't take more than 4 oz of wine to gain weight, so I am thankful that I've remained the same over this time, albeit disappointed.

My main problem is breakfast snacking. My resolve this week is to cut it out. I've said this before. Let's just say I've been testing the theory, and now I'm ready to give up breakfast for good. All of my lunches, however, have been fabulous.

163 lbs - Hello scale? It's me, Karen

MAY 19, 2010: Well, I've had my first scale sighting in two weeks and it's good!

While I just moved my household up two floors in our current building, getting settled is taking more time than anticipated. We've waited (so far) two and a half days for Verizon (the first installer disappeared, the second didn't show up at all, and the third was classified as "any minute now" at 11:45 AM; it is now 1:50 PM). And we are still waiting for our bed (a SNAFU occurred in its first attempted delivery). Fortunately, we have a sofa bed to accommodate sleep and I apologize to all for not being able to keep up with my website obligations.

In an earlier post, I said I'd show you my before and after facial pictures once I was 165 pounds, but now, I'll wait until I drop to 159 or less pounds.

Looking into a mirror, the change has been startling. My skin tone went from nicely plump to that of a partially opened accordion. Very scary! Since that time, however, I've added a lot of olive oil to my diet and am faithful to the miracle, Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion (watered down, as stated previously). What made the most positive difference, however, was a light tan. More about that in another post.

Eye makeup is getting better, too. I'm sure that over the last month I shocked friends and neighbors with my versions of a raccoon. During this transition period, each morning I thought I mastered my look and each evening felt ashamed that I even stuck my head out of the door.

I'm still on an almost one-meal-a-day (although I often have some breakfast, such as half a large apple, or a scoop of egg salad, plus a handful of walnuts). While losing weight is my first objective, my second is to eat in a way as to not gain it back. So far, my scheme works.

??? lbs - To be continued after the move

MAY 13, 2010: The last time I weighed myself, I was 166, not 165. That said, my husband and I are moving to a new place and we've been living out of boxes for the past two weeks. In one of those boxes is my scale.

As of midnight tonight, I'll be without an Internet connection until Verizon FIOS is installed sometime on Monday. I've very excited about the potential of their new service as well as being settled in our new home. I suspect, however, that being settled will take until this coming Thursday. Hopefully, I'll have good weight news by then.

166 lbs - More on cosmetics

MAY 5, 2010: I'm betting that I'll be 165 by tomorrow!

Anyway, early last August, I broke my left wrist and sustained injuries throughout my entire arm. Since then, I've struggled with putting on eye makeup (among many things), even though my right arm wasn't affected. When I did get my dexterity back, I had lost weight, which apparently changed the shape of my eyelids at the point where my lids met my eyelashes. That, in turn, caused eye makeup to disappear completely shortly after it was applied, or worse, reposition itself on my cheeks. Result? Awful. To fix the problem, I've been experimenting with eye makeup in hopes of finding the perfect combination of products and skill.

Here is a follow-up to my April 29th notes on the subject, with more observations about products:

Jergens Ultra Healing - extra dry skin moisturizer with Vitamin 3: This truly is a skin-care miracle. The only problem I had with it on my face is that my skin felt slightly coated after using. Note, however, that I've used a wide and expensive variety of face creams. Many made my face feel coated and the ones that didn't, didn't produce day-long lasting results. To solve the Jergens problem, I now "cut" the lotion by one portion to an equal portion of water, mix, then apply. Magic. Really good stuff.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion: This truly does what it says it will do, which is keep eyeshadow and liner in place for long periods. I'm impressed!

Questionable "Long Wearing" Eyeliner Products: A few years ago, I bought a sack of eyeliner pencils from a discounter and still use them today. Unfortunately, after my transitions, this liner quickly melted off. I've since purchased several new eyeliner pencils, from semi-liquid felt systems to waterproof pencils, to combat the problem, but haven't been successful with any. The main problem with these products is that their applied color (black) is too harsh, making me look like a 1960's Audry Hepburn, but without her beauty.

Eyeliner Solution: Well, actually, I don't have one yet, but the Eyeshadow Primer Potion appears to stem the melting problem, whether I pat eye shadow over my liner or leave it as-is.

166 lbs - Women's chests - bare or dressed

MAY 4, 2010: The celebrity dress-up trend featuring basketball-boobs, shielded partially by dresses that focus on cleavage is boring. Why, then, do the men who accompany these celebs still wear hot and sweaty tuxedoes? Rather than showing flesh, men's fashions cover it up, starting with an undershirt, covered by a shirt, a tie, and a heavy jacket!

I, frankly, like seeing sparkle, rather than skin. Don't you think it's more interesting to see beautiful, flowing scarves or jewelry on women's formal attire? Consider the following looks:

[The above pictures are from the American Woman pictorial featured on the May 4, 2010, New York Post's website.]

166 lbs - The men's department

MAY 3, 2010: Once again, I've shopped the men's department for new t-shirts. Why not buy women's tees? Even large sizes look like they have been pre-shrunk in a caldron of boiling water and dried in a blast furnace. Below the waist, women's tees end in the middle of my three worst features: gut, hips, and butt. From the waist on up, they showcase my muffin top and bra-band bulges. Thank god for the availability of men's clothing!

167 lbs - Changing faces

APRIL 29, 2010: First of all, I really thought I'd be in the 150 pound range by this time. On a positive note, I have my one-meal-a-day schedule down pat, and do not feel a bit deprived.

Changing Face: If you studied the Star's Weight Battles that I mentioned a couple days ago, you'll see that as people age, thinness is unrelated to beauty. Without an extra layer of fat, faces tend to square-off. I'm not sure that plastic surgery really helps faces spring back to their youthful shape, either. According to a recent documentary, even slim Joan Rivers, who has had the best, still applies a ton of makeup daily.

From what pictures tell me, the most attractive people, whether heavy or thin, young or old, smile a lot. Could Betty White, who's older and heavier than Joan Rivers, be any cuter?

168 lbs - Beauty product tips and face lifts (oy!)

APRIL 26, 2010: For a sobering account of the fear of aging, check out www.AwfulPlasticSurger.com.

The Awful Plastic Surgery site is a bit disjointed (no pun intended). The best way to read it is to scroll all the way to the bottom of each page, then click NEXT, rather than click on any of its other links. Also, I found that one of the web pages is missing. If you have problems accessing a page through the use of NEXT, look at your browser's URL field. In the long URL line, you'll see "page=6" (or some number). Just change the number to the next one in line, then click to go to that page.

Beauty Product Tips: I've recently found products that are truly different than what I had been using. When I began my weight loss program, I weighed around 215 pounds, although this blog starts at 180. As I lost weight, my skin texture became very dry and (yikes) saggy. That, in turn, changed everything about my daily makeup regimen, forcing me to seek out new stuff. Here's what I found that I think is remarkable:

168 lbs - Pictures of stars and weight changes

APRIL 24, 2010: I am hooked on the pictorial essays (lots of photos) seen on websites published by the New York Daily News and the New York Post, spending more than 15 minutes a day looking at them! A week ago, for example, I spent a half hour contemplating at least 70 before-and-after cosmetic surgery photos (and don't get me started on pictures of stars with bust implementation or trout mouth).

Anyway, you might be interested in seeing the photo essay called Stars' Weight Battles, published by the NY Daily News.

Overall, what you'll see is the contrast between extra slim and (the weight we'd all die for) just-plain-slim. There are, however, many photos of stars who either had, or now have, weight closer to what the rest of us weigh. By contemplating these photos, you can decide whether its pounds, lack of pounds, fashion, or poise that make the person.

Example: According to the NY Daily News, the picture on the left is a recent photo of Sarah Jessica Parker, who evidently lost weight. On the right is an old picture of a heavier Phylicia Rashad (Clair Huxtable) wearing a beautifully styled outfit that made her look great!

An issue to ponder is whether the heavier version of Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis, Tyra Banks, Alanis Morissette, Seth Rogen, and Kristen Johnston (among many) looks as good or better than the slimmer version.

Note that in my opinion, Sherri Shepherd, whose weight loss resulted in her remaining somewhat heavy, looks great!

169 lbs - Holy Brain Cells!

APRIL 21, 2010: The "Opinionator" is an online commentary published by the New York Times. On April 20, Oliva Judson wrote Brain Damage, a frightening article about the correlation between being fat and brain damage.

Among all the bad news is this quote: "A study of 114 middle-aged people (aged between 40 and 66) found that the obese tended to have smaller, more atrophied brains than thinner people; other studies have found similar results."

Oy! Anyway, I recommend reading the article, its following Notes (which suggest even more dementia risks), and its reader comments.

ANYWAY, do you notice my one pound weight loss? Yesterday, I stuck to my one-meal-a-day schedule and skipped my (what I thought was a) small breakfast. 160 pounds, here I come...

170 lbs - Expert at staying the same weight!

APRIL 20, 2010: I can't say I've been methodical at all for the past three weeks!

I spent one week putting on 6 pounds. After that, I did not follow my diet plan (we had several family parties during this time, plus lots of corn chips), but I did greatly increase exercise by walking from 3 to 6 miles daily, spent time on the Weehawken stairs, and resumed my indoor exercises when watching TV.

What I found is that I stumbled upon the perfect combination of food volume and exercise to stay the same weight. How annoying! Anyway, I'm redrafting my idea of what not and when not to eat. Originally, I wanted to stick to a single meal a day, but frankly, I've regularly eaten breakfast, which consisted of walnuts, a half apple, and some protein. Bad! I need to roll that apple and walnuts into my single meal.

I eat breakfast out of habit, not hunger, and that it is probably what is causing my weight stability (rather than desired loss). Quite frankly, if a full meal, plus snack, promotes stability, I'd rather have an evening snack (glass of wine and cheese) than breakfast. It's time for me to get serious about "no breakfast!"

170 lbs - Two weeks and not much to show for it

APRIL 14, 2010: Within six days, I gained 6 pounds. The reason seems to be related to white bread. During that period, I eat sandwiches on thick, fresh, slightly-crispy buns. And pizza at two family parties! Prior to that, I avoided bread almost completely and no pizza. Oh yes, and I also had two small glasses of wine in the evening.

What is strange about the weight gain, then settling in at 170 for days, is that I've greatly increased walking (3 to 8 miles a day), plus had numerous visits to the Weehawken stairs.

Anyway, bread and pizza is now completely off the menu and carbonated water with lemon has become my wine substitute.

??? lbs - Target Jeans and Tees

APRIL 2, 2010: Recap - why the ???: I fell off the one-meal-a-day wagon via a large bag of popcorn the other night, so don't want to weigh myself until Sunday morning.

+++ +++ +++ +++

For every ten to 15 pounds lost, I re-jean myself. Unfortunately, a big problem in fitting jeans is the "waistband" placement, which, of course, is nowhere near the waist. Waistbands on women's jeans always lay on soft, fleshy tummies and hips; body parts that cannot tolerate any type of pressure. Soft and fleshy, of course, causes waistbands to fold and once folded, bands look lumpy under sweaters.

Fortunately, this past weekend, I found the jeans at Target that address the problem. These jeans feature a new waistband technology that renders their bands unfoldable. To identify them, look inside the pants for waistbands that read "comfort-no-gap waistband - Stretch." Miracle!

With respect to buying T-shirts, I buy men's. While I currently wear a fashion-forward medium, sometimes I find men's Tees a tad too long, which is easily solved by hemming. And the price? Men's Tees usually cost less than women's and they don't feature pastel, girly-girl graphics.

??? lbs - Popcorn vs. Chocolate

MARCH 31, 2010: We went to a movie last night where the urge to snarf up a large bag of popcorn overwhelmed me. One-meal-a-day is no match when popcorn is present. That said, a large bag at the National Amusements Edgewater Multiplex Cinemas is a wee-bag elsewhere, so I don't feel overly guilty. I just won't weigh myself for the next two days.

Anyway, a study about the value of chocolate being heart-healthy has been making the Internet news for the past week. What's interesting about the highly detailed Orange County Register's article is its picture, which I've reproduced here. It shows the amount of chocolate in many forms deemed healthy.

Notice the square of dark chocolate. Well, it is actually half a square, which is about all you can eat anyway if the bar is an 85% cocoa extra dark type. Try it! You'll find consumption self-limiting.

I always eat a nibble of chocolate in the evening to ward off thoughts of food. Because it is bitter, yet somewhat appealing, it is a great appetite suppressant. If it helps my heart, so much the better!

165.5 lbs - Maybe we don't need to exercise all that much

MARCH 27, 2010: This past week, the news media flogged articles similar to the following: Women should exercise an hour a day to maintain weight, study says (Los Angeles Times, 3/24/10).

When I started this blog, I, too, believed that we all needed at least an hour of aerobics a day to lose weight. I no longer believe that.

I do, indeed, believe that aerobics are important, however, the one-meal-a-day plan I'm following is allowing me to systematically lose weight without exercise breaks.

After I drop into the 150 pound range, I'll discuss this at length. Note that for a combination of reasons this March, I have not actively exercised for the last three weeks.

168 lbs - Kristie Alley's Big Life

MARCH 23, 2010: While I haven't seen her new TV show, Kristie Alley's Big Life, I have followed her career over the years as well as chatter about her weight.

Alley's PR machine has been in overtime lately about how bad she feels about (again) gaining so much weight and it makes no bones about the fact that Kristie's learned nothing about weight maintenance over the years.

Well, Kristie, may I offer an insight? If you continue to drink, you will not lose an ounce.

169.0 lbs - The Lost Boys of Sudan

MARCH 22, 2010: The Lost Boys of Sudan is a 2003 documentary about the war in Sudan where boys and men were systematically killed. It focuses on the bands of boys (and toddlers) who trekked hundreds of miles through the Sudanese desert to gain refuge in Kenya. It later follows a small group of these boys to the United States.

With reference to this blog's main topic, I learned quite a bit from the documentary's running observations about eating. At least half the movie is about how the boys survived on a fraction of the food we regard as being required.

After surviving the death march through Sudan, the boys gained sanctuary in Kenya, where they lived on adequate, but meager, food supplies. In contrast to the wasted images of the boys during their death march, however, the boys at the Kenya camp appeared to be physically healthy, making it very easy to see the difference between the effects of a starvation diet and one that provides at least enough calories for sustained life.

The scene that peaked my interest was when one of the main subjects shows us his very flat, hard (and healthy looking) stomach, patting it to indicate how hungry he was. He continued by gesturing a huge stomach hump with his hand, followed by the statement that he hoped to someday be round and fat.

The boys ate processed food for the first time in their flight to the United States and, to a man, didn't like it. When they arrived at their apartment, they found it thoughtfully stocked with giant-sized bags of chips and other fast food!

The film ends a few years after the boys acclimated themselves to living the US. Interestingly, they all stayed slim, even though they now have access to what was their dream of unlimited food availability. Why? You need to judge for yourself.

169.5 lbs - How to know when you've lost weight

MARCH 21, 2010: Rule-of-thumb says that an easy way to know if you lost weight is to compare daily scale readings. But every woman knows that the REAL way to acknowledge weight loss is when, before zipping, both sides of your jean's fly not only match up, they overlap a bit.

Am I right? Awesome.

170 lbs - Topping it off at 600 or so pounds

MARCH 18, 2010: According to the New York Daily News article entitled 600-pound NJ mom Donna Simpson's quest to be heaviest woman on Earth just 'a fantasy for fans', Donna Simpson was just kidding when she said she wanted to gain an additional 400 pounds.

Mrs. Simpson is a hot and very profitable number at SuperSizeBombshells.com, where she picks up cash for extra things like, well, eating. It helps that she is also cute. Her face is exceptionally pleasant and based on her appearance, she's probably quite a bit fun to be around. Her husband thinks she's just great!

But, no, I am not about to audition for SuperSizedBombshells. Like many of you reading this blog, I know that it is exceptionally easy to gain weight. Now, I'm trying to prove that it is almost as easy to lose it.

171.5 lbs - Fattest woman in the world

MARCH 16, 2010: Breaking news yesterday was of New Jersey resident, Donna Simpson, who weighs 604 pounds. Her objective is to weigh 1,000 pounds and become the fattest woman in the world.

The New York Post (reporter David K Li) did an excellent job telling the story, NJ woman attempting to become world's fattest lady, and the New York Post's series of photos shouldn't be missed!

Now what is strange is that I feel more kinship to Ms. Simpson, than not, especially when looking at the first picture in the article.

Due to an injury in 2008, an 8-to-5 desk job, plus a long commute, I quickly grew from 165 to 213 pounds. I ate to stay alert on the job and during my drive. I grew bigger with each bite.

In my opinion, snacking stimulates, rather than satisfies, hunger. It sustains mental satisfaction during long periods of immobility, even when it promotes indigestion. Ultimately, I believe that snacking is a social habit (like smoking or drinking), not a dietary need. Based on that, I understand why cheerful, Donna Simpson wants to continue non-restricted eating.

172.5 lbs - Watching others dine

MARCH 15, 2010: The "other" I watched dine was my husband, who snorfed down Ikea's rich meatballs and mashed potatoes. Both of us love them, especially with extra gravy and cranberries.

Yesterday, however, I decided to skip the meal. In sympathy, Phil bought a huge piece of chocolate cake for sharing. I skipped that, too. (Have you ever noticed how others assist dieters in this way?)

It was far easier watching him eat the things I love, than to take even the tiniest taste. I'm sure that if I sampled anything, I would have set myself up to wanting everything. Eating simply stimulates the desire to eat more. Not eating, however, caused me to think about the subject, but not be bothered by it.

When we left the table, I had no regrets.

174 Lbs - The big C's

MARCH 11, 2010: My husband and I have agreed to reduce restaurant visits to zero, unless we're traveling. This means I can now better avoid one of the guaranteed, weight-increasing big C's - chips. The other big C that adds to the bottom line is chocolate.

To kill my cravings for anything sweet, I purchased several Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa Extra Dark chocolate bars, which are beautifully packaged, but are absolutely devoid of sweetness.

Let me explain. The taste of one-half square of high cocoa chocolate is so bitter that it redefines one's notions about the desirability of candy. When I do nibble, I approach it by thinking "this will really satisfy my sweet tooth," and after I crunch through a small piece (it is not soft and it doesn't melt) I think "god, why do I have this stuff in my mouth?"

While a bag of chips sends me into a feeding frenzy, a half square of an 85% cocoa chocolate bar puts me off eating for an entire day. Yet, there is something satisfying knowing chocolate is in my diet, and despite its non-candy taste, a tiny bit is freakishly satisfying.

Each high-cocoa square has 52.5 calories, but given the taste, snacking on a half-square is probably more reasonable (26.25 calories), making it a challenging, yet low calorie, appetite suppressor.

Bonus: A square of high-cocoa chocolate costs less than a miracle diet pill and as you lose weight, you can tell all your friends, "but of course! I eat chocolate every day."

175 lbs - According to the NY Times . . .

MARCH 2, 2010: I believe that I eat significantly less than I did a month ago. The big difference is, however, that I reduced the amount of strenuous aerobic exercise I do per day. Blame it on the snow!

Anyway, today's NY Times, in it's article In Obesity Epidemic, What's One Cookie? by Tara Parker-Pope, says that calorie reduction as a weight-loss scheme really doesn't work. Small calorie changes, for example, have no real effect.

Large caloric changes, without exercise, equate starvation diets. I could, indeed, lose weight at no more than 650 calories a day like my sedentary girlfriend did. But I don't want to do that.

IMHO, the change we all need to lose weight (without going completely nuts) is a solid, one-meal-a-day program (coupled with a small snack), plus an hour a day of aerobics.

In my case, a low-level aerobic program puts me at 120 beats-per-minute and a high-level at 145+. No matter what, I can achieve both aerobic levels exercising in my living room while watching a movie. Now, I just have to be consistent about exercising!

Will I live up to my own belief? We'll see how I do over the next two weeks!

175 lbs - The joy and dangers of travel (shows)

FEBRUARY 26, 2010: Over 20 inches of snow dropped on New York today, with a good 12 inches on the street when I left the house at 8AM to attend the Travel Agents portion of the New York Times Travel Show.

Snow accumulation was the least of my worries. My warm sweater, down coat with fur-rimmed hood, thick scarf, and knee-high, Wisconsin-style boots kept me warm while I kicked my way through fluffy drifts along the sidewalk leading to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. I entertained myself by witnessing roving posses of husky men push stuck cabs out of side streets. "Well," I thought, "at least my own effort of walking through the drifts while watching other people work should help me lose weight."

The seminars I attended were incredible and the show itself was invigorating. The obstacle I didn't count on, however, was that my ticket included several meals, including a nine-inch long, meaty sub, quadruple-salted potato chips, a giant cookie, and (ah hum) a healthy Granny Smith apple. I didn't eat the apple.

But I ate everything else! I devoured a Danish for breakfast, the huge lunch, AND reception food. Then, when I left the building, a bowl of York Peppermint patties beckoned. When I arrived at my warm home, I felt that I deserved to munch on butter-drenched, homemade popcorn while my husband and I watched the movie, The Cats of Mirikitani. (Highly recommended...the movie AND homemade, buttered popcorn!)

Tomorrow, I won't weigh myself.

175 lbs - Ah, there is a god . . .

FEBRUARY 25, 2010: I cannot begin to describe how relieved I was this morning when I stepped on the scale.

The weather is not fitness-friendly and calls for mugs of hot chocolate and bowls of double-buttered popcorn and Netflix movies. We'll see how this affects the scale tomorrow. That said, I've added vigorous in-place marching to my array of aerobic-style exercises, which I do in 10 to 15 minute "TV" watching bouts.

176 lbs - Arrrrgggg

FEBRUARY 24, 2010: I've been 176 for several days. While I've exercised indoors for 45 minutes each day (a combination of weight-lifting, twisting, and AirClimbing), I've stayed the same weight. I assume that if I didn't exercise, I would have gained. (All indoor exercising is done while watching Netflix movies. Maybe listening to fast-paced music would be better.)

I eat about one and a quarter meals a day and do not feel hungry at all! The big difference in my routine, however, is not pushing myself aerobically. My sustained indoor exercise heart rate ranges from 115 to 120 beats-per-minute. Outdoors, on the Weehawken Gym, my heart pumps past 140, a sure indicator of weight loss.

And what about walking? Twice last week, my husband and I walked 4 to 5 miles between NYC events. While I know walking is supposed to be good for weight loss, it didn't do a thing for me. Possibly, walking speed is more critical for weight loss. A pedestrian pace just doesn't cut it.

At minimum, I do require daily aerobics, no matter what my heart rate. Overall, I feel great. I recommend light aerobics for anyone who has a tendency to feel stiff, as aerobics makes stiffness disappear. IMHO, light aerobics are more affective than stretching (systematic stretching exercises are vastly over-rated).

Now then, I've also increased eating crusty Panera bread for lunch. Mistake? Well, as of today, I'm eliminating it until I reach 170 lbs. The food I won't eliminate, however, is a daily cup of walnuts.

Our road trip to Florida altered my dietary course. While I did not gain significantly during that time, I did lose momentum. Then, since returning home, I've spent overtime-hours sitting while writing and programming.

I hope to have better news tomorrow!

178 lbs - Getting fat on ocean cruises, a reality check

FEBRUARY 16, 2010: I just got around to reading the New York Time's The Cruise Issue 2010 (2/14/10). In it, I found this thought-provoking statement:

"Gaining weight is one of the perils on the high seas, with the average cruiser said to put on several pounds on a week-long cruise."

What an unhappy thought! When on vacation of any type, but especially ocean cruising, eating is a major form of entertainment; an issue I am trying to solve via this blog. Anyway, the article (Offering Whatever Floats Your Boat) further says:

"To help passengers get shipshape and resist the buffet, cruise ships are offering everything from beefed-up gyms to macrobiotic menus."

Oh g'me a break! What is wrong with this picture? First you pay to be feted with food, then, as an afterthought, you are provided a place to exercise. How many of us would be rational enough to put in the 1 to 2 hours of aerobic exercise required a day to work off dining?

Do we really want to go on ocean cruises (where walking around and around is as stimulating as mall-walking) to get fat? And pay for the privilege of getting fat? And pay for the privilege to exercise harder than we might have exercised had we stayed home?

Is the fun of travel involved with getting out and about, or is it involved with just going from table to table? I believe that the no more than one-meal-a-day option is going to become a requirement for our society, restaurant industry be damned.

178.5 lbs - Fudge weight

FEBRUARY 15, 2010: OK, I have to admit. Buying a lot of absolutely fantastic fudge (especially the mint/chocolate) is not a good way to target weight loss. But frankly, I'm glad I didn't skip that Key West fudge!

Now here is the thing. Experts say that you can only take off 2 pounds a week, with 4 to 5 pounds being way too much. Yet, as most women know, it is very possible to gain 5 to 8 pounds a week. In my opinion, it should come off as fast as you can put it on by simply reversing the process.

Reversing the process, of course, means eating less and exercising more. Increased aerobic exercise is the real key to weight loss. Unfortunately, most of us are required to sit for long periods, so we have to radically reduce what we eat. Eating less, even more unfortunately, does not result in rapid weight loss.

Anyway, now that I'm home, I'm back "on plan." One hour a day of some type of aerobics, coupled with eating only one or two meals a day. And for inspiration (or at least a preview of all the wonderful clothing I'm going to buy when I weigh 135 pounds), I'm going to research an article on a really fabulous NY boutique, SoHo Women, which is across 40th Street from Bryant Park.

Never take fudge on a long road trip

FEBRUARY 12, 2010: We began today's road trip slowly. First, we left Hollywood's beach and drove around its pristine, "original Florida," Art Deco city, then proceeded on to Ft. Lauderdale's stunning beach.

While in Ft. Lauderdale, we saw a 1940s "woodie," which was a commercially made truck fitted out with a wooden body; a precursor to the station wagon.

By the 1950s, woodies were old and falling apart, but were usefully roomy and inexpensive. They became known as the beach boy (surfer dude) car of choice. In keeping with that theme, the owner of the antique pictured here stuck a wooden surf board out of its back window.

Anyway, our day was primarily spent in the car as we crawled back to Daytona Beach amid construction zones and miscellaneous traffic mishaps. Our sack of fudge did not make it to Valentine's Day.

Being cool in Hollywood

FEBRUARY 11, 2010: Today, we left Key West on our return trip to the Daytona Beach Airport, and are staying in what we found to be our favorite location - Hollywood, Florida. To fully appreciate it, you need to stroll its tiled, beach walk to see its 1920s, pastel, Art Deco buildings. The vacationers we've seen in the area include families with young children as well as a full range of adults. Situated between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, there's more than enough to do!

Wherever you travel, you will find the best place to stay by determining what you want to see, then getting lodging directly in front of it.

With that in mind, we scored a fabulous place in a timeshare resort by simply walking up to the reception desk and asking if there was a vacancy. The upside is that the room we are now in has two huge windows overlooking the beach AND we got it for a substantial discount. The downside is that there is no heat. As far as we're concerned, it's early October. (Hollywood Beach Tower)

What is hard for me about the area is that we are near lively, beach-side restaurants, all of which are off-limits in my current one-meal-a-day diet plan. Note that I'm eating normally and by now, don't have cravings (except for a small nibbles of fudge). What I miss is evening the entertainment and atmosphere that accompanies evening dining.

Chilling out in Key West

FEBRUARY 10, 2010: I arrived in Key West around 1:30PM with only one thing on my mind - key lime pie.

After a great lunch (including pie) at Fogarty's on Duval Street, we stumbled upon homemade fudge in a shop near the end of Duval Street and promptly bought a pound (or so) of it. The orange/chocolate combination is to die for!

This fudge is a test of my will. I'm hoping it'll last until my birthday a month from now, or at least through Valentine's Day. That said, the size of my lunch was modest, I shared the pie with my husband, and the half-square of fudge I eat today I considered my evening snack.

Meanwhile, as we strolled, the temperature sank into the 50s and the winds gusted to 25 miles per hour. Palm trees bent to the ground. Sweatshirt sales were brisk! And sandaled feet froze (I speak from experience).

We asked a maintenance engineer at our hotel to turn on the heat. After he fiddled with the controls, said he never turned on heat before as normally, guests complain about the air conditioning not being low enough. Right now, I have all the cracks around our door lined with newspaper to keep Key West's tropical icy wind from blowing in. Luckily, this particular hotel chain has heated beds.

The short and tall of it

FEBRUARY 9, 2010: Because we are attempting a speedy road trip through southern Florida, we really don't have much time to enjoy ourselves.

Fortunately, as we were driving along Ocean Boulevard late yesterday, we spotted one of the few, human-sized hotels along the strip and scored an ocean-front room at the Monaco Resort (a TravelLodge affiliate). While I cannot recommend the hotel to those seeking quality-quality-quality, I can recommend it for people who like waking up to the sun-sparkling Atlantic and rushing out to the beach without having to wait for an elevator.

Next door to the Monaco Resort, heading north and south, were overwhelming skyscrapers. You be the judge as to which type of lodging provides the most value . . .

Later, we discovered Hollywood and North Hollywood, both of which were almost devoid of huge buildings. Should you visit the area, drive as close to the ocean as possible in order to understand the old Florida charm these communities radiate. Beach access here tops whatever is available in Miami, plus you can actually see the sea when you drive by.

Diet news: My husband and I are now both sticking to one main meal, plus one light snack. Hunger doesn't bother us, but we truly miss the entertainment value of dining and drinking out.

Vacation entertainment options: eat, eat, or eat

FEBRUARY 8, 2010: We woke up this morning at 3:50AM to catch the space shuttle Endeavour's launch. By 4:10AM we were standing on the beach next to the receding surf and soon thereafter, we saw orange clouds appear on the southern horizon. From the clouds arose a golden needle, then whole show was finished in under 30 seconds! Of course, we cheered . . .

By 9AM, we were off on a 350 mile road trip to Miami Beach, arriving in the area at around 1:30AM. The ten blocks of the Historic Art Deco District, unfortunately, are not a dieter’s paradise. *All* the sidewalks in front of the famous Art Deco hotels were covered with restaurant tables, leaving only a narrow passage for pedestrian traffic. Besides being surrounded by diners, each restaurant displayed food and aquarium-sized drink samples. Navigating the area was like walking a gauntlet!

Since the early 2000s, skyscrapers have transformed Ocean Drive into a cave-avenue, devoid of ocean views. There are so many skyscrapers that in contrast, they make the "tall buildings" in New York City look like huts. Frankly, I'm of the opinion that what's built in NYC should stay in NYC. This many skyscrapers in a sea-side resort area is not appropriate. Fortunately, we were lucky to secure an ocean-front room in one of the few, mid-1900s, two-story motel resorts left on the beach.

Sunday's road trip to St. Augustine

FEBRUARY 7, 2010: Our typical road trip is comprised of a roughed-out destination that compliments our total ignorance about the location. The fun of this type of travel is that it's full of surprises. The negative side effect is that we spend a lot of time on the road looking for the surprises.

So far, in support of my diet, I've been able to execute some serious twisting exercises (the air has been too cold in Daytona Beach to use our hotel's nicely heated, outdoor pool). My first and only meal was lunch at a tasty Mexican restaurant that served cinnamon coffee, followed two hours later by a half-square of fresh fudge.


When in a strange town, I like to ask locals for "what to see" tips, and by doing that, our day was shaped by a recommendation that we visit nearby St. Augustine. It was also shaped by the aborted, Sunday morning NASA shuttle launch, so we decided to remain at our "launch view," beachfront hotel, hoping that we will see it early Monday morning. Our road trip surprises included:

• Learning that the damp, ultra-fine sand at Daytona Beach creates a resilient, hard surface great for jogging!
  
  
• Learning that for $5, we could drive on the beach.
  
  
• Learning about the shopping possibilities at St. Augustine. Everything appears to be half the price of what you'd pay in NYC.
  
  
• And learning about www.VinoDelGrottoStAugustine.com, which produces unique vintages from every fruit (and some vegetables) grown in Florida. I purchased Orange Sunshine (11% alcohol) to toast the shuttle flight (whether or not it takes off). Some other flavors include Green Apple Riesling Wine, Chocolate Raspberry Port Style Wine, and Key Lime Ice Wine. You can order online, but visiting is better as you can taste numerous other wines not featured on their website, including Tomato.

Dieting and a road trip

FEBRUARY 6, 2010: As you know, my goal is to get down to 135 pounds by mid-May and if I were to stay home with "no life," I could easily achieve it. All my routines are laid out. My frig is filled with healthy food. And I'm a master at ordering reasonable meals in New York.

The first test of my weight-loss system, however, begins today as my husband and I go on a road trip in Florida. We are not bringing a scale, so I won't be able to check my daily process. That said, I want to weigh 173 or less a week from now.

Looking Back... A few days ago, I introduced one of the devices that's serving me well - Frank Sepe's Fitness Disc - which lets me twist back into shape. I had been using a very tiny twister for years, so when I tried his during a personal demo, I was instantly hooked on its value for a home gym.

I'm not sure that using it will give you his physique, but it will get your heart pumping and it provides the means to produce amazing arm and body core strength. I even think it reduces stress around the spine. Since using it, my lower back (crippled by too much sitting) feels great.

Pictured here is Frank doing the easiest level of the Fitness Disc routine. By moving the center poll back and forth, you twist to a nice rhythm. If you come in after a hard day of sitting and simply want to get your blood pumping a bit, this is the way to go! It's totally relaxing.

Unfortunately, I can't bring the Fitness Disc with me next week, so will have to make do with my tiny twister. I'll let you know how it works out!

176.5 lbs - Let's hear it for the non-diet diet

FEBRUARY 4, 2010: I am trying to lose weight for two reasons, the first of which is to improve heart-muscle strength and the second, to be small enough to shop for clothing at Saks Fifth Avenue sales.

In my opinion, the only way to lose weight is to participate in daily aerobic exercises, coupled with moderate eating. Dieting just doesn't do it. Unfortunately, as we get older, it seems that those aches and pains caused by being sedentary increase when we attempt any type of aerobic exercise. Ankles, knees, spine, and hips "go" at the first jog, bounce, or dancing step.

To offset inevitable problems caused by aerobics, I've introduced non-impact aerobics into my life by using Frank Sepe's Fitness Disc and the AirClimber. I use them in combination for an hour a day while watching TV. (The hour is accomplished in two different periods.) These devices are easy to use, increase the heart-rate to low aerobic levels, break up sluggishness, and in the case of the Fitness Disc, exercise the body's core and arms.

These two devices let me exercise inside during otherwise down-time. While taking a long, brisk walk is nice, weather conditions and perhaps the lack of daylight eliminate walking as a reliable, daily option.

The very best non-impact, aerobic exercise, however, is walking up stairs, an activity that is not similar to a stair-climbing machine. Fortunately, I live by Weehawken's mega-staircase; my city's answer to a free, public gym.

My "diet" consists of one or two meals a day. I start with a big, high-protein breakfast that includes a cup of walnuts. Along with the nuts, I might have eggs, meat, or herring (my Danish heritage). I also liberally use butter and olive oil. This type of breakfast keeps me feeling full for a long time. If I do have lunch, I don't spare the butter or olive oil, nor do I particularly watch what I eat. After that, no more meals.

As for supplements, I take three Choline/Inositol 500mg capsules and one ReserveAge Organics Resveratrol 500mg capsule every morning. If I feel tired in the late afternoon (which is rare), I take two to three NewChapter Coffeeberry capsules. I've found that this combination of supplements truly contribute to alertness.

177.5 lbs - Get away, Hollywood!

FEBRUARY 2, 2010: OK, girls, tell me what is wrong with this picture? Kathy Griffin, who claims she starved herself thin, apparently grew breasts. And not just any breasts! As she lost weight, she grew the increasingly popular, NBA pro-basketball variety.

You can find Kathy's diet in Joan River's book, "Men are Stupid...and They Like Big Boobs."

178.5! Fresh, hot popcorn and the evil Meryl Streep

FEBRUARY 1, 2010: My downfall in not losing a pound this weekend was directly caused by Meryl Streep, who personally inspired me to set aside my "no eating after 3:30 PM" rule in order to munch on way too much popcorn. Here's what happened:

On Saturday, I saw "It's Complicated." In it, Meryl plays a thin pastry chef (yes, of course) and owner of French-style cafes. She lives by herself in a stunning home where she is surrounded by more food than you'd find in a Walmart Supercenter. Without regard for the rest of the story, her calling in life is to feed bread, cake, and pastry to everyone she meets. And her problems? No sex and her kitchen is too small.

Meryl's former husband, Alec Baldwin, is chubby. Lord knows how he got that way because he didn't live with her for the last ten years. Oh, and did I mention Meryl's friends? They are skinny bitches who are able to happily devour endless desserts, washed down by bottomless glasses of wine. (Not one of them loosened her waistband!)

Girls - we don't need this kind of message from Hollywood (especially when hot popcorn is available at the concession stand). Unless we are athletes, we simply cannot eat or drink as much as movies (or travelogues) depict.

178 lbs - Twisting my weight off

JANUARY 29, 2010: Of all our body parts, it is the heart needs the most toning. Without one, we are dead. Conversely, we can live decades with double-chins, flabby tummies, and sagging butts.

Hearts are needed for pumping blood, staying mentally alert, and, of course, falling in love. Unfortunately, as long as we are not dead, we usually don't consider how much better life could be if our hearts were in better shape. Commonly, we don't even know.

What we do know about health is mixed information about using strenuous exercise, staying on strict diets, and attending expensive gyms. When we don't have extra time, dedication, or money, however, all is ignored.

One "secret" to obtaining better heart-and-body fitness is to make better use of passive downtime, like when watching TV. Another secret is to limit meals to two a day, with both before 3:30PM.

While neither secret will turn us into Olympians, at least we can use them to improve our heart health, lose weight, and maybe fall in love with life all over again. Or, at least, that's what I believe. If I am correct, I'll weigh around 135 by mid-May.

As of this blog, part of my "traveling woman," pro-TV, aerobic fitness regiment is using Frank Sepe's Fitness Disc, an incredibly simple (and relatively inexpensive) device. More about it tomorrow.

179 lbs - Breakfast of champions, vacation-style

JANUARY 27, 2010: To be on time for an early meeting, I left home without breakfast. When the meeting ended, I was starved. Fortunately, I was near The Brooklyn Diner by Carnegie Hall.

If you are hungry and in the neighborhood before 11AM, ask for its "Tony Bennett's Cinnamon Raison and Pecan French Toast." It is served with diet-friendly strawberries, a bowl of thick, home-made whipped cream, plenty of butter, and a pitcher of grade A amber, Vermont maple syrup. Each slice of toast is one-half inch thick and makes a good carrier for mounds of plump raisons, rivers of cinnamon, piles of pecans, and egg custard. With three pieces of thick toast per serving, it's an excellent meal to split (which I did).

Temptations like this are the bane of a diet-conscious traveler, but heck, if you must eat, it might as well be worthwhile, especially if it is rarely available. To make up for this splurge, I skipped my second meal of the day and didn't miss it at all.

Just when I wanted a big bowl of popcorn

JANUARY 26, 2010: The diet plan I'm using consists of a solid, protein-rich breakfast, anything my heart desires for lunch, and nothing after 3:30PM. OK, maybe a tiny nibble of cheese or a fig, but that's it.

Tonight, my husband and I decided to see Avatar in 3D, which meant that my will was going to be tested by the concession stand. It should be noted that if I had a choice between fine chocolates, a bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac, or freshly popped popcorn, the popcorn would win.

Anyway, I struggled to my seat empty-handed. And it's a good thing, too, for what did I see pop out at me from the screen? Skinny blue Pandorians. Ten foot tall, skinny blue Pandorians, which made them even skinnier than skinny. Between their chests and hips were 7 feet of long, tiny tummies complete with tiny little 6-packs. Were they an inspiration or curse?

Anyway, when we got home, my husband whipped up something to eat. I went to bed hungry.

Sitting it out at 180 pounds

JANUARY 24, 2010: Since March, 2009, I lost almost 40 pounds, then the holiday season quickly put seven pounds back on. Did I eat more? Sure. Did I sit more? Oh, yeah!

Sitting "stands" between me and my dream of traveling in stylish outfits (bought on-sale from the best shops) and energetically trotting from sight to interesting sight.

That said, have you noticed all the travel ads that feature hotel beds and luxurious accessories? Excuse me? Have I missed something?

When I travel, I am far more interested in what is outside of my hotel, than what is in it. And I'd rather not luxuriate for hours at some spa-like facility when the end result is a bigger end. Trust me, "relaxation industry," I am an expert on the subject. What I need now, at age 66, is something far, far better.

But what is it? And how to do it? That's what this blog is destined to discover.