Energy

In response to an earlier post, someone asked about my energy level since I started on this weight loss program. As you would expect, my energy level has definitely increased.

When I first started with Lifestyle Weight Management, my energy level was actually in the pits because my body was adjusting to the low-calorie diet.

But as my body adjusted to the diet and the pounds began to melt off, I found that my energy was boosted—maybe because I felt so much lighter. Before, when  I got home from work I would collapse on the couch and I wouldn’t move until it was time for bed–I was that exhausted. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even eat or would end up eating junk because I didn’t have the energy to get up and prepare dinner. Now, not only am I preparing dinner, I am also going to the gym or running around the lake at least three times a week for an hour or more.

In all my thoughts about what this diet would mean, I never thought about the zest it would add to my life. Now, this new pep in my step is one of the changes that I am most grateful for.

 

Z

Back from Denver and Shopping!!!

Hey ya’ll, I’m back from Denver–whew! That was a trip–in the literal and figurative sense.

I can definitely conquer the world in this new sexy dress

First off, let me admit to screwing up on my diet while I was away—-my schedule was just too crazy: tight deadlines, long days that blended into each other, missed meals and barely palatable dinners at 1 a.m. Still, I tried to stick to the low-calorie requirements as much as possible and I did hit the gym a few days.

Ok, confession’s over, now on to the good stuff: my clothes are seriously baggy!!! I  mean falling off my behind baggy, so much so, that I had to do a quick mini shopping spree to get some suits for my trip. There is nothing like a bit of retail therapy to energize and motivate you when you’re in the midst of a weight loss program. It’s the perfect reward (since you can’t down a slice of cake or pint of ice cream) to celebrate an achievement so hard-won and hard-fought. I mean, I can actually fit into a medium top—a medium top!!! Do you know how long it’s been since that was possible?

Man, I’m so proud of myself–for the first time in a long time. I never really thought I would hang in there, but I did. And I believe that is a testament to others that living a healthy lifestyle is possible, even if it means taking baby steps. I can’t wait to finally be released from the program and to test this newfound confidence and commitment to exercise and nutrition in “the real world.”

Anyways, enough about me, what’s going on with you ladies–and gents? What are your stories?

Yes. I have a waist and I'm not afraid to show it.

Away In Denver

Hey everyone,

I know you have probably been looking for a blog from me. I have been so busy getting ready for the Democratic National Convention in Denver– which I am covering–that everything else has been on hold.

I’m continuing to lose weight; though not as much as last month because of those slips but I am still progressing and that’s the important thing.

I may not be saying much in this blog this week because I will be writing and blogging from Denver so please look me up on my Denver Zen Space page as I relay my experiences at the DNC. Trust me, it’s going to be great.

Thanks y’all.

 

ZZ

Weekends

Weekends,

I love ‘em and hate ‘em at the same time. See it’s good to be away from work and all but it seems like when I am in relaxed mode the munchies get stronger. I love food, you see, it makes me feel good. And I guess that’s what weekends are about-feeling good. So, I need to ‘fess up — I ate a bag of Doritos, a slice of cake (it was thin, really) and assorted preserved fruit that my aunt brought up from Trinidad over the course of the weekend.

I vacillated between guilt and defiance — which is why it took me so long to write this. Guilt won of course –i t’s been a companion of mine since my youth, the product of growing up in a legalistic religion. Fear also set in because it would clearly be a challenge to maintain my weight loss when I get off this program. And of course, I knew that going in and told myself I was prepared to meet that challenge. But then, as much as I love food, I hate exercise. It’s been my nemesis since my body began to develop and suddenly, the attention I garnered from boys while I was running track, playing netball (a British sport that is similar to basketball but played by women), playing amateur football (soccer) or cricket was less about my prowess and more about the jiggly parts.

Plus, being the nerd that I am, a good time for me usually revolves around snuggling up on the sofa with a good book. Needless to say, that is not a very active pastime.

So far, I’ve made some small steps to developing an exercise regimen. Because this is a low-calorie diet, I cannot engage in strenuous exercise, so I’ve received a bit of a reprieve. However, in sporadic bursts I have begun walking and following along with my Windsor Pilates tapes.

But trust me, I’m going to need prayers, advice, whatever you can give, to tamp down on my resentment of the skinny people running like hamsters on the treadmills at the local gym and actually use my membership. I’m going to have to work my way back up to my tae bo workouts and the other forms of torture meant to keep us slim.

Or maybe I can just become a more regular patron of the clubs. I love dancing especially to salsa, meringue, reggae and soca, and can burn up the dance floor for hours. So maybe staying fit will not be so hard after all.

But just in case, please pray for me — especially on the weekends.

Peace, Z

Thank You!

Hey everyone:

I just wanted to let you know how absolutely blown away I am by the support I’ve received from you all. So often people are quick to tell you when you’re doing bad but are not as swift in their congratulations when you’re doing well. Not only do I feel like I’m not alone in this challenge but, also, the tips you have posted have been right on. So THANK YOU!!!!

For those of you who are interested in trying out the program I’m using, check out www.lifestyleweightmanagement.com. Trust me, the people there are friendly, helpful and the program works. And please tell them, Zenitha from the AFRO sent you.

Talk to you soon,

Z

Rethinking Food

I LOVE food, especially the food I grew up on in Trinidad–curry goat, curry chicken…curry anything; stewed chicken or oxtails, fried plaintains, aloo pies (flour pastries stuffed with seasoned mashed potatoes and then fried); corn on the cob simmered in coconut milk, herbs and spices…yum. But as much as I love food, I’ve never really paid attention to the effect different dishes could have on my weight and thus my body.

Future's looking good!

For example, stewing chicken involves caramelizing sugar in hot oil–that’s a lot of calories when you stop to think about it. Before, I never have; I just ate what I wanted, when I wanted. Also, growing up in the Caribbean island as the member of a working poor family, I was taught that you did not waste food–especially, my parents said, when there were “starving children in Africa” who would love to have the food I was so blithely throwing away. And so, even when food became more plentiful, even when I was full, I would still clean my plate.

The thing I really love about being on this diet is that I’ve had to rethink how I prepare food, portion sizes and how I approach food in general. For example, I never knew there were so many diet aids out there like those Crystal Light, sugar-free beverage packets that allow you to jazz up a bottle of water (the lemonade flavor is the “truth”; even my boyfriend has gotten into it). And I’ve learned that food doesn’t have to be doused in salt, oil, butter and other fattening additives to taste good. I’ve gotten a true appreciation for the unvarnished flavor of vegetables and, the less-is-more concept even works with meats.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some things that I am not going to give up when I get off this diet–roti, for instance. But instead of a whole one, I’ll eat half. Intead of eating an entire slice of cake; I’ll eat half or cut back on something else if I need some serious bakery therapy. I’ll eat one piece of fried chicken (sigh). It’s going to be hard, especially in a career where food is often eaten on the go. But, thankfully, now I know it can be done. 

Peace and love, Z

P.S. Check out my fat-conscious, time-saving recipe for curried shrimp below.

Curried Shrimp

6 oz frozen pre-cooked shrimp

1/4 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, diced

1/8 shin of Scotch Bonnet pepper, chopped (spicy, adjust to taste)

2 sprigs cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime

2 1/2 tsp curry

1/4 tsp ground cumin

Cooking spray

Black pepper, salt to taste

Directions: Defrost frozen shrimp in hot tap water for 5 minutes. Throw out water. Squeeze lime onto shrimp. Chop and add cilantro, black pepper, a sprinkling of salt (only if salt hasn’t already been added), cumin and 1 tsp curry and mix until shrimp is coated in seasonings. Cover and leave in refrigerator to marinade for 10 minutes.

Put small saucepan on medium heat. Add onion, garlic and remaining curry and coat with cooking spray. Adding more cooking spray as needed, saute mixture until onions are cooked (should be clear) and curry is cooked (should change from yellow to dark brown). Add 1/8 cup water and allow sauce to reduce. Add shrimp and simmer for no more than 2 minutes (overcooking shrimp will make it tough.)

Serve over steamed whole grain rice and/or vegetables according to your diet constraints. Serves one. Enjoy!

Whoo-hoo!!!

(July 29)–So I went for my monthly checkup with the doctor/counselor at Lifestyle Weight Management and learned that I had lost 8 more pounds (15 in all)–Whoo Hoo!!! Of course, I was a bit surprised because I had been on the road on assignment for a couple of weeks and I had really fallen off the wagon. But then, I had been putting in at least 20 minutes of exercise…whatever the reason, I am ecstatic that for the first time in a long time, I am actually seeing myself lose weight. There’s nothing like it!

It made me think about something though–for a long time I was a size 8

Seeing myself in a whole new light

and because the skinny people said so, I believed I was fat. But now, two dress sizes later, I realize that they were talking utter nonsense. So, I now decree that I will no longer be swayed by other people’s opinions, but be guided by what my own body tells me. It knows when it has too much extra weight on there and when it’s just right. So get thee behind me, haters!

Z

Image

June 28–So I went in after three weeks to meet with one of the Lifestyle Weight Management doctors/coaches and was told I had lost 7 pounds (10 pounds is the average loss in a month). My Body Mass Index count, my metabolism and other measures were also showing signs of improvement. I was thrilled.

But even before I got the official news, the results had already been evident. The people around me saw it first, of course. “Girl, what you doing?” “You’re looking good, Z.” Slowly, my eyes were opened to my decreasing waistline, the looseness of my clothes, the lightening of my steps. Suddenly, I saw the beauty in myself again.

It had been a long time since I had that feeling of pride, that self-confident twinkle in my eyes, that I-know-I-look-hot swagger. And, it sure felt good. But what would happen if I put back on the extra weight (God forbid)? Would I revert to that woman, who lived in a constant state of self-flagellation, had lost her love for shopping and avoided a camera at all cost? The thought put me on check. Clearly, I had my work cut out for me–not only did I have to work hard at sticking to my diet, but I also had to learn to love myself–as trite as it sounds–whether I was a size 8 or a size 12. Somehow the latter seems like the bigger challenge.

ZZ

Starting Off on the Left Foot

June 9, 2008 – I started off my weight loss program by cheating—but only a little bit, really.

I had had a tough weekend. My mom had had another stroke and had to leave her job, so I traveled to New York to help her reorganize her life, as it were. Maybe if the situation wasn’t so exhausting I would have heeded my co-worker’s advice and started weaning myself from the carbs the weekend before I began the Dr. Siegal’s® COOKIE DIET™. Instead, I gorged myself on the things I would have to abstain from—ice cream, cake, potatoes, nuts.

By Monday morning, I was back to being optimistic. That is, until I had to check myself from making the almost automatic detour to the bus station’s deli to purchase a bagel and coffee. I took it in stride, resolutely nibbling on my less-than-decadent chocolate-flavored diet cookie and slogging down bottles of water while the bus sped down the highway. And then I smelled the fried chicken. Was I hallucinating? I swear the smell evoked memories of family get-togethers and the parking lot barbecues replete with burgers, hot dogs and homemade potato salad that AFRO employees enjoy throughout the summer. But no, the chicken was all too real; a man obliquely behind me chomped down on the fast food variety of the greasy delicacy. My belly grumbled.

By the time I got home, I was about two cookies and several hours away from dinner time. To make matters worse—or better depending on your perspective—my boyfriend, who had picked me up from the station, had cooked a healthy meal to welcome me back—mustard greens and green beans cooked sans turkey neck and salt and chicken baked without butter or oil. But wait, the chicken was lightly coated in bread crumbs, a diet no-no. By the time 6 p.m. rolled around, it didn’t matter. I ate—heartily.

When my stomach was satisfied, however, the worry crept in. This challenge would be harder than it seemed. Looking back over the day I realized that many of the “hunger” pangs I experienced did not originate in my body but in my mind. I had always eschewed the thought of a diet; it was just one more way, I thought, of making us all into body-conscious, self-defeating robots, sentenced to counting calories for the rest of our lives. And, I had become accustomed to a somewhat haphazard nutritional regimen that included long periods of starvation (mostly due to my hectic work schedule) followed by gluttony and eating to stave off boredom or depression.

But seeing my mother, a health nut if I ever met one, fall prey to illness was a wake up call. If she could fall ill, then what about the chances for me, a 28-year-old, 40-pounds-too-heavy overachiever? Plus, she worries about me and that, I cannot have.

With my mother’s happiness as my inspiration I knew that this time, I would attain the weight loss goals I have been seeking. And so, yeah, I cheated a little. But look on the bright side—most people fall short during the course of any diet. I had already fallen, so from then, things should be looking up.\

 

ZZ

 

 

Welcome to the AFRO Weightloss Challenge!

 

AFRO Washington Bureau Chief Zenitha Prince has joined the Lifestyle Weight Management program in her perennial battle to vanquish extra pounds and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Over the next few months, follow her journey in the AFRO’s Health Section and online at this blog.