High Carb Hannah

I love High Carb Hannah vlogger. 

She started out as size 16 and dropped down to size 6 by switching to a whole foods plant-based diet, as suggested by Dr John McDougall's Starch Solution book, with no exercise at all.

She eats about 1800 calories a day.

Pretend

I've been playing a game for a couple of months now.  A friend, a colleague, came into my office this summer and in the nicest possible way, made me realize that I need to start wearing makeup at work. 


I used to wear makeup in my 20s and 30s, but then I started going to an aesthetician and she made my skin look like a movie star's!  With so much focus on skincare I needed very little makeup to look nice, and wanted to wear as little as possible to avoid blocking my pores with gunk.

Then I got married and couldn't afford to have my monthly appointment with an aesthetician but I still avoided wearing makeup.   So yes, my friend and colleague was right, I do need to start wearing makeup again and I have, and it has renewed my interest in makeup and skincare, as well as all the new products and techniques of wearing makeup.


I have not been focusing on my weight at all; therefore I have continued to gain weight, of course.  But I'm still not ready to focus on my weight.  I'm getting closer, but I still have a ways to go.  What I am focusing on is learning how to wear makeup, as well as improve my skincare and hair care. 


I have been watching a ton of vlogs, video blogs, to learn as much as I can about organic, natural, vegan and cruelty-free products.  It's fascinating. And I have been performing daily pretend vlogs of my own, in the mirror as I'm putting on my makeup each day and washing it off each night.  It's fun.  It's super fun to learn about all these subjects I've long been interested in, on and off throughout my life.


Interest in makeup, lead to interest in skincare, lead to interest in cruelty-free and vegan makeup, lead to an interest in nontoxic cruelty-free vegan makeup, lead to an interest in organic and natural cruelty-free and vegan makeup and skincare companies.  So it's only a matter of time till this comes full circle and feeds my desire to be slim and healthy again, I hope.


In the meantime, it's loads of fun, and super interesting.  I will try to update this blog with my pretend vlogs from time to time now.  Wishing you peace and gratitude.

Freelee

I enjoy the vlogposts by Freelee the Banana Girl.

Her topic on cellulite is one of my favorites, here are her tips:

1. High fructose fruit acids  high potassium will work to release suspended toxics and fat in lymphatic system.
2. Reduce salt to reduce retention.
3. Home B-12 shots have an amazing impact.
4. Increase circulation to get lymphatic system cycling and moving. Exercise consistency. Get fit. Exercise 20 minutes a day 6 days a week.
5. Deep breathing mobilizes fat stores. Fresh air.
6. Drink enough water to flush out the toxics by peeing them out.
7. Sleep is important to balance out the hormones.
8. Diet consistently eat a high fruit carb, low fat, (under 30 grams of fat per day) and vegan diet every day. She eats between 3,000 to 4,000 calories per day.

9. Skin brushing and massage consistently doesn't work.
10. Improvement takes years; Freelee followed it since 2006.

Saturday Feb 6 -212.8 pounds is -9 lbs!! Success leads to more success!
Sunday Feb 7 -212 pounds! Yay!  I made the goal for February!
Monday Feb 8 -212.8 lbs
Tuesday Feb 9 -? didn't weigh
Wednesday Feb 10 - AAARGH!!!!! 214.8!!!!!!!!!! ate cheese yesterday!!
Thursday Feb 11 -213.6 pounds
Friday Feb 12 -213.2 pounds
Saturday Feb 13 -? Didnt weigh
Sunday Feb 14 -? Didnt weigh

Monday Feb 15 -209.6 pounds

Tuesday Feb 16 - 212.6 pounds

Wednesday Feb 17 -209.4 pounds

Thursday Feb 18 - 212.2 pounds

Friday Feb 19 -211 pounds

Saturday Feb 20 -

Sunday Feb 21 -

Forks over knives

Starting to transition to veganism more seriously now.  And now that I'm back up to the weight where I started this blog in 2010 I am hopefully going to start losing weight in earnest too.

So I found someone willing to "coach" me, he lives in another city but is very devoted to encouraging people to follow the Forks over Knives diet.

So starting today I'm working on following his advice.
1. Eat very low fat less; than 200 calories per day.
2. Eat 1/2 raw fruits and vegetables
3. Eat 1/2 cooked fruits and vegetables

Betcha

A friend joined an on-line diet competition site and has been having so much success that she convinced me to try it too.   Her weight loss has been super fast which sort of alarmed me but I need to do something to get myself motivated.

So I joined the site too.  DietBetter, but after I joined I realized the weight loss I must achieve is over 2 lbs per week.  I think that is not doable.  But anyway I signed up for one 4-week challenge and so I'll try.  If I succeed I'll just be that much happier to continue losing.

One good thing is that there is a vegan support group, that makes life better.

So I had to get on the scale to weigh myself, then take a full length picture to submit to the site.

Weight on homescale is 211.2 lbs.

I will take my measurements too.

Man, it is so disappointing to be over 200 lbs!!! 

Raw

In my quest to add more fruits and vegetables to my diet, I have been on the hunt for a good blender that will last longer than 1-3 years before breaking down, will chop ice to make delicious cold smoothies, as well as shred fibrous vegetables like celery and kale to make appetizing green smoothies that do not have the texture and look of swamp water.

I'm asking a lot from a blender nowdays.  My mom still has her working Osterizer from the 50s or 60s. She treated it so gently, never chopped ice with it. I would confiscate it except I worry I might blow out the motor with my use of a blender. 

I really like the Kitchenaid Diamond Vortex blender but  the motor coupling is plastic, and many reviews say something wears down, gets loose and the pitcher starts leaking all over the motor. The Breville Hemisphere Control is supposed to have more durability according to America's Test Kitchens, but I just don't want to waste my money on something that will have to be replaced in even 3 years.  I want a blender to last. So I'm resolved to get a new or gently used Vitamix variable speed blender for less than $400; been watching them on eBay.

Unexpectedly I discovered a little world of vibrant health-conscious slim people who rely on Vitamix as their favorite appliance.   The Raw Vegan 80:10:10 crowd.   They munch on huge quantities of raw fresh fruit and fruit juice from morning till 4pm.  Then they munch on raw fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains for their evening meal. 

The diet is 80% fruit and veg, 10% protein, and 10% fat.  I don't know much more than that, but they eat huge number of calories of raw, fresh food too.  From 2000 for a sedentary girl, 4000 calories for a more active girl, and I have no idea how many 1000s of calories for active men.  They all look very slim and healthy to me -- although, of course, some people comment on their YouTube videos that they look too slim.  They don't, they look like normal humans in most parts of the world. Some of us Americans have such a bloated dysmorphic idea of what healthy looks like.  With more than half of us overweight or obese it may have distorted our ideas of what healthy looks like.

So this is a new and exciting  path to explore the 80:10:10 Raw Vegan world.   The YouTube posters seem obsessed with nutrition, which is great, and are careful to figure out how to fill nutritional gaps.

I might be exploring this diet further.  At the very least, its a great detox diet to lose weight.

Track

How to get back into a mindset of eating more healthfully to lose weight?

Well I finally acknowledged that I need to reduce calories to around 1000 per day.  Facing that fact is daunting but oh well, that's the way it is.

How can I stay full on fewer calories?  

  1. For more fiber, fill up on vegetables and fruits.  

  2. For staying full longer, choose protein over carbohydrates.  

  3. For less bloat, choice more vegan and organic, avoid dairy and GMOs.  

  4. For more nutrition, take supplements and have more raw food.
  5. In the beginning, use homeopathic appetite suppressants to help reduce hunger.

To help with the filling up on more vegetables and fruit part of the equation, I decided I need to buy a good variable speed blender. 

So that, sorted.  Now I just have to start tracking what I eat to be more conscious of keeping the calorie counts low.

p.s. America's Test Kitchens likes Vitamix best, but for half the price advises the Breville Hemisphere Control is good too, and much quieter to protect hearing.

Practice

Nicest Boyfriend I've ever had kind of, sort of, broke up with me last night.  I'm not 100% certain we broke up, but 99% certain that is what happened.

It's not as if he's mad at me.  Even though he didn't say it,  I suspect he's afraid of my vegetarianism.  I think he's afraid I'll have weird food around that scares him, and that I'll be awkward at family and social functions.  I've been talking about my recent experimentations with vegan baking lately and I think that might put him off.

The other thing that is more tolerable but frustrating for him is that I'm so poor lately.  He wants to enjoy going on fun vacations, but I can't afford to do that right now.  Who knows if I ever will again?  I'm having trouble, I don't make enough money to support myself at present.  So hopefully I'll be able to fix that sooner than later.

So that, and this long winter, and everyone getting older, is bringing me down a bit.

Alright if I am to face the future alone then I have to find some peace in that.

I need more choices, and more choices comes in the form of being slimmer so that I have more confidence in social situations.  But until I am actually slim I have to practice self confidence as if I am already slim.  Practice makes perfect.  PRETEND I'm slim and make choices as if I'm slim.  That's what I need to do.  PRETEND I have confidence.  PRETEND I believe that god is looking out for me personally; which at times I really do believe but need to practice more to feel it more deeply.

"God bless us, everyone."

zengirl.com pic

Peaceful

I've decided to try and be as vegan as I can.  I'm not going to try to be perfect at it.  I'm not going to make myself crazy over it.  I'm just going to live more cruelty-free.  To avoid dairy and other animal products when I can.

I've been vegetarian for a long enough time to know it makes some people angry or resentful. I even had someone be openly unfriendly to me when he learned I was vegetarian.   I never ever say anything negative about meat eating because all my family and friends are omnivores.   So I know his reaction was due purely to his own perceptions.  Still it's hard sometimes.  Not as hard as it is on the animals who are used for food and clothing though.  So even if I take a few hard knocks its nothing compared to what the animals have to deal with.

Redux

Alright, its time to get back to business.  I need to have a plan and this is it.  I'll base it on the Weight Watchers plan, without joining Weight Watchers.

Keeping it simple:

-most importantly, undressed, high-nutrition vegetables and fruits are free, no calories counted, unlimited portions.  No excuse to ever be hungry.
-every day the calorie limit is 880-1040 counted calories.
-every week there is an optional, additional 1960 calories over the daily limit, to be used throughout the week or even all in one day!
-aim to drink 6 cups of water per day or more.
-aim to be vegan when reasonable.
-aim to plan 7 meals to grocery shop every week.
-any and all exercise will increase weekly weight loss.
-aim to lose 1+ lb per week.

I need a little notebook that will fit in my purse, to keep track of everything I eat and drink.

I am going to have two jars and fill one with one stone for every pound I aim to lose.  As I lose weight I'll move the stones from the before jar to the after jar.

Recording current weight and measurements.  I am going to get down to a sexy, attractive weight again where I feel confident and more valuable.  Even as offensive and superficial as it sounds there is the truth that people remark that women who are thin are in a better "league".

My one year of goals must be adjusted - redone.  Goal weight is 127-145 lbs.   Stopping when I feel satisfied that I can maintain that weight comfortably for all of my life.  Remember: 115-121 lbs is 18-23% body fat.

- - - - - - - One Year of Goals - - - - - - - - - - - -
January 2014 = 197 lbs.
March 2014 = One quarter (-13 lbs) = 184 lbs.
May 2014 -One third (-17.3 lbs) = 180 lbs.
June 2014= First -10% (-20 lbs.) = 177 lbs.
July 2014 = One half (-26 lbs) = 171 lbs.
September 2014 = Two thirds (-34.7 lbs) = 162 lbs.
October 2014 = Second -10% (-18 lbs.) = 159 lbs.
October 2014 = -Three quarters (-39 lbs) = 158 lbs
January 2015 = -Four quarters (-52 lbs) = 145 lbs.
January 2015 = Third -10% (-16 lbs) = 143 lbs.
May 2015 = Fourth -10% (-14 lbs) = 129 lbs.
July 2015 = Fifth -10% (-13) = 116 lbs.

- - - - - - - One Year by Month - - - - - - - - - - - -
January 2014 = 196 lbs or 14 stone.
February 2014 = 191 lbs or 13 stone 9 lbs.
March 2014 = 186 lbs or 13 stone 4 lbs.
April 2014 = 182 lbs or 13 stone.
May 2014 = 178 lbs or 12 stone 10 lbs.
June 2014 = 173 lbs or 12stone 5 lbs.
July 2014 = 169 lbs or 12 stone 1 lb.
August 2014 = 165 lbs or 11 stone 11 lbs.
September 2014 = 160 lbs or 11 stone 6 lbs.
October 2014 = 156 lbs or 11 stone 2 lbs.
November 2014 = 152 lbs or 10 stone 12 lbs.
December 2014 = 147 lbs or 10 stone 7 lbs.
January 2015 = 143 lbs or 10 stone 3 lbs.
February 2014 = 139 lbs or 9 stone 13 lbs.
March 2015 = 134 lbs or 9 stone 8 lbs.
April 2015 = 130 lbs or 9 stone 4 lbs.
May 2015 = 126 lbs or 9 stone.
June 2015 = 121 lbs or 8 stone 9 lbs.
July 2015 = 116 lbs or 8 stone 4 lbs.

KEY:

Obese = 188+ lbs. (My BMI obese is 175+ lbs.)

Overweight = 155-187 lbs. (My BMI overweight is 145-174 lbs.)

Average Large = 134-154 lbs. (My BMI normal large is 132-144 lbs.)

Average Medium = 124-133 lbs. (My BMI normal medium is 120-131 lbs.)

Average Small = 112-123 lbs. (My BMI normal small is 108-119 lbs.)

Choices

I weigh 174 today, so I've finally met my goal for July 2011.  That leaves me 3 months behind in my goals, but if I can get down to 169 by the end of this month then I'll be catching up. According to my 2-year plan this is where I should have been for the past few months:
June 2011 = 178 lbs
July 2011 = 174 lbs
August 2011 - 169 lbs ++
September 2011 = 165 lbs
October 2011 = 161 lbs.
November 2011 = 156 lbs.

I have started doing my 10 girl push-ups everyday.  Man, do they leave me tired, it takes several minutes to recover. 

I've been craving pie and coffee like crazy lately.  So I looked up recipes for gluten-free pie crust and I think I'll make myself an apple pie or custard pie today.  I've been craving eggs too, so maybe the custard pie would be the best choice, otherwise an apple crumble.


Watched the documentary Food Matters recently and its really been affecting my thoughts about health.  The documentary advised that 51% of daily food intake should be raw food.  As much food as possible should be organic so that you're taking in fewer toxins each day.  Lots of vitamins are safe, in fact two handfuls of cashews a day will provide enough niacin to keep depression away.  And daily physical activity as well as at least 2 liters of water a day is necessary to remove toxins each day.

Remembered  last year when I came up with my 2-year plan I wanted to start out easy, just dieting, not adding exercise because I knew I'd add exercise naturally as I became slimmer. I remembered how a workmate was taken off pain medicine and told to exercise. So she thought she would lose weight that way, I suspected she would not. So now a year later, I am much slimmer but she is not. I have tried exercise alone too and been so frustrated when it did not lead to any substantial or even noticable weight loss. I've read when people start exercising they start eating more to compensate. I think that's the danger that I have to be aware of as I start exercising more.


I'm pleased to be losing weight again. I feel so happy with my recent weight loss, but I do need to protect against muscle loss more than ever now. So lots of vitamins and lots of exercise, but also continueing to eat less. Just smarter choices, more organic, more superfoods. And more water to help with elimination of toxins.

Wheat

At the beginning of this month my Mom showed me an article in the Woman's World Weekly that promised a lose of up to 8-11 pounds in one week by going wheat-free!   I had just stayed with a good friend who has always been slim and she advised that gluten and cheese were the two most fattening foods she knows of.  So the prospect of losing 8-11 pounds in one week was too attractive to not try.  

I have been following the wheat-free, gluten-free diet for 2 weeks and have lost 7 pounds!  Starting weight was 188, now 181 pounds.  So not the promised headline results but still.  That's terrific!  I am going to keep doing this until it stops working.  But I hope it keeps working until I get down to the goal weight of 165 lbs. which is where I should be according to my modest weight loss progress chart. 

All I'm doing to change is eating lots of veggies and fruit and proteins.  Eating almost no dairy and greatly reduced carbs.  I still let myself have chocolate because that's my favorite treat, and have purchased special gluten-free wheat replacers for when I crave bread foods but eating lots of rice and bean dishes, lots of tofu.

This week I did make myself a wheat-free pizza and used only parmesan cheese as the cheese. However even that small amount of dairy caused a 2 pound weight gain over night.  So that makes me feel as if dairy really is something I need to avoid just as much or even moreseo than the wheat.  Dairy-free and wheat-free is what I need to strive for.

Fingers crossed I can get down to the goal weight of 165 pounds in 2 more weeks if I start adding vigorous cardio exercise everyday, minus one Sunday of rest each week.