Ten Things I Do to Keep Those Nearly 100lbs Off!! (AND more Before & After photos! :-))

I realize that most of you do not have an eating disorder like mine.  But maybe some parts of the things I do can help you too!  I can only share from my own experience, but here is how I've lost the weight & maintained my recovery for the last four years.  Trust me, it was not "willpower!"  I don't have any when it comes to food!  You already know what I EAT (I wrote about it here and here ), so here is what I DO!

BEFORE- 268LBS

#1:  I Write It Down:  
I write down my food report, my food plan, my step work & then I journal when I'm feeling emotions that may be challenging for me to handle without food.  For the first three years of program I emailed my sponsor nearly every night to report what I ate that day.  This made me accountable to her and to myself.  I also tried to quickly jot down my plan for what I would eat the next day. My committing my plan to paper removes the need to think about food the next day.  I know what I will eat.  For my recovery (and everyone in my 12 step compulsive eating recovery group has a different program) I don't HAVE to eat what I plan the next day--I just do my best. I don't food report right now unless I'm feeling shaky but I do still try to write a food plan in my journal the night before.  If you are not in a 12 step compulsive eating recovery group or another similar program, I recommend getting a buddy that you can send your food to--it REALLY helps!


#2:  I Eat TWO cups of Vegetables with Lunch & Dinner. 
My sponsor told me to do this so I do.  It was hard to do at first because that is a LOT of vegetables but its easy now.  I can't eat as much other food because it fills me up. It also gives me the nutrients I need. I usually stick to dark leafy greens like kale & spinach.  I like those tossed with a few dried cranberries (not the ones with added refined sugar, the ones sweetened with apple juice:  Whole Foods has them!)  Its really yummy like that!

AFTER:
AT THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR!

#3:  I Cook in Bulk:  
We cook in bulk once a week & refrigerate or freeze all our meals in BPA-free tupperware.  We do this mostly because my husband & I usually do not have the time or the energy to cook during the week plus we need to bring our food to work (there is barely anything we can eat at our hospital cafeterias AND we are trying to pay off my massive student loan debt by being frugal).  See my posts on our methods of bulk cooking: here, here & here.


#4:  I Don't Weigh Myself:  
I stopped weighing myself regularly at the beginning of my program.  I did this because EVERY time in the past (in my many, MANY years of dieting before I started this 12 step compulsive eating recovery program) when I lost enough weight to get down to near 200lbs, I shot right back up.  I don't know why--it just happened that way.  So I only weigh myself every few months--sometimes I've gone 6 months without stepping on a scale.  We don't own one.  And removing the "weight game" brings so much sanity to my life.  I measure progress by how I feel, not what the scale says!  I only mention numbers now because people always want to know how much weight I've lost.


#5:  I Use My Community Support:  I tend to seek my main support from my 12 step compulsive eating recovery community because they can relate to my history of obesity and food dysfunction.  My phone has about 20+ 12 step compulsive eating recovery program members from my local meetings so I can rapid dial when I'm in a bad situation--like very hungry driving home from work & obsessing about food because I forgot my snack!  By the time I'm done with talking--even if all I do is leave messages--I'm sane again.  Its a miracle!  I reach out to my non-compulsive eating friends and my family too!  I also have great support from my husband, the Happy Nurse (he is ah-maze-ing).  Very grateful.  Other things I do:  I go to 12 step compulsive eating recovery program meetings and I listen to free podcasts from iTunes of 12 step compulsive eating recovery program speakers in Los Angeles that inspire me (just search for "12 step LA speakers" in iTunes & you'll find them!).  


All that said, you don't need a 12 step compulsive eating recovery program to build a community of support to stay healthy--reach out and ask for help if you need it.  You'll be surprised at how powerful it is!
   
#6:  I Don't Watch TV:   
Yup, that's right!  Our TV is for DVD viewing only.  No cable.  We download shows one episode at a time on our computers when I want to watch something & my hubby watches Hulu.  TV for me is another addiction and that is why I avoid it. And of course, due to work, we are rarely home!  As a side benefit I get to miss all the commercials about foods that are not good for me! 


#7:  I Keep Emergency Snacks:  
I always have an emergency snack--a few flaxseed crackers, a date or two, some trail mix, a piece of fruit--available in my glove compartment or my work bag.  Raging hunger is a dangerous thing for me so I try to avoid that.  


#8:  I Follow What My Sponsor Says & I Give Service & Sponsor Others:  
So much of food addiction recovery involves surrender.  I kept doing things "my way" for years and guess what--it doesn't work!  So I look to my sponsor (another member of my 12 step compulsive eating recovery program with a strong recovery) to guide me.  I give a lot of service--I sponsor people, I help with meetings, I make calls to my people in need and I look for opportunities to give.  When I give to others I get out of my own head and turn my thoughts to their needs.  I share my story as often as I can because I have a responsibility to give the gift of hope as others have done for me.


#9:  I Keep My Abstinence No Matter What:  
Everyone's "abstinence" in my 12 step compulsive eating recovery program is different & defined by the member & their sponsor.  To use more familiar terms, "abstinence" is the equivalent of "sobriety" in AA.  I don't care if I'm exhausted from work, sad because I lost a patient, upset at my husband/family/friends, joyous over an accomplishment or sick with the flu--I will not eat the foods that my sponsor & I decided were unsafe for me to eat.  If I have one bite--I will binge--it is impossible for me to only eat one serving.  I am NEVER going back to the way I was before.  And I know with the support of my Higher Power (HP) & the life skills I have learned from OA, I will not have to feel the pain of working my way towards 300lbs & hating myself for it.


#10:  I Meditate, I Pause & I Listen to My Higher Power:  
I meditate to guided meditation because I have NO ability to silence my brain.  I need someone talking to me and telling me how to relax! My fav right now is a free iPhone app called "Spiritual Healing by the American Monk."  It is awesome--8 mins long.  It helps me stay centered.


I PAUSE.  If my eating disorder is active, when I sit down to eat I feel like a train running out of control.  I have to eat as much and as quickly as possible.  All I can think is MORE MORE MORE!  The way I stop this is by pausing--I sit before my food and take a deep breath.  I close my eyes for a quick second and make my whole body completely still.  And I listen for guidance from my heart (my HP).  And then I start eating--a much calmer, saner person!  Physically stilling myself before meals seems to be the key to not overeating.  I don't need to do this all the time, but I do practice it fairly frequently. 


For me, my Higher Power (HP) is the voice in my heart that is the best version of myself, the version of myself that wants only the best for me, that is kind & can see things clearly & calmly. The way I understand this program concept is that everyone defines their own HP in the 12 step compulsive eating recovery program--it can be God, it can be nature, it can be the recovery group, it can really be ANYTHING greater than yourself that can stop you from acting in your addiction.  


OK!  So that is all I know right now.  Remember that I am not a spokesperson for any 12 step compulsive eating recovery program--I'm just one member sharing my honest experience, strength & hope the way we are taught to do.  Thank you for letting me share this with you!

Coming Up Next Week:

• BOOK REVIEW:  "29 Gifts!"
• SuperImmunity for Kids ~Part 2~!
• Practical Stuff:  Kitchen Tools That Help & Products I Like! (Gift Ideas?!)

Coming Up on Medical System Tuesday: 

• Tip #9 For The Best Hospital Care:  Pay Attention ~ Insider Tips on How to Get the BEST Medical Care in the Hospital ~

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.

Cooking in Bulk Example: Recipes from The Happy Herbivore

To demonstrate how my husband & I bulk cook to save time, money & maintain/continue weight loss (general system explained in my last post), I picked recipes from The Happy Herbivore, one of my favorite recipe blogs that is rapidly becoming quite famous (the chef Lindsay Nixon's Vegan Thanksgiving recipes were in the New York Times this past week!).  


Lindsay Nixon (The Happy Herbivore) has a new cookbook coming out in December (I posted on her current one here) & has some 1200 calorie meal plans on her website (complete with grocery lists!) that you can subscribe to with a donation--just an FYI (**I do not know her and have no reason to promote her!**).  


On her blog (where I selected these recipes from) her recipe page is one of the easiest to navigate because it has PICTURES!  And as we know (as I ramble on...), a picture is worth a thousand words! 


Ok enough of the continued enthusiastic endorsement--here we go! Check out my Happy Nurse hubby in action!

Cooking in Bulk Week #1:  Recipes from The Happy Herbivore (this is basically a typed up version of my own notes--I print out all the recipes and have them on hand in the kitchen)

 {1} In the Pantry:  We had Chickpeas, Black Beans and Quinoa--all uncooked, the beans were dry

 {2} Online recipe search:  I picked the following recipes for this week from The Happy Herbivore blog:

From Chickpeas:

1) Chickpea Tacos

need: chili powder, onion powder & taco shells {blue corn?}
2) Chana Palak Masala (one of my fav Indian dishes in general)

need small onion

From Black Beans:

1)  Mexican Stuffed Peppers

need 2 whole green peppers, cornmeal, chili powder (already need chili powder for chickpea recipe)
2)  Quick Black Bean Burger

need onion powder {already need it for chickpea}

Black Beans & Quinoa:

1) Aztec Corn Salad

need 1 fresh tomato

Black Beans, Chickpeas & Quinoa:

1) Hippie Loaf (So my funny husband has said we need to call this something else:-)) oh my former meat and potatoes man!)

need mushrooms, ketchup

Treat!:

1) Lasagna Rolls

need gluten-free lasagna noodles, extra-firm tofu, vegan parmasan, marinara sauce

 Other
1)  Mashed Potatoes
2)  Brown Gravy
Ok, then I made the following grocery list based on what I didn't have in the pantry:

{3}  GROCERY LIST:

Chili powder

onion powder

cornmeal

taco shells (blue corn ones?)

gluten-free lasagna noodles, 

fat-free vegan mayo

ketchup 

marinara sauce

small onion

2 whole green peppers

1 fresh tomato

mushrooms, 

extra-firm tofu, 

vegan parmasan

   {4} I made the following strategy--Work from the top to the bottom of the tasks--focus on one task at a time so you don't get overwhelmed!!!  Basically I write this out on a piece of paper and we stick it to the fridge for reference

PRE-COOK: 1) We eat dried beans because they are cheaper, so we soak them overnight, rinse them a TON (to avoid GI side effects J) & start them cooking in our crockpot in the early AM before cooking in the afternoon	BELOW IS THE STUFF GOING ON WHILE YOU DO THE MAIN TASKS ON THE LEFT
CHOP etc        1)   peel 7 garlic cloves & mince (mince in groups of 2 and separate for the different recipes)         2)   dice small onion        3)   squeeze 1 lemon to juice, 1 lime to juice        4)   cut peppers into “boats”        5)   shred lettuce        6)   dice tomatoes        7)   wash & chop potatoes into quarters        8)   mince one carrot        9)   mince 2 celery stalks      10)    chop mushrooms	START RIGHT BEFORE CHOPPING:      1)   Thaw 4 cups frozen spinach       2)   Thaw 1 cup corn       3)   Preheat oven to 375
MIX:       1)   make taco seasoning mix (click on link to mix on Happy Herbivore’s recipe for chickpea tacos)          2)   mix tamari/juice/taco seasoning & put chickpeas in       3)   mix condiments and spices for BB burger       4)     mash black beans separate into 2 bowls (½ for burgers, ½ for Hippie Loaf)       5)   Mix filling for lasagna rolls before spinach completely thaws	START RIGHT BEFORE MIXING—occasionally check on these things while mixing:        1)   Potatoes boiling        2)   Quinoa cooking (we use a rice cooker—so easy andcheap!)        3)   Lasagna cooking (set timer for this one)        4)   Sautee onion & garlic (turn off after done)
ASSEMBLE OVEN ITEMS: (do each ONE at a time to avoid errors, use prepped materials)     1)   Black Bean burgers:  mix, put on cookie sheet, put in oven, timer to 14 mins     2)   Chickpea Tacos: toss in sauce to make sure all coated, put in oven, add 8 mins to timer when BB burgers timer is done     3)   Mexican Peppers:  Mix Stuffed Peppers & put in oven (same time as chickpea tacos, so just look in on them then)     4)   Mix Hippie Loaf & put in pan and oven—add 25 mins to timer when it is done for Tacos
ASSEMBLE STOVE ITEMS (while oven is baking)     1)   Make Chana Palak Masala     2)   Assemble Lasagna Rolls & cook     3)   Mix Gravy & cook     4)   Mix Mashed Potatoes & whip in food processor
TUPPERWARE:     1)   Take everything out of ovens & off stoves to cool      2)   Set out Tupperware to fill kitchen table (BPA-FREE please, healthier, at Target & Walmart, etc)      3)   Put portions of each item in Tupperware      4)   Put in fridge & some in freezer for next week depending on how much you eat!
DONE!!!!!!! (no more cooking for week!  This process should take 2-3 hours—you get faster the more you do this & if you have help in the kitchen)

A few money & time saving tips:

-Call stores ahead of time for uncommon ingredients so you don't have to run all over the place only to discover that it isn't there!

-If you have time price the list ahead of time--we don't do this every week, but we do live on a VERY tight budget (med school loansssss) and operate with the "Envelope System"--more on that later--so we need to really think about how much things are going to cost before we get to the store.

-Try to pick recipes that have a lot of your current staples in them--that way you maximize your purchases from before.

Coming Soon!:

• PAIN: How to Heal with Food (Part 2)
• How To Get The BEST Medical Care: Tips to Patients from a Doc
• SuperImmunity Foods for KIDS (Calling All PARENTS!)
• RECIPES & Ideas: Snacks!  YUMMY & Portable Plant-Based Snack Food--all sugar-free, gluten-free & without adding oil or fat!!

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.

The Power of Planning Ahead: Why We Cook Once A Week :-)

One of the key things that I've found to maintaining and continuing my weight loss (aside from my 12 step compulsive eating recovery program work) is planning.  


Planning the food I'm going to eat tomorrow.  
Planning extra food to take "just in case" I get tied up at work past 6pm (um, wait one sec... that's pretty much every day!).  
Planning our grocery list each week.
Planning our cooking strategy. 


Yes, thats right folks, I said "cooking strategy!"  


In our house, we usually cook once a week.  Yes, that is what I said.  We usually cook only once a week--and sometimes that food lasts into the next week (a two-week bonus!).  And that miracle only happens with a cooking strategy.


Before you roll your eyes and think I'm nuts (oh wait, that may have happened already :-)) let me tell you that spending 2-4 hours on one day each week researching recipes, making a grocery list based on the recipes, writing up a plan for how to do our "bulk cook" and then executing that plan by cooking & tupperwaring to our hearts content saves us from:

• HOURS and HOURS of obsessing about what food we are going to eat (letting my disease of compulsive overeating have a field day scanning my mind for goodies) or
• frantically throwing something together at the end of a long day or
• feeling hunger pangs start about 1/2 way through the afternoon because we didn't it a solid lunch or
• spending tons of money on take-out!  

I'm not going to lie, sometimes its a painful exercise in organizational discipline (especially at first).  But cooking on one day of the week to prepare all your meals for the week is AMAZING and quick.  It is also very very smart if you are a busy person.  I wish I could say it was my idea, but its not.  It is actually my Mom's!  


When we were growing up, my Mom was a working single parent but she didn't want any of us kids to not get the nutritious meals we needed.  So ONCE A MONTH she took one of her weekends off and spent it doing a massive grocery shop, a massive cook and a massive tupperware freeze!!  And, bam!  We had delicious, nutritious meals for the whole month that she could heat up when she got home from work each day!  She got the plan out of a book called (very originally:-)) "Once-a-Month Cooking"


Of course, when I looked up "Once-A-Month Cooking" for my husband and I last year, it was filled with recipes from the 70's/80's that were sooooooo not vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free or anti-inflammatory :-)  But the strategy it presents is awesome!  


Next post I'll share with you our "Bulk Cook Plan" for this week (that we worked on over last weekend!)   My plan for the coming weeks is to devote a week to a set of recipes all from ONE of my favorite bloggers online!  That way you can all get the recipes online and see our strategy if you want to try it yourself!  Sound complicated?  Its not.


Check out my next post and I'll tell you all about it!  This week, all the recipes are from The Happy Herbivore (and let me tell you--I just finished one of her chickpea tacos from this week's plan and all I can say is YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!)

Next time:  Cooking in BULK Tip:  Week #1 

Coming Soon:

• PAIN: How to Heal with Food (Part 2)
• How To Get The BEST Medical Care: Tips to Patients from a Doc

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.