There were two comments made recently on posts that are worthy of surfacing to a post of their own. One comment was about pepperoni and kielbasa, which led me to do some research on the correlation between high fat foods and plateaus. The other comment encouraged us to embrace the changes in our bodies and to feel confident in our smaller sizes on our journey to our goal size.
Feel great, act great, and approve of yourself. Photo source.
High Fat Foods

Anonymous posted this comment:
I have been on the program since February. I didn't think we could have pepperoni or kielbasa?
In response to your question, I'll tell you my story about meats.

I didn't know this was a meat intense program when I first saw Julie. I was in a bit of a panic my first night of class, because I didn't like meat. I asked Julie if she could help me like meat. She said she can't make us like something we don't like. (Remember her talk about free will?) I asked if I could eat pepperoni and cold cuts, and she said yes and then she cautioned us about the amount of fat we eat in a single day. I asked about meatloaf and meatballs, as they were the only other forms of meat I could think of that I liked. She said we can have them because breadcrumbs are inside, but we are not allowed foods with breadcrumbs on the outside.

In the 2 1/2 years since I started this program, I have come to really love meat. I did this by eating out most of the time when I wanted a steak or ribs. I bought a grill a few weeks ago and I'm learning to get past the raw meat factor: seeing bloody meat tends to ruin my appetite. I still have a ways to go, but I do love grilled meats and I am determined get past this issue. Plus, it's expensive eating out all the time.

I'm focusing on lean meats and cutting back on the fatty meats. I did a little research and kielbasa, pepperoni, and processed meats are all high in fat. In my research, I also found support to Julie's caution (no surprise): if you're experiencing a plateau, you may want to take a look at how much of these (high fat) foods you're eating.

I'm also following Julie's advice to eat healthy meats, preferably organic and wow - what a difference in taste!

The program changes over time, so if you learned in your class that you can't have these foods, then don't have them. The bottom line is this: when in doubt, leave it out. Another option is to ask the office.

Congratulations Anonymous for being on the program for six months. I hope you're enjoying your weight loss journey and I look forward to hearing more from you.

High Self Images

Jane posted this wise wisdom:
Have you seen the video by Dove Soap? It has 4 women sit behind a curtain and a police sketch artist draw them as they describe themselves. Then, a second person comes in and describes the same woman. Each person's drawings were pretty much the same. The person who described themselves, emphasized the negative, while the other person who just met them, had a more realistic account of what that person looks like.

The video is so telling and pretty emotional. We tend to see only the negatives. Wrinkles, lines, chubby cheeks, chin, etc... Why do we do this to ourselves?

What we should do is this: Go to the store, try on our old size pants/shorts, then a size or two smaller. Each week/month going into the store will be very telling as to where you are headed. 
Be POSITIVE, embrace the changes...... Maybe now, you're in smaller shorts, but have a bit of spillage over the waste band... Hey, at least you can get INTO the smaller size.
We need to laugh at ourselves, feel confident and know that we are headed in the right direction. 
I like the way you think Jane. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us. BTW, I did some research and found the commercial:



August 06, 2013
We can measure success with a measuring tape or see our weight loss success in photos. We can feel successful by how our clothes fit or when we hear "wow - you've lost a ton of weight." But what if our perception of our bodies doesn't allow any of this to be enough?
Reality vs Perception. Photo source.
Ellen recently wrote to me about this topic:
I started on Julie's program back in March.. and found your blog not long after.. I look forward to reading each post as I always find a little something to keep me inspired. 

I finally broke down yesterday and took myself shopping for a few pairs of shorts in a smaller size. When I first started this program I kept thinking how great it would be to walk into a store, head to the racks and pick out what ever I wanted knowing that it would fit perfectly!
I found 2 pairs of shorts after about 4 hours of searching. At one point, I wanted to cry, as I realized it was just as difficult to find smaller sizes as it was to find larger ones. 

Now I am thinking that this has as much to do with our perception of our bodies as it does the reality. 

Has anyone else experienced this? How do you get the head to match the mirror? 
Ellen asks a great questions.

Back in January, I wrote a piece about Measuring Success and I promised I would measure once a month. Six months have passed and I haven't take any more measurements. I've taken a lot of photos, but I'm too critical when I see them. "Oh no--too many wrinkles" I  think to myself. Or, "OMG - look at my belly!"

See, there's that mean voice again. Have I forgotten how far I've come? I think so.

I went shopping yesterday. I had been in the store a few days earlier and I wouldn't try anything on that had an X in front of the size. No surprise, nothing I tried on fit. Yesterday, as I entered the store I told my friend "Just so you know, I'm going to try on clothes, but I may not drop a dime." Even when I said it I thought it was a weird thing to say. I'm not sure if I was more afraid I would find a ton of clothes that fit or that nothing would fit at all.

This time I tried on many different sizes. I didn't find anything that fit right, but I only tried on items that were on sale. Had I gone for the non-summer clothes, I may have had better luck. It was an expensive store and I'm not ready to spend that kind of money on clothes just yet. I left optimistic that I will be back next year and I will have a lot more options then.

I've resolved that I will see the rest of summer through with the clothes I have. Fall and winter wardrobes will be upon us soon enough and I will look for new clothes for those seasons.

Meanwhile, I'll work on my perception - focus on embracing the reality of my size rather than my perception. Some days I feel thin and other days - not so much. But the reality is this is how people feel in all sizes.

In fact, I did a Google search and here's a few articles:
Plus this great Ted Talk (~20 minute video)



August 04, 2013
Note: I cleared this post with Theresa before setting it loose, because there are some VERY negative and unfounded things said about Julie in this story, but it definitely demonstrates why some people fail and why it's so important to keep our eyes fixed on the Big Picture. Enjoy!

My son and I were having dinner at 99 the other night.

I love going there and having the smothered sirloin tips because I can get them on their own with no starch, just veggies.

Apparently, one of the women sitting in the booth across from us (I fit in the booths there now… couldn't for a long time) heard me placing my order.

I asked the server to hold the starch.

I told her I didn't need extra veggies because I had to balance my veggies with my protein.

So the woman sitting across from us hears all this and when the server walks away she leans over and says, "You went to Key Hypnosis, didn't you?"

I told her that I had.

She smirks at me and says, "You're in for a surprise."

I said, "Well, I've experienced several in the last couple months. Being able to fit inside this booth for one."

"Sure," she said, "But wait. You're gonna stop losing in another month or so and when you do the office is going to miraculously call and offer you a 'refresher.'"

I told her that I had requested a followup call in September so that wouldn't be a surprise.

"Yeah but by the time they call you're gonna stop losing weight."

"What makes you say THAT?"

"It's a huge scam. She programs you to lose for a couple months, then you stop. Then, if you want to keep losing you have to attend a 'refresher' and pay her another $200."

I said, "Really… that's quite remarkable. A hypnotist that can manipulate my physiology and make me STOP losing weight while still keeping the diet."

"No," she said. "You'll start cheating on the diet. After a couple months you'll go back to eating like a normal person and then go running for a refresher. It's all factored in to what she does. I went back TWICE for refreshers and each time I was OK for about two months, then BOOM! Bottom line: we're fat. It's how God made us. Accept it. Don't keep paying for false dreams."

I thanked her for the information and told her I'd take her advice to heart.

A few minutes later when the server showed up with her nachos, I said "BOOM!" as she put them on the table. I just couldn't help myself.

Throughout that whole night I kept going over in my head the things that Julie said about this whole thing being an act of Free Will.

I willingly submitted to the hypnosis. I willingly follow the diet and I am subsequently willing my way to health.

Some people just want nachos more than they want to be well but they can't just admit that, can they? It has to be someone else's failure.

I see the holidays this year being very difficult. I might need a refresher to get through them.

Then again, I may not.

What I'm sure of, though, is that if I do need one it'll be because for that month or so between Thanksgiving and Yule there's going to be a LOT of interference and I may need to clear up the signal so I don't get too depressed.

But that's all about me, not the program, not Julie.

I wonder if nacho lady realizes just how much money Julie COULD be charging for what she delivers.

I wonder if she realizes that every time I tell people how much this program cost me they're SHOCKED by how LITTLE I paid?

People who have never done the program see its value and think Julie is selling herself short.

But for some, paying $8 for nachos makes more sense than spending $200 to help themselves continue on a path to wellness and that's just that.
August 03, 2013
When I was a young girt, my best friend and neighbor told me her family sometimes had "skip" for dinner. Her father was in the military and stationed in Alaska, and finances were difficult, so once in a while her mom would announce "we're having skip for dinner" - which meant they were skipping dinner entirely.
Like this bunny, I skip, hop, and jump when I feel like it.
Oh, and I eat when I'm hungry and I skip meals if I'm not. Photo by Theresa
Since I started following this program, my eating habits have completely changed. But skip for dinner? Not for me. I used to eat breakfast first thing in the morning or I would feel faint. Never, never, never could I / would I have eaten only one meal on any given day. I also never imagined I would skip dinner because it was "too hot to cook dinner."

Some time after I started this program, things changed. I no longer woke up hungry and I found I didn't need breakfast most mornings. I have days when I only eat once. Usually this happens on weekends, when I find myself deep into writing or a project and the next thing I know it's 3pm and all I've had is coffee. I may or may not have a second meal later in the day. During the heat wave we had the last couple of weeks, there were a couple of nights I went to bed hungry, because it was too hot to cook dinner. These are new behaviors for me - and I like this.

Eat when you're hungry is what we're taught - don't snack and don't eat if you're not hungry. It all seems logical enough, and quite natural at that. Before I was on this program, my natural instincts about food were way out of sync. It's nice to be in touch with my body as nature intended.

I eat to live. I no longer live to eat. Now that this is my truth, it's time to turn my focus towards enjoying my life in new ways and having new experiences. I have two new activities coming up in September: I'm taking up biking and I just signed up for a 10 week ukulele class.

Now it's your turn:

  • What's different in the way you interact with food?
  • Is it time for you to try something new in your life?
July 31, 2013
About a dozen friends of Julie gathered for a potluck and on Friday night. Our gracious hosts grilled up Fillet Mignon for the main course. Here's the story, plus: the menu, my spaghetti with meat sauce recipe, and a group photo. Spaghetti? Yes - I made spaghetti "noodles" from zucchini.
A photo posted by Theresa Chamberland (@alohatac) on
This was the first time I had used my spirooli (see photo of this gadget below), which a key friend gave me a few months after the Greenfield potluck. I have to pause here for a moment to say: how nice this is - I get to meet and become friends with others following Julie's program, who not only have given me incredible support and shared their stories with me, but also gave me clothes and this great gadget!

I encourage you to reach out to others who are following Julie's program. Strike up a conversation before or after seeing Julie. If you read a post that inspires you, on this blog or on the closed Facebook group, reach out to that person and see if you can get together for coffee, a meal, a walk, or connect on skype, or talk on the phone. The support is incredible. And you may surprise yourself - you too may be of great support to someone else. Either way, it's very rewarding.

Back to my story...

I brought the spirooli and zucchini with me so others could give this a try. We couldn't figure out how to remove the slicer that was in place (where the noodles come out) when I opened the box, so the noodles were thicker than I preferred. Later, I asked the two men who were at the gathering to take a look and we finally figured it out. It was one of those secret handshake things, push on the back piece while pulling up on the top. Next time I will be able to make the thinner noodles.
I used my spirooli to turn yellow squash into noodles. Photo by Theresa
The recipe is pretty simple - make your favorite meat sauce and serve over zucchini "noodles."

We sliced the skin off  the 8 medium sized zucchini. In looking at the photo (above) I realized we didn't have to remove the skin. Actually, the noodles look more interesting with the skin. We then put the zucchini through the spirooli to make the noodles and then put them in a bowl and into the microwave.

Since it was my first time making these, noodles I set the microwave to 2 minutes. After 6 minutes, each time we took them out of the microwave, we took turns tasting a noodle to see if they were done enough. You want them cooked, but not soggy. They softened to our liking after 10 minutes.

(07/16/14 update: I made these noodles on top of the stove in a small amount of water in a veggie steamer and they cook in less than 2 minutes. I highly recommend stove-top cooking them.)
Martha Stewart Veggie Steamer. Photo source: macys.com
We then invited the others to taste the spaghetti with meat sauce. A couple people were hesitant to try the noodles, because they don't like veggies or they don't like zucchini, but everyone had some noodles with lots of meat sauce, to keep the meat-to-veggie ratio in line.

Some loved these noodles, others really liked the sauce, but the noodles, not so much. Other recipe ideas were suggested, such as adding them to a stir-fry. If you google spirooli recipes, you will find a lot of recipes and videos.

At the end of the night, Linda said "I love these noodles. I have to get one of these things." I loaned her the spirooli. This way she can make the noodles for for her family a few times before committing to buying one. Plus, this gives us another reason to get together. Linda, we look forward to seeing you post the spirooli recipes you create for your family. A photo would be great too!

The Meat Sauce

I cooked 2 pounds of organic ground beef with long slices of onion (half of a small vidalia onion), and after the meat was cooked I added a jar and a half of tomato sauce (I used Capa di Roma's Roasted Garlic, which I bought at Big Y). I made the meat sauce the night before, so all I had to do was heat it up at the gathering. I usually use both jars of sauce for my meat sauce, but since I was serving the meat sauce over veggies, I cut back on the amount of tomato sauce - always watching for the meat-veggie ratio.

The Noodles

Adjust the number of zucchini (green and/or yellow) to suit your needs, try to make an amount that will eaten that day. I used 8 total.

Remove the skin from the zucchini (or you may leave it on.) Push the zucchini through a spirooli to make the noodles. Place the noodles in a dish and microwave until the zucchini the texture you like for your noodles. I cooked all 8 zucchini for 10 minutes.  If you're cooking less zucchini, cut back on the cooking time.

Serve the noodles and sauce separate, unless you are sure you've made the exact amount needed. The noodles become too soggy if left in the sauce. (I read this, I don't know this for sure.)

The Menu

So, you're wondering, what else did we eat? Plenty...
  • Fillet Mignon
  • Corn on the cob
  • Bacon wrapped shrimp
  • Shrimp cocktail
  • Pepperoni
  • Salad
  • Barbecue kielbasa
  • Rolled soppressata
  • Veggie sticks and cheese
  • Deviled eggs

The Group Photo
Gathering of friends of Julie 07/26/13
Clothing Exchange

In addition to meeting some for the first time, we had a clothing exchange. This was a lot of fun. In fact, I'm wearing a new blouse from this giveaway in the photo above. The grand finali was when our hostess opened her coat closet and offered a beautiful crimson red wool coat, which was a perfect fit for the recipient!

More Spirooli Recipes
Other Resources

July 30, 2013
I've been singing a song every summer for the past three years. I'm still working on the lyrics, but it definitely has a country-western twang, and it goes something like this . . .
Ukulele photo by Theresa
Tell me
Why am I wearing last summers clothes? 
Maybe I didn't wear them as often as I could have
And maybe I'm not as thin as I could have

Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time 
Girl, I'm sorry I was blind
But they were always on my mind
These clothes are always on my mind

(end of song)

I can see in my clothes that I've lost weight in the past few months. My clothes are looser, but I can't fit into a handful of size 16 carpis someone recently gave me and it frustrates me. A friend pointed out that perhaps those pants may not be a good fit for me and that once I can zip them up - they may be too big everywhere else. This made sense, so I went looking for visual evidence to see my loss in other ways.

First, I went looking for photos of me in the same outfit last summer and this summer, hence the photos below. Although these are not full body photos, the difference in my face and chin is quite visible. When I wear the dress in these photos, I feel the difference in how it fits from last summer. It was never tight, but it certainly has a whole lot more room than it did last year.
Left: July 2012 Right: July 2013
Next up: go on a shopping spree to update my wardrobe. I have a closet full of tops, but I don't have enough pants or dresses. My goal was 1) see if I could fit into size 16 pants or dresses and 2) regardless of size - buy a pair of black pants or capris.

 Hold on...a girl has to eat first before hitting the stores, so I  first stopped to have a late lunch (3pm) at Outback, where I enjoyed a wonderful meal. This is one of those times when one has to leave food on the plate. As large as the steak was, I needed to be mindful of eating bite-for-bite meat and veggies. 
Outback Steakhouse
At Dress Barn I tried on a size 12 black and white empire dress. What a riot. I skipped right over the 16'a and even the 14's. I'm so determined to be a 12. It had a side zipper, so I slid the dress on, but it wouldn't zip up over my hips. The top and thighs were a perfect fit, but there was no way the zipper would go up over my hips. Okay, so I'm not a 12 yet. I took a photo and moved on to other outfits.
This size 12 dress fit, but I couldn't zip it over my hips!
I tried on a skirt and blouse that I had considered buying a few months ago - a blue and white top with a knee length white skirt, both size XL. The outfit looked great in April and I was hoping a sale would make it worthwhile to buy now. Both pieces were only in an XL and neither were on sale. But guess what? It didn't matter - they were both too big! Yeah! Evidence found. Nothing else in Dress Barn fit me right, so I moved on to Macy's.

At Macy's, I headed to the larger woman's clothing area thinking this time of year I may find bargains here in the smallest of their large sizes. I tried on a beautiful black skirt with a top I wore into the store. The skirt fit nicely, but it had an elastic waist and the skirt flared out in a way that visually added pounds. It felt nice, but who wants to look heavier. Snap another photo and move on.
Back skirt with top I wore into the store. Not sure what size this was.
Moving on the Avenue for pants...no luck. Of course I tried on a few 14's, but they didn't work at all. The size 16 pants I tired on fit and looked nice, but were uncomfortable when I walked. They made a "swoosh" sound and the legs bagged up. No thanks.
Size 16 capris from Macy's
The clothing in specialty stores for large women don't work for me anymore. This is something to cheer about, because it's official now: no more large women's stores for me. There's no looking back.

I meandered into Macy's regular women's section, which is hard to identify because they have so many sections  for women. After trying on a size 14 skirt (ha, I'm so determined) and a few other items with no luck until I found a pair of size 16 white pants. They were really expensive and marked down quite nicely too. They fit beautifully.
My new "black" pants in size 16.
I deemed these my new "black" pants, because that's what I really wanted, but the truth is, I wanted a pair of size 16 pants in ANY color. These are longer than my other capris, they feel wonderful, and the front pockets are nice and flat. My capris all have pockets that take up too much room, the pocket fabric is too thick, whereas the pockets on these pants don't show under my blouse.

I had a successful shopping spree, despite the fact that I only bought one item. I realize I need to just get out of my own way. Here's where I stand today, I'm going to:

  • live with the clothing I have for the rest of the season 
  • stop fixating on what I don't have and enjoy what I have
  • remember that all these clothes WILL be too big for me next summer
  • remember that I have dropped weight and the rest of my body (hips in particular) will follow in their own time
  • keep following program and the weight will come off
What's happening in your wardrobe? Have any of you had these kinds of wardrobe malfunctions? How are you moving past what size you want to be and focusing on the more important things in life than what size you are?

July 26, 2013
This recipe showed up on my FB timeline today and I had to share it. I made a couple minor adjustments to make it fit our unique diet. Before you balk at the 3 grams of carbs, bear in mind that if you use condiments or citrus juice at all you're eating sugar, hence you're getting about that per meal on average anyway. :-)
Photo and recipe source: Ricki-Lee Anderson
Philly Cheese steak Stuffed Peppers
  • 12 oz. thinly sliced deli roast beef
  • 4 Slices Provolone cheese
  • 2 Large Green, Red or Yellow Bell Peppers
  • 1 Medium Sweet Onion
  • 6 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic - minced
  • Salt and Pepper - to taste
Directions
  1. Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.
  2. Slice onions and mushrooms.
  3. Saute over medium heat with butter, olive oil, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper.
  4. Saute until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized about 25-30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  6. Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion and mushroom mixture.
  7. Allow to cook 5-10 minutes.
  8. Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.
  9. Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.
  10. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.
  11. Serve and Enjoy!!
Makes 4 servings - 3-4 net carbs per serving
July 24, 2013
Back in 2008 I had a moment of "I've had it" and decided it was time to lose weight.

And I did.

Before all was said and done I'd lost about sixty pounds.

It took more than a year.

I went to Planet Fitness EVERY DAY.

I walked on the treadmill. I put in hours on the elliptical. I did the weight circuit.

I was there religiously. I went to OTHER Planet Fitness gyms when I was on vacation and visiting my mother.

I was committed and it was working.

Here's the problem: my diet was still crap. And this led to two other problems:

First, it was taking forever to lose the weight. Second, It was hard to see a measurable difference in my appearance even though my clothes were all fitting better and I was obviously losing.

I just didn't think I looked very good.

So after a while I started going every other day. Then it was twice a week, then I wound up paying for another six months and never went... but I didn't want to "quit" so I kept paying.

Does this story sound familiar?

I just realized that my frame is now smaller than it was then. I can actually get into clothes I fit into then.

(By "clothes" I mean a pair of jeans I used to be able to pull up over my belly because they got too big and are now too big once again)

Logically speaking, there's no way I've lost over 100 pounds in a couple months.

See, back in 2008 and 2009 I was losing weight but it was mostly water weight.

I wasn't losing fat because I kept eating carbs and unbalanced meals and fast food... I slowed it down a little but I was still eating it.

My estimation (based on a few factors, some of which I've already shared, some of which are more personal) is that I'm probably hovering around the 300 mark right now, maybe a little less.

And yet I'm smaller than I was five years ago at about 255.

This is why we all need to stay off the scale.

Because if I convince myself that I'm 255 and I'm 295... game over, baby. I'll be headed for the nearest pizza and washing it down with the first available beer.

So it doesn't matter. I look now like I did then. It's all good.

I remember Julie talking about two people who had about the same physique but one was 20-30 pounds heavier.

She also talked about two people who were the same weight. One looked to be the right weight for his height, the other looked chubby. Same height, same weight, totally different bodies.

It's not about numbers. It's about looking good and being well.

What number equals "well?"

Precisely.
July 22, 2013