Oh wow, I'd assumed (and heard from my area) counseling would be a part of the process itself, to help people to deal with the issues that caused weightgain in the first place and to prevent them going toward other unhealthy coping strategies (like alcohol) when food falls away.
Frank's Diary (aka The Last 50 is the Toughest)
- Thread starter Frank M
- Start date
Frank M
New member
Hey all - haven't been around in a while what with the holidays mostly. Hope every is doing well.
I was bummed out on Monday as my neurologist cancelled an appointment at the last moment... now, yes, I'm bummed because of the reasons I need the appointment, but weight-loss wise, I'm bummed out because I ONLY count weight loss as "official" when I get a weigh in when I happen to be at a doctor's appointment. So I was looking forward to that!
I'm pretty sure that, right now, I'd be somewhere in the 236-238 range... meaning down 162-164 lbs from my original 400 in May of 2017.
The revised goal of 225 is seeming like it could be something I see in the next few months, and the pie in the sky goal of 199 might all of a sudden be possible.
We'll see!
Frank
P.S. Oh hey, forgot the big news! I spent an hour chatting with Dan Rosado yesterday for an episode of The Big Fat Life Podcast. If you've never checked it out, it's great. He does a deep dive with folks who have lost a lot of weight about how they did it, what their challenges were, what they learned, etc. We had a really good discussion. Not sure when it posts, but when it does I'll come back and put up a link. I'm guessing it'll either be tomorrow or next Wednesday.
I was bummed out on Monday as my neurologist cancelled an appointment at the last moment... now, yes, I'm bummed because of the reasons I need the appointment, but weight-loss wise, I'm bummed out because I ONLY count weight loss as "official" when I get a weigh in when I happen to be at a doctor's appointment. So I was looking forward to that!
I'm pretty sure that, right now, I'd be somewhere in the 236-238 range... meaning down 162-164 lbs from my original 400 in May of 2017.
The revised goal of 225 is seeming like it could be something I see in the next few months, and the pie in the sky goal of 199 might all of a sudden be possible.
We'll see!
Frank
P.S. Oh hey, forgot the big news! I spent an hour chatting with Dan Rosado yesterday for an episode of The Big Fat Life Podcast. If you've never checked it out, it's great. He does a deep dive with folks who have lost a lot of weight about how they did it, what their challenges were, what they learned, etc. We had a really good discussion. Not sure when it posts, but when it does I'll come back and put up a link. I'm guessing it'll either be tomorrow or next Wednesday.
I don´t think neurologists around here would even have a scale in their office
Do you ask for it specially or is it standard?That sounds exciting, will check it out!
alligatorob
Respected Member
Hey Frank, good to see you posting again. Given your resolve and plan I am sure the 199 is not only possible but am pretty sure its inevitable, just a matter of time.
Let us know when your Podcast comes out, I want to hear it.
Let us know when your Podcast comes out, I want to hear it.
Frank M
New member
I don´t think neurologists around here would even have a scale in their office
Nope, it's just in my doc's office. And since it's in the same building as my primary care physician... it's the same exact scale type. So I can rely on it as consistent. I know, for example, that my home scale is 1 lb, 8 oz heavier than that scale... pretty much all the time. So I can guess my weight from home, but I only record it officially during a dr visit.
Scale calibration tip: I always make sure to weigh myself right at home right before going to the doctor (always try to get a first thing in the a.m. appt, before eating anything). I write that weight down, and then when I go to the dr I write THAT weight down. That way, I can compare "apples to apples." After doing it enough times, you'll get comfortable knowing how accurate your home scale is. Just an FYI. I also try to wear the same clothing to dr apts (seasonally), for the same reason.
For example, today I got 238.4 at home in the typical clothing I'd wear to an appointment.. meaning that I guess I'd have gotten 236.8 on my dr. scale had I an appointment.
You should NEVER rely on the scale as your sole source of pleasure/joy of course, and I don't... I just look at it as data, so I don't really have any hang ups about stepping on there daily. What it shows doesn't impact me. I really only care about trends over a period of a the previous 7-10 days.[/QUOTE]
Frank M
New member
It's the beard, I know. Makes me look completely different. My wife has finally got to the point where she's ok with it.
Frank M
New member
Aww, thank you Cate! I’m sure your friend is a wonderful person. I assume he’s funny, smart and modest... just like me! LOL
This is my first time ever with any facial hair... I started growing it in the fall when I just didn’t shave for a few days, and... since I’ve had gray hair since I was about 16, the fact that my mustache came in dark was quite exciting. Reaction seemed to be overwhelming positive from everyone but my wife, or, as I told people “right now the votes are about 10,000 to one, in favor of the beard... with the ”one” being my wife... which means, the beard is LOSING.” But eventually, she came around. LOL
Wow! for that photo comparison. That is really something! Very much congratulations.
And I read back a bit in your diary as well, and came to this: )
And I read back a bit in your diary as well, and came to this:
Yes - I very much agree. (But for some reason can't access the little figure which would say so.
)
Frank M
New member
Hey everyone, I don't normally like to just flat out link to something on my blog... but a) it's not like I'm trying to sell something and b) this is something I'm really hoping people will find really helpful. Over the past several month I've played around with various ways to prepare different proteins and I came up with this stuff... it's not really a marinade (it has lemon juice, so you can't let a piece of fish soak in it too long or it will "cook") and it's not a traditional "sauce" in that I always think of a sauce as something that you pour on top of something when you serve it.
Anyway, we struggled naming it... and around the house we kept just calling it "the Stuff". Like... what should we do with that Mahi Mahi we picked up? Oh let's just roast it with "the Stuff" on it.
Seriously though, the idea was to come up with something that was really tasty, and low calorie and quick and easy to make... and that's what this is. The official name I used for the recipe was Garlic Lemon Basil Sauce aka "The Stuff"... and I just wanted to share it with you all here. I'll link to the blog at the end, but it's super simple anyway:
1 tbsp of white wine
1 tsp of olive oil
1 tsp of garlic paste (or 1 clove finely chopped garlic)
1 tsp of freshly chopped basil / basil paste (or 1/3 tsp dried basil)
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (which is juice of 1/2 of a lemon)
All that is mixed together and, after you salt and pepper your protein (whatever white fish or poultry you'd like) as you normally would, you put "the stuff" over it, top it with lemon slices (the other half of the lemon you didn't zest) and roast at 425 degrees until it's cooked to whatever temp that particular protein needs to be cooked to.
The stuff adds just 32 calories per serving IF you're having two 8 oz servings of protein.... so less with smaller pieces. It's really nothing and it is really delicious and easy. Give it a go!!!
Here's the link if you want to see some pictures and get a few more details, but the above gives you most of what you need... happy to answer any questions too. Hopefully it's something that can give those of you who are looking for a new meal planning option something to add to your rotation!
Frank
Garlic Lemon Basil Sauce (aka "the Stuff") - Lighten Up!
Anyway, we struggled naming it... and around the house we kept just calling it "the Stuff". Like... what should we do with that Mahi Mahi we picked up? Oh let's just roast it with "the Stuff" on it.
Seriously though, the idea was to come up with something that was really tasty, and low calorie and quick and easy to make... and that's what this is. The official name I used for the recipe was Garlic Lemon Basil Sauce aka "The Stuff"... and I just wanted to share it with you all here. I'll link to the blog at the end, but it's super simple anyway:
1 tbsp of white wine
1 tsp of olive oil
1 tsp of garlic paste (or 1 clove finely chopped garlic)
1 tsp of freshly chopped basil / basil paste (or 1/3 tsp dried basil)
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (which is juice of 1/2 of a lemon)
All that is mixed together and, after you salt and pepper your protein (whatever white fish or poultry you'd like) as you normally would, you put "the stuff" over it, top it with lemon slices (the other half of the lemon you didn't zest) and roast at 425 degrees until it's cooked to whatever temp that particular protein needs to be cooked to.
The stuff adds just 32 calories per serving IF you're having two 8 oz servings of protein.... so less with smaller pieces. It's really nothing and it is really delicious and easy. Give it a go!!!
Here's the link if you want to see some pictures and get a few more details, but the above gives you most of what you need... happy to answer any questions too. Hopefully it's something that can give those of you who are looking for a new meal planning option something to add to your rotation!
Frank
Garlic Lemon Basil Sauce (aka "the Stuff") - Lighten Up!
Frank M
New member
It’s really really good... we’ve tried it on at least 6 or 7 different white fish, and it’s worked well on all of them.. and equally well on chicken and turkey. Best on thinner cuts (more surface area) than something like a big thick chicken breast, obviously. But big flavor, and few calories.
I got SO sick of all the so-called healthy recipes that began “take 1/4 cup of olive oil”.... LOL
Tell me about it... Still looking for a pesto recipe I can deal with. Will try using roasted garlic as a base next time.
Frank M
New member
First of all, a caveat right up top. Writing this at about a 5-6 on the migraine pain scale, and just took my pain meds... so there's a decent change I might be somewhat less cogent than usual. I apologize. But I promise if I catch myself veering off topic too far I'll try to pull it back on course as best I can...
The wife and went to see Parasite this morning, the last of the 2020 Best Picture nominees we hadn't seen. Cannot recommend it highly enough. We both just said "wow" when it was over. I can't see it winning the Oscar, as I know there are a lot of voters who are prejudiced against the so-called idea of "reading" a movie, but you get so quickly ensconced in this movie you barely notice them. I also, don't think, by the way that 1917 wins... despite the fact that it's the one picture above all others I recommend people see in a theater. It's a marvel to see on the big screen. But because so many voters probably just watch these movies on screeners from their homes, I don't think they'll get the same impact. That's why I think Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will win. Great movie, and Hollywood loves to honor moves about itself anyway.
Ok yeah, for example? This has NOTHING to do with what I wanted to write about... sorry.
In conjunction with going to the movie we had to grab a quicker lunch, and we went to the Cheesecake Factory. Not sure if everyone has those where they are, but they're pretty ubiquitous in the US... big portions, high calories, but decent quality. Anyway, they have a "Skinnylicious" portion of their menu, and when we've gone in the past, we've both ordered from that. In fact, I've always ordered the Skinnylicious Pasta with Chicken.
Pasta is something that 400 lb me ate all the time, but since then I don't eat it at all... and so the rare occasion to have this particular dish was never unwelcome. It's 590 calories though, so I always just ate 1/2 of it... which was plenty.
Actually there one main pasta exception I make for myself is for the single best plate of pasta I've ever had... and I'm actually not alone in calling it this. It's served at Scarpetta's in NYC. The restaurant founded and formerly owned by Chef Scot Conant, this is a simple dish of just pasta and sauce... not a big serving...but it's absolutely delicious. It's one of our favorite NYC restaurants whenever we're going into the city for a show, and I can't recommend that dish highly enough. Ok, sorry... back to, you know, the point.
Anyway, got the Skinnylicious dish today, and as I said it's probably been about year since I last had it? And the first thing I noticed was... it seemed... greasy. I asked my wife if her dish seemed similarly different and she didn't feel quite the same way, but I felt very strongly that my dish just didn't taste good. I spent time examining it, and concluded that it wasn't misprepared... I think this was the dish I'd had several times before. I just think that another year of slowly but surely, bit by bit eating increasingly more healthy and more clean, something like this suddenly is less appealing.
So that 1/2 portion that I'd have normally eaten? I tried to eat most of the chicken, and a bit of the pasta and so I maybe had 1/4 of it.
My wife felt bad that I hadn't eaten much, but I was pleased... because I felt I learned an important lesson. Or at least confirmed one. If you've found the right weight loss plan for yourself, it really does get easier not harder, as you go along. I've known and felt that... but this was proof staring at me on the plate today.
You can't force these kinds of things, they come with time and patience and forgiveness and just understanding that it took you a long time to be the weight you're starting from... so it'll take you a long time to get to the weight you want to get to... but get yourself on the right path and that ball will start rolling DOWNHILL at some point and it's something to see.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble! Just thought maybe for those at the early stages of things this might provide some motivation, or for those handicapping the oscar races, or looking for a NYC restaurant.... ok.... ok... I'll stop....
Frank
The wife and went to see Parasite this morning, the last of the 2020 Best Picture nominees we hadn't seen. Cannot recommend it highly enough. We both just said "wow" when it was over. I can't see it winning the Oscar, as I know there are a lot of voters who are prejudiced against the so-called idea of "reading" a movie, but you get so quickly ensconced in this movie you barely notice them. I also, don't think, by the way that 1917 wins... despite the fact that it's the one picture above all others I recommend people see in a theater. It's a marvel to see on the big screen. But because so many voters probably just watch these movies on screeners from their homes, I don't think they'll get the same impact. That's why I think Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will win. Great movie, and Hollywood loves to honor moves about itself anyway.
Ok yeah, for example? This has NOTHING to do with what I wanted to write about... sorry.
In conjunction with going to the movie we had to grab a quicker lunch, and we went to the Cheesecake Factory. Not sure if everyone has those where they are, but they're pretty ubiquitous in the US... big portions, high calories, but decent quality. Anyway, they have a "Skinnylicious" portion of their menu, and when we've gone in the past, we've both ordered from that. In fact, I've always ordered the Skinnylicious Pasta with Chicken.
Pasta is something that 400 lb me ate all the time, but since then I don't eat it at all... and so the rare occasion to have this particular dish was never unwelcome. It's 590 calories though, so I always just ate 1/2 of it... which was plenty.
Actually there one main pasta exception I make for myself is for the single best plate of pasta I've ever had... and I'm actually not alone in calling it this. It's served at Scarpetta's in NYC. The restaurant founded and formerly owned by Chef Scot Conant, this is a simple dish of just pasta and sauce... not a big serving...but it's absolutely delicious. It's one of our favorite NYC restaurants whenever we're going into the city for a show, and I can't recommend that dish highly enough. Ok, sorry... back to, you know, the point.
Anyway, got the Skinnylicious dish today, and as I said it's probably been about year since I last had it? And the first thing I noticed was... it seemed... greasy. I asked my wife if her dish seemed similarly different and she didn't feel quite the same way, but I felt very strongly that my dish just didn't taste good. I spent time examining it, and concluded that it wasn't misprepared... I think this was the dish I'd had several times before. I just think that another year of slowly but surely, bit by bit eating increasingly more healthy and more clean, something like this suddenly is less appealing.
So that 1/2 portion that I'd have normally eaten? I tried to eat most of the chicken, and a bit of the pasta and so I maybe had 1/4 of it.
My wife felt bad that I hadn't eaten much, but I was pleased... because I felt I learned an important lesson. Or at least confirmed one. If you've found the right weight loss plan for yourself, it really does get easier not harder, as you go along. I've known and felt that... but this was proof staring at me on the plate today.
You can't force these kinds of things, they come with time and patience and forgiveness and just understanding that it took you a long time to be the weight you're starting from... so it'll take you a long time to get to the weight you want to get to... but get yourself on the right path and that ball will start rolling DOWNHILL at some point and it's something to see.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble! Just thought maybe for those at the early stages of things this might provide some motivation, or for those handicapping the oscar races, or looking for a NYC restaurant.... ok.... ok... I'll stop....
Frank
alligatorob
Respected Member
Hey Frank, thanks for posting the pictures, yes the beard makes all the difference.
You know you were an early inspiration to me in my process, seeing your success made me feel more confident I could do it, thanks!
You know you were an early inspiration to me in my process, seeing your success made me feel more confident I could do it, thanks!
160+ pounds lost, I think there is a missing person somewhere.
One without a brain and with very little muscle mass
That sounds very possible to me. It's definitely happened to me over the years. Do you know what's in your NY perfect pasta sauce?
Frank M
New member
its just a red sauce / marinara / “Sunday gravy” ... simple but clean. I believe I’ve seen him make it on a show before and its no different than mine really. But the pasta is cooked perfectly. Its one of those things where you can serve something really simple, but if you make sure all the details are exactly right... it’s special.One without a brain and with very little muscle mass
That sounds very possible to me. It's definitely happened to me over the years. Do you know what's in your NY perfect pasta sauce?
i actually found a link to the recipe... which includes a story about the dish itself, asking the question: is it worth it to spend $24 on a simple dish of pasta? (Article concludes yes, and mentions how throngs of people agree. I was an early adapter lol). $24 for spaghetti: Is it worth the splurge?