The Revolving Diet

Hays Diet System Summary

Getting used to the Hays Diet System took work.  Preparing my own meals and trying to stay within the correct food combinations was difficult the first couple of days.  I found myself questioning and doubling checking that I could have one thing with another before eating it at every meal.

 Once I got down what not to eat with certain foods it did become easier to eyeball what I could have at each meal.  Bonus, I lost 2 pounds this week!!

 As you already know – I blew the diet yesterday.  And I paid dearly last night. 

 I was overly full when I went to bed last night and I woke up about 2 AM with an excruciating stomach cramps.  I spent the better part of an hour in the bathroom trying to relieve the cramping and finally succeeded.  The increase in sugar, fats and just things that I hadn’t had all week eaten at a single sitting just brought havoc onto my system.  In addition, I started to break out in zits.  Not little tiny ones that you get from sweating – big “the size of an eye” zits (two on my chin and a large one growing out of the top right side of my forehead).  Not that I haven’t broken out a few times over the course of doing these diets – but this time seems worse than the past. 

 When losing weight there are always the obvious signs we notice; clothes getting looser, our face thinning out, our overall outlook brighter but there are also more subtle  things that occur during weight loss that are not as the obvious of losing the weight : Bad breath caused by Ketosis, when you look down you can see your own genitalia and/or toes, rings slip easily off fat fingers, dieters acne and our sex drive increasing.  

I could see this being a long term way of eating, but it does take discipline.  A lot of discipline. For the week I felt pretty good – without the interruption of sleep – I probably could of gotten more exercise in, I was just too tired.  The diet is restrictive as there are no sugar or starches.  The foods were not processed.  There was no take out.   The diet is geared toward helping the digestive system and with the high intake of veggies and fruits you are pretty much regular as rain. The way we normal set up meals is a protein, starch and a veggie.  Doing this diet you give up having these types of meals. It’s very easy to fall back into the old tried, true and comfortable.

 

*** DO NOT DO ANY DIET WITHOUT FIRST TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR ***

Day 88.2 ~ 4/24/11

Happy Easter to All!

All I have to say about today is I fell off the wagon, the wagon ran  over me backed up ran over me again and then again.....Good until dinner....dinner was nothing but junk food.

There were too many choices and not enough restraint, plus my wonderful mother in law telling me I can get back on my diet tomorrow - enjoy today...the pressure was unbearable!!  Not really - I just caved and everything I tasted was wonderful!!

The feast started at 1:00pm and we got home at 9:30 pm.

Breakfast:  2 Whole Wheat slices of toast with 2 teaspoons butter

Lunch 1: (appetizers) shrimp cocktail

Lunch2: (sit down dinner) 1/2 piece Prime Rib, 1 slice baked ham, carrots, salad greens (no dressing)

Dinner: (here's where I blew it) 1 small scoop chocolate chip ice cream, 1 thin slice Easter Pie, 2 baklava, 1 small slice mountain momma, 1 slice caramel chocolate covered apple, 1 cherry blow pop

The restraint during the week was thrown off by too many good things - my head was spinning worse than Linda Blair in the Exorcist!

I enjoyed the day, the food and the company (not in that order)...I hope your day went well and you enjoyed all the day offered!

Back on track tomorrow!!

Have a wonderful night! 

We will get back to the dieting tomorrow.

Day 87.2 ~ 4/23/11

Very long night last night.  We left soon after I finished up my blog entry (about 7:30pm) and got home at 5:00 AM.....yes AM!  My day started at about 12:45pm this afternoon.  Meals all messed up and no exercise.

Breakfast:  Swiss Cheese, tomato omelet at local diner (4:15 am)

Lunch:  Large chef salad with oil, vinegar, two rolls (3:00 pm)

Dinner:  2 pieces of my homemade baklava (new recipe, not too bad)

Drank fresh brewed ice tea through most my day and baked.  Me...who is on a diet, made desserts...and a couple of good ones too.  Mountain Momma (my brother in law specifically asked for, I haven't made in years) and Easter Pie (an italian pie/cake from Giada DeLaurentis...one of my favorite chef's on TV...my other two are Wolfgang Puck and my friend Madison Cowan)...

Picture of my Easter Pie right out of oven...

 
Out of pan and with dusting of Confections Sugar...

 
With the leftover phyllo dough - I made a small pistachip/almond baklava (my dinner tonight..)

 
And last but not least, Mountain Momma (also known as Sex in a Pan or an Orgasm) - I did not name these - a friend from a former job gave me the recipe...took picture from side so you can see layers

 
All wonderful, fattening desserts.

Recipes for all except the baklava (I found a quick one on internet and just whipped up). I was suppoed to use a glass pie pan but couldn't find mine - turns out my non-stick one worked fine...

Easter Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for garnish
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (I used lemon)
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup cooked short-grained rice (I used Aborio)
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
• 6 sheets fresh phyllo sheets or frozen, thawed
• 3/4 stick (3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Blend 1 cup of powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and ricotta in a food processor (I used my mixer) until smooth. Stir in the rice and pine nuts. Set the ricotta mixture aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish. Lay 1 phyllo sheet over the bottom and up the sides of the dish, allowing the phyllo to hang over the sides. Brush the phyllo with the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough, laying it in the opposite direction as the first phyllo sheet. Continue layering the remaining sheets of phyllo sheets, alternating after each layer and buttering each sheet. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dish. Fold the overhanging phyllo dough over the top of the filling to enclose it completely. Brush completely with melted butter.

Bake the pie until the phyllo is golden brown and the filling is set, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over the pie and serve.

 

Mountain Momma Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 stick butter
• 1 package 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 Large Cool Whip
• 3/4 cup Confectioners sugar
• ground walnuts (use to your taste)
• 2 small packages instant chocolate pudding
• 1 package of instant vanilla pudding
• 3 cups milk
• 9 x 13 pan

Directions

First Layer (Crust)

Melt butter and add flour mixing until combines, texture will be very moist.  Add ground walnuts (if you like) and mix in.  Take a large tablespoon of mixture and put in each corner of pan with the balance in middle.  Using your fingers press into pan and spread to make sure entire bottom is covered - okay to go up sides a little.  Put in oven for about 10 minutes on 350 degrees.  Crust will be flaky looking, DO NOT BROWN!

Let crust cool....

Second Layer (Cream Cheese Mixture)

Mix (I used hand mixer) softened cream cheese, the confectioners sugar and 1/2 of tube of Cool Whip.  Place this mixture the same way you did the crust and use fingers to spread....using a spoon will only bring up your bottom crust.

Third Layer (Pudding)

Mix all puddings with 3 cups milk, spoon onto cream cheese mix.

Final Layer (Cool Whip)

Put Cool Whip onto top and decorate with nuts, chips, etc...

Enjoy your night and your EASTER!

 Hope the Easter Bunny is good to you!! 

We sometimes forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we do not have, but from recognizing and appreciating what we do have.

 

 

Day 86.2 ~ 4/22/11

Last Friday for no meat (YIPPEE!!) not that we are big meat eaters but when you are used to not thinking about it, it’s easy just to take out a pack of chicken, pork chops, etc…and whip up dinner.  Fridays’ during Lent are usually fish, eggs, pancakes or pizza….and doing the diets…pancakes and pizza are almost always left out   :0(

 Quick update tonight as we have some running around to do and a smidge of visiting….

  Today’s Meals

Breakfast (at 8 AM) 1 egg, 2 egg white Cheese omelet, side of sliced tomato and an apple

Lunch (at 12:30 PM): 1 cup vegetable soup, 2 slices whole wheat toast, 1 orange.

Dinner (at 6 PM) : 4 ozs.Baked Pistachio encrusted Tilapia fillet (this was so good the other night I thought I’d have again tonight), small side green salad with a little olive oil.

 This week has gotten better as I have gotten more used to not eating the usual way (carbs with proteins, etc…) and getting more sleep last night helped a great deal in my overall outlook on this diet. There really isn’t a problem with the diet itself (other than being aware of what to eat with what) but with hubby being sick smack dab in the middle of week, threw my system off.

If you are traveling and visiting this weekend - - ENJOY!!

 Take advantage of relaxing with family and friends and don’t think about each and every morsel you put in your mouth (why ruin a good time thinking about calories?) .  You are going to be back on your diet come Monday – just don’t overdo it. 

 You have been sticking to your healthy eating and exercise for a while – you know your limits, just be conscious of them and you won’t  overdo it!

 I have a little baking to do tomorrow – I will post pictures and recipes of what I am making.

 Have a SUPER night!!!

 May you never let the things you can’t have, or don’t have, or shouldn’t have, spoil your enjoyment of the things you do have and can have. Value your happiness do not forget it, for one of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be happy without the things we cannot or should not have.

Day 85.2 ~ 4/21/11

Not that hungry tonight. While getting dinner together, I started to pull out another veggie and decided I really didn’t want any. Another nice day and able to get the lunchtime walk in.  Haven’t been able to get a night workout in but at least I am getting some sort of exercise in – I miss kickboxing!!  Also, down another .4 this morning! 

 Today’s Meals

Breakfast (at 9 AM) ½ cantaloupe

Lunch (at 1:15 PM): Tomato salad with basil and garlic, 1 cup brown rice and 20 white grapes.

Dinner (at 6 PM) : Steamed crab (about 5 ozs), salad greens with olive oil.

Slept better last night (hubby feeling a bit better too - thank you for your concern) but up at about 4:30 AM – couldn’t sleep anymore.  I started thinking about this chick I ran into (I went to High School with) and thought about the look people get on their faces when they run into people they either really do not want to see, they do not want the person to see them or they wish they had wore make-up (if a girl, sometimes a guy – you never know).  You know the look – it’s either deer in head lights or the smile that makes the face look like you had really bad plastic surgery.  I got the combo.  Deer in headlight with bad plastic surgery face lift face.  She seemed semi happy to see me (I ran into her at the Zumba Class I took) so she had no make-up on (come to think she never wore make-up in High School) hair pulled back and gym clothes on.  Me with full make-up, hair coiffed (not really – just pulled back in a pony tail) and gym clothes.  We had a pleasant conversation, mostly about if there was going to be a class reunion and who we have run into – (Her about 50+ people, she lives in same town we went to school)… (Me – no one, I got my butt out of Dodge)…ANYWHOOOOO….at end of class one of the girls I sort of got friendly with were exchanging emails &, Facebook contacts and this chick was kinda hanging out – I didn’t want to be rude so I suggested we exchange also…….I just about fell over – she doesn’t use email, does not have a Facebook account (this is not a big deal) and right to the point does not use a computer.  Now, there is nothing wrong with that.  But we went to school together and I am almost positive she has running water and electricity in her home and she is not Amish. Nothing wrong with being Amish – they are lovely people and the Amish store I frequent is one of my favorite places to visit on the weekends.

But seriously – we had computers in high school. I am fairly certain she had to take those classes.  Why would you not keep up with that?  If job searching most places want resumes submitted by email.  This really blew me away.  Needless to say we parted ways on a weird note.  I am fairly certain I am not going to take Zumba again (really not impressed by it) so the chances of me running into her (unless a class reunion is put together) is highly unlikely.  I am just hoping she doesn’t take it as I am avoiding her.  I was thinking I should just pop into the next Zumba class and say “HI” but then she might think I am stalking her if I don’t stay for the class.  Then if there is a class reunion she would tell everyone that I turned into this weird stalker chick that has no friends and is always on the computer and associates with people on Facebook and the whole thing would turn around that I was the weird one and I would in turn be the deer in headlights with really bad plastic surgery face lift face when others start to ask me questions on why I am on the computer too much….it’s just a bad nightmare that repeats itself like Ground Hog Day with Bill Murray (funny guy).

I am just over thinking the entire run-in.  Just for peace of mind – I AM NOT GOING to Zumba to say “HI”. 

Have an AWESOME night!

Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive.

Day 84.2 ~ 4/20/11

I want to start off by saying I do not wish kidney stones on anyone.  In addition to the previous night, hubby spent entire day home yesterday in pain unable to pass a stone.

 That was until about  1:30 AM, hubby woke me to tell me finally passed a stone (actually several) and wanted me to get up and look.  Just so you know (if you didn’t already) looking is staring into the toilet bowl.  Now I am completely out of it, sleepy eyes and groggy.  I follow hubby into the bathroom and he is pointing to several things I can not see, I grab my glasses and look again.  He’s going on and on about there being at least 20 stones, I am staring in the toilet and looking at him then back at the toilet and then back at him.  This goes on for about 3 minutes, the back and forth, and the only thing going through my head is “You have got to be kidding me, a woman can pop out a 6 to 10 pound baby from her crotch and you are complaining about something the size of a grain of sugar”…I know this sounds mean and I know he was in pain but I was tired and staring into a toilet full of pee and trying to pinpoint where the little (microscopic) stones were was not on the agenda at 1:30 in the morning.

Apparently this passing of stones provided great relief and he was able to fall back to sleep.  Now this lasted for about three to four hours when it happened again and yes, I was woken to stare into a toilet of pee and more stones (this time there were a couple I could see without my glasses). At this point I ask hubby if he wants me to get him a rubber glove so he can fish out the largest one so he can bring to doctors office.  He’s like NOOOOOOO….I say, "Well the other day you were giving me this whole long scenario if we were stranded on a desert island,that if there was nothing to drink we could drink our own pee".  He replied – "I said we could drink it, not stick our hands in it".

 So as you can see the last two nights have provided some humor and not so much sleep.

 Today’s Meals

Breakfast (at 8 AM) 1 egg, 2 egg white Cheese omelet, side of sliced tomato and an apple

Lunch (at 12:30 PM): 1 cup pasta with 1 tablespoon pesto sauce (olive oil, basil, garlic, pine nuts), small side green salad

Dinner (at 6 PM) : Baked Pistachio encrusted Tipaia fillet (about 5 ozs), green beans and cauliflower.

I am not really noticing any difference in how I feel eating this way and again it could be due to the fact I really haven’t gotten much sleep the last two days.  Losing .6 pounds this morning at least is a push in the right direction. So something is happening.

I also pushed myself to walk this afternoon, hoping to bring some life into me to get through the rest of the afternoon at work...it worked for about 2 hours.

Have a wonderful evening!

You must have long term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short term failures.

Day 83.2 ~ 4/19/11

Only Day 2 and I am struggling with putting meals together.  In reading over the chart I’d start outlining what I was going to have and then realized I can’t have protein with carbs then no acidic fruit with sweet fruit.  Cutting up the cantaloupe this morning and looking for something else to have with it and melons are to be eaten alone. The issue cold be I am just so tired.  Last night hubby had a kidney stone attack and woke me at about 3:45am, after going to bed after 11:30pm.  We were up until about 5:00am, then Booby starting the scratching.  I did not go back to sleep.  I am (barely) functioning.  I put together breakfast and lunch with my eyes closed.  Dinner is easy tonight, leftovers from yesterday.

Breakfast (at 9 AM): ½ cubed cantaloupe

Lunch (at 1:30 PM): Vegetable soup, slice of whole wheat toast, one apple

Dinner (at 6 PM) : 4 ounces Oven Roasted Pork Loin (leftovers), salad greens with a teaspoon of virgin olive oil and steamed broccoli.

No exercise today.  I am going to bed early tonight and be back to my usual self tomorrow.

I know we all try to do the right thing on a daily basis.  Eat right, exercise, do good by others….but just one little incident can throw off your entire day.  For me today (last night) it was the pain hubby was going through.  I point this out because no matter how hard we try to stick to our diets or our exercise plans or really anything we set out to do – there always seems to be that curve ball that throws it all out of whack!  Being as tired as I was this morning – it would have been easy for me to grab a bagel on my way to work and then for lunch get some other easy take out option.  Having at least some sort of plan laid out helped me to keep on course this morning.

The same goes with this coming weekend.  Easter is Sunday – I have already spoken to my mother in law to find out the tentative menu (and of course ask what I can bring) and now I have a pretty good idea of how I am going to fit in what I am going to be able to eat and if I should bring something that I can eat.

We can’t always plan and when we can’t – it’s okay – you have to be satisfied that you did your best the majority of the time and while you detoured a little on your own or because of circumstances beyond your control….IT IS OKAY!  You are ahead by just getting back on track.

Have a WONDERFUL night…..(I am going to sleep)

Obstacles are only opportunities to succeed or fail; how we handle them determines what will happen.

Day 82.2 ~ 4/18/11

Gained 3 pounds - Bummed, but not surprised.

While out picking up the new scale yesterday, I did try on some new clothes and found in a bra I dropped from a DD cup size to a D...and I am down a pant size!

The exercising is firming me up and I am building some muscle and as you all know muscle weighs more than fat so the gain while depressing, did not remove my elated feeling of being able to go down a size.

 I am going to attempt to eat all meals at the same time this week, having 4.5 hours between breakfast and lunch and then lunch and dinner.  This should be pretty easy as I do not have kickboxing class due to Spring break and schools are closed.

 In keeping with the Hay Diet there will be minimal milk intake (thankfully I finished my cache of yogurt) and no processed foods (no white flour or sugar).  Being the diet promotes completely natural foods, it’s a given that the weekly diet (I will try my best) should be 50% fresh fruits and veggies.

 Breakfast (at 9 AM): Cubed pineapple, 1 pack Trader Joes handful almonds.

Lunch (at 1:30 PM): Tomato salad with basil and garlic, 1 cup brown rice and 20 white grapes.

Dinner (at 6 PM) : 4 ounces Oven Roasted Pork Loin, salad greens with a teaspoon of virgin olive oil and broccoli & cauliflower mix.

 This week’s diet seems to best be done by preparation ahead of time and pretty much no take-out, no convenience foods and absolutely no junk food.

 I was able to get a lunchtime walk in and being that there is no kickboxing this week, I have talked hubby into working out with me at night (at least two nights) so I do not get out of the extra exercise.

 This morning I kept with drinking a bottle of water (picked up from Slenderluma diet) – it worked well keeping the hunger feelings down since I didn’t eat breakfast until I got to work. 

How is your progress coming along?  Are you feeling stronger and working at building up your stamina?  Doing a little something everyday has really helped me go longer and sleep better at night.  I hope you are finding the same.

Have a WONDERFUL NIGHT!!

 If you encounter difficulty, don't change your decision to go, change your direction to get there.