Conversations with my Dad...

I just HAD to share this.

I don't talk to my dad all that often. There's a reason for that. First of all, he LOVES to talk...about politics, or what's on the news, or about the Bible. He loves to talk about pretty much everything except himself. But when he does talk about himself he talks about his diabetes (type 2) and maybe his work. He really gets into talking sometimes that he starts, without meaning to, debates with the other person. Sometimes with me but we don't talk all that often on the phone. We butt heads I guess you could say. lol We get along just fine but he really enjoys arguing with me and he always wants to win...but so do I. <em>246</em> I do love him though. He's my dad! But we do "fight" often on certain things. It's all a bit amusing later on when I think about it though.

For the past couple of years I've been "lecturing" him about what he should be eating and not be eating because of his diabetes 2. He would not take me seriously. And well, now that I'm on "this side" I can see why. I mean, I wasn't even taking MY OWN advice so why should he??? I get it. I had no right to tell him what to eat and not to eat. But I knew what I was talking about. It was just eating a healthy diet. Or I *thought* I knew what I was talking about. lol! Wow! Was I ever blind? huh? Geez! No wonder everything I told him went in one ear and out the other.

So he answered the phone today (I bet he later regretted it LOL!!!). Here's a bit of what we talked about.

Me: "So do you know how much I weigh now?"
Him: "Um, I don't know, how much?"
Me: "I weigh 158 pounds now."
Him: "Wow! You've lost a lot of weight now. So, you're finished right? You've reached your ideal weight haven't you?"
Me: "Um no! I have about 33 more pounds to lose. My ideal weight is about 120-125 pounds."
Him: "Wow! (*he sounded a bit shocked*) You're going to be so skinny!"
Me: "I'm going to be healthy. At my ideal weight."

He pretty much thinks I should stay where I'm at. He said "If I lost any weight (*he weighs about 175-180 pounds and is just a couple inches taller than me*) I'd blow away with the wind!!!"

My other thought is this. He has no reason to doubt me anymore. I am proof that losing weight by eating healthy and exercising IS possible. I'm hoping my change will help him AND my mom a bit. I want them to live longer. I hope I can open their eyes too some time. I have already in a few ways. They are eating more fish (because I told my dad to "JUST TRY IT ONCE!", eating more vegetables it seems, drinking more water, eating more fruit. But they are still eating out once or twice a week, eating double their portions. Trust me I know they think they are eating just right for them but for the longest time in my life I thought my portions were just right. Boy, when I started counting calories I was SO wrong about that. lol Big eye opener calorie counting was. Yep!

Then I asked him if his Dr. has told him that if he lost a bit of weight then he would probably not be on medication for his diabetes 2 anymore. He said his Dr. hasn't said anything to him at all. Which I find a bit weird. For the past couple of years I have been telling him "ASK your Dr. about it!" He kept saying "Yes I will." But has yet to ask. I told him it's not really hereditary. Not type 2. The searches I have done online mostly say it's not. He only has it because of lack of exercise and poor diet. I know my dad. He LOVES to eat. Buffets and him get along very well. My mom is overweight too. I honestly don't know how to stop it.

This summer is going to be so different for me you have NO idea! I have not seen my parents since July of last summer. According to my dad I'm losing an unhealthy amount of weight. Now, keep in mind, I find these thoughts of his a bit amusing. lol I know I'm not losing an unhealthy amount of weight. I know where I need to be. I've been to my Dr and I have done my research. I don't blame him for thinking that though. I've been overweight my entire life. He has gotten used to seeing me "obese". It was my "normal" to him and my mom for many many years! Wow. Are they in for the shock of their lives when they see me IN PERSON for the first time in months!! I've sent them a few pictures of me but seeing me in person is so different. I'll feel like one of those biggest loser contestants going home after losing a big amount of weight. :-) I'm on my own "weight loss ranch" right now. haha!

I have thought of different scenarios that might happen this summer though. My parents ALWAYS call me for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even if I'm not hungry. Actually, I never go hungry while I'm at their house. I never get as far as my stomach grumbling. I do here. Oh yeah and there's also the whole thing about so many good foods sold in the States. Well "good" before I started losing weight. Not really all that great now. :) During the summer I always want to stuff myself silly with my favorite foods because I'm there for such a short time. I always come back ten pounds heavier. NOT THIS SUMMER!!! Nope nope! I am determined to continue my healthy eating even though I will be living with my parents for about 1-2 months. That very first day I'm going to visit the gyms in their town and get started! I'm way too scared of gaining weight. I *might* gain 1-2 pounds but hopefully not more than that. I'm definitely going to have a very challenging summer getting adjusted to living somewhere else. :-) Oh yeah and I plan on counting calories again sometime this summer. The nutrition facts there are awesome and so easy to follow! :)

Can you tell I've been thinking a lot about this? As the time gets closer, it's just becoming more and more real. This is REALLY happening. I'm really moving! It's a bittersweet feeling though. I WILL miss a lot of things here and some people. For the past few months I've not been wanting to meet new people but as I've been losing weight I've noticed I've gotten more social so it's getting a bit hard. Ahh! Oh well. I'll be fine. :) There's always the internet to keep in touch! That and I know I'll be back to visit in the future. My kids are from here. I'm sure they'd love to see Norway again someday. I know I will want them to see it.

I look forward to the future! I'm going to embrace it with a smile on my face and a positive attitude!

~L

Privacy

I'm thinking I need to start a more private blog so this is it! I'm continuing with my weight loss blog but here in private. Why? I don't know. Maybe because I hate feeling like an open book over at spark :-) But it's ok! I don't mind sharing some stuff.

Anyway, yeah. That's it for now.

~L

Food oh Yummy Food!

My family and I took our last trip to Sweden on a, what they call here "harrytur". For the past couple of years we would go to Sweden to buy meat, chicken, beef, etc. because it is quite a bit cheaper there than here. AND at the store we go to they also have an American food section. I used to LOVE buying stuff from that section but after starting a healthy diet, there's nothing I really want from that section anymore. OH I still bought some generic fruit loops for my kids though and for me. You know, for those times I want something sweet to munch on :-)

Anyway, we had dinner at the mall and I always really dread eating out somewhere because everything is SO unhealthy!!! I could have ordered a salad but all the dressing, ugh. No. So I ordered a chicken burger. It had mayo inside and came with some fries. I thought I was really going to go over my calories for the day if I ate ALL of it. So, instead, I just ate the chicken inside, the salad it came with (very little!) and munched on some of the fries. I didn't bother eating the bun it came with. So, I might have been "ok" on calories but way too high on sodium. But you know what, it's ok! I didn't beat myself over this. I felt GOOD about the choices I made. I chose not to eat the bread, saving me what...200ish calories probably? I drank water too. I told my husband "Sorry I have to be so picky now about my food" since I left the bread and half the fries at the end. <em>246</em> but I was satisfied. (we ate dinner at about 4pm) Later that night I had melon, some apple slices and a banana as a snack. Mmm loved the melon! So, I went to bed feeling good and satisfied. Now, rewind 8 months ago...there's NO WAY I would have been satisfied with eating just fruit as a snack. NOPE! Forget it...especially after leaving half my plate of dinner!

So I was sitting here thinking about the food that I make and eat. You know, it hasn't changed all that much from before BUT I do make stuff from scratch a lot more now than before. And I eat more vegetables now too. Before I would buy packaged soups and stuff that you just add this or that. Stuff loaded with sodium and lots of calories! I also always used taco seasoning for when I made tacos. Now, I mix my own taco seasoning with the spices I have here at home and my tacos taste pretty darn good! I still eat tacos :-) Usually just one taco or two, or I fix myself a taco salad, or eat it in a whole wheat tortilla and make myself a burrito instead. Use low fat cheese, low fat sour cream or plain yogurt, lean ground beef or my new favorite ground chicken (only 5% fat) LOTS of veggies on top!!! Tastes pretty darn good if you ask me.

So, I still make my favorite dishes but try my best to make them healthier (adding more veggies or changing to whole wheat, etc.) AND my portions are small. Well, smaller than before. I know what a portion size is now and always try to stick with that. I don't count calories anymore so I have to just SEE it on my plate and then I usually know if it's too much or too little. I usually go nuts on the veggies though especially if it's my favorite. (..asparagus, zucchini!!!!) :) You know, I never thought I'd get to this point but I stopped counting calories last December because I just couldn't keep up with it anymore. And I've lost about 30 pounds since then. And guess what? I still enjoy chocolate, soda, sweet bread, or any other "bad" food every now and then. ;-) I just don't eat them ALL the time. Just once every couple weeks or so. Or if I feel like I've been good on calories all day, I enjoy a small piece of chocolate in the evening.

I'm just glad I can make the right choices now. I'm surprised I get full a lot sooner than before. I never leave the table feeling "stuffed". If I'm feeling extremely full it's probably because of all the water I drink either before or after my meal. Usually one or two glasses of water. It really does help. :-)  I think I've found something that really works for me. And everyone is different. You will eventually find something that works for you.

I'm looking forward to seeing my parents reaction this summer though when it comes to me eating. I'm sure they are going to think I'm not eating enough. For ALL my life they have seen me eat, well, a lot more than I do now, keeping me the way I was (well...ya know...overweight). I'm sure it will be a bit of a shock at first. I'm slowly preparing myself, more mentally than anything else, for that new challenge. I can't wait!

Oh but wait...that means I have to say goodbye to everything around here. So sad. But that's another story. :(

~L