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feeling chatty
Posted on | September 2, 2009 | 15 Comments
And what better than a random post to share my chattiness?
1. I started a Slim Fast diet 2.5 weeks ago. I lost 4 lbs. (amazing!) the first week, even after cooking for my extended family all weekend AND having a piece of cheesecake for dessert! However, I lost zero lbs. last week and I’m quickly getting sick of shakes. 190 calories for a shake is good, but if I’m hungry again in 30 minutes and eat a 100 calorie snack, why not just eat real food (yogurt & fruit with a little bit of granola on top, or oatmeal, or a 200 cal. bagel w/cream cheese) and get the satisfaction of chewing? I’m all for the calorie counting but I miss eating real food.
2. I’ve started two new sweaters, neither of which are without problems. Here is number one:
This is the Circumnavagated Cardigan, and I really should say WAS because I’ve since frogged it. Not that there’s anything wrong with the pattern, it’s a really cool pattern that I HAD to have once I saw pieknit’s version. The pockets are what sold me! However, I finally gave in to that nagging feeling that told me it was too big, moved the stitches onto scrap yarn and yeah, 5″ of positive ease is definitely too big! Plus, I’d added some really wonky waist shaping that you can see to the right of the pocket and all that needed to be redone. I will be restarting this soon, as I want to convert it to a vest for backpacking this winter.
3. My other knitting project is the pas de valse cardigan in the Fall issue of Twist Collective. For the most part, it’s been an easy knit, but the collar shaping took serious study of the instructions and actually, I’m going to have to go back and redo the last bit of shaping because I didn’t realize that I was supposed to TURN after knitting one collar stitch to one back stitch and ended up with a sizeable hole at the back base of the collar. The hole could be sewn shut and no one would see it back there because my hair would totally cover it … but I really want to do it right. I have just enough experience knitting sweaters to make winging it dangerous; I guess I need more hand-holding than the pattern provides! At any rate, this is what it looked like on Saturday:
Yes, that’s four working balls of yarn (Rowanspun 4 ply, sadly discontinued). Last night I ripped out an entire day’s worth of knitting on the sleeve and this morning I decided I need to completely start the sleeve over again, picking up more stitches than specified to give the arm scythe a looser fit. I’m using much smaller needles than suggested (US 3 instead of US 6), which has worked out fine so far since my row gauge is spot-on, but a tight arm scythe would ruin the flowy look of this sweater, not to mention that it’s an open cardigan and I need to be able to wear a blouse underneath. I believe it’ll be worth it in the end, I love the fabric fingering-weight yarn creates!
4. I think I know why I’m so chatty. I had two Coffee Nips this morning (because I was HUNGRY!) and I haven’t had that much caffeine since I gave up drinking coffee and diet sodas three months ago!
5. I am DONE with being a vegetarian. In fact, I just had half a BLT to celebrate and it was GOOD! I blame Top Chef. (this may sound flippant, but I assure you, it was a decision long in the making and I imagine my diet will remain 90% vegetarian since SB is firmly committed, but I reserve the right to eat meat if I so choose).
6. I am dedicating thirteen hours this weekend to catching up with everyone’s blogs. So be prepared for the comments!
7. Happy Random Wednesday!!!
Comments
15 Responses to “feeling chatty”
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September 2nd, 2009 @ 11:10 am
I like it when you’re chatty. :D
I think you’re right. Real healthy (low cal) food has to be better for you than a shake in a can. You need to feel satisfied so you won’t cheat. If the shakes aren’t giving you that, look elsewhere.
September 2nd, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Hooray for chatty. Slimfast. Yeah, I think it works when you do it but how realistic is it to keep doing it? I dunno.
September 2nd, 2009 @ 11:41 am
I second Cookie. The liquid in the can isn’t the way to go. The pounds will only come back with a few more and serve no purpose other than to utter demoralize you. I tell you this as a friend who struggles. Lower your carbs and up your lean protein. Drink your water and eat healthy snacks. Stay away from processed food. Real food is the key as well as exercise. Try WW. I have and the support is great. Sorry if I sound preachy. Love the knitting you have going on. :-)
September 2nd, 2009 @ 11:52 am
I think the liquid in the can should be reserved for on-the-go snacks (gotta be better than McD’s) or to jump start a regular change in eating. (Nothing tastes better after a week of thin chocolate “shakes” than a plate of broccoli and chicken and brown rice!)
As for the vegetarianism, all things in moderation, right?
September 2nd, 2009 @ 12:56 pm
Go MEAT! :P You know how I feel about meat. Mmm… meat…
Ahem. Anyway. I’m proud of you for doing what you have to do with the sweaters, what fun is having a sweater that bugs you to wear it? They’ll be lovely when they’re done.
September 2nd, 2009 @ 1:09 pm
I have a hard time with Slim-Fast. Makes me very sick. I needed a protein shake tho, to add calories (I know… sue me…) on days I have long rides, so I tried the Odwalla ones and while an entire bottle of the chocolate flavor is 440 calories (which is what I consume for breakfast on long ride days), just a half one goes a long way to not being starving or getting that odd lightheadedness, if I need just a bit of something.
September 2nd, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
Ha! As I told Carrie this morning, I can’t even stay on a yarn diet, much less a real one!
;-)
September 3rd, 2009 @ 6:42 am
Yay! Welcome back to the dark side! So nice to see you again. The only two cents’ worth I can throw in is that I never, ever drink my calories; meaning, nothing I drink has very many calories at all. Liquor is a special occasion substance, coffee (1/2 decaf) is mixed with Land O’ Lakes fat free half & half – It’s awesome, I drink one diet soda a day and the rest of the time I drink bottled or filtered water with those 5 calorie Wyler’s pink lemonade mixers.
I think that’s the longest run on sentence I’ve ever written.
September 3rd, 2009 @ 10:53 am
And I thought I was weird for making Green Monster shakes with spinach. I also have to chew something. I am still losing wt slowly, but have to exercise to keep losing!
September 4th, 2009 @ 6:29 am
Hey, welcome to the Omnivore group! A BLT was a great way to start. I still think, though, that I could skip the bacon and eat toasted tomato sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner if there’s good bread and summer tomatoes. Yum!
I can’t wait to see how your sweaters turn out. I love watching you knit a sweater.
September 4th, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
That’s what we do here…just counting calories and eating healthy. And the benefit of chewing! lol
September 5th, 2009 @ 6:12 am
Love that Rowanspun color and texture. And I feel in better company now that you have frogged also.
Problem with shakes is it doesn’t do anything to create change in habits, so regain is inevitable. It is just so damn hard.
September 6th, 2009 @ 10:26 am
I bought that Circumnavigated Cardigan pattern, so you need to hurry and reknit yours so I can see how it goes.
Screw the shakes.
I do Pescetarian (vegetarian+fish) at home to accommodate DH, but sometimes have meat or poultry when I go out to eat.
September 10th, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
Best thing I have found so far:
BODYBUGG
Yes, it seems expensive but it works out to only $30 a month. That is $1 a day, shakes are way more than that. Also, real food. Also, never hungry. Also, real math. It’s the only way I have ever been able to lose weight! I love it :) Good luck with whatever you end up doing!
September 16th, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
Gorgeous!