Nutrition Archives - Page 2 of 17

December 9, 2019December 15, 2019

Losing weight with Noom

After 6 weeks on the Noom weight loss program, I had hoped to be at my goal weight. But I’m not.

But let me tell you: I could not be happier with the program!

I’ll give you the numbers and let you decide. I started at 195.0. I am now, 6 weeks later, at 182.8

My goal, or, rather, the goal Noom set for me after my digital interview, was 181.3 after 6 weeks. I’m 1.5 pounds above that.

But I am down 12 pounds! That is 2 pounds per week, and that, as I recall from all my reading over the years on nutrition, health, and weight loss, is a good rate of loss for sustainable downsizing.

I’m ecstatic!

I’ve been trying to lose fat for the past few years, and I’ve failed. When I went below 190 after a couple weeks, I was pretty excited. When I went below 185, I was elated. When I popped back up a little, I was disappointed, but now that the first 6 weeks are over and I’m down 12(.2) pounds, I have a feeling of accomplishment.

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019

10 pounds in 4 weeks on Noom

I just finished my 4th week on the Noom program, and I’m down 10 pounds.

That’s pretty phenomenal.

And it’s not the result of starving myself. I was talking to my friend Lex the other day, and I said that exact thing — I don’t starve myself. If I’m hungry, I eat, even when it takes me over my calorie budget.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going hog wild and pig crazy! But that’s another part of Noom: changing habits.

Where I would previously have potato chips, I have carrots and hummus. Where I would previously have a grilled cheese sandwich, I have a Boca Burger on sprouted whole grain bread. Those are both better choices for my current fitness goals, because the foods I’m choosing now have a lower caloric density than my old choices (Green or Yellow on the Noom color scale), and, from a hunger standpoint, that is more satisfying than those old Red foods.

Plus, I like those new choices. They are foods I ate before, but now I just eat more of them.

November 21, 2019November 25, 2019

How I am changing myself through Noom

I’ve noticed some positive changes in myself since starting the Noom program 3.5 weeks ago.

My weight is down. I can see it. 8 pounds, and I can see it with my shirt off.
My skin is softer, which is weird, because I noticed this last week, when it was freezing cold here in San Antonio, and usually that means dry skin for me. I’ve experienced softer skin before, and it was directly attributable to a change in diet — I was on a vegan cleanse — so I’m going to assume this change is due to my participation in Noom.
My meat consumption — almost none — is about the same, but I’m not afraid to eat it, because sometimes it’s a better choice (maybe). My sugar consumption is down. And I am focusing more on fruits and vegetables plus whole grains (even though many whole grains are Red foods in Noom).
My dietary choices are changing. Where I’d normally eat bread, I’m eating sweet potatoes. Where I’d normally eat gelato, I’m eating sorbet. Where I’d normally not eat greens, I’m putting frozen spinach into my meal.
My dietary habits are changing. I’m more present in my eating, consuming food only until I’m full. Where I’d normally eat a lot, I’m eating less.

November 11, 2019November 12, 2019

Weighing in with Noom

I’m starting Week 3 of my Noom program, and it’s going great. I’m exercising more. I’m watching what I eat from a holistic perspective, rather than singling out some foods as “bad” (even if my writing and attitude may sometimes lean that way).

I’m enjoying myself!

But one thing I don’t like is weighing in daily.

I know from my many past experiences with weight loss programs that weight fluctuates daily based on a lot of factors, including food consumption, level of hydration, and, by the gods, whether or not I’ve emptied my bowels.

Noom says that daily weigh-ins are motivational. I’ll bet they are for a majority of people, but, as we know, if we think scientifically, it is folly to apply generalizations to individuals.

We know that smoking causes lung cancer. 80-90% of all lung cancer cases are a direct result of smoking!

Did you also know that only 10-15% of smokers ever develop lung cancer?

November 10, 2019November 11, 2019

My relationship with ice cream

I love ice cream.

I don’t think that puts me in the minority of humans. What’s not to love about ice cream? It’s creamy. It’s sweet. It’s delicious!

I’m including gelato under the “ice cream” label, even though I like it more than ice cream. It’s smoother, and usually not as sweet, which I would imagine is true because it’s retaining its European roots, and it seems to me that Americans prefer their foods too sweet.

My father was in the US Air Force, so I spent more than half of my school years living in Europe. England when I was very young, for first and second grades, and Germany when I was older, junior high (what’s usually called “middle school” now) and high school.

Because of all the time I spent in Europe as a youth, I developed less of a sweet tooth than other people I know, because, when I was a kid, anyway, Europeans made their sweet pastries with a lot less sugar than Americans do. A German cake, for example, was very enjoyable to me, because ingredients other than sugar shone through.