The weight loss journey begins...

After gaining 10 pounds over the course of the summer it is time for me to take action and get back on track. To achieve a 10 pound weight loss I will keep track of my daily food intake, track my weight watcher points and keep an activity journal.
Writing everything down makes me more accountable and in my experience has made my progress so much more successful.

Getting on the scale recording my weight and hopping on every few days to see how things are going also helps me be more mindful of how I am doing...monitoring my progress helps keep me motivated.

Before embarking on a regime it is important to rid the cupboards and fridge of anything that might derail my progress...no hidden stashes of chips, chocolates or cookies. We all know what foods we crave and must avoid as quite possibly they are loaded with calories and fats.

Next up the grocery store shopping keeping to the aisles at the perimeter of the store...the dairy, meat, seafood, produce sections are where I need to focus my attention by choosing fresh vegetables, fruits in season and lean proteins.

I use skim milk in my morning cafe creme as it foams better.
Eggs are a great source of protein and they are also very versatile.
I love a poached egg atop a pile of greens or an omelet with fresh herbs for lunch. Hard boiled eggs make a great snack if you are feeling hungry between meals.

Fresh fruit counts as zero points on the Weight Watchers program so I load up on bananas, apples, pineapples, oranges, peaches, plums and berries...
opting for fruits that are "in season."
I will eat several fruit servings each day.

One of my favourite breakfasts is a 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt or cottage cheese with sliced fresh fruit. My appetite is controlled better when I have protein with each meal...it keeps me satisfied until the next meal and rarely do I get hungry in between.

If am extra active and feel hunger pangs I will have a couple of tablespoons of hummus with carrots and celery sticks or a wedge of Laughing Cow Light cheese with an apple.

I avoid most breads and will opt for 2 slim slices of "Little Big Bread" if I want a sandwich. This bread is made with sprouted grains and made by the Silver Hills company.

Potatoes are my weakness so I try to limit my intake of them especially in the initial phase of my program.

Lean meat (not fried) or protein is limited to about a 3 ounce serving.
My dinner plate will be heavy on the veggies and lean on the protein portion.
A plate loaded with lots of luscious colourful veggies is satisfying and beautiful.

Green salads with sliced mushrooms, onions, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and colourful peppers are an easy way to fill up as there is lots of chewing involved. The action of chewing sends a signal to the brain that one is sated and full.

Be careful not to load up on creamy dressings...simple vinaigrettes are best and if you like vinegar you might be able to skip the oil and just have a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top.

No pop or sweet drinks will pass my lips...
I will opt for tea, coffee, and several bottles of Perrier each day.

I enjoy a glass of wine but find that it has "empty calories" so it can derail or slow down my reduction plan.
Perrier in a champagne flute or a glass with a wedge of lemon or lime is festive enough and guilt free...getting plenty of fluid really is important...aim for 2 litres every day.

If you are tempted to snack...keep your hands busy...read a book or call a friend to chat.
Knit, crochet, do some embroidery whatever helps calm your thoughts.
Go for a walk or work outside in the garden.

Exercise!
Yes I will be out pounding the pavement every day for at least 45-60 minutes.
Walking is free and easy to do...no gym fees, you can do it anytime that suits your schedule and it is much more fun when you walk with a friend.

If you do not have a good pair of supportive walking shoes invest in some right away. My former knee problems were linked to a pair of sneakers that had no real structure or support.

If you are motivated by looking good while walking perhaps you will want to buy a cheerful coloured jacket or pants...something that makes you feel energized and happy.

I wear black yoga style skinny knit capris and a tee top with a light jacket by Mondetta that I purchased from Costco...inexpensive but very neat and functional.

If you have never walked much before start with 15-20 minutes. Do this for a week and soon you'll be able to add increments of time and distance and you will feel so much better and the movement is also so good for our aging bones.

If you prefer to exercise at the gym or pool because of weather or personal reasons you can ask the staff for suggestions of which routines and classes that will suit your goal. Zumba is very popular here among ladies of a certain age!

So let's begin...our journey together.

Getting healthy, trimming a wee bit of body weight, toning up and doing it together...are you ready?

I welcome comments and tips as we move through this together.
Good luck.

Goals...

leaner, lighter, fitter, more energetic.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

What I packed for 18 days living out of a tote bag....and a weight loss series.

Summertime holidays cruising on our Sea Ray
are simple, easy and streamlined.
We avoid any drama or stress.

Living in small quarters means that we both must live out of our large Lands' End canvas tote bags.
I take another small tote bag with my toiletries and books.

OOTD's fall into the category "comfy casual."

I wore the grey baroque pearls that darling daughter gave me every day.

Storage is at a premium on our 27 foot Sea Ray Sun Dancer so we pack light.

What I packed in my large canvas Lands' End tote bag:

Two bathing suits ~ Lands' End

serape black ~ white seashell and starfish print 

(also used as a shawl with the bamboo dress)

two bras 

6 pairs of knickers

(I washed these and hung them discreetly inside the boat head to dry)

6 pairs of bamboo sox to wear with my walking shoes

2 linen tank tops ~ one in a light grey shade and the other a lime green

striped blue and white nautical Tee

Adidas skort in a black knit 

(I do not like wearing shorts)

two pairs of black yoga style skinny knit cropped pants

DKNY faded denim boyfriend jeans

Banana Republic ~ faded blue chambray shirt that doubles as a jacket

Gelco bright yellow warm puffy jacket 

yellow rain slicker 

(always keep it on the boat)

Columbia lightweight walking jacket black "Omni-Heat" technology

Saucony walking shoes

Clark flip flops

Sperry deck shoes ~ espadrilles

for dinner and lunches out I wore:

Click ~ white linen short cropped wider capri style pants 

Royal Robbins ~ white long cotton top with a V neck and an asymmetrical line

Gilmore ~ black bamboo dress

black cardigan style jacket with a 3/4 length sleeve

Waterproof Tommy Hilfiger watch.

I leave my silver bangles at home as they are a safety risk.

I wear my wedding rings and two pairs of diamond studs in my ears.

Hand washing is quick and easy.

A few pieces of the laundry hung on the rails of our boat

in the hot sunshine and most things were dry within an hour.

Dressing in appropriate clothing for boating safety and ease of movement is necessary as there are situations that require that I climb around on deck and hop off with ropes to tie up when we arrive at the dock.

I insist on neat and tidy outfits that work together in a similar colour palette.

This casual nautical wardrobe is not unlike what I wear in my day to day life here in The Humble Bungalow.

Classic black and white were the colours that made up this holiday wardrobe.

I could have used a second bamboo dress in another colour as it was the coolest item I wore on the hottest days...

I will check out the sales and see if I can find another one!

Stay tuned for a new series...

I am going to focus on losing 8 ~10 pounds...

The Weight Watcher's weight range for my age and height is 132 ~134 pounds.

(I am currently weighing in at 142)

I am not trying to lose weight for unrealistic "vanity" reasons...

I want my clothes to fit better as they are currently tight 

and ensure that my blood pressure stays in the healthy range.

Besides I worked diligently for 2 years to shed 30 pounds...

if I let myself slide 

I will be back in the unhealthy obese range...

my doctor will be admonishing me as he doles out his advice

plus I will feel disappointed in myself.

I am embarking on upping my walking and counting my WW points,

tracking what I eat and how I move every day.

I may even write down how I feel and when and if I get hungry between meals.

Perhaps we can do it together and share tips and encourage each other along the way.

Enjoy your weekend!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holiday snippets and snapshots...part three.

We met up with friends who have a boat and we all cruised to Genoa Bay.
The Marina is quaint and small but very protected from the wind and is quite near Cowichan Bay where they hold a sailing regatta every year.

The winds were blowing about 25 knots so the sailors were happy.

Spinnakers made an appearance on part of the race...

the reason these photos are rather blurry is that I took them from inside the window of the GrayLing shuttle boat.

The wee lapstrake hulled boat ferries passengers (and dogs) to Cowichan Bay.

The main street is not long but is jam packed with

shops, a chandlery, several eateries, a bakery, deli and a small grocery store.

We spent about an hour and a half perusing the shops and eating lunch before hopping back on the shuttle to Genoa Bay. 

It was super hot in Genoa Bay so I used my personal fan...

O 2 Cool

which mists water and helped me stay cool.

We ate simple fare...

fresh home grown tomatoes from The Humble Bungalow Garden were harvested before we left and carefully spread out in a basket so they would not bruise.

The taste of these heirloom varieties are out of this world!

I was "roughing it" and had to use a soup bowl for my cafe creme every morning.

It tasted good but looked quite tacky!

You know what they say...

Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

(so much for keeping up standards...it has gone to the dogs)

Walks in the morning were kept short due to the extreme heat and it was uphill all the way from the marina. 

I saw a family of quail with about a dozen babies and a couple of wild bunnies that were nibbling in the gardens.

Flowers catch my eye and turn my head every time I go walking.

We ate lunch out with darling daughter and her husband.

They had the loan of Mr. HB's BMW and drove up from Victoria to show us the elopement pictures.

Sipping an icy cold margarita on the deck of The Genoa Bay Cafe.

It is a fabulous place to dine, most of the boaters go up for a meal or two while they are tied up at the docks and many other diners come by car.

Our friends joined us for dinner on the deck on another evening...

Impromptu concert from the boat on the dock across from ours...

we were asked to sing a line and be the chorus.

I am not sure that our sound was in tune but what we lacked in sound quality we made up for with enthusiasm!

all the great food and beverages have added some extra pounds and I will be starting a series of posts on what I plan to eat and do to get rid of the holiday weight gain...

I also plan to write a post on what I wore and how I packed for 18 days on a boat living out of a canvas Lands' End tote bag.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holiday snippets and snapshots...part 2

The mountain of laundry has been washed, folded and ironed and it feels so good to be back on top of the chores.

Chester has definitely warmed up and is back to his former tricks...
a few more snapshots from our holidays.

Port Browning Harbour on Pender Island.

Mr. HB and I have been going there since the 1970's

when it was called Scot's Lair the bagpiper would play the pipes at the raising and lowering of the flag right atop this rocky outcropping.

The Marina is close to the Driftwood Centre which has a fabulous book shop, a gift store, pharmacy and a well stocked food market...

basically all the things we might need are a 10 minute walk from the boat.

This horse saw us walking by the fence and came over to say hello.

After checking us out it proceeded to munch on some dandelions.

The view from our walk along Razor Point Road.

This windmill was beside a farm stand that sold veggies, jams, wool and eggs.

We walked briskly for an hour in the hot sun to visit the Sea Star Winery.

I had worked up quite a thirst and the wine was chilled!

a lovely glimpse of the ocean from the top of the hill

There was a food truck from the Hope Bay Bistro on site and a Farmer's Market with veggies, breads, jewelry, pottery, flowers.

An acoustic guitarist played while we dined...

 I had tasty fish tacos for lunch with a glass of wine.

The Ortega is especially nice for al fresco summer time dining and BBQ's.

When we pack for our cruising holidays on our SeaRay 

we plan ahead and bring lots of books.

One of the luxuries of being away from our usual demands and routines mean that we can devote a good chunk of time to reading.

There are no distractions like TV or the Internet as WI-Fi coverage is spotty and unreliable.

Colm Toibin's Nora Webster is a gem...I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jude the Obscure

I have another couple of instalments of the holiday snaps coming up...

with so many photos I need to break them up so that they don't bog down the Blogger site!

Hope that your week is a good one.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holiday snippets and snapshots...part one.

Mr. HB and I just returned from our annual holiday aboard our Sea Ray.

          (Julian's newest novel did not disappoint, both Mr. HB and I enjoyed it)

We spent our days aboard our boat relaxing, reading, eating simple meals and walking and exploring the Gulf Islands.
I have to lose some weight as a result of too much rich food and wine...
I will be organizing a series of blog posts on how I plan to lose 10 pounds.

Perhaps you'll follow along on my journey...

There is a pile of laundry downstairs...the machines are going through their cycles as I sit here in the Humble Bungalow kitchen with my cafe creme typing this post.

The cats seem happy to see us...lots of meowing and purring.
They were left in the capable hands of a friend who has been taking care of them for our holidays for several years now and knows them well.

Chester seems a wee bit put out that we left him for so long and he is giving us the cold shoulder. I hope he forgives us soon, but thankfully Pepper the elder cat is her usual affectionate self.

Beach combing is one of my favourite things to do when we are out on our boat.

Sea shells and beach glass are often found along the shoreline.

A very large barnacle which we use for our coins...

showers, laundry and ice at the Marina's call for coins.

Loonies and Twonies

kept handy inside this vessel.

The view going through the gap between North and South Pender Islands.

Jude the Obscure rose was a stalwart on the trip...

even fading in the heat 

the fragrance was a welcome reminder of our Humble Bungalow Garden.

Stay tuned for more holiday snippets and snapshots.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Hope that your summer is ticking along nicely.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~