so the biggest problem with the diet is going to be cost, especially when you add in those shakes, meal bars, and so on. so we're exploring some options. we already knew that the fat free foods would probably be pricier than we can afford at the moment, though there are some things we already buy in reduced fat versions, so we agreed that, for now, price is going to have to play a factor. if that means passing on the low fat or fat free version because of the cost, then so be it. we'll still be eating better because of how we're adjusting the diet overall. the only things that may be an issue is the fresh fruits and vegetables, but i think we can take the cost on those.
one of the options we discussed is the bars and shake stuff. name brand is really pricey -- too pricey, so we decided to try to get the store brand versions. i'm still concerned about the cost though. even at $5 a can instead of $12-15 a can, with 2 people using the stuff, that's going to add quite a bit to the bill. and that's just the drinks. the bars and all don't give as much for the buck and are quite costly too.
and then there's the issue of getting off the "diet" to a normal meal plan for the rest of your life. "diets" can't be temporary things but life changes. one of the reasons i never did do a program like jenny craig was the whole prepackaged food deal. it's expensive and doesn't really prepare you to go from prepackaged to making your own foods. i have the same concern about a diet reliant on bars and other "diet" foods that don't require you to plan and prepare your own meals.
so far my thought is to keep the morning shakes and, for the moment, use the food pyramid to get ourselves balanced out. we can use the slim-fast site menus and whatnot to help get ourselves on track, so to speak, but we will need to eventually plan our own menus.
one program we're talking about is weight watchers. i tried weight watchers before jewel was born, was losing weight, and it helped you learn how to mix foods, plan your menus, and prepare your own meals without reliance on prepackaged, diet products. the only reason i left was because i got pregnant and you shouldn't lose weight when pregnant. i never went back because of life things -- moving, divorce, school, and so on and so forth. life got pretty crazy. it costs, but i actually would get a decent break through kaiser and we'd really only need to sign one of us up. so we're considering that, particularly if we have trouble making the pyramid thing work for us.
beyond that, there is good news. i know saxy was concerned about the amount of food he'd be allowed to have. but, so far, there's plenty of food, and most of it is quite filling. the shakes in particular seem to have a way of keeping you from feeling hungry. not too sure about the bars -- i haven't been too impressed with what we've tried so far. they tend to be rather dry, and not really tasteless, but not really that good either. for the other food -- what we lose in meat (which he's really big on) and breads (which i'm really big on) is made up in vegetables. for me, the big problem will be the sugar "addiction."
saxy also wants us to try to not eat after 7 pm. 7 pm may be a bit early for me, since i'm usually up so late, so maybe 8 pm will work for me -- we'll see. i did manage not to eat anything late last night, despite wanting to (it's a habit for me to have a late night glass of milk and an english muffin or something). apparently, though, it's a good thing to restrict late night snacks, which have always been a big problem for me since i'm up until 2 or 3 am. course, that's changed for me too. with the job schedule pretty much taking effect for me, even during vacation, the latest i'm up these days is 1 or 1:30 am (dependent on whether or not i get really focused on something and have to take a shower late).
so, we're looking at a few different options, figuring out what will work for us as a couple and a family. the big thing we have to watch there is that the kids, particularly froggy and taz who are both very slender (and taz in particular has difficulty gaining weight) and need even more fat content than their older sister. we're considering extra portions on the meat and breads for them, just to make sure they get covered. i wish we could afford two types of food -- the fattier foods for them and the less fatty stuff for us -- at the same time, but it's just not possible. we can barely buy the fruits and vegetables to cover everyone.
but i think i'm finally determined to stick to this. we went to six flags over georgia with my brother and his family yesterday and there wasn't a whole lot i could do. i didn't fit well on most the coasters. and the one coaster i was on was rather scary. not so much because of the coaster itself, but because i almost blacked out. that probably has to do with my blood pressure, but it really upset me.
i used to be fun! i used to be able to do high energy stuff! now i can't even ride a damn roller coaster or walk around a park a bit without getting exhausted, and i hate it. i hate what i've become. it's not the weight -- though being old and heavy sucks -- it's about me not being able to do the things i used to love to do -- the dancing, the going out all day, and so on. while being as heavy as i am has some to do with that, i've always been on the heavy aide and still been able to do those things until recently.
the state of my health is becoming a big thing to me. i know it should have been sooner, but there were other things that needed my focus first, and i just didn't have the room to deal with one more issue. i have a son who will need me to be around for awhile. i have aches and pains that i'm sure would be reduced with a healthier lifestyle. and i can't even ride a roller coaster anymore. it's definitely time for me to do something about all this.
thus the exploring how to make a better diet for all of us. a bit late, but, hopefully, we're finally ready to stick with it.
