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Thursday, May 13, 2010

Staying Slim

I was in 2 minds about blogging about weight loss until I read Blur Ting's blog here. I was amused that we were both preoccupied with the same topic on the same day.

Anyway, 20 years ago, I tipped the scales at 42kg. After 2 children, I maintained it at 44kg up until I became anaemic 4 months ago. I was tired and I thought that if I ate more, I would be less tired. So I ate more. The more tired I felt, the more I ate and the more I slept.

I gained 7kg.

However, it seemed to me that the more weight I gained, the more tired I felt... and the more I ate. And I felt caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. If I didn't eat, I would be malnourished and probably anaemic. If I did eat, I would be fat and still tired.

The thing about staying slim is that The Husband appreciates it. When I was padded with post-partum adipose fillings, he was too polite to comment. He maintained that it didn't matter to him. But there are some things you read in your husband's eyes. When I eventually did lose weight because of a tight work schedule, The Husband was most pleased. Since then, I have made a real effort to maintain my weight.

I broached the topic with him last week. You know, my love, I'm sort of very well into middle-aged even by the newer standards of longer life spans. It's about time I reflected some middle-aged corpulence, no? Maybe I should leave the weight on and allow myself to enjoy the respect people give to portly matrons?

The Husband said somewhat hesitantly... "You can eat less carbo and still make sure you take those iron supplements? Would that work?" That, I guessed, was his way of saying that he would rather that the weight stay off. So, I've been on a one meal diet since Sunday.

I eat a well-balanced meal at dinner, and dutifully pop my iron and calcium supplements... and I don't eat breakfast nor lunch. I've done this before and the fat comes off quickly after the 5th day. It's the 5th day today. Already, I am feeling quite a bit more energetic and once I get past the first 3 days, I don't even feel hungry at breakfast and lunch anymore.

As one grows older, one needs fewer calories. I know of this retired nurse who eats only one meal a day because that is all she needs. Maybe, this is all I need and I should do this for the rest of my life.

But you know... I do so like food.

11 comments:

Blur Ting said...

Oh, we poor things! I am already eating one proper meal a day too. The rest of the day, I drink a cup of oat or snack on raw sunflower seeds and cranberries. We eat like birds!

When CH and I walked past the gym yesterday, he mentioned about my lack of persistence in weight training. I was like, "Hello, you come take over my chores and I'll go exercise. You don't have that many chores but do you exercise??!"

Hence, my post today :-)

Petunia Lee said...

You said it! Like birds!! It's easy for the men to comment. They don't have the excess oestrogen that leads to weight gain!! And they don't have any kids to drive around and what not... sigh...

I haven't been exercising either... been sleeping so much.

Petunia Lee said...

Women's weight gain in the 40s and 50s is more than a question of discipline and exercise I think... This is the age when oestrogen levels go crazy... and weight gain is linked to the hormonal imbalances.

I'm not even sure this one-meal thing is gonna work at all this time around. It's been a while since I did this to take off the kilos.

Blur Ting said...

Hey Petunia, I think it is not healthy to eat one meal a day. How about changing your diet instead like eating steamed yam, sweet corn, pumpkin and sweet potato.

Now NTUC Finest sells the imported sweet potato from Japan for only $4.60 a pack of about 8 small ones. They're divine!

When I moved back to live with y parents, the change in diet caused me to lose several kilos. Sometimes we must trick the body this way. Must keep changing or else it plateaus.

For me, I know the weight will fall off once I start running but then I'll end up with knee pain etc. Unlike before, I have very little time to run now that I cook and walk Rusty.

Petunia Lee said...

Yam and sweet potato are high carbo foods. I've been eating them lately - which explains the 7kg.

But I love both!!

termite said...

hi pet and blur ting,

may i suggest something? maybe you might want to look into doing brisk walking either in the early morning or early evening at the botanical garden? that is if time permits. that is what my aunt and i use to do to help me lose weight. plus u would enjoy the plants there while doing your brisk walking :). if i remember correctly i think dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash, so u can always bring milo along.
eating one meal a day is really not good for health :P

Petunia Lee said...

Ting and Termite - Thanks for being so sweet to offer alternatives to the naughty thing I am doing. Good to have internet kakis like you!!

I will go for a brisk walk.

termite said...

pet make sure u have proper shoes for brisk walking as well! and try to take the flat paths. don't jog :P i find that really bad for the knees, swimming would be another alternative! actually swimming is the best form of exercise :)

Petunia Lee said...

Termite - I do swim regularly you know. About 36 laps each time.

PhotoSynthesis said...

Hi Petunia, love reading your blog especially about learning Chinese I love the way you turned it around so your children active in making decisions. I regards to your anemia you need to have Vitamin C in your diet you can take as many iron supplements or eat iron rich food but if you have a low level of Vitamin C in your diet it wont work!

Petunia Lee said...

Brent - Many thanks for the info on Vit C!!