Who is that “Slim Spider” you may be wondering? It is Esther on Halloween. Her spider outfit from last year had to be taken in to accomodate for her 19 pound weight loss! For all of you who have been following Esther’s weight loss journey, you’ll be happy to know that she has met her 6 month goal of getting under 130 pounds! It has been MANY years since has gotten her weight this low. She currently weighs 129 - down from 148 pounds 6 months ago.

It has been a rough and rocky road for Esther. For those of you who have been following her progress on CGB, you know that Esther has an active life - lot’s of social occasions, family and work events. Most of these occasions involve quite a bit food and/or adult beverages. Esther’s family get togethers (i.e. Greek Bar-B-Q) are especially tempting as Esther loves Greek food. But despite all this temptation, Esther has managed to lose the weight and keep it off. 

Pic is of Esther holding on to 5 pounds of fat! She has lost at least double this. Keep in mind, when you lose weight, some is from fat, some from water and a small amount may be from muscle - though not much in Esther’s case as she is working out so much.

How does she do it?
I often get asked by my clients “How does Esther do it? What kind of diet is she on?” No, I did not give Esther a “special diet” because she is on CGB. Esther just works hard! No gimmicks or radical diet plans. She calorie counts (or rather I do!) and exercises 5-6 days a week. Here are some her other “tricks”:

1. Keeps a daily food log. She has kept records for the past 6 months. You have to give her credit for that! See my previous post on how keeping a food record will increase your weight loss by 50%.

2. She doesn’t deprive herself of her favorite foods. She just tries to eat them in moderation and cuts back on calories on other days. Total deprivation leads to diet disaster!

3. Exercises 5-6 days a week on most weeks. This includes at least 3 cardio sessions (usually more), 2 personal training sessions (pic is of Esther’s trainer Anastasia who kicks Esther’s butt! Calm down city guys - Anastasia doesn’t wear this when she trains Esther! It was her Halloween costume), and takes a pilates class each week (pic below is of her pilates trainer)

4. While she does over indulge on alcohol on some occasions, she is still having quite a bit less than she has had in the past. Esther is not alone. Many city girls and guys to consume alcohol when socializing - having wine with dinner, meeting friends for drinks, having a drink(s) on a date, etc. The calories from alcohol can really add up. In addition, it can decrease your willpower to watch what you eat. Bottom line, Esther has significantly decreased her alcohol intake.   (Pic is of Esther wearing her old pants which no longer fit!)

5. Esther is great about compensating for her overindulgences. When she has a higher caloric day, the next day she tends to have a much lower calorie day.  Check out my previous posts on Recovery Dinners from Your Indulgences. 
 

Esther is becoming a celeb…
Esther is becoming a bit of a NYC celeb. She is going to be on Channel 2 News! She was interviewed by one of my nutritionist colleagues at New York Presbyterian Hospital for a segment on Holiday Eating.  I’ll keep everyone posted as to when it will be on.

Esther wants to thank CGB for “keeping her honest”, her family for watching her like a hawk during get togethers, her trainer Anastasia and Jill, her pilates instructor (pic on the right).

Esther, we’ll be watching you during the holiday season!

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Esther is entering the 8th week of her weight loss journey. She lost another 3 pounds last week! Her weight is now 136, down from her staring weight of 148. This is rather suprising considering her difficult holiday weekend. Esther, like most of us, experienced a lot of temptation at her family’s Greek BBQ on Sunday. See her food records below. The leftovers carried on to the next day!

As I mentioned in my last progress report, a change on the scale does not always correlate with how you did on your eating and exercise plan for that week.  This is because on some weeks the body holds onto water and the scale doesn’t drop (even though you may have followed your eating/exercise plan 100%). On other weeks when you didn’t follow it so closely, the scale drops because for some reason your body released water. Esther’s week is an example of this. This week her caloric intake was 1600 and she lost 3 pounds, whereas last week she stuck to her calorie goal of 1300 and her weight did not change.

My interview with Esther:

Martha: I know last week you were a little bit nervous as to how you would handle your family’s BBQ. How do you think you did?
Esther: I did ok - much better than if I were not being “watched” on CGB, but it was still really difficult as there was so much food around (my favorites!). However, my brother & niece were on guard and watched me at the BBQ,  my Mom made me healthy food to take home for the week ( chicken w/ okra, spinach w/ chick peas…) and my father made me a huge chopped salad for the week.
Martha: That’s great - sounds like your family is being really supportive

Martha: Aside from the BBQ, did you encounter any other problem situations last week?
Esther: Can’t have pistachio’s in the house,  too addictive
Martha: You aren’t alone -  many people can’t control their portion of nuts. It is too bad because they are so healthy. However you are best off not keeping problem foods in the house!

Martha:  Are you getting any comments from other people with regards to how you look? Are your clothes fitting differently?
Esther:  I have been getting comments from people that I look different. Pants that were skin tight now feel loose.

Martha: I know are trying to be very careful with what you eat and drink. What do you miss the most? 
Esther: I miss having a cocktail at night after a long day.  Especially in the summer when it is so hot,  Pelligrino has been my drink of choice but would like some vodka or a cool glass of wine as well…   (Pic is of Esther’s good old days with indulging in a martini(s) )

Martha:  Any potential problem situations for the upcoming week?
Esther: This week should be smooth,  I will probably have dinner out at least one night However, last month I had really bad PMS cravings. It is that time again….

Did Esther meet her goals from last week?

Four days of Esther’s food records:

Monday, June 30, 2008
Breakfast   
special K, w/1/2 banana low fat milk   
Lunch   
chicken w/panko crust in pam   
zucchini in tomato sauce   
1 cup brown rice   
2 kirby cucumbers   
1 sm piece feta cheese   
Dinner   
grilled salmon / w. mustard on the side   
steamed broccoli w/ olive oil & lemon   
30 pistachio nuts   
watermelon    

Thursday July 3, 2008    
Breakfast    
iced coffee    
4 oz 2 % cottage cheese    
Lunch    
sm can tuna in olive oil    
tomato, basil, fresh moz. oil & vinegar    
Dinner:    
1/4 lb boiled shrimp, 1 tbs lite taramasolata    
1/2 rib eye steak    
sm portion cole slaw (lite mayo, vinegar, salt&pepper)    
1 plum    
1 nectarine    
6 rice crackers    
1 sm piece choc (trade show)  (pic is of Esther, her cousin and his partner at The Fancy Food Show last week) 

Saturday July 5, 2008
Breakfast: 
2 hard boiled eggs 
2 sliced ham 
1 tomato 
Snack 
banana 
Lunch/BBQ: 
2 diet cokes 
1 sm spinach pie 
5 Israeli pickles 
1 lamb skewer 
1 chicken leg 
hot dog w/o roll 
sm serving cole slaw, potato salad 
1 tablespoon orzo 
1/2 corona 
sm serving fruit salad 
1 macaroon w/ chocolate 
sm bite of greek pastry 
sm bite of Birthday cake 
Snack 
sm serving fruit salad 

Sunday July 6, 2008 
Breakfast 
iced coffee 
1/2 bialy w/ 1 tsp cream cheese & nova lox 
Lunch 
1 tomato & 1 avocado w/ 1 tsp olive oil & lemon 
2 pieces CRUSTLESS quiche, zuchini, cheese 
Dinner 
mixed salad w/ olive oil & vinegar 
1 chicken leg 
1 hot dog w/o roll  
4 cubes of lamb kebab 
spinach w/ chickpeas, lemon 
1 sm bite of greek pastry 

My comments on Esther’s food records:

1. She averaged 1600 calories, mainly due to the BBQ and some other high calorie foods.
2. Once again, she had a few low calorie days that helped to offset the higher calorie days.
3. Good job with adding in more fruits and veggies.
4. I am curious as to what your portion sizes are of the mozzarella cheese and olive oil. I would recommend that you weigh the cheese on occasion and measure the oil into a measuring spoon.
5. Excellent job with the minimal alcohol intake!

Esther’s goals for this week:

1. Continue with 1300-1400 calories
2. Continue with 2 personal training sessions, one pilates session and 3-4 intense cardio sessions. Find a way to increase your walking (since you are no longer dogwalking)
3. 2 alcoholic beverages this week
4. Be prepared for potential PMS cravings. If you have a strong urge for something sweet, stick to small portions, such as 100 calorie packs or a diet ice pop. Ideally, anything under 100 calories for  snack. Download my Snack Survival Guide (on the right) for more ideas. Keep bulk trigger foods out of your apartment (i.e. a box of cookies). Make sure you have adequate protein at meals and don’t skip healthy snacks. Going too long without eating can lead to low blood sugar which can increase cravings.

Good luck and keep up the great work!

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As I had predicted, Esther did not lose any weight this week. This just goes to show that your weight doesn’t always correlate with how you did on your eating plan. For example, 2 weeks ago, she didn’t have one of her best weeks. I would have actually thought her weight would have stayed the same - or even gone up a pound -however she lost 3 pounds. This week, she did quite well with her eating plan and yet didn’t see a drop on the scale. Her weight is stable at 139. So the lesson learned here is not to get frustrated with plateaus in your weight loss. If you stay on track with your eating and exercise plan, your weight will eventually drop. Check out my previous post on Plateaus. 

My interview with Esther:
Martha: So you are entering in week 8. Still as motivated?
Esther: I’m definitely still in the mindset to keep going,  it’s more difficult when I am in a social situation

Martha: What type of problem situations, if any, did you encounter last week?
Esther: Going to the Fancy Food Show on Sunday was the most difficult.  It is a trade show for people that own restaurants and gourmet stores for them to sample all the different vendors of everything from fresh cheeses, meats, and desserts.  I stayed away from the sweets and tried to concentrate more on the cheeses, only tasted one tiny martini cocktail and took a lot of mini samples home so that if I have a craving it is only one bite of something. 

Martha: How about this upcoming week?
Esther: This week I have a family BBQ for my brother’s birthday on Saturday, but I am sure I will be watched by my brother & niece and won’t even consider cheating. (Pic is of Esther’s Dad, Mom, Esther, my niece Lizzy, and my brother the “hawk”)

Martha: I noticed you did a lot of dog walking( Esther was dog sitting Zoe, her friends dog). Do you think that helped to increase your activity?
Esther: Walking to and from my home to Zoe’s (the dog) home added at least two miles of walking per day.  Now that her parents are home I have to find another way to add that activity into my day.

Martha: Are you doing less socializing because of  your eating and drinking goals?
Esther: A little bit,  I usually eat out a couple of times a week and have cut it down to once a week.  I also have been bringing lunch to work 4 out of 5 days to make sure I eat right.
Martha: You are probably saving lot’s of money! You can use it to buy new clothes after you’ve lost more weight.

Martha: I remember you said that you joined a Weight Loss Challenge at your health club, Equinox. Any news on that?
Esther: The Equinox challenge is over today so I am getting the “official” weigh in either today or tomorrow.

Thursday June 26 
Breakfast  
iced coffee  
1 egg w/ light mayo & pickle  
Lunch  
1/4 lb boiled shrimp  
romaine w/ olive oil, vinegar  
sm piece feta cheese  
Dinner  
grilled salmon  
steamed brocoli w/ lemon & olive oil  

Sunday June 29
Breakfast:
iced coffee  
fancy food show at Jacob Javitts  
tastes of cheese, salami,   
ate a bite of most of the tastes and  
through the rest out.  Hard to judge   
calories, prob about 700?  
Dinner  
1 piece chicken breast w/egg white  
& panko crust cooked in pam  
20 pistacio nuts  

Saturday June 28
Breakfast
coffee
kashi go lean almond granola bar
Lunch
1 slice pizza
diet coke
Dinner
Sushi:
eel cucumber h/roll NO RICE
salmon/tuna/avocado h/roll NO RICE
spicy tune h/roll NO RICE
1 piece bonito sashimi
1 piece ikura sashimi
1 piece spicy scallop sushi
100 calorie pudding

My comments on Esther’s food records:
1. She averaged 1300 calories. Excellent!
2. Once again, she had really low calorie days to help offset the higher calorie days.
3. I noticed you are skipping breakfast often. I would recommend that you try to eat  breakfast - even if it is somehing light like a fruit or an egg or a yogurt. Eating breakfast helps to get your metabolism moving.
4. I think you handled the “fancy food show” well. It could have been a lot worse than 700 calories!
5. Your intake of fruits and vegetables were a little low this week

Esther’s goals for this week:
1. Continue 1300-1400 calories
2. Continue with 2 alcoholic drinks a week
3. Be very careful at the BBQ (and take lots of pics!)
4. Try to have 1-2 fruits a day
5. Increase your intake of veggies at night
6. Find a way to increase your walking now that Zoie went home!
7. Continue with the 3-4 cardio sessions, 2 peronal training session and one pilates session a week
8. If you’re not taking a multivitamin and a calcium supplement, you should do so.

Keep up the great work and happy July 4th!

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The BBQ season is here - which can spell diet disaster! Lately, I have been seeing BBQ overindulgences on my clients food records. This Sunday is Father’s day and I would bet that many of you will be attending a family cookout. Esther (who’s weight loss journey we have been following on CGB) has asked us for some support on how to handle her family’s Big Greek BBQ this Sunday on Father’s day. (Pic on the right is NOT of Esther’s family). Esther’s family likes to eat and it is pretty much a sure bet that the food will be overflowing.  

Question from Esther:
Martha, I need some guidance.  Tomorrow is Friday night and I am supposed to meet some friends for drinks.  I normally would use up my two drinks for the week BUT on Sunday I am going to my cousins house for a family BBQ Greek style which means three times the amount of food of a regular BBQ.  Any tips so I could stay on track?

Answer from Martha: You have a couple potential troublesome issues ahead - however I want to focus on the BBQ. BBQ’s can spell trouble for anyone watching their weight. It sounds like your Greek BBQ could be especially problematic! However, with some careful planning and willpower, you’ll be able to get through it without overindulging.  

Potential problems at BBQ’s

1. You are often there for many hours. The longer you are there, the more food will likely be consumed.
2. A lot of food may be served. Since the grilling can go on for hours, you may feel tempted to have a little “taste” of everything. A burger here, a hot dog 15 minutes later, then some ribs. A hour or so later, the steak goes on the grill, so why not have a little piece? And this is not even counting the side dishes. I actually see this on my clients food logs (for those who are brave - or honest - enough to record it!)
3. With the hot weather, the beers or vodka and lemonades can go down very quickly. The calories add up quickly too!
4. With increased alcohol, your discipline can fall by the wayside.
5. Often times, fatty meats such as ribs will be served, along with high calorie side dishes such as pasta or potato salad.

Tips to stay on track at your next BBQ
1. First, don’t go to the BBQ hungry. Low blood sugar will only lead to overeating. Make sure you have a light meal several hours before the event or a snack right before.
2. Drink A LOT of water during the BBQ. For 3 reasons - it will help you to stay hydrated in the hot weather, it will give you something to drink instead of alcohol and it can help make you feel fuller so you can eat less food.
3. If possible, find out what will be served ahead of time. This can help you prepare mentally what you will eat in advance. If most of the food choices seem on the heavier side, offer to bring a green salad or sliced vegetables ready to be grilled.
4. Once you get to the BBQ, take notice of what the food options are. Plan in your mind what you will eat instead of starting in on the food frenzy. You don’t have to have one of everything that is served. Wait for what you really want - even if it something fattening like ribs. It would be better to have a smaller portion of ribs than to load up on burgers, hot dogs and steak - without feeling satisfied.
5. I would definitely suggest you limit yourself to 2 small portions of a protein food - but take one without the bun. For example, maybe take a small burger on a bun and then a plain hot dog without a bun. Now if there are side dishes that you want such as pasta salad, I would recommend you avoid the bun.
6. BBQ’s can be quite healthy. You can grill fish, skinless poultry, veggies and fruit with a side green salad.
7. You can always take your relatives to a computer in the house to show them your journey on CGB! Knowing that others are watching you may curtail your urge to splurge!
8. Try to include a physical activity at the BBQ to do something besides eat. Maybe a game of frisbee!

Esther, from what I understand about your family, I would imagine there will be quite a lot of food served. Your best bet is to fill your plate with salad and take smaller portions of the foods you really want. Eat very slow and drink a lot of water.  Try not to have several plates of food - stick to one. You mentioned that your brother is aware of your weight loss attempts and will be watching you. That is great! The more support, the better. Remember, you will be writing everything down and reporting to us. Some pictures would be nice too!

With regards to your 2 allowed alcoholic beverages, I would recommend that you choose when you really want them the most. Maybe tonight with your friends - that way the alcohol won’t decrease your willpower for staying on track at the cookout.

Good luck at the BBQ!

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