My family will be going on a 4 day cruise in February. I am going to need new clothes but not too many of them. I hope to be down more pounds and sizes by the time warm weather hits home.
Do you think shopping counts as exercise?
Monday, December 29, 2014
Weigh in #30
With a few days left to 2014, I know won't hit 50 pounds lost, but 46.6 gone is not shabby! I sent my leader an email with most of my previous post included. She asked me if I would wear the outfit to the meeting today and share the email with the group. I did both.
My family will be going on a 4 day cruise in February. I am going to need new clothes but not too many of them. I hope to be down more pounds and sizes by the time warm weather hits home.
Do you think shopping counts as exercise?
Onward and downward!
My family will be going on a 4 day cruise in February. I am going to need new clothes but not too many of them. I hope to be down more pounds and sizes by the time warm weather hits home.
Do you think shopping counts as exercise?
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Post Christmas, pre weigh in thoughts
Christmas was wonderful. I didn't avoid anything that I wanted to eat or drink, but I didn't go overboard with anything either. That wasn't intentional self restraint, I've gotten to where I don't need to eat something just because it tastes good. We don't steal an item that we can't afford because it looks pretty, why should I do that with food or drink? An odd comparison for some, but maybe a few will look at that the way I do.
I am really annoyed with the Weight Watchers website lately. I'm not against change but the last one had many people complaining while I remained peeved but quiet. Whatever they did to correct problems or improve things (ha!) last week left me unable to log in for days. I finally got that corrected after using Live Chat assistance yesterday but I haven't checked my mobile devices to see if they are working properly now or not. I had to look for the tracking feature on the new site. The main purpose of paying for and using e-tools is tracking. I liked it where it was. I plan to see how others feel at Monday's meeting (day after tomorrow) and may contact corporate after that. It is a lame excuse for not tracking, but that is what happened this past week. I don't like paying for things that didn't work for a week.
On a much happier note, I got mostly clothes for Christmas. It has been ages and ages since I've asked for clothes or given anyone my sizes. My two sons, one daughter-in-law and husband gave me a variety of sweaters and tops and hubby bought me two pair of slacks. None of these were items I would have chosen for myself, but not because I don't like them.
The slacks are the same style in two different colors. Why wouldn't I have tried them on in the store? They are knit slacks. Not sweats, they are casual slacks. I assumed they would cling and show things I don't want emphasized. I'll be honest here (it's my journal!) and say that I constantly see women wearing things that make me wonder if they own a mirror and how the heck can they possibly be comfortable squeezed into something that appears to be way too small. I guess I'm more judgmental than I'd like to admit, but I'd never say anything to anyone about how they look.
I couldn't hide the extra pounds (and still can't, there are still many extra pounds to be lost) but I always tried to choose clothing that covered tastefully. Seams weren't straining and splitting, and knits were tops only, never clinging to rolls.
I tried on the slacks before going to bed Christmas night. I almost did not, I was afraid I wouldn't like how they looked and would depress myself. I gave myself a pep talk, saying that if they didn't look ok now, they'd likely be ok in a few weeks. I can't tell you how happy I was to see them on! They fit well! A size XL....something I haven't worn in slacks in a very long time. I wore a pair of them yesterday with a new sweater but didn't get a picture.
Today I am wearing this top. The top and slacks in the photo are both from Lands End's site. The top not only is cut to somewhat hug the body, it has horizontal stripes. Yikes!
The sweater I wore yesterday is a color I wouldn't have chosen. It is lavender with white mixed into the yarn, sort of a marl affect. Pretty, but I don't wear lavender well. Guess what? There is enough white in it that it works! It still isn't my best color, but I don't like ill wearing it.
The other tops were all items I would have assumed either would not fit at all or would fit like sausage casings. All of them were fine! I didn't really need a boost of encouragement, but these clothes did that anyway. The Christmas cookies (a gift) remain on a plate. The leftover stuffing that came home with us is being consumed by hubby with me only having a pinch of it last night (I really do like it) and nothing else is even trying to tempt me.
I feel better when I eat well. Not smug, just functionally better. Joints move better. Salt and sugar may have been affecting me for a long time without me realizing that.
This journey began because I wanted to be healthier and have more energy. I truly am not vain about my appearance, but I sure am excited about clothes again!
I thought I would try to take selfies wearing the outfit shown above. That was easier said than done. After saying I am not vain, here I am with my head cut off in all the photos. Why? Partially because of having my phone/camera over my face in the shots and because I gave myself a paper cut on my lip that hasn't stopped bleeding and I have Kleenex stuck to my lip. Really glamorous.
The Lands End model doesn't have to worry about competition from me.
Not quite yet.
Onward and downward!
I am really annoyed with the Weight Watchers website lately. I'm not against change but the last one had many people complaining while I remained peeved but quiet. Whatever they did to correct problems or improve things (ha!) last week left me unable to log in for days. I finally got that corrected after using Live Chat assistance yesterday but I haven't checked my mobile devices to see if they are working properly now or not. I had to look for the tracking feature on the new site. The main purpose of paying for and using e-tools is tracking. I liked it where it was. I plan to see how others feel at Monday's meeting (day after tomorrow) and may contact corporate after that. It is a lame excuse for not tracking, but that is what happened this past week. I don't like paying for things that didn't work for a week.
On a much happier note, I got mostly clothes for Christmas. It has been ages and ages since I've asked for clothes or given anyone my sizes. My two sons, one daughter-in-law and husband gave me a variety of sweaters and tops and hubby bought me two pair of slacks. None of these were items I would have chosen for myself, but not because I don't like them.
The slacks are the same style in two different colors. Why wouldn't I have tried them on in the store? They are knit slacks. Not sweats, they are casual slacks. I assumed they would cling and show things I don't want emphasized. I'll be honest here (it's my journal!) and say that I constantly see women wearing things that make me wonder if they own a mirror and how the heck can they possibly be comfortable squeezed into something that appears to be way too small. I guess I'm more judgmental than I'd like to admit, but I'd never say anything to anyone about how they look.
I couldn't hide the extra pounds (and still can't, there are still many extra pounds to be lost) but I always tried to choose clothing that covered tastefully. Seams weren't straining and splitting, and knits were tops only, never clinging to rolls.
I tried on the slacks before going to bed Christmas night. I almost did not, I was afraid I wouldn't like how they looked and would depress myself. I gave myself a pep talk, saying that if they didn't look ok now, they'd likely be ok in a few weeks. I can't tell you how happy I was to see them on! They fit well! A size XL....something I haven't worn in slacks in a very long time. I wore a pair of them yesterday with a new sweater but didn't get a picture.
Today I am wearing this top. The top and slacks in the photo are both from Lands End's site. The top not only is cut to somewhat hug the body, it has horizontal stripes. Yikes!
The other tops were all items I would have assumed either would not fit at all or would fit like sausage casings. All of them were fine! I didn't really need a boost of encouragement, but these clothes did that anyway. The Christmas cookies (a gift) remain on a plate. The leftover stuffing that came home with us is being consumed by hubby with me only having a pinch of it last night (I really do like it) and nothing else is even trying to tempt me.
I feel better when I eat well. Not smug, just functionally better. Joints move better. Salt and sugar may have been affecting me for a long time without me realizing that.
This journey began because I wanted to be healthier and have more energy. I truly am not vain about my appearance, but I sure am excited about clothes again!
I thought I would try to take selfies wearing the outfit shown above. That was easier said than done. After saying I am not vain, here I am with my head cut off in all the photos. Why? Partially because of having my phone/camera over my face in the shots and because I gave myself a paper cut on my lip that hasn't stopped bleeding and I have Kleenex stuck to my lip. Really glamorous.
The Lands End model doesn't have to worry about competition from me.
Not quite yet.
Onward and downward!
Monday, December 22, 2014
Thud! The inevitable happened...
One little Hershey Nugget won't hurt, right? Of course not. But if one leads to 2-3 in an afternoon a few times in a week, and if you go to a calorie laden lunch at a tea house serving very rich quiche and scones which you knew were also rich but ate them anyway, and if you had a saltier than normal diet on the day before weighing in...you can't really be surprised to be up a bit on the scale, right?
I'm not freaked out. I am up a half pound. Will I be more conscientious this week? You bet I will! Christmas day will a relaxed exception, but not to go hog wild.
Onward and downward, with more emphasis on DOWN.
Onward and downward, with more emphasis on DOWN.
Monday, December 15, 2014
28th Weigh In
I don't think of myself as having a busy social life. My husband and I often kid each other about coming home from somewhere at a time that once signaled the start of an evening. I've realized the past few weeks that we are busy, but as a retired couple, the busyness begins earlier in the day and often brings surprises that weren't on the calendar.
Today is December 15th. That means we've add holiday shopping and some holiday parties, lunches and dinners into the mix. I continue to do well with my weight loss, even on the occasions when I don't know what the points are in what I am consuming. I try to make good choices and then let it go. I don't berate myself if I find out after the fact that something was much higher in points than I would have guessed, nor do I fall into the "what the hell, I've already messed up for the day" mind set that leads to conscious over indulging. The big reason continues to be how good I am feeling. Not just pleased with a successful weight loss, but physically good. What has been temptations in the past (gooey desserts, creamy after dinner drinks, cookies of all sorts all day long) are simply not worth the trade off of feeling this good.
I am not saying I haven't had any of those things, but just as I have always been able to take alcohol or leave it, the foods that used to torment me are now in that category too. A small piece of something, maybe only a taste, is enough. I realize when I am full, when I am truly hungry and that most of the time I am in a happy middle.
Going back to the alcohol reference, I like beer. I like the taste of it. Same with Scotch and a few creamy drinks such as White Russians and Mudslides. I never drank any of those drinks to get a buzz. I never needed to drink (that is a separate issue that some people face and not when I am addressing here) and often chose not to have any alcohol because the situation didn't seem appropriate to me, such as driving somewhere, being in charge of children, etc. I am plagued by sinus headaches that are beyond my control, often brought on by weather changes. Beer and wine can cause me to have histamine headaches. Some days I just know not to have beer or wine because of the likelihood of that happening.
Why people continue to do things that are detrimental to their health and well being is way too large a topic for me to tackle. I can't speak for anyone else as to the why. What I can say is that Weight Watchers works. If one leader isn't a good match for you, try another. If you really want to change habits, and this applies to changes beyond what you eat, you must commit and keep trying. The turning point for me was realizing how good I was beginning to feel. Maybe for someone else it will be getting off of medication or buying smaller clothes.
I am now down 45.9 pounds. How many years did I spend thinking "next Monday" would be the day to start a new diet? This isn't a diet. This is my life. I don't feel deprived. I can't eat garlic any longer for reasons that have nothing to do with WW. That doesn't make me feel deprived, so why should counting points and staying within a range make me feel deprived? So much of this is mind set.
Today is December 15th. That means we've add holiday shopping and some holiday parties, lunches and dinners into the mix. I continue to do well with my weight loss, even on the occasions when I don't know what the points are in what I am consuming. I try to make good choices and then let it go. I don't berate myself if I find out after the fact that something was much higher in points than I would have guessed, nor do I fall into the "what the hell, I've already messed up for the day" mind set that leads to conscious over indulging. The big reason continues to be how good I am feeling. Not just pleased with a successful weight loss, but physically good. What has been temptations in the past (gooey desserts, creamy after dinner drinks, cookies of all sorts all day long) are simply not worth the trade off of feeling this good.
I am not saying I haven't had any of those things, but just as I have always been able to take alcohol or leave it, the foods that used to torment me are now in that category too. A small piece of something, maybe only a taste, is enough. I realize when I am full, when I am truly hungry and that most of the time I am in a happy middle.
Going back to the alcohol reference, I like beer. I like the taste of it. Same with Scotch and a few creamy drinks such as White Russians and Mudslides. I never drank any of those drinks to get a buzz. I never needed to drink (that is a separate issue that some people face and not when I am addressing here) and often chose not to have any alcohol because the situation didn't seem appropriate to me, such as driving somewhere, being in charge of children, etc. I am plagued by sinus headaches that are beyond my control, often brought on by weather changes. Beer and wine can cause me to have histamine headaches. Some days I just know not to have beer or wine because of the likelihood of that happening.
Why people continue to do things that are detrimental to their health and well being is way too large a topic for me to tackle. I can't speak for anyone else as to the why. What I can say is that Weight Watchers works. If one leader isn't a good match for you, try another. If you really want to change habits, and this applies to changes beyond what you eat, you must commit and keep trying. The turning point for me was realizing how good I was beginning to feel. Maybe for someone else it will be getting off of medication or buying smaller clothes.
I am now down 45.9 pounds. How many years did I spend thinking "next Monday" would be the day to start a new diet? This isn't a diet. This is my life. I don't feel deprived. I can't eat garlic any longer for reasons that have nothing to do with WW. That doesn't make me feel deprived, so why should counting points and staying within a range make me feel deprived? So much of this is mind set.
Onward and downward!
Monday, December 8, 2014
27 weeks and still losing!
Mid-week, we went to dinner with friends who are leaving Michigan soon for the warmth of Florida. The entree wasn't a bad choice point-wise but I don't have any idea what the points were in the lobster bisque. It was wonderful and worth whatever the value. I also had two drinks, Scotch, but no dessert.
Saturday was our neighborhood holiday party. It began many years ago as a true progressive dinner but soon we had too many households involved. We now have people volunteer to host, usually no more than 5 homes, and food is abundant. People not hosting bring food to the host homes just in case an army stops by that needs feeding.
The party began at 7:00. I decided to eat a normal dinner at 5:30. It isn't just following WW that made me want to avoid most of the typical party fare, it is that many of those foods don't agree with my digestion now. Part of it could be age, but I suspect that my body prefers the way I have been eating for six months and "junk", no matter how tasty on the tongue, is going to play havoc with human machinery.
I had three Lil' Smokies (sausages) that were wrapped in bacon and baked with brown sugar; two alcoholic drinks, and close to 3/4 of a 2 liter bottle of caffeine free diet Coke. That was probably my big mistake. I still drink diet Coke occasionally, but usually from McDonald's, not bottled. Is one better than the other? I doubt it, but fountain drinks seem less carbonated to me.
We had to be up and out of the house early on Sunday morning so I was functioning on 4.5 hours of sleep and not feeling 100%. There was no hangover, there wasn't a food coma, I think I was just plain tired and felt bloated from the pop. I made sure to drink plenty of water and eat sensibly yesterday.
At weigh in this morning I hoped to stay the same as last week and not show a gain. Imagine my surprise when I heard I'd lost another .7 pounds! I am down a total of 44.1 and looking forward to 45 and then 50!
Like many women who prefer to be the photographer rather than subject, I don't have many photos of myself that are full body shots. Perhaps I should have taken photos of my weight loss each month but since I didn't do that 6 months ago, this will have to do:
Onward and downward, parties and all!
Saturday was our neighborhood holiday party. It began many years ago as a true progressive dinner but soon we had too many households involved. We now have people volunteer to host, usually no more than 5 homes, and food is abundant. People not hosting bring food to the host homes just in case an army stops by that needs feeding.
The party began at 7:00. I decided to eat a normal dinner at 5:30. It isn't just following WW that made me want to avoid most of the typical party fare, it is that many of those foods don't agree with my digestion now. Part of it could be age, but I suspect that my body prefers the way I have been eating for six months and "junk", no matter how tasty on the tongue, is going to play havoc with human machinery.
I had three Lil' Smokies (sausages) that were wrapped in bacon and baked with brown sugar; two alcoholic drinks, and close to 3/4 of a 2 liter bottle of caffeine free diet Coke. That was probably my big mistake. I still drink diet Coke occasionally, but usually from McDonald's, not bottled. Is one better than the other? I doubt it, but fountain drinks seem less carbonated to me.
We had to be up and out of the house early on Sunday morning so I was functioning on 4.5 hours of sleep and not feeling 100%. There was no hangover, there wasn't a food coma, I think I was just plain tired and felt bloated from the pop. I made sure to drink plenty of water and eat sensibly yesterday.
At weigh in this morning I hoped to stay the same as last week and not show a gain. Imagine my surprise when I heard I'd lost another .7 pounds! I am down a total of 44.1 and looking forward to 45 and then 50!
Like many women who prefer to be the photographer rather than subject, I don't have many photos of myself that are full body shots. Perhaps I should have taken photos of my weight loss each month but since I didn't do that 6 months ago, this will have to do:
Onward and downward, parties and all!
Monday, December 1, 2014
The post-Thanksgiving weigh in
Weigh in #26, the Monday after Thanksgiving.....
One of my nieces has recently settled into her new home which is where Thanksgiving dinner was held last week. Everyone but her mom and I contributed food. It was all delicious.
And carb heavy.
And sweet.
Or carb heavy and sweet!
If you are a typical American, you know what I'm talking about.
In past years on WW or other plans, I either worried about a feast like this ahead of time, or I slipped into the trap of thinking "oh well, I already blew it, I may as well continue, but just for today".
I didn't worry and I didn't slip. To be honest, I didn't track points either but I was aware of what I was doing, right down to the small piece of chocolate cake and sliver of cheesecake. For the first time in a very long time, that was an indulgence, not a step on the path to old ways.
My husband and I like the traditional turkey dinner. We really like leftovers the next day. When you're a guest, you don't have that, not unless you cook a turkey breast, homemade dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, devil some eggs, open a can of black olives and bake a pumpkin pie on Black Friday.
I'm not fond of gravy so I skipped that and the mashed potatoes and put a very small amount of sweet potatoes next to a large amount of broccoli. I skipped rolls but did have some dressing, a deviled egg, some olives and a small slice of pie. The rest of the weekend I stayed away from desserts, dressing and starchy vegetables. It wasn't a problem for me to do that.
The news at the scale this morning was good. I am down .6 for a total of 43.4 pounds. I could have been better but I also could have been much, much worse.
Onward and downward!
One of my nieces has recently settled into her new home which is where Thanksgiving dinner was held last week. Everyone but her mom and I contributed food. It was all delicious.
And carb heavy.
And sweet.
Or carb heavy and sweet!
If you are a typical American, you know what I'm talking about.
In past years on WW or other plans, I either worried about a feast like this ahead of time, or I slipped into the trap of thinking "oh well, I already blew it, I may as well continue, but just for today".
I didn't worry and I didn't slip. To be honest, I didn't track points either but I was aware of what I was doing, right down to the small piece of chocolate cake and sliver of cheesecake. For the first time in a very long time, that was an indulgence, not a step on the path to old ways.
My husband and I like the traditional turkey dinner. We really like leftovers the next day. When you're a guest, you don't have that, not unless you cook a turkey breast, homemade dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, devil some eggs, open a can of black olives and bake a pumpkin pie on Black Friday.
I'm not fond of gravy so I skipped that and the mashed potatoes and put a very small amount of sweet potatoes next to a large amount of broccoli. I skipped rolls but did have some dressing, a deviled egg, some olives and a small slice of pie. The rest of the weekend I stayed away from desserts, dressing and starchy vegetables. It wasn't a problem for me to do that.
The news at the scale this morning was good. I am down .6 for a total of 43.4 pounds. I could have been better but I also could have been much, much worse.
Onward and downward!
Monday, November 24, 2014
Weigh In #25
Wow....25 weigh ins! That means I've been at this for 26 weeks, half of a year. I could berate myself for all of the times I told myself I would start Weight Watchers (or anything else) on the next Monday, but that Monday would come and go. I don't have a motivational secret to share. It is going to be different for every person, and will vary for each person throughout their life. What drove me at 32 is not what drives me now.
I was really under the weather yesterday. I don't think I'm sick with a cold as much as having sinus issues that are weather related which is part of the story of my life. I wasn't going to weigh in today but didn't plan to skip the week either. Instead, I got up and decided a shower might make me feel better. Then I decided I would want clean sheets tonight since so much tossing and turning took place yesterday, complete with Vick's Vaporub on chest and feet. Yes, I'm one of those who believes it might help so why not use it. My problem is that as much as I don't like cold feet, I don't like sleeping in bed with socks on. They came off at some point last night.
As long as I was clean and moving, why not weigh in and get it out of the way? Our weather is going from a balmy mid 50s this morning to highs in the low 30s for the rest of the week. As I debated what I should wear, I thought of last week's comment about wearing jeans. Ok....jeans it is.
I am down another pound, a total of 42.8. I am happy with the loss and oddly, even happier that I got over this thing about weighing in wearing jeans.
Onward and downward, with a nap and dreams of hitting the big five-oh in loss in another month or so. I don't have a time line in mind, I just trust that it will happen.
I was really under the weather yesterday. I don't think I'm sick with a cold as much as having sinus issues that are weather related which is part of the story of my life. I wasn't going to weigh in today but didn't plan to skip the week either. Instead, I got up and decided a shower might make me feel better. Then I decided I would want clean sheets tonight since so much tossing and turning took place yesterday, complete with Vick's Vaporub on chest and feet. Yes, I'm one of those who believes it might help so why not use it. My problem is that as much as I don't like cold feet, I don't like sleeping in bed with socks on. They came off at some point last night.
As long as I was clean and moving, why not weigh in and get it out of the way? Our weather is going from a balmy mid 50s this morning to highs in the low 30s for the rest of the week. As I debated what I should wear, I thought of last week's comment about wearing jeans. Ok....jeans it is.
I am down another pound, a total of 42.8. I am happy with the loss and oddly, even happier that I got over this thing about weighing in wearing jeans.
Onward and downward, with a nap and dreams of hitting the big five-oh in loss in another month or so. I don't have a time line in mind, I just trust that it will happen.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Weigh In #24
It is cold here in SE Michigan. What to wear on weigh in day that is warm but not heavy on the scales? I weighed three pairs of pants before deciding what to wear. Silly? Yes, but I wanted to be sure to hit a number on the scales today. Actually the numeric goal isn't my weight, but pounds lost.
I might even wear jeans and a sweater next week and accept that if the WW scales stay the same or even are up a few ounces, it might be the weight of clothing. The pants I wore today are sloppy big and uncomfortable because of that. What a nice complaint.
I found this online and while not sure of its accuracy, I'm willing to believe it is close:
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
Onward and downward!
I dressed, got into my parka and off I went to good news. My goal was to have a total of 40 pounds lost. I exceeded that, I am at 41.8 pounds gone!
I might even wear jeans and a sweater next week and accept that if the WW scales stay the same or even are up a few ounces, it might be the weight of clothing. The pants I wore today are sloppy big and uncomfortable because of that. What a nice complaint.
I found this online and while not sure of its accuracy, I'm willing to believe it is close:
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
Onward and downward!
Monday, November 10, 2014
23rd Week
Today was good news! This is me in my udderly wonderful banana tutu, doing the happy dance!
I am down 2.4 pounds from last week! After two sluggish weigh ins, what might have made the difference? Better tracking and drinking more water might have done it. I know that plateaus can be reached no matter how "good" you are, and that water retention on a weigh in morning or perhaps the other reason we visit bathrooms can affect the reading on our scales. Whatever the reason, doing a better job of tracking and drinking water certainly doesn't hurt anyone.
I am .3 pounds away from a total of 40 pounds lost! Why, oh why, wouldn't they let me take my jeans off at the scale?
Onward and downward, with plenty of water.
I am down 2.4 pounds from last week! After two sluggish weigh ins, what might have made the difference? Better tracking and drinking more water might have done it. I know that plateaus can be reached no matter how "good" you are, and that water retention on a weigh in morning or perhaps the other reason we visit bathrooms can affect the reading on our scales. Whatever the reason, doing a better job of tracking and drinking water certainly doesn't hurt anyone.
I am .3 pounds away from a total of 40 pounds lost! Why, oh why, wouldn't they let me take my jeans off at the scale?
Onward and downward, with plenty of water.
Monday, November 3, 2014
22nd Weigh In, slowing down...
I'm down .3 this week for a total of 37.3.
I am relieved that I didn't have a gain or remain the same, and aggravated at myself even though I know that isn't positive. I stayed out of the Halloween candy and did a better job of tracking this past week, but I know I can do better. My biggest struggle right now isn't what I eat, but knowing that I need to incorporate exercise and not really wanting to do this.
I wake up, dress, come downstairs and have breakfast and additional cups of coffee while checking in with my online friends (2 small message boards), skim Facebook, check emails and do an online Sudoku puzzle. Other than necessary household chores and errands, my activity is creative, not physical. I knit. I do paper crafts. I read and write. At the end of the day, as I wind down for bed, I skim Pinterest and play Words With Friends.
I enjoy every minute of my day. I am not bored. I do need to set a schedule and move this body around more than getting up from my chair for another cup of coffee or glass of water.
Onward, forward and downward.....
I am relieved that I didn't have a gain or remain the same, and aggravated at myself even though I know that isn't positive. I stayed out of the Halloween candy and did a better job of tracking this past week, but I know I can do better. My biggest struggle right now isn't what I eat, but knowing that I need to incorporate exercise and not really wanting to do this.
I wake up, dress, come downstairs and have breakfast and additional cups of coffee while checking in with my online friends (2 small message boards), skim Facebook, check emails and do an online Sudoku puzzle. Other than necessary household chores and errands, my activity is creative, not physical. I knit. I do paper crafts. I read and write. At the end of the day, as I wind down for bed, I skim Pinterest and play Words With Friends.
I enjoy every minute of my day. I am not bored. I do need to set a schedule and move this body around more than getting up from my chair for another cup of coffee or glass of water.
Onward, forward and downward.....
Monday, October 27, 2014
21st Weigh In Uh-oh....Halloween
I still had a loss, but I've been dancing with the devil and need to stop.
I'm not talking about an all or nothing attitude, or that occasionally indulgences are bad. Heck, nothing on WW is bad. We just need to know the points, make a choice and write it if we bite it. So what tune have I been dancing to with the devil? One that tells me I am too busy to track right now, that I'll enter it later.
I have a computer where I do most of my work and play in comfortable surroundings. I have an iPad. I have an iPhone. All have WW e-tools on them. There is no excuse for me not to track. Favorite foods and even meals are listed separately. I don't even have to type their names, just click and drag.
The other melody is something about Halloween candy. Mostly I can tune that out, but I recently made these Ghiradelli candy holders and have mindlessly eaten some of the leftovers that weren't needed for the project.
I'm not talking about an all or nothing attitude, or that occasionally indulgences are bad. Heck, nothing on WW is bad. We just need to know the points, make a choice and write it if we bite it. So what tune have I been dancing to with the devil? One that tells me I am too busy to track right now, that I'll enter it later.
I have a computer where I do most of my work and play in comfortable surroundings. I have an iPad. I have an iPhone. All have WW e-tools on them. There is no excuse for me not to track. Favorite foods and even meals are listed separately. I don't even have to type their names, just click and drag.
The other melody is something about Halloween candy. Mostly I can tune that out, but I recently made these Ghiradelli candy holders and have mindlessly eaten some of the leftovers that weren't needed for the project.
Link to how they were done is HERE on my other blog
A neighbor's child sold candy for a school fundraiser. While the candy isn't bad in quality, the fund raiser has greatly diminished in profit for the school since my own kids were this age. I understand supplies and manufacturing costs have risen, but three boxes of candy equalled 45 pieces that were at best two bites each (most of us would have popped the entire piece in at once) came to $29. I ate a few of those this weekend too.
Talk about things not being worth it! Neither price or point value!
The next fund raising child that comes to the door and is one I choose to support is going to get cash. I'll spend less money, not be tempted by candy, popcorn, pizza kits or any other food item. Also no more wrapping paper that rips when you look at it, but I digress.
I am down .4 pounds for a total of 37. My goal this week is to track everything. It truly is not difficult and slipping back into bad habits is not the direction I want to follow.
Onward and downward!
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
20th Weigh In
Monday is my meeting day but we were out of town. It is cold today (Tuesday) so I gave thought about what I would wear to go weigh in. Anyone on a weight loss journey probably feels the way I do. Either never weigh in wearing jeans or always wear them. Since I began this journey wearing shorts, I wasn't about to wear jeans today. Oh, the games we play...
I am happy to say that this still hasn't been a struggle for me, but I still have my worries. Everyone was here for dinner on Thursday, an unexpected but pleasant event. They opted to get chicken from a local chain called Chicken Shack. Their food is tasty, but the only thing not fried is the cole slaw. Truthfully, I discovered months ago that having both their chicken and broasted potatoes would lead to miserable indigestion for me and I had already begun avoiding their food. Whatever the WW points would have been, and they would have been difficult to figure, they weren't going to be worth it to me. While my son went to pick up the food, I made a lean beef hamburger and green beans for myself. It wasn't a hardship to do so, and without indigestion hours later, I was very happy with my choice.
Saturday was the day for two classes an hour from home. There is a Jimmy John's (a sandwich chain with locations in most of the states) nearby that delivers to the store where these classes are held. I have low point breakfasts on class days to allow for a 14 point lunch, the Big John sandwich which is made with roast beef. I expected to be home for dinner but that changed. Dinner was much later than I anticipated and I was very hungry. Flatbread pizza was served along with an antipasto salad. It wouldn't have mattered what the point values were, I needed to eat. Make that NEEDED....I told you I was hungry!
The following day I went out of town, somewhat prepared with food from home but I fell short with veggies. I ate a stale pack of Little Debbie Nutty Bars. Eight points and they were terrible! They weren't my favorite before and stale....Yuck!
I went to WW not feeling at all sure of what the scale would read. Imagine my relief when I was down again, another 1.9 pounds for a total of 36.6 lost!
Onward and downward!
I am happy to say that this still hasn't been a struggle for me, but I still have my worries. Everyone was here for dinner on Thursday, an unexpected but pleasant event. They opted to get chicken from a local chain called Chicken Shack. Their food is tasty, but the only thing not fried is the cole slaw. Truthfully, I discovered months ago that having both their chicken and broasted potatoes would lead to miserable indigestion for me and I had already begun avoiding their food. Whatever the WW points would have been, and they would have been difficult to figure, they weren't going to be worth it to me. While my son went to pick up the food, I made a lean beef hamburger and green beans for myself. It wasn't a hardship to do so, and without indigestion hours later, I was very happy with my choice.
Saturday was the day for two classes an hour from home. There is a Jimmy John's (a sandwich chain with locations in most of the states) nearby that delivers to the store where these classes are held. I have low point breakfasts on class days to allow for a 14 point lunch, the Big John sandwich which is made with roast beef. I expected to be home for dinner but that changed. Dinner was much later than I anticipated and I was very hungry. Flatbread pizza was served along with an antipasto salad. It wouldn't have mattered what the point values were, I needed to eat. Make that NEEDED....I told you I was hungry!
The following day I went out of town, somewhat prepared with food from home but I fell short with veggies. I ate a stale pack of Little Debbie Nutty Bars. Eight points and they were terrible! They weren't my favorite before and stale....Yuck!
I went to WW not feeling at all sure of what the scale would read. Imagine my relief when I was down again, another 1.9 pounds for a total of 36.6 lost!
Onward and downward!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Weigh In 19: Slippery Slopes
A story has been on network news and social media about a guy who pulled a prank while proposing to his girlfriend at the Grand Canyon. I must be extremely old fashion as I don't see a prank and proposing belonging together except in the dictionary. He pretended to slip and to lose the ring box. I don't think actually doing this at the canyon was funny at all, but the story about slippery slopes is only meant to be a lead in to today's post.
I am down another .7 today for a total of 34.7 pounds. This is good, but my past week could have become a slippery slope. I made cookies to take to my knitting group. I left some home for hubby and grandson. Hubby didn't care for the maple cookies and grandson only had one during a short visit.
I didn't polish them off in one or two days as I could have before, but I also didn't attempt to figure out the point value. If I had one at someone else's house, I wouldn't have felt guilty. One cookie or almost any other item with an unknown point value isn't going to hurt...unless this becomes a habit.
For someone else, a slippery slope in their home might be salty snacks. I could go the rest of my life without being tempted by chips, pretzels or nuts. Popcorn, especially the smell of movie theater popcorn, does nothing for me. Actually, the smell of movie popcorn is very unpleasant to me. I know full well that ice cream can be dangerous for me. If I am serving myself regular ice cream, I measure it. I try to always have some form of WW or similar low point frozen treat in the freezer.
So what happened with the cookies? I didn't Love the maple cookies but the idea of cookies is still so darned appealing. I had one or two a day until they were gone. Good thing I only left 10-12 of them home. My slippery slope isn't just the cookies per day that I didn't count, it was the attitude toward tracking that slid into danger.
I use e-Tools and have access to my WW tracker on my PC, my iPhone and iPad. It isn't a chore to go the site and enter something unless I want to make it one. I made dinner one day last week that just wasn't turning out well. It was a crock pot recipe that even wasn't done anywhere near the expected time. I was hungry at 6:00 and ate something else for dinner but didn't track it. And I ate another cookie. The whole next day I didn't use the tracker. I tend to eat one of a few combinations for breakfast or lunch. I told myself I would enter the meals (which is how I have some saved for even faster entry) later and carried the points around in my head. Except for those dang cookies that I ate. Again.
Apparently cookies are my gateway drug to bigger things!
Seriously, I am not beating myself up for this, but am aware that this could be a problem. I can honestly say I wasn't hungry when I ate any of the cookies. I ate them because ... well .... because they ARE (were) COOKIES.
I am down another .7 today for a total of 34.7 pounds. This is good, but my past week could have become a slippery slope. I made cookies to take to my knitting group. I left some home for hubby and grandson. Hubby didn't care for the maple cookies and grandson only had one during a short visit.
I didn't polish them off in one or two days as I could have before, but I also didn't attempt to figure out the point value. If I had one at someone else's house, I wouldn't have felt guilty. One cookie or almost any other item with an unknown point value isn't going to hurt...unless this becomes a habit.
For someone else, a slippery slope in their home might be salty snacks. I could go the rest of my life without being tempted by chips, pretzels or nuts. Popcorn, especially the smell of movie theater popcorn, does nothing for me. Actually, the smell of movie popcorn is very unpleasant to me. I know full well that ice cream can be dangerous for me. If I am serving myself regular ice cream, I measure it. I try to always have some form of WW or similar low point frozen treat in the freezer.
So what happened with the cookies? I didn't Love the maple cookies but the idea of cookies is still so darned appealing. I had one or two a day until they were gone. Good thing I only left 10-12 of them home. My slippery slope isn't just the cookies per day that I didn't count, it was the attitude toward tracking that slid into danger.
I use e-Tools and have access to my WW tracker on my PC, my iPhone and iPad. It isn't a chore to go the site and enter something unless I want to make it one. I made dinner one day last week that just wasn't turning out well. It was a crock pot recipe that even wasn't done anywhere near the expected time. I was hungry at 6:00 and ate something else for dinner but didn't track it. And I ate another cookie. The whole next day I didn't use the tracker. I tend to eat one of a few combinations for breakfast or lunch. I told myself I would enter the meals (which is how I have some saved for even faster entry) later and carried the points around in my head. Except for those dang cookies that I ate. Again.
Apparently cookies are my gateway drug to bigger things!
Seriously, I am not beating myself up for this, but am aware that this could be a problem. I can honestly say I wasn't hungry when I ate any of the cookies. I ate them because ... well .... because they ARE (
Back to tracking and staying away from slopes this week.
Onward and downward!
Monday, October 6, 2014
18th Weigh In
The discussion today was perfectionism. Bottom line: When you insist on perfection, you achieve nothing but frustration. I think my success this time around is because I'm not aiming for perfection, only improvement.
This weekend was the first time I used the e-tool Recipe Builder. I made Italian Sausage soup just as I always made it. The recipe didn't provide a number of servings so I had to measure the total quantity to gets figure out how many points per cup. This wasn't hard and the point total was better than I had guessed. I think it is time to start cooking again, but not every day. By cooking, I mean things that both of us will enjoy eating. I could easily continue eating the simple things that have worked for me, but I might get bored after a while. Also, variety is good, not just for the taste buds but for digestion too. Hubby has been ok with fixing something for himself on the nights I am having plain chicken or a low fat hamburger on a slimwich bun. He doesn't care to eat them and doesn't expect me to fix separate meals. I do sometimes, but not always.
The loss for the week was another 1.6 for a total of 34.
This weekend was the first time I used the e-tool Recipe Builder. I made Italian Sausage soup just as I always made it. The recipe didn't provide a number of servings so I had to measure the total quantity to gets figure out how many points per cup. This wasn't hard and the point total was better than I had guessed. I think it is time to start cooking again, but not every day. By cooking, I mean things that both of us will enjoy eating. I could easily continue eating the simple things that have worked for me, but I might get bored after a while. Also, variety is good, not just for the taste buds but for digestion too. Hubby has been ok with fixing something for himself on the nights I am having plain chicken or a low fat hamburger on a slimwich bun. He doesn't care to eat them and doesn't expect me to fix separate meals. I do sometimes, but not always.
The loss for the week was another 1.6 for a total of 34.
Onward and downward!
Monday, September 29, 2014
Weigh In 17, after birthday cake
I counted the birthday cake last week as best I could. My son scooped the ice cream that night and it was well over a cup but it was what it was. A day or two later I had a small piece of cake again and decided that particular cake just wasn't worth the points. Ice cream was, is and forever will be a different story. I measure that when I eat it because it would be so tempting and easy to eat way more than I should. I don't feel bad about measuring though, I feel in control.
Suzanne, my leader has advised us not to weigh in at home. I've mentioned this before and she is right. If the house scale is different from WW's, it can be disappointing. Weighing at home can lead to weighing throughout the day which isn't good. Our bodies are going to fluctuate but a gain can depress a person or even lead to chucking the plan. Not good! My husband asked me to weigh on our scale and compare to WW's because he wanted to know for his sake if ours was accurate.
Our scale is far from new but wasn't cheap when we got it. It has a digital read out and is on a hard floor, not carpeting. I weighed myself in my night shirt this morning and then after getting dressed. There was a 3 pound difference. I got off, then on again. Still 3 pounds. Did my clothes really weigh that much? Maybe. The problem was this number meant I didn't lose. Convinced my birthday week was to blame and needed to be put behind me, I left for my meeting.
I am delighted to say the house scale is off. I am down another 2.8 pounds for a total of 32.4 gone!
Onward and downward!
Suzanne, my leader has advised us not to weigh in at home. I've mentioned this before and she is right. If the house scale is different from WW's, it can be disappointing. Weighing at home can lead to weighing throughout the day which isn't good. Our bodies are going to fluctuate but a gain can depress a person or even lead to chucking the plan. Not good! My husband asked me to weigh on our scale and compare to WW's because he wanted to know for his sake if ours was accurate.
Our scale is far from new but wasn't cheap when we got it. It has a digital read out and is on a hard floor, not carpeting. I weighed myself in my night shirt this morning and then after getting dressed. There was a 3 pound difference. I got off, then on again. Still 3 pounds. Did my clothes really weigh that much? Maybe. The problem was this number meant I didn't lose. Convinced my birthday week was to blame and needed to be put behind me, I left for my meeting.
I am delighted to say the house scale is off. I am down another 2.8 pounds for a total of 32.4 gone!
Onward and downward!
Monday, September 22, 2014
16th Weigh In
Today is my birthday. Wouldn't a whopping big loss have been a nice birthday gift? Sure it would have, but wishing, even on a birthday candle, doesn't make something happen.
I am down .8 for a total that is just ounces away from 30 pounds. The six of us (two sons, daughter-in-law, grandson, hubby and I) will be going to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner. I had such a good lunch there recently that was low in point value, I want to repeat that. I may or may not have one alcoholic drink depending on how my points go before dinner.
Dessert will be back here, traditional cake and ice cream. I could forego the cake but a birthday cake seems appropriate with a 4 year old grandson who will sing to me and help me with the candle. I'll have a small piece of cake, a scoop of coffee ice cream (the real treat in my opinion), count everything and not feel compelled to eat cake tomorrow morning for breakfast. That isn't even a temptation now. My, how far I've come.
Onward and downward!
I am down .8 for a total that is just ounces away from 30 pounds. The six of us (two sons, daughter-in-law, grandson, hubby and I) will be going to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner. I had such a good lunch there recently that was low in point value, I want to repeat that. I may or may not have one alcoholic drink depending on how my points go before dinner.
Dessert will be back here, traditional cake and ice cream. I could forego the cake but a birthday cake seems appropriate with a 4 year old grandson who will sing to me and help me with the candle. I'll have a small piece of cake, a scoop of coffee ice cream (the real treat in my opinion), count everything and not feel compelled to eat cake tomorrow morning for breakfast. That isn't even a temptation now. My, how far I've come.
Onward and downward!
Monday, September 15, 2014
15th Weigh In
I got a charm today for recognition of 16 weeks with WW. Today was my 16th weigh in, but I look at it as 15 weeks of following program.
We had smoked sausage, the full fat variety, corn on the cob and broccoli for dinner last night. I've been very careful with Sunday night dinners because I weigh in on Monday mornings but I told myself this was silly. As long as I stay in my daily range, does it really matter unless I am eating something so laden with sodium that I will retain water?
Today was too cold to wear shorts but I did chose slacks over jeans. I fully expected to weigh the same or be up part of a pound but guess what...another 1.1 gone! A total of 28.8 are off my skeleton! A guest lecturer had told us that every pound of weight is equal to 7 pounds of stress on our joints. I haven't found that online but I have found sources saying it is equal to 4 pounds. Going with that number, that is 115.2 few pounds of pressure. At 7-1, it would be a whopping 201.6! Maybe the ratio fluctuates with the number on the scale. I will ask the next time I see him but 115 pounds of pressure is nothing to sneeze at!
We had smoked sausage, the full fat variety, corn on the cob and broccoli for dinner last night. I've been very careful with Sunday night dinners because I weigh in on Monday mornings but I told myself this was silly. As long as I stay in my daily range, does it really matter unless I am eating something so laden with sodium that I will retain water?
Today was too cold to wear shorts but I did chose slacks over jeans. I fully expected to weigh the same or be up part of a pound but guess what...another 1.1 gone! A total of 28.8 are off my skeleton! A guest lecturer had told us that every pound of weight is equal to 7 pounds of stress on our joints. I haven't found that online but I have found sources saying it is equal to 4 pounds. Going with that number, that is 115.2 few pounds of pressure. At 7-1, it would be a whopping 201.6! Maybe the ratio fluctuates with the number on the scale. I will ask the next time I see him but 115 pounds of pressure is nothing to sneeze at!
Onward and downward!
Monday, September 8, 2014
14th week and another loss!
Suzanne, my WW leader told us not to weigh ourselves at home. Another member and I discussed that this morning before the meeting began. We've both found this is good advice. If you expect a loss and don't have one at home, it can be depressing and lead you to weighing yourself daily or throughout the day. DON'T do this! Conversely, if your home scale shows a loss that looks too good to be true, you might give yourself permission to splurge unreasonably or think you can go without tracking, etc.
Not weighing yourself at home is hard to avoid when the scale is right there in the bathroom and you are curious. I weighed myself this morning and prepared myself for staying the same at best, or most likely a small gain. Friday was our anniversary and we had a wonderful dinner at a place we both enjoy. I did not attempt to count points because I don't know how the dishes were prepared. If we ate there often I would remedy this but honestly, once in a while we are all doing to do what we want and damn the point value, right? We just can't let this become a frequent occurrence if we wish to succeed. I had a Scotch and water before dinner but no dessert. The evening was wonderful.
Last night we had dinner at our son and daughter-in-law's. She made a chili that was somewhere between chili and soup, using ground turkey, beans, elbow macaroni, veggies and seasonings. Again, I didn't know how to count the points for the various ingredients nor the amount in the serving. Along with this I had a grilled cheese sandwich. Oh boy....I haven't been eating cheese other than WW brands because I hate to spend the points on cheese. But these things happen. Life isn't only about counting points, it is about balance and not feeling deprived, or any other negative feeling.
The overall balance of my week carried me through this weekend's meals and I had another loss of 1.3 pounds for a total of 27.7. I am pleased with that but even more pleased with my attitude. Hopefully I would have still been optimistic with zero change or a gain.
We had a substitute leader today whose motivational tag line is sticking with me: A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Onward and downward!
Not weighing yourself at home is hard to avoid when the scale is right there in the bathroom and you are curious. I weighed myself this morning and prepared myself for staying the same at best, or most likely a small gain. Friday was our anniversary and we had a wonderful dinner at a place we both enjoy. I did not attempt to count points because I don't know how the dishes were prepared. If we ate there often I would remedy this but honestly, once in a while we are all doing to do what we want and damn the point value, right? We just can't let this become a frequent occurrence if we wish to succeed. I had a Scotch and water before dinner but no dessert. The evening was wonderful.
Last night we had dinner at our son and daughter-in-law's. She made a chili that was somewhere between chili and soup, using ground turkey, beans, elbow macaroni, veggies and seasonings. Again, I didn't know how to count the points for the various ingredients nor the amount in the serving. Along with this I had a grilled cheese sandwich. Oh boy....I haven't been eating cheese other than WW brands because I hate to spend the points on cheese. But these things happen. Life isn't only about counting points, it is about balance and not feeling deprived, or any other negative feeling.
The overall balance of my week carried me through this weekend's meals and I had another loss of 1.3 pounds for a total of 27.7. I am pleased with that but even more pleased with my attitude. Hopefully I would have still been optimistic with zero change or a gain.
We had a substitute leader today whose motivational tag line is sticking with me: A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Onward and downward!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
13 wasn't an unlucky number
I wasn't feeling too confident about the 13th weigh in. Last weekend was Labor Day weekend and I got lazy about tracking. I thought I was keeping the point number in my head and remembered the next day something that I had forgotten. I don't mean this in an obsessive way, but I don't want to fall back into mindless eating either.
There has been a project going on at the home of one of my sons. This led to having pizza one night which I counted and all was well. Two days later after an all day class with a Jimmy John's sandwich for lunch (14 points), I had pizza again for dinner. Two slices. Another 14 points. There will be days like this from time to time. I still made better choices than I would have months ago. I didn't have a third slice of pizza. I didn't have candy or dessert.
It is so easy to fall back into old habits. That concerns me more than the point tally at the end of the day. My normal weigh in is on Monday but since that was a holiday and Tuesday was ridiculously busy here, I weighed in Wednesday morning. I am down a half pound. Whew!
I don't expect my next weigh in this coming Monday to show much of a loss since it won't be a full week, but it will be what it will be. Our anniversary (39th!) is Friday and we will probably go out to eat. I am not blowing caution to the wind completely but I may use some of those weekly points that I rarely touch.
Onward and downward!
There has been a project going on at the home of one of my sons. This led to having pizza one night which I counted and all was well. Two days later after an all day class with a Jimmy John's sandwich for lunch (14 points), I had pizza again for dinner. Two slices. Another 14 points. There will be days like this from time to time. I still made better choices than I would have months ago. I didn't have a third slice of pizza. I didn't have candy or dessert.
It is so easy to fall back into old habits. That concerns me more than the point tally at the end of the day. My normal weigh in is on Monday but since that was a holiday and Tuesday was ridiculously busy here, I weighed in Wednesday morning. I am down a half pound. Whew!
I don't expect my next weigh in this coming Monday to show much of a loss since it won't be a full week, but it will be what it will be. Our anniversary (39th!) is Friday and we will probably go out to eat. I am not blowing caution to the wind completely but I may use some of those weekly points that I rarely touch.
Onward and downward!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
12 weeks
June 1st is when I decided I had to go back to Weight Watchers. June 2nd was the day this journey began. August 25th, marked 12 weeks of following program. Twelve weeks that have flown by, 84 days of tracking, and countless minutes of feeling better.
I've said before that I didn't get the smug feeling I've had before when I started WW or any other plan, all gung ho with an attitude that said "look at what I'm doing? Aren't you proud of me?". This time I've been quiet and enjoying my success personally without fanfare. My husband tells me he is proud of me which is very nice to hear. A few people who are very close to me and realize what I'm doing have made encouraging comments. Some haven't figured out what is different but have said that I look good, as in rested or happy. I smile and thank them.
When I said there have been countless minutes of feeling better I mean actual physical reasons for feeling better. Less sodium (virtually no canned or packaged meals) means no swollen ankles at night. Less weight means less stress on my joints. I am moving more easily, not feeling stuck in the seat of an upholstered sofa that is deeper than usual or a bit lower. I have more energy and have tackled some jobs around the house that I've been avoiding.
I don't have any secret knowledge as to why I am successful this time. We've all heard to take a day at a time in any endeavor, but don't we often ignore that and look at how much lies ahead and become discouraged? If someone had told me on June 2nd that I would weigh 25.9 pounds less in 12 weeks, I wouldn't have believed them. Not that it isn't possible but every Monday was going to be a new beginning, yet nothing changed in all those previous weeks, months or years.
My leader said today that we need to do 4 things to be successful in any positive changes we hope to make in our lives. They are:
I've said before that I didn't get the smug feeling I've had before when I started WW or any other plan, all gung ho with an attitude that said "look at what I'm doing? Aren't you proud of me?". This time I've been quiet and enjoying my success personally without fanfare. My husband tells me he is proud of me which is very nice to hear. A few people who are very close to me and realize what I'm doing have made encouraging comments. Some haven't figured out what is different but have said that I look good, as in rested or happy. I smile and thank them.
When I said there have been countless minutes of feeling better I mean actual physical reasons for feeling better. Less sodium (virtually no canned or packaged meals) means no swollen ankles at night. Less weight means less stress on my joints. I am moving more easily, not feeling stuck in the seat of an upholstered sofa that is deeper than usual or a bit lower. I have more energy and have tackled some jobs around the house that I've been avoiding.
I don't have any secret knowledge as to why I am successful this time. We've all heard to take a day at a time in any endeavor, but don't we often ignore that and look at how much lies ahead and become discouraged? If someone had told me on June 2nd that I would weigh 25.9 pounds less in 12 weeks, I wouldn't have believed them. Not that it isn't possible but every Monday was going to be a new beginning, yet nothing changed in all those previous weeks, months or years.
My leader said today that we need to do 4 things to be successful in any positive changes we hope to make in our lives. They are:
- Affirm it
- Practice it
- Repeat it
- Believe it
I think I began doing this from the beginning without putting it in these words. I am eating to live, not living to eat. I didn't think I was living to eat before, but the thought of dessert was more exciting than an entree or side dish. Social gatherings always include food and I thought it wouldn't be polite not to eat what someone else had made or brought. A huge light bulb moment occurred last week when I was out with my once-a-month dinner buddies. Dessert has always been part of our night out. We ate at a place with a limited dessert menu. Nothing appealed to me. I asked if they had ice cream which is sometimes available but not on a menu. They did not. I passed on dessert and lived to tell about it!
While I am thinking about choices I am not thinking about being deprived, mainly because I am not. Last night for dinner we had BLTs. We don't have bacon often but when we do, we splurge. I had two BLTs made with reduced calorie bread, non-fat mayo, and three pieces of bacon each. The bacon was 8 points, the bread slices came to 5 points. The produce and fat free mayo were free. Were those two sandwiches worth 13 points? Absolutely. I had figured out the points early in the day and ate breakfast and lunch with this in mind.
I can't tell anyone to do this because I say so, or because it is working for me. I've tried this before but I wasn't really ready and the results, or lack of, showed it. I do think of all the months that I "was going to do something" about my eating habits but didn't and three months later the scale would show the same number. This time, three months has flown by and the loss has been...dare I say it?....easy.
Onward and downward.
While I am thinking about choices I am not thinking about being deprived, mainly because I am not. Last night for dinner we had BLTs. We don't have bacon often but when we do, we splurge. I had two BLTs made with reduced calorie bread, non-fat mayo, and three pieces of bacon each. The bacon was 8 points, the bread slices came to 5 points. The produce and fat free mayo were free. Were those two sandwiches worth 13 points? Absolutely. I had figured out the points early in the day and ate breakfast and lunch with this in mind.
I can't tell anyone to do this because I say so, or because it is working for me. I've tried this before but I wasn't really ready and the results, or lack of, showed it. I do think of all the months that I "was going to do something" about my eating habits but didn't and three months later the scale would show the same number. This time, three months has flown by and the loss has been...dare I say it?....easy.
Onward and downward.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Day before a weigh in
I bought WW's Activelink and am still in the preliminary stages of it monitoring my usual activities. I don't know how this is going to work but it should help as I am not very active and this should be a spur to get going.
Yesterday I needed to buy milk. I bought fat free. I was prepared for this to be a sacrifice as I have drank 2% milk for years and loved it. Oddly enough, growing up I drank what was then called skim milk and never minded it. I admit that non-fat milk does look like white water but you know what? A cold glass is still very good.
Leaving the house for this errand, I noticed how baggy my khakis were. I went to store that has clothing as well as groceries (Meijer) with the hope of buying an inexpensive pair of khakis or chinos. Is there a difference? Let's just call them beige pants. All they had were stretchy pants. Not what I wanted at all.
I went to Sears, figuring this item would be a staple and easy to find. No such luck. I was about to give up for the day, not intending yesterday to be a clothes shopping expedition, when I noticed that some of the items in the Lands End department were on sale at 30% off. I don't want to spend much on clothes in these in-between stages of weight loss but I do want to have a few things that fit appropriately. I came home with both a beige and a black pair and the best part of this (besides the sale price) was that they are two sizes smaller than the pants I had on while shopping!!
The time is inevitably coming when I won't show a loss at the scale on Monday's weigh in. There may even be a gain. I know this happens, sometimes because your metabolism decides to take a vacation or maybe sodium is to blame. I'm not expecting that to be the case tomorrow, but I'm reminding myself that if and when it happens, don't freak out. I've come a long way and feel good about everything, especially those new pants.
Yesterday I needed to buy milk. I bought fat free. I was prepared for this to be a sacrifice as I have drank 2% milk for years and loved it. Oddly enough, growing up I drank what was then called skim milk and never minded it. I admit that non-fat milk does look like white water but you know what? A cold glass is still very good.
Leaving the house for this errand, I noticed how baggy my khakis were. I went to store that has clothing as well as groceries (Meijer) with the hope of buying an inexpensive pair of khakis or chinos. Is there a difference? Let's just call them beige pants. All they had were stretchy pants. Not what I wanted at all.
I went to Sears, figuring this item would be a staple and easy to find. No such luck. I was about to give up for the day, not intending yesterday to be a clothes shopping expedition, when I noticed that some of the items in the Lands End department were on sale at 30% off. I don't want to spend much on clothes in these in-between stages of weight loss but I do want to have a few things that fit appropriately. I came home with both a beige and a black pair and the best part of this (besides the sale price) was that they are two sizes smaller than the pants I had on while shopping!!
The time is inevitably coming when I won't show a loss at the scale on Monday's weigh in. There may even be a gain. I know this happens, sometimes because your metabolism decides to take a vacation or maybe sodium is to blame. I'm not expecting that to be the case tomorrow, but I'm reminding myself that if and when it happens, don't freak out. I've come a long way and feel good about everything, especially those new pants.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Eleven weeks
Eleven weeks have flown by. I am tempted to say something about other changes I should have made in this time frame, such as regular exercise, but I am trying to say negative things about myself. The changes in my eating habits have been a big change, and I've made other positive changes that don't relate directly to this journey. Without meaning to sound smug, I'm proud of my accomplishments.
I think there is a subliminal message in that pink graphic because I see the letters R, U & N.
As a crafter, run means colors are spreading, not something physical. I will think about walking though.
So what did the scale show today? Three pounds down from last week for a total of 24.8 pounds! If they had a scale in the bathroom I would have stripped to see if my clothing accounted for .2 pounds. It's ok though, it will come.
So what does 24.8 pounds look like in items we all recognize? It is roughly 26 cans of vegetables and fruit.
Or if you are a wimp like me, it could be three 8.2 pound bowling balls.
Perhaps I should have taken my measurements at the beginning or even now, but I'm not inclined to do so. I can't say numbers don't matter because I certainly do look for the number on the scale to decrease while the number of pounds lost goes up. My precise clothing size doesn't matter as long as long as the current clothes get looser and I eventually shop for the next smallest size.
In my twenties, I was embarrassed by the number on the scale which was 144. Most of my clothes were size 12 with an occasional 10 in a dress. There wasn't quite the attention to numerical sizes in the seventies. In later years in some circles, especially media driven ones, if your clothing size was a double digit you might have felt like you were a heifer. I allowed negative comments to take root and pretended not to care as both the scale and dress size went up and up.
I don't know what my weight will be at the end of this journey. I may stop before the goal that WW has on file, or I may go beyond that. That is too far ahead to think about today. Now in my 60's, I know that I am not going to look like I did in the above picture no matter if I ever match that weight or not and that is truly ok. My goals are purely selfish now. Better is my goal, not someone else's idea of perfection.
I think there is a subliminal message in that pink graphic because I see the letters R, U & N.
As a crafter, run means colors are spreading, not something physical. I will think about walking though.
So what did the scale show today? Three pounds down from last week for a total of 24.8 pounds! If they had a scale in the bathroom I would have stripped to see if my clothing accounted for .2 pounds. It's ok though, it will come.
It could be two 12 pound bowling balls that are so dirty they actually weigh 12.4 pounds each.
Perhaps I should have taken my measurements at the beginning or even now, but I'm not inclined to do so. I can't say numbers don't matter because I certainly do look for the number on the scale to decrease while the number of pounds lost goes up. My precise clothing size doesn't matter as long as long as the current clothes get looser and I eventually shop for the next smallest size.
In my twenties, I was embarrassed by the number on the scale which was 144. Most of my clothes were size 12 with an occasional 10 in a dress. There wasn't quite the attention to numerical sizes in the seventies. In later years in some circles, especially media driven ones, if your clothing size was a double digit you might have felt like you were a heifer. I allowed negative comments to take root and pretended not to care as both the scale and dress size went up and up.
I don't know what my weight will be at the end of this journey. I may stop before the goal that WW has on file, or I may go beyond that. That is too far ahead to think about today. Now in my 60's, I know that I am not going to look like I did in the above picture no matter if I ever match that weight or not and that is truly ok. My goals are purely selfish now. Better is my goal, not someone else's idea of perfection.
Onward and downward!
Monday, August 11, 2014
Ten weeks down, who knows how many to go
Unlike the first 9 weeks where I was in control of meal choices at least 6 days out of 7, this past week I had one dinner not in my control after one planned mini-splurge and a choice I wouldn't usually make the night before weigh in.
First, the mini-splurge. My husband wasn't home for dinner and my younger son and I had some catching up to do. I suggested we go to a bar and grill run by three firefighters. It had been a fun place a few months ago when the rest of my family went and this son was unable to join us. I didn't have any alcohol because that is an easy thing for me to pass on and save points for something else. Normally when I have a burger at home, it is 1/4 of a pound. The bar burger was 8 oz. I did pass on the cheese and enjoyed every ounce of the burger. I ball-parked what I thought the point value was. I think I was still ok for my daily limit and almost never use my weekly extras, so I should have been ok.
Next was the meal that I didn't plan. My daughter-in-law, son and grandson joined us at the cottage on Saturday. She brought dinner, chicken tacos, bean salad and chips. Everything was delicious but I didn't know for certain how to count things. I could have excused myself and looked it up in another room but I knew I wasn't going to not eat what she brought, so I had one taco on a soft shell with just a small amount of cheese and second small helping of chicken only.
I've been avoiding tacos at home, either made her or especially take out from our favorite place. I'm not a chips person so they are usually easy to avoid but I do like nachos and normally use quite a bit of cheese on tacos. I don't think most Mexican food is WW friendly but I honestly haven't tried to find what would be yet. WW used to use the term "red light food" and most Mexican would fall into that warning category for me.
Hubby and I came home yesterday and promptly fell asleep while watching TV with our eyes closed. I woke up after 6:00 and was very hungry. I didn't feel like shopping or cooking. He opted for Chinese but that didn't appeal to me either. I had 16 points left so I had a wide variety available for dinner but chose something from my old days/old ways. I had a Big Mac! I can't truthfully say I was craving that, but it just sounded good so that is what I had.
Would the less than lean burgers and salty Mexican food be a problem on the scale this morning? I reasoned that I still did better with these three meals than I would have done three months ago. Whatever it would be, it would be. I was surprised to see another 1/2 pound gone. Yay me!
21.8 pounds gone. I'm aiming for a whole pound or 1.5 next week.
Onward and downward!
First, the mini-splurge. My husband wasn't home for dinner and my younger son and I had some catching up to do. I suggested we go to a bar and grill run by three firefighters. It had been a fun place a few months ago when the rest of my family went and this son was unable to join us. I didn't have any alcohol because that is an easy thing for me to pass on and save points for something else. Normally when I have a burger at home, it is 1/4 of a pound. The bar burger was 8 oz. I did pass on the cheese and enjoyed every ounce of the burger. I ball-parked what I thought the point value was. I think I was still ok for my daily limit and almost never use my weekly extras, so I should have been ok.
 |
| NOT what I ate, although it did feel almost that huge. This photo is from London's Daily Star, June 3, 2014. The burger is 30 cm across, the patty is a whopping 50 ounces! This is offered at the Temple Bar in Brighton. That doesn't look the least bit appetizing to me, does it to you? |
Next was the meal that I didn't plan. My daughter-in-law, son and grandson joined us at the cottage on Saturday. She brought dinner, chicken tacos, bean salad and chips. Everything was delicious but I didn't know for certain how to count things. I could have excused myself and looked it up in another room but I knew I wasn't going to not eat what she brought, so I had one taco on a soft shell with just a small amount of cheese and second small helping of chicken only.
I've been avoiding tacos at home, either made her or especially take out from our favorite place. I'm not a chips person so they are usually easy to avoid but I do like nachos and normally use quite a bit of cheese on tacos. I don't think most Mexican food is WW friendly but I honestly haven't tried to find what would be yet. WW used to use the term "red light food" and most Mexican would fall into that warning category for me.
Hubby and I came home yesterday and promptly fell asleep while watching TV with our eyes closed. I woke up after 6:00 and was very hungry. I didn't feel like shopping or cooking. He opted for Chinese but that didn't appeal to me either. I had 16 points left so I had a wide variety available for dinner but chose something from my old days/old ways. I had a Big Mac! I can't truthfully say I was craving that, but it just sounded good so that is what I had.
Would the less than lean burgers and salty Mexican food be a problem on the scale this morning? I reasoned that I still did better with these three meals than I would have done three months ago. Whatever it would be, it would be. I was surprised to see another 1/2 pound gone. Yay me!
21.8 pounds gone. I'm aiming for a whole pound or 1.5 next week.
Onward and downward!
Monday, August 4, 2014
Nine weeks on program
If anyone reads this as a source of inspiration, I need to say that while I am following program closely, I am not following it exactly. I don't plan to ever work for WW so I am not figuring out the points on an occasional Nips coffee candy. At 30 calories, they are certainly better than the Milky Way Caramel candy bar that had been my candy of choice, or the mindless quantity of M&Ms that can be consumed while you type or read. Ever reach for another one and wonder the last few went? Look at my waist. That's where they went.
At the cottage on Saturday, I had a lean hamburger on a Slimwich bun with a dab of fat free mayo. The rest of my plate was filled with green beans. Probably 2.5 cups of them! In the old days, old being over two months ago, I would have preferred a bar burger (not wonderful at the place near the cottage but it meant I didn't have to cook) or a burger from McDonald's. Fries probably would have accompanied the bar burger and a sundae would have come from McDonald's. Neither of the burgers would have been better than what I fixed at the cottage. The buns might have been tastier but truthfully, bread has never been my downfall. Warm rolls, yes. Desserts, yes. Ice cream, definitely.
I grew up in the 50's and 60's. Canned veggies were the norm in my mom's house, frozen for a few items that you couldn't buy canned. Same thing in my husband's background. He still prefers canned and likes frozen broccoli over fresh. For most of our marriage I cooked this way. I also used boxed potato, rice and noodle dishes.
Part of my failure to lose in the recent past has to be due to the quality of the food I ate. I thought I could cut back and see success. When it didn't happen, at least not with much speed, I gave up easily and ate the amount of food that filled me, usually more than a single serving according to the box. It shouldn't be big news to realize how good fresh vegetables taste, but it is true. I'm not embarrassed. I know better now, so I do better now.
I haven't cut out fast food completely. The difference now is that I think differently about what I am ordering and even plan for one of these meals occasionally. Alone for dinner yesterday, I had a Southwest chicken salad, grilled, from the McDonald's and a caramel sundae. I had enough points to do this and enjoyed every bit of that sundae. It isn't something I need to repeat today or this week. That compulsion is gone.
One of the rewards since early eliminating fast and processed foods is that I haven't had swollen ankles in two months. I don't know that they were ever large enough for someone else to notice, but I knew and I knew that wasn't good.
Without further ado but with a 9 second bit of fanfare....
I am down another 2.5 pounds for a total of 21.3 pounds. That is almost equal to the birth weights of both my sons and my grandson.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Ate weeks....er, no, make that 8 weeks....
My sense of humor hasn't diminished. It is still as lame as ever.
We are not having typical end of July weather at all. When I left for the WW meeting it was only 61* outside. I wore slacks and like most women who have ever weighed in at WW, I wondered how many extra ounces are in slacks instead of shorts.
I am down another .9 pounds for a total of 18.8. I'm still feeling great, still motivated. Hitting 20 will be big and I'm really looking forward to hitting 25. Maybe I should think of a special way to celebrate that number.
I consider myself to be a fairly organized person but I have been known to procrastinate. Does that seem contradictory? Last week, without actually planning to attack my to-to list, I did just that. I tackled paper work. I booked a trip. I cleaned closets and purged a lot of crafts supplies. I have more cleaning, sorting and purging to do and still feel gung-ho about it. Has the 18 pound loss given me more energy or is it all about attitude? Maybe a little of both, but I'll take it.
Onward and downward, and not just on the scales but down the steps and out to the curb with trash or to the car with donations! The house is getting lighter right along with me.
We are not having typical end of July weather at all. When I left for the WW meeting it was only 61* outside. I wore slacks and like most women who have ever weighed in at WW, I wondered how many extra ounces are in slacks instead of shorts.
I am down another .9 pounds for a total of 18.8. I'm still feeling great, still motivated. Hitting 20 will be big and I'm really looking forward to hitting 25. Maybe I should think of a special way to celebrate that number.
I consider myself to be a fairly organized person but I have been known to procrastinate. Does that seem contradictory? Last week, without actually planning to attack my to-to list, I did just that. I tackled paper work. I booked a trip. I cleaned closets and purged a lot of crafts supplies. I have more cleaning, sorting and purging to do and still feel gung-ho about it. Has the 18 pound loss given me more energy or is it all about attitude? Maybe a little of both, but I'll take it.
Onward and downward, and not just on the scales but down the steps and out to the curb with trash or to the car with donations! The house is getting lighter right along with me.
Monday, July 21, 2014
7 weeks later....
Little victories and big this past week.
Last Tuesday was dinner out with my once-a-month dining buddies. We went to a bier garten because it is new to the area. Once upon a time this would have been difficult for me. I like beer but haven't had much of it for years because I often get headaches triggered by beer or wine. The limited menu was German food, all heavy sounding to me now. I had a Cobb salad that was ok but not wonderful. I had apple strudel for dessert, expecting it to be wonderful and I would bring at least half home to my husband. It wasn't and I didn't. I ate the sparse filling and left the chewy pastry. Wonderful review right? It is because I still had a pleasant evening with my friends. My focus was NOT on the food, but I don't have any interest in returning there again.
About 10 days ago I got out a pair of shorts that are a size smaller. They went on and zipped but weren't very comfortable when seated. I tried them on again yesterday and wore them all day. They still bulge a bit at the pockets when I sit, but my shirt covers that. And by the way, the shirt is a size smaller too!
Last night we were outside talking to a young couple who live down the street. The woman is a long time friend of my sons. She noticed that I looked thinner! I have already said that I don't need others to recognize this, but it is nice. No different than getting your hair cut a different way, it is nice to hear positive feedback.
The big victory was at the scales. Suzanne, my WW leader told us to stay off the scales at home. I did for 6.5 weeks. I got on a few days ago, telling myself that I wondered if the batteries still worked. They did and the reading is about what I expected. I weighed myself last night and again this morning. Why? Obviously to drive myself crazy! I weighed before leaving the house because I really was curious how different the home scale would be from WW's.
I think the house scale can go hide in a closet somewhere. I went to the meeting expecting to stay the same as last week, but I was down another 2.9 pounds for a total of 17.9 pounds! That is more than two gallons of milk! A substitute leader told us that a gallon of liquid actually weighs 8.3 pounds. In grocery store terms, I'm not carrying two gallons of milk and 5 sticks of butter anymore!
Onward and downward!
Last Tuesday was dinner out with my once-a-month dining buddies. We went to a bier garten because it is new to the area. Once upon a time this would have been difficult for me. I like beer but haven't had much of it for years because I often get headaches triggered by beer or wine. The limited menu was German food, all heavy sounding to me now. I had a Cobb salad that was ok but not wonderful. I had apple strudel for dessert, expecting it to be wonderful and I would bring at least half home to my husband. It wasn't and I didn't. I ate the sparse filling and left the chewy pastry. Wonderful review right? It is because I still had a pleasant evening with my friends. My focus was NOT on the food, but I don't have any interest in returning there again.
About 10 days ago I got out a pair of shorts that are a size smaller. They went on and zipped but weren't very comfortable when seated. I tried them on again yesterday and wore them all day. They still bulge a bit at the pockets when I sit, but my shirt covers that. And by the way, the shirt is a size smaller too!
Last night we were outside talking to a young couple who live down the street. The woman is a long time friend of my sons. She noticed that I looked thinner! I have already said that I don't need others to recognize this, but it is nice. No different than getting your hair cut a different way, it is nice to hear positive feedback.
The big victory was at the scales. Suzanne, my WW leader told us to stay off the scales at home. I did for 6.5 weeks. I got on a few days ago, telling myself that I wondered if the batteries still worked. They did and the reading is about what I expected. I weighed myself last night and again this morning. Why? Obviously to drive myself crazy! I weighed before leaving the house because I really was curious how different the home scale would be from WW's.
I think the house scale can go hide in a closet somewhere. I went to the meeting expecting to stay the same as last week, but I was down another 2.9 pounds for a total of 17.9 pounds! That is more than two gallons of milk! A substitute leader told us that a gallon of liquid actually weighs 8.3 pounds. In grocery store terms, I'm not carrying two gallons of milk and 5 sticks of butter anymore!
Onward and downward!
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Week #6
I ate out once last week and we attended a graduation party on Saturday. On Monday I wasn't sure if I would make it to weigh in because of babysitting my grandson, but he got up in time for us to pop into my regular meeting. I am so glad I did as I am down another pound, a total of 15! Need a visual? Check this out:
I have a long way to go but I feel really good, both physically and mentally. I wore a pair of shorts the other day that I haven't had on in at least 3 summers, probably much longer.
Tonight I am going out to dinner with my once a month dinner buddies. The slacks and top that I am wearing have been wore a few times this past spring, but they look so much better now.
I wish the motivation to do this had kicked in years ago but I'll take it now happily and hope that it lasts. There is a chocolate chip cookie from Kroger's baker still in a storage container, left from the July fourth weekend. Do you know how odd that is in this house? There is also a Kit Kat candy bar in the cupboard. Kit Kat isn't my favorite, but that never would have stopped me before.
When my dinner companions and I go out each month, we rarely know in advance where we will go. I am confident that I will find something reasonable for me on the menu. Last month it was a grilled chicken salad. Like last month, I will probably have dessert because that is something the three of us have done for ages. It will probably be ice cream because that is my favorite dessert, a frequent choice regardless of thinking about weight loss or not. If my meal is a little heavy in points, I'll either bring part of it home for tomorrow or consciously eat lighter the next few days.
Onward and downward!
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