(week 7). the aftermath.

It’s been a few days since weigh-in, but I’m happy to announce that I’ve lost another 1.8 pounds! That brings my overall total in 42 days to 10.4 pounds (about 4 ounces a day)!

I’ve been sick for a few days, so it’s been hard to tune in to my body. I don’t know when I’m hungry, or full, or even able to eat at all! I feel like I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit since Thursday, but I’ve got two weeks until my next weigh-in (unless I go to a WW center), so I can focus on staying on track.

It helps that Noah is an active baby; he keeps me moving all day! In fact, he started WALKING last week! Oh my goodness, it seems like only yesterday that we brought him home, and now he’s practically running.

Over the holidays, I really plan to try to stick to what I should be eating. TRY is the key word. I don’t want to feel deprived or left out, but I also know that food won’t make me happy, so why over-do it?! I’ll focus on my son’s super-awesome first Christmas, and the family I will be surrounded by.

The positive train keeps on moving...

(week 6). I didn’t lose, I gained.

... and that’s a positive! Yes, I lost 2 pounds today. That’s 32 ounces of CRAP that just burned off of me. While I “lost” the weight, it’s such a gain for me. A gain of life, of self, of further motivation... I gained today by losing!

I control my own destiny in this. I pick the foods. I choose how active I am. It’s up to me how “in it” I become. I can’t blame anyone else but myself if I stop succeeding.

Here’s something I’m finding I need to work on: holiday time snacking! There is so much just lying around, waiting to be gobbled up. Today, bagels, brownies, donuts and more were part of the workplace spread. Of course, I couldn’t resist my favorite: wheat bagel and shmear. (8 PointsPLUS) ...that’s not so horrible when I pair it with a well-stocked salad for lunch, but it doesn’t help to munch on another half bagel (5 more PP!) and some Swedish Fish (4 PP for an OUNCE!). Ugh. I’m down 24 points for the day, and I still have dinner to go. Soup it shall be for me...

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this...

I got a few WW books today that can tell me the PP values of food... I counted it up, and the typical Olive Garden meal I’d have would be worth more than my daily point allowance! O. M. G. No wonder I gained the weight that I did. The chicken parm alone was 15, and that didn’t include the spaghetti side ... add in a few breadsticks and the salad (one serving of the salad is 8 PP, thanks to the dressing and the cheese), and you’re screwed.

I get that WW is not a program to deprive yourself of the things you love, but it’s definitely making me rethink the things I used to eat. And that’s not a bad thing, I’ve got to say. 50 years ago, we didn’t have the obesity problem America has now. Candy and junky snacks were treats, and fruits and veggies were staples (not the other way around, like it seems to be today). People didn’t gorge on ginormous portions—they ate until they were satisfied, and moved on. Food was social, but in a very different way. Kids were more active than they are now, too! We need to go back to that. We may not have our parents around to force us to “eat our vegetables” or “go play outside”, but we should listen to the smart, healthy voice in our head, prodding us in that direction.

Who’s with me?

Now, someone pass me the green beans...

week (almost 6). one pound down, hungry for more...

In all honesty, weigh in last week was a bit disappointing. It had been two weeks since I had weighed last, and I had only lost a pound. The positive in that, I know, is that I lost SOMETHING (especially over the holiday week), but I felt like I had done more than just a pound’s worth of work.

Sure, I had a few bad days. Without the baby there, I wasn’t moving as much, and quite honestly, I was mildly depressed. All that changed last week, though. I re-focused myself, and have been doing great ever since.

I had promised myself that I wouldn’t step on a scale unless it was for weigh in, but I couldn’t resist this morning. And as I stepped on the hallway scale WITH MY BOOTS AND EVERYTHING on, I found that I was down almost 7 pounds from last week!

A few things to note: it’s not calibrated the same as the WW scale, I’m sure. There’s got to be a few pound fluctuation. I was wearing shoes and a sweater, which are things I normally shed for weigh in. I have been moving and exercising this past week, as well as eating EXTREMELY well (even with four pieces of thin pizza last night—my weekly indulgence—I still had 3 points left over!)

Now, I just need to get through the holidays. I’m not taking much vacation time, so I’ll be busy with work. I’ve got a teething baby (he got FOUR teeth last Friday! At once!) and Christmas to sort out as well, but for now, I’m taking it in stride.

Fingers crossed Thursday’s weigh in goes well (and that I don’t get yelled at by my WW leader for losing TOO much in a week!).

week (almost) 5. ready for the scale?

It’s been almost two weeks since I weighed in last. I’m nervous—especially since I didn’t deprive myself of Thanksgiving goodness—but excited. Despite not being AS hardcore over the weekend, I think that I’ve been doing well. As long as the number decreases some, I’ll be happy. Even if it doesn’t, I’ll just keep trying until next time!

Like I said previously, the baby is with my mom for the week. It’s been harder on me than I thought it’d be. I find myself occasionally bored, listless and feeling without purpose. What happens when Jen gets that way? She eats. I didn’t go overboard, but I did more than I probably should have. Steak! Sweet Potatoes! Cheesecake! That’s right, I had it all. Delicious, yes, but I felt awful afterward. I thought about all the points I just ate, or how much I’d have to compensate for to make it balance out.

I’m finding myself more conscious of what other people eat around me. Eating with friends at lunch, I watch them down multiple servings of butter-drenched, fat-laden foods. Do they realize what they’re doing? It’s not even about the points—the caloric intake that some people consume is just INSANE! Last night, husband ate an Oreo dipped in (lite) Cool Whip, and I just about died. I probably annoyed him with my gasps and “ick faces”—I need to just focus on what I’m eating instead of what everyone else chooses to put in their tummy.

In other news ... my MIL joined WW again yesterday! This is going to help us both stay accountable. Plus, it’s pretty nice that the two cooks in the house can be point conscious!

WW also announced a new “PointsPlus” system yesterday. I’ll learn more about it Thursday at my meeting, but from what I’m reading, fruit and (most) vegetables are free! This should definitely encourage all WWers to make healthy decisions and choose more of what we SHOULD be eating. Plus, my point allowance has gone up, thanks to their new formula. Sweet!

In regard to my “I LEARNED A...” two weeks ago: the soup and popcorn trick is working out so well! Yummy soups fill me up for just a couple points, and the popcorn serves as an all-afternoon snack! Yum!

I LEARNED A ...
SNACK TIP: “Fiber One” bars are amazing for your 2pm hunger pangs. They’re chewy, tasty and only a few points! Plus, the fiber helps keep you fuller longer. Making it to dinner is even easier!

week 4. no scale allowed!

today is thanksgiving. we just left the baby at my mom's, and we are driving home through freezing rain. fun, right?

because of the holiday, I don't have a WW meeting this week. that doesn't mean I'm dropping my guard, though! I've been very good about monitoring my points, saving the "extra" for a dinner out with my parents yesterday. even still, I didn't go overboard or anything. whew!

WW mates had expressed the challenges with thanksgiving, and how to not feel pressured, but I'm finding my biggest challenge today has been the long-standing habits I created with road trips. we tend to eat fast food, candy, and plenty of other snacks, most likely out of boredom.

this time, I drank water or diet dr. pepper (0 points), had a few PIECES of low-fat candy, and ate sensibly when we stopped (even insisting on cracker barrel instead of mcdonalds).

did I do 100%? no, but making life changes take baby steps.

here's hoping next week still shows a loss! goodness knows I'm working for
it!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

week 3. first milestone celebration!

I celebrated my first WW milestone today—over five pounds lost! It's a big deal for me, because this is one of the first times I've absolutely focused on weight loss fully.

I am...

• exercising (or at least amping up my activity)
• watching my food intake
• thinking about WHAT I'm eating
• conscious about WHEN I'm eating
• evaluating whether I'm hungry, thirsty, or just bored

With being sick, I think I'm doing pretty darn well.

I was recognized in today's meeting for my milestone, and my leader asked what it was like to lose the first five. I said—much to the chagrin of my WW mates, I'm sure—that it wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be... and I wasn't lying! All it takes is a bit of focus and determination, willpower and strength ... with that, you can do anything!

Next week, I am taking a road trip instead of eating Thanksgiving dinner. (No, I'm not intentionally missing T-day!) I think that being on a road that only featured McDonalds is going to be a challenge, but if I eat before we leave, and pack some decent snacks, I'll be able to stay on plan.

I'm super-excited that I can actually make this happen. According to WW, my 5% goal is 11 pounds; 10% is 22. I have the 10% in my sights for Christmas ... 16 more to go ...

I LEARNED A ...
LUNCH TIP: Add Progresso soups and popcorn to your lunch menu. The soup is only 2 points (for a whole can full of veggie goodness!) and a bag of fat-free popcorn is 1. I plan on entering that into my lunch rotation next week, which should help fill me up and slim me down.

week 2. a positive loss.

weigh in was Thursday, and I was pleasantly surprised to find I lost three pounds. it was definitely a motivator for me.

I don't think I had expectations going into it really--I knew that I had stuck to my points and exercised some, but I didn't have a number or anything in mind.

going in to week three, I am really focused on doing well. I'm tired and sore, but I'm still pushing myself to be active. this morning, I was playing with Noah and doing sit-ups in between--such the multi-tasker!

if I can keep on 2-3 pounds lost per week, I could be down almost 20 by Christmas. THAT would be a lovely gift indeed.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

week 1. weight loss while sick.

I went to my first WW meeting last Thursday. The teacher got me really excited about doing the program, but my body had other ideas. I've been sick for almost a week now, so getting my head around this whole thing has been a bit of a challenge.

With that said, I've really TRIED to stick to my points. I'm not giving up Dr. Pepper just yet, but I've built it into my points each day. I've also picked up Smart Ones meals to make eating, counting and portion control easier.

Today, I was able to get a break from the baby, and did housework for over an hour. I broke a sweat running up and down the stairs, but man, did I get a work out!

I'm planning on waking up early each morning before work to work out to a DVD. it's my only time alone, with no distractions, so hopefully I can stick to it.

Goal for the week: two pounds.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

The Time Is Now.

I’ve come up with a list of reasons why I NEED to lose weight:

1. I must make myself—and my health—a priority.
2. I wake up aching.
3. I am unhappy with how I look in pictures.
4. I have an unrealistic view of what I look like, and find myself disappointed every time I realize it.
5. I have a 9 month old that needs to keep me around.
6. I am not on any sort of schedule or routine, and I could benefit from it.
7. I don’t exercise much, and need to.
8. I want to feel happy about accomplishing something.
9. I want to make a difference in my own life.
10. I don’t want to be squishy.
11. I want to be healthy.
12. I want to LIVE.

THIS is why I’m going to lose weight. This is why I’m going to be successful. This is my motivation.

I can do this.

Here's the deal.

Okay, we are starting again. I don't expect anyone to read this, so I can be perfectly candid here.

I had a baby nine months ago. He is the BEST thing I could have ever asked for. But with the baby came the weight. In my case, I was no longer able to hover at a particular number. My stomach has the post-baby rolls, with skin that just kind of hangs. I'm sluggish, sore and miserable, all while chasing my baby around the house!

My body can feel it. It's time for a change.

I've decided, with the support of my family, to join Weight Watchers. I may not each much each day (which isn't good), but I also know I'm not always eating the best things for me. I need to work on that.

I also need to figure out a way to become more active in my life. Not sure how to do that yet, but it's going to happen. It HAS to.

I'm hoping that WW goes well. My goal is to lose 70 pounds. I can definitely conquer half of that by March, so we'll start there. Hell, if I can lose 15 by Christmas, I'll be a happy girl!

I will try to post here with my thoughts on my progress; hopefully it will be a great motivator for me over time.

Wish me luck. I can do this!!!