(week 17). I’m WINNING, DUH!

Yes, I took a page from Charlie Sheen, but if he’s taught me anything this week, it’s that you should be proud of your awesomeness.

And I’m super-proud of MY awesomeness; I’m down over 23 pounds! I’ve got another pound and change to go before I hit my “St. Louis” goal, and I think I can totally do it by next week!

Oh, and I almost forgot! With me not having blogged in a few weeks, I haven’t been able to mention I hit a MAJOR milestone a week or two ago: I hit my 10% goal! That is HUGE for me! It not only shows I’ve been able to stick with something, but that THIS IS WORKING!

I ran into an old co-worker earlier this week. She hadn’t seen me since I had just had the baby, and she was completely taken aback by how I looked. LOL, she said she didn’t even recognize me! I can’t always tell that I’ve lost weight... Sure, my face looks thinner, and my arms and legs aren’t as puffy, but I still look like the me I have in my head. Make sense? Maybe my brain never adjusted to “bigger Jen”. Sure, we’ll go with that.

This whole experience has been so positive; I just need to keep moving forward with it.

Now, what are YOU doing to WIN?!

This key chain is one of my most prized material possessions at the moment.
It represents the 10% I worked so hard to lose, and holds the promise of more to come. WORD.

(week 15). keepin’ it real... keepin’ it flat...

I weighed in today. Leading up to it, I was so nervous! With Noah’s birthday last weekend (happy birthday, baby boy!), I pigged OUT on cake. I mean, did I honestly expect my tiny 1-year-old to eat the massive cake by himself? The leftovers looked too good, and I couldn’t resist. So yes, I had (at least) one piece of cake every single day for the past WEEK! EEK!

I tried to watch portions otherwise, but I felt my plan slipping away. I stepped on the scale and *gasp * I hadn’t gained! ...I didn’t lose, either, but really, I did good to maintain!

I’m buckling down, though. With just three pounds from my next BIG goal, I need to step it up. And that is why I am taking some time tonight to go sign up for the gym. Nothing fancy, just the basics, but I need something to keep me moving toward my ultimate goal. I’d like to lose about 17 more pounds before the cruise, and that’s in just over two months. I can’t sit around just HOPING it will happen, right? So off my butt I go...

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

(week 13). make progress or make excuses.

The title of my blog is a quote we were left with in today’s WW meeting. According to my leader, she heard it from a Real Estate guru (who’s name escaped her, sorry), but felt that it applies to weight loss. I absolutely agree. I find it encapsulates my journey. Basically, “put up or shut up”... “try or fail”. I’m in this to make progress, and I need to work on not making excuses about my faults. BUT, without an excuse or two, I wouldn’t have a blog, so…

After the past two weeks I’ve had, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was down another 2.6 pounds! (Please know, I did NOT weigh in last week)

After the last weigh-in, I was very focused on the plan. Then Noah got sick. It happened so fast, that it was hard to focus on anything else BUT him (as it should be). He was diagnosed with RSV and pneumonia, and we were admitted to the hospital for a few days (read about it here: http://mamabare.blogspot.com/2011/01/week-from-hell.html).

Now, kids, for what you SHOULDN’T DO on WW. NOTE: while I ultimately had a very successful weigh in, don’t follow this. Basically, “do what I say, not what I do”, got it?

I didn’t count at all. I tried to keep track of SOME things in my head, but for the most part, I said eff it. I managed my portions by sight, and I can tell you now that some were waaaaay off. There was a day or two where I just couldn’t eat, then I found myself wanting to snack on everything! Swedish Fish, Doritos, Crackers, Popcorn, Cookies… if it was in front of me, I wanted it in. my. belly.

I’m sure the stress of it all did a number on me, and I need to work harder on doing this the right way ALL THE TIME.

*end of the bad junk. time to tune back in*

Alex and I are talking about joining a gym, and have it narrowed down to two. We are looking for CHEAP, with child care and exercise equipment, of course… other than that, we don’t really care. Otherwise, I’ll step up my activity level with more walking and the wii. It sounds silly, but playing the wii for even 15 minutes a day can really get you moving!

I love getting messages from all of you, talking about your own experiences with weight loss or WW, so keep them coming! We can all learn from one another! That’s why I’m blogging about this now; it is not only keeping myself accountable, but it’s sharing tips with all of you, and hopefully motivating you to get healthy!

(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 (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!