Weigh in Day

and my work this week has paid off. I'd say hard work, but it didn't feel that hard. I had some challenging days and such, but I pushed through them and it's come out okay. I earned 22 Activity points for the week and between those and my 35 Weekly Allowance, I used every last one. I like to eat, I'm hungry and I need those extra points.

I need to get some exercise in this week because that is a huge part of it for me. I think that will be my biggest challenge because the kids are on spring break, but some walks (even at preschooler pace) and a bike ride or two (if the rain ever stops) should work for us all.

When I used to go to meetings, the leader was talking about exercise and that she's had members say that the exercise to eat and how that isn't a good reason, or why you should be exercising, but I'm thinking anything that gets people moving is a good reason. And the points are there to use. In fact, if you exercise and don't give your body enough fuel, you're going to stall out because your body will start storing the food rather than burning it knowing more is coming.

So off to another week.

The first week

The first week of WW is supposed to be a big weight loss, but that's if one is doing really well at following the plan. And I have been, it's just that I've been eating huge amounts of food (yesterday was a gong show though with too much junk). Thankfully I have been getting lots of exercise with walks, aquafit and a fusion aerobics class, that I've already earned 17 APs, but they are likely used up by now too (I still need to journal the rest of yesterday...eeks).

This morning I was down 1.2 lbs from Friday though, so I am happy that I am moving downward and I know that with a bit more exercise this week and keeping my food intake healthy and within my daily points range that I will continue that loss.

I know that I am a stress and boredom eater and that there was a bit of that going on yesterday, I just don't like it. I need to find a new tool for dealing with stress and boredom. My first instinct is to get off the computer, which is in the kitchen, and pull out some scrapbooking papers and work on a project, even if it's just a couple of cards or co-ordinating some photos with papers. I'll let you know how that goes.

Here we go again..

I feel like I'm a broken record, but eventually it's going to take and I'll again be down to a healthy weight. I joined WW again this morning, but online instead, so I'm not forking over a ridiculous amount of money for something I felt I got no benefit of. Plus I'm on the computer a few times a day anyway, so why not take a minute or two to journal what I've eaten or any exercise I've gotten. I have a few other "friends" doing WW right now as well and we're going to support each other through it.

I'm a little worried because I'm not feeling overly motivated to do this, but if not now, then when? I'm hoping the fake it 'til you make it adage will work here and I'll plug away at this until it starts to feel right and I'm getting motivated by the weight loss.

So what did today look like so far? A 7 point veggie/cheese omelette for breakfast (I need protein in the morning), yoghurt with berries and lowfat granola for a quick lunch before walking the boys to school (20 min return).  A 45 minute walk with a friend, then a Frapp Light from Starbucks (my first in weeks).

I might as well share my weight loss with whoever else cares and if you want to share yours too, then it might be the bit of extra motivation I need, just don't lose faster than me or I'll stop reading...just kidding, the competition might do me some good.  Share your recipes, your fun activities for exercise and words of encouragement.

I might get my lovely husband to snap a photo of me to post, but for now my starting weight will have to do.

5'4.5" (yes that half counts for something)
174.6 lbs (first thing in the morning ... just a few hours later, I'm more like 177.4)

Here I go!

2 months, plus a 10 day vacation = Oh No!

So it's been two months since I've been eating well or following much of a food plan. I'm still trying to make good choices much of the time, but there have been way too many treats sneaking in. We also just got back from a 10 day vacation where we ate a lot of delicious food, many out at restaurants and loaded with meat. I did eat a fair bit of fish/seafood and chose salads a couple of times too. And I'm giving myself points for getting in two 3o minute runs and a nice walk. So the end result, my clothes are tight this morning, there are rolls showing up in photos where there weren't rolls a couple of months ago and I'm barely back in the heat and my hands and feet feel swollen.

So it's back to what works, it's back to Weight Watchers with a focus on vegetables and lean proteins, and adding low glycemic fruits and high fibre carbs. Drinking lots of water. Journaling and weighing in at Weight Watchers. Taking a daily multivitamin. Continuing to run 2-3 times a week and doing weights at the gym 1-2 times a week. And staying off my home scale, that messes with my head too much. My first weigh in back will be Thursday morning. But I have started back on plan today and will hit the gym tomorrow morning.

Doug has also said that starting tomorrow he'll be doing it with me. I can't tell how what that means and how motivating it is to have someone else working it. I know he'll lose a lot fast, so I'll be extra motivated to stay with it and keep up to him with a loss each week.

Without a goal this is all sort of pointless. So my first goal is 5lbs. I'm not sure what I'm weighing exactly right now, but lets say it's about 180 lbs (gulp, how did I let it get to this?). So goal #1 is getting to 175lbs. After that, it's going to stay at 5lb increments. The ultimate goal is 150lbs. It's not nearly as low as I was before kids, but it's a weight that will be maintainable and will feel good and healthy. I'm visiting a couple of other blogs for motivation and will share them with you as I go here AGAIN!

I know someone that is taking and posting monthly photos of herself in yoga pants and a sports bra and I greatly admire her confidence and although I think I'll do that for myself. I doubt very much I'll be sharing that here. I will share this photo, which is the one yesterday that was my big kick in the arse.

Numbers vs Compliments

I don't know what feels better to record an official loss at the scales or to get my first comment that I look like I've lost weight. Because I've got some paid ahead passes for weight watchers, I've decided to go to weigh in there for my official weight loss numbers seeing that I don't have a digital scale and doubt mine is super reliable.

Well, this morning I weighed in at a meeting and hadn't weighed in since April 2nd. After that weigh in a month ago I wasn't really doing a whole lot to lose weight and new I may have even been up a bit when I started South Beach on the April 27th, but my loss today was 4lbs from that last weigh in. On my scale I thought is was around 5-6 which may be true from a couple of weeks ago. SWEET!!

Then tonight I stopped at Save-on Foods after work to pick up a few things (being off refined foods and sugars sure is expensive, but well worth it). I ran into the mother of our new baby sitter, who I'm getting to know and last saw a few weeks ago, the first thing she says, "you've lost weight, looks great, I almost didn't recognize you!" SWEET!! Love that feedback.

Of course I'm feeling the difference already in my clothes and my energy level, but I'm so happy that the weight truly is coming off and people will be noticing it too.

Success!

Weight Watchers is a great weight loss program, it is balanced food and allows you room to treat yourself without guilt and keep right on going. It worked wonders for me 7 years ago (in 2002) when I lost 65 lbs. So what has the problem been the past couple of years when I keep going back with no success. Well, I finally figured it out. I'm sick and tired of measuring, weighing and writing down everything I eat. I don't have the energy, nor the time to figure out points on something and keep it all together, plus I was eating too much junk ... refined foods, chocolate, fruits, etc.

So when I came across some friends chatting about South Beach, I was intrigued. I read a little more into it and it all sounded good. So here I am, one week in and loving it!! I have a ton of energy, feel clear headed, sleeping great, and am losing weight. I am reading the book as I'm doing Phase 1 and I would recommend reading the book before you actually start. It hasn't hindered me, but it would have been better that way.

So one full week in (half way through Phase 1) and I've lost 4-5 lbs, my clothes are feeling looser and I'm not craving sweets and carbs. I've always known that I have a problem with carbs, if I eat some, I have to eat more and that's just not right. So what I've learned, is that my eliminating them, I am actually retraining my brain/body in it's relationship with carbs

So far I'm finding it pretty easy, other than I seem to be spenidng a lot of money right now as I figure out how to feed me and the rest of the family this way, also I'm actually cooking three full meals a day for myself, but no longer snacking on junk or hitting Starbucks regularly. Because I'm paid up at Weight Watchers for a while, I'm going to continue to go to meetings for the weigh in because my scale is not digital and crappy, so it's hard for me to know exactly what I'm weighing and how much I'm losing. So I'll let you know.

and here we are again

I didn't share what I did two week ago with you all, I don't know why I didn't, I just didn't. So I'll share it today. I went back to Weight Watchers. I hadn't weighed in since November so I knew that it might not be pretty and well, with Christmas, my birthday and Valentines all during that time, I was up 6.2 lbs. YIKES! It's amazing how fast it comes back on. But let's not focus on that. Let's focus on today.

So during the past two weeks I had my good days and not so good days of following the plan, hitting the gym and drinking my water. We've had a few stressful days as we've started to feel the effects of the recession on our bank account, but something clicked a few days ago. I realized that I have no control over the recession, and I could either continue to eat with the stress, or chose to control what I could and that's my food intake and activity. So I journalled, I drank my water, I ate yummy healthy filling foods, and I exercised. And today I was down 3.4 lbs from two weeks ago.

Doug and I went out for dinner at Boston Pizza (thanks to our Christmas gift card from my seester Erin and her fiance Garett) and before we went, I checked out the nutritional info on-line and came up with a few options. I ate the Ribber meal (8pts) with steamed vegetables (1pts...the website said 2 pts, but there is no way there was more than a cup of veggies and butter/oil on them) and garlic bread (3pts). Then Doug and I shared the Chocolate Brownie Addiction....YUMMO...and the 6 pts that used up was worth every bite.

I have a lunch date with my girlfriends tomorrow at Earl's (notorious for their HIGH FAT food...did you know that more than half of their meals are over 1000 calories). But again, I've scoped out their nutritional info on-line and written down my favs, the points values and some other lower point options too. I'm going to hit the gym in the morning to earn a few extra points and keep supper lean. It helps to tell myself that lunch with the girls isn't about the food, it's about the company. I'll enjoy a soup and salad with them as much as I'd enjoy the Chicken and Brie Ciabatta, and I'll feel less guilty afterwards too.