Well folks, I've been away from the blogging world for about a week, and I've also been away from the WW plan for about that long. I wouldn't use the phrase "fell off the wagon", because I was still conscious about my decisions, I just didn't always have the opportunity to make good ones. I will admit that in focusing so much on my Thanksgiving plan, I completely failed to think about my "5 days away from home" plan. That's 5 days of meals out, 5 days of no exercise, etc.
I started out strong. We left Tuesday night & got Sonic on the road. I got a grilled chicken sandwich & a cherry slush. The slush was a splurge, but I had the points & wanted a treat. When we stopped at a gas station for snacks, I got chex mix, and the bag lasted me the whole time we were there. Wednesday, I started the day w/a granola bar, then lunch was at Waffle House. I got a lite wafffle & scrambled eggs. Dinner that night was Taco Bell & I got a spicy chicken burrito. No snacks throughout the day, I was feeling pretty good about the choices I made.... I felt I did the best I could.
Thursday.... Thanksgiving. Granola bar for breakfast, goldfish & chex mix for snacks.... dinner at 4. I think I did pretty well. I ate some turkey & some ham, corn, veggie casserole, a small bit of stuffing, a small bit of mac & cheese, and a roll. I did get 2nds of corn. I had the smallest slice of Hummingbird Cake that I was able to slice (it's a 3-layer spice cake w/pineapple & bananas in it & homemade cream cheese frosting). That slice was probably the same amount of points of my whole dinner, but it's OK. I remember eating a snack later that night, but I don't recall what it was.
Friday, things stopped being so on-plan. I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, then we got barbeque for lunch, which wasn't so bad b/c the sauce down there isn't tomato based & sugary, it's vinegar based. I had a sandwich for lunch & another one for dinner. I also had a bit of ham as a snack. Then I had another slice of cake after dinner. No veggies, no water, yuck.
Saturday.... ugh. Iron Bowl day. (football rivalry game... big deal in Alabama!). We slept until like 1, then ate at Zaxby's... which is my favorite southern fast food.... and not healthy. I had chicken fingers & onion peels. Probably 20+ points, at least. Then there was the beer. I think I drank 10 light beers. No, I'm not normally an alcoholic. This was the first time I'd been drunk in ages. We also had hotdogs & hamburgers.... I had a burger & 2 hotdogs throughout the night. Then while drunk, I binged on Doritos. Saturday was not a good day.
Sunday I had a ham sandwich, then on the road we got Burger King. I didn't even try to eat healthy there. I got chicken fries, onion rings, and a piece of peppermint pie. I felt miserable the whole ride home b/c of all that junk. Yuck. I also had a peanut butter twix on the road.
The confessions don't end there. They should, but they don't. When I got home Monday, I should have been 100% back on track.... but, the past 3 days have also been pretty crappy. I can't even remember Monday.... I know I made spaghetti for dinner & had too much garlic bread. Tuesday was a pizza overload and a skipped WW meeting, then yesterday wasn't BAD, but wasn't good.
But the important thing at the end of all of this is that this morning, I woke up, got on the computer to find a WW meeting, and went.
Friends, please remember this.... no matter how badly you have done (if you have a bad day, a bad weekend, a bad week), nothing will make it better but getting back on track. If you don't get back on track, it will not magically get better on its own, odds are, the situation will only become worse.
So, today is day one back on track. I vow to have a completely on plan day today. I will drink my water, I will eat well. I will try to get to the gym this evening. But the most important thing is that I am here and I'm making an effort.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
More success! (LG08)
Today was my WI. last week I hit 32 pounds lost, so I thought it would be great if I lost 3 more this week to get another 5 pound star. I wasn't sure if I would pull it off since I had a big loss last week.... but I did! I am currently 292.6 which is almost in the 280s! Can you believe it? Just a couple weeks ago I was wondering when I'd ever be in the 290s, and here I am almost out of the 290s all ready!
I am truly learning to make good choices... not because that's what is less points, but because that is what sounds better these days! Last week, a coworker wanted to go to a chinese buffet. Those are two words that make a weight watcher cringe! First of all, chinese isn't the healthiest (I know some things are, but in general), but then a buffet? The possibility to eat endless amounts of food for the same price? But I did really really well. I got only a couple bites of some of my favorite dishes, I avoided egg rolls & crab rangoon, and while I did make 2 trips, I left half of the stuff on my plate each time. If I didn't love it, I didn't eat it. Then today, that same coworker wanted Jimmy Johns (sub sandwich place). Most sandwiches there are between 15-20 points. I had the points for it, but it just didn't seem worth it to me, didn't sound extremely appetizing. So I got their lettuce wrap instead of the sub bread. It was delicious! It cut probably 8 or so points off of my meal, and I didn't even miss the bread. Plus I got an extra veggie serving in that way!
I realized that in all my worries regarding Thanksgiving at someone else's, I completely forgot to plan for the fact that I'm going to be away from home for 5 days & may be eating fast food or food prepared by someone else! I need a plan! I am taking granola bars & 100 cal packs for breakfasts and snacks. Lunches out I can work with. I can make healthy choices. Then dinners will just have to be whatever is prepared, in moderation. I will load up on veggies (hopefully there will be some!), then eat the rest in small amounts. I can definately do this. I am determined not to have a gain next week just because of a trip & a holiday.
How is everyone else doing? I apologize to some of you that have commented me & I haven't made it to your blog yet. Comment me on this entry & I promise to visit yours!
I am truly learning to make good choices... not because that's what is less points, but because that is what sounds better these days! Last week, a coworker wanted to go to a chinese buffet. Those are two words that make a weight watcher cringe! First of all, chinese isn't the healthiest (I know some things are, but in general), but then a buffet? The possibility to eat endless amounts of food for the same price? But I did really really well. I got only a couple bites of some of my favorite dishes, I avoided egg rolls & crab rangoon, and while I did make 2 trips, I left half of the stuff on my plate each time. If I didn't love it, I didn't eat it. Then today, that same coworker wanted Jimmy Johns (sub sandwich place). Most sandwiches there are between 15-20 points. I had the points for it, but it just didn't seem worth it to me, didn't sound extremely appetizing. So I got their lettuce wrap instead of the sub bread. It was delicious! It cut probably 8 or so points off of my meal, and I didn't even miss the bread. Plus I got an extra veggie serving in that way!
I realized that in all my worries regarding Thanksgiving at someone else's, I completely forgot to plan for the fact that I'm going to be away from home for 5 days & may be eating fast food or food prepared by someone else! I need a plan! I am taking granola bars & 100 cal packs for breakfasts and snacks. Lunches out I can work with. I can make healthy choices. Then dinners will just have to be whatever is prepared, in moderation. I will load up on veggies (hopefully there will be some!), then eat the rest in small amounts. I can definately do this. I am determined not to have a gain next week just because of a trip & a holiday.
How is everyone else doing? I apologize to some of you that have commented me & I haven't made it to your blog yet. Comment me on this entry & I promise to visit yours!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Little Teale Rant.
While I understand that everyone will not feel the same way as me, this is just my opinion about what is right for me.
I hate when people tell me "go ahead and indulge, you deserve it" or "you've been doing so well, one day won't hurt your progress" or "you should treat yourself, it's a special occasion".
Specifically I'm talking about Thanksgiving, but it can apply to a variety of situations--birthdays, holidays, eating out, etc. I understand that some people "treat" themselves with food on special occasions. That simply is not logical for me. I became over 300 pounds from a lot of days treating & rewarding myself by using food. I'm obviously trying to do something about that, but it's somewhat irritating when I find people saying things that would ultimately sabotage me.
I know that the people that have said some of those things up there are not deliberately trying to say things that would make me "fall of the wagon" so to speak, but everyone's battle is different. What is good for one person is not good for another. So while "treats" might be great for others & motivation to get back on track the next day, "treats" are like a timebomb for me, how long until I "treat" myself with food for every good thing that happens? I am trying very hard not to continue associating food with emotions... and that not only means using food as comfort, but also using food as a reward.
I hate when people tell me "go ahead and indulge, you deserve it" or "you've been doing so well, one day won't hurt your progress" or "you should treat yourself, it's a special occasion".
Specifically I'm talking about Thanksgiving, but it can apply to a variety of situations--birthdays, holidays, eating out, etc. I understand that some people "treat" themselves with food on special occasions. That simply is not logical for me. I became over 300 pounds from a lot of days treating & rewarding myself by using food. I'm obviously trying to do something about that, but it's somewhat irritating when I find people saying things that would ultimately sabotage me.
I know that the people that have said some of those things up there are not deliberately trying to say things that would make me "fall of the wagon" so to speak, but everyone's battle is different. What is good for one person is not good for another. So while "treats" might be great for others & motivation to get back on track the next day, "treats" are like a timebomb for me, how long until I "treat" myself with food for every good thing that happens? I am trying very hard not to continue associating food with emotions... and that not only means using food as comfort, but also using food as a reward.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
First Thanksgiving Meal--A Success
Today was my Thanksgiving with my family. We will be spending actual Thanksgiving in Alabama w/Mike's family, so today we celebrated early. I wasn't too concerned about difficulties staying OP today, because I knew exactly what we would be having, and I was confident that I'd make good decisions.
And I'll have you know that I did quite well! I only had a granola bar before our big meal.... it wasn't that I was trying to starve until our late lunch, but I was literally cooking the whole time!
So, here was what was on my plate:
Turkey (2 points)
Potatoes (3 points)
Sweet Potatoes (1 point)
Corn (2 points)
Stuffing (2 points)
Gravy (1 point)
Green Bean Casserole (1 point)
1/2 Roll (1 point)
Pumpkin Fluff (1 point)
Mini Pumpkin Tarts (1 point)
Grand Total: 15 points
Considering that I get 36 points per day, that was less than half my day... VERY successful!
The pumpkin tarts mentioned above.... they were a last minute concoction. When I was buying cool whip at the store, they had these little phyllo dough cups next to the cool whip in the freezer section... they were pretty small, only 15 to a package, and they held 1-2 tbsp of the pumpkin fluff... so I made those in addition to my plain pumpkin fluff. There were some left over, and I'm going to try microwaving them for a few seconds to see what they'd be like warm. Very yummy! I will also consider using those phyllo cups for other appetizers. They're 35 calories for 2 cups. Not too bad!
And I'll have you know that I did quite well! I only had a granola bar before our big meal.... it wasn't that I was trying to starve until our late lunch, but I was literally cooking the whole time!
So, here was what was on my plate:
Turkey (2 points)
Potatoes (3 points)
Sweet Potatoes (1 point)
Corn (2 points)
Stuffing (2 points)
Gravy (1 point)
Green Bean Casserole (1 point)
1/2 Roll (1 point)
Pumpkin Fluff (1 point)
Mini Pumpkin Tarts (1 point)
Grand Total: 15 points
Considering that I get 36 points per day, that was less than half my day... VERY successful!
The pumpkin tarts mentioned above.... they were a last minute concoction. When I was buying cool whip at the store, they had these little phyllo dough cups next to the cool whip in the freezer section... they were pretty small, only 15 to a package, and they held 1-2 tbsp of the pumpkin fluff... so I made those in addition to my plain pumpkin fluff. There were some left over, and I'm going to try microwaving them for a few seconds to see what they'd be like warm. Very yummy! I will also consider using those phyllo cups for other appetizers. They're 35 calories for 2 cups. Not too bad!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Pumpkin Recipes
I haven't tried either of these, but I've heard rave reviews about them both!
Pumpkin Fluff
8 servings/1 point each
16 oz. canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling)
1 container fat free cool whip
1 small box sf/ff butterscotch pudding
1. Combine pumpkin & pudding.
2. Gently fold in the cool whip.
3. Add cinnamon, splenda, or pumpkin pie spice if desired.
*******
This following recipe was listed on a random site, and was listed as only 1 point per slice. They also had whole eggs, but when I plugged it into my recipe builder, I got more than 1 point per slice. Even after changing the whole eggs to egg beaters, it came to 2 points, so that's what I'm going with!
Pumpkin "Pie"
8 servings/2 points each
15 oz canned pumpkin
5 oz fat free evaporated milk
3/4 c. splenda for baking
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 c. egg beaters
Combine all ingredients & pour in a pie pan sprayed w/cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
Pumpkin Fluff
8 servings/1 point each
16 oz. canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling)
1 container fat free cool whip
1 small box sf/ff butterscotch pudding
1. Combine pumpkin & pudding.
2. Gently fold in the cool whip.
3. Add cinnamon, splenda, or pumpkin pie spice if desired.
*******
This following recipe was listed on a random site, and was listed as only 1 point per slice. They also had whole eggs, but when I plugged it into my recipe builder, I got more than 1 point per slice. Even after changing the whole eggs to egg beaters, it came to 2 points, so that's what I'm going with!
Pumpkin "Pie"
8 servings/2 points each
15 oz canned pumpkin
5 oz fat free evaporated milk
3/4 c. splenda for baking
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 c. egg beaters
Combine all ingredients & pour in a pie pan sprayed w/cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
Teale's Sweet Potatoes
My uncle used to always make the best sweet potato casserole when we had Thanksgiving over there. It was full of brown sugar, butter, and had loads of marshmallows on top. I looked over a variety of WW friendly sweet potato recipes, and came up w/this as my version! I haven't tried it yet, so it may need some tweaking here and there.
Teale's Sweet Potatoes
8 servings/3 points
3 large cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. Egg Beaters
1/2 c. Splenda brown sugar blend
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 c. mini marshmallows
1. Combine all ingredients except marshmallows.
2. Pour into a glass baking dish or pan sprayed w/cooking spray (I will probably use a square dish or round cake pan)
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
4. Add marshmallows on top & bake for another 5 minutes.
Teale's Sweet Potatoes
8 servings/3 points
3 large cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. Egg Beaters
1/2 c. Splenda brown sugar blend
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 c. mini marshmallows
1. Combine all ingredients except marshmallows.
2. Pour into a glass baking dish or pan sprayed w/cooking spray (I will probably use a square dish or round cake pan)
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
4. Add marshmallows on top & bake for another 5 minutes.
Hashbrown Casserole
I have made the full-fat version of this for years, which also includes practically a whole stick of butter and about 4 cups of cheese... but not this year!
Hashbrown Casserole
12 servings/3 points
1 small onion, diced
1 c. 2% cheddar cheese
2 tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp black pepper
32 oz frozen hash browns, thawed
16 oz fat free sour cream
1 (10 oz) can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
Combine all ingredients and pour in a 13x9 baking dish sprayed w/cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees
Hashbrown Casserole
12 servings/3 points
1 small onion, diced
1 c. 2% cheddar cheese
2 tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp black pepper
32 oz frozen hash browns, thawed
16 oz fat free sour cream
1 (10 oz) can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
Combine all ingredients and pour in a 13x9 baking dish sprayed w/cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees
Corn Casserole
I may have posted this in the past, I can't remember... oh well! I am going to do half this recipe, and just use small cans of corn b/c only my mom & like corn, and it seems silly to make a 15-serving dish for just 2 people!
Corn Casserole
15 servings/2 points each
1 (15 1/4 oz) can corn
1 can (14 3/4 oz) cream-style corn
1 (6 serving) box corn muffin mix
1/2 c. fat free margarine
1 c. fat free sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray 13x9 pan w/cooking spray
3. Stir all ingredients until mixed
4. Spread into pan & bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Corn Casserole
15 servings/2 points each
1 (15 1/4 oz) can corn
1 can (14 3/4 oz) cream-style corn
1 (6 serving) box corn muffin mix
1/2 c. fat free margarine
1 c. fat free sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray 13x9 pan w/cooking spray
3. Stir all ingredients until mixed
4. Spread into pan & bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
As promised, I'm adding some of the Thanksgiving recipes I'll be making this weekend! I was trying to figure out a good way to make Green Bean Casserole, because I love that stuff, but the French's fried onions that are usually in the casserole are a whopping 30 points per can! And when a whole can is involved, that's just not worth it to me! So, I made fried onions of my own! I haven't cooked this yet, but it sounds delicious! Really the only thing modified from the original recipe are the onions.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
8 servings/1 point each
4 cups canned green beans, drained (I estimated on cups... 2 cans)
1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
3/4 c. skim milk
1 large onion
3 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
First we'll prepare the onions:
1. Slice the onions as thinly as you'd like, in small pieces.
2. In a ziplock bag, combine the flour, salt, peper, and garlic.
3. Add the onions a little at a time, coating them evenly.
4. Grill them in a very hot skillet sprayed with cooking spray until they are brown & crispy.
Now, for the rest:
1. Combine the green beans, milk, soup, and 3/4 of the onions in a bowl.
2. Spread into a baking dish that's sprayed w/cooking spray.
3. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees until heated through.
4. Add the remaining 1/4 onions on top & bake another 5 minutes.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
8 servings/1 point each
4 cups canned green beans, drained (I estimated on cups... 2 cans)
1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
3/4 c. skim milk
1 large onion
3 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
First we'll prepare the onions:
1. Slice the onions as thinly as you'd like, in small pieces.
2. In a ziplock bag, combine the flour, salt, peper, and garlic.
3. Add the onions a little at a time, coating them evenly.
4. Grill them in a very hot skillet sprayed with cooking spray until they are brown & crispy.
Now, for the rest:
1. Combine the green beans, milk, soup, and 3/4 of the onions in a bowl.
2. Spread into a baking dish that's sprayed w/cooking spray.
3. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees until heated through.
4. Add the remaining 1/4 onions on top & bake another 5 minutes.
7 entries?
I have become a super crappy blogger! When I started this blog, I wrote TONS... I had 50-some entries my first month... 30-some my 2nd month... and a pitiful 7 this month.... I must remedy this.
I'm going to post some of the thanksgiving recipes that I'll be using this weekend (when I have thanksgiving w/my family). I'll do this later today.
An interesting little tidbit of information--I hit my 10% with WW on week 13 (Tuesday). I dug out my old WW stuff from the first time I did WW, to see how my progress now compares to then. Last time I did WW, I started in the 290s, so my 10% was 29 pounds, 3 pounds less than I had to lose this time... and ironically, I hit my 10% on week 13 then too! Until I looked at those results, I had in my head that my loss was slower this week... when in fact, it's not at all! Last time, I had several weeks of bouncing back and forth... losing, gaining, losing... this time, I've had 1 gain, but lost that the following week. That's great!
I haven't been to the gym in like 2 weeks. MUST GO TONIGHT.
More later! Watch for recipes!
I'm going to post some of the thanksgiving recipes that I'll be using this weekend (when I have thanksgiving w/my family). I'll do this later today.
An interesting little tidbit of information--I hit my 10% with WW on week 13 (Tuesday). I dug out my old WW stuff from the first time I did WW, to see how my progress now compares to then. Last time I did WW, I started in the 290s, so my 10% was 29 pounds, 3 pounds less than I had to lose this time... and ironically, I hit my 10% on week 13 then too! Until I looked at those results, I had in my head that my loss was slower this week... when in fact, it's not at all! Last time, I had several weeks of bouncing back and forth... losing, gaining, losing... this time, I've had 1 gain, but lost that the following week. That's great!
I haven't been to the gym in like 2 weeks. MUST GO TONIGHT.
More later! Watch for recipes!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Big day.
I just wanted to share on here that today was a big milestone for me on the WW front.
I lost 5.8 pounds (wow!) at my meeting, which put me at 32 pounds lost on the program since 8/21/07. And incidentally, that puts me at my 10% loss. Your first goal when joining WW is to lose 10%. In my case, my weight was in the 320s, so 32 pounds was my 10%. Equally as exciting is the fact that I am very much in the 200s!!! I have been teetering around it for a couple weeks, and I'm so happy to report that I am very much in them! 295.6 to be exact!
I hope you all are doing marvelously. I will be catching up later today, I promise! I think this is exactly the jump-start I needed to get my focus back 100%. I'm so ready to lose more weight!
Oh, and a quote I've been meaning to share for awhile... my WW leader had this on the board a few weeks ago & I liked it:
"'How does one become a butterfly?' she asked pensively. 'You must want to fly so much that you're willing to give up being a caterpillar.'" --Trina Pallus
*edit* I also just realized that I get a nice new outfit since I reached my 10%! That will be perfect since I'm starting my new job in a couple weeks! I'll get a "first day of work" outfit!
I lost 5.8 pounds (wow!) at my meeting, which put me at 32 pounds lost on the program since 8/21/07. And incidentally, that puts me at my 10% loss. Your first goal when joining WW is to lose 10%. In my case, my weight was in the 320s, so 32 pounds was my 10%. Equally as exciting is the fact that I am very much in the 200s!!! I have been teetering around it for a couple weeks, and I'm so happy to report that I am very much in them! 295.6 to be exact!
I hope you all are doing marvelously. I will be catching up later today, I promise! I think this is exactly the jump-start I needed to get my focus back 100%. I'm so ready to lose more weight!
Oh, and a quote I've been meaning to share for awhile... my WW leader had this on the board a few weeks ago & I liked it:
"'How does one become a butterfly?' she asked pensively. 'You must want to fly so much that you're willing to give up being a caterpillar.'" --Trina Pallus
*edit* I also just realized that I get a nice new outfit since I reached my 10%! That will be perfect since I'm starting my new job in a couple weeks! I'll get a "first day of work" outfit!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Tagged
The entry before this one is a "real" entry, but I was tagged by Heather so I'm gonna do this thing... I'm supposed to write 7 random facts about me.
1. My arms don't straighten all the way. I have no idea why, but they don't. When I go to the doctor & they take my BP, they always tell me to straighten my arms, and I always have to tell them "they are". If you look at my progress pictures, you can kind of see how they look a little bent... nope, they're "straight" to me.
2. I sleep on my stomach, and I tap/shake my right foot a little bit before falling asleep. I do it kind of rhythmicly, and not too violently, just slightly. I can't sleep unless I do it.
3. I hate taking the trash out. I don't know what my deal with it is, but I absolutely hate it. I would rather do 10 loads of laundry than take the trash out. It's totally irrational.
4. I started taking piano lessons when I was in 2nd grade. My mom told me I had to take it for 2 years. So, after 2 years, I decided I didn't want to play anymore, and I was allowed to quit on the condition that I joined the school band. I decided on the saxophone. I played for 3 months & hated it. It gave me horrible headaches... so my mom told me I could quit if I took piano again. So, I re-joined piano & took lessons until I was about 16. After my dad died, I had to pretty much take care of my sister full-time, so I couldn't dedicate my time to lessons anymore. For years, I couldn't bear to play the piano b/c I associated playing (or not being able to play) w/my dad dying. I'm finally able to play again, and I have missed it!
5. In my real life, I have very few female friends... I just don't get along very well w/other women for long periods of time. I always had probably 3-5 guy friends for every 1 female friend I had. But online, I'd say 97% of the blogs I read/the blogs that read me are all female.
6. I've kept an online journal since early 2000. I no longer have that original one, and I wish I did.
7. I am really afraid of birds & squirrels. But mostly birds. I have a fear of one flying into my car, so I very rarely drive w/the windows down. When I was a kid, birds would somehow get into our basement in the wintertime, and they'd make their way up to our living area. It's humorous after the fact, but when the bird is swooping down at you while you're watching TV, it's terrifying! The image of my dad grabbing a broom and trying to "sweep" the bird out of the house is priceless. What's kind of ironic is that my mom LOVES birds... she has probably 100 porceline birds made by Lenox. When she passes away I'm going to have gobs of these damn birds.
I'm not going to tag anyone b/c this has been around here and there for awhile... but if anyone would like to do it, go for it!
1. My arms don't straighten all the way. I have no idea why, but they don't. When I go to the doctor & they take my BP, they always tell me to straighten my arms, and I always have to tell them "they are". If you look at my progress pictures, you can kind of see how they look a little bent... nope, they're "straight" to me.
2. I sleep on my stomach, and I tap/shake my right foot a little bit before falling asleep. I do it kind of rhythmicly, and not too violently, just slightly. I can't sleep unless I do it.
3. I hate taking the trash out. I don't know what my deal with it is, but I absolutely hate it. I would rather do 10 loads of laundry than take the trash out. It's totally irrational.
4. I started taking piano lessons when I was in 2nd grade. My mom told me I had to take it for 2 years. So, after 2 years, I decided I didn't want to play anymore, and I was allowed to quit on the condition that I joined the school band. I decided on the saxophone. I played for 3 months & hated it. It gave me horrible headaches... so my mom told me I could quit if I took piano again. So, I re-joined piano & took lessons until I was about 16. After my dad died, I had to pretty much take care of my sister full-time, so I couldn't dedicate my time to lessons anymore. For years, I couldn't bear to play the piano b/c I associated playing (or not being able to play) w/my dad dying. I'm finally able to play again, and I have missed it!
5. In my real life, I have very few female friends... I just don't get along very well w/other women for long periods of time. I always had probably 3-5 guy friends for every 1 female friend I had. But online, I'd say 97% of the blogs I read/the blogs that read me are all female.
6. I've kept an online journal since early 2000. I no longer have that original one, and I wish I did.
7. I am really afraid of birds & squirrels. But mostly birds. I have a fear of one flying into my car, so I very rarely drive w/the windows down. When I was a kid, birds would somehow get into our basement in the wintertime, and they'd make their way up to our living area. It's humorous after the fact, but when the bird is swooping down at you while you're watching TV, it's terrifying! The image of my dad grabbing a broom and trying to "sweep" the bird out of the house is priceless. What's kind of ironic is that my mom LOVES birds... she has probably 100 porceline birds made by Lenox. When she passes away I'm going to have gobs of these damn birds.
I'm not going to tag anyone b/c this has been around here and there for awhile... but if anyone would like to do it, go for it!
Bored, or something...
Well, I guess it's my turn to suffer the "bored with the plan" feelings. Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT off plan... I'm just bored with it.
For the past couple weeks, I just haven't been trying much to eat a balanced diet, get in my water, and I've been especially horrid with exercise. I've just been sort of skating by, staying w/in my points, and that's it. I've been teetering right around 300 all week. I want to see that damn 2, so why not bust my butt? Meh, I don't know.
Well, I suppose I do know... I've been quite busy, and other things have taken priority over my 100% focus on WW.
I've been in the process of looking for a new job for a couple months now. I finally heard back from the place I had recently applied, and I had a couple interviews & was offered the job last week. I'll be starting December 3. This is a good thing for many reasons, but one of them can also relate to WW. I'll be working at a hospital, and they've got a big cafeteria w/a salad bar. This will be my lunch of choice several times a week, I'm sure. This will also keep me from going home for lunch (I wouldn't have time to get there & back in this job anyway) and eating more than I should at lunchtime.
I've also been planning a baby shower for my friend. It's on December 8. I won't have anything to do for it for a couple weeks now, but the past couple weeks have been busy w/baby shower stuff.
They've also been busy w/wedding planning stuff. Just a little over 4 months now! Mike and I went and chose tuxes for him & the guys this weekend, and we also purchased our wedding bands! That was quite exciting!
This Saturday he & I will be having Thanksgiving w/my family. I am making several things, that way I know they are WW friendly. I'll be making green bean casserole, cheese potatoes, and scalloped corn. I found healthier recipes for the traditional Thanksgiving cuisine. I may post those recipes here if anyone's interested. For the actual Thanksgiving though, it is quite worrisome. We'll be going to Alabama to spend the week/weekend (Tuesday night-Sunday night) with Mike's family. I will have absolutely NO control over what food is served to me. I will just have to eat things in moderation & fill up on the stuff that I know is good for me.
So, all of these things have distracted me, yes. They have absolutely NOT made me screw up though. I'm still making wiser decisions than I was 3 months ago. I am 26.2 pounds lighter, that's fantastic! Yesterday I was carrying a box of kitty litter up the 3 flights of stairs to our apartment. This box was SO heavy, I thought surely it weighed 50 pounds! Once I finally reached the top of the stairs & dropped the box in a huff while desperately trying to catch my breath, I looked at the weight of the litter: 21 pounds. WOW. I was carrying more than that just 3 months ago... and now carring that weight was exhausting. How I did it before, I have no idea.
But I do know that I will never do it again.
For the past couple weeks, I just haven't been trying much to eat a balanced diet, get in my water, and I've been especially horrid with exercise. I've just been sort of skating by, staying w/in my points, and that's it. I've been teetering right around 300 all week. I want to see that damn 2, so why not bust my butt? Meh, I don't know.
Well, I suppose I do know... I've been quite busy, and other things have taken priority over my 100% focus on WW.
I've been in the process of looking for a new job for a couple months now. I finally heard back from the place I had recently applied, and I had a couple interviews & was offered the job last week. I'll be starting December 3. This is a good thing for many reasons, but one of them can also relate to WW. I'll be working at a hospital, and they've got a big cafeteria w/a salad bar. This will be my lunch of choice several times a week, I'm sure. This will also keep me from going home for lunch (I wouldn't have time to get there & back in this job anyway) and eating more than I should at lunchtime.
I've also been planning a baby shower for my friend. It's on December 8. I won't have anything to do for it for a couple weeks now, but the past couple weeks have been busy w/baby shower stuff.
They've also been busy w/wedding planning stuff. Just a little over 4 months now! Mike and I went and chose tuxes for him & the guys this weekend, and we also purchased our wedding bands! That was quite exciting!
This Saturday he & I will be having Thanksgiving w/my family. I am making several things, that way I know they are WW friendly. I'll be making green bean casserole, cheese potatoes, and scalloped corn. I found healthier recipes for the traditional Thanksgiving cuisine. I may post those recipes here if anyone's interested. For the actual Thanksgiving though, it is quite worrisome. We'll be going to Alabama to spend the week/weekend (Tuesday night-Sunday night) with Mike's family. I will have absolutely NO control over what food is served to me. I will just have to eat things in moderation & fill up on the stuff that I know is good for me.
So, all of these things have distracted me, yes. They have absolutely NOT made me screw up though. I'm still making wiser decisions than I was 3 months ago. I am 26.2 pounds lighter, that's fantastic! Yesterday I was carrying a box of kitty litter up the 3 flights of stairs to our apartment. This box was SO heavy, I thought surely it weighed 50 pounds! Once I finally reached the top of the stairs & dropped the box in a huff while desperately trying to catch my breath, I looked at the weight of the litter: 21 pounds. WOW. I was carrying more than that just 3 months ago... and now carring that weight was exhausting. How I did it before, I have no idea.
But I do know that I will never do it again.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Eating out
This is a big hurdle for some people. Some complain that their weight loss efforts are roadblocked by busy schedules that force them to eat out, or socializing w/friends always surrounding food... but here'sthe thing. There is ALWAYS a healthy choice. You can find one if you try... but it does take effort sometimes. Just like anything else related to this battle, it's not always easy.
Here's some helpful hints for eating out:
1. If you know the menu of the restaurant, or they have one online, decide what you're going to get before you even leave the house. Many websites even have calorie information, so you can figure out if it fits in your plan or not.
2. Talk to your waiter. Be friendly... people are much more likely to accomodate you when you're friendly. Your food can be specially prepared--baked, broiled, not cooked in oil, etc. You just have to ask! If you aren't sure what the best way to prepare something more healthy would be, don't be afraid to ask your server what the cook could do to keep it healthy for you.
3. If you do decide to get a higher-calorie/higher-fat choice, only eat half. Either ask for a doggie bag when they bring your food out & then box up half, or ask them to not even bring out half of your food, just box it up in the kitchen. People are surprisingly willing to help you out... think about it, your server is earning a tip by being as accomodating as possible!
I went out to eat last night at a little local restaurant w/my parents. There aren't a lot of things on the menu that aren't fried... but when you read between the lines, there's always a choice... and I found a broiled cod fillet. I had that with a salad and a baked potato w/butter. I also had a dinner roll and one mozzerella stick. I took a potentially bad situation and I made a smart decision... and you can too!
Here's some helpful hints for eating out:
1. If you know the menu of the restaurant, or they have one online, decide what you're going to get before you even leave the house. Many websites even have calorie information, so you can figure out if it fits in your plan or not.
2. Talk to your waiter. Be friendly... people are much more likely to accomodate you when you're friendly. Your food can be specially prepared--baked, broiled, not cooked in oil, etc. You just have to ask! If you aren't sure what the best way to prepare something more healthy would be, don't be afraid to ask your server what the cook could do to keep it healthy for you.
3. If you do decide to get a higher-calorie/higher-fat choice, only eat half. Either ask for a doggie bag when they bring your food out & then box up half, or ask them to not even bring out half of your food, just box it up in the kitchen. People are surprisingly willing to help you out... think about it, your server is earning a tip by being as accomodating as possible!
I went out to eat last night at a little local restaurant w/my parents. There aren't a lot of things on the menu that aren't fried... but when you read between the lines, there's always a choice... and I found a broiled cod fillet. I had that with a salad and a baked potato w/butter. I also had a dinner roll and one mozzerella stick. I took a potentially bad situation and I made a smart decision... and you can too!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Back in the habit
I decided that I was going to write in this blog today, regardless of if I had anything insightful to say. I want to get back in the habit of writing and reading other's blogs.
I'm working on my first half of today's water. I'm a little behind. Usually I have half done before lunch, but today I just forgot to fill up my water bottle, and so it sat empty on my desk for a couple hours before I even realized I should be drinking it!
I need to do laundry tonight, and I also need to go to the gym. Laundry is a workout in itself, considering I have to go up & down 4 flights of stairs to the laundry room! I'd like to do the elliptical for 20 minutes and do strength stuff for about 1/2 hour.
So far so good w/the journaling today. I didn't eat a very good breakfast. Cheese & crackers. I suppose the dairy is good, but not the best. I just wasn't in the mood for my usual breakfast foods. I am going to make my Ham & Cheese Pie that I made a couple months ago tonight, but I'm making it for breakfasts for the rest of this week. That thing is yummy!
Anyway, that's all I've got right now... hope everyone's having a good day!
I'm working on my first half of today's water. I'm a little behind. Usually I have half done before lunch, but today I just forgot to fill up my water bottle, and so it sat empty on my desk for a couple hours before I even realized I should be drinking it!
I need to do laundry tonight, and I also need to go to the gym. Laundry is a workout in itself, considering I have to go up & down 4 flights of stairs to the laundry room! I'd like to do the elliptical for 20 minutes and do strength stuff for about 1/2 hour.
So far so good w/the journaling today. I didn't eat a very good breakfast. Cheese & crackers. I suppose the dairy is good, but not the best. I just wasn't in the mood for my usual breakfast foods. I am going to make my Ham & Cheese Pie that I made a couple months ago tonight, but I'm making it for breakfasts for the rest of this week. That thing is yummy!
Anyway, that's all I've got right now... hope everyone's having a good day!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Two in one week?!
Yes, friends, two entries from yours truly in only one week! Gotta get back in the blogging habit!
I had my WI today, I lost 2.6, which means I lost what I gained last week, and then some. My current weight is 301.4 so maybe, just MAYBE, next week I'll see a 2 in front of my weight.
I ate like crap today. When I'm unable to go to my usual evening meeting, I go to the 10am meeting b/c I like my leader, and she is at that one too. But, the usually means that I tend to eat like crap the rest of the day--you know, cuz the weigh in is over... even though that shouldn't matter. I guess I didn't really eat like crap... I budgeted my points for it, but I ate out twice, and I just hate doing that. I had grilled chicken & ice cream for lunch, then pizza for dinner... but I got olives, mushroom, and tomatoes on it, so at least that much was good.
My goals for this coming week are to exercise 3 times, journal everything I eat, and drink all my water for at least 6 of the 7 days. I also need to get back in the habit of finding & trying new recipes... I was on a roll there for awhile, hence the development of this blog, but then I just kind of stopped.
Here's to a great OP week!
I had my WI today, I lost 2.6, which means I lost what I gained last week, and then some. My current weight is 301.4 so maybe, just MAYBE, next week I'll see a 2 in front of my weight.
I ate like crap today. When I'm unable to go to my usual evening meeting, I go to the 10am meeting b/c I like my leader, and she is at that one too. But, the usually means that I tend to eat like crap the rest of the day--you know, cuz the weigh in is over... even though that shouldn't matter. I guess I didn't really eat like crap... I budgeted my points for it, but I ate out twice, and I just hate doing that. I had grilled chicken & ice cream for lunch, then pizza for dinner... but I got olives, mushroom, and tomatoes on it, so at least that much was good.
My goals for this coming week are to exercise 3 times, journal everything I eat, and drink all my water for at least 6 of the 7 days. I also need to get back in the habit of finding & trying new recipes... I was on a roll there for awhile, hence the development of this blog, but then I just kind of stopped.
Here's to a great OP week!
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Where have I been?
It's funny, because when I started this blog, I wrote all the time, and a couple months later, I am seriously lacking in the blog department. When I first started WW, this blog helped me w/the transition from "old lifestyle" to "new lifestyle". Now that my new lifestyle has become a way of life, it's much easier, and I find myself thinking about it less. Which on one hand is good, I'm not obsessing about my next meal like I was in the beginning. But on the other hand, I feel badly because I am not only slacking in writing, but also slacking in reading. I am sorry to all of you who I read that I have not been keeping up w/your progress like I should be. I will try to be better.
Not only am I focusing on my healthy lifestyle, but I am planning a March wedding & am also planning a December baby shower for a friend. I'm also in the process of finding a new job. So, these are the things that have been keeping me busy!
I attended a conference on Friday, so all of my food for the day was being provided & I had no say in it. It turned out it wasn't so bad though. I got there, and they had a breakfast spread w/muffins, pastries, and FRUIT. So, I loaded up on the fruit & grabbed a granola bar. Lunch was turkey sandwiches on a croissant. The croissant wouldn't have been my first choice, but I will say that it was delicious & I enjoyed it. I also had a pack of Lays potato chips. Did you know that there are only THREE ingredients in the regular Lay's? Potatoes, Salt, and Sunflower Oil. I thought it was surprising. But anyway, I'm off topic. The afternoon break brought more food. They had chips, candy, popcorn, and cookies set out. I got about a cup of popcorn & picked up one cookie. It was one of those Milano cookies. I took a bite of it, and I realized "I don't love this like I used to." So, I didn't eat it. Do you know how huge that is?! To stop eating something even though it tastes OK, but just isn't really GREAT. I was proud.
Today I wasn't too hungry all day. I ended up only eating two meals (slept in & missed breakfast), so they were higher in points than I usually would have eaten in 2 meals, but I don't want to slack on those points, so it all worked out. I did slack this weekend on my water. The weekends are the hardest water-wise for me! I went hiking both yesterday & today, so that was good. I didn't go to the gym all week. It was just one of those weeks where I wasn't feeling it. Next week I'll get back to it.
I know I won't be seeing a 2 in front of my weight this week... well, I assume I won't... I'd have to lose over 4 pounds. But, I do hope to make up what was gained last week in water weight. We shall see. I do have to weigh in at 10am on Tuesday instead of my usual 5:30, and that will make a difference. That actually may have something to do w/my gain last week. The week before was a mid-morning WI, and last week was an evening WI, so I probably was about the same weight. So, this week may show a little more of a drop that I anticipate since it'll be earlier in the day.
Anyway, this whole daylight savings time throws my body out of whack. I'm exhausted & heading to bed!
Not only am I focusing on my healthy lifestyle, but I am planning a March wedding & am also planning a December baby shower for a friend. I'm also in the process of finding a new job. So, these are the things that have been keeping me busy!
I attended a conference on Friday, so all of my food for the day was being provided & I had no say in it. It turned out it wasn't so bad though. I got there, and they had a breakfast spread w/muffins, pastries, and FRUIT. So, I loaded up on the fruit & grabbed a granola bar. Lunch was turkey sandwiches on a croissant. The croissant wouldn't have been my first choice, but I will say that it was delicious & I enjoyed it. I also had a pack of Lays potato chips. Did you know that there are only THREE ingredients in the regular Lay's? Potatoes, Salt, and Sunflower Oil. I thought it was surprising. But anyway, I'm off topic. The afternoon break brought more food. They had chips, candy, popcorn, and cookies set out. I got about a cup of popcorn & picked up one cookie. It was one of those Milano cookies. I took a bite of it, and I realized "I don't love this like I used to." So, I didn't eat it. Do you know how huge that is?! To stop eating something even though it tastes OK, but just isn't really GREAT. I was proud.
Today I wasn't too hungry all day. I ended up only eating two meals (slept in & missed breakfast), so they were higher in points than I usually would have eaten in 2 meals, but I don't want to slack on those points, so it all worked out. I did slack this weekend on my water. The weekends are the hardest water-wise for me! I went hiking both yesterday & today, so that was good. I didn't go to the gym all week. It was just one of those weeks where I wasn't feeling it. Next week I'll get back to it.
I know I won't be seeing a 2 in front of my weight this week... well, I assume I won't... I'd have to lose over 4 pounds. But, I do hope to make up what was gained last week in water weight. We shall see. I do have to weigh in at 10am on Tuesday instead of my usual 5:30, and that will make a difference. That actually may have something to do w/my gain last week. The week before was a mid-morning WI, and last week was an evening WI, so I probably was about the same weight. So, this week may show a little more of a drop that I anticipate since it'll be earlier in the day.
Anyway, this whole daylight savings time throws my body out of whack. I'm exhausted & heading to bed!
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