Society

I received an email from a friend this morning. In it, she talked about her day and then remarked about a program/challenge that her company was doing. It was one of the 10,000 step challenges. She mentioned that she was going to have to say goodbye, so she could go to the 'kick off breakfast'. She also mentioned how worried she was...because a company supplied breakfast could and many times DOES mean an eating landmine! She mentioned how she was going to have to remain strong if the choices were not good. She, and I...both thought that a breakfast kickoff for a HEALTH challenge was kinda ironic. From this email I realized how society is so programmed to feed feed feed. If you have a meeting around breakfast time..you either get breakfast...or at least donuts. Even a mid afternoon big meeting will net a cookie or two. In a company that I recently worked for. If the employees did something that the company deemed good....they catered in lunch. The thank us for working overtime to help through hurricane season (when all other sites were closed) they feed us pizza. They gave out candy as a thank you. Our society is programed to reward with food. I need to get out of this mental programming.

Sad Sunday

Well...the ick (TOM) came and went this week. I wisely stayed away from the scales during that time. This morning I awoke and knowing the ick was past...I jumped on the scales....ready to see how my week had been. I was excited...afterall, I had been totally on target with everthing that I had done this week. I'd eaten within my allowance of foods...I'd exercised religiously...I was doing great. UNTIL I looked at the scales........2 pounds up! ARRGGHHHH I told myself that it could be my scales...afterall, I know that they are not the most reliable scales....I also told myself that it could have been residual fluid retention from the ick. Who knows. I swallowed my disappointment and headed off for my day. After church Todd and I had an hour and a half before we needed to be somewhere. The end of town that we were in didn't boast too many options for lunch. I decided to go for broke. I was craving pizza...and since my numbers were already blown...why the heck not! So, Pizza we had. I am proud to say that I was able to pass up the buffet (I'm a sucker for the cinnamon bread sticks...I can eat them by the pound...not to mention slice of pizza after slice of pizza). So getting the dinner for two...AND thin crust was/is actually a step in the right direction. I also didn't put cheese on my salad! :-) BUT...the half pizza that I did eat...uhhh,mm...not good. :-) I didn't eat until I was sick though. SOooo off we went on our day. We spent a good deal of time at the nursing home with Todd's grandmother...went to Lowes and Sam's Club. The original plan had been to come home and eat a nice light meal (I was planning on a salad topped with grilled chicken...nice, easy and light!). Well...it was late when we got done at the last place....so we stopped at this phenominal little roadside joint (the owner has been a client of ours at the studio)...Red Neck Ribs. I can happily say that at least I didn't eat the bread/roll. But I had a beef brisket sandwich. It came with a bag of chips...UTZ, which I sadly did eat. And I had half an order of baked beans. NOt exactly weight watchers friendly.

So I come home...exercise for 45 minutes. I actually stopped because I dont' feel so well. I don't know if it is the guilt that is eating me up...or something else! Probably guilt.....poor Todd....in the middle of my workout, I dissoved into tears. Not so much that I ate poorly but that and the combination of the scales showing a weight gain. It's just frustrating!

Who knows how my Tuesday night weigh in will go!

Wednesday!

It's been a pretty good day. I was a little worried when I started the day. I woke up and felt like actually cooking a breakfast. (We usually do breakfasts on our own...and I usually do cereal). So making chipped beef gravy was not a good way to start the day. I plugged my recipe into the recipe builder to see where it would fall. I was actually shocked....it wasn't too bad. (Of course I use skim milk, and a while back I had already started making it with a heck of a lot less butter anyway). So, we had breakfast and only spent 7 points total (Man, gotta love Weight Watchers/Natures Own bread lines...low fat/low calories/high fiber)! For lunch I ate healthy, mostly fruits and veggies and one lite string cheese. My mid-afternoon snack was my yogurt (fat free of course) and strawberries. I was trying to be oh so careful because Todd had asked me to prepare Chicken Enchiladas. OUCH....can we say nice rich comfort food??? Once again, quite a while ago I had switched to the low fat versions of whatever ingredients I could. I figured out that with the adjustments it would be 5 points per enchilada. I figured I would be happy with 2 enchiladas. (I was.) But, because I knew I would use 10 points just for that, I knew I had to be careful. I managed. I also made some No Pudge brownies. Yum...they are excellent! I would highly recommend them...we actually had the Raspberry Brownies! Yum yum! I cut the brownies into 6 instead of 12...and that made the point value 4 for each brownie. So...when all was said and done. I was only one point over. I'm happy with that...especially since I exercised and earned 4 APS!

I'm so close to my 10% goal! I am determined to make it at my next weigh in. In fact, I'm so determined that I want to not only lose the 1.6 pounds to make my 10%, I want to lose 2.6 to make my 25 pounds lost goal!

I've noticed that I've been apologizing to Todd lately for being so single mindedly focused on losing weight and exercising. He seems to be ok with it. However I do worry that I'm focused that other things will suffer. And my marriage is one thing that I am not willing to sacrifice!

I actually enjoy cooking at home.....why we eat out so much is actually a mystery to me. I know I do enjoy eating out sometimes...but the rate that we do it...it's way too much. I'm really going to make a concerted effort to cook more at home. I know that if I stand firm and don't waver on eating at home, that TOdd will not mind. Oh yeah, there will be days where he just wants to get out (He works from home.....or technically we live at his business...lol) but for the most part, I want to eat at home!


Oh one HUGE exciting thing that happened to me in conjunction with the wedding this past weekend. About a month or so ago, I went through my closet and cleared out everything that was super big on me. I at that time was a solid 20....with the 20's being loose but not yet into the 18's. Well, I got rid of all my 'fat' clothes (that's my term for the clothes that are on the way out because they are too big.) I was all tickled. It left me with 4 pairs of casual/dress pants. Lucky for me I only need jeans and tee shirts so I don't need to have dress clothes for work...and then casual clothes for everyday living stuff. Anyway, I knew I had that wedding to go to. So I was ok...afterall I had these dress pants in the closet. Saturday rolled around and I pulled them out of the closet and LUCKILY tried them on early to decide which to wear. Does the word CLOWN pants bring anything to mind? These pants were huge on me...they literally made my bottom half look like a big round ball (the hem rested on the floor and the legs ballooned out). I was in a panic!
I had nothing to wear for a wedding that was in 2 hours! Luckily I
remembered a plastic bin full of stored clothes from COLLEGE that I just
couldn't bear to part with...and found a pair of pants....unfortunately they
weren't too dressy. But at least I founds something other than blue jeans!

Weigh IN...week 8

Well...the big weigh in was tonight. I'm very pleased to announce that I
lost 2.8 pounds! That makes my weight 220.2 pounds. I'm tickled because
that puts me 1.6 pounds away from my 10% goal! I'm hoping for next week on
that one! Maybe that will keep me really on track! I'm so close to this goal that I can taste it!

A wedding!

Well yesterday I went to a wedding of a young girl who met her husband while teaching at a mission school in the Phillipines. How exciting! Although it really made me feel old as I babysat her! Eii yii yiii I tried to do as good as I could with the food. It helped that they had some seemingly healthier options there! They had an appetizer table, which contained the normal appetizers but also a lot of fruit! I was also pleased that they had two options of cake to eat....one of which was angel food. (it made an easier option for me, instead of the ultra bad choice of red velvet cake with the wonderful icing!...which yes, the old me ...or maybe the internal me...would have loved!) I was worried last night though. Because I did step on the scale before I went to bed. Yes, I know...weigh yourself at the same time during the day...and I usually do it in the morning! Well, it looked as if I was back where I was about a week or so ago. But this mornign it was pretty much back in line. I plan on doing a pretty big workout today after church! I do know that I have to watch carefully the next two days...especially since my weigh in is on Tuesday! I also know that I can't have two days like this a week on a regular basis!

Chinese

I had every intention of cooking and eating at home. EVERY intention. My intentions were so good that I have my little meal plan tucked into my daily tracker! I was goign to have grilled chicken, roasted potatoes sprinkled with olive oil and rosemary, green beans, and fresh kiwi. It's all on my little sheet. So what the heck happened when I talked to Todd and one of my first words was "Lets go to Chinese". I actually knew I had the points to manage Chicken and Brocolli. I was all set. I got there, glanced at the menu and laid the menu aside. I knew what I was getting. It was all good. Well, Todd was perusing the menu and must have felt weird about me just sitting there quietly so he suggested I try something new (I'm not a big chinese fan...I don't have a big repoitoire of foods that I eat a chinese places). I don't know why I didn't just say. "I know but I also know the points on my chicken and brocolli" NO...I just had to pick up the menu and found a dish that did sound REALLY good. It didn't sound too bad. The description actually sounded a lot like chicken and brocolli...instead of brocolli it was mixed veggies and water chesnuts. Sounds yummy. So I switched. When they sat the plate down in front of me I just looked at it. To my credit after the waitress left I did look at Todd and say, "I can't eat this" It was the deep fried chicken in the sauce mixed with the veggies. Todd was understanding (trying to take the blame..but it was ultimately MY decision. I'm the one that didn't stick to my guns). I smiled and said, "I'll just eat a small portion and we can take the rest home for your lunch tomorrow. The problem? Well, I tasted it and it was FABULOUS! I uh....ate the portion on my plate. Uhhh...ate a little more...and a little more...until it was all gone. Heck, I practically licked that plate clean!

I did come home and exercise a good bit to try to at least counteract those many points I devoured!

The Biggest Loser started last night. THat is motivational for me. I see other people goign through what I've gone through and it does help to know that I'm not alone!

Weigh IN!

Well, just got back from my weigh in. I was tickled to see/hear that I lost 3.8 pounds! Woo hooo! That brings my total weight loss since I joined weight watchers to 19.6 pounds!

Snuck a peek!

I know, I know, I know. I need to stop obsessing about the scales! I was doing pretty good there for a while, not checking at home. But I took a sneak peek the other day and didn't see much of a change, although as I mentioned earlier it was pretty close to my WI. I got on the scales this morning and although I'm not going to break out the party balloons or anything...I THINK I may be dropping. Woo hooo. It's so difficult to tell on my scales. Whether it's the scales fault or the old uneven floors in my house, who knows!

I've been pretty consistent with working out. I'm proud of myself. I purposely didn't exercise on Saturday. I decided to take that as off. But, I've been working out about 45 minutes a day. Some nights it kicks my butt though. I'm trying to shake it up and do varied exercises and routines. Not just always the gym...or always on my bike. Lately I've been doing a lot of exercise DVD's. My favorites right now is one Step Aerobics, The Biggest Loser Workout, and The new Weight Watchers Workout DVD (I really like the Cardio Dance). I can't wait to get to the post office tomorrow though..because I bought the XBOX game Dance Dance Revolution and two floor control pads. It always looks like fun when you see the game in the arcades. And when you see these kids playing it, they have worked up a sweat. I have a friend that bought it and confirmed that it can be a pretty good workout....so I bought it. I can't wait! :-) The other thing I'm anxiously awaiting is my exercise DVD...80's Blast....it's a Richard Simmons DVD....woo hooo! :-)

I'm very excited about "the Biggest Loser" season starting this Wednesday night! I know when I was able to watch it last season, it helped me stay motivated! Motivation is something I need to keep going!

Wondering how my week has been!

Yes, I'm wondering if I've lost any weight. After my last weigh in, I'm just not sure. Ok, honestly, I sneaked on the scale on Thursday...and nothing. However, Thursday was only 1 1/2 days after my 'official' weigh in. I've stayed pretty much on plan. I've maybe gone a point or so over a day...but haven't touched my flex points (except for those loose points...like one or two points at most....on maybe 2 days...so we are talking like tops 5 points).

It was an extremely stressful day for me. My boss was upset at some things going on in our town and concerning her business and that made her quirky and irritated at everything and everyone. Can you say VERY stressed! I coulnd't wait to get out of there today! I came home and I just want to eat and eat and eat. I'm out of points....in fact, today I've already gone over about 3 points (it's all ok, I have only used those 3-5 flex points...so now I guess it's 8...)! ARRGGHHH So, I have to resist! (or find a no point snack...hmmmmm...no theres a thought!) Yes, I'm a stress eater. I want to eat to make myself feel better. Eat to 'drown my sorrows'. I know this and really have to gaurd against it. Course, knowing isn't making it any easier!

I just know that I HAVE to do this for my health!

I am taking today off from exercise. I worked out pretty hard yesterday. I know that I have to give my body a break here and there. So I chose today to do that!

Wondering how my week has been!

Yes, I'm wondering if I've lost any weight. After my last weigh in, I'm just not sure. Ok, honestly, I sneaked on the scale on Thursday...and nothing. However, Thursday was only 1 1/2 days after my 'official' weigh in. I've stayed pretty much on plan. I've maybe gone a point or so over a day...but haven't touched my flex points (except for those loose points...like one or two points at most....on maybe 2 days...so we are talking like tops 5 points).

It was an extremely stressful day for me. My boss was upset at some things going on in our town and concerning her business and that made her quirky and irritated at everything and everyone. Can you say VERY stressed! I coulnd't wait to get out of there today! I came home and I just want to eat and eat and eat. I'm out of points....in fact, today I've already gone over about 3 points (it's all ok, I have only used those 3-5 flex points...so now I guess it's 8...)! ARRGGHHH So, I have to resist! (or find a no point snack...hmmmmm...no theres a thought!) Yes, I'm a stress eater. I want to eat to make myself feel better. Eat to 'drown my sorrows'. I know this and really have to gaurd against it. Course, knowing isn't making it any easier!

I just know that I HAVE to do this for my health!

I am taking today off from exercise. I worked out pretty hard yesterday. I know that I have to give my body a break here and there. So I chose today to do that!

At least it's a loss!

Well....the weight loss for this week was .2 pounds. Yes, that wasn't POINT TWO pounds. I'm happy because at least it was a negative...I didn't gain. However, I worked my tail end off and only lost .2 pounds. COurse, I also had pizza and fat free frozen yogurt one night....oh yeah and the day before my weigh in had two wonderful buttery biscuits (one at Red Lobster and the other from Popeyes). The one from Popeyes I had a a carry in meal/picnic. ALl good and dandy..but I ate worse then I should have the night before a weigh in. HOwever, each of these days...and for the whole week, in fact, I stayed within my points allowance! I guess that may be a lesson in what the carb type foods do to me! :-) Mom thinks it is because I worked out so much that I gained muscle..which we all know weighs more. Whatever happened, I'm hoping for a nice weight loss this coming week! (yes, staying away from pizza and stuff like that)

Looking at the big picture

I can proudly say that I've lost 15.6 pounds since I started weight watchers. That in itself is pretty exciting. But Sallie, my boss was talking the other day and she was like, "MaryFran, you really need to use the TOTAL number of pounds that you hvae lost." I started thinking about it. Yes, the 15.6 is nice to announce. BUt yes, to date, I've lost 68 pounds from my very highest weight! That is pretty darn amazing! That makes me step back and say..."woah, I've actually accomplished something that I can be REALLY proud of!"

Loss

Well.... 2.4 is the magic figure of weight loss for this last week. I was pretty darn tickled with my loss....especially since I made the wild leap from shorts to jeans! (I weighed them because everyone online was talking about it soooo much.....it was 1 pound more). So I can be satisfied that I had that weight loss...AND know that it probably would have been more if I had only worn shorts! Now that I am in jeans though..unless we have an utter hot heat wave...I'm not going back to shorts until next summer for my weigh ins!

We ate at Pizza Hut tonight. I do not feel guilty. I hate (ok, used to hate) thin crust pizza. I have always referred to it as pizza on a cracker...or cracker crust pizza. Well......it is much more point efficent to eat thin crust (although I do honestly love pan and really don't like thin crust). Well...I ate the thin crust...and a small salad. I was actually only 3 points over my daily allowance. I knew I could let the flex points catch those points...however I came home and exercised for an hour and fifeteen minutes! :-) Wooo hooo! :-)

Cheated a bit with the scales!

Ok, yes, I cheated with the scales. I know, I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to get on the scales at all. Well, we were at the gym yesterday and I hopped on the scales. It looks as if I have lost SOMETHING! I'll take any loss I can get though!

Tonight is the big weigh in though.....eii yii yiii.....still nervous!

Feelin Guilty

Ok, I was so sore on Saturday morning. I could have worked out in the evening though because even though I was still a bit stiff, I wasn't overly sore. But you always hear about overdoing it and giving your muscles a break. SOOO I decided to forgo the exercise video yesterday. I felt slightly bad about not doing anything but knew that I had been sooo on target with my exercise that it would be ok. (I was also way on target with eating....a good combination if you need to take a day off...). Well, I had the best plans today to get to the gym. ANd when the gym idea was scrubbed, I had every intention on working out with the dvd. However, I had a bushel of pears to can. WE got home at around 4 and I am STILL working on the pears. TOdd did help me (bless him) with the peeling, which saved me a ton of time. I also used both canners on the stove to expedite matters. However that last batch is still in the canners almost ready to come out (thank goodness). It is 10:45 PM. THere is no way that I am up to jumping around and exercising right now. Standing in the kitchen for over 6 hours kinda takes any kind of umph out of you. Thus we reach my guilt. I haven't exercised for two days! The guilt is thick and palatable.

I've also got to get over this excited fear that I get every week about this time...waiting for the weigh in! Did I mention that it is Sunday and I don't get weighed in until Tuesday night? Wooooo...maybe I need some help....mental help....like the little men all dressed in white...carrying a straight jacket. Haa haa haa. No seriously though, I do get this excited fear. I have been good with the scales....meaning I'm not a slave to the scales by hopping on all the time (ok even once a day and then obssessing). So I truely have no utter clue how I did this week. It will truely be a surprise! :-)

Still Sore!

Man, in that last post, I didn't even know what sore meant! The other night I got home and Todd and seen that we had a chef boy ar dee pizza kit in the pantry. Ooops. You know it. I switched from beef stroganoff to pizza. Not bad you may say, except that I had calculated all my points around the beef stroganoff. I luckily had kept a few spare points for a 'treat' before I went to bed. But, I still went over with the pizza. I didn't eat a half of pizza. I ate three slices. I should have kept it at two. That is my goal for next time I guess. LOL SOOOO after dinner I popped open my new exercise DVD and went to town. I was sore while doing it....but I made it through the low and high intensity work outs and the toning segment. So yesterday I get home and Todd was tired and didn't want to go to the gym. So in went the dvd. I did it all again. I could feel my muscles...eii yii yii. This morning, man do I feel it. The hot shower helped quite a bit..but I am still sore.

It's raining today....hurricane Ernesto is making its mark on us. (it rained yesterday also). Because of this, work should be pretty slow....I mean the battlefield is not going to get many tourists in this weather....and that directly reflects on our business.

Todd is talking about goign to the gym tonight also. Although, he is running errends today and took his gym bag today (he said he needs to catch up with me, since I'm working out so much...lol). So I'm not sure we will really make it tonight. I do definitely want to make it to the gym tomorrow though!

SORE!

Well after my high intensity work out yesterday, coupled with all the walking that Todd and I did. FOLLOWED by making and canning applesauce until late last night, I slept like the dead and woke up tired and just worn out. I didn't even manage to get any exercise in. I made my breakfast, took a shower and here I sit. I did at least plan what we are having for dinner tonight. (Beef Stroganoff...7 points for the whole shebang). I haven't even packed my lunch for work yet...arrggghhhh. Lazy day!

I bought "The Biggest Loser" workout DVD yesterday. I thought it would be a neat one....especially since it doesn't need anything special (hand weights are optional...but I have them...and an exercise mat..which I have). What sparked this you may ask? Well, I am trying to shake up my workouts and try to stay out of getting in ruts (ie riding the exercise bike all the time...or hiking every day..etc etc etc). So I pulled out "The FIRM" Dvd's. I had them..never used them. I turned them on and low and behold...you need a Step. How did I miss that they use a step? Oh well. So yesterday I shopped...looking for a step. COME ON NOW! How hard can it be to find one? Well, apparently I didn't look in the right places. (I'm gonna eventually try Dicks Sporting Goods next time I am in Hagerstown...but we were in Martinsburg). So walking by the electronics section I thought it would be funny to see if they had "The Firm" dvds.....I mean to sell the DVD's but not the step...haa haa haa. I never got that far though. I saw "The Biggest Loser" dvd...which I've always been intrigued with, and bought it! I didn't have time last night...and I was too tired (having a hard time waking up this morning....remember) this morning. I'm planning on popping it in tonight and seeing how it goes!

Oh well...off to work I go!

copy of lost 8-27-06 post

Sunday 8-27-06

Slow Sunday Morning

Our church starts late so it has been a lazy Sunday morning. I woke up and laid in bed a while reading. Pretty much between sentences (or at least every time I turned the page), I told myself to get out of bed and read while riding the exercise bike. Uhhhh, never happened.

Todd and I went to my bosses pool last night (she is out of town and offered the pool to us while they are gone). I tried to remain active the whole time I was in the pool by swimming and jumping around. I at first got angry at Todd because he was hanging on me and wanting to play in the pool. I quickly realized though that it doubled my weight and resistance in the pool...making my work out much more intense. We are planning on going to the gym this afternoon after church. We really need to get in a routine of visiting the gym again! That is the only way that I am going to get this weight off...and that is to exercise it off...while I am eating healthy!

I'm doing ok with the eating portion. I haven't really weighed myself. I'm trying to stay away from my scales...they flucuate way too much. Plus when I don't see drastic movement (yes, I know..slow weight loss is better) then I get all depressed and worried about it. I am thinking that I need to forget my scales and just weigh in at weight watchers. Well...maybe at the gym to see how they weigh me!

Very Exciting!

I am very excited! I went to my weigh in last night. I weighed in at 3.8 pounds down! Yeppers! That makes a total of 13.2 pounds gone in three weeks. Even better, I started my period this morning. I usually weigh in a bit higher right before that! Soooo, I'm trying not to be too optimistic but it is very hard not to!

Slow Sunday Morning

Our church starts late so it has been a lazy Sunday morning. I woke up and laid in bed a while reading. Pretty much between sentences (or at least every time I turned the page), I told myself to get out of bed and read while riding the exercise bike. Uhhhh, never happened.

Todd and I went to my bosses pool last night (she is out of town and offered the pool to us while they are gone). I tried to remain active the whole time I was in the pool by swimming and jumping around. I at first got angry at Todd because he was hanging on me and wanting to play in the pool. I quickly realized though that it doubled my weight and resistance in the pool...making my work out much more intense. We are planning on going to the gym this afternoon after church. We really need to get in a routine of visiting the gym again! That is the only way that I am going to get this weight off...and that is to exercise it off...while I am eating healthy!

I'm doing ok with the eating portion. I haven't really weighed myself. I'm trying to stay away from my scales...they flucuate way too much. Plus when I don't see drastic movement (yes, I know..slow weight loss is better) then I get all depressed and worried about it. I am thinking that I need to forget my scales and just weigh in at weight watchers. Well...maybe at the gym to see how they weigh me!