Last week my loving husband brought home a bag of Candy Corn. Candy Corn is one of my favorites. I let myself eat a small handful, and no more. The next day I came across this blog: Leading the Weigh , the author is also a WW Lifetime member. The most recent post on the blog is this: Halloween Candy Cheat Sheet What a great resource! So, I found out the points for Candy Corn, and Whoppers.
I hope to keep a very limited amount of candy around our house after tonight. We let our daughter eat a small amount and keep a few pieces for her. My husband suggests we keep the rest for ourselves, but that would be death to any good weight maintenance for me! So, we will keep a small amount and I will indulge in one or two a day. Here is a deal, if I eat any from a candy dish at work, I don't get any at home. Hold me to it please!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Report on My Travels
Remember this post from earlier in the week: Challenges of Traveling for Work
Well, I am back and have a bit to report. I feel like I was successful. I sometimes ate all my meal and sometimes ate part of it. I got egg beater omlettes, fruit instead of hashbrowns, and ate the salmon but skipped the steak! We had social time each night, so that was tough, but I managed. I also got up early one morning and did 30 minutes +5 min cool down on the elliptical! I was proud the space my work out clothes used in my suitcase was worth it! I also only took the elevator twice, the day I arrived and day I left.
Now, on to Halloween challenges and a lot of candy around the house! Last year we threw a lot of it away, so plan to do the same again! We don't let our daughter eat much, and we don't need it either. I found a great blog that has a list of nutritional information for Halloween candy, so I will share that tomorrow.
Well, I am back and have a bit to report. I feel like I was successful. I sometimes ate all my meal and sometimes ate part of it. I got egg beater omlettes, fruit instead of hashbrowns, and ate the salmon but skipped the steak! We had social time each night, so that was tough, but I managed. I also got up early one morning and did 30 minutes +5 min cool down on the elliptical! I was proud the space my work out clothes used in my suitcase was worth it! I also only took the elevator twice, the day I arrived and day I left.
Now, on to Halloween challenges and a lot of candy around the house! Last year we threw a lot of it away, so plan to do the same again! We don't let our daughter eat much, and we don't need it either. I found a great blog that has a list of nutritional information for Halloween candy, so I will share that tomorrow.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Motivation
I looked up the definition of "motivation" and the one I liked the best was, "a feeling of enthusiasm, interest, or commitment that makes somebody want to do something, or something that causes such a feeling."
That is how I finally felt when I found Weight Watchers, I had an interest in being healthy and a commitment to my daughter to be healthy for her. In high school and college I did sports and was fairly active. After college I slowly started putting on weight. After I had my daughter I lost weight pretty quickly right away, but slowly started gaining weight again and just before her first birthday I reached my heaviest, 196lbs. I could not believe it. At that point I decided I had to do something. I had dealt with gestational diabetes, so I knew that put me at a higher risk for Type II if I did not take care of myself. I slowly started trying to loose weight myself. I got a trainer for a couple of months, I tried the Self Diet Club, and I tried just changing my eating habits. I slowly started loosing weight. I had lost about 20lbs.
We moved from Spokane to the Seattle area and the first commitment I made to myself was to get healthy and I joined Weight Watchers. I love food and I wanted something that allowed me to enjoy food. I was beyond motivated at this point. I was committed.
This is not a diet, it is truly a change in lifestyle. It slowly started becoming second nature to eat less and choose healthier. When I thought I had a rough week, I would sometimes loose, showing me I did pretty darn good!
Now, I look back at what I just typed and I am full of pride. I am still committed and motivated and know I can do it. I have done it.
That is how I finally felt when I found Weight Watchers, I had an interest in being healthy and a commitment to my daughter to be healthy for her. In high school and college I did sports and was fairly active. After college I slowly started putting on weight. After I had my daughter I lost weight pretty quickly right away, but slowly started gaining weight again and just before her first birthday I reached my heaviest, 196lbs. I could not believe it. At that point I decided I had to do something. I had dealt with gestational diabetes, so I knew that put me at a higher risk for Type II if I did not take care of myself. I slowly started trying to loose weight myself. I got a trainer for a couple of months, I tried the Self Diet Club, and I tried just changing my eating habits. I slowly started loosing weight. I had lost about 20lbs.
We moved from Spokane to the Seattle area and the first commitment I made to myself was to get healthy and I joined Weight Watchers. I love food and I wanted something that allowed me to enjoy food. I was beyond motivated at this point. I was committed.
This is not a diet, it is truly a change in lifestyle. It slowly started becoming second nature to eat less and choose healthier. When I thought I had a rough week, I would sometimes loose, showing me I did pretty darn good!
Now, I look back at what I just typed and I am full of pride. I am still committed and motivated and know I can do it. I have done it.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
What was going on when I wasn't blogging
I decided to write about why I had such a large break in my blogging. I think I am doing this for myself, but also for those reading. I hope it shows I am real and weight loss and weight maintenance is not all flowers and rainbows.
My last blog post was around June 2009. At that time I was working out hard. I had reached Level 3 of Shred and was easily running 3 miles. I was contemplating running my first 5K and considered doing my first Bloomsday in Spokane in 2010. Shortly after a trip over the Fourth of July I started having pain down my leg. I came to realize it was being caused by my back. I did some physical therapy and it improved. In October it got worse again, finally in December I had an MRI and discovered I had a herniated disc. My Dr suggested surgery, however, I was not ready to take myself out of work for 4 weeks and at the age of 32 have surgery on my back. I opted instead for acupuncture and massage. Things really started to improve. I also discovered a supplement that helped with joint mobility. I ended up having an emergency gall bladder surgery and shortly after that my regular physician prescribed more PT. PT worked again, and this time it has lasted longer.
You may ask: why couldn't you blog during that? Well, through all of that I battled with the weight maintenance. I barely made it to WW meetings once a month to weigh in and within the last few months I was scared of not making goal. I was embarrassed. I felt I was failing. I also felt I had nothing to say and in some ways felt I had lost the weight and no longer needed to attend WW.
WOW, was I wrong! I was failing myself and my family by having that mentality. I need WW and I have truly come to realize I will always need WW. The meetings hold me accountable. I cannot get lazy. I do not have the personality to allow me to be lazy.
Now, I am back, blogging, and being more cautious. I am also very slowly getting myself back into the swing of exercising. I have been walking and recently started running intervals with the walk.
That is where I have been and what has brought me to where I am today. I went back to find a post about why I started WW to begin with. I can't find one. I guess I never really blogged about my motivation in the beginning. So, I will do that tomorrow!
My last blog post was around June 2009. At that time I was working out hard. I had reached Level 3 of Shred and was easily running 3 miles. I was contemplating running my first 5K and considered doing my first Bloomsday in Spokane in 2010. Shortly after a trip over the Fourth of July I started having pain down my leg. I came to realize it was being caused by my back. I did some physical therapy and it improved. In October it got worse again, finally in December I had an MRI and discovered I had a herniated disc. My Dr suggested surgery, however, I was not ready to take myself out of work for 4 weeks and at the age of 32 have surgery on my back. I opted instead for acupuncture and massage. Things really started to improve. I also discovered a supplement that helped with joint mobility. I ended up having an emergency gall bladder surgery and shortly after that my regular physician prescribed more PT. PT worked again, and this time it has lasted longer.
You may ask: why couldn't you blog during that? Well, through all of that I battled with the weight maintenance. I barely made it to WW meetings once a month to weigh in and within the last few months I was scared of not making goal. I was embarrassed. I felt I was failing. I also felt I had nothing to say and in some ways felt I had lost the weight and no longer needed to attend WW.
WOW, was I wrong! I was failing myself and my family by having that mentality. I need WW and I have truly come to realize I will always need WW. The meetings hold me accountable. I cannot get lazy. I do not have the personality to allow me to be lazy.
Now, I am back, blogging, and being more cautious. I am also very slowly getting myself back into the swing of exercising. I have been walking and recently started running intervals with the walk.
That is where I have been and what has brought me to where I am today. I went back to find a post about why I started WW to begin with. I can't find one. I guess I never really blogged about my motivation in the beginning. So, I will do that tomorrow!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The challenges of traveling for work
I am headed out of town today for a conference in Pasco, WA. Oh yeah! Traveling is hard when it comes to weight loss and weight maintenance. Especially when it is for work and meals at the conference are included in your conference registration, and your bosses are there and you can't really ditch! Here are some things I have done over the past few years to make traveling easier:
- I take my shoes and workout clothes. I have almost always made myself hit the gym at the hotel at least once on my trip. This trip is no exception, I have them in my bag and ready to be used!
- I have packed instant oatmeal to allow for a healthier breakfast option.
- When I have had a fridge in my hotel room I went to the closest grocery store and got breakfast, lunch, and dinner stuff.
- I always ask for an egg alternative at the restaurant.
- I eat only part of the lunch or dinner that is served, and make sure I eat the veggies. And really, how often are these hotel meals any good???
- I try to drink a lot of water and tea.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monthly Birthday Celebration
Today is the dreaded monthly birthday celebration I am sure every office has in some form or another. Our celebration happens once a month to celebrate the birthdays in that month. We rotate who brings the treats. We have had some awesome treats!! I love tasting all the awesome treats! Today I am one of the lucky suppliers of the treats! I planned to plan and bake something last night, but that did not happen, life got in the way! I will go at my lunch break to find some delicious at the grocery store, of course keeping in mind what might be a bit healthier and more point friendly.
I am sure there are some people out there on diets that lock their office door and hide during the dreaded birthday celebrations. And yes, I have done that before. When I first started Weight Watchers I would go get coffee during that time, or shut my door and pretent I was working too hard. All that, just to avoid the awesome treats! As time went on I decided to just give in and allow myself to enjoy the treat and the social time. Most times (not always, I am not perfect!) I will plan my breakfast and lunch around the event. I will also make sure I stay away from the candy dishes that day!
Today, I have a light lunch, left overs of Chicken Taco Chili, and had a Starbucks Spinach and Feta wrap for breakfast. I have had no snacks and plan to drink lots of water and stay away from the candy dishes! I am ready and prepared and cannot wait to have a taste of those awesome treats!!
{On a side note, I wanted to say I did go back and journal for the weekend, and I got a good walk in last night!!!}
I am sure there are some people out there on diets that lock their office door and hide during the dreaded birthday celebrations. And yes, I have done that before. When I first started Weight Watchers I would go get coffee during that time, or shut my door and pretent I was working too hard. All that, just to avoid the awesome treats! As time went on I decided to just give in and allow myself to enjoy the treat and the social time. Most times (not always, I am not perfect!) I will plan my breakfast and lunch around the event. I will also make sure I stay away from the candy dishes that day!
Today, I have a light lunch, left overs of Chicken Taco Chili, and had a Starbucks Spinach and Feta wrap for breakfast. I have had no snacks and plan to drink lots of water and stay away from the candy dishes! I am ready and prepared and cannot wait to have a taste of those awesome treats!!
{On a side note, I wanted to say I did go back and journal for the weekend, and I got a good walk in last night!!!}
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday Madness
I thought I would start a couple of themed posts. Monday Madness just sounded good! I might have done this backwards, but I thought of the blog title first, and came up with the content of the blog second.
Monday Madness blog posts will include the madness that is Monday in my life of weight maintenance. Today I will tell you what the madness is all about for me on a Monday and next week I will do my first post.
When I started Weight Watchers in June 2007 I decided to weigh in and attend a meeting at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday. Yes, I am crazy! The reason was because my evenings were busy with my family and attending a meeting that early on a Saturday meant my daughter was likely still asleep and I would not miss time with her.
Over the years that weigh in came to mean I had my weekend to splurge. I would always wait for Saturday night to do the pizza, etc.; never on Friday night! And I would enjoy Sunday and eat extra points. I think I use most of my extra 35 points on the weekend. Which brings me to Monday, and the madness around playing catch up and trying to live within my points for the rest of the week.
I have never tried to change this because, hey, I lost the weight, right? So it must be okay. But, now my life is different and there is less time for gourmet weekday meals and less money to buy the more expensive foods that tend to have fewer points. While I still plan to splurge a bit on the weekends, because that is what weekends are for, I am setting a goal for myself to hold my self responsible for the points I spend on the weekend. I will make an extra effort to journal on the weekends and hopefully cut down on the splurging just a bit.
In future editions of "Monday Madness" I hope to be sharing how I tried to not have the crunch feeling on Monday or the shock at the scale on Monday! I do not want to spend all weekend gaining what I spent all week keeping off or loosing and end up in a vicious cycle.
Monday Madness blog posts will include the madness that is Monday in my life of weight maintenance. Today I will tell you what the madness is all about for me on a Monday and next week I will do my first post.
When I started Weight Watchers in June 2007 I decided to weigh in and attend a meeting at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday. Yes, I am crazy! The reason was because my evenings were busy with my family and attending a meeting that early on a Saturday meant my daughter was likely still asleep and I would not miss time with her.
Over the years that weigh in came to mean I had my weekend to splurge. I would always wait for Saturday night to do the pizza, etc.; never on Friday night! And I would enjoy Sunday and eat extra points. I think I use most of my extra 35 points on the weekend. Which brings me to Monday, and the madness around playing catch up and trying to live within my points for the rest of the week.
I have never tried to change this because, hey, I lost the weight, right? So it must be okay. But, now my life is different and there is less time for gourmet weekday meals and less money to buy the more expensive foods that tend to have fewer points. While I still plan to splurge a bit on the weekends, because that is what weekends are for, I am setting a goal for myself to hold my self responsible for the points I spend on the weekend. I will make an extra effort to journal on the weekends and hopefully cut down on the splurging just a bit.
In future editions of "Monday Madness" I hope to be sharing how I tried to not have the crunch feeling on Monday or the shock at the scale on Monday! I do not want to spend all weekend gaining what I spent all week keeping off or loosing and end up in a vicious cycle.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
It is about MODERATION!!
That has been one of my mottos throughout my weight loss and into my maintenance. It is all about moderation. I never deprive myself of a good meal and good food. I let myself go out once in awhile. I let my self indulge. I prepare for the indulgence and plan for it. So, that brings me to date night and my favorite food, PIZZA!!! I cannot live without pizza. My love affair with pizza was one of the main reasons I decided to follow the Weight Watchers plan. I did not want to go on some diet that would not allow me to eat what I love!
We got out for a quick date last night, thanks to my sister! I have been craving pizza for weeks! So, last night, I will be indulged! I ate some yummy Sparta's real Italian pizza with lots of cheese! I sipped a glass of wine as I enjoyed every bite of pizza. I do not regret my pizza!!
To prepare, I had a spinach and egg white omelet for breakfast, small turkey and spinach wrap for lunch and some grapes, and a small snack of nonfat Yoplait yogurt. No, I do not know how many points all that was, I do need to journal it (Please, someone remind me!!). But, I know I cleaned house all day and probably earned one or two activity points. And, I know I have 35 points to use how I want. So, I am going out tonight and enjoying myself and not looking back! That is the way to do it!
We got out for a quick date last night, thanks to my sister! I have been craving pizza for weeks! So, last night, I will be indulged! I ate some yummy Sparta's real Italian pizza with lots of cheese! I sipped a glass of wine as I enjoyed every bite of pizza. I do not regret my pizza!!
To prepare, I had a spinach and egg white omelet for breakfast, small turkey and spinach wrap for lunch and some grapes, and a small snack of nonfat Yoplait yogurt. No, I do not know how many points all that was, I do need to journal it (Please, someone remind me!!). But, I know I cleaned house all day and probably earned one or two activity points. And, I know I have 35 points to use how I want. So, I am going out tonight and enjoying myself and not looking back! That is the way to do it!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
I am still alive and kicking!!
Wow, I really haven't blogged here in awhile and I really should have. I know I don't have a ton of readers probably, but I think I want to blog more and maybe inspire someone or I guess inspire myself! Maintenance is HARD! I made it through two years and decided I didn't need the online tools anymore, that was mistake #1. I did need them. But, now we are cutting our family budget, so I am making myself use the tracking book, so got a stack of them in August, and oh, used like 2 of them. That was mistake #2. And I thought I could just watch what I ate and not worry about points, Oh, and forget moving, I didn't need that anymore either, or did I??? That was mistake #3 and #4.
Oh wait, this morning our WW leader told us to celebrate and not dwell on mistakes. So, here I am to celebrate. I walked 4 out of the last 6 days! Yeah for me! And, I got my sister to join me for two of them! I had only 3 or 4 pieces of my co-workers candy all week!!! And believe me, that is something to really celebrate!!! And, I made sensible meals and limited my extra snacks! Okay, so I have something to celebrate today! AND, after a hard couple of months and (SHOCK!!) trying to avoid meetings, I weighed in at goal for the month of October! Thank goodness! I was 2lbs over goal on my home scale about a week and a half ago.
So, here I am, going to blog again and share more and hope to get more readers that can help hold me accountable. Please, share with me what you are celebrating today. No dwelling on the mistakes!
Oh wait, this morning our WW leader told us to celebrate and not dwell on mistakes. So, here I am to celebrate. I walked 4 out of the last 6 days! Yeah for me! And, I got my sister to join me for two of them! I had only 3 or 4 pieces of my co-workers candy all week!!! And believe me, that is something to really celebrate!!! And, I made sensible meals and limited my extra snacks! Okay, so I have something to celebrate today! AND, after a hard couple of months and (SHOCK!!) trying to avoid meetings, I weighed in at goal for the month of October! Thank goodness! I was 2lbs over goal on my home scale about a week and a half ago.
So, here I am, going to blog again and share more and hope to get more readers that can help hold me accountable. Please, share with me what you are celebrating today. No dwelling on the mistakes!
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