Day 27 - No Bingeing
I thought up a new breakfast today that satisfies me. I had been eating yogurt with fruit which is 3 points. I love the low point value but some mornings I just want a carbohydrate. Yesterday I tried a muffin with almond butter and skim milk but that was too many points at 8. Today I had a Van's Waffle and added some strawberry jelly for .5 points, with fruit on top. The point total was less than 5, which is workable for me.
Another new "food find" is pizzelle cookies. I can have 3 cookies for 2 points. Last night I had them with my "banana ice cream". I felt like I was having a substantial and healthy dessert for just 5 points. I think I could make a whoopie cookie by putting cool whip and diced strawberrries between 2 pizzelle cookies. Yum.
I am still not bingeing. I am staying within my daily WW point total and feeling frustrated with s...l...o...w...progress. I know that slow is the only way to go and the weight stays off better when you lose slowly, but that doesn't make me like it. I still have the old mentality of wanting to lose 15 pounds before school starts up. I detest the first few weeks of weight loss when you are eating healthy, but still feeling fat.
Actually I feel good eating this way. I don't feel deprived. I just have to plan conscientiously. The problems come only when I have to find something to wear for something other than my normal daily summer routine, as my "nicer clothes" are still SNUG.
I am trying to let go of my unrealistic thinking, and just focus on the big picture. If I continue on my path, I can realistically lose 12 more pounds by Thanksgiving, for a total of 15. I just have to remember that little daily actions, done consistently over time, add up to something powerful. :)
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Woohoo! Down 3 lbs!
Day 24 - No Bingeing
Well my wait is over. I got to weigh myself today - down 3 lbs! :) Granted it was the 3 lbs I gained just a few days before starting weight watchers, so I think of it as weight that would come off "easier" but STILL. I am relieved. My clothes still are snug and won't feel better for another 3 lbs, but I am happy to know weight watchers is working.
As a reward, I promptly ordered The Most Decadent Diet Ever - a healthy cookbook that got good reviews on Amazon. I initially was going to order the new Cook Yourself Thin but then I read a review saying it only had calorie counts and no other nutrition stats for the recipes. The Most Decadent Diet Ever has full nutrition info. I hope it arrives Saturday so I don't have to wait until Monday. I like instant gratification. This is probably true of many overweight people. :) I plan to try one new recipe this week and post about it.
Well my wait is over. I got to weigh myself today - down 3 lbs! :) Granted it was the 3 lbs I gained just a few days before starting weight watchers, so I think of it as weight that would come off "easier" but STILL. I am relieved. My clothes still are snug and won't feel better for another 3 lbs, but I am happy to know weight watchers is working.
As a reward, I promptly ordered The Most Decadent Diet Ever - a healthy cookbook that got good reviews on Amazon. I initially was going to order the new Cook Yourself Thin but then I read a review saying it only had calorie counts and no other nutrition stats for the recipes. The Most Decadent Diet Ever has full nutrition info. I hope it arrives Saturday so I don't have to wait until Monday. I like instant gratification. This is probably true of many overweight people. :) I plan to try one new recipe this week and post about it.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Don't Complain, Just Work Harder
Day 23 - No Bingeing
I am still doubting myself. The way I am eating seems livable which makes me question whether it will lead to weight loss. I hope I will feel better when I weigh in tomorrow. I am trying to psych myself up to remain committed regardless of the results the scale shows, though.
"Too many people go through life complaining about their problems. I've always believed that if you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things work out." -Randy Pausch
I just finished reading Randy Pausch's book - The Last Lecture. It was published a few years ago when Randy was battling aggressive cancer. It if full of advice for how to live your life. The above quote is from that book and I related it to my weight loss situation (in a big way). If I added up all the time I have spent complaining about my weight, it would add up to years! My new philosophy is to talk less and do more. Easier said than done.
Today this advice helped me get started on cleaning / organizing my basement which is something I am always complaining about.
Some of Randy's other advice that I liked was:
Earnest is better than hip. I'll take an earnest person over a hip person every time, because hip is short-term. Earnest is long-term. Earnestness is highly underestimated. It comes from the core, while hip is trying to impress you with the surface." p. 133
Look for the best in everybody. p. 145
Don't obsess over what people think. If nobody ever worried about what was in other people's heads, we'd all be 33 percent more effective in our lives and on our jobs. p. 141
Dance with the one who brung you. p. 147
I am still doubting myself. The way I am eating seems livable which makes me question whether it will lead to weight loss. I hope I will feel better when I weigh in tomorrow. I am trying to psych myself up to remain committed regardless of the results the scale shows, though.
"Too many people go through life complaining about their problems. I've always believed that if you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things work out." -Randy Pausch
I just finished reading Randy Pausch's book - The Last Lecture. It was published a few years ago when Randy was battling aggressive cancer. It if full of advice for how to live your life. The above quote is from that book and I related it to my weight loss situation (in a big way). If I added up all the time I have spent complaining about my weight, it would add up to years! My new philosophy is to talk less and do more. Easier said than done.
Today this advice helped me get started on cleaning / organizing my basement which is something I am always complaining about.
Some of Randy's other advice that I liked was:
Earnest is better than hip. I'll take an earnest person over a hip person every time, because hip is short-term. Earnest is long-term. Earnestness is highly underestimated. It comes from the core, while hip is trying to impress you with the surface." p. 133
Look for the best in everybody. p. 145
Don't obsess over what people think. If nobody ever worried about what was in other people's heads, we'd all be 33 percent more effective in our lives and on our jobs. p. 141
Dance with the one who brung you. p. 147
Monday, July 25, 2011
Doubting Myself
Day 21 - No Bingeing!
Here I am cruising along on day 6 of Weight Watchers. Things are going great. Just in the past 6 days I have successfully handled going out to dinner, hanging out on our boat, and a mini flood in our upstairs bathroom. I have stayed in my points range EVERY day. And I don't think I have lost any weight. I haven't weighed myself but I can usually tell.
I think what is getting to me is that things feel pretty easy.There is certainly extra effort involved (plan, plan, plan, grocery shop, plan some more, prep veggies). It feels easy in that I have been able to find meals that are satisfying to me and remain in my points range. I haven't run out of points in the evening and been hungry. I have had ice cream twice (measured it and counted the points). I guess it hasn't necessarily been easy, but it has definitely been painless. I can't seem to believe that this will lead to weight loss. It seems too good to be true!
I am trying to have faith. I did weight watchers after graduating from college. I lost about 25 pounds and became a lifetime member. I know I ate everything I was allowed to. At that time it wasn't points, but we had personal selections and optional calories. I ate them all and still lost weight.
Also I looked back at my weigh in book from the last time I did WW. Although I did not lose all the weight, I noticed the first week I only lost 1/2 pound and then the second week I lost 4! So maybe that is just the way my body works. I am trying to give myself positive messages and remain 100% committed.
However, I do believe that part of weight loss is figuring out what works for you personally. I just hope that what used to work for me, still works for me! This feels livable, so I hope it works.
Here I am cruising along on day 6 of Weight Watchers. Things are going great. Just in the past 6 days I have successfully handled going out to dinner, hanging out on our boat, and a mini flood in our upstairs bathroom. I have stayed in my points range EVERY day. And I don't think I have lost any weight. I haven't weighed myself but I can usually tell.
I think what is getting to me is that things feel pretty easy.There is certainly extra effort involved (plan, plan, plan, grocery shop, plan some more, prep veggies). It feels easy in that I have been able to find meals that are satisfying to me and remain in my points range. I haven't run out of points in the evening and been hungry. I have had ice cream twice (measured it and counted the points). I guess it hasn't necessarily been easy, but it has definitely been painless. I can't seem to believe that this will lead to weight loss. It seems too good to be true!
I am trying to have faith. I did weight watchers after graduating from college. I lost about 25 pounds and became a lifetime member. I know I ate everything I was allowed to. At that time it wasn't points, but we had personal selections and optional calories. I ate them all and still lost weight.
Also I looked back at my weigh in book from the last time I did WW. Although I did not lose all the weight, I noticed the first week I only lost 1/2 pound and then the second week I lost 4! So maybe that is just the way my body works. I am trying to give myself positive messages and remain 100% committed.
However, I do believe that part of weight loss is figuring out what works for you personally. I just hope that what used to work for me, still works for me! This feels livable, so I hope it works.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
The Awkward Phase
Remember how #4 on the 10 Pitfalls of Implementing Change is being unwilling to go through the awkward phase? Well, I am now in the awkward phase. I am feeling very revved up and super excited about my diet, but I haven't lost any weight yet (probably). So my clothes still feel tight and I feel fat. Ugh. As my daughter would say - Awkward!
Isn't it funny how when you are enthused and working hard you feel like the pounds should be just melting away? LOL. I had a freak out moment this morning where I was thinking what if I am positive, and work hard, sticking to WW all week and don't lose a single pound???? Horrors!
Judith Beck (author of The Beck Diet Solution) calls my freak out "negative fortune telling". So I ignored that evil little voice inside my head and decided to stick to my plan for a minimum of two weeks before even considering a change. I am telling myself "stick with the plan" and "trust the plan".
Tonight we went to Massie's - a local restaurant known for its Italian food. I did not want to overeat and did not trust myself to eyeball an appropriate portion of baked ziti or homemade spaghetti. Instead I ordered filet mignon and a baked potato. It was still tricky because the menu didn't state how many ounces the filet was and I couldn't whip out my handy dandy scale and weigh it. My salad also came drowning in dressing. Disgusting! There was probably 1/2 cup and I forgot to ask for it on the side. Overall, I felt successful since I ate my dinner but definitely didn't overeat. I also skipped my normal evening snack.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Eating Well and Feeling Great
Day 19 - No Bingeing
Today is a beautiful day and we are headed out on the boat with the kids and a friend for each of them. Eating on the boat is challenging, due to there being lots of junk food - chips and chocolate chip cookies. However, I am on day 3 of WW and feeling STRONG. I am headed out with a plan. Mind you my plan involves a 14 point lunch with potato chips, but the important thing is I have planned for it. I have adjusted the rest of my day accordingly.
My breakfast was cantaloupe from the vegetable stand with blueberries and yogurt. Yum. I love this breakfast. I can't believe that over the last 4 months I have managed to do without carbs at breakfast (most days). I used to always, always, have a carb at breakfast. It wasn't a habit I thought I could change and remain satisfied. I surprised myself. Good lesson. It pays to try and change habits. Sometimes the change isn't as painful as we anticipate.
Even though I don't know if I have lost any weight yet, I feel better when I eat well. I just feel more strong and healthy and even thinner. I must remember that on days when healthy eating feels like a prison sentence. :)
Last night Emily somehow left her sink water running while she got in the shower. The water overflowed the sink! Of course, Emily didn't notice over the noise of her shower. My husband was in the basement and water came trickling down the wall. He flipped out! The clean up was really stressful because David was overreacting and not acting like himself. Both kids ended up crying. Afterwards, I did get an intense urge to binge. However, I stood strong and ignored it.
Today is a beautiful day and we are headed out on the boat with the kids and a friend for each of them. Eating on the boat is challenging, due to there being lots of junk food - chips and chocolate chip cookies. However, I am on day 3 of WW and feeling STRONG. I am headed out with a plan. Mind you my plan involves a 14 point lunch with potato chips, but the important thing is I have planned for it. I have adjusted the rest of my day accordingly.
My breakfast was cantaloupe from the vegetable stand with blueberries and yogurt. Yum. I love this breakfast. I can't believe that over the last 4 months I have managed to do without carbs at breakfast (most days). I used to always, always, have a carb at breakfast. It wasn't a habit I thought I could change and remain satisfied. I surprised myself. Good lesson. It pays to try and change habits. Sometimes the change isn't as painful as we anticipate.
Even though I don't know if I have lost any weight yet, I feel better when I eat well. I just feel more strong and healthy and even thinner. I must remember that on days when healthy eating feels like a prison sentence. :)
Last night Emily somehow left her sink water running while she got in the shower. The water overflowed the sink! Of course, Emily didn't notice over the noise of her shower. My husband was in the basement and water came trickling down the wall. He flipped out! The clean up was really stressful because David was overreacting and not acting like himself. Both kids ended up crying. Afterwards, I did get an intense urge to binge. However, I stood strong and ignored it.
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