So as I posted on Facebook earlier, I had a great week on the scale and lost 3 lbs. What makes me happy about that, besides the simple fact of the weight loss, is that it brings me back to a total of 50 lbs lost. For anyone who's been a reader before, this is a huge deal because I backslid for a while and gained back a lot of what I had once lost. But I held on, stopped the slide, and started working my way back. This benchmark is very important to me.
Which means celebration time! I already did one thing for myself, which is schedule a doctor's appointment. I've been doing the very cliche thing and ducking the doc since my numbers weren't good. Bad me! So I went ahead and made the appointment, even though I'll still show a significant gain over the last time I was there, it's time to get back to doing the right things, and that includes getting new bloodwork and a checkup.
But my real celebration will be more fun. I'm going to go down to REI and get myself a really good and sturdy pair of hiking shoes. I usually go walking/hiking in my sneakers, and that just doesn't cut the mustard. A 20% off coupon for the store just came in the mail, so it's like I get to celebrate and save money!
It's my favorite time of year, and I've decided that since my stupid foots hurts whether I walk a lot or a little, I may as well feel the pain because I'm doing something I enjoy - I already have a few walks planned out in my head, so it's off to the store for me!
Showing posts with label weight watcher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight watcher. Show all posts
Friday, October 5, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Knowledge is Power
Dave and I have always had a tradition of using one day a week as an indulgence day, rather that scattering our weekly "extra" values during the week. Of course, the problem with that is that we weren't tracking at all, and sometimes it became a whole weekend rather than one day. There are many flaws in that approach, and we've realized that we have to make changes to that habit. But that's another blog.
Today, I did something I've never done before, which is to track everything I ate today, even going to websites to get the points values correct. The news was scary, and a little eye-opening. But also empowering. Because now I know. I can make adjustments, and do some things like get in extra activity this week to mitigate some of the excess. I'm not off plan, I'm not sliding to pieces after a great weight loss, I'm not cocky and thinking I can get away with anything. Most importantly, I don't have that "well I blew it today so what the hell" kind of depression that comes with overindulging. Because I got myself reoriented by tracking and taking control.
It's an important step, because tracking has always been a weakness of mine, even under the best of circumstances. And I notoriously don't track when I don't want to acknowledge what I've eaten. So taking the step to write it all down and look up points is a huge one. It's reinforced my knowledge that I MUST change my habits and choose more wisely, even when indulging. And I go into tomorrow feeling in control, because I have done this positive thing. In control and with a plan, and that's a good result!
Today, I did something I've never done before, which is to track everything I ate today, even going to websites to get the points values correct. The news was scary, and a little eye-opening. But also empowering. Because now I know. I can make adjustments, and do some things like get in extra activity this week to mitigate some of the excess. I'm not off plan, I'm not sliding to pieces after a great weight loss, I'm not cocky and thinking I can get away with anything. Most importantly, I don't have that "well I blew it today so what the hell" kind of depression that comes with overindulging. Because I got myself reoriented by tracking and taking control.
It's an important step, because tracking has always been a weakness of mine, even under the best of circumstances. And I notoriously don't track when I don't want to acknowledge what I've eaten. So taking the step to write it all down and look up points is a huge one. It's reinforced my knowledge that I MUST change my habits and choose more wisely, even when indulging. And I go into tomorrow feeling in control, because I have done this positive thing. In control and with a plan, and that's a good result!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Little Tiny Goals
Been needing to recharge my commitment lately... I've been seriously half-assing this thing for some time, and it's got to change. I know I say things like that sometimes, and I've said it before. And I'll probably say it again. None of us are perfect, and I think that everyone struggles with their focus and motivation. When something is a life-long process, like weight loss and maintenance is, there's bound to be some fallbacks.
So I've decided to go back to basics this week, treating it as though it's my first week on plan. I've got some good food options in the house, including lots of fresh fruit and veggies. I have a healthy dinner already planned and ready to go for tomorrow. And while I'd like to get back to setting some more aggressive goals, I figured this week it would be good to start with some baby steps...things that are important for success, but not very difficult to achieve with a little work. Here goes:
1. Tracking EVERYTHING this week. My tracking has fallen seriously by the wayside, so I have a nice new notebook and a pen I really like all set out and ready to go.
2. WATER WATER WATER. I drink water pretty exclusively, so choosing it is a no-brainer. But making sure I'm getting enough is important. I have a WW insulated cup that holds 32 oz at a time. I must drink at least 2 of those cups full per day.
3. At least 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day. Going back through my materials so that I can accurately track portion sizes.
4. Activity - this goal is all about starting small. It's activity 4 times this week, for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Hoping that most of it will be bike-related, since it's good cardio, and easier on my hurting feet. Tendinitis in on foot and a heel spur in the other have led to some challenges, so I think that biking is my best solution this week. I do have a couple of other options in my head though, in case that doesn't pan out.
5. Motivationally, I will write a list of all the things that I want to achieve on this journey... the laundry list of all the benefits and reasons I started in the first place. It will be good to get it all down, to be able to use it to keep focused.
That's the plan for this week.... I'll post again next week to let you all know how I've done!
So I've decided to go back to basics this week, treating it as though it's my first week on plan. I've got some good food options in the house, including lots of fresh fruit and veggies. I have a healthy dinner already planned and ready to go for tomorrow. And while I'd like to get back to setting some more aggressive goals, I figured this week it would be good to start with some baby steps...things that are important for success, but not very difficult to achieve with a little work. Here goes:
1. Tracking EVERYTHING this week. My tracking has fallen seriously by the wayside, so I have a nice new notebook and a pen I really like all set out and ready to go.
2. WATER WATER WATER. I drink water pretty exclusively, so choosing it is a no-brainer. But making sure I'm getting enough is important. I have a WW insulated cup that holds 32 oz at a time. I must drink at least 2 of those cups full per day.
3. At least 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day. Going back through my materials so that I can accurately track portion sizes.
4. Activity - this goal is all about starting small. It's activity 4 times this week, for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Hoping that most of it will be bike-related, since it's good cardio, and easier on my hurting feet. Tendinitis in on foot and a heel spur in the other have led to some challenges, so I think that biking is my best solution this week. I do have a couple of other options in my head though, in case that doesn't pan out.
5. Motivationally, I will write a list of all the things that I want to achieve on this journey... the laundry list of all the benefits and reasons I started in the first place. It will be good to get it all down, to be able to use it to keep focused.
That's the plan for this week.... I'll post again next week to let you all know how I've done!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Home Again Home Again
I've been back from my San Francisco trip for a few days now, and most of the catch-up has been finished. My husband and niece did a great job keeping up with the household chores, and kept my fledgling tomato plants alive and my outdoor birds fed. Seymour the cat has been exceptionally snuggly since I've been home, and I've enjoyed every minute of it!
So the trip itself... well I'm glad to report that I had no issues fitting into the seats on the airplane. They were a bit snug, but not too tight or uncomfortable. I still needed an extender, but the gap is closing, and I'd like to work on not needing one by the time I fly out to Vegas after Thanksgiving.
We were VERY active - the hills in the city are a good workout. Walking anywhere included hills, and a brisk pace. And when we weren't in the city we walked all over the place. We went to the touristy areas like Pier 39, the Castro, Union Square and Alcatraz. Then we went up north to spend 2 days in the Redwoods National Park areas and Muir Woods, and south to Monterey for whale watching and an aquarium visit. On our last day we attended the Pride parade and walked around the many blocks of surrounding vendors. I got great sleep at night, let me tell you.
My food choices were varied - not entirely on or off plan. I tried to be careful and make good choices where I could. We went to the grocery store on our first day so I could stock up on healthful breakfast and snack options for the hotel room, which really helped. I ate quite a bit of seafood (although occasionally in the fish and chips form), and the produce out there was lovely. I ate some of the best strawberries I ever tasted, and the overall emphasis on organic and healthy eating (especially up north) were a good influence.
I'll be weighing in tomorrow to see what the net result is. I am expecting some gain, because 12 days is a long time to be out of my food "comfort zone", but hoping it will be small due to the large increase in activity. Now July 1 is upon me, and it's time to set my mid to end year goals. But that's another post!
So the trip itself... well I'm glad to report that I had no issues fitting into the seats on the airplane. They were a bit snug, but not too tight or uncomfortable. I still needed an extender, but the gap is closing, and I'd like to work on not needing one by the time I fly out to Vegas after Thanksgiving.
We were VERY active - the hills in the city are a good workout. Walking anywhere included hills, and a brisk pace. And when we weren't in the city we walked all over the place. We went to the touristy areas like Pier 39, the Castro, Union Square and Alcatraz. Then we went up north to spend 2 days in the Redwoods National Park areas and Muir Woods, and south to Monterey for whale watching and an aquarium visit. On our last day we attended the Pride parade and walked around the many blocks of surrounding vendors. I got great sleep at night, let me tell you.
My food choices were varied - not entirely on or off plan. I tried to be careful and make good choices where I could. We went to the grocery store on our first day so I could stock up on healthful breakfast and snack options for the hotel room, which really helped. I ate quite a bit of seafood (although occasionally in the fish and chips form), and the produce out there was lovely. I ate some of the best strawberries I ever tasted, and the overall emphasis on organic and healthy eating (especially up north) were a good influence.
I'll be weighing in tomorrow to see what the net result is. I am expecting some gain, because 12 days is a long time to be out of my food "comfort zone", but hoping it will be small due to the large increase in activity. Now July 1 is upon me, and it's time to set my mid to end year goals. But that's another post!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
San Francisco looms!
My vacation to San Francisco starts in 15 days!! I am very excited, albeit a little apprehensive about the plane rides. May ask my doctor about an Rx for 2 Xanax, one for each flight, when I have my check up next week. I probably won't do it, since I'm not a huge fan of medicines, and usually a strong believer in the "just suck it up" school of thought. But it's two long flights, in two tiny airplane seats, and my big ol' butt (BOB) is gonna be really crammed in there!
I'm a little frustrated with myself because not only will i not meet my 100 lbs lost goal, I've actually gone backward and gained a few pounds back over the last very very very UGLY two weeks. But the ship has been righted - I think I actually ate so much crap over the last week or so that I can't stand the thought of eating things that aren't healthy. So I got myself a little lunchtime treat of some brown rice sushi, and bought some gorgeous strawberries and blueberries. Going to have some roasted turkey breast with grilled veggies for dinner, and maybe some low fat cottage cheese with all my new found berries for a snack.
I was able to enjoy some fun activity yesterday with my nephews and husband - we were playing some baseball in their backyard and some frisbee later in the day. It was so nice to be able to be active and participate, instead of just sitting on the sidelines watching, which is what I used to do. I think that reminder was just what I needed to put the last piece of the puzzle back in place. My mind finally feels really right again - and now that I've started cleaning up my eating, I'm feeling much better physically as well. Now it's off to finish up some laundry, and then hang out in the backyard for a while taking care of my birds and plants.
I'm a little frustrated with myself because not only will i not meet my 100 lbs lost goal, I've actually gone backward and gained a few pounds back over the last very very very UGLY two weeks. But the ship has been righted - I think I actually ate so much crap over the last week or so that I can't stand the thought of eating things that aren't healthy. So I got myself a little lunchtime treat of some brown rice sushi, and bought some gorgeous strawberries and blueberries. Going to have some roasted turkey breast with grilled veggies for dinner, and maybe some low fat cottage cheese with all my new found berries for a snack.
I was able to enjoy some fun activity yesterday with my nephews and husband - we were playing some baseball in their backyard and some frisbee later in the day. It was so nice to be able to be active and participate, instead of just sitting on the sidelines watching, which is what I used to do. I think that reminder was just what I needed to put the last piece of the puzzle back in place. My mind finally feels really right again - and now that I've started cleaning up my eating, I'm feeling much better physically as well. Now it's off to finish up some laundry, and then hang out in the backyard for a while taking care of my birds and plants.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)