Somehow (quite artfully) I've avoided going out to eat this entire month. Not 100% conscious decision, but I do find it easier and of course low pressure having my meals at home. Today I met up with a good friend (and ex-coworker that I miss dearly) for a late lunch and drinks. The scene of the crime was to be at one of your typical Mexican places. Mmmm... Mexican.
Naturally I obsessed all morning about what I was going to eat. An issue for me is that I do not really like veggies you would find in a Mexican restaurant. Onions are off the menu as they irritate my stomach ... and I really do not like bell peppers. So...the choices are fairly limited. After much consideration and planning I decided on having a cheese enchilada and a side of beans. Not very exciting, I know, but I figured it would hit the spot ... and honestly I typically would have a #5 (2 cheese ench, beans, rice). Felt like a good compromise without actually compromising.
Before leaving the house I had a large brunch ( 2 egg and cheese on English muffin halves) and a quick bowl of apple sauce before leaving. At the last minute I had the excellent idea to throw a corn VitaTop into my purse, and off I went.
Lunch was a success. Lots of good conversation, diet coke for me, and a lovely meal. My favorite part of the afternoon is that ultimately the usual drink and food fest for me turned into and afternoon of conversation and a nosh. The only hitch is that I ordered a cheese quesidella instead of enchilada...mostly because the time not spent this morning obsessing on the points for an enchilada was spent on the point value of the quesidella...the wrong word came out of my mouth, hehe. All good of course, I was just a bit surprised when the waiter brought the actual food that I ordered :) Six one half dozen, right? I figure I actually saved myself a point or two by not having sauce ... and put a bit of salsa on the cheese quesidella and went to town.
Tomorrow starts another week of work ... let the crazy begin!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
One Monthiversary!
Hi all...I know I haven't been posting daily, but one day runs into the other. So far all is well, staying on program. Yay! My days are a routine, and that is actually a good thing for me. This month has been very good. Not only have I eaten well and stayed accountable, but I have valued myself and my health. Probably something most people do or take for granted, but for me, it is a big step.
The food and cooking issue has been tackled. Next is moving my ass! Time to get physical (sorry for the song reference and the fact it is running through your head). Surely there is a solution for my fickle knee...a friend suggested an old school Ace bandage. Perhaps that is the answer. I need something to keep my knee stabilized so that it does not try and slip out of place while I do simple things ... like walking though the grocery store! I have tried several things, but being super short (and not thin) makes fitting a knee brace more difficult.
This week I will start walking, again. The weather has been mild enough recently to take a little walk outside during a break at work. The key for me is to start small. I have this bad habit of trying too hard, hurting myself, and then giving up.
After a month I am down a total of 10.5 pounds! Feeling SOOO much better. No more fatigue. Even the stairs in my home seem easier to navigate. For a while I thought my boyfriend was going to need to defibrillate me at the top (is that a word? :)
-allison
The food and cooking issue has been tackled. Next is moving my ass! Time to get physical (sorry for the song reference and the fact it is running through your head). Surely there is a solution for my fickle knee...a friend suggested an old school Ace bandage. Perhaps that is the answer. I need something to keep my knee stabilized so that it does not try and slip out of place while I do simple things ... like walking though the grocery store! I have tried several things, but being super short (and not thin) makes fitting a knee brace more difficult.
This week I will start walking, again. The weather has been mild enough recently to take a little walk outside during a break at work. The key for me is to start small. I have this bad habit of trying too hard, hurting myself, and then giving up.
After a month I am down a total of 10.5 pounds! Feeling SOOO much better. No more fatigue. Even the stairs in my home seem easier to navigate. For a while I thought my boyfriend was going to need to defibrillate me at the top (is that a word? :)
-allison
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
One small step...
It is a little late to reflect on my weekend, but when I think back, I realize...wow, for the first time in recent memory, I accomplished something! Nothing wild and crazy ... didn't run a mile or serve my community, but I do feel like I served myself (and no, not ice cream)!
To make a long story short, in September of 2009 my home, along with many others in my community, was flooded. As a result we (my boyfriend and 3 kitty babies) lived with my wonderful Grandmother. The reason I bring it up is that we were finally able move back May of 2010. The reconstruction and furnishing of the condo seemed like an eternity and I was sooooo anxious to get back home. Since moving back in I have done very little to get back to normal. There are still countless boxes in storage, no pictures on the wall ... everything has just felt unfinished. Perhaps I just haven't had the energy or perhaps something deeper, but this past weekend I actually took charge and marked a few things off my very large list. Probably the biggest thing was FINALLY putting away all of my holiday decorations. That was good (obviously)...but the thing that gave me the largest sense of accomplishment was hanging the artwork on the walls.
It is small, yet it symbolizes that perhaps I am actually giving enough of a crap about myself and my space to do something positive! Just a start, still tons to do, but it feels doable now, so yay.
Anyway ... that was actually a long story not so short :)
Diet wise all is well. Twenty-four days down ... many many more to go!
That is all for now, just wanted to share.
To make a long story short, in September of 2009 my home, along with many others in my community, was flooded. As a result we (my boyfriend and 3 kitty babies) lived with my wonderful Grandmother. The reason I bring it up is that we were finally able move back May of 2010. The reconstruction and furnishing of the condo seemed like an eternity and I was sooooo anxious to get back home. Since moving back in I have done very little to get back to normal. There are still countless boxes in storage, no pictures on the wall ... everything has just felt unfinished. Perhaps I just haven't had the energy or perhaps something deeper, but this past weekend I actually took charge and marked a few things off my very large list. Probably the biggest thing was FINALLY putting away all of my holiday decorations. That was good (obviously)...but the thing that gave me the largest sense of accomplishment was hanging the artwork on the walls.
It is small, yet it symbolizes that perhaps I am actually giving enough of a crap about myself and my space to do something positive! Just a start, still tons to do, but it feels doable now, so yay.
Anyway ... that was actually a long story not so short :)
Diet wise all is well. Twenty-four days down ... many many more to go!
That is all for now, just wanted to share.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
This is a test of the EIC system [Emergency Ice Cream]
All is well in WW land! Just weighed and tracked for week 3 and I am down another 3 lbs. WOOOOOO!! I know I am on that "new diet honeymoon" high, but I am in a good place and feeling good about the next week.
I'd like to write a profound bit about overcoming challenges, but it simply has felt very easy. Given my 30+ years of trying, I attribute my ease to the following factors:
Oh, for the post title...this may be my first real test of all those items I outlined. My other half went to the grocery store to pick up a few things ... and came home with not one ... not two...but THREE pints of ice cream! Now, to be fair, these pints are for him and he is allowed to have them (i firmly believe if i am going to be successful, it will not be in a bubble) but I did enjoy giving him a bit of guff about it! What he said kind of amused me, "they are small ... if you are going to fall off the wagon, it won't be a long fall". Heehee. This I thought, oddly enough, was a smidge of encouragement (you would have to understand the source). My response was "that won't be happening with THESE 3 pints of ice cream so enjoy them!"
Certainly was not going to say "that will never happen" pu-lease. Points or no Points, I need to get OFF the ice cream and cake. Thank god for Vita-Tops ... they really do the trick. And if I really want something that resembles a little frosting with my Vita-top (when a girl needs cake) I like to make a little serving of Sugar Free Cream Cheese frosting using a 1 oz serving of Weight Watchers Cream Cheese. Little bit of "Free" frozen topping, smidge of Splenda ... and there you go...A little frosting to make your Vita-top a bit more pleasing (not that I think it needs help).
Anyway ... that is all good luck to every one who accidentally reads this post :)
-allison
I'd like to write a profound bit about overcoming challenges, but it simply has felt very easy. Given my 30+ years of trying, I attribute my ease to the following factors:
- New diet euphoria
- Starting to take Welbutrin again
- Sharing my experiences with my best friend who is also doing WW Online (though we are not in the same state)
- Fear of horrible diseases known to really really really obese people (like myself)
- A smidge of what might actually be better decision making skills
 |
| This is the vew in my freezer currently. Notice the Vita-Tops below the creamy naughty goodness! |
Oh, for the post title...this may be my first real test of all those items I outlined. My other half went to the grocery store to pick up a few things ... and came home with not one ... not two...but THREE pints of ice cream! Now, to be fair, these pints are for him and he is allowed to have them (i firmly believe if i am going to be successful, it will not be in a bubble) but I did enjoy giving him a bit of guff about it! What he said kind of amused me, "they are small ... if you are going to fall off the wagon, it won't be a long fall". Heehee. This I thought, oddly enough, was a smidge of encouragement (you would have to understand the source). My response was "that won't be happening with THESE 3 pints of ice cream so enjoy them!"
Certainly was not going to say "that will never happen" pu-lease. Points or no Points, I need to get OFF the ice cream and cake. Thank god for Vita-Tops ... they really do the trick. And if I really want something that resembles a little frosting with my Vita-top (when a girl needs cake) I like to make a little serving of Sugar Free Cream Cheese frosting using a 1 oz serving of Weight Watchers Cream Cheese. Little bit of "Free" frozen topping, smidge of Splenda ... and there you go...A little frosting to make your Vita-top a bit more pleasing (not that I think it needs help).
Anyway ... that is all good luck to every one who accidentally reads this post :)
-allison
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Honeymoon
Loving this "new diet" honeymoon period! This has been a great few weeks and I am feeling hopeful about the next 3 weeks. I know, everyone stays on their New Year's diet for the first month...I plan on making mine a New Decade diet...longer lasting, right?
Starting to think about my next vacation. My BF and I are headed to Palm Springs the 3rd week of February. Why Palm Springs? It's Modernism Week! Should be a fun week of shopping, architecture, and retro 50's goodness. Probably a nerdy reason to go as most people go for golfing ...or to visit family...we are going to tour Frank Sinatra's Twin Palms home :)
For now, I am trying to do what I can before that trip. There isn't a lot of time for me to be making outrageous goals. My pants will be the same size ... the 5 hour airplane ride will still be uncomfortable...but it will be BETTER than it would have been otherwise!
Plane rides are always interesting. I have my own seat belt extender. Not afraid to ask for one, it doesn't bother me, but sometimes it's just handy to have my own. My paranoia that they will run out of them before I board the plane (I always seem to be one of the last) overrides any fear of embarrassment of asking. What amazes me is when I don't ask for one and the flight attendant doesn't seem to notice. I would think they would zero in on me ...but perhaps we live in such a PC society that its easier to ignore rather to offend. Oh, what makes flying interesting is that of course I am a big woman (barely getting the arms of the seats down) but my BF is freakishly tall! So, for various reasons we both do not do well on planes. I have a wonderful knack for "going to my happy place" aka taking lots of Xanax so I really don't care. His not having leg room and getting his knees crushed by the seat in front is probably more severe. Oh well, that is part of the adventure.
I love to travel ... I actually went to Irvine CA in November for work. Perhaps this time I will be slightly smaller and have a bit more room to breath. We will see! Either way, I will have my seat belt extender, Xanax, my iPad, and perhaps a bit of crochet to get me through. Oh, and ear plugs for when my BF complains about getting his knees crushed :)
That is all for now!
Oh, having a great diet day! Made a nice pork tenderloin for dinner. This is meal 2 of what I believe was a goal of 3 this week. Of course I will be eating on my chili and this pork for a while. Maybe I will get up in time (or gosh, do it tonight) and pack my lunch with some left overs! Would be nice to have something beyond tuna and crackers or a Lean Cuisine!
Ta Ta!
-a
Starting to think about my next vacation. My BF and I are headed to Palm Springs the 3rd week of February. Why Palm Springs? It's Modernism Week! Should be a fun week of shopping, architecture, and retro 50's goodness. Probably a nerdy reason to go as most people go for golfing ...or to visit family...we are going to tour Frank Sinatra's Twin Palms home :)
For now, I am trying to do what I can before that trip. There isn't a lot of time for me to be making outrageous goals. My pants will be the same size ... the 5 hour airplane ride will still be uncomfortable...but it will be BETTER than it would have been otherwise!
Plane rides are always interesting. I have my own seat belt extender. Not afraid to ask for one, it doesn't bother me, but sometimes it's just handy to have my own. My paranoia that they will run out of them before I board the plane (I always seem to be one of the last) overrides any fear of embarrassment of asking. What amazes me is when I don't ask for one and the flight attendant doesn't seem to notice. I would think they would zero in on me ...but perhaps we live in such a PC society that its easier to ignore rather to offend. Oh, what makes flying interesting is that of course I am a big woman (barely getting the arms of the seats down) but my BF is freakishly tall! So, for various reasons we both do not do well on planes. I have a wonderful knack for "going to my happy place" aka taking lots of Xanax so I really don't care. His not having leg room and getting his knees crushed by the seat in front is probably more severe. Oh well, that is part of the adventure.
I love to travel ... I actually went to Irvine CA in November for work. Perhaps this time I will be slightly smaller and have a bit more room to breath. We will see! Either way, I will have my seat belt extender, Xanax, my iPad, and perhaps a bit of crochet to get me through. Oh, and ear plugs for when my BF complains about getting his knees crushed :)
That is all for now!
Oh, having a great diet day! Made a nice pork tenderloin for dinner. This is meal 2 of what I believe was a goal of 3 this week. Of course I will be eating on my chili and this pork for a while. Maybe I will get up in time (or gosh, do it tonight) and pack my lunch with some left overs! Would be nice to have something beyond tuna and crackers or a Lean Cuisine!
Ta Ta!
-a
Monday, January 17, 2011
Relief
Received word on my blood work from 2 Friday's ago ::drum roll:: I AM NOT DIABETIC!!!! What a huge relief. To be honest there is nothing other than luck involved here. The last year (really 36 of them) have been filled with pure gluttony. All about that instant gratification and no thought about the damage being done. Sure, I would occasionally give it a thought ... then quickly put it out of my mind as I rummaged through the freeze for more Blue Bell Cookie Dough ice cream. Damn, that shit is good. I digress.
As of late I have had this nagging concern that something is seriously wrong. Finally I got my shit together and made an appointment to run a full blood panel. I hate the doctor (but I love my prescription for Xanax) and generally avoid going. Okay, I actually don't hate going to the doctor, I hate those evil scales. There was no exception this past week. I had gained about 20 pounds since April..yikes. Anyway ... blood work drawn ... and the waiting began.
The snow/ice storm delayed the results for a few days ... but today was the day. My cholesterol is high, 226. My good cholesterol was in the good range ... my bad was 151. My understanding is that it should be more in the neighborhood of 135ish. Something to work on! Thyroid is a-okay...and by some miracle I have always had normal blood pressure. Oh, have I mentioned I AM NOT DIABETIC??
This is my last chance people ... my last chance to really fix this insanity I have been living. I need to take care of myself for once and stop acting like I do not matter.
Oh, random other interesting events of the day...I had the first hint of a menstrual cycle. TMI? Sorry...but this is the first cycle I have had in ....er....hmm....maybe 5 years? I haven't had a cycle with any regularity since the age of 15. Long story (PCOS) but this is a good thing. Feeling like a 13 yr old "what the hell am I supposed to do?" but I managed. Yay for actually feeling like a girl.
That is all for now ..
As of late I have had this nagging concern that something is seriously wrong. Finally I got my shit together and made an appointment to run a full blood panel. I hate the doctor (but I love my prescription for Xanax) and generally avoid going. Okay, I actually don't hate going to the doctor, I hate those evil scales. There was no exception this past week. I had gained about 20 pounds since April..yikes. Anyway ... blood work drawn ... and the waiting began.
The snow/ice storm delayed the results for a few days ... but today was the day. My cholesterol is high, 226. My good cholesterol was in the good range ... my bad was 151. My understanding is that it should be more in the neighborhood of 135ish. Something to work on! Thyroid is a-okay...and by some miracle I have always had normal blood pressure. Oh, have I mentioned I AM NOT DIABETIC??
This is my last chance people ... my last chance to really fix this insanity I have been living. I need to take care of myself for once and stop acting like I do not matter.
Oh, random other interesting events of the day...I had the first hint of a menstrual cycle. TMI? Sorry...but this is the first cycle I have had in ....er....hmm....maybe 5 years? I haven't had a cycle with any regularity since the age of 15. Long story (PCOS) but this is a good thing. Feeling like a 13 yr old "what the hell am I supposed to do?" but I managed. Yay for actually feeling like a girl.
That is all for now ..
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Week Two Recap
Just weighed in for my 2nd week. Very pleased with my progress and my unwavering commitment to eating right! This week I lost 3.0 lbs, which is amazing. My secret in the very back of my mind goal for the week was to get out of the 280's and enter into the 270's. The 280's represent the heaviest I have ever been ... I am glad to take a few steps down and get back to something more familiar. Of course, lets be honest...270's are not a happy place either, but it is one small step closer to feeling like myself again.
Accomplishments for the week:
Accomplishments for the week:
- Stayed on my points plan while being trapped in my house for a week
- Did not crack open a bottle of wine
- Water Water Water! Had a good amount of water each day
- Overcame a moment of Nutella driven temptation
- Everything I ate had nutritional value (protein, fiber, etc), nothing I would consider "junk"
- Relied more on cooking real food than eating all processed
- Take lunch to work each and every day this week
- Drink Drink Drink my water while at work
- Take a little walk during lunch (hoping my knee stays in place)
- Continue to count my points and make better decisions on spending my points
- Cook 3 more dinners at home
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Snow Day 3 and Counting!
Here we go again ... another day "working" from home and another one on the way. I am starting to get a bit of cabin fever!
Today my BF walked to the grocery store. He came home with Coke Zero, 2 slices of cake, bag of Chips Ahoy (all for him). Something kind of funny about his grocery selection. Most people flocking to the store to find fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread...etc.. Nope, what do we get? Cake and cookies! The good news for all of you following me is that I really have no interest in any of those things. Woo!
This morning I made a simple yet very delicious breakfast:
Here we have a bagel thin, 2 over easy eggs, and 2 slices of cheese. 6 PointsPlus each!
What is interesting is this ... my instinct was to make 2 because the bagel has 2 halves. When I was finished and had them on my plate I realized that I had made 1 too many. Why did I do that? My eyes are getting bigger than my stomach, which is not a bad thing. Lesson learned!
I ate one ... and cooked the 2nd one a bit so the egg was no longer over easy and ate it a couple hours later for lunch.
Dinner was less creative, PB & J sandwiches (2 small) on sandwich thin's for bread. I weighed everything to the gram and counted every drop. They were a delicious 14 points, I am not going to lie.
What is in store for tomorrow? More of the same. We are stuck in this house for yet another day. My feeling is that it will actually be late Friday afternoon before things really start to melt. YIKES!
Oh, random thing ... my BF was watching hockey while having dinner and my cat seemed to be enjoying the game (please ignore the fact that my xmas tree is still not pulled apart, I will get to it when we can take it to the storage unit this weekend):
Enjoy!
-a
Today my BF walked to the grocery store. He came home with Coke Zero, 2 slices of cake, bag of Chips Ahoy (all for him). Something kind of funny about his grocery selection. Most people flocking to the store to find fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread...etc.. Nope, what do we get? Cake and cookies! The good news for all of you following me is that I really have no interest in any of those things. Woo!
This morning I made a simple yet very delicious breakfast:
Here we have a bagel thin, 2 over easy eggs, and 2 slices of cheese. 6 PointsPlus each!
What is interesting is this ... my instinct was to make 2 because the bagel has 2 halves. When I was finished and had them on my plate I realized that I had made 1 too many. Why did I do that? My eyes are getting bigger than my stomach, which is not a bad thing. Lesson learned!
I ate one ... and cooked the 2nd one a bit so the egg was no longer over easy and ate it a couple hours later for lunch.
Dinner was less creative, PB & J sandwiches (2 small) on sandwich thin's for bread. I weighed everything to the gram and counted every drop. They were a delicious 14 points, I am not going to lie.
What is in store for tomorrow? More of the same. We are stuck in this house for yet another day. My feeling is that it will actually be late Friday afternoon before things really start to melt. YIKES!
Oh, random thing ... my BF was watching hockey while having dinner and my cat seemed to be enjoying the game (please ignore the fact that my xmas tree is still not pulled apart, I will get to it when we can take it to the storage unit this weekend):
Enjoy!
-a
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Slayed a dragon tonight and lived to tell!
Gracious ... still a frozen tundra here in Atlanta. I am crossing my fingers this ice goes away soon .. getting restless here in the house. Today I did well with my points, and that is an achievement. All this time in the house and I haven't grazed once!!
This evening I'd finished my dinner and was thinking about dessert (when am I not). For some reason I started thinking about the unopened jar of Nutella in my pantry. I have several points left, I can justify having that one treat. Jar in hand I calculate the points, 5 for 2 tbs. Geesh, wondering now if that is enough, if I had 2 servings that would be 10 points, yikes ... and I haven't even started counting the crackers. Can you see where this slippery slope is taking me?? There I was trying to rationalize my irrational craving for Nutella! Thankfully while doing this math in my head my best friend texted me to break me from its spell! No way did I need this Nutella, points or no points, so I put it back in the pantry and even hid it a bit so I would no longer have to do mental gymnastics to get back on track.
Funny how a little text message literally broke that spell. The message was from my best friend who is also working to lose weight...so it was really great timing. Sweets are a problem, and so is cake.
My next plan seemed genius! It crossed my mind that I could use my Weight Watchers individual serving of light cream cheese and mix a bit of Spenda ... tiny touch of vanilla extract ... dash of milk...and voila...a perfect little dollop of something resembling cream cheese frosting! I complimented my wonderful chocolate Vita-Top! Cake with frosting for a very filling 5 points. That seemed like a better investment than the Nutella and a smart choice.
As Hannibal would say, "I love it when a plan comes together". Good day, hope the trend continues.
-a
This evening I'd finished my dinner and was thinking about dessert (when am I not). For some reason I started thinking about the unopened jar of Nutella in my pantry. I have several points left, I can justify having that one treat. Jar in hand I calculate the points, 5 for 2 tbs. Geesh, wondering now if that is enough, if I had 2 servings that would be 10 points, yikes ... and I haven't even started counting the crackers. Can you see where this slippery slope is taking me?? There I was trying to rationalize my irrational craving for Nutella! Thankfully while doing this math in my head my best friend texted me to break me from its spell! No way did I need this Nutella, points or no points, so I put it back in the pantry and even hid it a bit so I would no longer have to do mental gymnastics to get back on track.
Funny how a little text message literally broke that spell. The message was from my best friend who is also working to lose weight...so it was really great timing. Sweets are a problem, and so is cake.
My next plan seemed genius! It crossed my mind that I could use my Weight Watchers individual serving of light cream cheese and mix a bit of Spenda ... tiny touch of vanilla extract ... dash of milk...and voila...a perfect little dollop of something resembling cream cheese frosting! I complimented my wonderful chocolate Vita-Top! Cake with frosting for a very filling 5 points. That seemed like a better investment than the Nutella and a smart choice.
As Hannibal would say, "I love it when a plan comes together". Good day, hope the trend continues.
-a
Monday, January 10, 2011
SNOWmageddon 2011 (that rhymes)
Wow is all I can say. After much back and forth with the forecast (what else is new) we got lots of snow! Fortunately we did not get ice in the trees, but the roads are ridiculous right now. I've seen several good snows in Atlanta ... this was a good one. We are all stuck in our homes for at least another day ... I suspect longer. Crazy!
Anyway, having this much time on my hands at home can be a dangerous thing. I've been doing a few things to pass the time and keep focused on the WW program. Yesterday I took the new Cuisinart Griddler for a spin and made some wonderful grilled chicken breasts. Chicken has always been hard for me to cook in a healthy way, mostly because I am terrible at grilling. The new toy made it really easy. My chicken was moist, which is awesome. I have a really hard time eating chicken, especially chicken that is dry, due to my lingering half a LapBand. Most of the time I don't know its still inside of me, but today I was reminded early in the day. Breakfast was going to be instant grits with a scrambled egg. The egg ended up dry from over-cooking in the microwave and overall my breakfast was pretty much like cement. I wouldn't have minded, but my LapBand objected. About 3 or 4 bites in, everything stopped going down my throat. It got stuck! This may not make sense for those who are not familiar with living with a LapBand (even a faulty non-functioning one like mine). Anyway, I wasn't able to eat my lunch but eventually was able to drink my coffee.
Lunch was easy, a portion of my left over chili (made with ground chicken breast) and brown rice. Now for dinner. The bored fat girl in me wanted to open a bottle of wine, finish the bottle of wine, then worry about dinner...but the "in progress" me managed to make a wonderful dinner!
I made "good enough to satisfy" pasta with a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese (I love mac n cheese), green beans, and one of my chicken breasts. Notice it's cut up to make sure I chew it is small pieces ... stupid LapBand. The plate was full and all for about 10 points. Wooo! Pardon the oddly colored picture, my cell phone camera is not great.Hmm...perhaps HMR Butterscotch flavored pudding for dessert.
It seems small to most but for me, a huge step in a new direction. I have made 3 or 4 more home cooked meals than I would have before, and that is awesome.
Tomorrow is more of the same. Working from home and filling my time trying to think about something other than eating my next meal. Perhaps curling up to my new "Half The Size " People magazine.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Week One Recap
What an amazing week. I have felt in control of my life for the first time in a LONG time. Very pleased to start '11 and this decade on a good note. This will either be the decade where I turn my life around (physically...mentally) or this decade will be the beginning of a fast decline. Slowly killing myself with apathy around my health is not an option. This will change.
So, for the numbers, I lost 3.5 lbs. What pleases me is that I am mostly certain this was fat loss vs water loss. Yay!!! Either way, I will take it. The loss is a great motivator but does not set me up for disappointment next week. Sometimes those big first week numbers can create an unrealistic expectation for the weeks following that can ultimately lead to sabotage. For me, I am having a solid start to a new way of eating.
Weight Watchers is really more than just counting points and losing weight ... it is about new habits at meal time. For years I have been lazy in the kitchen. I would rather microwave a quick salty processed meal vs cooking real food. Its interesting...my boyfriend and I have been in this cycle for years. I have him trained to the point where he eats on a different schedule than me and does not really expect me to cook real meals. It is a sad statement, I am not bragging. All the years of eating restricted diets and calorie counting ... the years while trying to eat around that disaster of a lapband really dictated our meal times. We don't communicate as much because we are not having normal dinner table banter.
This week, however, we had at least 2 meals together. It was nice to cook something new, sit at the table and talk about our days. I know this is not supposed to be rocket science, but we have just not had that in years. A welcome change!
Beyond the diet and cooking...taking control also means facing my declining health and doing something to turn it around. The ball started rolling on Friday when I got the blood work done to see if I have any underlying issues (diabetes, hypothyroidism, high cholesterol, vitamin deficiency, etc) and I hope to get some answers next week. Time to start taking care of myself...I have people depending on me!!!
Okay. That is all for now. I have lots on my mind but realize that I probably do not want to make a novella for a post :)
Have a great day everyone! Winter Storm Watch is alive and well in Atlanta. Looks like we will have something, but not the 6" of snow that was projected yesterday. Probably more like 2 inches of snow followed by ice. Remember folks, the ice is the issue! Try to not make too much fun of us southerners running around buying milk and bread before a 1" snow "storm". Hehe.
-a
So, for the numbers, I lost 3.5 lbs. What pleases me is that I am mostly certain this was fat loss vs water loss. Yay!!! Either way, I will take it. The loss is a great motivator but does not set me up for disappointment next week. Sometimes those big first week numbers can create an unrealistic expectation for the weeks following that can ultimately lead to sabotage. For me, I am having a solid start to a new way of eating.
Weight Watchers is really more than just counting points and losing weight ... it is about new habits at meal time. For years I have been lazy in the kitchen. I would rather microwave a quick salty processed meal vs cooking real food. Its interesting...my boyfriend and I have been in this cycle for years. I have him trained to the point where he eats on a different schedule than me and does not really expect me to cook real meals. It is a sad statement, I am not bragging. All the years of eating restricted diets and calorie counting ... the years while trying to eat around that disaster of a lapband really dictated our meal times. We don't communicate as much because we are not having normal dinner table banter.
This week, however, we had at least 2 meals together. It was nice to cook something new, sit at the table and talk about our days. I know this is not supposed to be rocket science, but we have just not had that in years. A welcome change!
Beyond the diet and cooking...taking control also means facing my declining health and doing something to turn it around. The ball started rolling on Friday when I got the blood work done to see if I have any underlying issues (diabetes, hypothyroidism, high cholesterol, vitamin deficiency, etc) and I hope to get some answers next week. Time to start taking care of myself...I have people depending on me!!!
Okay. That is all for now. I have lots on my mind but realize that I probably do not want to make a novella for a post :)
Have a great day everyone! Winter Storm Watch is alive and well in Atlanta. Looks like we will have something, but not the 6" of snow that was projected yesterday. Probably more like 2 inches of snow followed by ice. Remember folks, the ice is the issue! Try to not make too much fun of us southerners running around buying milk and bread before a 1" snow "storm". Hehe.
-a
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Finishing out week 1
Finishing out the week ... doing very well! To be honest, I have really enjoyed following the new PointsPlus plan with Weight Watchers this week. My only complaint (and its a silly one) is that I find it hard to eat all the points! With the new plan I get about 6 more points than in the past. It feels like a lot! I have not had any issues this week with feeling deprived or hungry. What is amazing is that I have managed to avoid any empty calories or just plain sugary snacks! Very proud of that ... because even sugary snacks can be part of the WW plan...I just want them out of my life! Most evenings my sweet treat has been a vita-top. They are 3 points...and a quality 3 points! Just sweet enough to be yummy but I don't have the regret and shame that I would feel after downing a nice slice of cake with ice cream. Yay for me!
I've also had more fruits this week...not really hitting it with the veggies yet. Next week, time to work on the veggies.
Tonight I made a nice chili. I used ground chicken ... yum! I'd never cooked with ground chicken breast and it was delicious. I did not miss beef AT ALL! The texture is what meat should be, and something I missed when cooking with vegetarian soy crumbles. When I have chili, I feel that I need a starch. Generally I would do pasta. Another one of my goals is to ween myself off the pasta when possible. Tonight I had my chili of some brown rice! So darn good and perfect for winter.
Speaking of winter ... there is a storm headed this way. According to the news Atlanta my see "historic snowfall" along with some icing. This event is to start on Sunday night and really kick into gear Monday morning. With the ice comes loss of power. I've spent days stuck in my home with ice and now power...it isn't always fun :) Naturally there is the issue of food. I have electric stove, so no way to warm food if we lose power. I really hope it isn't a problem but I am ready if it is!
Anyway ... that is all for now. Looking forward to weighing in tomorrow. Not expecting a stunning Biggest Loser type loss, but a nice respectable (non-water weight) 2-3 lbs would be nice! I will accept anything I can get, especially when I am not working out.
Oh, as a health update. I did go to the doctor yesterday. Not much yet, just some blood work. My Dr and I are both in agreement that I am "pushing my luck" with serious health repercussions of being morbidly obese. Fairly sure that the blood work will show that my lucky streak has ended, but at least I will know what I am dealing with! Time to unbury my head from the sand and taking care of myself.
-a
I've also had more fruits this week...not really hitting it with the veggies yet. Next week, time to work on the veggies.
Tonight I made a nice chili. I used ground chicken ... yum! I'd never cooked with ground chicken breast and it was delicious. I did not miss beef AT ALL! The texture is what meat should be, and something I missed when cooking with vegetarian soy crumbles. When I have chili, I feel that I need a starch. Generally I would do pasta. Another one of my goals is to ween myself off the pasta when possible. Tonight I had my chili of some brown rice! So darn good and perfect for winter.
Speaking of winter ... there is a storm headed this way. According to the news Atlanta my see "historic snowfall" along with some icing. This event is to start on Sunday night and really kick into gear Monday morning. With the ice comes loss of power. I've spent days stuck in my home with ice and now power...it isn't always fun :) Naturally there is the issue of food. I have electric stove, so no way to warm food if we lose power. I really hope it isn't a problem but I am ready if it is!
Anyway ... that is all for now. Looking forward to weighing in tomorrow. Not expecting a stunning Biggest Loser type loss, but a nice respectable (non-water weight) 2-3 lbs would be nice! I will accept anything I can get, especially when I am not working out.
Oh, as a health update. I did go to the doctor yesterday. Not much yet, just some blood work. My Dr and I are both in agreement that I am "pushing my luck" with serious health repercussions of being morbidly obese. Fairly sure that the blood work will show that my lucky streak has ended, but at least I will know what I am dealing with! Time to unbury my head from the sand and taking care of myself.
-a
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Dinner and a drink
Felt a bit better today...the fatigue was not as bad. Yay for that. Looking forward to my doctors appointment on Friday.
Today I drank my water and made a nice dinner for my boyfriend and myself. Seems small, but I have forgotten how to or lost all desire to cook real food lately. When I do cook, I cook the one or two things that are his favorite. Dinner was not anything exciting or exotic...just pork and baked potatoes, but really ... it was my first time cooking pork in memory. That is probably fairly sad ... but I just avoid cooking meat for some reason. Anyway ... it turned out pretty good. He has a very boring palate and yet is very hard to please, go figure! Not really parade time, but it is a small step to a bigger change. Not sure what tomorrow will bring in the kitchen, but I will give it some thought while not working at work :)
Anyone have any lunch or dinner ideas to share with me? I need inspiration!
That is all for tonight. I am hoping all this water I am drinking will help me stop retaining water. I know it is adding a few pounds and can be very discouraging. My starting weight was on a non-bloating day and now my feet and ankles are quite puffy. Naturally I cant keep off the scale and it is up! I know that it is really just the water and I am not discouraged in any way, I just hope that whatever is causing me to retain water is washed away by drinking more water!
-allison
Oh, Blogger is bugging out for me (and likely everyone) so I switched my settings to use the old editor and all is better. If you are unable to create a new post on your blog, I suggest you do the same!
Today I drank my water and made a nice dinner for my boyfriend and myself. Seems small, but I have forgotten how to or lost all desire to cook real food lately. When I do cook, I cook the one or two things that are his favorite. Dinner was not anything exciting or exotic...just pork and baked potatoes, but really ... it was my first time cooking pork in memory. That is probably fairly sad ... but I just avoid cooking meat for some reason. Anyway ... it turned out pretty good. He has a very boring palate and yet is very hard to please, go figure! Not really parade time, but it is a small step to a bigger change. Not sure what tomorrow will bring in the kitchen, but I will give it some thought while not working at work :)
Anyone have any lunch or dinner ideas to share with me? I need inspiration!
That is all for tonight. I am hoping all this water I am drinking will help me stop retaining water. I know it is adding a few pounds and can be very discouraging. My starting weight was on a non-bloating day and now my feet and ankles are quite puffy. Naturally I cant keep off the scale and it is up! I know that it is really just the water and I am not discouraged in any way, I just hope that whatever is causing me to retain water is washed away by drinking more water!
-allison
Oh, Blogger is bugging out for me (and likely everyone) so I switched my settings to use the old editor and all is better. If you are unable to create a new post on your blog, I suggest you do the same!
Head firmly removed from my arse!
Over the last few days it has finally occurred to me that something is just not feeling right with my body recently. For a while I have been suffering from what I realize is fatigue. I am drained all the time ... when I wake up, when I am at work, when I am sitting in front of the TV crocheting ... all the time! I kept assuming it was just because I was heavier than I have been in years...but it finally hit me that there may be something medically wrong that I should get checked out.
There is no reason with my diet, lifestyle, family history that I shouldn't be concerned. Seven years ago I was diagnosed with insulin resistance and totally on a path to something serious like Diabetes. I have ignored that condition and haven't thought about it in years. My denial has run very deep...very very deep.
Perhaps part of this whole journey is becoming more self-aware and as I titled my post, pulling my head out of my a$$ and taking care of myself! I deserve it...
Anyway, not really trying to be a downer ... I actually feel quite pleased with myself, my realization, and my getting off the pot and making a doctors appointment! Perhaps I just need to lose that most recent 15 pounds that has put me over the edge...perhaps I have a vitamin deficiency ... perhaps a hormone imbalance .... and very realistically perhaps a blood sugar regulatory issue.
This fatigue is a bummer for sure...I am completely useless and unmotivated! It is impacting my life at home and at work. Still haven't had the energy to finish taking down the x-mas tree...yikes!
Aside from just not feeling like me, I have had a pretty good day. Fairly balanced diet, lots of water ... kept within my points range for the day. The planning I did over the weekend has really paid off!
-allison
There is no reason with my diet, lifestyle, family history that I shouldn't be concerned. Seven years ago I was diagnosed with insulin resistance and totally on a path to something serious like Diabetes. I have ignored that condition and haven't thought about it in years. My denial has run very deep...very very deep.
Perhaps part of this whole journey is becoming more self-aware and as I titled my post, pulling my head out of my a$$ and taking care of myself! I deserve it...
Anyway, not really trying to be a downer ... I actually feel quite pleased with myself, my realization, and my getting off the pot and making a doctors appointment! Perhaps I just need to lose that most recent 15 pounds that has put me over the edge...perhaps I have a vitamin deficiency ... perhaps a hormone imbalance .... and very realistically perhaps a blood sugar regulatory issue.
This fatigue is a bummer for sure...I am completely useless and unmotivated! It is impacting my life at home and at work. Still haven't had the energy to finish taking down the x-mas tree...yikes!
Aside from just not feeling like me, I have had a pretty good day. Fairly balanced diet, lots of water ... kept within my points range for the day. The planning I did over the weekend has really paid off!
-allison
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Traffic
Random google search of the day to my blog:
01/04/11 17:36:12 fat lady floating in swimming pool (Google)
Interesting...and occasionally accurate!
EDIT: Duh! This is totally the title of a post
I did a year ago :) I still loved the google search to my blog and it still made me smile. I am looking forward to feeling like going to the gym again soon ... and being that lady in the pool!
Any one else like swimming laps out there?
-allison
01/04/11 17:36:12 fat lady floating in swimming pool (Google)
Interesting...and occasionally accurate!
EDIT: Duh! This is totally the title of a post
I did a year ago :) I still loved the google search to my blog and it still made me smile. I am looking forward to feeling like going to the gym again soon ... and being that lady in the pool!
Any one else like swimming laps out there?
-allison
Monday, January 3, 2011
HMR and Weight Watchers
Hey All,
I know I get a lot of visitors that are following the HMR program exclusively. I really liked that program and it was successful for me while I was following it. I also love the idea of Weight Watchers. At the end of the day I sat down and realized that it is all a similar path to the same goal. Calories in and calories out. WW counts points, HMR and other programs use meal replacements to control the calories coming in. After many times back and forth I have decided that for me using HMR shakes and bars are a great way for me to control the calories/points in the context of Weight Watchers as a larger program. When I was doing HMR I would typically have 6 shakes a day ( 660 calories), 2 entrees (450-500 calories) and a bar (160 calories). The total of that intake very close to my point equivalent per day with Weight Watchers.
If you are following HMR, feel free to say hi! You will find tools and information that I have gathered about the program and I certainly have a lot of knowledge to offer...especially if you are doing it home.
Today, I had 2 HMR shakes for snack between my light breakfast and late lunch. For those of you not familiar with the shakes, one shake is 110 calories/1.5 g fat/ 13 carbs (1 of which is fiber)/ 14 grams of PROTEIN!!! I use a lactose free shake and typically double them up. I generally drink chocolate...and I really like them. What is nice about the shakes is that I can convert them into a chocolate pudding. One shake is 3 pts, 2 shakes is actually only 5 points. They are very filling.
Just wanted to share! You can check out my links on HMR and where I buy my shakes online. No need to join anything...its all just online order and shipping.
Good luck to all with your chosen paths! Hope to see you around the blog soon :)
I know I get a lot of visitors that are following the HMR program exclusively. I really liked that program and it was successful for me while I was following it. I also love the idea of Weight Watchers. At the end of the day I sat down and realized that it is all a similar path to the same goal. Calories in and calories out. WW counts points, HMR and other programs use meal replacements to control the calories coming in. After many times back and forth I have decided that for me using HMR shakes and bars are a great way for me to control the calories/points in the context of Weight Watchers as a larger program. When I was doing HMR I would typically have 6 shakes a day ( 660 calories), 2 entrees (450-500 calories) and a bar (160 calories). The total of that intake very close to my point equivalent per day with Weight Watchers.
If you are following HMR, feel free to say hi! You will find tools and information that I have gathered about the program and I certainly have a lot of knowledge to offer...especially if you are doing it home.
Today, I had 2 HMR shakes for snack between my light breakfast and late lunch. For those of you not familiar with the shakes, one shake is 110 calories/1.5 g fat/ 13 carbs (1 of which is fiber)/ 14 grams of PROTEIN!!! I use a lactose free shake and typically double them up. I generally drink chocolate...and I really like them. What is nice about the shakes is that I can convert them into a chocolate pudding. One shake is 3 pts, 2 shakes is actually only 5 points. They are very filling.
Just wanted to share! You can check out my links on HMR and where I buy my shakes online. No need to join anything...its all just online order and shipping.
Good luck to all with your chosen paths! Hope to see you around the blog soon :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Cart of shame...no more!
It was a great first day! Sounds like a small thing, but my biggest accomplishment today was making a large and very organized grocery store list and sticking to that list. Is it just me or have other people ever been embarrassed by the grocery selection in your cart? This is something I think about most trips to the store. I feel shamed by the cake, ice cream, wine, and of course ... cat food. When I usually check out I wonder what the cashier is thinking ... oh look, a fat cat lady with cake, ice cream, and corn dogs. Today I felt different ... today I had a cart full of food that most normal people buy. It is random, but it felt good :)
Okay, so I still did not have anything much that resembled fresh fruit or veggies ... but it was a sweeping change from my usual fare.
Fresh meats instead of tubs of BBQ and Mac n cheese. Vita tops instead of chocolate cake. Still my usual Lean Cuisines (love my Thai chicken). Yogurt ... cottage cheese instead of ice cream. Ground chicken breast instead of beef (for a pot of chili). New water bottle! Oh, and of course, crazy cat lady food.
Few things to experiment with...Greek Yogurt (plain) to mix with Ranch Dressing mix for a dip. I read this is good ... I will keep you posted. My picky palate is a pain in the ass, but I am trying!
Anyway, I am still high on my accomplishments at the grocery store. My meals today were certainly within points range, but not really incorporating fruits and veggies yet. Part of my dessert tonight was a cup of unsweetened apple sauce with cinnamon. Yum! Technically that counts as a fruit.
Tomorrow's shopping list at the Bed Bath and Beyond:
Cuisinart Griddler
Roasting Pan
Meat Cleaver
Looking forward to venturing into the world of cooking real food for myself and my BF...he will be very confused when he comes home to something other than PB & J sandwiches or Hamburger Helper!
Enough rambling. Other accomplishments... I had my starting weigh-in and body measurements. Next weigh-in is Sunday 1/9!
-a
 |
| One cart closer to being "normal" |
Fresh meats instead of tubs of BBQ and Mac n cheese. Vita tops instead of chocolate cake. Still my usual Lean Cuisines (love my Thai chicken). Yogurt ... cottage cheese instead of ice cream. Ground chicken breast instead of beef (for a pot of chili). New water bottle! Oh, and of course, crazy cat lady food.
Few things to experiment with...Greek Yogurt (plain) to mix with Ranch Dressing mix for a dip. I read this is good ... I will keep you posted. My picky palate is a pain in the ass, but I am trying!
Anyway, I am still high on my accomplishments at the grocery store. My meals today were certainly within points range, but not really incorporating fruits and veggies yet. Part of my dessert tonight was a cup of unsweetened apple sauce with cinnamon. Yum! Technically that counts as a fruit.
Tomorrow's shopping list at the Bed Bath and Beyond:
Cuisinart Griddler
Roasting Pan
Meat Cleaver
Looking forward to venturing into the world of cooking real food for myself and my BF...he will be very confused when he comes home to something other than PB & J sandwiches or Hamburger Helper!
Enough rambling. Other accomplishments... I had my starting weigh-in and body measurements. Next weigh-in is Sunday 1/9!
-a
Let them eat cake! I will take some yogurt instead....
Is there such a thing as a new diet high? I am so giddy with anticipation of starting Weight Watchers again I may need to take an ambien to sleep. That may sound like it is dripping with sarcasm, but it really is not. For the first time in recent memory I am looking forward to working on myself and working with my best friend Jen. She is such a good sound board and voice of reason...just what I needed. She needs to talk me down from the snacking and she needs encouragement to exercise. With all of the encouragement there is also a spirit of friendly competition. We are both looking for that first 5% weight loss!
Tomorrow I will be hitting the grocery with a list in hand. Trying to focus on having more protein and something fruit/veg related. As you may recall, I really have an issue eating fruits and veggies. I seem to not like them, but like the heck out of cake and ice cream. My grocery list is lacking in carbs and plentiful with meats and little bits for snack that will be good for me. Out with the cake, in with the roasted red pepper hummus!
That is all for now...apparently it is late!
-a
Tomorrow I will be hitting the grocery with a list in hand. Trying to focus on having more protein and something fruit/veg related. As you may recall, I really have an issue eating fruits and veggies. I seem to not like them, but like the heck out of cake and ice cream. My grocery list is lacking in carbs and plentiful with meats and little bits for snack that will be good for me. Out with the cake, in with the roasted red pepper hummus!
That is all for now...apparently it is late!
-a
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!!!
Feeling good and hopeful today for the first time in a while. Had a lovely albeit quiet New Years Eve, now enjoying a thoughtful New Years Day!
I officially joined Weight Watchers and have spent some time learning the new PointsPlus plan. It uses Fat, Carbs, Fiber, and Protein to calculate a points value rather than simple Calories/Fiber/Fat. Ultimately that makes more sense...it just means that all the cool spreadsheets and data I have collected over the last 10 years are null and void!
Here is a breakdown of what each of those components are as calories:
So ... tomorrow is the first official weight in, though today I am planning and calculating my points.
First Goal: Lose 5% before my trip to Palm Springs in mid Feb. That is just over 6 weeks. I can do it!
I officially joined Weight Watchers and have spent some time learning the new PointsPlus plan. It uses Fat, Carbs, Fiber, and Protein to calculate a points value rather than simple Calories/Fiber/Fat. Ultimately that makes more sense...it just means that all the cool spreadsheets and data I have collected over the last 10 years are null and void!
Here is a breakdown of what each of those components are as calories:
- Fat: 1 gram = 9 calories
- Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories
- Carbohydrates: 1 gram = 4 calories
- Alcohol: 1 gram = 7 calories
So ... tomorrow is the first official weight in, though today I am planning and calculating my points.
First Goal: Lose 5% before my trip to Palm Springs in mid Feb. That is just over 6 weeks. I can do it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)