Enjoying the Journey

I realized something earlier today...I'm actually enjoying eating this way. I've literally been on every diet known to man, in fact I think I was on my first one at about age 10 (which is another story for another day)...I've even done WW before, but this is the first time that I'm not dreading what I'm eating or getting burned out with the same old thing every day. Last year at this time Mark and I were on Nutrisystem and we were convincing ourselves that we could eat prepackaged and freeze dried foods for a year and get our weight off...we were wrong

But it hit me today that not only am I happy with the progress that I'm making, but I'm happy with the journey...which is a switch for me. Instead of just enduring in hopes that I'll make it, I'm enjoying myself...which is a great feeling. Now if in a month I feel differently, please don't say "I told you so"...I know there will be valleys to go with the mountain tops...I do have over 100 pounds to lose...but I'm enjoying the peaks...

BTW, I was down 2.8 last night and got my 5 lb sticker (I've actually lost 7 according to WW and 12 according to my scale at home) so its all good....

Yipee!

So, this week has been SOOO much better than last week, it could be the diuretic I've been taking (don't worry, its "natural"), but finally my weight is dropping. This morning, I was 239.6 which is approx 11 pounds less than I think I was when I started...if you remember, I didn't have a scale for the first week and so I'm estimating that I was 250 when I started because that seems to be my "set point" or was my "set point". So, I'm really excited. The strange thing is that I haven't worked out as much yet this week...just been busy and not feeling that great, etc..

I'm excited to go to my meeting tomorrow, I hope I'm able to, we're supposed to get 3 inches of snow tonight....

So, here are a few of my tips or favorite things I've been eating since starting WW...

1. My favorite new lunch is a grilled sandwich with Diet bread, a tiny bit of "I Can't Believe its Not Butter", Low Fat cheese and a few thin slices of ham...its 5 points and I feel like I'm cheating.
2. I love salad, but I was getting a little tired of it so I bought a bag of pre-made "Broccoli Slaw" at the store, its just shredded broccoli, carrots and purple cabbage. I mix it with a little of Newman's Lofat Honey Mustard Dressing and some slivered almonds...it is SO good!
3. Ambrosia Apples...yes they are $2.99/lb...but when you are dieting and trying to eat apples in the dead of winter a really good apple is a must.
4. WW Southwestern Sloppy Joes....so good, the perfect combo of spicy and sweet...
5. WW Chicken Enchiladas...I made them last weekend and I'm making them again this weekend. There's just something about being able have Mexican food when you're dieting that feels so endulgent. And I have a great recipe.
6. 100 Calorie Packs...of anything, especially sweet things, because I'm a sweets person...I don't really like the oreo or chips ahoy ones, but Keebler makes them too and theirs are better...Fudge Stripes, Pepperidge Farm Chessmen and of course the Hostess Cupcakes...Heaven.
7. Then since we're discussing dessert...and I am....Skinny Cows are the best, especially the Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches...also WW's own ice cream products are good too, I really like the Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream Bars.

I was reading another blog of someone who is tracking weight loss and is doing WW and she was saying that this last week she had not had any dessert or soda of any kind...and I just thought, "I couldn't do it"...well, I could do it, but I wouldn't be as happy as I am with my daily treat. I'm loving this!

Meeting Three Down....

SO, I had a really frustrating week this week...I did really well eating and exercise wise, but the scale just was not my friend...I think I was retaining copious amounts of water or something, and judging my how my mood has been, this could be the signs of my "friend" visiting (or Aunt Mabel as we used to say in high school)...anyway, I was actually down 4 tenths of a pound at WW last night, and I was acutally happy about that since, according to my scale, I was up 1/2 pound...so, I'm hoping for a really great week scalewise this week...

But, I'm so happy with how I'm eating and working out. I feel better, have more energy and all that good stuff. So, I'm not quitting, no matter what the scale says. So, I've lost a total of 4.2, which isn't bad for two weeks of actual dieting...if I lost 2 pounds per week average, that's 104 pounds in one year...not too shabby!!

Second Meeting Down....

So, RLG and I went to WW last night and it was another good experience. I was down 3.8 pounds, which I was pretty happy about...nothing compared to RLG's 7 lbs, but good nonetheless...It was really crowded with people who all made New Year's Resolutions. I'm sure by the middle of February or March there will be less people - not me though, I'm not quitting!

I did all my workouts last week and felt really good about it. Its funny how expending energy acutally gives me more energy...After working out yesterday afternoon, I decided to walk with Lora to get Will, which we NEVER do, even though its only 5-6 blocks...but I had extra energy so we did it. Of course, Will cried the entire way home, but I felt good about it.

I also want to give a "Shout out" to the Weight Watchers "Fruities" candy. I bought some at the meeting last night...they are like really chewy fruit snacks and they take a long time to eat and a whole package of them is only 1 Point!! Now, if I can just find the Hostess 100 calorie packs!

Small Encouragements....

So, I feel good about my eating and working out efforts so far...I feel great, I'm not hungry, I have 13 WW activity points so far since last Tuesday - which is great for me...I have been doing my Aerobics DVD's as prescribed by the little magic booklet that came with the program...the exciting thing is that today, I didn't make it all the way through "Cardio Party" BUT, I made it further than I did the last time I did it...I'm getting better and that's the point of the journey. I realize I'm out of shape and I don't expect that I'm going to be about to complete 45 minutes of hard aerobics right away, but today, I made it through 30 minutes and last time I went 20...so its progress and progress is good.

I was talking to Mark about this whole journey this morning...I hesitate to say this because I don't want it to come back to bite me in the ass, but I feel like a switch has flipped...I feel like I'm "on-track" - so, I'm trying to figure out how to keep this going. I do this with every other eating program I start, I go along great and something screws me up...either getting too busy to have the energy to plan meals, PMS cravings, some emotional crisis that drives me to eat...the list goes on and on...I think the thing that's different this time is that this is a program that I could stay on for my whole life and I know I've tried it before, but I really feel like its different this time. A big part of it is actually going to the meeting and having someone to go with (Thanks Heidi)...part of the difference is the deperation that I feel about not wanting to live fat any longer...oh well, whatever the reason - I feel different today and I'm happy and I have energy...so, I'm not going to question it, I'm just going to live it....

The Scale Has Arrived....

So, we FINALLY got our new scale so I was able to weigh, in the morning...naked (sorry for the visual) and I weighed 244.9 this morning. Which, I have to admit that we went out to dinner and a movie with the kids last night and I did OKAY, but definately ate more than I have been eating (I had some popcorn at the movie too...) - I am saying that because I was a little frustrated that I only weighted 4 pounds less than I did when I weighed on Tuesday night at WW, which was fully clothed right after dinner...

But, I have to admit that we went out to dinner and a movie with the kids last night and I did okay, but defiantly ate more than I normally do, and I had some popcorn with the movie..so hopefully I'll be down some more in the morning....I know its a process and I'm proud of so many of my accomplishments this week - I worked out twice, I have a day off today and I'm back at it tomorrow; I've eaten better than I have in so long; I've been drinking lots of water which is always good - so onto another great week!

One Meeting Down...

I had to post quick so that horrible picture would be lower down...

So, anyway, we attended our first WW meeting last night and it went well - aside from the mean lady who was also joining, I have to admit that I was hoping she would switch to a different meeting - I really liked our leader, she was nice and gives out a lot of stickers. Which reminded my WW friend of the attendance and Bible memory verse stickers we used to get in Sunday School. Strangely, they are motivating...and I have to wonder what that says about us...now after you lose 10% of your weight you get this really cool key chain and I need a new key chain...then as you make other goals you get charms for your key chain...

So, last night I weighed 248.8, which was actually lower than I was expecting, so that is fun - plus that was fully clothed after just eating dinner - I can't wait to weigh on my new scale that should be here soon. So, my first goal is the 10% of my weight which is 24lbs. I think I may set mini-goals of 10% of my weight each time...I haven't decided on my "ultimate" goal yet...my healthy range in like 120-150 or something like that...in order to make "Lifetime" membership your goal has to be somewhere within that range...I'm thinking 145, but I'll revisit that later.

Anyway, all that to say, I'm off to a good start and feeling happy so....one step in the right direction.

Why I Avoid Cameras

This is a "before" picture and this is why I avoid cameras...this year before Christmas, my cousin was making a calendar for my Grandmother and wanted pictures of our whole family. I e-mailed him pictures of my kids, because they are the cutest kids in the world, hands down...but Mark and I, no. First of all, we didn't have any and neither of us wanted to pose for one, looking like we do. Its sad but true. This is something I want to change. I'm not saying that looks are all that important to me, but right now, I'm embarrassed by how I look. I don't want to be embarrassed anymore and as my kids get older, I don't want them to be embarrassed by me either.

Its a hard thing to admit - but Mark and I say it everytime we watch "The Biggest Loser" on TV - people are just more attractive when they are smaller. I'm blessed with a husband who loves me no matter what - but I want to feel better about myself and not just to feel better in general, although that will be nice, but to feel better about how I look too. To care about how I look for once - once I hit a certain weight, I think I somehow stopped caring about how I look. Some of that has to do with having small children and time, etc - but I think a big part of that is just me giving up and realizing that it doesn't matter anyway - no matter what I put on or how much make-up I wear, I'm not going to feel attractive.

So, I go to my first WW meeting tonight and I'm excited. I'm excited to have a friend to go with me, I'm excited to start exercising, I've already started eating better and feel better about that already - I'm excited to Require More of Myself! I'll post pictures periodically, maybe each month or so...hopefully by next Christmas I'll be proud to see myself in the family calendar!

PS - No, I am NOT pregnant in this picture - although I do weigh the same and I did on the day that I delivered each of my children...scary

Day One...Down

So I started eating healthier today. Although I haven't offically started counting points, I go to my first WW meeting tomorrow night, I started with better choices today. And actually I did really well. I need to drink more water tomorrow.

I went shopping and got all my healthy food and I got 3 new WW cookbooks today and had fun looking through them. I really like to cook and plan meals, etc so hopefully I'll be able to keep that up.

Still waiting for the new scale, I'm interested to see what I weigh and what I'll weigh tomorrow night at WW...here's to the journey

Beginning Again...One More Time

I haven't posted on this blog for so long....no one reads it - I may tell my fellow chubby friends about it again, but maybe not...Maybe it'll just be my secret "journal" that only I know about where I can track my successes and failures - hopefully more successes than failures.

So after saying "what the hell...I'll eat what I want" for awhile again - I'm going back on Weight Watchers. I'm starting Monday - I know, I should just start today, but I need one last "hurrah" weekend. This time a friend is joining WW with me and we're actually going to go to the meetings, I think this will help. Both the going to the meetings and having a friend to go to the meetings with. I have to do something...

I also ordered "The Firm" aerobics system off of Ebay. I just know myself well enough to know that this time of year I'm not going to go for walks in Seattle...so aerobics with weights it is. I hope I can do it without killing myself. I look at how hard the fatties on Biggest Loser work out and think that I have to be able to do aerobics...

I don't know what I weigh right now because our scale bit the dust in the last basement flood. I've ordered a new one so I'll let you know...I'm guessing around 250, which seems to be my "set point" now...which is depressing. I'm not sure what my goal weight is, the charts say I should weight between 115-150...I would LOVE to weight between 140-145 - I can't imagine it. My mini-goal is just being under 200, which would be awesome - but 140 would be even better.

So "cheers" to the new year! Here's to being healthier and skinnier in '08!