Welcome Home!

Welcome home. That is what today was as I walked back into my meeting room. My last weigh in was on August 14th - 11 weeks have passed since that last meeting and my last weigh in. The scale showed no mercy.

In the course of 11 weeks I gained 20.6lbs. There is no way to candy coat that (pun intended) - that's really how I got to this point anyway right? Candy. Cake. Ice cream. Potato chips and more. All jokes aside, there is no excuse for that kind of gain. Certainly, with all that has been taking place, there is reason, but it doesn't excuse the self-destructive behavior.

Honestly, I knew what I had to face. I wish I had done so sooner, as the number on the scale would have been far better. I know this. But the dread, each week, of seeing the gain prevented me from doing the very thing that was going to stop the gaining cycle. Going home.

But, that is now behind me. I have crossed the line and I've taken the first step. I faced the scale, I survived and now I move forward. I am excited to see what the numbers look like next week. I'm re-committed. I'm doing all the things I know worked for me and I know I can do it. I just have to.


Isn't that what it boils down to? Just doing it? Nike may have been on to something with their "Just Do It" marketing campaign.
Are you struggling? Have you been "off plan" for a little while? What is keeping you from returning to the healthy lifestyle? Just do it! You won't be sorry.

Another one down

I did it. Another day on track with good choices. I can check this one off as a success and am planning on how to make tomorrow equally successful. With diligence and planning, I can do this, I can keep it under control.

Truth be told, I actually had 9 unused points plus values at the end of the night tonight. I don't feel hungry, so I'm going to go ahead and just let them sit there, untouched. This left over balance is not reflected of deprivation but of really good choices. For really successful days (and perhaps the not so successful days) I am going to list what I ate, as I'm hoping it will be something I can look back on for the days when I'm struggling more to bring myself back on track.

Today my foods were pretty great.
Breakfast (6ppv)
Thomas Bagel Thin (3ppv) and a Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb Wedge (1ppv) with a Boiled Egg (2ppv)

Lunch (3ppv)
2oz Boar's Head Hickory Smoked Chicken Breast (1ppv), Steam Fresh Baby Brussels Sprouts (0ppv), Watermelon (0ppv), Breakstones 2% Live and Active Cottage Cheese (2ppv)

Snacks During the Day (8ppv)
Orange (0ppv)
Low Fat, Light Yogurt - Wild Berry (3ppv)
Weight Watchers Natural String Cheese (1ppv)
Vitamuffin Deep Chocolate (2ppv)
Boiled Egg (2ppv) (I don't normally eat this many eggs, 1 for breakfast 1 for snack but I had quite a few to use)

Dinner (20ppv)
Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (11ppv), Cheddar Biscuit (5ppv), Green Beans (0ppv), Very small piece of cake with pineapple and cool whip (4ppv)

Evening snack
Sweet and Salty Bar (5ppv)

Also, I'm trying very hard to not make this blog about my mom's cancer. I can't promise there won't be posts about it as it is a major part of my life and greatly affecting every aspect. However, the purpose of this blog is my weight loss journey and I don't want to stray too far from that topic. Granted, everything that is going on does influence how much of a struggle this journey is, so from time to time I may have to just let some of those feelings out here. However, I also understand how sensitive a topic that may be for many of my readers and I recognize that while I'm seeking hope in helping my mother fight cancer - the perception may not always be of hope and I certainly don't want to cause anyone heartache.

However, if you are interested in following that journey, I invite you to visit the blog I have created specifically about breast cancer. I didn't feel it to be fair to share all that information on Fat Girl Fights Back - as I know your interest and the purpose of this blog is weight loss.

So, if you would like to follow that aspect, which is equally, if not more, personal than this blog, please feel free to do so.

Link: Boobs in a Vise  (Please know it will be extremely rare, if ever, that I update this blog with a blog post from there)

You'll put an eye out!

If you have been following me from the beginning, and even if you haven't, you may know that it was a Microbiology class during summer term that was the catalyst for my weight loss journey. It wasn't anything I learned in the class as I actually had to drop it during the first week.

No, it was an ill fitting lab coat that was necessary for my labs. Ill fitting is actually saying it nicely - it DIDN'T fit. When I buttoned the top button it gave the appearance that in a split second the button may launch itself across the room and hit a fellow student in the eye. A mental picture of walking into the class and fellow students ducking and covering, quivering in fear from this weapon of mass destruction sitting on my chest flashed as I looked in the mirror. Obviously, the dangers and liability of this potential catastrophe was enough to make any sane person feel obligated to dismiss themselves from the class. But, that was just one button - the others wouldn't remotely come close to meeting their adjacent holes - the bottom button had at least a 10 inch gap between it and its hole.

Without the proper protection from the microbes, one cannot take the lab and without the lab one cannot take the class. So, I soon found myself with that summer off.

You can read more about this experience here: Today is the first day of the rest of my life

Tonight, was my first night in Microbiology. My lab coat FITS!!!!! I have never been so thrilled to wear something in all my life as I am this lab coat. I did it!! I'm happy to report, no one in MCB2010 is in danger of losing an eye this term. At least not from a lab coat button injury.

Now, to hit the books.

Loved the Break - Now Back to Business!

The holidays are over. My tree will soon be packed away with all of the family ornaments that we look forward to digging out of the paper and boxes next year. Unfortunately, I've also packed on a few pounds but nothing too much that can't be taken off in the next few weeks. It's back to business time!

I'm quite sure I'm not alone with getting off track through the holidays. Years ago, this may have been the point where I threw in the towel and continued on the "old normal" lifestyle. However, this time is different. I'm looking forward to getting back to my routine. I'm looking forward to my early morning workouts, my lunch bag packed to the brim with fresh fruits and veggies. I'm looking forward to finally hitting that 50lb goal I set after Thanksgiving. While I haven't hit it, I'm OK with that. The holidays were special and while I did gain, I KNOW I would have gained far more if I hadn't had already established healthy habits.

Honestly, I think this two week "break" from Weight Watchers - while not totally a break and not totally planned, is actually a good thing! Tomorrow, walking back in my meeting will be like week 1 all over again! That is thrilling for me! Sometimes we get into a rut and boredom sets in. I think that was really happening for me and the timing was actually perfect. I was able to splurge, allow myself a small gain and now I feel refreshed and ready to get back on that road to better health!

I'm not really one to do New Year's resolutions, so I don't really have one. However, one new change I plan to add to my routine is asking a personal trainer at the gym to create a weight routine for me. It's time to start toning and not just walking. I'm looking forward to it.

Days 1 and 2

Wow, I feel fantastic. It really is amazing how drastically different I feel from eating right and exercising for just two days. The truly amazing thing is the lack of hunger involved with the Weight Watchers program. I have set up my meal plan where I graze, all day long. I eat every one to two hours, but I eat something of extremely low point value. By doing this, I never get the feeling of “omg I’m starving” and in turn, nip any form of temptation of over indulging before it can even occur. It also just keeps my metabolism moving.

I have gone on and off weight watchers many times. However, really, this time is different. One thing making a huge difference is everything I have learned about the human body in my college courses. I had an entire term on Nutrition and Dietary Therapy and I know, in detail, the biological chemistry involved with what we eat and how our body uses it. Right now, I find that knowledge is so extremely valuable as it really is helping me stay on track.

I am happy to report that for two days I have walked my treadmill. I am also using some of those little simple things to increase my daily activity. Yesterday, I parked twice as far from the building at work so I would have to walk twice as much as I normally would. I wore a pedometer all day and found myself trying to increase the steps everytime I was up moving. Combined with my treadmill, I got over 5000 steps in for the day – that is over 2.5 miles! My goal I am working up to is 10,000 steps per day, which is equal to about 5 miles.

The hardest part to keep in mind is that none of this change can really happen overnight. I did not gain all my weight overnight and I am not going to be physically fit immediately either. It all takes time. Thankfully, I do see small differences and changes, immediately, which help as a reinforcement that this is working!

I really cannot wait for Tuesday to get here so I can weigh in and see my loss. I know the first week is always a nice drop.

Temptations I have resisted the past couple days:

· I had dinner with family and there was some really good garlic cheese bread on the table. I was able to limit how much I ate and actually STOP when I ate my set limit (2 small pieces)

· We celebrated my daughter’s fourth birthday with family they day before her birthday. We had cake at the celebration. I ate an extremely small piece and then walked away from the table.

· When we celebrated my daughter’s birthday at home, on the day of her actual birthday, I did not include a cake with our festivities. She had already blown out candles on one cake and has another planned for this weekend at my parents’ home. I resisted the temptation and simply did not include a cake for our house. She did not even miss it!

· Yesterday morning I woke up late and did not get my walk in on my treadmill. I prefer to do it in the morning but I flexed and ended up doing it that evening while I watched a favorite television show.

Well, that is my update for today. We are right against the weekend where I am sure I will have many temptations. I will stay focused and I will stay on program.

Until then my friends . . . counting those points!