Spring into Action

Okay, I did go to my meeting today.  I didn’t want to go.  I hated going.  I hated weighing in even more.  I knew I hadn’t followed plan and even worse I overindulged last night.  But I took my medicine and weighed

in anyway. 

And gained 1.6. 

And so here we go...

again

Today I opened up my trusty weight watchers web page and found the following challenging words:

With just a few short weeks until Memorial Day the season of reawakening is upon us. As we spring back to life we realize that the season of short sleeves and bathing suits fast approaches. This year we challenge you to take a step outside of your comfort zone, clean out the cobwebs and set some serious goals

Well, Weight Watchers, bring it on. 

Week One:  NO EXCUSES

• Eat Smarter - by planning a week's worth of meals and snacks.  I have been slacking in this area, so I will get this done for the rest of this week, and go back to planning a whole week on Sundays.  Today I didn't even accept excuses from myself when my lunch hour was completely hicked and I had to eat on the run.  (I chose a half a smoked turkey sandwich from the deli with a side of veggies and hummus.  Yum!)
• Move More - The challenge ants me to get ready for the Walk-It Challenge and complete a 5k.  I don't know if my knee can handle it this year.  I have already set my own fitness goals, so I know I have a plan!
• Build Helpful Habits - building awareness?  Sounds boring.  They want me to turn off the TV and computer (even my new iPad?!) and focus on my feelings of fullness and satisfaction.  Tell ya what, I'll compromise - I'll sit down to eat every snack and meal, but I'm bringing a magazine to lunch with me. 
• Find Support - okay, if giving up TV during dinner was hard, reacing out for help is near impossible.  I tend to be fairly private about my weight loss.  The irony is not lost on me.  This blog is about my weight loss.  But you see I have the bliss of semi-anonymity here.  I don't have to see you guys if I had a bad week and gained back a couple of pounds.  You're not watching me sneak into that bag of chips or pour a second glass of wine.  So I am going to seek support two ways:
• Online:  between my readers here and the friends I’ve found on the Weight Watchers website, I know I have people I can go to for advice and motivation.  I want to blog about this journey in the good times and bad.  Feel free to call me out on it, or ask me what my status is, or check in any old way if I seem to be avoiding this place. I need people who can provide the virtual kick in the butt.  Step up and kick harder people! 
• Offline:  And I will reach out to a couple of friends I’ve identified and of course Wrangler, the closest person in my life, to help me and keep me accountable when I'm offline.  I need to know I can call someone to “talk me off the ledge” when I’m grocery shopping and make the mistake of wandering the chip aisle and find myself stopped in front of those purely evil Tomato Basil Chips! 

What can you do this week to excuse proof your weight loss?

What a Week, What a Weigh-In!

This week I:

Gave up alcohol for Lent. 

Tracked everything I ate.

Made healthy choices when dining out

(with family and at a church dinner)

Treated myself to TWO cupcakes.

Still tracked everything I ate.

Played with and walked my new puppy (Cosmo)

And lost over 5 pounds! 

First of all, let me tell you that having no wine or beer probably had a lot to do with that.  Second, let me just say I was a bit bloated last week at weight in, if you know what I mean.  Nonetheless, I feel like the reset button has been hit and I'm heading in the right direction again. 

Now as for this week's meeting topic...

The one that encourages us to allow ourselves a splurge now and then,

I'll just say DONE!

Can you say

Amish Friendship Bread?

Being Honest With Myself

My Weigh In

Today I faced my enemy.  He was cold, hard, completely unbending and brutally honest. 

Today I got on the scale. 

Honestly, I don't usually dread it.  But last week I hauled myself back to Weight Watchers after being depressed/angry/bored because of my knee injury.  I realized that there was nothing about my leg that was keeping me from making healthy decisions.  I was doing that all by myself.  So I went to my meeting, weighed in and found out I'd only gained a little.  So I was back in the game, right?  Except this past week I was absolutely not in the game.  I knew I hadn't been horrible, but I hadn't been on program either.  I almost talked myself out of going to the meeting.  And then I was going but wouldn't weigh in. 

And then I realized I needed to know what a week of not really trying looked like.  It could have been worse , but I did gain 0.8.  Sure, that doesn't seem like a lot, but a year of not really trying would be a gain of 41.6 pounds!

Besides, I definitely needed to listen to this week's meeting topic.  Two sometimes ugly words that really do make all the difference:  PORTION CONTROL.  This week I'm going to focus on measuring my food.  Everything from my morning cereal to my glass of wine at dinner.  I recently read something from jennifer Hudson who pointed out that measuring our food allows us to have those things we would otherwise fear were taboo.  Pizza is only "bad" when we don't account for how much we eat, and how much we can afford nutritionally.  When we measure it and know its value we are in control. 

I am taking back control!

Your turn to weigh in...

Tell me about your portions.  Do you have certain foods that you would avoid because they feel too dangerous?  How would measuring those foods and knowing their nutritional value change that feeling?  Do you measure the food you eat at home? in restaurants?  What tools do you use to measure?