Week 20 Weigh In for Sister2

"Good Morning! Did you eat a healthy breakfast today? Great!"

For those of you with a Wii Fit, you are then familiar with it's AM greeting asking you about your breakfast. That's right, I fired up the Wii Fit again and knew I hadn't been on it in quite some time, well, apparently something like 1,193 days according to the Wii Board talking icon. YIKES! Good news was that I was over 20 pounds lighter than the last time I stepped on it, bad news is that it reported I'm still obese. Boo! Hiss! Snarl! Growl!

But, I'm working on it right? I've had a very successful week. Here's the latest on the dieting front with me. I am not tracking my food on paper, more mentally. I eat basically the same things every day and am following the mantra, "I am in Weight loss mode, NOT maintenance mode." This is saving me. This mantra keeps me in check. I know this seems so dangerous to not write it all down, but it's working for me right now. I can not stress about writing it down because that triggers more eating. Though I did promise Sister1 to journal this week, so I already put in my breakfast. I must start making 'group pointed meals' in my journal because then it would be faster to add instead of pointing everything out individually. 

Also this week, I've tried really hard to get 3-4 days of some sort of activity in. It is a big boost in my weight loss. The past month has been very stressful and took a toll on knocking my exercise back to just two days and ZOOM! The weight loss seemed halted in it's very path.

Goal for this week is to continue my 'weight loss mode' mantra, be grateful that some of the stress in our lives has resolved, keep up the exercise to 3-4 times a week.

Results for Week 20:

Phase 2 week 20 weight LOSS: 3.5 pounds
TOTAL Phase 2 weight loss: 6 pounds

Phase 1 total: 26 pounds
TOTAL 20 week weight loss: 32 pounds

I went to the gym on a Sunday

I went to the gym on a Sunday.

I went to the gym on a Sunday!

I, me, that's right, went to the gym on a Sunday!

I, yes me, Sister2, went to the gym on a Sunday!

I WENT TO THE GYM ON A SUNDAY!!

Yes, I did.

Week 19 Weigh In for Sister2

Yeah! I lost 1 pound this week somehow during another challenging week in regards to 'life (sh*t) happening'. Phase 2 seems to be riddled with life challenges and stress. The exact recipe for major weight gain disaster for me. My posts have gone from daily to just weekly because I'm on overload with work, kids, dog, house, things breaking (etc.) and just exhausted. Phase 2 seems to be more about trying to handle life's continuous curve balls than trying to loose weight. My constitution has been breaking down. The first to go has been 'ME' and my eating habits. Not in just in one day though, it starts happening with a cookie or a second helping or a chip. A few days have been (bad) snack free and the scale was showing immediate results and then CURVE BALL! and then it seems the eating quickly gets out of control.

The good thing is my self awareness. AND major positive talks with Sister1. She has reminded me of two things that are helping me get my constitution back:

1. We are not in maintenance mode, we are in WEIGHT LOSS MODE!!! Then she gave me two more days of pity party permission and then said I had to snap out of it.

2. Stop worry about things that 'might' happen. Focus on what is happening NOW. The worry will kill you. Are you going to suffer needlessly worrying about something for what? 2 weeks? 6 months? You are destroying your present life with worry. Excellent advice! Sister1 is awesome.

This week I am going to do my best. That's all I can do. I have lost over 10% of my body weight and am adjusting to my new body and trying to figure out how to eat well when life gets nuttier than usual. Working on rebuilding my constitution, attitude and trying to find the positive spirit in me to move forward and focus on my eating healthy. This is why we've decided to make this a year long journey. It is going to take time (and possibly therapy!) to not just loose weight, but loose the emotional connections I have with food, especially during times when things get kicked up a notch or two.



Phase 2 week 19 weight LOSS: 1 pounds
TOTAL Phase 2 weight loss: 3.5 pounds

Phase 1 total: 26 pounds
TOTAL 19 week weight loss: 28.5 pounds

This weekly weigh in is brought to you by Hurricane Irene

Week 18 Weigh in for Sister2

Week 18 just about pushed me over the edge. It started last Tuesday with an earthquake, preparations for the first day of school (which has now been delayed 4 days), Hurricane Irene, a fire at one school, a water main break at another, stress-related work issues for me and stress-related work issues for my husband. WAY TOO MUCH to handle in the course of one week. Moments that I wanted to cry or get on a rocket ship and just head to outer space. My healthy eating habits that I have struggled to keep in place for 17 weeks went out the window. It was a week of monumental events that accumulated into a never eating binge on cookies (Pizza, Chinese and Popeye's...). Salad, vegetables and fruit weren't a thought, measuring food was a distance memory and my Weight Watchers food journal is empty. I feel like I haven't sleep in a week and amazed I made it to the gym. I'm snapping at my children and have hardly planned any meals. Working past midnight every night and am exhausted.

Today, I am desperately trying to get back on track. Logged in my food and already had fruit and a healthy snack. Must find it somewhere in me to remember the reasons why I'm trying to loose weight, why it's so important and now that there are no other natural disasters coming at the moment, I have to get a grip on reality and my eating.

Looking for words of encouragement.


Phase 2 week 18 weight GAIN: 4 pounds
TOTAL Phase 2 weight loss: 2.5 pounds

Phase 1 total: 26 pounds
TOTAL 18 week weight loss: 27.5 pounds 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

That is what I keep telling myself. It's coming off but very very slowly. I am starting to feel a difference in my clothes and you can definitely see it in my face.
Weigh In for Week 17:
Phase 2 week 17 weight loss: 3.2 pounds
TOTAL Phase 2 weight loss 3.2
Phase I TOTAL: 12 pounds
TOTAL 17 week weight loss: 15.2

Week 17 Weigh In for Sister2

What a busy week! And this week seems just as crazy. Last stretch before school starts next Monday and our schedules will change completely. Plan on food shopping this Saturday to gear up for making lunches and having after school snacks ready. Must continue meal planning and starting to feel a bit secure on what's a low point food and at the proper serving size to eat. Off to do a hundred other things, so no further delay on this week's weigh in:


Phase 2 week 17 weight loss: .5 pounds
TOTAL Phase 2 weight loss: 6.5 pounds

Phase 1 total: 26 pounds
TOTAL 17 week weight loss: 31.5 pounds

The Best of...

I've been thinking of doing this blog topic for some time now. Sister1 and I have tried a lot of different diets. All of these diets have helped us loose the weight (it's the maintenance diet on our part when things go to pot), but what sets all these diets apart from each other? Well, hold onto your hat because here's a list you're going to want to read. It's 'The Best of Each Diet' list. I'll start with my dieting experience and what key impressions I left from each. Between Sister1 and myself we've been on the following diet programs: Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, LA Weight Loss, counting calories, Suzanne Summers, Dr. OZ You on a diet!,  Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, eating (close to) nothing, exercising (a lot), and I'm sure when I recap with Sister1 there are a few I'm missing. So, here goes:

'The Best of Each Diet' list

1. Dr. Oz 'You On A Diet': First off I love Dr. Oz. He brings important medical information about your body right to your door. It's said in a matter of fact way with no finger pointing.  Anyway, I tried his diet (read 1/2 the book) about 5 years ago. Basically you avoid eating 3 ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Partially Hydrogenated Oil, Enriched Bleached Flour. That's the dieting part in a nut shell. No measuring, eat as much as you want as long as it doesn't have any of those ingredients. However, almost all of your food has these ingredients in it. You have to read every label and turn to organic food that's rather expensive. The exercise portion of the diet definitely takes some work as well: must take 10,000 steps a day (wear a pedometer), walk at a fast pace 20-30 minutes a day and workout an additional 60 minutes a week. Did this diet work for me? Yes. A few weeks in I finally saw results and I swear to you the pounds were melting off quickly. Then I got pregnant with kid #2 and was wondering why I was gaining weight. So, where's the best of part of this diet?  

BEST: Dr. Oz taught me a few things. 1. The importance of healthy oils in your diet. 2. Eating nuts is great for you, but only 12 of them a day/at a time. Specifically before you start making dinner, because once your body registers the protein it'll help curb overeating at dinner. 3. This one is key. Because even after all these years I'm still trying to accomplish this: Dessert is NOT an everyday thing. You should not be eating a dessert everyday, instead maybe 2 or 3 times a week.Yikes!

These best were impressions that have stuck with me and I'm trying to apply to WW. Which also recognizes healthy oils and nuts as an important part of your diet.

2. Counting Calories: I tried counting calories I think after I had baby #2. Went to the library and took out a book that weighed 10 pounds and was probably 3" thick. Full of what I thought would be the secret to loosing weight. Every food know to mankind was in that book with an assigned numerical value. Can't remember if I lost any weight. Maybe 5 pounds. With two the system wasn't too overwhelming for me. I was never sure of how many calories I should be eating a day and didn't know really what I should be eating. However a few things did raise to the top.

BEST: 1. Food journal. No matter what diet you choose writing down what you eat every day is a good thing. Otherwise you tend to forget. Do you remember what you worn yesterday? Probably not. Then how are  you going to remember a few extra bites of food sprinkled throughout the day? 2. Fruit and vegetables are really low in calories. Well this should be a no brainer, but sometimes you need a little education on the calories difference between and apple and 3 little cookies.

3. Suzanne Summers: I believe I tried one of her diets sometime in 2005. Her book seemed a bit fluffier than other diet programs. She talks about her struggles with trying not to eat McDonald's french fries. Can't remember a whole lot from her diet. She eats a lot of crepes. Again, eating more organic, natural fruits is the preference here.


BEST: Not so much her diet than the motivation behind a woman who keeps reinventing herself through diets and fitness products to continue to stay fit and healthy. She had become an icon of a blonde (ditzy) bomb shell and has been able to turn that into a voice to help other women try to take control their own weight and fitness.

4. Eating (close to) nothing: No good can come from this. For about 2 months at the end of high school I ate very little and lost a bunch of weight. Bad break-up leaves a teenage girl with little to no appetite. Just didn't feel like eating. The problem with that is soon as you like another boy you eat again and gain it all back.

BEST: If anything good could have come out of this situation, it's that as an adult I have learned that putting my healthy eating first over all situations is what will keep me on track for life. Boyfriends or husbands, kids, work, pets, household, vacation, travel or whatever else happens in your life, those things can not interfere with your goals to stayed focused on healthy eating. If anything, when other things in your life seem to be topsy turvy you must hunker down even more and keep yourself fueled properly to get through the 'event'. Not eating is never acceptable. NEVER.

5. Exercising (a lot): Well, I guess I can never be accused of really exercising too much, but last year I fell into a pitfall of exercising which led to an excuse for eating. "I worked out today so I can eat a bunch of junk all day (and all night)." Obviously this had no success. The proof is in the 20 pounds gained over a course of a year.

BEST: I started an exercise program that has now become habitual. Exercising at a slow pace and overtime building onto my routine (while eating healthy) has wonderful benefits. I went from 2 days a week and now able to get moving 3x-4x and sometimes 5x a week.

6. Weight Watchers: This is my 3rd round on Weight Watchers. The only diet I have repeated. It's worked every time, but again it's the maintenance on my part that I put me back to where I am. No point in talking about WW past diets, it's the current one that I'm most excited about. Instead of calculating numerical values to food that go into the hundreds and thousands like you do for calories, WW puts the value to food simple. I have 29 points a day, fruits and vegetables are 0 and I have 49 points a week to dip into to. Exercising earns you activity points and gives you that understanding of how many points of food is earned per workout. Helps keep a cap on eating out of control, 'just because you worked out'. Stops the carte blanche binge.

BEST: So many 'bests' of the current WW plan that I don't know where to begin. The best so far for me has been that I started with a lot of daily points and over time my weight loss success was rewarded with less daily points. It took 16 weeks to get to the base level of 29 daily points and that time allowed me to switch out food choices to healthier offers over time. Oh! And the website it amazing. Recipes at my fingertips and the online food journal is easy and fast and update-to-date immediately no matter what mobile device you log in on.


SISTER1: You're turn to add onto this list.

10 Changes I have made on this journey, so far...

10 Changes I have made on this 16 week journey, so far...

1. I eat fruit at breakfast, EVERYDAY!
2. I have a salad at dinner, EVERYDAY!
3. I have increased my exercise from 2 days a week to 4.
4. I don't ever play farmville or cityville anymore.
5. I'm not afraid to try new recipes from Weight Watchers.com (all the time!).
6. Went from a 12 week diet to now committing a year to loose the weight.
7. Cut my Bolthouse Farms Mocha Cappucino drink to only 1/2 a serving a day.
8. Can't remember the last time I ate a cookie.
9. Made up a game in the pool with the kids called, "The octopus is sleeping, and now he's a awake!" Great inner thigh exercise.
10. And the top ten change: I make more time for Sister1 on the phone and love talking to her more than we ever did!

10 things that are keeping me motivated

10 things that are keeping me motivated (in my weight loss journey)

1. When my daughter hugs me, her arms now go all the way around me.
2. Exercising is easier and I actually like it.
3. I'm down 2 sizes.
4. I lost 4" off my thighs.
5. I'm losing weight and still eating food that I love.
6. Weight Watchers website.
7. Episodes of Extreme Makeover: Weight loss edition
8. Spinach dip with Kellog's Cracker Chips (so delicious).
9. My fat foot is fitting into shoes.
10. And the top ten reason: Sister1!

Week 16 Weigh in for Sister2

Well lather me up in butter and call me corn on the cob! Because this week's weigh in was SWEET! On the scale, off the scale, on the scale with the left foot first, on the scale with the right first first, slow approach heel to toe, then a quick get on... either way the results were still awesome this week: 5 pounds DOWN. @#%$& YEAH! This week I really worked for it. After Week 15 gain and being loosey-goosey with my points, measuring and binging... this week I stopped the cracker chips and replaced them with baby carrots, stopped the weight watchers desserts and had yogurt, got back to the gym and swim in a 70° pool determined to earn some activity points. Voila! 5 pounds down.

To recap a few things. Sister1, I am now adding some info to the weekly weigh in stats. Take a look:

Phase 2 week 16 weight loss: 5 pounds
TOTAL Phase 2 weight loss: 6 pounds

Phase 1 total: 26 pounds
TOTAL 16 week weight loss: 31 pounds

I think it'll be important for us to see each Phase total as we go along.

NEXT: there is only 8 weeks left to Phase 2. That's it! We both know how hard Phase 3 is going to be. Holiday, after holiday and winter. So, making Phase 2 a success and staying on track is more important than ever. It's healthy and safe to loose 2 pounds a week. Times that by the 8 weeks we have left and both of us could potentially loose 16 pounds by our Phase 2 October finish. Setting goals Sister1! I know you can do it and we are going to do it together.

Now I just had a wonderful idea. When we hit our goals in Spring and the year is over we are having professional pictures taken of us together. Pictures we love of our new thin bodies.

The Scale (yes, another post about the scale)

Wednesday's are weekly weigh in days, but seriously anyone who is trying to loose weight is on the scale everyday. We cheat. Weigh yourself only once a week? Ha! Lately I'm experimenting between naked morning weight (post using the bathroom) vs evening fully clothed weight. Guess what? It's about 2 pounds. For years I haven't really weighed myself at all. It was very random. Experts say you shouldn't weigh yourself everyday. Weekly or monthly I believe the suggestions are. I'm only logging in the actual pound number once a week, but I'm all for daily weigh-ins. Here's why: It's a freakin' reality check people! I need to see that number everyday because I need to see how far I've come (very motivating first thing in the morning) and/or see how quickly I can get off track and gain so easily. Any food addict or person with food issues can easily gain 5 pounds in a week or 10 pounds in a month (and so on). We need structure. We need that visualization of a number staring right back at us every single flippin' day. Last week I was up two pounds and trust me, I've been highly motivated to get back on track this week. Sister1 has also been a tremendous support this week. Super loads of encouragements and accolades from her how I've been keeping her going on this journey. I cried and I smiled.

This morning my unofficial potential weight loss by Wednesday is headed towards hitting a 30 pound mark. Really staying close to my daily points and trying to dip into my weekly points less harshly. Got some swimming in on Saturday despite the 70° pool temp, have been planning dinner ahead of time, measuring my food and definitely not feeling any temptation to binge eat. So, I'm really thinking last week was a combination of vacation and hormones. It feels awesome to be back on track. This Wednesday will put us with only 8 weeks left of Phase 2. YIKES!!! Sister1 and I have to get cracking. We are already thinking ahead about the holiday challenges in Phase 3 (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's) and having an über successful Phase 2 is so pertinent to our continued journey.

Okay Sister1, reminder everyday we are NOT in maintenance mode, we are in weight loss mode. We have a lot of weight to loose in Phase 2 and MUST stay focused. No excuses!

Weight of the World

Not by any means am I well read with today's current events. I skim headlines on the internet and read just a few magazines to try to stay on top of things. I could not intelligently discuss the war in Iraq, global warming or truly get into what's going on in Somalia. I'm a mother of two running my own business from home and for 16 weeks now trying to lose an incredible amount of weight. My time is precious and spare time comes in fleeting moments that they are then used for taking deep breaths or having a 60 second catch-up with my husband.

However, I do struggle with what seems like my minor problems compared to the weight of the worlds issues. Are polar bears doomed for extinction? What's happening in our oceans? Why are we growing more corn for fuel than for feeding starving people in the world? When did China become a super power? Why can't I recycle 4's and 5's? The list goes on. My daily food struggles about whether or not to eat a cookies seem so stupid when I think about women struggling in other parts of the world. Not only do I have days dealing with my on 'weight issues', but as a person who truly cares about the world and wanting a healthy and happy planet for my children I feel like I have days were the 'weight' of the world is on my shoulders also. How can my daily combats with food compare with the a soldier fighting for our freedom?

Today, it seemed an answer came to me and settled these introverted questions plaguing my brain. My day started with my dog having liquid diarrhea. P.S. My dog is a 90 lbs GSD. So, this diarrhea statement should not be taken lightly. Okay. That got cleaned up. Then after breakfast (yes we were actually able to eat after the clean-up) the family got a few errands done and I planned a roast chicken dinner tonight. At about 2:00 as I just finished cleaning up lunch and getting some things prepped for dinner a few things started happening all at once. First, the TV went black. Dead. We discussed replacing it previously, but now I was determined to just send my husband out to get a new TV and just stop dealing with broken stuff all over the house. So, off he went to Best Buy and I started getting dinner in the oven. Then the dog started with diarrhea again.... and again... and again. Up and down the stairs I flew restarting the carpet cleaner and trying to get dinner moving along at the same time. My kids were hungry and demanding food and screaming every time the dog was having an accident.

During all this time I did 4 loads of laundry, continually mopped floors, was trying a new recipe and fielded a few calls from my husband while he was at Best Buy. Mostly to tell me it was all going to cost more than we thought. Yippee! Now it's the evening and two kids are asleep, my dog has been gated to the downstairs and the rugs were pulled up (at one point he broke though the gate only to come upstairs and have more diarrhea in my bedroom) and the dishes are all done now.

Where the hell is the answer in this frantic miserable day? My weight issues can't possibly compare to the weight of the world. But this is my life. No politician came into my house and cleaned up the poo. Gordon Ramsey didn't show up and make dinner for me. Jillian Michaels didn't come over for a training session. Today I was dealt a 'shitty' hand in more ways then one. Some days that's just how it goes. And amongst all the chaos I figured out my place in the world. Right now I can do the world good by staying on the weight loss path. I need to be the best me and continue to loose the weight, get fit and healthy. If everyone tried a little harder to be a better person/a healthier person imagine what a wonderful place this planet would be? I know I'm just one little person on the Earth with billions of others, but I have to trust we can all make a difference. Now that I'm thinking smaller about the 'weight issues' of the world I feel a little lighter. I don't know all what the future will hold, but this I do know. I will continue to loose weight and be the best human being I can be. Only good can spread from it and hopefully someone else will feel a little lighter tomorrow.

Week 15 Weigh in for Sister2

Well. Um. Okay, here's the deal. I went into Week 15 thinking it was going to be no big deal. Ha! Week 15 just showed me how fragile my constitution is. I'm going to start backwards like in a big Hollywood movie where you see the tense outcome and then the movie rewinds a few hours, days or weeks to then fill you in on the sequences of events that lead you to said hilarious, sometimes exploding conclusion.

Tense outcome for Week 15 weigh in: +2 pound GAIN
Total 15 week weight loss: 26 pounds

Now the dramatic rewind. Last Thursday I set out on a road trip. I embarked with 2 kids on a 3 - 3 1/2 hour car ride to my parent's house for a 5 day visit. Made it a 1/2 hour before I already started eating in the car. Driving makes me a little sleepy sometimes and eating keeps me awake and focused. Terrible I know. Ate a 90 calorie bar and then moved onto pretzels. After an hour in it was time for lunch at our usual spot, McDonalds. Damage, damage. Before long with only a 1/2 hour to our destination I ate some goldfish. I believe at some point in the car I talked to Sister1 and was in complete denial that food was going to be an issue this week. I was chewing on something while the very words were coming out of my mouth. No control.

Here's how it started to go down: Johnny Rockets, Applebees, Ice Cream Palor, Chinese Food.  Two bags of Baked Lay's that never had a chance and some left over cashews by the handfuls. Points? What are those? No food journal. Measuring and weighing food? Ridiculous!

BUT WAIT!!! Hold your horses!!! This story really is not a tragedy. It's a action and adventure story filled with excitement and sunsets. Thursday night we all went to Atlantic City for a Dinosaur Exhibit, very cool. Friday involved a Bug Museum where everyone got to touch an Emperor Scorpion, Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, a millipede and a tarantula! Evening spilled into time at a park, flying kites and ended at the beach watching the sunset while photographing seagulls. Saturday had some shopping, beach walking, shell collecting and ice cream! Sunday had a movie (and popcorn!) more shopping and another movie at home.

So, back to the end of the story.... I'm okay with the two pound gain. This is just the beginning of Phase 2, I'm back on track already today. I'm clearly aware of all my 'errors'. I did not journal, I did not point out food and I over snacked. It was a vacation week and I had a blast. Already back to my gym routine and food has been inputted into the journal and I'm counting points again. I feel good that week 16 will be much better and on track towards making Phase 2 a success.

PS: Girlie side note, got my period the other day. Explains the binge eating and possible 2 pound bloat on the scale. I might be making excuses here, but let's see what happens on the scale next week.

Week 15 Weigh In for Sister1

This week I lost 1 lb, which I guess I should be grateful. I kinda fell apart over the weekend. Not that I ate so so bad I just didn't track that well. I also picked a lot on cheese doodles. I learned I still have no control over junk food, once I have a taste I can't help myself. Since Monday I've been tracking so I think that is what saved me. I'm still on the same track averaging 1 lb per wek. 15 lbs /15 weeks .

Skin removal surgery

Last March, just before the April decision to join Weight Watchers a thought popped into my head. This thought was yet another wake up call and factor to begin this weight loss journey. By last March my eating was out of control. Eating junk all day, using it to fill up just any moment that seemed too hard to deal with. The kids are fighting? Eat a cookie. Working late? Grab a big bowl of chips and pretzels (refill it after eating the first bowl). Those are just two examples of what was going on. I, like SO many others had turned to junk food to try and pacify the moment. The results is I was gaining weight and fast. I have been heavy for quite some time now, but had held the weight in a certain range and maintained a certain size. I was happy with that because at least I wasn't getting any bigger. Alas, 2010 and into the first quarter of 2011 that comfortable range tipped the scale by 20 pounds.

This is when the thought hit me. How much weight am I going to gain before it's so much, that if I EVER do loose it, I'll need skin removal surgery? Seriously. I could never afford that or would even know a doctor that I would trust AND if I was ever to get plastic surgery I would not want to waste it on something self-inflicted. Plastic surgery would be saved for something else... hmmm. You know I would never get any plastic surgery, it's like getting a tattoo. Neither one of those would I ever be able to decide on what and where. It's like a party game... "If I were to have plastic surgery, I would get this done." "If I ever got a tattoo, it would be of a fill in the blank and I would put it here, blanketed blank."

Anyway, I'm getting way off track here. Skin removal. It's a scary thought. Mind you, I'm not judging other morbidly obese people here. I'm just talking about my own emotions. I was tipping the scale towards the super danger fat zone and it was scary. I can see how easy it is for people to just keep going, not stop until it's too late. Once you're that big, why bother loosing weight if you're gonna have all this skin hanging? Is that worse than the fat? No, it can't be. Let the skin hang as battle scars, because at least you are alive! ALIVE!

The area in specific that I was worried about that would need skin removal was my stomach. Wait, wait. Let me correct that sentence. It's my double stomach. After having two kids, I seemed to have formed a fat pouch under my top stomach and it's decorated with life tattoo's called, "Stretchmarks." I remember my first stretchmark while I was pregnant with my daughter. It came on Christmas morning. What a present. I thought well, one mark isn't so bad. Ugh. I'm banded across my stomach like an armadillo. To make matters worse, this wonderful stretched out skin is easily and quickly filled with fat and looks like a pouch with a kangaroo in it. Gross I tell you, gross. Out of all parts of my body the fat pouch with zebra stripes has been the area I was afraid would need skin removal surgery.

Today I feel that there's some hope that surgery will not be necessary. My stomach is deflating with 28 pounds off of my frame and the pouch has reduced in size. The skin is looking reasonably well and I do have hope that move weight loss (and exercise) will do the trick. Whew! I feel like I dodged a bullet on that one.

So today the journey of Phase 2 continues. Feeling hopeful that I haven't completely destroyed my body and am moving forward towards my goal of being more healthy, more fit and finding a balance in my life where I don't ever let food control me again like it has in the past. No fat pouch ever again.

Haircut

Yes! Managed to get a hair cut today. One little thing to do for myself after today's successful weigh in. Short! Went very short. Yikes! Love it.

Weigh In for Week 14 for Sister1

Well I never posted my weigh in from last week because I was in Disney. When I came home I weighed my self the next morning. I had gained 2.4. Of course I was disappointed but it was well deserved. I pretty much ate what ever and could of made healthier choices. Good news is since Saturday till today I actually lost 3.4 which not only did I lose the 2.4 I gained I also lost an extra pound. I am very excited to start my journey into phase 2. My total so far is 14lbs.

Week 14 weigh in for Sister2

Super thankful for this week's results. Definitely needed a weight loss to lift my spirits and keep me motivated. Cutting to the chase quickly: I lost 2.5 pounds this week! Sounds like a lot, but it took 3 weeks to lose 3 pounds. It seems when a few weeks go by with smaller results you'll then get a bigger drop in weight. As long as it's coming off I'm thrilled.

Week 14 weight loss: 2.5 pounds
Total 14 week weight loss: 28 pounds

SO EXCITED! Noticing changes in my body and trying to remember what it felt like to be so big. I don't want to go back to that so I took a picture of my jeans at my heaviest with the size 16's I'm now fitting into overlapped. I need these visual reminders of how much of my body is actually GONE. Not just fat photos of me, do you understand what I mean?

Anyway, this next week, strive to make those healthy choices and get off the couch and take a walk, pull some weeds from the garden, drink plenty of water... just keep it going!

Nutrition

Besides the obvious goal of achieving weight loss on this journey, another very important goal that I want to meet is improving my overall nutrition. Each phase I need to fine tune my eating and tap into healthier options that I enjoy.

Some basic nutritional changes are:

1. Switch to 'good fats', like olive oil, nuts, fish oils, and various seed oils.
NOW: I'm on track for this one with the olive oil and nuts
FUTURE: I should be using more olive oil instead of other salad dressings to enough more healthy fats in my diet.

2. Eat plenty of the right carbohydrates: Aim for whole grain flours, hearty vegetables, oats and brown rice.
NOW: Brown rice, no problem. Whole wheat pasta, check. Whole bread or multi grain breads for sandwiches, bring it on! 
FUTURE: Definitely can explore more hearty vegetables. Vegetables high in fiber would be a good improvement.

3. Eat breakfast.
NOW: Always!
FUTURE: I always eat breakfast, but need to explore some other staple breakfasts that I can turn to. Variety of healthy cereals (which is challenging to find for me).

4. Eat slower.
NOW: I am trying to enjoy my meals, but difficult with two young children that seem to need something every 3 seconds.
FUTURE: Reinforce to my kids that once I sit to eat I do not want to be interrupted. It's crucial for me to sit and eat and enjoy my meal. Take my time and not get up from the table 5+ times. I feel like I hadn't eaten and leaves potential for eating 'extra'.

5. Read labels
NOW: Haven't been reading labels other than calculating points.
FUTURE: Need to start reading labels again. I really do not want "partially hydrogenated" or "high fructose corn syrup" in my house. Take a look at the ingredients list; if it says, "partially hydrogenated" anything, that means it contains trans fat.

6. Drink plenty of water
NOW: Drinking way too much diet soda and not enough water.
FUTURE: Drink more water!

These tips came from just one website. I have a lot more nutritional research to do. But these are simple beginner tips that'll help me refine the weight watchers system for me. I left a few out, like don't drink any alcohol. Because I rarely drink. Maybe one glass of wine every 3 months, if that.

The journey continues. By the end of Phase 4, my ultimate goal is not just to be 'skinny' but really to reinvent myself to a healthier and more fit me. It's exciting and relieving. It's not a crash diet plan, it's a long term plan that will allow me to make these changes at a pace that I can manage and adapt for the rest of my life.

Sister1: let me know how you are doing with these nutritional changes?

Thank you, Sister1

It seems my idea of initiating phases to our weight loss journey (4 phases total=1 year), has encouraged Sister1 to feel like the journey has been compartmentalized into sections that will keep her motivated and accountable. I seemed to have entered Phase 2 with challenges. Started with a stressful work week and having trouble fending off simple urges and old habits. Example: Eating extra bites of things. Two doritos, a spoonful of ice cream, a crust of pizza. I did not partake in any of those 'samplings' the first 12 weeks and now they are in the shadows of my mind always. Where's the strong voice that was shooing those demons away? They are loud thoughts and they fire off at every chance they can get. Not sure if it's that time of the month again, which always seems the hardest for a few days, but yesterday Sister1 and I finally got on the phone and talked it out.

Sister1 brought me to tears when she thanked me for all the encouragement and words I gave her though Phase 1. She told me it was my words that put her back on track several types when she was ready to quit again and again. Now it seems I need her words and encouragement to continue. I feel great and see so many changes in my daily life with less weight on my 5' 4 1/2" frame. Exercises I am able to do more easily and clothes I can fit into with ease. It all feels wonderful and I so desperately want to see Phase 2 end with being one more size down in clothes. However, it seems a cloud has settled and am not sure of my triggers that are causing this need to eat those 'sampling' bites. People without a weight/food issue, think what are you talking about!!!??? What's the big deal? A bite of food? Those bites of food are the beginning of an end. Those bites turn into seconds and then they turn into cookies and then they turn into a bowl of chips instead of baby carrots... It's the beginning of a downward spiral. You see how many extra bites can you eat before you gain any weight. How much before the needle on the scale is tipped? Then you sacrifice a 1 or 2 pounds for those bites. Then it's 5 and 10. And then you give up and buy new clothes and suddenly you've gained so much weight you just beat yourself up for repeating that weight loss cycle again. Words that you know you shouted, "I will never be that weight again!" Ha.

Today, I am thanking Sister1 for wonderful words of encouragement. "Do you have enough healthy options in the house to get you through those periods?" Hmm... I wasn't even sure what was in my cabinets. So, today I'm restocking on produce and groceries that will get me 'though' the those urges. I'm maintaining a steady exercise routine and was congratulated by Sister1. Thank you again! Plan on getting in the pool again today and already have dinner planned out. It's a good start to getting back on track and am thanking Sister1 for all the reminders. Next I need to envision a goal for October 12 (end of Phase 2). Will get back to you on that one.

Until then, once again, Sister1, THANK YOU!!! Don't ever go on vacation again. I love you.

Faux Glow

Checking out the WW site this evening and came across some body shaping advice that doesn't involve surgery. MY FAVORITE has to be the advice to get a spray-on tan. BUT WAIT! Not just an ordinary spray-on tan. They suggest having the technician airbrush on your faux glow complete with shaded muscle contours! That's awesome. You seriously have to be at goal for that one. Not sure anyone would believe some dirt marks going across my still chubby stomach as a six pack. Can't even imagine what that would look like on me. I'll stick with the suggestion to get a haircut. LOL!

Like a glove

Two polarizing thoughts with a common theme, what better way to express it then with a poem?

Like a glove
Oh, precious blue jeans,
a glorious fit in size sixteens.
Hidden in a drawer for 7 years,
I zipped and buttoned with tears.
Flying above are white doves,
because those jeans fit like a glove.

Oh, old bad habit,
food will always be the culprit.
Out of control eating for years,
Losing control is my biggest fear.
What will happen when push comes to shove?
because those old habits fit like a glove.

Posts, Posts, and More Posts

So many things on my mind, going to post like mad right now.

No Weigh In For Week 13

Sorry no weigh in. I'm in Disney! I will do one when I get back right away, I won't wait till next Wednesday. Though I'm not really eating that bad, I'm sure I could of made better choices. Wore my step counter from WW and says we are walking anywhere from 10 to 15 miles a day, and earning on the average 20 activity points a day. So I'm not to worried.

Week 13 weigh in for Sister2

Well, it was bound to happen, this was my first week that I gained. Surprisingly only .5 pounds. One half pound is hardly got me down. This past week was full of unusual circumstances. Working 92.5 hours at the computer and stress level very high is enough to break down the wall and eventually seek out some comfort food. The cookies had no chance of survival. Things have calmed down with work and I feel myself gaining back control. Counted points today, measured food, swim for 45 minutes with the kids in the pool and made it to a 45 minute step class. Sweat, sweat and more sweat. Earned some activity points and still have 6 points left for the day. Unbelievable.

So, I'm putting this week behind me and going to envision my goal for the end of Phase 2, which is October 12. By then I want to lose another 20-25 pounds. I could beat myself up for so easily caving into urges to snack so poorly and binge. But, I just can't stay in that negative zone or it'll swallow me whole. I clearly know my triggers over the last 13 weeks and it's work. The excitement of concepting makes me turn to food, the boredom of a slow day makes me turn to food and the stress of late night deadlines makes me turn to food. I clearly can't just use will power to stay away, so more research on low point power foods that can get me through those times are the way to go. It's a process that I will be struggling with the rest of my life. I can only be aware and try better tomorrow.

Total 13 week loss: 25.5 pounds

On a positive note, today I got remeasured at the gym by the same trainer back in March.

Here's the stats:

Weight: -26 pounds (her scale says -26! awesome, my scale sucks)
Chest: -2"
Waist: -2 3/4"
Hips: -4"
Thigh: -4"
Calf: -2"
Bicep: -3/4"
Bodyfat %: -3.4%

Correction

Finished my timesheets and realized I miscalculated yesterday. I actually worked 92.50 hours in one week and it was literally more than half of the hours of a 7 day week (which is 168 hours).  What did I do with the other 75.5? Well, I can tell you sleep was not one of them...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Let's hope this push for work will pass soon, because I want to be back on track for my diet and this is not helping. At least I bill by the hour! Because I'll need to pay for more Weight Watchers and possibly therapy. Or a massage and a pedicure and a haircut and a nap!

82.50

82.50 hours. That's how many hours I worked in one week. Mind you that's almost half of the hours in an entire week. Needless to say, counting points and measuring food and exercise have fallen to the waste side. This week is not looking better. UGH!!!!

Rough night

Well, last night was the first slip up in 12 weeks. Not even sure how I'm going to calculate the damage. I'm 'on-call' so to speak for work this week and last night I didn't knock off until 4 AM. I had started working yesterday at 8 AM. So needless to say at about 11 pm I grabbed a bag of pretzels and didn't bother to count out or point out. I just opened it and eat as many pretzels as I could while I was working.

I'm pretty disgusted by the whole thing. It was really not necessary and I know this is the biggest obstacle that I will have to learn how to overcome as time goes by. My job requires me to work last hours often, but that doesn't mean I can continue that habit during those times.

I do understand that the pretzels are hardly doing the damage as bad as a package of cookies, but still, it's not who I want to be anymore. I don't want food to be an out of control issue for me. I'm putting the carnage behind me (literally because it's in my ass that shows the fat first) and moving on. Acknowledge, accept and learn from it. It's an issue and I will have to come up with some strategies to combat it.

New day, new points!

Week 12 weigh in for Sister2

Very busy with work, so this is a quickie:

Week 12: down 1 pound
Total 12 week weight loss: 26 pounds

Spoke in depth with Sister1. We agreed that we are closing the books so to speak on the first 12 weeks. Decided to call it Phase 1 and we are now entering Phase 2. Making this feel fresh, no guilt or hand ringing over what we did (or ate) the past twelve weeks. We are moving onto Phase 2 that will be completed in 12 weeks on October 12.

Combined weight loss for Sister1 and Sister 2 for Phase 1: 39 pounds
Add in two others that joined our quest and that total is: 49 pounds

AWESOME!!!!! Keep up the good work. Phase 2 here we come!

Tuesday nights

I've become very fond of Tuesday nights. Going to bed knowing exactly where I ended the week with food and exercise. Satisfied to know that I feel another week has passed and I stayed focused. So many thoughts and affirmations to remain committed to the weight loss cause. I'm truly starting to feel the difference in my strength from working out and energy from just eating healthy.

It seems no matter how late I go to bed this evening, Wednesday mornings I wake up excited and motivated to strip down naked and jump on the scale for my weekly weigh in. I guess you could call it 'Scale Streaking'. Part 2 of Wednesday morning, after weighing in, is to input my new weight into the WW site and watch the line graph of my weight continue to go down.

I really want to take one more moment to motivate Sister1. She has been dieting on and off for years, where I have just pushed it off. My motivation is fresh and new still and we've talked about her finding the energy to stay committed. I beg you Sister1, to pull down deep inside and remember why we are doing this. Please don't make me drive and hour and half to your house for an intervention in your kitchen. I will be calling you tomorrow for your weekly weigh in and we will discuss. I want your line graph to look like mine. I want you to wake up on Wednesday's running naked down your hall to the scale and feel good because you know you went to the gym and watched your points. We are going end Phase 1 (first 12 weeks) and begin Phase 2 with new energy and fresh motivation. You're sticking with me, because I can not do it alone.

Real Quick Weigh In from last week 11

Sorry so late but last Wednesday was a loss of 3.6 lbs. Very happy. I tried something new, I didn't use all my weekly points, I think I had at least half left. This week a different story. We will see tomorrow!!!

I ain't no Master Chef

It's no big secret that my cooking skills are average. I can make a good breakfast and have the patience to bake and decorate the heck out of a cake. But actual cooking... well let's just say I can hear my pots and pans start quivering in the kitchen draw when I announce it's time to start making dinner. It's not that I burn things and I do a pretty job of having food get to the table hot, it's primarily that my food is bland and somewhat boring. Definitely in a rut of the making routine meals.

However, lately I've been taking baby steps towards making a difference in the quality of food I'm making. I'm making excellent use of WW website recipes and having fun. FUN? Wow, never thought I would admit that cooking could be fun. I'm finding very simple quick meals to cook that have flavor. Yesterday I made Chipotle Bean Nachos. Fried up some garlic and shallots (with some olive oil from my new olive oil mist sprayer), added some red kidney beans, mashed them and then dropped them over baked nachos on a baking sheet. Sprinkled reduced fat shredded cheese and baked them for 3-5 minutes. Added scoops of salsa and fresh chopped cilantro over it. Best served immediately.

What a wonderful snack! Had a few guests over and it gave us just that little bit of energy to then go off and jump in the pool (which is now 82°!).

So, here and there I'm trying a few quick new recipes. Learning how to flavor food and make healthy food exciting and tasty.


Some new foods I have been making:
Crispy chicken dipped in honey mustard
Tomato and basil salad
Juicy burgers
White bean bruschetta
Prosciutto mini muffins

It's a start. I haven't tried this many new recipes in such a small period of time ever! I'm now getting excited about food for completely different reasons. I'm excited to make food that is tasty and healthy. Making delicious food that is guilt free is a wonderful feeling.

Bon appetit!

Wally

Watched the latest episode of Extreme Makeover: Weight loss edition and I have to say it wasn't what I was expecting. So far everyone Chris Powell has taken on for a whole year has gone through an unbelievable makeover. This time his newest client, Wally, did not. Before month 9 hit Wally was clearly continuing to eat junk food and fast food behind everyone's back and was clearly gaining the first 3-month weight loss back. Then Wally sent Chris an email. He was feeling like a failure and thinking of hurting himself. Chris Powell got on a plane and flew immediately to Chris and surprised him at home. This particular episode brought made it all real again. Wally is a food addict that could not overcome his addiction and was checked into a rehab facility for a 12 step program. I so badly wanted Wally to succeed. But there on TV was his addiction. Hiding food, lying and making excuses. I was upset for Wally, food came before his family. Before his wife and daughter (who was partially deaf).

You'd think this particular episode would be despairing for anyone trying to loose weight. Oddly I found it motivating. After almost 12 weeks of sticking to a diet plan it was an excellent reminder of my own relationship with food and to always keep it in perspective. I'm not like Wally at all. Not that extreme. I've been able to stay focused on doing this for my health and my family. Food will not come before them ever again.

Inspiration

Here's another great story of a young man who one day made a change to loose weight.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/15/macias.weight.loss.irpt/index.html?hpt=us_t2

I love stories like this. Especially his motivation to exercise and eat right was because he wanted to engage more in life! What a great way to live with a goal like that. Way to go.

Sleep

Part of being healthy means getting sleep. During the weight loss process having a good night's sleep is so important. Appa

Part of being healthy means getting sleep. During the weifht loss profess having a good night's sleep is so important. A[[arently I'm not doing freat this week in getting wnough sleep. Not haveing nany trouble sleepig, just up late working and it's veryu busy this week. Here's the result of a sleep deprived brain. One my typing and then things like I start putting the milk awai into the cabinet instead o f the fridge. I wander into rooms not remembering what I went in there for. Constantly pulling a 'Spacey Stacy' or a Starey Gary', just looking off into the distance reaching for thoughts as they pass you by.

Good news is, I'm finished working fo r the night and am sifning off and foing to bed. Sleep I await you and hope a 6-7 power nap will be enough to get me through tomorrow!

Week 11 weigh in for Sister2

Faith. Apparently my faith is tested every week. Faith in my dieting that is. Still struggling with the idea of eating all those weekly points and doubting that I could still loose the weight. Despite chemical cravings and big Italian buffets, I lost again this week. I owe it to sticking to program and exercising. Despite doing things correctly, I'm amazed every week when I step on the scale and that the needle went down. Here are the stats for this week's weigh in:

Week 11: DOWN -1.8 pounds
Total 11 week loss: 25 pounds

That's right baby! I made yet another one of my mini goals. To get down 25 pounds. Next mini goal is 12 pounds. That will put me at a weight that I remember specifically in time and has significance. After that goal, I have to set the BIG one. What do a I really want my adult weight to be? A weight that I can maintain, realistically, ya know? It's got to be between 117 and 146. I feel like I'm selecting a pick 3 number for the lotto. But, this I know. I WILL hit that number and be a winner for it!

Can't walk

Well, I finally figured out why the gym has an elevator. Because the day after the body pump class you can't walk. Haven't taken this class in 2 weeks because of vacation and holiday and it seems to have kicked my ass. When I woke up this morning my arms appeared to be useless hunks of flesh just dangling from my body. Moving helped restore some of their abilities, but then after an hour of work at the computer... uh... my thighs froze up. It's a good feeling that I haven't felt in awhile. Means I'm working out the correct muscles and working out a bit harder. Blah, blah, blah. My legs are still killing me! I can't even stand straight. Hobbling around the house like a webble wobble. Let's hope a good night's sleep will help. Because seriously, what good is a toned body if I walk around like Frankenstein?

Sisters Rock!

Sister1 told me about an article in Good Housekeeping that must be shared!!! Success rates of losing weight when you team up with a buddy. So for those of you who joined in on our journey, considered yourself buddied. We are going to do this! AND then post our combined weight loss. That number is going to be huge ladies. HUGE!

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/success/weight-loss-buddy

Struggling

Week 11 has a few more days to go, but this week is just kicking my ass. My cravings for food are incredible. I still have weekly points left but feel this week might bring a gain. Thursday and Friday I ate so many 0 point foods that eventually they have to add up to something. Stuffed my gut and was still looking for more. My stomach was full, but my brain was not satisfied. Something bigger than shear will power and common sense could control. I have to review the blog posts and try to see where my pattern is of blogs titled, "Starving, Struggling, Eating My Digits..." Probably a post every 30 days and mostly likely my period is coming. Probably WAY TMI for you, but there just seems a few days here and there that become impossible to control. Then Saturday I went to a wonderful memorial service (yeah I know that sounds bizarre), but this family celebrated this man's life with love and food and reunion. The part that is pertinent to this blog of course, is the food. Rich delicious italian food that you can not get in the Poconos. And that's because we were in Staten Island celebrating someone's life and rarely am I around such a plethora of fantastic food. I feel like I did pretty good, especially at a BUFFET! These situations do trigger an immediate thought. How far to do I go with this? Do I skip it (the diet) all together, not count the points of today and just eat? No, no, no!!!! I did my best and sampled a few things and passed on others. At the end of a buffet line though, a few things is a plate full. Every bite was superb and worth the points. Something I am trying to remember is that this journey is not about one day and one meal.

Today, I wrangled things in much better and went swimming twice each at about 45 minutes of swimming and playing in the pool with the kids. I'll be at the gym tomorrow and on Tuesday and hopefully can stay on a typical routine with food and keep on point. Which has been difficult for the added problem of now I'm down another point because of week 10's weight loss.

This might seem all too confusing. I think this post is mostly therapy for me. Here's what I did, I'm acknowledging it, setting a new goal for it and moving forward. This is a technique I seem to be asking myself and of Sister1 every time we have overeated or made not the best food choice.  A mantra of awareness and resetting goals immediately. These are the kind of tools we much start practicing now so when we both reach goal will have these words engrained on our brains for when we are ready to maintain. This journey is really just still at the start! Sister1, you and I must, must stick to it. We must stay on path. Have to, have to because our very lives will depend on it.

Damn trigger

Holy cow. It's ridiculous and so clear that a huge eating trigger for me is when I have to work late. It's one of the last habits that I have to figure out how to overcome. Late night working trigger an urge to eat and eat big. Last night it was cracker chips, spinach dip, grapes and a fiber one bar. All measured and pointed out and caused a nice chunk taken out of weekly points that have to last me to next Wednesday. Not so bad, HOWEVER, I'm probably going to be working late every night until a get a re-set on weekly points next Wednesday.

So, I'm grabbing hold of this freight train before it wrecks. Trying to stop the late night binge is really hard, can't quit it cold turkey. Deciding to PLAN for it throughout the day and leave myself some more evening points for this snacking habit. Also, need to try a few changes like baby carrots with spinach dip makes this snack 2 points instead of 5. Lower point fiber one bars would help. The one I ate was 4 points, a 2 point bar would have been better. Looks like a pit stop at the store today.

Grocery list:
1. baby carrots
2. low point bars
3. some flavored diet soda (feels like a bigger snack and 0 points)

This is the first time I am trying to plan for this situation and went from feeling anxious about work to feeling prepared and eager knowing I'm going to save the rest of the week from turning into a weight gain.

Mushy Gushy

I guess you can't embark on any journey and be successful without the support of a loved one. I've got my sister and sister-in-law and mom and mother-in-law and friends... but another is my husband. Over the years not only has he been quiet about my weight, but he's been patient knowing one day I would be ready to get moving and losing. He encourages me to go the gym, asks how the gym went, even helped weight my food (more than once) and took me clothes shopping on vacation. HUGE step. My husband hates shopping with every fiber of his being. Even tolerated without grumbling while I tried clothes on in the fitting room. Best part is, when I came out of the fitting room with 3 outfits in my arms I said, "Please make pretend you are a girlfriend right now, okay? Two of the pants are a tiny bit snug, I know the next size up is too big. Should I buy them?" You know what he said, "Yes, because you're going to loose more weight and they will fit just fine." OMG. At that moment my husband could do no wrong. Love, love, love him!

No Surprises Here for Week 10 Weigh-In

First let me say great job Sister2. You are really helping me to say focused now. No more vacations for you. I can't go a week without talking to you, see what happens. I fell off the wagon. After a month of not doing so great it finally caught up to me. I gained 3lbs this week. It probably was more but I really did great yesterday. Now that all the bbq's are over and I am going to the gym I am really going to try to use none or just half of my weekly points only to see if it makes a difference. Instead of having 49 I'm going to say I only have 29. Let me tell you 3lbs feels like 10. I not giving up, not going to get mad. I have to just go forward.

Week 10 weigh in for Sister2

After week 8 only losing .5 and week 9 losing nothing, I'm not sure what I would do if week 10 did not show some results. I felt I had to have had a loss this week for the simple fact that my wardrobe is literally falling off of me. The clothes I packed a week before the trip were not fitting my on the trip. Not just a little big, but extremely baggy and pathetic looking. I had to shop (side bar: my husband took me shopping, that's a big deal and to be another blog post). One pair of pants that I bought was two whole sizes down from what I was wearing. So, what did week 10 show me on the scale?

Here are the stats:
Week 10 weigh in: DOWN 3.7 pounds!!!
Total 10 week weight loss: 23.2 pounds!!!

I have reached another mini goal. Because as of today I have lost 10% of my weight. Complete euphoria. This feeling is better than eating chocolate. What does it physically feel like and look like? Well for starters the rolls of fat on my back are gone. There is evidence that I have a waistline. Of course my stomach is not as gross. Discussing my stomach is a bit sensitive. Mainly because the stretch marks from having two babies go from above my belly button to the very top of my thighs. They will always be there and are not looking very attractive during this process. A bit nervous on what the condition of the skin will be once I'm at my super official goal. I feel fantastic. I feel lighter, more energetic and just plain healthier.

What the heck is a super official goal??? During this whole journey I have set mini goals. Because the super official goal, which I have not set yet, is way too daunting. The weight range for my height is 117 pounds to 146 pounds. If I want to land somewhere in the middle of that I have yet another 75+ pounds to go. That is mind blowing and overwhelming. Puts me in a bad frame of mind. Because I was once in the middle of that range 14 years ago when I first got married. Then I start the pity party in my head. "How did you let yourself get SO big?" "Seriously, don't look way, I'm talking to you! How did you let this happen?"

No pity party. Today is a day of celebration. Getting back to the gym tonight after a week and a half off and having some me time. Wearing some new smaller sized clothes and feel rewarded already by the number on the scale.

Next set of mini goals:
1. Getting back to gym routine.
2. Continue to plan meals (this includes keeping fruit in the house and trying new recipes).
3. Stay focused on next weight goal. By the end of the summer I would like to loose another 13.8 pounds. I want to be the weight I was when I went back to work after having my daughter in the fall of 2004.

Side note to Sister1: week 8 and 9 I ate a big chunk of weekly points, maybe just about all of them. Week 10 I dipped halfway into the 49 point surplus. Knew I wasn't quite as active this week as most and the results seem to have 'weighed in' (har-dy har har). Where I'm going with this is that I know we want daily and weekly results, sometimes it'll just come after a few weeks of your body adjusting. I'm so proud of you from RUNNING on the treadmill. Don't let all that hard work be for nothing and make the best food choices you can.

Food Journal

I'm a firm believer that the success to losing weight is in keeping a food journal. You eat it, you write it, you own it. If you don't write it down a few things happen. Biggest is that you are lying to yourself. Do you really think by NOT writing it down and ignoring that ***insert binge food here*** that it magically disappeared? Then you are wasting your time and might as well buy the next size up in clothes because you're fooling yourself. Proof will be a continued weight gain or lack of weight loss—which ever way you want to look at.

Another thing that happens is that you closet eating. This is a road we've all been down. Hiding food, eating said food and then hoping no one notices the food you stuffed into your mouth is a pattern of self-destruction. And you know what? They notice. Because you are getting fatter by the day. Simple. Break the pattern and start writing down what you eat. Write it down even before it goes into your mouth. It keeps you honest, controlled and focused.

This is not maintaining mode. This is fight for your life to get to a healthy weight range. Staying there is not what we are talking about YET.

For one day keep a food journal. Take a look at what you are eating (and drinking) over the course of one day. Are you eating enough? Doesn't matter what healthy diet you are following, WW, counting calories, reducing portions, or following the new food plate from the government you eat, write it and own it. Only you are responsible for what goes into your mouth and I'm telling you every time I have lost weight it was because I keep a journal. Once I stopped the journal back came the weight (ten fold, twenty fold, etc).

Tomorrow I weigh in for week 10. Every week I have epiphany about my relationship with food. This is not easy. Many times a voice in my head tells me to just forget it, just EAT IT, no one will know. So easy to just listen to the smooth talking voice in my own head that's pushing the food at me. I have to almost slap myself to come to my senses and gain control. I chant. That's right. I chant in my head: "I don't want to be fat, I want to be healthy, I want to feel good." Okay, so I'm no song writer, but to circle back to the topic of the blog, the food journal is arming me against that seductive food pushing voice. Knowing what I ate at the end of the day and what else I could eat is stress reducing and relieving. And every weight loss journey needs tools, support and a goal set forth around you to keep it going.

Collapse

Last week we put up a pool. A cheap one with the blow up ring, 16' round, 3.5 ' deep. We've been in it 3 times and each time I have had a blast. It's a riot. I can go on my knees and still have my head above the water. Kids are practicing swimming, which I urge to keep moving since top temp of the pool has only been 78°, moving constantly is imperative to your survival from hypothermia. Well, Sunday we had rain. Buckets and buckets of rain. I mean so much rain that the pool filled too high. Which is not such a good thing because one side of the pool was already sinking. The sand shifted and we knew we were going to have to drain the pool at some point to fix. Well, that point will be today because last night while we were out front playing I heard SKLOOSH! And knew immediately that our little pool was now a waterfall spilling out into the yard. So, today we will fix, refill and hope to get the temp up into the 80°. I am loving this little pool and can't wait. So much fun and great exercise. I'm swimming and moving and trying really hard to tread water in 3.5' and not touch the bottom. We swim around and when I finally stand up I start laughing because then I remember how shallow it is. Can't wait for it to be operational again, because I'm getting in some great exercise and there's nothing like exercise that's disguised as FUN!!!

Post vacation

After one week of vacation I still seem to be trying to get back into routine. Routine of eating back to 'normal' and now getting back to the gym. Just called and made babysitting appointments at the gym for the next two weeks for the kids. What great effort to make the call. And I really do enjoy going to the gym, so I am amazed at how easy it is to get lax about it after just one week.

This morning I was also thinking about how much effort goes into eating healthy. I'm assuming one day it won't feel like another job added to the list of chores that I have, but since the benefit is making an impact directly on my hips than so be it. Let it be 'work', if it means I'm getting closer to a goal of being healthy. Trying to stay on target today, stay focused and make the best food choices I can.

Happy Fourth of July and BBQ healthy!

Achievement

While on vacation in Florida, we went to Busch Gardens in Tampa. Besides walking my tail off and intermittent periods of carrying a 3 year old during our stay at the park, something happened that I was so proud about. There was a zip line swing ride over a section of an area of the park called Jungala. I just had to go on it! So I grabbed my daughter and up we went to the top of the tower to go on the ride. We got on line and then I saw the park people next to a scale and were weighing adults before going on the ride. Well, my blood turned ice cold because I then realized the ride had a weight limit. I searched frantically for a sign and didn't see one, so I asked one of the women running the ride. She said the limit was 220 pounds. I jumped up and down and almost cried. Because if I did not start Weight Watchers 10 weeks ago, I would not have been able to go on the ride. But the new slimmed down version of me was able to ride and I wore a smile the entire time. Also bragged to both ladies running the ride that I was on Weight Watchers and now able to go on. She still made me go on the scale, but the scale's numbers were hidden behind a green and red indicator. Basically if the needle went to red, you couldn't go on. I was all green baby! Attaching are a few pictures of the ride, but they are of random people, not me, just to show you the ride. It was fun and lasted about 2 seconds. You just sit in a little swing and zoom across a very short distance and then zoom back. This was just a perfect example of how my life is changing and getting better by losing the weight. Never realized how many things have been eluding me. One more BONUS: My energy level was fantastic throughout the whole day. Going to the gym and down almost 20 pounds really feels great!

Week 9 weigh in for Sister2

What a week! I was away on vacation with very little to no internet, so posting to the blog was not possible on a daily basis. Sorry! So much to tell and share. Not sure it will make it all into this post. BIG issue was staying at a house with no scale. OUCH! Very hard to know that I was staying on tracking without a daily weigh in. I was counting points all week until the last two days. It was getting frustrating and the food choices were limiting. My diligence for the week was quite good and it paid off when I weighed myself on Thursday morning because I stayed the same. That is quite an accomplishment. I went on vacation and didn't gain any weight. Fantastic.

Wednesday while coming home we ate a late lunch at Sam Snead's Grill and Tavern at the Tampa Airport and I had a Grilled Chicken and Nut Salad that was to good! I was close to licking the bowl. I didn't give  a hoot about points because it was just about the best thing I ate in a few days (just after the filet mignon my brother in law cooked on the grill). Then we ordered dessert. One slice of chocolate cake for the whole table to share. WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! Yup. That's one wow for eat fork full that I had. It may have been the best chocolate cake I have ever had in my life. I can't begin to tell you how delicious... still dreaming about it.

Which is OKAY! Because the rest of the trip getting home sucked. Travel issues all over, including a rude man upset that my son kicked his chair. Don't even get me started. I just dreamed about that chocolate cake.

Vacation was wonderful and full of walking and swimming. I felt great knowing everyday I had earned some activity points. Healthy food options were around I truly felt on target and was happy about my choices until those last two days. It was hard to stay on track. It was getting stressful, so I ate, but tried not to overeat. Does that make sense? Well, that's not true. I ate a small second helping of pulled pork sandwich. What I had already eaten should have been enough. I believe I was just worn down at that point. But, I remembered I'm on a journey. One day here and there is going to happen. It's about the next meal or day that will make the difference. Getting back on track as soon as you can and the will be no damage.

I survived a week of vacation without a scale, slightly cut off from WW online, had filet mignon and chocolate cake and stayed the same weight. YEEEHAAAWWWWW!

Week 9 Total weight loss: (still) 19.5 pounds

PASS ON WEIGH IN

This week I am passing on my weigh in. I know when your going to WW meetings you are allowed to use passes. I'm doing this because of the obvious, I had a really bad day. Why do I do this to myself everytime. Sure I lose the first 10lbs very easily but now I keep going up & down with the next 4 lbs. I feel like I have accomplished nothing this last month. I should be at least 5 to 8 pounds lighter. I feel like I have been doing good and the scale does not move, so what do I do, I eat! Thank goodness it was really only one bad day and night. Usually this is something that can turn into a 2 week binge of eating just crap. This time was different by the next morning I asked myself do I really want to go down this road again? Haven't I learned anything? Well, I guess I did cause that next day I got back on the horse. I can't give up on myself. I figure if I keep trying sooner or later it just has to click. Maybe I was doing good for someone who wants to maintain their weight, you know eat a little more on weekends gain a pound or two then watch what you eat during the week and lose it by the next weekend. I know I keep saying I'll do my best but that is all I can hope for. So wish me luck.

Watermelon

Ended the evening with the best watermelon I have ever had. Delicious! Almost reached for ice cream, and switched to the melon instead. Holy cow! So yummy and zero points. Oh my goodness, so good!

Food wise

Deciding what to eat when out of your element is such a big deal. As the weeks go by I am trying desperately to look beyond a single meal and take in the breath of the whole day. What possibilities (food) are happening throughout the day? I have never thought about my meals over the course of a whole day before. It is really helping balancing my food and ward off overeating. I'm also trying very hard to make wise food decisions based on quality of food. Let me explain. My food points are becoming so valuable I'm not 'wasting' them on tasteless food. If I order something and I don't like it, I'm not going to eat it. I'm calling it 'food wise'. So today's lesson is about thinking about the entire day and the possibility of what you might be eating and balance it out. And be picky about the quality of food you are eating. Don't waste points or calories on poor tasting food, do not feel guilty for wasting it, because you, nor I are human garbage cans. Be food wise! Take that minute to think it through.

Week 8 Weigh In for Sister

Well Sister 2 you did .2 more than me. I lost .4 this week. Though I totally understand what you're saying about using weekly points. I have from the beginning been using all of my extra weekly points which is why I have been losing so slowly. Now that I have started going to the gym I really should try harder not to use my weekly points. I know my problem is I will use them just because I have them. That's okay like you said if your just trying to maintain. But when you have a lot more weight to lose it will just make this journey so much longer. Not to say when you are done losing weight you are done with your journey, I have learned that the journey will be life long but I do want it to be more of a maintenance journey. I am really going to try to use less weekly points this week and earn a lot more activity points. It will be hard but I will give it my best.

Week 8 weigh in for Sister2

Well, I did as WW suggested and heavily dipped into my weekly points. I lost 1/2 pound and only had 4 weekly points left. It most definitely slowed down the weight loss and felt more like I was 'maintaining' my weight for the week, so I have to say I'm rather surprised I lost anything at all. I was really anticipating a gain. The last 8 weeks are like a science experiment on how much can I eat and still loose weight. The balance is a difficult one to find. Exercise is key in feeling great and eating healthy gives you the right energy without feeling bloated from overeating. Still learning and finding my way.

8 week total: 19.5 pounds

Sister1? How did you do?

Knoebels Amusement Park

Today the family took a break from life and we went to Knoebels Amusement Park. I love this place. It's clean, the rides are simple and fun, and it's a cheap day. However, the food at an amusement park is tempting and fried. Ho hum... today was just filled with food. I curbed the best I could but just ate. I pointed everything, but when Wednesday comes and I step on the scale...OY! I'm just not sure what the results will be. I've been eating away at those weekly points like a great white shark in a feeding frenzy and so nervous if I slowed my weight loss too a reverse. I want to believe in WW so badly, but just have to see what happens on the scale.

All I can think of to stay positive is that tomorrow I will stay vigilant on program and eat some more fruit!

Kicking butt

The last few days I'm been feeling triggers for snacking and have been trying really hard to be conscious of when I'm looking to eat. When I'm in 'snack mode' it has nothing to do with hunger and control is out the window. It's been getting me down a little, because I know 8 weeks and 19 pounds is not enough time or weight to change decades of not eating properly. It all still feels so fragile.

With that said, today, I made a huge change. I debated back and forth in my head about going to the gym on a Saturday. Thank goodness I finally have an inner voice that's getting stronger and demanded I go to the gym. I usually go on Monday and Wednesday and then a random 3rd day or make sure I go walking or something to get another activity in. But this next week I've got things going on that will change up my routine and needed to go today to get all of my exercise in for the week. I have to say a lot of motivation is coming from watching episodes of Extreme Makeover: Weight loss and seeing those people exercise when they are 100-200 pounds heavier than me. With that said, I went to the gym and took a body pump class at 9:00 this morning, AND it was awesome! It was taught by a different trainer that I haven't had before and enjoyed the change in instruction. It felt new and I was sweating my pants off. I had an ah ha moment. Not only do I need to work on exploring other healthy food, but I need to explore different work out routines and different instructors.


Today turned out to be a kick butt kind of day. One for working out on a Saturday morning (insert Chuck Norris roundhouse), another for my ah ha exercise moment (the importance of mixing up your exercise) (insert a Steven Seagal elbow move) and one more for some renewed motivation to stay focused (insert some crazy slow motion Jet Li fly through the air move).

Stayed focused and try for a simple walk today. Right now you can make a change to getting closer to be healthy and fit! At this very moment...

Old habits

Since I'm trying to eat a bit more to slow down the weight loss process to 2 pounds a week, I'm definitely struggling with eating healthy. Already had yogurt, already had fruit (2x) and already had a nice salad at dinner. I've dipped into my weekly points and am a little hungry. I have to work a few hours tonight and already feel the urge to snack. It happened last night and I feel it again already. Going to get some water and maybe cracker chips or popcorn. Working late is a trigger to eat for me whether I'm hungry or not. During the day it seems I'm more under control with the snacking because I know there is more food coming at the next meal. But now, technically I should go to bed and not eat anymore. This is a problem that I will need lots of help, support and suggestions on how to get through these periods. If I don't solve this one how will I loose all the weight and keep it off?

Week 7 Weigh-In Sister 1

I am very happy this week. I lost another 2 lbs for a total of 13. Pretty good for someone who has not been exercising. Though I did go to the gym on Monday and I plan on going today. I know I really need to put some effort into getting some form of exercise. The past 3 weeks I think I lost only 3 lbs. I believe these last 13 pounds were really excess water. These next pounds are the real fat pounds as I like to call it. Sister 2 I love that you are going to the gym and you are seeing great results. This definitely motivates me to get my ass to the gym.

10 point dinner

Tonight for dinner I had 3 oz of London Broil, huge salad (all veggies, no cheese or such) with 2 tablespoons of Ken's Lite Honey Mustard Dressing, and one serving (22 pieces) of Ore Ida Sweet Potato French Fries. Yummy! WW point total: 10 points

What did you have for dinner?

Week 7 Weigh In for Sister2

Well get outta town! I'm down another 3 pounds. Total weight loss: 19 pounds in 7 weeks. My just living attitude worked. WW still says I'm loosing too fast an average of 2.7 pounds a week, they want you to stay within 0-2 pounds**. Last week I tried distributing my weekly points over the week, knowing that I did not have an event of any kind that I would want to use my points for. But I still had weekly points and activity points UNused, like a lot. I really must work on eating more somehow and make sure it's healthy additions. This will be a challenge.

One thing I have not really set was a weight goal. I keep changing it. WW says my weight range should be 117-146 pounds. That is SO FAR away that I'm ignoring it. I have set smaller goals closer to my current weight. Once I see I'm getting closer to those, I move it down. Today I moved it down to how much I weighed when I went back to work after maternity leave in 2004. I'm still 18 pounds from that goal.

Also to sum up my points on an average I eat 34.3 points daily and use only 28.1 points of my weekly on average per week. I've also been earning an average of 28 activity points a week. Yup, that's right. Between the 45 minute step class, 60 minute body pump, 30 minute treadmill, gardening/weeding and cleaning (don't forget all that jingle dancing, JK, no jingling) I've got almost another whole day of points added to my week.

To all those who are reading today's weekly weigh in, get moving, eat healthy and stay on track to make your body feeling great!

**If you lose too fast you are in danger of loosing muscle mass. Since I'm working out 3 times a week, and it's only an average of 2.7 lbs a week, I'm not too worried. But need to focus on eating more healthy food throughout the day. Not just fill up extra points with junk.

Just living

Today was an eventful food day. I ate and didn't think too hard about any of it. Pretty busy with work, cleaned up my daughter's room, took her to swim class at the gym and I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes. The day just moved forward without me over thinking food. I didn't do any dangerous snacking, I 'just lived'. This is quite an accomplishment. 'Just living' with food issues is BIG, it's HUGE! I think I'm a little in shock. I've been hoping for a moment when my brain is not filled with binge fueled thoughts and I had one full day free of 'dieting'. I just ate breakfast, just ate lunch, just ate dinner and then just ate my snack. I just lived and simply ate. This whole past week I have been trying to just live and eat. Still stuck to my program, but just ate normal food at single serving sizes. I felt a bit relieved by trying to relax about loosing weight. Sounds so contradictory to what being on a diet is. But somehow I've stayed in points have earned tons of activity points and still have weekly points left. What a great day to had lived life like a normal routine day and food (good or bad) did not take away a moment of my time, it was just there.

New Favorite

I have a new favorite...TV SHOW! It's called Extreme Makeover: Weight loss edition. If you haven't already programed your DVR, then go to hulu.com and search for it. There are two episodes already posted for viewing and it's free. Episode 1 is so inspiring, this girl is working her ass off. And it's amazing how much her family is not truly supporting her. Sister1 thanks for reminding me to watch this. I take all these success stories and squirrel them into my head for when I'm at the gym or faced with an incredible urge to eat and think if these people that weigh well over a hundred pounds more than me are doing it, then I can do it too!

Finally!!!

I finally went to the gym. Yes, I have been putting it off for the longest time. It felt great, I did about 50 minutes on the treadmill and I sweated like a pig too. All I have to do now is keep it up.

Choosemyplate.gov

If you are not interested in 'dieting', but just want to wrangle in your eating, then take a look at the government's new dietary guidelines.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

They've re-invented the food pyramid to a dinner plate to help Americans visualize how much of their plate should be fruits and vegetables (half), protein (a quarter) and grains (a quarter). Dairy is counted for as well. I'm assuming someone out there has already designed a plate that matches the new guidelines and surely it can be purchased. I think it should be on school lunch plates and printed on paper plates. Because we all need a reminder to eat more fruits and vegetables at every meal!

Wow! I did WHAT?!?!

Sister2 here reporting a major change and step forward. The family went to Longhorn Steakhouse for lunch yesterday and as soon as the hostess sat us down, I asked her if she had a menu with the nutritional facts listed. First she said she wasn't sure, that she would check (with a bit of a scrunchie face). By law all restaurants are supposed to have them on hand. I may have been the first person to ever ask to actually see them. A moment later she handed me a xerox copy of the nutritional facts. I was so excited! I had some thoughts of what to order, but this made it so clear. I ordered Sierra Chicken with a pile of tomatoes on top for 3 points! And I swapped out the rice for steamed vegetables and had a house salad with the dressing on the side (picked out all the croutons). Voila! A low point meal at a restaurant that was yummy!

What's the moral of the story here? Well, I didn't tell the woman I was on WW or a diet, just asked for the facts and after 7 weeks on WW I have an idea when something is 42 carbs (the rice), it's going to be A LOT of points. I actually ordered my meal based on the NFacts. It was fun, interesting and worth it! So, next time you are in a restaurant and not sure what is the better menu choice, ask for the facts! And leave satisfied, full and on program.

Out of Control Again

What is up with that time of the month. The last two days have been impossible. Cravings are out of control. By the end of the day yesterday I felt so stuffed from eating crap all day. Though I did count every single point and yes I used all my weekly points. I have to admit I did not like the way I felt when I went to bed last night. It felt like the old Lisa from a few weeks ago, who would probably have this kind of "episode" with food at least a couple of times a week (probably why I have gained 20 pounds in two years). So today I woke up with a different attitude. Usually now I would just continue with my bad eating and being mad at myself. Instead I am moving forward. I know I have to stick to my daily points for the next three days and hopefully weigh in won't be so bad. Till Wednesday.....

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

Four significant things happened today and both are about clothing. (1) First off, I believe I have officially gone down a size. Like every other woman I know I have two sizes of clothing in my closet. And the super fat size is really too big. Example: By midday my pants were so baggy they can be pulled down over my hips without unbuttoning or unzipping them, uh, they need to go. A few of my pants are getting so big that they are officially unattractively baggy in the crotch area. Which BTW is a mystery to me that all my weight loss is coming from my crotch. WTH? Anyway, yeah for me! My 'smaller' sized fat clothes are fitting comfortably, awesome.

(2) Next, I desperately need another bathing suit. I have always preferred a two piece. But let's get something straight. When I say a two piece, I am NOT talking about a 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini'. I'm talking about a tankini of sorts where the top overlaps the bottoms and your entire middle is covered. It's just easier for going to the bathroom and I find them more comfortable.No such luck today. I didn't get depressed about seeing my entire body in a mirror, because I know that right not I am not even close to being 'fully cooked', know what I mean? But seriously, I need a bathing suit and nothing was right or fit SO bizarre. Sister1 thanks for the tips on where to shop. Will go tomorrow. Should be fun, will have the kids with me. Bad even today my son was shouting and pointing at the bras in Target, "Boobie clothes!"

(3) That brings me to a funny discussion I had with my mother-in-law today. Somehow we were talking about bras and being overweight and how most of our boob is just fat. You put on a bra and then have to scoop all that 'side boob' into the cup of the bra. Yup, I said it. SIDE BOOB. All that wide spread boob that somehow, some way slipped under your arm pit over time. We both refused to be one of those woman with droopy hanging boobs without proper bra support. Support that keeps them up and holds all the side boob in. Just another thought that goes through my head to stay focused on my diet, yup, SIDE BOOB. I'd like that to go away as well.

(4) And finally, one day soon, hopefully by the end of the summer, when I shop for clothes I will shop in the 'regular people' clothes section. No plus sizes, no women's sizes, no men's 9EE shoe, no clothing stores made for larger ladies because that's not who I want to be anymore. I'm not going to turn into a fat person hater, because this is not about other people, just me. It took a long time for the 'click' moment to happen in my brain and I truly hope others that want to loose weight will have a 'click' moment also and join me in the regular people clothes section where it seems you can wear anything in the store and not be confined to one small plus size section. Because that entire section just looks like it's all moo moo's and ugly prints.

Well, those are my clothing rants for the day. Let's see what tomorrow stirs up on my hunt for a bathing suit.

Planning meals

Planning meals is a concept I am just starting to embrace. Dinner has always been a by the seat of our pants event. But in the 6 weeks I am not only planning the meals and cooking, but finding a lot of satisfaction in the process. Tonight I cooked thin pork chops with a spice chili rub (so easy!) and made a  grape tomato and basil salad with sweet onions and oil olive. Delish dish! So proud of myself that I'm making such strong efforts to have home cooked meals that are healthy, yummy and simple to make. I should have taken a picture! You'll just have to trust me on how good it was. I didn't burn anything or dry out the pork. I'm not jumping to conclusions or anything, but I might just figure this cooking thing out.

If you tried a new healthy recipe today, share it please.

Week 6 weigh in for Sister2

Last week when I put my weight loss in on the WW website and it said I was losing weight too fast. So, this week I made point to eat into my weekly points a bit more. As much as I want to loose this weight FAST, I know that's not the right way to do it. I felt like I indulged in Week 5. Chicken parm, stuffed shells and birthday cake? No problem, because I still lost 1 pound this week. Yup. I ate and still had weekly points and activity points left over and had a weight loss this week. Very happy, but like Sister1, WTF. Those 2 or 3 pounds weeks are the reward we are both looking for every week for all our measuring, counting, blogging, exercising, habit changes, etc.

Total weight loss in 6 weeks is: 16 pounds

I'll take it. I do feel good, but secretly was hoping for a bigger number. Then I saw an article on the WW website about the importance of loosing weight slowly. Here are a few things I've pulled out from it:

Frustrated by slow weight loss?
Read on for expert input on why slow and steady wins the race.

1. Quick fix, fast failure: 

...Go for slow and steady weight loss (a healthy rate is two pounds per week or less), and not only will you be doing a service to your body, you'll also be more likely to keep that weight off for good. Isn't that better than rebounding?

2. Why slow weight loss lasts
...Losing weight slowly isn't just healthier, she says, it's a better investment. Not only are you dropping pounds, you're working on building habits that you'll be able to maintain. And those habits will help you maintain the weight you lost, so you can stay at your goal weight for good...

3. Maintain a positive attitude
..."At least I'm losing and not gaining."... "I know this plan is something I can stick with for the rest of my life. It's definitely not a 'diet' that I'll go off for a long period of time. It's a lifetime commitment."

Sister1, you are doing great. I bet if you get in the exercise and water this week, you'll have a bigger # next week. Hang in there, we will get through week 7 together. Please post your total weight loss, that's the number to focus on.

Now Mobile and WTF

My last post was a test. I am now mobile with my new phone. iphone4 which I absolutely love. I really love the WW app. and now I can check in more often with my blog which I know I haven't been to active but hopefully this will help. Today's weigh in I would like to say WTF. I lost 1/2 pound which I really thought would have been more. I have been really good with my points. I can say I haven't been drinking as much water as I should have and with these hot days my ankles of course look like they belong to someone else. I don't understand I have been eating so healthy and still my ankles blew up. I'm not going to get upset by the number on the scale. I can actually say I feel lighter and I am seeing a change. I will really try and drink alot of water today and even try to get some kind of exercise in. Which I haven't tried hard enough to start and I know that is something I can't ignore anymore. I will check in tomorrow and let you know if that put a jump start in it. Sister 2 your doing really good, keep up the work. I'm very proud of you.