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
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
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
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
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
Monday, August 22, 2011
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:
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.
'The Best of Each Diet' list
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.
Friday, August 19, 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
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!
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!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, August 15, 2011
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!
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!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
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.
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 .
Thursday, August 4, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
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!
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!
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