WW Weigh-in #9

I've been eating dangerously the past little while. I have still logged everything but I've been burning through my weekly points faster than I'd like. I know that I'm supposed to use them up so that's not the problem; it's that I'm using them up on Aero mint chocolate bars and an extra helping of naan bread and red wine. And yes, it's okay to use my extra points for treats like these, but I'm having them far more often than one would have treats. I'm also not eating as many fruits and vegetables as I was when I first joined Weight Watchers so there are some little changes to my eating habits that I need to make. On the plus side, I've been rocking a pair of jeans that didn't fit me a month ago and every time I wear them I get compliments. (It's hard not to wear them ALL THE TIME.)

Despite my dangerous eating, I did manage a loss, albeit a small one:

Last week: 189.0 lb
This week: 188.8 lb
Total lost this week: 0.2 lb
Total lost with WW: 13.2 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb
To reach target: 7.0 lb

If I can get back into my healthy eating habits I'm confident I can hit my next goal by Easter. And then I will have lost 20 lbs. I can hardly even comprehend that number. I want this so badly!

WW Weigh-in #8

As I wrote yesterday I've had a bit of a week of gluttony, what with Valentine's Day and my birthday, but I still tracked my points - and I was amazed to see that I still managed to stay within my points totals (thank goodness for activity points!). And here's how it all worked out for me:

Last week: 190.0 lb
This week: 189.0 lb
Total lost this week: 1.0 lb
Total lost with WW: 13 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb
To reach target: 7.2 lb

I still managed to lose! Those sneaky points are right! And more and more, as I continue to lose with WW, I'm realizing that I can fit this program into my lifestyle and I can have fun and eat delicious food without compromising my weight.

And this is only my eighth weigh-in.  I'm so excited to see where I'll be come spring!

My week of gluttony

I turned 32 yesterday - yay me! Of course, that means both Valentine's Day and my birthday fell in the same WW week. (While my WW week goes Wednesday - Tuesday and Valentine's Day was last Tuesday, because of my long work hours, the Beau and I celebrated V-Day on Wednesday.)

At first I wasn't going to log points, mostly because I was scared, but also because I wanted to enjoy myself without feeling too guilty. But the Beau said I should log everything I ate just to know how it would total up and to see how bad it really was. So I did. And did I ever eat my way through my points!

Valentine's Day dinner was actually pretty good; I managed to stay within my points total for the day. Since my last weigh-in, I've been at 30 daily points but I still have my 49 extra weekly points. By Friday, I started dipping into those weekly points. By Monday night, I had not only consumed all my extra weekly points but 15 of 20 accumulated activity points.

At least I can say this: they were delicious, delicious points.

So what did I consume over the week? Well...

Roasted pork tenderloin; cookies 'n cream ice cream; pizza; beer; poached eggs on crab cakes with jerk mayo; onion rings; chai latte; chicken burrito; beef nachos; peanut butter on toast; grilled calamari and tiger shrimp; red wine; penne in a rose sauce with smoked chicken and artichokes; dark chocolate truffle cake; pad thai; basil fried rice; red curry; yellow curry; and mixed Thai vegetables.

Needless to say, a delicious week.

The real measure, though, will come tomorrow when I hop on the scale. My goal is to at least be the same as last week - 190.0 lb. I'll be okay if I don't lose; I just really don't want to gain.

But even if I do gain, I wouldn't change anything. It's been an awesome week and I'm getting myself back on track now. Though I would love another slice of that truffle cake...

The motivation to keep going

Wanting to lose weight is easy. It's probably the easiest part of the whole weight loss journey. If I had a dime for every time I said, "I want to lose [insert number here] pounds" I'd have no trouble buying a new wardrobe for my thinner self.

Of course it's a big step between wanting and doing and I'm so proud and happy that I finally took that big step. It also helps that I've seen such great results. But, I'll admit, it's already starting to get harder. Like anything new, it was easy and fun the first couple of weeks. I was making all the right choices, exercising lots and taking great satisfaction in watching my points totals come in at the right amount each day. And let's not forget the scale and that awesome progress I made in the first few weeks.

And then, like anything new, the shine wears off and chocolate is much more tempting and working out seems like more of a pain than a pleasure and old habits start to creep back in. It would be so easy to just have a cheeseburger for lunch - just today, as a treat - and a cookie tomorrow - again, just one - and suddenly undo so much of my progress. I want to succeed in losing weight and I want to succeed on Weight Watchers (and not just because I'm paying for it) but sometimes that isn't enough to motivate me to keep going.

So what does motivate me?

1. My thighs
I've always had muscular legs and I know they'll never look like Gwyneth Paltrow's and I'm okay with that. But I would like them to stop rubbing together when I walk. There was a time in my life when they did not and I can feel them getting smaller. How? Less friction. And I want no friction.

2. The Beau
I would never lose weight for a man. But the Beau has been so incredibly supportive and encouraging and it's been great motivation. He's also happily changed his eating habits (which were pretty good to begin with) so there isn't bad food in the house to tempt me. And when he cooks he always strives to use WW-friendly (read: low-point) ingredients and he is careful with portion sizes when dishing up my meals. His support means so much to me!

3. How I look
This might be obvious, but I sometimes forgot to actually look at myself. Before, I hated the sight of myself and avoided mirrors as much as possible. Now, I notice that my stomach is less pudgy and, when I smile, my double chin is less chinny. And other people are noticing and commenting too.

4.  Spring clothing
After a few seasons of pastels and neutrals and other kind of dull clothing, I'm in love with the bright colours for spring (though neon might be taking it too far). I'm going to have the money to buy pretty clothes so why not have the body to fit into them? Just the thought of not having to buy the largest size in the store is a HUGE motivator.

5. My dad
Years ago, my dad told me it was okay to be big. He didn't mean anything malicious by it; he was just stating a fact, which is just like my dad. But it's stayed with me and, while I know he doesn't love me any less because I'm a bit curvier, I want to be thinner. It may be okay to be big, but I don't want to be anymore.

WW Weigh-in #7

It's already weigh-in day again. Where did the week go? I will say I was feeling optimistic on this weigh-in. I felt that I had at least lost the pound I'd gained last week. So did I?

Last week: 192.2 lb
This week: 190.0 lb
Total lost this week: 2.2 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb
To reach target: 8.2 lb

Even better than I'd expected! Though I must say it was a bit bittersweet - I'm so close to getting below 190 lb! Even when on the scale it bounced between 190.0 and 189.9 lb. SO CLOSE. My goal is to get there next week and I should be able to - except this weekend is birthday weekend!

I'm going out for birthday brunch on Saturday morning, out to another friend's birthday party Saturday night, my own birthday dinner Sunday night and then Monday, which is my actual birthday AND a holiday, who knows what the day will bring? But I'll be careful and I'll make sure I get plenty of exercise and all should be good.

Next week, I will get below 190 lb!

Happy Valentine's Day!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning 

Confessions of a Weight Watcher: I have so much to learn

Despite losing 10 pounds on the program already, every day I realize I still have so much to learn. When I started I was all fruits and veggies and making only healthy choices and as I've gone on I've learned what treats I can add to my diet* to stay on track - and I still have so much to learn about what's good and what's not and how to know the difference, especially on the fly.

For example, I got lunch from Tim Horton's today: soup and a roll that came in at 6 points total but I got a combo, which meant a sweet treat. I decided to be good and get a Timbit - and it came in at 3 points on its own! Here I was, thinking I was making the best decision I could and it cost me.

You might say I made the best choice based on what was available but the best choice would have been to forgo the combo and the sweet treat and save the 3 points for a WW hamburger bun with my veggie burger at dinner.

So much to learn!

*I use the word "diet" to refer to what I eat, not some inane plan that will allow me to lose 452 lb in 13 days with no adverse affects to my health.

Fun time money news

Remember those student loans I've been paying off? Well, they're not quite gone yet but I'm getting there! As of today, all that's left owing is $1,357.26. That's it. I'm pretty excited. I'm even more excited that my next paycheque will have a little overtime on it, which will go nicely on this balance.

But do you know what's most exciting? Next month is a 3-pay month and it marks the first 3-pay month since I finished school where I won't have to put one of those paycheques on my debt. It is the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel! Sure, I'll have to use a little of that cash to finish paying this off, but not much.

This - THIS - is what I've been waiting for for almost seven years now. I almost can't believe I made it! And I'm also going to have a brief respite between paying off one debt and adding another (a mortgage). Yes, a mortgage is good debt as it means a house, but it's still debt and repayment. But I will have a fleeting moment where I don't owe anyone anything AT ALL!

I say, indeed.

WW Weigh-in #6

It's been an interesting week for me. The past few weigh-ins I've been wondering if I'd actually lose as I felt I'd been eating poorly. So far, though, I've always managed to drop a pound or two. But this past week I've been bad and I know it. I got my period and all I've wanted is carbs. I still managed five work-outs but all the bread and cake and pizza I've eaten caught up with me:

Last week: 191.2 lb
This week: 192.2 lb
Total gained this week: 1.0 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb
To reach target: 10.4 lb

Honestly though, I'm okay with gaining a pound, for a couple of reasons. First, it's only a pound and easy enough to lose. Second, I needed to experience this to know where my eating line is and when I've crossed it. Regardless of what I have planned or what I want to eat, I know I have to make the right choices and now that I've experienced a gaining week I know better where the "do not cross" line of indulgence is.

Also I have an ear infection and I'm more focused on my throbbing head than my weight. That's right, pity me. =S

WW Weigh-in #5

Today's weigh-in was a bit of a big deal since last week I was only 1.3 lb away from my first goal (and my lovely new book!). Of course I was nervous; I've been in this situation before, where I was so close to where I wanted to be and I'd ended up gaining and setting my progress back.

Here's what happened today:

Last week: 193.2 lb
This week: 191.2 lb
Total lost this week: 2.0 lb
Total lost with WW: 10.8 lb

First weight loss target: 191.9 lb
To reach target: ACHIEVED!

I did it! I hit my first weight loss target! I get my book! WW even gave me another star!  And I'm only 1.3 lb away from hitting that elusive target I set for myself last year: to be under 190 lb.

Since I've hit my first goal, I had to set another one. I've also lost another point on my daily totals; I'm now at 30 points/day. Fortunately the minimum daily points on WW is 29 so I can only lose one more!

New weight loss target: 181.8 lb
To reach target: 9.4 lb

I also need to pick a new reward. This time, it will have to be clothing - oh the possibilities!