being honest

I had a really fun weekend, at a lake house in Maryland, with 8 other lovely ladies.  We sat around a pool, went kayaking, laughed a lot, and ate a lot as well.  I was very nervous, because I had no control over the menu or food options.  We were out in the sticks, so I couldn't politely ask to take a trip to the market to pick up ww friendly foods, and I flew down, so I couldn't pack anything.

In addition to not having my failproof food options nearby, the lovely hosts also brought incredible amounts of brie. One of my (many) trigger foods.  If it is near me, I eat it....all.

I ate a fair amount, and was about to be upset with myself when I noticed a few kayaks nearby.  Having kayaked quite often in my life, I felt very comfortable teaching a few of my friends how to paddle, and led them on a two hour long excursion in the bay.  It was beautiful, I got a little activity in, and best of all, I was out of reach from the brie!

I came home this weekend, having not tracked a single thing, and was very upset with myself.  Yes, my new miraclesuit looked awesome, but I shouldn't have to worry about purchasing miraclesuits.  I need to be honest with myself and my tracking.  If I did that, religiously, even when I was on vacation, I might be able to squeeze back into one of my 10 less covering suits.

So I went online, filled in as much as I could about this weekend, which used up all of my weekly allowance points, and even pushed me into the red. -11...and this was just the beginning of my new week.

However, I didn't beat myself up.  Instead, I was proud of myself for being HONEST.  I ate, and I ate a lot...and it wasn't fruit or healthy options.  But because I was honest, I knew how to best tackle the rest of this week.  First off, I needed to stick to my daily points plus target, because I did not have any more weekly allowance points to spare.  Second, I need to get my butt moving, to earn activity points.

Today is Friday, which means I have one more day of my week, and my ww online is now showing -3.  I spent more time walking, dancing, and even signed up at a local gym that has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.  I know that I will be able to do at least 3 activity points between today and tomorrow.

Being honest made me motivated this week.  If I hadn't have come back and tracked my weekend splurge, I probably wouldn't have moved as much as I have.  I surely wouldn't have found my new gym (which I'm so excited about!!) and renewed my love for the non-sweat activity...swimming!

Be honest, track, don't beat yourself up.  Each day is a new day :)

What struggles do you have with being honest?

suiting up for summer

Memorial Day weekend came and went....and out came my bikini bathing suits.

I'd like to pretend that I threw them in the dryer by accident, and they shrunk up....but truth is, I always properly care for my suits.  I just haven't shown the best care for my body after I wore them last summer.

To make matters more frustrating, I need to spend this upcoming weekend at a beach house with 10 other lovely ladies...9 of whom I do not know.  We will be swimming and laughing all weekend, celebrating my friend's bachelorette bliss, and most of the time will be spent in suits by the lake or pool.

This morning I frantically perused the web, and decided to purchase a non tummy showing suit.  I am so proud of my accomplishments thus far, and do not want to have to feel shy about my untoned midsection.

I went to good ol' Zappos and ordered a bunch of bathing suits.  Thanks to there $0 shipping policy, and I should have 10 suits at my door tomorrow ready to be tried on!  The lucky winner will accompany me to a lovely weekend full of sun and water.  The others will be sent back on their merry way, leaving my wallet and suitcase happy.

  All of the suits that I ordered are MiracleSuits.  One of my friends has one of their suits, and it is so incredibly cute and slimming.  Here is an example of one of the suits I am checking out.

Weight Watchers recently posted their favorite swimsuits, and I adore the Badgley Mischka one.  Too bad I saw it after I made my big order.  

Maybe I'll check it out when I get back.  :)

my random 5k

I have said it before, and I'll say it again.  I am not an exercise lover (yet...there is hope!) I especially hate the sweating part.  

On Sunday one of my friends asked me to walk a 5k with her and her other friend.  The money being raised was to help out a local school, and it was Weight Watcher's WalkIt Challenge day.  One of my weight watchers leaders (im a bit of a nomad) is actually Susan, featured in the ww weekly.  She and her friend Roxanne have started the Pavement Pounders, and they have been featured in the past few weeklies.  Feeling like they were slightly famous, it helped egg me on to doing this 5k, even though it was an hour away.

We arrived to the school, painted a terrible mint color, and I hoped that some of the money we raised would go towards a decent paint job.  

My friends and I signed in, paid $20, and got in line.  I had my ipod in hand, and started to notice the weather.  It was perfect, perfect for not sweating!  It was mid fifties, overcast, and had a touch of delightful wind.  As soon as the starting sound went off, my legs wanted to go, and I told my friend that I was going to run it.

Me...run...a 5k...without practicing or even walking 5k recently. I don't know what happened, but my ipod was playing the free Girl Talk album, and I was a runner.  My first mile was 10:02, and then the hills hit.  I was blessed with long legs, so my walk/jog helped keep me at a good pace.  

Then the kids started coming.  Nothing rubs me like kids a third of my age kicking my butt in something physical.  When I climbed Mt. Washington, I honestly thought I might have to make a camp out of trees and leaves and spend the night due to exhaustion...and yet kids ages 5 and up were scaling that mountain as if it was flat terrain.  These kids at the 5K were laughing and chatting as they ran.  So I made it my goal to keep up with them, or at least keep them in my sight.  Those little blonde pigtails pushed me over hills, through cramps, and helped me complete my first non-walking 5k in 36 minutes.  

I never would have imagined that I could do that, and was so surprised by myself.  

....and now I've signed up for a 5k in June :)

Pet Peeve…Doctors Appointments

I generally dread standing on the scale at the doctor’s office.  I don’t know if they are trying to be nice, or if my body is an optical illusion, but the assistants always think I weigh 50 pounds less than I actually do.  They ask me to stand on their scale, and I cringe because I’m wearing jeans a sweatshirt and sneakers (none of which I wear when I properly weigh myself.)  They always place the bottom weight marker, measured by fifty, one hundred, one fifty, and so on, where they think it should be.  I then kindly ask them to raise it by 50 pounds. “Oh,” they always say, “it’s because you are so tall!”

No, it’s not because I’m tall, thank you for your kindness though.  It’s because I love cookies and candy.

I have had a yo-yo relationship with my weight ever since college, and have had the ability to drop about 20 pounds quickly due to spending countless hours at a gym, and eating crazy “diets.”  I did pageants throughout college for scholarship money, would be super thin for 3 months out of a year, and then binge when I finished.  Not healthy

When I first did WW I had amazing numerical results, but I was eating prepackaged meals for every meal of the day.  I was thirsty all of the time, and realized my sodium intake was out of control.  I never went out to eat because I was nervous that I wouldn’t know what the proper point amount was.  Bloated, thirsty, and cranky… Not healthy

This time, I am trying to do it right, and a more healthy way.  I am loosing little by little (sometimes miniscule amounts) but I’m still loosing.  And I’m proud of myself because I’m making huge lifestyle changes, and am familiarizing myself with portions and my kitchen.

However, today at the doctor’s office, after my awkward weighing, my doctor came in.  She looked at my chart, then me, and asked “Did you know that you have gained 12 lbs?”

Honestly, what girl my age would miss that fact? I know she was trying to be sweet, but I just shrugged it off, and said “last year I lost weight for my wedding.”  I wanted to point out that if she looked at my chart from 2 years ago, that she would find that I was actually 8 lbs lighter now than I was then.

I hate doctors weighing me, addressing the weight, and yet not really understanding how to properly discuss things with me.  I would have loved to tell her that since joining ww again I have lost 8 lbs, and that I am finding a new appreciation for the kitchen.  I’ve even conquered my lifelong distaste for squash.  I wanted to tell her about my renewed love for Weight Watchers, and how my husband inspires me to get in my activity. 

But no, she just wanted to point out the fact that the numbers have gone up since last year, and that she knew it. 

Week One to do List, from ww

Take a "before" photo, and track your measurements

Track what you eat

Plan the best weigh-in strategy for you

Build your Favorites

Clean your fridge and cupboards, and fill them with healthy food

1.  I didn't take a before photo my first time on weight watchers, but I did this second time around.  One of my best friends who lost 50 lbs on ww kept her's in her tracker (she went to meetings rather than tracking just online) and would look at it each week.  It reminded her of how far she has come, and to continue to make healthy choices.

2.  Tracking...the key to success

3.  Best Weigh-In Strategy for you (if you do ww on your own - just using etools, I highly recommend weighing in first thing in the morning before you eat or drink)

4.  Build your favorites - what are you favorite healthy dishes or food items that you are already used to and can incorporate more?  My go to's are grapes (0pp), popcorn (2 or 3pp), pineapple (0pp), Nutrigrain low fat Eggo waffles (4pp for 2), 98% fat free deli turkey (1pp for 2 slices), weight watchers string cheese (1pp), and chobani yogurt (4pp).

5.  Clean out your tempting trigger foods.  I no longer have oreos or candy in my house because if it were there, I would eat it.  Or, if it is home, I figure out the proper portion size, and put them into single serving ziplock bags.  I take a sharpie marker to all of the items entering my house and write it's proper points plus value on the packaging for it's serving size.  It's a little work in the beginning, but then I have everything with it's proper value when I need it.

tracking simply

Our lives are busy and chaotic, and sometimes in life we need shortcuts.

When we track, we can easily have shortcuts...

ie - instead of writing "veggie delight sandwich from subway" in our tracker, I just write "vegsub."  Also, new online/mobile users should be sure to use the quick add function on your online mobile tracker - you will no longer have to worry about looking everything up.  This should only be used if you already know your food's point plus value.

In the beginning, you will want to write down every item you eat.  For example yesterday I went to Joe's American Grille, and had a salad and a cup of minestrone soup.

I eyeballed the soup and said 5 pp, and then tracked all of the items in my salad that had points plus values - chicken 5pp

- feta 3 pp

- dressing 2pp

- dried cranberries 1 pp

Next time I go to Joe's, and if I get the same salad, I'll just write "Joe's, 16pp"

Simplify your tracking.

The Icing On Our Cake...Weekly Points Plus Allowance!

If you were to ask my brother what my "number one rule" was, he would grin, and tell you the token line I have been saying for over 20 years

"Always save room for dessert."

I can't help it. I have a sweet tooth, and I need to have a dessert or sweet after my lunch and dinner.  Sometimes a sugar free popsicle won't cut it.  This is when I dive into my allowance points!

Hopefully you have been eating some of you allowance points already, but if you haven't you must be cranky and feel deprived :)  I know I did when I first tried go without them.

We are given 49 allowance points each week. Yes....an extra 49!!  Eat them.  I promise you will still loose, and you will stick to this program longer and have more success.

You can eat 7 extra points a day, 5 here, 9 there, or save them all up for a special night out.  Eat them but make sure that you track them!  The system that the wonderful weight watchers creators have made includes  these points because you need to eat them.  You body needs fuel, and food is fuel.  Each day your body needs at least your daily points plus to survive and not think you are starving.  You can eat an additional 49 points plus each week, and STILL loose.

These points are given to you at the beginning of each week.  They do not roll over into the next week, so eat them while you have them.  If you only want to have some of them, then that is fine - if you eat 29 instead of 49 you will still see success.

Here is an example of what I spend my allowance points on?

Monday - 2 lemon squares (non ww friendly, small, and I checked the nutrition stats on the back of the box) 5pp

Tuesday - 2 pieces of pizza during my dinner, which threw me over my daily points by 5 points...so i used 5 allowance...and boy was that pizza good

Wednesday - Mocha Frapp @ starbucks - 4pp

Thursday - did not go over

Friday - Dinner out with friends, went over by 20 - so i used 20 pp

Saturday - some candy to eat during a movie 10 pp

So make healthy, wise, and filling choices for your daily points.  Allow yourself to eat something that you truly desire with your allowance points, but do not go over.


Leave a comment with your favorite allowance points treats!

When to Weigh

Weight is only one way to measure your successes, but boy does it give us some satisfaction!

You want to find one day a week that you will brave the scale. That's right - one day.  Resist the urge to step on the scale every day, or every other day...it will drive you bonkers!

Find a day where you can weigh in at the same time, hopefully in the same clothes (that way you can not blame it on what you were wearing.)  I find it best to do it first thing in the morning, before I have anything to eat or drink.   I weigh myself on Sunday mornings at 9 am.  This keeps me from going over my Points Plus Allowance on Friday and Saturday.


One time a week, on the same day & same time.

away from home for a week...day 1

For a week I will be in someone else's home with a kitchen stocked with goodies, candies, crackers, and other tempting items.

In my house, there are no Oreos, Kraft Macaroni, or Swedish Fish causing me to derail.  Incredibly stressed because I can not control my environment, I decided to take a first day food shopping trip. My goal right now is to make it through the day, and breakfast tomorrow morning, and upcoming snack attacks.

I went to Trader Joes, and picked up the following:

Red & Green Grapes
Bananas
a Pineapple
Mushrooms
Snow Peas
Strawberries
Eggs
40 calorie unsweetened Almond Milk

While driving I stopped at Chipotle, and ate a burrito bowl for 16 Points Plus.  Their nutrition information is accessible online, and really helped me plan.  I didn't mind spending so many points on this trip because I knew it would keep me full all day until dinner.

Here's what I choose for my burrito bowl:
Cilantro Lime Rice
Black Beans (one more points plus than refried, but healthier in the long run)
Barbacoa
Lettuce
Tomato Salsa
Hot Salsa
a very little bit of cheese

I've tried their salad before, but really dislike their dressing.  Plus, I read that it has 260 calories and 25 grams of fat! Yuck!  I prefer the salsas much more.

http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slide/atrocious-salad-chipotle-mexican-grill?slideshow=108658

Breaking for Breakfast...only 3 mins of your time

My amazing leader, Sheila, always shares a recipe at the end of our meeting.  This week it was vegetarian quiche cups.  Thank goodness!  2 quiche are 1 Points Plus!

What I love best about this recipe is that you can literally do it in 3 mins of your time.  Preheat, microwave, mix, spray, pour, badabing bada boom.

My go-to on the run breakfast is a Dunkin Donuts egg white turkey sausage wakeup wrap.  It's easy (yes, yes, I know its not great for you...but when I'm busy I'm busy) and I love that I can hold it in a wrap.  So, to make this recipe fit my needs,  I wrapped 4 of the quiche up in a 1 points plus tortilla.  I am completely satisfied, and have only eaten 3 points plus for breakfast!

Ingredients:
  1 (9 or 10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach
  3/4 cup better n eggs
  3/4 cup low-fat cheddar shredded cheddar
  1/4 cup diced green pepper
  1/4 cup diced onion
  3 drops (or more) hot pepper sauce
 
Makes 12 quiche
2 quiche per serving
1 points plus per serving



Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350*
2.  Microwave spinach for 4 mins, stir halfway through, drain excess liquid
3.  Spray non-stick cupcake tray with olive oil spray
4.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well
5.  Dived evenly among muffin cups
6.  Bake for 20 mins, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (I needed 23 mins)

I hate wasting time, so I used a bag of frozen diced green peppers and onions, measured out a half cup, microwaved it for 30 seconds, and used that instead of dicing up a veggie. 

You can freeze the extras, and then microwave them, or better yet - put them in a toaster oven to reheat.

Off to the Movies

I'm about to head out and see "Thor" with my husband and family.  I'm excited, except for the fact that my dad chose my trigger food restaurant as the place to meet up.  This place has THE BEST pizza I have ever had, and I can easily eat 6 pieces in a sitting.

I'm eating some fruit before I go, and am drinking a lot of water.  I am allowing myself 2 slices.

I've already packed my snacks for the film :)  wish me luck!

Day One, Eat Right & Track It!

First, everything you eat or drink has a P+ value.  Everything. Yes, some things are zero points, horray! but they still have zero points. Sit down and figure out what your favorite foods P+ amounts are. Take a sharpie, and write it on the boxes.  You can purchase the calculator at a ww store, online, or use your smartphone app.  While looking at the nutrition panel, you will need to find the FIBER, FAT, PROTEIN, and CARBOHYDRATES.  You must know how many P+ the food and drinks are, or else, you can not have them.  If you are going out to eat and do not have the ability to look at the nutrition stats, go online and get a guesstimate.  Nothing goes inside your body without you first knowing it's value. Period. 

Secondly, you must write down, or "track" your food and drinks everyday.  You can write them down in a tracker, or use the online system to help you.  Do not wait until the end of the day to input everything, because you will forget.  Track every bite, every lick, every morsel.  Even if they are zero points, write them down with a big 0!  Make sure to check off how many glasses of liquids, dairy, fruits and veggies, multi vitamin, (i don't really care for oil), and if you exercised or not.

Third, aim to eat POWER FOODS - fruits and veggies (most are 0 points!), Non-fat dairy and dairy substitutes, Lean proteins, and whole grains.  We need to eat because our bodies need fuel.  Plain and simple.  These power foods are the BEST fuel.

Fourth, you have a daily PointsPlus target, which you MUST eat every day.  Seriously. If you do not eat the amount given to you, you will not succeed.  Why?  Because the P+ target is exactly what your body needs to successfully function, and loose weight.  If you are given 35 P+ each day, and think that by eating 25 P+ will help you loose weight faster, you are wrong.  You may loose the first week, but after that, your body will begin to think you are starving, and will start to store fat and hold onto everything it possibly can. Plus, you will be hungry and cranky, and no one will want to talk to you.  Not a win win. 

Daily P+ do not roll over. If you forget to eat 5 points on Monday, you do not get an extra 5 points on Tuesday. Each day is a new day.

So eat your Daily Points. Deal? Deal :)

Fifth, drink water.  If you hate the taste, or lack of taste, of water - then get some lemon and squeeze it in. Or grab some Crystal Light.  Aim to get at LEAST 8 8 ounce glasses of water in each day.  Drink a full glass of water before you eat a meal. Water will help you succeed.  I promise.