I'm Gonna Do This

It has been 5 days since I have counted a single Point.  <i>This </i>is a <b>terrible </b>idea!<br /><br />So, I'm clear on at least one thing in my journey: I need structure.  "Mindful eating" is not cutting it for me.   I need more guidelines.  I need more <i>rules</i>.  <br /><br />Truth be told - I miss Weight Watchers. <br /><br />But -<br /><br />I <i>need </i>to find a way to make it work for me. For the next week....<br /><br /><ul><li>I will review the materials, documenting my notes here.  <br /></li><li>I will come up with 5 go-to <u>simple</u> meals with ingredients that I will keep on hand at all times.<br /></li><li>I will build out a week long meal plan in it's entirety to get me back on track.  I have NEVER failed when I have a meal plan in place.<br /></li><li>I will challenge myself to eliminate eating out for next week - minus the already planned dinner with our friends.</li></ul><ul><li>I will practice saying 'No' to "food opportunities" (ex: being asked to go out to eat, being offered someone else's food to try, etc)</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiII-PZDSLsiaxOuMYQiBaloG4VZO-Q6wb0X6ofc5t0t06fD17PkoahE3cMPXHAFctHY29sHfirxzL35GgyZ51M5isg2aP3rZuN603owtLdjZB_Wy_ANNMBjEusLlklUYoWbvPM9sRKyBk/s1600/tips+to+reduce+weight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiII-PZDSLsiaxOuMYQiBaloG4VZO-Q6wb0X6ofc5t0t06fD17PkoahE3cMPXHAFctHY29sHfirxzL35GgyZ51M5isg2aP3rZuN603owtLdjZB_Wy_ANNMBjEusLlklUYoWbvPM9sRKyBk/s320/tips+to+reduce+weight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />There is still a tiny bit of motivation in me to not give up, and I'm going to capitalize on that as much as I possibly can. <br /><br />I will not be fat for the rest of my life.  

Inspiration Lacking Motivation Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers I'm Gonna Do This

It has been 5 days since I have counted a single Point.  This is a terrible idea! So, I'm clear on at least one thing in my journey: I n...

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Self Sabotage

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Last week during one of my Bible study sessions, I came across this verse that I thought was an absolute perfect depiction of my weight loss journey:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.  When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.</i> ~Romans 7:15-19</blockquote>I don't know about you, but this describes my weight loss journey almost to a tee.  I have sabotaged my weight loss efforts time and again by telling myself things like:<br /><br /><div style="color: #351c75; text-align: center;">"<i>Housing this entire package of Oreos in 2 days won't hurt - I'll get back on track after that.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>OR</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #351c75; text-align: center;">"<i>It's been a terrible 'off plan' week, I'll finish out this week as I please and start again next week.</i>"   </div><br />I've had 2 weeks in a row most recently where I've fallen back into that thought pattern.  I know I'm capable of eating mind<i>fully</i>, but lately I've been eating mind<i>lessly</i>.  Just like issues in relationships somehow always point back to poor communication, challenges with eating always come back to poor planning.<br /><br />I know there are things I am doing well though.  Every two weeks I come up with meal ideas for a two week time frame.  I write down 3 breakfast options, 3 lunch options and 4 dinner options for the two week period (bear in mind that there are only two people in my household - so lunches/dinners often turn into leftovers).  I'm good at this part!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZ-4V0ffwXY49civn9Ee8zgRuHsF2LDZi-KFSwPTR2nhcanDenMlaGccANJmkQsHWyXvYKn5IfhDnCLdtjUjCMP19RJWgAwjt-p4opTvmoKA9i7_hPUSpd7-S04K6WsOQhJTNoAHn6a0/s1600/planfail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZ-4V0ffwXY49civn9Ee8zgRuHsF2LDZi-KFSwPTR2nhcanDenMlaGccANJmkQsHWyXvYKn5IfhDnCLdtjUjCMP19RJWgAwjt-p4opTvmoKA9i7_hPUSpd7-S04K6WsOQhJTNoAHn6a0/s320/planfail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />What I'm NOT good at is sitting down and planning out a <i>day</i>.  Even though I plan out a menu, I don't calculate the PointsPlus at that time.  I just write down the meal ideas (which are almost always recipes that I have to calculate the PointsPlus values for).  This is obviously one area that can use improvement.  If I knew the PointsPlus values of my meals before I ate them, I would be in much better shape, instead of waiting to calculate it after the fact.  I realize how absurd this sounds, but I'm obviously lazy.<br /><br />Case in point: last night I made this beef stroganoff from the <a href="http://www.marlenekoch.com/" target="_blank">Eat What You Love</a> cookbook.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2S92YDXyNPGUmKujy-H7VXMAxa1fNk4RkWA-DeWYGhHrEj94lMKhXO1VyuPfSpYi6X70lnrnlSEzTH9yqtJA-zWxXM4SDX9m9UdWtcv5Sodeo02Kd4ujeK07ci_1RpfChKnZmqQyQUlk/s1600/beef+strog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2S92YDXyNPGUmKujy-H7VXMAxa1fNk4RkWA-DeWYGhHrEj94lMKhXO1VyuPfSpYi6X70lnrnlSEzTH9yqtJA-zWxXM4SDX9m9UdWtcv5Sodeo02Kd4ujeK07ci_1RpfChKnZmqQyQUlk/s400/beef+strog.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />While her recent cookbooks do list PointsPlus values, the version I have only lists the old Points value.  So, I knew it was going to be approximately 7 PointsPlus for the meal.  Turns out it was 8 PointsPlus for just the meat mixture alone - that did not include the 5 PointsPlus for the serving of egg noodles!  To combat this problem I could have cut my serving size in half, but that thought never crossed my mind until after I finished the 13 PointsPlus meal!<br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">Next approach to meal planning/success:</b>  calculate the PointsPlus values of all recipe menu items ahead of time!

Eat What You Love Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Self Sabotage

Last week during one of my Bible study sessions, I came across this verse that I thought was an absolute perfect depiction of my weight loss...

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Super Bowl Sunday

Here is how my Sunday went:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">1. Woke up around 8 AM and decided to hit the gym shortly thereafter.  I had a big day ahead of me and wanted to get my 2nd round of the activity out of the way for the week. - <i>Great job!</i><br /><br />2. After the gym, I showered up and got ready to meet with an old friend at Applebees.  I chose there because of the WW menu.  I didn't order off of that menu however.  Instead I ordered from their "Under 550" calories menu, choosing the Signature Sirloin with Garlic Herb Sauce.  Turns out that Applebees no longer serves the WW shrimp skewers I used to order.  Overall, this wasn't a terrible choice, but it did clock in at 13 PointsPlus, which I discovered once I returned home {there were WW dishes on there for that much too!}. - <i>Unprepared.</i></blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX5KmiY4oNDZkrtMEZo23BUxMB8qW9SZOTUB47COPmeVc5CkiDjrfU2plHa-gT8XfK9_Gajf3QHoKsMGHxAiaWfKFNRDL6Vm3v75ykAan7Xnv1K2ZkytMhOMuA_-v4_neLjDi8V6YHaw/s1600/applebees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX5KmiY4oNDZkrtMEZo23BUxMB8qW9SZOTUB47COPmeVc5CkiDjrfU2plHa-gT8XfK9_Gajf3QHoKsMGHxAiaWfKFNRDL6Vm3v75ykAan7Xnv1K2ZkytMhOMuA_-v4_neLjDi8V6YHaw/s400/applebees.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">3.  Even after that steak and potatoes meal, I was still hungry when I came home.  I have no idea why.  I drank 3 glasses of unsweetened iced tea at the restaurant, and downed a glass of water when I got home, and I was still hungry.  And this is where the downfall begins... - <i>Unprepared with better alternatives and ravenous/stressed out as a result. </i></blockquote><br />It is almost as if once I tell myself I have to <i>really </i>stay on track when a social event occurs, I inevitably do the exact opposite.  I place so much emphasis on it, I fail.  I panic, and then I start to eat.  I had set myself up for success on Sunday, going to the gym early, picking a decent choice while out to eat, but in the end I failed. {I had already had my "special" meal for the week too - that was on Friday night}. <br /><br />I know I was worrying about the SB party and the tempting food that would be there.  So I ate before we left.  Stupid.  I never understood this logic about eating before you go to a party.  Supposedly this will prevent you from being "tempted" to eat when you get there because you'll be full.  <i>That does not work for me.  </i>Since when has being "full" ever stopped me before?<i>  </i>I mean, hello - 263.8 lbs?  I didn't get to that point by only eating when I was hungry!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYyff_gLaV8JEYxmNFeBMkqh1jiFR1K792ebo_0vK7NiOq4yZKsUsqSJcjJVZ_8-1Eztml2qixqnnHknA2rK2MlMz7BA-Pu8LUZQBiJHx5YtEzgzTuum-DKeLUmnC0vcKRFbkBASAr1k/s1600/pentagon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYyff_gLaV8JEYxmNFeBMkqh1jiFR1K792ebo_0vK7NiOq4yZKsUsqSJcjJVZ_8-1Eztml2qixqnnHknA2rK2MlMz7BA-Pu8LUZQBiJHx5YtEzgzTuum-DKeLUmnC0vcKRFbkBASAr1k/s400/pentagon.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view outside of their apartment:<br />Washington Monument & the Pentagon in the foreground</td></tr></tbody></table><br />But I tried this approach, because I've read about this idea time and time again in magazines and have heard it on TV {I've tried this in the past without success too}.  This is why I wrote that post last week about the gym.  The same logic applies here:  no matter how many studies say this, that and the other, I have to know Hilary and how Hilary operates in given situations.  Despite how many studies say that eating before going to a social event will curb my appetite, it won't.  In fact, it was all I could do to NOT think about food.  All I wanted was to eat.<br /><br />Joel made wings and I made meatballs  {plus the Hungry Girl Pigs in a Blanket}.  I had 1 wing and 1 turkey meatball {appetizer size, not baseball size}.  Then I ate a ton of broccoli.  Then people started making comments about how I wasn't gorging myself like the rest of them.  Ugh.  I don't like to draw attention to myself with food.  At. All.  So then I went back for more food {even though I was pretty much out of Points for the day by the time we got to the party}, and I got a few more of those Hungry Girl Pigs in a Blanket.  None of this looks bad in black and white, and really it wasn't bad and I should've just stopped there, but I didn't because at the time I was entering in to the "I'm blowing it" mindset.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV32Tdjtdx1h5C9h9KtKrd43CBpxVUkz8n78Beo1slYtuGPk7Mzhgq60Nk4CM8zG68QaSP2l9THfMEVts0JIt5UX6P8S174oqgT9hzvMxkuT0nebwupMO8Kowf7dgQZoDy3wxdJDOs1Q/s1600/air+force+memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV32Tdjtdx1h5C9h9KtKrd43CBpxVUkz8n78Beo1slYtuGPk7Mzhgq60Nk4CM8zG68QaSP2l9THfMEVts0JIt5UX6P8S174oqgT9hzvMxkuT0nebwupMO8Kowf7dgQZoDy3wxdJDOs1Q/s400/air+force+memorial.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view from their apartment:<br />The Airforce Memorial & the Arlington National Cemetery (background)</td></tr></tbody></table>Then we made an even more brilliant move and we took food home with us.  UGH.  I had fudge & pizza before this gorge-fest ended.  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.<br /><br />I could speculate all I want to as to how to have redone Super Bowl Sunday.  But the bottom line is this: I need to do what I know is right for Hilary.  Not what a million and one studies say because clearly those studies must apply to every single person out there.  No.  I know what works for me and what makes me successful.  I definitely ate out of boredom at the party, and that's another problem that needs to be reckoned with.  Still, I also know I could've planned things better if I would've just really listened to myself instead of doing what "they" say to do.  <br /><br />Right now I feel like I've undone all of the success from last week, and it sucks.  I'm not out of the 230s {I got on the scale Tuesday morning}, but the numbers are creeping back up, instead of back down.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">How did you make it through Super Bowl Sunday? </span></b>

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Super Bowl Sunday

Here is how my Sunday went: 1. Woke up around 8 AM and decided to hit the gym shortly thereafter.  I had a big day ahead of me and wanted to...

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Post-Thanksgiving Week

How did you survive Thanksgiving?  Yes, a week later and I am just now getting around to this!<br /><br />First, we had Thanksgiving at Joel's family on Thursday.  I was extremely mindful of my eating, and practiced Mental Rehearsing beforehand (a WW concept).  I told myself over and over to only eat small portions ("mini islands of food" - as we were advised at last week's meeting) and not to finish anything I did not truly enjoy.  I passed up bread.  I left the stuffing and sweet potatoes on my plate.  And I was even able to enjoy my favorite part of Thanksgiving: the 5 Points+ Pumpkin Pie I made especially for Thursday.  I was so pleased, impressed, and proud of how well I did on this holiDAY (as Sharon, my WW leader reminds us, it's not a holiMONTH or holiWEEK, it's a holiDAY).  My non Weight Watchers weigh in day is on Friday, and as you can see, I had a nice loss for the week.  Success!<br /><br />However, then I had to travel to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving Part Deux.  I started Saturday off with a trip to the local-PA WW meeting center.  I clocked in at a loss for the week on their scale as well.  Great!<br /><br />Still, currently I'm sitting at well over <b style="color: red;">-</b><b>35 WEEKLY Points+</b> for the week.  Fellow Weight Watchers, did you read that correctly? NEGATIVE WEEKLY!  Ugh.  How did this happen???    <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniEjr8Nuhq8jvfZo7EMrtroePWEbEoOT_V33pZ_y494LYxQs-lQilUUX6A_zgdp10krtSfouR6PPQt7ViCwHnty9ECyEJEJCYGTimCc3tmrotwDnDr8tW_IzNvMohQFfQS6QENA5iS08/s1600/thanksgiving+food.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniEjr8Nuhq8jvfZo7EMrtroePWEbEoOT_V33pZ_y494LYxQs-lQilUUX6A_zgdp10krtSfouR6PPQt7ViCwHnty9ECyEJEJCYGTimCc3tmrotwDnDr8tW_IzNvMohQFfQS6QENA5iS08/s400/thanksgiving+food.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My salad size plate at my sister's house: turkey, mashed potatoes, noodles,<br />stuffing and green bean casserole.</td></tr></tbody></table>I used a small plate, and made small islands of food.  Everything was a 1/2 cup size or less.  I thought I did well.  I only had seconds on the green bean casserole.  <br /><br />I had these <a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/09/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-pumpkin-spiced.html">pumpkin cupcakes</a> for my dessert (and very small servings of 2 other desserts my mom made - which I accounted for):<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzvVMINuEtSZSIaWuzPRxOxDVeQoZ_5ScLfqOFIdiDnAZ1W8RzfqpaLmv3a_Jl-sAu_snz-196sNeixx5u3VA9NrZmULt5_DvyWuiCd1LOW70WInwSJISCQX04OZ0ps7R5e4x-8KNxpA/s1600/cupcakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzvVMINuEtSZSIaWuzPRxOxDVeQoZ_5ScLfqOFIdiDnAZ1W8RzfqpaLmv3a_Jl-sAu_snz-196sNeixx5u3VA9NrZmULt5_DvyWuiCd1LOW70WInwSJISCQX04OZ0ps7R5e4x-8KNxpA/s400/cupcakes.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />While I didn't eat much of this on T-Day Part Deux (it was bland and needed more spicing up), I have been eating this in my lunch all week:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9sortvM61D_Ihy_6Un95Wg0G5qs1VMA2OubMWOKlte4q36fzNVj6gKUMPeVGdAE8KNeN6d-fz82Qw-3pySRSHrrESTUUtv0WMxRk0XZ_u9-9NEiObcTwh5kM9oGc17fUKN-cRypbWqM/s1600/casserole.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9sortvM61D_Ihy_6Un95Wg0G5qs1VMA2OubMWOKlte4q36fzNVj6gKUMPeVGdAE8KNeN6d-fz82Qw-3pySRSHrrESTUUtv0WMxRk0XZ_u9-9NEiObcTwh5kM9oGc17fUKN-cRypbWqM/s400/casserole.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/sweet-potato-casserole.html">Sweet Potato Casserole</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />IF I have a gain tomorrow, and I'm praying I do <i>not</i>, but IF I do, it will be because, yes, I did eat a little more than I normally would this past week due to Thanksgiving.  Also, it was.... that special time of the month, and I have been absolutely ravenous all week.  Actually, I believe a lot of the negative Points+ have come as a result of this more than Thanksgiving to be honest. Do you ladies ever get like this during the actual week of the "event"?  No amount of food or anything in particular has been satisfying.  Not even chocolate!<br /><br />I was able to avoid one "war" this week with <a href="http://www.fiveguys.com/">Five Guys</a> (Joel was having a craving and he indulged, I did NOT)... but I lost the battle last night to Japanese from our <a href="http://kodorirestaurant.com/">favorite restaurant</a>.  Still, I had very small portions of the Japanese food and only ate until just satisfied.  <br /><br />I really don't want a gain tomorrow, not only for obvious reasons, but because I am really proud of how I handled Thanksgiving this year.  I am proud of how I managed Joel's family's feast, and how I even managed my own family's spread.  I'm also proud that I made 3 WW friendly substitutions (pie, casserole and cupcakes) and that I have still accounted for EVERYTHING this week, even if I am in the deep, deep red of Points+.  It really does feel better when you write it down, even if you are borrowing from next week's Points+ bank ;). I'm also proud that I visited WW while traveling.  I'm really trying to stay focused!  <br /><br />Today (Thursday) I am sucking down the water and trying to stay within my 39 Points+ for the day.  Tonight we have a happy hour for the 3 couples who got engaged in my office, and so I'm going to have to fight another war tonight... I will get 1 beer and that is it! I <3 beer.  But I don't love gains, and no amount of beer is worth a gain!!<br /><br />What is your self assessment of how you handled Thanksgiving?

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watcher Recipes Weight Watchers Post-Thanksgiving Week

How did you survive Thanksgiving?  Yes, a week later and I am just now getting around to this! First, we had Thanksgiving at Joel's fami...

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Finding Happiness in the Journey

I firmly believe that while I'm on this weight loss journey, finding moments of happiness during this time in my life is essential to my success.  <br /><br />I also hate to be a Negative Nancy on the blog, though sometimes it's important for you, as the readers, to get both the good and bad to help you relate better to who I am.  Hopefully this translates to you as "authenticity" and not "whining". :)   <br /><br />Aside from the battles that go along with weight loss, I've had other challenges going on as well (<a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/11/sickagain.html">two times of being sick in October</a>!) and some ongoing issues with my car.  These minor life issues definitely play a role in my weight loss success. <br /><br />Well, yesterday I received great news on the car end of things.  The dealership is going to refund me the entire cost of the service they performed on my Equinox for the first time it was there for service (and wasn't fixed!).  The Equinox has been to the dealership a total of 4 times now for a broken heater (<i>doesn't sound like too big of a deal, but apparently it's caused a lot of people to scratch their heads</i>).  Obviously we're in to November now and a heater is fast becoming necessary :).  So once I learned that I would be getting my $500 back, I was so elated that I had to celebrate this near-Christmas-time-and-I'm-spending-BIG-money-on-car-problems victory!<br /><br />So, I bought myself some flowers :) (instead of celebrating with food, which is something I normally would have done). <br /><br />I found these beautiful poinsettias sprinkled with purple glitter (I also bought another bunch sprinkled with pink glitter). Purple for my grandma - I'm sure she'd love these!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftI2hyphenhyphenY1a0vw68CWAY3m8tXwoEqJHHvgjd4Ij17NvYz-eEtHoO_7JlHgCTFv6NUyHncalKAwwQaroygUKNk-cmA5fcoCc0fzd-Gj_iombARTXzyRUSIkBV_wOwLSJDulfby6SobdrZxc/s1600/blog+flowers+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftI2hyphenhyphenY1a0vw68CWAY3m8tXwoEqJHHvgjd4Ij17NvYz-eEtHoO_7JlHgCTFv6NUyHncalKAwwQaroygUKNk-cmA5fcoCc0fzd-Gj_iombARTXzyRUSIkBV_wOwLSJDulfby6SobdrZxc/s400/blog+flowers+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I think these are mums? I failed to look at the package before I threw it away, but they look awfully similar to mums.  Again, in purple :).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJhfthbLZRUovDISIprjw5qFAIZNtkOj6vLRMz2gSRs_b_6e3TB_1kccJcVMbyaZWf-FRpTats_mxfNVrwjB_AuXhz2rx5p2igMFCj9eXkOFhtMaPmPwpfvg_V7uCVOlInC_Mhlt3pYo/s1600/blog+flowers+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJhfthbLZRUovDISIprjw5qFAIZNtkOj6vLRMz2gSRs_b_6e3TB_1kccJcVMbyaZWf-FRpTats_mxfNVrwjB_AuXhz2rx5p2igMFCj9eXkOFhtMaPmPwpfvg_V7uCVOlInC_Mhlt3pYo/s400/blog+flowers+3.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then these pretty-in-pink mini carnations.  The smell of these remind me of a funeral home to be honest.  BUT, they look beautiful on the coffee table and the bright pink color just screams happiness to me.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaItGsC4YcfTqOCnOhMRiYyHCJ5N4I0X5s-XXqzlPp-Iy3THiRm41IjXWHkSuvGKGSrfBFOHBjKgGGE0ZvOHHH7aM1Mam9wNMptSJG2QqhG_CoGscBKfekAyaOOQA6Rkp36HjGlxwmNEs/s1600/blog+flowers+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaItGsC4YcfTqOCnOhMRiYyHCJ5N4I0X5s-XXqzlPp-Iy3THiRm41IjXWHkSuvGKGSrfBFOHBjKgGGE0ZvOHHH7aM1Mam9wNMptSJG2QqhG_CoGscBKfekAyaOOQA6Rkp36HjGlxwmNEs/s400/blog+flowers+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Funny, because Joel has been gone a lot over the last week, taking some man-trips.  He just returned yesterday from an overnight fishing trip to Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River.  He brought me these :).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YybU7Ahh-rp2h1MM32A4339E96MMNVC0QrIbX7jDWfvv9aJH9jOHMRX1VZ-icw2bxDFXzYSoSl_6wMAtzy7wqjGAlxvNu6Foi38ciuIAHt9aVjbw0ruajqxigBGwQxzdFzQnSeP-v-Q/s1600/blog+flowers+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YybU7Ahh-rp2h1MM32A4339E96MMNVC0QrIbX7jDWfvv9aJH9jOHMRX1VZ-icw2bxDFXzYSoSl_6wMAtzy7wqjGAlxvNu6Foi38ciuIAHt9aVjbw0ruajqxigBGwQxzdFzQnSeP-v-Q/s400/blog+flowers+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Sunflowers are arguably my favorite flower!  And no, this girl can never have too many flowers in her house!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpGTCQAPO8MrL7NYdrFTQMTncwXK7Diyi433vDXDY0HMUE8IddWN9cSoABpUyYzqPazsisKtnF6QsAZ5NBEGfma97CxPs6GqEdNXjEoPiDum_aD48AQpj39gv8IQmR-3hrZJkhqs1ZTk/s1600/flowers+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpGTCQAPO8MrL7NYdrFTQMTncwXK7Diyi433vDXDY0HMUE8IddWN9cSoABpUyYzqPazsisKtnF6QsAZ5NBEGfma97CxPs6GqEdNXjEoPiDum_aD48AQpj39gv8IQmR-3hrZJkhqs1ZTk/s400/flowers+015.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />What are some ways you find happiness (other than the scale) during the struggle that is losing weight?  Do you have a favorite flower?<br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>P.S. - from  yesterday's <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/11/sugar-consumption.html">sugar post</a> - I ended my day with approximately 23.5 teaspoons of sugar consumed - a far cry from the recommended 6 teaspoons!!</i>

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Finding Happiness in the Journey

I firmly believe that while I'm on this weight loss journey, finding moments of happiness during this time in my life is essential to my...

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Sugar Consumption

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNdYzcAN0YLsBk-zXY7HAlI8aGSYxvrTkpx94vOYzE-CBY9R8B8ZaYX2twAfCJrLGCIsMbS5T-6VVzPnfUZOwwvcMbTAWp76FPAWprTdO06abkFhUJk4kOUzkC9xNkUm_RGiQMOiZvAk/s1600/sugar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNdYzcAN0YLsBk-zXY7HAlI8aGSYxvrTkpx94vOYzE-CBY9R8B8ZaYX2twAfCJrLGCIsMbS5T-6VVzPnfUZOwwvcMbTAWp76FPAWprTdO06abkFhUJk4kOUzkC9xNkUm_RGiQMOiZvAk/s1600/sugar.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Sugars-and-Carbohydrates_UCM_303296_Article.jsp#.TsLDYVZWXRd">Source</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>In a recent WW meeting, we talked about the recommended daily amount of sugar (this was also included in the weekly pamphlets).  According to the <a href="http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Sugars-and-Carbohydrates_UCM_303296_Article.jsp#.TsLDYVZWXRd">American Heart Association</a>, the recommended daily amount of sugar intake for women is 6 teaspoons.  However, from 2001 to 2004, the <a href="http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/120/11/1011.full.pdf">average daily intake for Americans</a> was 22 teaspoons!  <br /><br />I have an <b>enormous </b>sweet tooth.  I figured that the 22 tsp estimate was very close to my day to day consumption of sugar.  So, after reading the pamphlet<i> (last night while on the elliptical - I'm a little behind on them!)</i>, I decided that today I would monitor my sugar intake, just to see how it goes. So far today (at the time of writing this post, it's just after 2 PM), I've already had almost 3.6 teaspoons of sugar.  It's probably slightly higher than that because there was one dish where I couldn't calculate the total sugar, since it was a recipe I made.  <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/gramconversion.htm">Here's some assistance</a> in calculating teaspoons of sugar from the given units of "grams" on the nutrition label.  </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 tsp of white sugar = 4 grams.  </span></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I've had 40.1 grams of total sugar today.  40.1 g / 4 grams per tsp = 3.6 tsp</span><br /><br />I found this to be rather interesting.  Plus, this calculation also helped me realize that I will be forgoing the Cherry Coke "break" I have mid-afternoon from now on.  This is what I've had so far today:<br /><br /><ul><li>Eggs (0.1 g)</li><li>Sausage (1 g)</li><li>Toast (4 g)</li><li>Jelly (6 g)</li><li>1/2 Pizza Potatoes serving (recipe - no clue on the sugar content)</li><li>Chick Fil A Nuggets (1 g)</li><li>Chick Fil A Fries (0 g)</li><li>1 c. Cherry Coke (28 g)</li></ul><br />As a side note, I'm not happy with myself that I've eaten Chick Fil A two days in a row.  I had good intentions of eating my lunch today, but it didn't taste good, and I no longer waste calories on food that tastes just mediocre or all together crappy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_HmTYJHDyxv5b1_Frj7S0iERSSfeWC9nzf0sZbZFl1SB3O28IxFs9XHw6KzN1ndEv_Du_4N07FBbMt2w3pO4aJeeo5HPTGP1B5mj3cd20soWkGdLJryu6nHzSH982bBE5ssEax3nN1I/s1600/Arlington-20111115-00614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_HmTYJHDyxv5b1_Frj7S0iERSSfeWC9nzf0sZbZFl1SB3O28IxFs9XHw6KzN1ndEv_Du_4N07FBbMt2w3pO4aJeeo5HPTGP1B5mj3cd20soWkGdLJryu6nHzSH982bBE5ssEax3nN1I/s320/Arlington-20111115-00614.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />So, while tracking sugar intake specifically is not apart of WW (yes, total carbs are, but sugar is a piece of that), it did really help me gain a new perspective on my eating habits.  In other words, that Cherry Coke is not worth the calories/Points+/sugar! <br /><br />If you follow WW, do you track any of elements of your food besides just the Points+?  What do you think of these stats from the AHA?  Is this surprising to you?  Do you think you exceed the daily recommendation for your gender? <br />

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Watchers Sugar Consumption

Source . In a recent WW meeting, we talked about the recommended daily amount of sugar (this was also included in the weekly pamphlets).  Ac...

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Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!<br /><br />It was another busy weekend, which was kicked off on Friday afternoon by meeting up with <a href="http://honeyishrunkthegretchen.com/2011/11/14/zoology/">Gretchen from Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen</a>.   SO cool meeting a blogger in real life!  Have you ever done this before?  I had some <a href="http://www.lacroixwater.com/">La Croix</a> waters that I wanted to pawn off onto someone, and I knew she loved these so I offered them up to her.  We met at a cutsie coffee shop in the area and got to know each other a little bit.  Some things about Gretchen's blog that I enjoy are: her sense of humor, her writing style, and her pictures (she's so good!).  If you're a dog lover, her 2 pups make frequent appearances.  Also, let's not forget how much of an inspiration she is -  having lost over 50 lbs!  <br /><br />Saturday was spent with Joel's family, celebrating his grandfather's 80th birthday at this REALLY cool retirement community called Leisureworld.  So wild!  It's like a piece of Florida in Maryland for older folks. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wPCVFnN2TPZvJBGyS2CPwG297LHIc78Nd2MSOdHBFqM205YXtcCrUHQFmqA3PEqRjQ7nQ-v0vwRHgN6dVOZLcxJcynHfgEZ0EmmVVs6lqgBF6wnCHcEVCriAe-2USdwg2kgF1KL4-pI/s1600/Paw+Paws+80th+Birthday+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wPCVFnN2TPZvJBGyS2CPwG297LHIc78Nd2MSOdHBFqM205YXtcCrUHQFmqA3PEqRjQ7nQ-v0vwRHgN6dVOZLcxJcynHfgEZ0EmmVVs6lqgBF6wnCHcEVCriAe-2USdwg2kgF1KL4-pI/s400/Paw+Paws+80th+Birthday+069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Since I now have another commitment on Wednesday evenings, I had to change my WW meeting day to Sunday (well, in order to stay with my awesome leader, Sharon).  So, I headed out Sunday morning to a very intimate meeting at 10 AM.  I really enjoyed it - sometimes I prefer the smaller crowds.  This week's meeting topic was about Thanksgiving and how we're going to plan our plate.  I came away with some great tips:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><ol><li>Fill at least half the plate with fruits and/or vegetables.  Then the other half gets divided into two parts - 1 for meat and 1 for whatever indulgence you want to have.</li><li>Be active before or after the meal.  This year, I'd like to find a local "turkey trot" in the area to attend.  If that's not possible, then I need to hit the gym or do a walk/run around my neighborhood.    </li><li>If eating in a buffet setting, do a "first pass" of all the dishes, and then go back and pick only what you REALLY want to eat.</li><li>If you don't like something on your plate, don't eat it!</li></ol></blockquote><br />This year I'd like to bring a dish to both meals (I have Thanksgiving at two families) that is "safe" for me to eat.  I'm thinking a dessert, since I'd rather eat dessert than eat the actual meal, believe it or not.  Pumpkin pie is my absolute favorite!  <br /><br />After WW, I attended church for the first time since moving back to Virginia.  The place I chose was just "ok" for me.  I'll keep trying out some others in the area until I find a place that feels right.  <br /><br />Finally, after church, I spent all afternoon and into the evening cooking for the week.  <br /><br />How did you spend your weekend?  Any special, Points+ friendly dishes you plan to make for Thanksgiving?

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weekend Recap Weekend Recap

Happy Monday! It was another busy weekend, which was kicked off on Friday afternoon by meeting up with Gretchen from Honey, I Shrunk the Gre...

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A "Normal" Trip to the Olive Garden

I'm up and at 'em bright and early this morning!<br /><br />After almost 4 days had passed since I got sick, where the main entree for me had been saltines, by 5 PM Thursday I felt famished and like I could really go for a nice slice of lasagna.  I wanted carbs and I wanted something heavy that would sit well in my stomach and make me feel satisfied and not so sickly as I've been feeling.  So we went to the Olive Garden. <br /><br />Ordinarily, a trip to the Olive Garden for me would involve an appetizer, the pasta fagioli soup with cheese on top, <i>at least</i> 2 breadsticks, and the main entree of either cheese ravioli OR the tour of Italy - both with plenty of added cheese.  Italian food is my favorite "international" cuisine - what can I say?  I cannot go there and have one of their more "healthy meals" - I want the Olive Garden for the pasta, not their version of fish.  <br /><br />Joel expressed some hesitation in going to the Olive Garden the night before our weigh in, rightfully so, but I reassured him that this trip would be different.  We would eat only until we were satisfied, and take the rest home.  There was no way, even if I <i>wanted </i>to indulge (and I didn't want to!), that I was going to put my stomach in the situation of being uncomfortable/stuffed/stretched out, etc. after all it had been through this week.  <br /><br />So, Joel prepared us with the Points+ values of the foods we enjoy (21 Points+ for the lasagna), and away we went.  I am proud to say that this is the first trip EVER to the Olive Garden where I felt like I ate like an <i>almost </i>normal human being.  I had 3/4 of my pasta fagioli soup (3 Points+ for the whole thing) WITHOUT the cheese.  I had 1/3 of a single breadstick.  Then I ate about 3 bites of my lasagna and I was done.  I could not have consumed another bite even if I wanted to.  And to be honest, I didn't.  I didn't want to, not only because I didn't want to put any undue stress on my stomach, but also because I was proud of myself for eating in moderation and to satisfaction - not because the food tasted so good that I was going to eat all of it in one sitting only to then feel extremely stuffed and uncomfortable later, not to mention guilty for just eating all those Points+ values.     <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTcYDjGUY6aIFmrtpPrDCXD1loBKxe6hFVTHJWWJnb4RclFIQ7Bn-jUGZwXrVkThlPjICu8qvOtYsl3XDHnz_JC-J_7OXfQ1rmYUekJQ3i7iTYT7MxUADmQls79SvAKtc1TDAZlimw7k/s1600/olive+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTcYDjGUY6aIFmrtpPrDCXD1loBKxe6hFVTHJWWJnb4RclFIQ7Bn-jUGZwXrVkThlPjICu8qvOtYsl3XDHnz_JC-J_7OXfQ1rmYUekJQ3i7iTYT7MxUADmQls79SvAKtc1TDAZlimw7k/s400/olive+garden.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had 3 bites from mine, and Joel only ate half of his!</td></tr></tbody></table>Have you been able to recently express self control over one of your favorite cuisines?  What was your logic/rationale?<br />

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Watchers A "Normal" Trip to the Olive Garden

I'm up and at 'em bright and early this morning! After almost 4 days had passed since I got sick, where the main entree for me had b...

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Quoteable Quotes

A few weeks ago I read a reader's comment on <a href="http://nothankstocake.blogspot.com/2011/10/emotional-eating.html">No Thanks to Cake</a> that I found very inspiring. <br /><br />Mel was talking about her struggle with emotional eating, and she shared her mantra in the comments section:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>"If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the answer."</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/401%20-%20425/402-food-choices-cartoon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/401%20-%20425/402-food-choices-cartoon.gif" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/401%20-%20425/402-food-choices-cartoon.gif">Source</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>I should print that quote out and hang it on the fridge.  And in the food pantry while I'm at it!<br /><br />I've talked before about emotional eating and how it is really my main struggle when it comes to food.  I find myself eating for these emotions: sadness, frustration, loneliness, and boredom.  I know this concept is not new to anyone - many of us struggle with this!  But the key, as with everything else in life, is how you handle it.  Through reading the <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Beck%20Diet%20Solution">Beck Diet Solution</a> (which by the way, I have yet to finish), I realized that I can deal with these emotions without using food as the vehicle.  I can busy myself with other things - surfing the internet, reading a book, reaching for water instead of food, etc - and just generally repeating to myself that "Hilary, you're <i>not </i>hungry.  You don't <i>need </i>to eat away your emotions just because you're feeling sad.  Go do something else that you won't regret later!".  I learned this through one exercise in the book, even if I do feel those pangs of hunger, I will be able to eat soon enough - it's not like I'm going to starve if I don't eat within a few minutes of feeling those pangs.<br /><br />Another quote I wanted to share is from <a href="http://ronisweigh.com/2011/10/weight-loss-diet-podcast-video.html">Roni @ Roni's Weigh</a>.  It was from her video post last week.  In no uncertain terms, she basically stated this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>"Live the life you want to live in the body you have NOW."</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/439-difficulties-meditating-cartoon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/439-difficulties-meditating-cartoon.gif" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoon-topic/body-and-mind/439/Meditation_Cartoon">Source</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>How many of you are putting off things you want to do for yourself "when you get skinny" - Show of hands?  Me too.  I'll use the simplest example that applies to me.  Let's take clothing.  On one hand I tell myself that I'm not buying new clothes because I've spent a lot of money on clothes in the past that I grew out of - both because I lost weight <i>and </i>because I gained it.  So I end up wearing a lot of the same stuff over and over again.  And eventually, it makes me feel bad about myself.  I can only style a sweater or a top so many different ways (with my limited fashion knowledge).  And I also find that the best clothes I do own are mainly work clothes. So when it comes time for the weekend and Joel and I go out and do things, I have about 3 shirts in rotation, and 2 of them are several years old.  But I have refused to buy new clothes because I don't want to waste money dressing this body.  It's almost as though I feel like my body doesn't deserve to look nice in clothes because I'm not a thinner version of myself.  Also, how "nice" can a fat person really look?  Does that make sense?  Well, you might say it doesn't make sense because it's a whack sense of logic, but really, do you see what I'm trying to say? <br /><br />But recently, even prior to watching this video today, I realized exactly what <a href="http://ronisweigh.com/2011/10/weight-loss-diet-podcast-video.html">Roni</a> was saying.  There is no telling how long my weight loss journey is going to be.  Or, let's really be honest here - there is no telling how long we have on this Earth!  And while I'm on this journey, I still deserve to feel good about myself as much as I can, even if I'm not close to where I want to be.  I still deserve to buy nice clothes for myself and try to feel pretty, even if they aren't the size I am working toward.  I still deserve to make friends and go to social gatherings even if I'm not of a size where I feel like I will "fit in". <br /><br />I still deserve happiness, no matter what size I might be.

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Quoteable Quotes

A few weeks ago I read a reader's comment on No Thanks to Cake that I found very inspiring. Mel was talking about her struggle with emo...

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Do You Have 100 Pounds to Lose?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOiJT3bP3dogngfP8ihqqvLoJ23KuMn-hx2IwSTlJsTtyeA94eYdVC_-hCv4YHeW-mY6GC0sjRajQ9jWBIzi8O1rkRs4aU0gvCre3VWueeikcHVjg6PPSCu07y-6mGquwPeFaSCm0Piw/s1600/scale+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOiJT3bP3dogngfP8ihqqvLoJ23KuMn-hx2IwSTlJsTtyeA94eYdVC_-hCv4YHeW-mY6GC0sjRajQ9jWBIzi8O1rkRs4aU0gvCre3VWueeikcHVjg6PPSCu07y-6mGquwPeFaSCm0Piw/s200/scale+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Yesterday I happened upon <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/10-tips-for-losing-100-pounds">this article on Webmd.com</a> on tips for those of us who have 100 lbs to lose.  If you're in this boat too, I would encourage you to go check it out in detail.<br /><br />Below is a summary of it and how it applies to my own journey:<br /><br /><b>1. Shrink Yourself: Analyze the Payoff You Get From Excess Weight</b><br /><i>Anne Fletcher, the Registered Dietician who was consulted in this article, says to ask yourself: "What are you getting out of NOT losing weight?"  Are you hanging on to the weight because you're trying to hide from a particular situation?  </i><br /><br />I think for me, I'm so used to being in the background that I don't want to be in the spot light.  I think I'm a little afraid of success as well.  Like if/when I actually do lose this weight, how much more it's going to change my life.  I'll be able to actually do things I've told myself I cannot do right now because of my weight.  <br /><br /><b>2. Assess Your Readiness</b><br /><i>For this, Fletcher says to ask yourself these questions: "Is my job and my spouse's job likely to stay the same [for the foreseeable future]? Is my financial situation reasonably stable? Do I have time to devote to weight control? Are my relationships stable?"  She's basically saying, the least amount of stress you have going on in your life, the more successful with weight loss you are likely to be.  Obviously, if you want to lose weight and you're determined, you can do it, regardless of how many stressors exist in your life.  </i><br /><br />I know for me, if I didn't have this subconscious worry about the way I look floating around in my mind DAILY, a lot of my stress would be eliminated.  Not only that, I have noticed that over the years when my stress level is high, it's harder for me to stick to a healthy lifestyle.  Last year, when I was enduring an almost 2 hour one-way commute to work each day, I had no desire to come home and cook, much less go work out.  Trust me, it shows on my body now - I gained about 40 lbs in that 1 year.  <br /><br /><b>3. Consider the Options</b><br /><i>Try to be as informed as possible about whatever healthy plan it is that you're going to follow, whether that be an organized plan like Weight Watchers, counting calories, gastic bypass surgery - whatever strategy you decide upon - know all there is to know about it!</i><br /><br />I know I always have room for improvement with WW, and so I continue to attend meetings regularly to learn more about it.  I also like to get my tips/tricks from you guys and your blogs, especially fellow WW members.<br /><br /><b>4. Build in Accountability</b><br /><i>No matter what plan you follow, hold yourself accountable.  Weigh in on a consistent schedule.  Report that weigh in to someone else.  Blog about your journey.  Whatever you have to do to keep yourself accountable, do it.</i><br /><br />This is why I created this blog.  Holding myself accountable to Joel alone wasn't cutting it - we can sometimes be each others worst enemy when it comes to healthy activities!  Attending WW meetings certainly helps of course.  However, I knew I could find what I needed by writing it out.  <b>Thank you</b> for reading along :).<br /><br /><b>5. Adjust Your Expectations</b><br /><i>Don't expect to lose 100 lbs in 10 weeks.  Have realistic expectations of this weight loss.  It didn't happen overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight.</i><br /><br />I added the <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/p/goals.html">Goals tab</a> to help me focus on 5 lbs losses, instead of the 10 lbs that had originally been the focus.  Even 10 lbs seemed overwhelming - especially at the rate in which I'm losing.  Now that I've decreased it to 5, I've even been thinking about cutting it down further than that.  Still, my weekly goal is to lose at least SOMETHING - I don't care how much it is, just please give me a loss.<br /><br /><b>6. Develop a Healthy Selfishness</b><br /><i>This means realizing that, if you want to lose this weight once and for all, you need to keep your healthy journey front and centerm and you need to do what you have to do in order to keep it there.  Don't make exceptions to the rules for other people and what you think they want you to do.  Do what YOU have to do to stay on track.</i><br /><br />This is something I struggle with quite a bit.  For example, when people see I'm not eating at a work luncheon or that I'm not drinking at a happy hour, I'm immediately interrogated.  I don't particularly like to announce to everyone that I'm trying to watch what I eat.  I don't want to draw any more attention to myself than necessary.  In fact, I actually find it awkward to be the fat girl and not be eating/drinking.  Those things seem to go hand in hand, right?  It's as though I'm drawing <i>more </i>attention to myself by not doing what people think I should be doing.  So, I have been known to just do what everyone else is doing to avoid the harrassment.  I'm sure you've been there too.  Some people don't take "no" for an answer.  Even if I say "I'm just not hungry right now" (despite the fact that I really do want that cookie or that beer), they still have to press the issue.. "Who cares - just eat it".  You get the picture.<br /><br /><b>7. Fat-Proof Your Environment</b><br /><i>This is simply summed up as: Keep the trigger foods out of your house.</i><br /><br />Last week I made these Hershey Kiss pretzel sandwiches for a work function, and I had a lot left over at home.  I asked Joel if he could please hide them from me, and he did. AND it worked! :)<br /><br /><b>8. Pick the Brains of Healthy-Weight People</b><br />I take advantage of this by reading weight loss blogs.  I'm a private person when it comes to my weight loss journey - it's a highly sensitive subject for me. Therefore, I don't know many people in my life today who i would willingly consult about how they stay healthy.  Still, I know without a doubt if I hadn't started reading your blogs, I would have probably given up a dozen times over by now.<br /><br /><b>9. Find Your Secret Weapons</b><br />I'm still searching for these secret weapons.  In the exercise realm, lately my secret weapon has been the NROLFW.  I do not think it's a coincidence that since I've started doing that program, I've also started losing more weight at a much rapid pace.<br /><br />I'm still working to find my secret weapon for eating (or, better yet, NOT eating)!<br /><br /><b>10. Reward Your Success - in the Right Way</b><br />Again, I reference my <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/p/goals.html">Goals page</a>.  It felt SO GOOD when I was able to purchase 2 of my rewards off of that list.  I REALLY wanted those walking shoes and I was so excited when the day came that I could finally get them.  <br /><br />Which one of these tips is the most applicable and/or informative to you?

Inspiration Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Do You Have 100 Pounds to Lose?

Yesterday I happened upon this article on Webmd.com on tips for those of us who have 100 lbs to lose.  If you're in this boat too, I wo...

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5-4-3-2-1

I saw this meme post on <a href="http://honeyishrunkthegretchen.com/">Gretchen</a> and <a href="http://bethsjourney.com/">Beth's</a> blogs and thought I would also participate.  It's like, even though I've been reading their blogs for quite some time, sometimes there is still plenty you don't know about people!  So I present to you, my friends, this numbers game about me:<br /><h2 style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">5 Words to Describe Myself</span></h2><ul style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">Compassionate</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Control Freak</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">"Fussy" (I brought Joel in for help)</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">"Soft" (This is his word for being a girly-girl)</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Thoughtful</span></li><br /> </ul></ul><div style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not gonna lie - I had a hard time coming up with things to describe myself..</span></div><h2 style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 Favorite Foods</span></h2><ul style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">Pizza</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Heinz Ketchup</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">French Fries</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Reese Peanut Butter Cups</span></li><br /> </ul></ul><div style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3 Things I’m Most Proud of Accomplishing</b></span></div><ul style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">Getting a job based on my own doing, not because I knew someone</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/search/label/5K">All those 5K's</a> I participated in this spring/early summer.</span> </li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Not giving up on this weight loss journey.</span></li><br /> </ul></ul><h2 style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 Favorite Workouts</span></h2><ul style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">An outdoor walk</span></li><br /> <li><span style="font-size: small;">Laying on the couch. Oh wait...</span></li><br /> </ul></ul><h2 style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 Thing to Expect from my Blog</span></h2><ul style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">While this blog is always going to be about me and my weight loss journey, and I write this blog more for <i>myself </i>than for anyone else, I still hope that my story comes across as genuine to those who actually read it.  I want to be able to look back to these entries years from now and truly remember how I felt at this time in my life just by reading an honest account of my own journey.  While there are plenty of positive elements to weight loss, it's not all puppies and flowers :).  And I, unlike most other weight loss bloggers it seems, truly am struggling - take a look at the left - it's not like the weight is melting off!  Aside from helping myself by documenting my own journey, perhaps one day another young 20-something can read my story and be inspired with their own weight loss expedition.   </span></li><br /> </ul></ul><div style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I encourage you to do this meme as well, or something similar, so I can get to know you better as well :).</span></div><ul><ul></ul></ul>

Miscellaneous Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss 5-4-3-2-1

I saw this meme post on Gretchen and Beth's blogs and thought I would also participate.  It's like, even though I've been read...

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Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!<br /><br />My weekend was filled with grocery shopping, hanging out with friends, and a cooking affair on Sunday. <br /><br />Saturday I was up fairly early and out the door by 8 AM to get my start at grocery shopping.  On this week's menu is chili with cornbread muffins, a healthier recreation of Chipotle's burrito bowl, and fettuccine with bolognese sauce.  <br /><br />Once I got home from all 3 grocery stores (they don't all have everything I want in one store), I planned to have a snack and then start on the New Rules of Lifting workout.  My snack for the past few days has been awesome.  I've been eating the <a href="http://www2.kelloggs.com/ProductDetail.aspx?id=1261">reduced fat Townhouse Crackers by Keebler</a>, with some <a href="http://www.thelaughingcow.com/products/light-swiss-original/">Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese</a> and a piece of <a href="http://www.hormel.com/products/refrigerated/HormelPepperoni.aspx">Hormel Turkey Pepperoni</a>. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><br /> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipN7fe8OxZTVBjgfGuJ0CMzWhA7iFbaP8K7lgO73NwXu3b-zxSX-07WjrtKqyf-pF2JgSpVZ-WNhIcPvw_zmJcjiOO6IphgbW5TcmN8JxtDHlTvxOBd6kIw1DA5sDZXDM6uJh2Fle5tlo/s1600/blog+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipN7fe8OxZTVBjgfGuJ0CMzWhA7iFbaP8K7lgO73NwXu3b-zxSX-07WjrtKqyf-pF2JgSpVZ-WNhIcPvw_zmJcjiOO6IphgbW5TcmN8JxtDHlTvxOBd6kIw1DA5sDZXDM6uJh2Fle5tlo/s400/blog+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><br /> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">delicious and filling!</td></tr><br /> </tbody></table>After all that yummy in my tummy, I began on Workout A.  I was proud of myself for sticking to a workout I planned for a weekend day.  As much as I'd love to rearrange my workouts to happen on the weekends when I feel I have more time, it just seems easier for me to talk myself out of it when the time comes.  But I stayed true to my goal, and while I was standing outside doing the bonus workout at the end (2 workouts, as many times as you can for each one), a very thin, younger, and pretty woman walked by with her dog smoking a cigarette and she told me "Great job on working out.....*laugh* as I stand here smoking a cigarette!  That's what I need to be doing!"  I have to go outside to do the Step Ups because I actually need something to step up onto (go figure! :) ), and so we've been using the curb.  Joel hates this though - he gets all embarrassed.  I actually don't care - I mean look!  I even got a compliment! <br /><br />So while I achieved my fitness goal for the weekend, I didn't do so hot Saturday night when we hung out with friends.  I actually didn't think these plans were ever going to come to fruition because we never heard back from the people planning the get together until just 2 hours before we actually met up.  As a result, I went ahead and ate dinner around 6 PM and figured the night was coming to an end.  However, we ended up getting together at 8:30 PM for a very late dinner.  Of course, I wasn't planning on eating because I already ate earlier.  Then we got there and suddenly I was "hungry".  It was a sushi restaurant, which is not something I eat.  And the only other thing on the menu was tempura chicken....and lots of Miller Lite.  Eh, it is what is is.<br /><br />I was happy for a great night out with friends though - this is not something Joel and I get to partake in very often because of his conflicting work schedule.  We had a lot of fun! <br /><br />Sunday I spent the entire day making the dinners for the week.  Stay tuned for some awesome recipes!

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weekend Recap

Happy Monday! My weekend was filled with grocery shopping, hanging out with friends, and a cooking affair on Sunday.  Saturday I was up fair...

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Staying on Track with the August Goals

I have zero good pictures of me from the wedding weekend :(.  I'll still share some later this week though... the bride was a beautiful Peruvian Barbie Doll! <br /><br />I've been doing <u><b>AWESOME</b></u><b> </b>at keeping tabs on myself for the monthly goals of August.  A few simple Google spreadsheets have worked wonders!  These spreadsheets are also helping me keep things in perspective - we are 10 days into the month of August and it feels like I have been to the gym a boat load of times, when in reality I've only been there 4 times so far, and seeing that in black and white helps put me in my place.<br /><br />This week I was supposed to start the <a href="http://www.priorfatgirl.com/category/popular-subjects/new-rules-of-lifting">New Rules of Lifting for Women</a>, but I was behind on the reading, so it looks like I'll be starting a week late.  I'm doing this challenge with the ladies over at <a href="http://priorfatgirl.com/">Priorfatgirl.com</a>.  <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/assets/images/userPics/1291351871_9931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/assets/images/userPics/1291351871_9931.jpg" width="161" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I also discovered that they are doing another challenge over there (you can find out more about these challenges by going to the <a href="http://forum.priorfatgirl.com/viewforum.php?f=14&sid=bcac8a6dfbdb0534ecd3443eea3c3dd6">Community section of Jen's site</a>.  The second challenge is more about the mental aspect of getting healthy and losing weight.  This part may be even more important for me than the actual eating and exercising.  Afterall, I eat because I'm sad, bored, anxious, as a social activity, as an activity <i>period</i> - as in - "hey, do you want to go out to eat because there's nothing else to do?".  The book that goes along with this challenge is titled: <a href="http://www.beckdietsolution.com/">The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.constablerobinson.com/images/book/large/9781845298265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.constablerobinson.com/images/book/large/9781845298265.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br />I plan on posting my results of each of these challenges here, so if you plan to participate in either of these challenges, let me know!!  <br /><br />I've also been making lots of delicious eats that I have NOT been posting on here, but I promise to get back at it starting tomorrow.   Come on back for Hungry Girl's take on a fast food breakfast bowl - <a href="http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1283">Big Bowl of Breakfast.</a>

goals Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Staying on Track with the August Goals

I have zero good pictures of me from the wedding weekend :(.  I'll still share some later this week though... the bride was a beautiful ...

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Happy Friday!

As I struggled to wake up this morning after a late night (more on this later), I was delighted when I stepped onto the scale to see a 1.4 pound loss this week!  Thank you Lord - I'll take a loss anyday... even if I have lost these sames pounds over and over again.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteL1GEXjwvmPZ9P4vgPW3SOGaJKDfWxLkx_uswzPAa1DBsAMMZjg81LRmCluzF148JkwG93PMZGwKpmQsUhKIz8hK9Y-2TT7wfh4jC5Body92LqDEe56oe5MsWdgHR9u-dODH17v399I/s400/happy+friday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteL1GEXjwvmPZ9P4vgPW3SOGaJKDfWxLkx_uswzPAa1DBsAMMZjg81LRmCluzF148JkwG93PMZGwKpmQsUhKIz8hK9Y-2TT7wfh4jC5Body92LqDEe56oe5MsWdgHR9u-dODH17v399I/s320/happy+friday.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Last night we had a wedding rehearsal dinner for Joel's friends who will be getting hitched this Saturday!  I <3 weddings :).  The wedding is taking place in Baltimore, and that is an hour away from us.  We didn't get back from the dinner until around midnight.  I am a girl who needs her sleep, and so waking up at 5 AM was rather complicated after only a few hours of shut eye...<br /><br />I can already cross off half of an item from my <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-goals.html">August goals list</a>!  I printed out my goals and stuck them up at my desk at work...now I just have to do the same for the fridge at home.  <br /><br />Stay tuned for some wedding pics!

Loss Miscellaneous Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Watchers Happy Friday!

As I struggled to wake up this morning after a late night (more on this later), I was delighted when I stepped onto the scale to see a 1.4 p...

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A Little Lethargic

I guess because this is the first week back to work after vacation, that must be the reason why I've been so tired in the evenings.  It is seriously all I can do to go to the gym, shower, make dinner and sit down for an hour before it's time for bed.  Tuesday night I even said to Joel at 8:45 PM (I go to bed between 9:30 and 10 PM), "I wish I could just take a nap before I have to shower before the real bed time."  I barely had the energy to shower!  <br /><br />Still, I've managed to make it to the gym 3 days this week, and I will be there tonight as well.  Tuesday and last night were hard - I didn't want to be there, and my legs were just so heavy.  I'm sure this is due to the low energy.  Because I'm only doing a half day of work on Friday, I'd like to challenge myself to get to the gym for 5:15 AM on Friday, so that I can meet my 5 days per week goal.  As much as I'd like to think that I would find time to walk at my sister's, I know that won't be the case.<br /><div><br /></div><div>I had a gain at last night's WW weigh in, not surprisingly.  </div><div><br /></div><div>This weekend we are traveling to my sister's house for her town's big garage sale weekend.  I have several totes/boxes worth of stuff that I'm taking in hopes of it getting sold, and whatever doesn't sell will be donated to the local Goodwill or Salvation Army.  This will be a huge help in clearing out a lot of unused/unwanted items from our condo.  After a little over a month of living in our place, we still have a spare bedroom that cannot even be used because there are still boxes in there filled with stuff!</div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, thank you for the encouraging comments to yesterday's post!  I'm just going to keep doing this.. no matter how long it takes!</div>

Gain Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers A Little Lethargic

I guess because this is the first week back to work after vacation, that must be the reason why I've been so tired in the evenings.  It ...

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Battling Weight Loss

<div>Tonight is my mid-week weigh in at WW.  I do not anticipate this going well and will be happy if I have a loss from 2 weeks ago - even if it's only 0.1 lbs! <br /><br />I made it to the gym on both Monday and Tuesday.  Yesterday was a challenge to go - Joel is still recovering from sickness and he wasn't going, and when I got home I just didn't want to go - I wanted to sit around and hang out with him!  But I quickly remembered what I read often on all the blogs I follow - that you never regret a trip to the gym.  And so I went for 40 minutes on the elliptical, that started off with very heavy legs.</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/501-work-out-cartoon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/501-work-out-cartoon.gif" width="222" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Joel asked me when I left if I'd bring home McDonald's.  I wasn't craving it by any means, but I was considering it because I just didn't feel like making dinner.  Though after that sweaty workout, I couldn't justify going to McDonald's for dinner.  Those types of justifications are probably why I'm still gaining/losing the same 5+ lbs when I should be well on my way to my goal after 9 months of attending the gym regularly.  It's sad and defeating thinking that I'm still virtually at the same place I was when I started attending the gym back in November 2010.  A friend mentioned getting checked out by a doctor to make sure my hormone levels were okay.  I actually had my thyroid tested about a year ago and that checked out just fine, so I'm hoping that hormones are NOT to blame.  </div><div><br /></div><div>I know that today I rarely follow the plan to a "T", and most times I haven't been even coming CLOSE to following it to a "T" and so I know a lot of that is to blame.  But even in the past when I've done WW, the weight still came off very easily in the beginning, and I've never been able to achieve perfection following The Plan (meaning, I never went a full week without going over Points values at least one day out of the week - and this was before the Weekly Points Plus allowance).  I know I'm capable of losing a lot of weight - I lost 50 lbs when I was a junior in college and kept it off for a little over a year, and that was with plenty of heavy drinking nights and late night runs to Sheetz!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://30dayweightlosschallenge.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/scale-saying-help.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://30dayweightlosschallenge.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/scale-saying-help.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I want this weight off once and for all, and I want to be able to live life to it's fullest.  I know that when I do achieve this biggest life goal I have for myself, I'll have the confidence to do anything I want to do... because this has truly been the hardest thing I've ever had to do for myself in the 27 years I've spent on this earth.  It wasn't the first day of college, or finding a job, or even the first day of going to work in Washington, DC, or any other situation that has scared the absolute crap out of me.   </div><div><br /></div><div>Still, this is my journey, and however long it takes and whatever obstacles I have to battle, I'll do it.  </div>

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Battling Weight Loss

Tonight is my mid-week weigh in at WW.  I do not anticipate this going well and will be happy if I have a loss from 2 weeks ago - even if it...

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I'm Famous!

<a href="http://www.priorfatgirl.com/2011/07/sweat-is-beautiful.html">I was recently featured on The PriorFatGirl's website</a>!  Jen, PFG creator, asked her readers to send in pictures of themselves covered in sweat for her "Sweat is Beautiful" campaign.  Well, It's not really a <i>campaign </i>- I cannot think of the word to use... but she wants to promote the beauty of sweating.... working out.... and the awesomeness associated with that... <br /><br />Joel and I are somewhere in the middle... Of course I have white on and you cannot see a single bead of sweat on me, but trust me, my shirt was soaked.  Joel, however, had on navy, and his shirt was also soaked, but again, the light was too bright, and the pic was with my Blackberry. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95Z3HmMsYg_CG8WUChE4MYdr7N3y5kfYTNx77VbSKkRu88HmJ3NTvE4mGaXEcTp_23O6FpmCV75n2ASdILS9zgdobkzP-hT1dY7Zxyd3_TFIm9v_5tk40cMuxy4wIUGZb1N9d4d_2LWQ/s1600/PFG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.priorfatgirl.com/">Courtesy of PriorFatGirl</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I felt so honored to be featured on the PFG website.  If you're not already reading the PFG blog - get over there lickity split and check those ladies OUT!  There are 4 awesome women (Jen, the CEO ~ haha; and her posse: Elle, Lindsey and Ali), all at different points in their weight loss journeys, who give unique perspectives on the challenges and glories of losing weight.  <br /><br />If you're reading this on Friday.... then I'm most likely en route to Savannah!  There will be many-a-post about it soon!

Random Weight Loss Thoughts I'm Famous!

I was recently featured on The PriorFatGirl's website !  Jen, PFG creator, asked her readers to send in pictures of themselves covered i...

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Disaster Averted!

I've been meaning to do a review of this cool little device I purchased a little over a month ago called the <a href="http://mytrak.com/">MyTrak</a>. Well, perhaps because of this neglectful attempt of a review, the <a href="http://mytrak.com/">MyTrak</a> decided to take a hike from my hip!<br /><br />As I was standing in the Metro station yesterday waiting for the train, I touched my hand to my hip - a customary practice of mine since wearing the <a href="http://mytrak.com/">MyTrak </a>- I'm constantly checking it to see if I've achieved "green" for the day (more on this in another post). My heart dropped when I realized it was gone.... Shoot! This little baby cost me over $150 (by the time you buy it and the membership - it's a pricey investment). Honestly, I figured I was screwed and I immediately accepted that the <a href="http://mytrak.com/">MyTrak</a> was gone - what is the sense in worrying about it? Yes, it cost me a pretty chunk of change, but this strange calm came over me. Normally my blood would immediately start boiling over and the "Pritt" would come out (a play on my last name - i.e. the term we use when my father gets upset!) Still, it could be ANYWHERE - panicking and letting this ruin my day was not going to help. Also, I didn't feel like leaving the station to go retrace my steps - I just accepted that it was gone. I'd figure out how I was going to move on from it later.<br /><br />As I boarded the train, I began thinking about when I last remembered having it. I knew I had it around 2 PM yesterday, but I had been all over the office between 2 PM and 4 PM by the time I left for home. I figured I'd just let it go and look for it in the office Wednesday morning when I got in. Then, I quickly remembered that the cleaning crew comes in at night, and I didn't want it getting taken or thrown out by one of them. I immediately called and texted 3 of my coworkers to check the area around my desk and our conference room. Low and behold my friend Sarah found it! THANK YOU JESUS! I will never neglect you again my little, pink computer on my hip!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Thankful-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://www.seo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Thankful-.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Thankful-.jpg">Courtesy</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Disaster averted, and the little lady is back with me today, snug against my hip once again. Phew! I need to get insurance on this thing - is that even possible?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfNXrUov7vdO-rc1oRoqDUo0oZj6oCowlFMHTnueuwB6goCwx3SSCQ8zdceJvQ4YTst2py-xdnrSGutsPmfVpfPx-HMzdX8Bj8jpZkSJHsmCr-7jHiQXsky_-wk-6iZa8Ta3ZFK6oPb4/s1600/mytrak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfNXrUov7vdO-rc1oRoqDUo0oZj6oCowlFMHTnueuwB6goCwx3SSCQ8zdceJvQ4YTst2py-xdnrSGutsPmfVpfPx-HMzdX8Bj8jpZkSJHsmCr-7jHiQXsky_-wk-6iZa8Ta3ZFK6oPb4/s320/mytrak.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Today is my second weigh in <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/07/living-life-making-friends.html">since going back to Weight Watchers meeting</a>s. I don't like weigh in's with clothes on... and at the END of the day, instead of the beginning! But I can't exactly strip down to my birthday suit for the meetings ;)... clothes it is!<br /><br />While I'm still considering Friday's to be my official weigh in day (with Joel and on our home scale), I like the idea of having the WWM in the middle of the week to help keep me accountable. It's like a little pick-me-up to keep me on track until Friday. I am definitely looking forward to another fulfilling meeting tonight.<br /><br /><i>As a side note, I'm still continuing my cooking challenge at a rapid pace - I've been cooking and baking through 2 of my cookbooks like a crazy woman. And while this blog is for me to work through my weight loss issues, the recipes I post are for the audience in case you want to try them out on your own. Are you even interested in seeing the recipes I make, or should I just post pics and not the recipes? Do you even care about the food at all? Let me know your thoughts - I enjoy constructive criticism! </i>

Miscellaneous Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Watchers Disaster Averted!

I've been meaning to do a review of this cool little device I purchased a little over a month ago called the MyTrak . Well, perhaps bec...

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Weekend Challenges

Staying On Plan during the weekends is tough, especially when you have a lot of things planned.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://askaxworld.com/wp-content/uploads/challenges-quotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://askaxworld.com/wp-content/uploads/challenges-quotes.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday we had a party for a friend of Joel's.  I drank 10 beers.  I'm glad this is not a regular occurrence in my life anymore!  I don't know how I managed to drop 50 lbs in college (on WW) while still managing to drink like that on a weekly basis.  </div><div><br /></div><div>I also went out to dinner with friends on Sunday evening.  It was an Italian restaurant and they had gnocchi that I could NOT resist!  I was mindful and ate until satisfied and took the rest with me.  The entire dish seemed like it could have fed 2-3 people sensibly.  However, later that night I had the remainder of the dish... and I was definitely not hungry - just eating it because I <i>wanted </i>it, not because I <i>needed </i>it!</div><div><br /></div><div>It's amazing how focused I can be on Weight Watchers Mon-Thursday (I either don't work on Friday's or I work from home and I consider Friday the weekend), but come the weekend I lose site of the goal and then it's like I have to start myself over again come Monday morning, getting my head back in "the game".  </div><div><br /></div><div>I know the 'weekends' are a huge complaint for many of us trying to lose weight - <b>but how do YOU combat them?</b> </div>

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers Weekend Challenges

Staying On Plan during the weekends is tough, especially when you have a lot of things planned. Saturday we had a party for a friend of Joel...

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Living Life, Making Friends

Since we moved back to the Old Dominion, one of my goals has been to try to make friends. One of my other goals has been to start attending Weight Watchers meetings. <br /><br />It's a sad but true fact blogger world - outside of work I am friend-less. Part of this is self-induced, and part of it is my lack of ability to find a good, quality friend outside of my office. Actually, most of it is self-induced. I hate living in this city - I want to leave it sooooooo badly! Therefore, I have never fully tried to put down roots here because I always anticipated leaving ASAP. Well, five years later and this train is still parked in the station and doesn't look like it's pulling out anytime soon... so really, let's stop delaying a fulfilling life just because of our living arrangement, and let's start changing something about it! Ugh... anyhow, I'm getting off track.... <br /><br />Uhh, so let's kill two birds with one stone, shall we? I thought, what better way to make some buddies than at Weight Watchers meetings? When I used to attend meetings previously, I made a friend who kept me wanting to go back each week. While she slowly quit attending the meetings, I kept going, but didn't have much to look forward to (the crew at the only meeting I was able to attend was a little nutty!). So eventually I left too, but I left the state, not just the meeting!<br /><br />As I walked through the doors of the meeting center last night, I couldn't help but be excited. Seeing all of the Weight Watchers memorabilia surrounding me, and just the overall aura in the place was just the motivation I needed. The thing I enjoy most about meetings is that we're all here for the same reason - to lose weight. No matter our age, sex, goal-weight, whatever - losing weight is the commonality that binds us together, and I love that. I love when you can find a common ground with people no matter what your background. <br /><br />I weighed in with our leader, Sharon, who was awesome from the get go. And while I was planning on attending meetings on Thursday nights, I'm going to stick to Wednesday's after all. There were a few young women in there, and it could not have worked out any better! I decided to stay after the meeting to get the face to face update on Points+, since I have been doing it strictly online since it's launch. When the meeting ended, a mother-daughter duo stayed after to discuss some challenges with Sharon. As they were leaving, Sharon informed me that Christina (the daughter) is her superstar member. She summoned Christina back in to the room to introduce us and it turns out that Christina has lost a total of 90 pounds so far! So awesome. So inspirational. Christina was friendly too, and was like "I come to this meeting time every week - I hope to see you next week." Perfect!

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Watchers Living Life, Making Friends

Since we moved back to the Old Dominion, one of my goals has been to try to make friends. One of my other goals has been to start attending...

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