Monday WI!

-0.4lbs

16.6 lbs overall

Lowest weight since April '09


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

Sunday Food Update

Brunch

• Southwest Burger (ground turkey, corn, black beans, pepper jack cheese, hamburger bun)
• 8 oz. oven roasted potatoes
• 1 cup broccoli

Snack

• Two WW ice creams

Dinner

• Two servings of corn/cheese enchiladas
• Oven roasted cauliflower
• Slim-a-bear ice cream

WI tomorrow... let's see how this goes...

Da dum dee dum, da dum dee dum!

Breakfast

• Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1/2 c strawberries
• 1/4 c blueberries
• 1 c V8 diet splash
• 4 oz. Activia Light vanilla yogurt
• 1 package Crystal light on-the-go white peach tea

1/4 c trail mix

Lunch

• 2 sushi rolls

• chicken breast
• brown rice
• green beans
• nori

2 servings Special K blueberry

1/2 c skim milk

Dinner

• 2 sushi rolls

• chicken breast
• brown rice/couscous
• grean beans
• nori

Exercise

• 20 minutes of pilates/yoga/weight lifting

:: PHEW :: I've been slacking on the exercise for a while, I am OUT OF SHAPE! That was the worst 20 minutes ever!

Food tracking has been such a chore this week. I was becoming increasingly more frustrated with my work situation, which leads to stress eating. Water consumption has become a key part of reducing stress eating. I was amazed at how much volleyball (which is now two times a week) helped reduce my stress level.

Now if I can just get rid of this annoying cramp in my left shoulder blade, life would be wonderful!

I also have some VERY exciting news - one of my best friends is engaged, and she asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The maid of honor and I have vowed to slim down before the wedding (tentatively scheduled for September of 2010). We have launched a freewebs site to share food logs, exercises, recipes and results. I'm so excited!

New Goals!

Updated! Yea!

Waaaaay overdid it at Sweet Tomatoes last night, like all my WPA in ONE SITTING.

Oops.

So I hopped on the scale this morning to gauge the damage - I know wrong thing to do...

-1lb

WHAAAAAAT?

This is going to be an interesting week in WW for me :)

FFL Week 3 Results

31 FFL points

-1.2 lbs (16 lbs overall)


YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

Almost back down to the weight before I dropped off WW (254.4) - 10% here I come!!

FFL - Week 3

This has been a most unproductive week for me. I've stayed OP, but have done absolutely no exercise. It's sad seeing 0 APs and the FFL chart blank.

I guess this lack of mobility can be mostly chalked up to finals week. This is my first semester with 4 online classes, and it has been overwhelming to say the least.

Usually, I can get in 30-45 minutes of aerobic walking during work. For the past week or so, I was trying to be a real "team player." With our recent merger, our new management team is 3 hours behind us. By the time we're going to lunch, they're just revving up for the day. Most of us have stopped taking lunch, just because of the demands our manager have for deadlines etc. Ironically, when they take their lunch 3 hours later, they are nowhere to be found. All communication stops.

Frustrated and tired of dropping my free time, I shut down everything for a full hour today. It was liberating. We spent time just chatting with each other, ignoring the influx of emails, IMs and phone calls pouring in. I need to take that time back, not just because it is a requirement of my job, by for my mental and physical health and well being.

I had the strangest incident today (TMI ALERT). After getting home from work, I was doubled over in pain. It felt like the most intense cramps I had ever experienced. At one point, the pain was so bad I became weak and all the color had left my face. I immediately popped some ibuprofen and laid down on a heating pad. Four hours later, I work up when DBF comes home. The sharp pain has subsided, but there is still residual soreness.

OK, back to paper writing. Have a good week everyone!

FFL Week 2 Results

FFL Points: 29
Weigh In: -1.6

YEA!

FFL Days 11 - 18

Wow, this has been a CRAZY week.

Thursday:

Car died, and chicken wings dipped into my APs.

Friday:

Sushi party!

Saturday:

Dinner and Pub crawl, but every mixer was diet soda! Followed by a late night IHOP binge. Oopie.

Sunday:

Lazy day at home, no APs gathered. Hot dogs for lunch, followed by fried chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner.

Monday:

FFL Points: 29, 5 more than the previous week! Wahoo!

WI: Didn't happen. Carpooling with DBF threw off my entire morning schedule.

Stayed OP!

Tuesday:

Refused a lunch at Wendy's, and had a light dinner at Panera.

Volleyball night!

Stayed OP!

Wednesday:

Phew! What a week in review! Today was another successful day: smoothie, trail mix, salad and fruit. After work, I hung out at Starbucks for 3 hours until DBF got off work. I had a venti light caramel frappuccino. I am in LOVE with the light drinks!

For dinner, I did splurge a little bit for Taco Bell (mmmm, crunchwrap!). I'm terrified for the FFL score next week, I've barely done anything!

That's all I have for now. Back to homework and finals!

FFL Days 9 and 10

Tuesday:

Fabulous OP day! Funny story:

I bought six pre-made salads over the weekend (love the BOGO) and I love the Spinach, Bacon and Egg with Honey Dijon Dressing. Very yummy. Anyway, the caloric value of the salad includes the leafy greens, the toppings, and a pre-measured tub of dressing. I was examining the tub, trying to see if I should just drizzle half, or maybe a quarter of the tub when - BAM! I dropped the tub on my pants. BONUS: When they say honey, they meant real honey - I had the stickiest pants for the rest of the day.

Breakfast:

• Smoothie

Lunch:

• Spinach Bacon Egg Salad

Snacks:

• Fruit cup (2 c.)
• Berry, nut and chocolate trail mix (3 tbsp.)
• Hostess 100 calorie rmini-cakes
  

Dinner:

• Panera Half Turkey Artichoke panini
• 1/2 Panera You Pick Two size Forest Mushroom Soup
• Panera wheat baguette
  

Snack:

• Chocolate covered banana

Exercise:

• 10 minutes weight lifting
• 90 minutes beach volleyball
• 5795 steps

Wednesday

Had to go walking at work by myself today - which was pretty nice actually. I needed that 30 minutes to burn off pent up stress. I felt so much better, and did NOT have the urge to pick up a Chick-Fil-A shake on my delivery rounds today :)

Breakfast:

• Smoothie

Snack:

• Berry, nut and chocolate trail mix (3 tbsp.)

Lunch:

• Spinach Bacon Egg Salad

Snacks:

• Fruit cup (2 c.)

Dinner:

• Grilled chicken breast
• Over roasted cauliflower
• Rice pilaf
  

Snack:

• Chocolate covered banana

Exercise:

• 30 minutes of brisk walking
• 5239 steps

I still want to get in 30 minutes of pilates and I have 2 pts. left for the night. Got to get MOVIN'!!

FFL Day 8, Point Day!

• Weight: 2 pts
• Exercise: 14 pts
• Water intake: 7 pts
• Steps: 1 pt

Total pts: 24

Eh, not bad for the first week - but I am already on the lower end of the team. Boo.

What really gets me hopped up is that coworker, she blatently lied about her points! Ugh. So frustrating.

Breakfast:

• Smoothie
• Coffee with splenda and coffee mate
  

Lunch:

• Chef Salad

Snack:

• Fruit Salad (2 cups)

Dinner:

• "Grown Up" Mac and Cheese (Kraft Whole Grain Mac and Cheese, Chicken, Bacon, Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic)

Snack:

• Chocolate covered banana
• Honeydew melon (1.5 cups)

Exercise:

• 30 minutes brisk walking (2 APs)
• 30 minutes of housework (cooking)
  
• 30 minutes yoga/pilates

Oh le tired. Time for bed.

FFL Day 7, WI day

-0.6 lbs!

I'll take it!

Off to grocery shop and restock the fridge with some lean chicken and turkey. BOGO premade salads as well, gotta love it!

FFL Days 3, 4, 5, and 6

Wednesday:

A whole lot of hurry up and go on vacation! Stayed OP throughout the day. Had a wonderful night seeing RENT with Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp. I am still drooling over Adam Pascal's performance.

Thursday:

Not the best OP day. Had chicken wings for lunch, and then gorged on a wonderful anniversary dinner. Goat cheese egg rolls, curry cauliflower soup, braised lamb with couscous and cheesecake for dessert. Aaaaaamazing!

Friday:

We started the morning with a full-service breakfast: fried eggs, bacon and oven roasted potatoes. Went shopping for the apartment, and then to the movies. Popcorn, chocolate bar and coke zero. Followed by a dinner of pot roast and cookies/ice cream. On the plus side, I did get the most steps on this day out of the whole week: 6386!

Saturday:

Yoga class was canceled, and I am uber bummed. Oh well, maybe next week. Going to attempt some at home pilates, and maybe the treadmill. WI in tomorrow will be a gamble, but I'm ready to report!

WAHOO!

FFL Day 2

Breakfast:

• Smoothie

Snack:

• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
  

Lunch:

• Corn and Cheese Enchiladas
• 1/2 c. white rice
• 1 package Hostess 100 calorie mini-cupcakes

Snack:

• 2 c. watermelon
• 1 c. honeydew melon

Dinner:

• Panera Half Turkey Artichoke panini
• Panera You Pick Two size Forest Mushroom Soup

Snack:

• 1 Diana's Banana

Exercise:

• 120 minutes of recreational volleyball
• 4602 steps

I waaaaaay overslept this morning, and then my smoothie cups broke (kinda like Magic Bullet cups). Ugh... when did Tuesday become Monday?

I am THRILLED to have stayed OP today, and another great day with the 8 GHG!! However, I didn't get all the APs I anticipated. Enormous thunderstorms got in the way of our 30 minute stroll. I wanted to get in 30 minutes at the gym on the treadmill or stairclimber - but instead took three ibuprofen after volleyball. HAHAHA.

Tomorrow kicks off my mini-getaway for my anniversary. Three years with DBF on July 9th... yay!!

One day at a time... tomorrow's going to be another good day!

FFL Day 1, Part 2

Dinner:

• 2 Corn Enchiladas (mmmmmm!)
• 1/2 c. white rice
• 1 Diana's Banana
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 1 hostess 100 calorie mini-cupcakes
• 1 oz. Stacy's pita chips

Exercise:

• 30 minutes of brisk walking
• 5047 steps (total)

No gym today - but that's quite all right. I achieved all 8 GHGs... which I think it pretty sweet.

I think day 1 went relatively well. My goal is to score the most points in the WL category for the FFL. WAHOO!

FFL Day 1, Part 1

Breakfast:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 piece of pepper jack cheese
• 1 piece of deli turkey
• water
• multi-vitamin
• smoothie (1 banana, 1/2 c strawberries, 1 container of Activia® yogurt, 1 package of Crystal Light® On the Go (grape), 1 tsp Benefiber®, 1/2 c water, 1/2 c ice)

Exercise:

• 30 minutes of yoga
• 222 steps

On the menu:

• 2 c. watermelon
• 1 c. honeydew melon
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 1 Fiber Plus Dark Chocolate Almond bar
• Buffalo Chicken Salad (3 oz homemade buffalo chicken (grilled chicken, 1 tbsp of Moore's wing sauce), lettuce mix, grape tomatoes, corn, broccoli, 2 tsp. 2% pepper jack cheddar, 1 tsp buttermilk ranch dressing)
• 1 can diet cola

Goals:

• 10,000 steps
• Completing 8 GHG
• Staying OP
• 
  

I think for dinner we'll be testing out a new recipe, Corn and Cheese enchiladas. Hopefully, DBF and I will get in a good 30-45 minutes on the treadmill as well.

Here's to a healthy day!

Just the motivation I need...

Hello everyone!

Tomorrow morning starts a new fitness competition at my place of employment. This fantasy fit league challenges teams to score "fantasy miles" (points) by doing various activities. Points are also scored by walking (pedometer is used to "double dip" for points) and weight loss.

I can't let my team down!

Granted, I should be doing this for me - but I really want to just win. Anyone have that coworker, the one who feels the need to spew irrational advice? Mine feels the need to lecture on exercise and weight loss. However, she skips two meals each day - and walks once a week and gloats about her "results." She is also known to cheat on this fit league for the recognition.

Irritating.

I started this WW week on a good note - only .5 into the WPA, and I am full. The fridge is stocked with salad mix, fruits and veggies. Thank to Publix for having a BOGO sale on Diana's Banana Babies! I might have to nosh on one of those later...

Also looking forward to the season premiere of Ruby tonight on the Style Network!

Can't wait to get back into reading everyone's blog. Have a great week!

Good Morning, so far so good...

I've tracked my breakfast (1/2 bagel with egg whites, turkey and cheese; 1 cup of melon) - and packed a healthy lunch.

I'm attempting to guzzle the last half of my nalgene before heading into the shower. It's amazing how much better I feel after water and a multi-vitamin.

Today I will avoid:

• Buying supplemental snacks
• Going out to lunch at a FF place
• Sneaking candies from "free" candy bowls
• "Forgetting" to drink enough water

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Wow, it has been too long...

Wow, it has been far too long.

First - I am proud to say that for the first time ever, I have been able to maintain the weight loss. Granted, it is only 15 lbs (with another 100+ to go) - but after a month of not being stringent on WW I have been able to maintain the weight loss.

Time to move from maintain back into loss mode. Today was a moderately OP day. Made a very low point black bean enchilada dinner (click here).

Exercising will be incredibly interesting. The southern sun is getting incredibly hot, and the afternoon are swallowed by rain showers. I'm also back in school, taking 4 classes. I'll be taking this one day at a time.

Look forward to catching up with everyone!

NO MORE!

Well, it's been a nice month of "I'm really trying to lose weight, kinda... I think?"

I always get to this point in the weight loss process. I lose x amount of weight, and I suddenly get too content. A lunch out with coworkers here, an extra helping there.

The one (and only one) difference this time has been that I have maintained the weight loss. Throughout all the stress of this reorganization, the emotional eating hasn't dented the 3 months of work.

So here's the bottom line: It is week 17 and I am 10lbs away from my 10% goal. I've skipped ahead on some of my goals; I purchased a HRM (polar f7) and a pedometer. I'm going back to tracking religiously, and taking charge of my food options. I'm following the 8 GHG (already had water, vitamin and dairy this morning). I'm taking myself off the back burner, and making my health a priority.

I was going back and reading my posts from December to now, and seeing how excited and devoted I was in the beginning reignited that spark. I remember how "detoxifying" my body felt, and how I worked hard to overcome injury to achieve the weight loss.

And I need to blog more - the support from this "ring" has been extremely beneficial, and I need to take advantage of it! I need to hold myself accountable - and I need to get real in writing. I've set up an email-update for the blog, so I can blog in real time. I love gadgets!

So that's it - not more "no tracking" days, no more sneaking, no more cheating, no more sitting on the couch avoiding pilates, no more sitting at my desk during lunch: NO MORE!

Time to get myself ready for work - back to the grind. This week WILL be different ::sips water::

Reality Check...

Weigh in today - absolute stand still :(

Went out last night - drank way to much. But the reality set in this morning when I looked at the photos posted on the social networking site.

I am still overweight, I still have a long way to go.

Time to refocus, time to get back on the wagon.

I need to do this!

Back from my hiatus!

My first post in three weeks! OH MY!

Ultimately, there is no excuse - but I'll try to sum up why my mind was elsewhere for the past few weeks. Started with a terrible TOM, which lead into company layoffs. Being the end of the second quarter, our company finally started to clear out employees because of the economy.

And I mean clear out - my department lost 60% of our workforce. It was by far the most emotional experience in my short professional career. People were leaving for meetings, never to be seen again. It was incredibly hard to stay focused. We took a walk one day, and saw numerous people being walked out by security. We tried staying at our desks for lunch, only to get flooded by emails and IMs about "who got the ax."

So, needless to say - the week of the 28th was ridiculously stressful. Lots of food, little exercising. However, I was proud because my threshold for stress eating has grown greatly. Normally, if I got a semi-nasty email from a client I would dive head first into a pint of ice cream. Now, when I was in fear of losing my job, I had an extra helping of turkey tacos. Hahaha!

Good news is - I did keep my job. Life is back to a normal stress level.

After that whole ordeal, DBF and I went on a mini-weekend vacation. We stayed at a local resort, went to a water park and then a spring training baseball game. We opted for a meal plan - which was delicious by SO not WW friendly!

For each night of the stay, we received a counter service meal (entree, dessert and beverage), a full service meal (entree, dessert and beverage) and a snack. We stayed for 2 nights, you do the math.

On the plus side, the mini-vacation provided lots of unintended exercise. Being at a water park is 8 hours of swimming, walking and water aerobics. We walked around the theme parks before dinner, and walked to and from the main section of the resort every night to dip into the hot tub.

I love mini-vacations!

But now back to the real world - back to tracking, blogging and focused on the ultimate goal. I'm at the same weight I started March with, whoops! At least it's not a huge gain. I did have a small wake up call when I went to donate blood. My iron level was low, which hardly ever happens. I realized that I wasn't eating correctly and this was a direct result.

The coworkers and I have started a weekly wellness walk. Thursday, we walked almost 3 miles in under an hour. Pretty good. Now just to keep it up...

Well, that about it for me - I can't wait to catch up on everyone's blogs!

Positive support!

DBF and I went on a 32 minute (1.82 mile) walk last night. According to mapmywalk.com, the average speed was 3.4mph and I burned 142 calories (but WW says its 3 APs).

I was beyond excited! DBF worked for 8 hours, and went bowling for 2 hours for a charity event. After he came home, and I told him how I think I need to exercise more - he didn't even sit on the couch. He immediately changed and offered to go walking with me.

I love the positive support!

Slooooooow and steady...

Did you know that it is National Nutrition Month?

-0.6 lbs

16.6 lbs overall

Yay, another loss this week. I feel like my weight loss has slowed immensely. I know the two big reasons:

• Lots of eating at restaurants
• Boredom with exercise

The restaurants issue can be easily resolved. Work has been incredibly stressful lately. Instead of staying and eating my own lunch (and taking the 30 minute walk) - we're dying to get away from the desk!

Which leads into the exercise problem: I really don't enjoy exercising just for the sake of health and well-being. The honeymoon period of WW is over, so I'm being real. This is where I always fail in the diet/exercise cycle. I love playing sports, I love dancing - but if you ask me to walk just to walk... PUH-lease!

So, I need to get back into that zone... that zone I had when I first started 13 weeks ago. Very focused, very willing to feel the burn. Fast-forward 13 weeks, 2 major injuries and complacency have led me to having a staring competition with my yoga ball and weights.

I really need to start kicking it into gear if I want to lose the 50+ lbs I've set for August. DBF and I are taking a trip to Maine to see my family, most of whom haven't seem me since 2006. I have about 22 weeks left before we fly out. If I keep going at this rate (which is about 1.2 lbs per week), I will lose about 28 more lbs (bringing me to my lowest weight in almost 10 years) before the trip. Not bad, but I know I can push harder.

Ok, so that is my mission: down with restaurants and up with the exercise. Hopefully I can start seeing weight loss in WHOLE digits!

For now, I am going to get some yummy beef stroganoff in the slow cooker, breakdown the melons for this week, and prep the "cuban-esque" sandwiches for tonight (pork, turkey, cheese, mustard and pickles on ciabatta bread).

Hope everyone is doing well - keep updating those blogs!

I hope, I hope, I hope!

I was doing incredibly well this week - but I am terrified that an ice cream sundae and a Fuddrucker's lunch put me over!

WAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA!

I've used all my WPA, and I've tapped into 4.5 APs. DBF and I are going on a 45 min walk after the movie is over. I'm hoping this last ditch effort will mean big time success.

For now, lots of water and time to get back to watching "Tropic Thunder."

Have a good night everyone!

Oh what a night!

Non-Scale Victory: Losing weight allows one to jump higher!

Great volleyball game tonight. I'm not sure if it was the adrenaline or the pilates, but my knee was ready to go tonight. Great passing, fantastic setting (if I do say so myself) and I even got to spike a few. Personal highlight for me was when I was able to jump set, and tip the ball over the net.

YEA! WAHOO!

But let me tell you, it was a close game each set. I think we only won by 3-4 pts. But we won!!

Note to self: I guess I'll have to find a little widget for keeping win-loss record... hmmm

Not doing so well with the APs - walking at work has been practically impossible this week with the sudden downpour of tasks and deadlines. Monday's walking night with DBF was snuffed out. Poor DBF, after working nearly 3 double shifts from Saturday to Monday - he needed to sleep. I don't feel entirely comfortable walking by myself (not in a bad neighborhood - but just to be safe).

So let's review where I'm at:

Monday

• Pilates (30 min am/pm)
• Walking (30 min work/45 min home)

Tuesday

• Walking (30 min work)
• Volleyball (60 min - game)

Wednesday

• Walking (30 work)
• Volleyball (150 min - practice)

Thursday

• Pilates (30 min am/pm)
• Walking (30 min work/45 min home)

Friday

• Walking (30 min work/45 min home)

Saturday

• Pilates (45 min)
• Walking (45 min)

Total APs possible: 43
Total APs accrued: 6

Eating has been going well so far - Day 3 of 7, with 27 APs left for the week. I did stop at Wendy's after volleyball, simply because I left work today with 20 pts left over. Oops! I think it was a combination of not having enough time to eat/not packing enough to eat.

That's all I got. Keep reaching for those dreams!

Okay 250's...

Hold onto your seat, you're not going to know what hit you!

AP plan for the week:

Monday

• Pilates (30 min am/pm)
• Walking (30 min work/45 min home)

Tuesday

• Walking (30 min work)
• Volleyball (60 min - game)

Wednesday

• Walking (30 work)
• Volleyball (150 min - practice)

Thursday

• Pilates (30 min am/pm)
• Walking (30 min work/45 min home)

Friday

• Walking (30 min work/45 min home)

Saturday

• Pilates (45 min)
• Walking (45 min)

Total min pilates: 165 min
Total min walking: 210 min
Total min volleyball: 210 min

Total APs expected: 43?!

Ok, let's see how this goes. 43 is the ultimate target, but I'll be more than happy with just 10 - hahaha.

A loss is a loss, a loss is a loss...

I've been reminding myself this all morning...

-0.2lbs this morning, 16 lbs overall

Truthfully, I'm not too phased by it. I know that my exercise was extremely minimal this week, sans for yesterday morning. I was hoping that my eating would somehow compensate for this - but there were simply too many restaurants this week.

Yesterday was such an incredibly fun day! I woke up early to make sure I could get in some solid exercise time. I was able to get in 40 or so minute of pilates with weight lifting, and then I was exhausted! I focused on plies and squats to help stretch and strengthen my knee. I need to get back on the sand this week!

I met up with friends for lunch before heading to the spa. I had a yummy grilled chicken sandwich with goat cheese, tomato pesto and arugula with a side of string beans. All three of us are becoming more health conscious, but I had to have a little giggle. Granted, the other two are much smaller than I am (probably a size 4/6 and 10/12) but I've dropped far more weight because I have been focusing on eating right and exercising. They try to just not eat - and when they do eat its just junk. So I don't mind the razzing for eating the vegetables or asking for no mayo - I can eat my whole meal and be satisfied!

The spa was a wonderful experience. We had received gift certificates to this spa - and thank goodness. The price for the facial before the discount and gift certificate was $130!

I did have another happy "told-you-so" moment - after the facials, we compared notes about what the aesthetician recommended. Not to gloat (but it's my blog, so I can), the aesthetician told me that my skin was very well hydrated and had lots of elasticity. She said she could tell I was drinking lots of water. Again, thank you Weight Watchers and those good health guidelines! My one downfall was over-exfoliating. Oh well, time to put the apricot scrub on the shelf for a while.

Afterwards, I came home and did a few chores: dishes, laundry and taxes. I quickly downed a Lean Cuisine café classics Chicken and Vegetables and stopped at McDonald's for an ice cream cone on the way back to my friend's house to head to a concert.

I actually ended up under last night by 7.5 pts. Sadly, that was my last day with 33 pts total, I'm down to 32 pts today.

Before I head out to pick up groceries (need to refuel on fresh veggies), I'm going to go for another round of pilates with weights. My abs are still throbbing from yesterday. I'd also like to take a walk around and finally get to use MapMyWalk.com.

Have a great day everyone! Remember, a loss is a loss :)

Small Update...

40 minutes of pilates and weight lifting. I am le tired.

Time to shower and enjoy a girlie day of fun! Heading to the spa for my very first facial. Yay!

Stay tuned for more updates later today.

Pizza Night!

Alright, I'm human... I caved yesterday.

My food list:

• Fruit smoothie (1/2 cup of frozen strawberries, small banana, 1 cup Ocean Spray diet, 3 packets Splenda Fiber, 1 tsp. Fibersure, ice)
• 4 oz. Activia Light Peach
• McDonald's Reduced Fat Ice Cream cone
• Lean Cuisine Alfredo Pasta with chicken and broccoli
• 1 slice of store bought cake with icing
• 4 slices of Domino's Medium Buffalo Chicken Pizza
• 4 pieces of Domino's cheesy bread
• 1 container of Domino's garlic dipping sauce

Whoops! I blew through most of the WPA on this one. But it was yummy! Now however, my tummy hurts and I feel really dehydrated. Time to start on that daily water intake.

No exercise again today. Boo. Maybe tomorrow.

So plan for today:

• Lots of water
• Minimal drinking tonight (4 rum & diet coke at the most)
• Walk for 30 minutes at work

YAY!

Still on the injured list...

:: Sigh :: I skipped our game last night, and opted for a heating pad and light stretching. I haven't exercised at all this week, and I am getting bummed out. I feel just "blah," and lifeless.

I did get to hit the sand and run some skill building drills tonight. I played for about an hour more, but I didn't move much. I stood in the middle front and played setter all night. I'm not sure if that actually counts as APs...

So if I can't exercise, then I need to stay OP. One of my dear friends at work left today, so yesterday we had lunch at Fuddruckers. I opted for the kid's cheeseburger meal, sans the cookie. To balance that out, last night we had a yummy dinner of orzo pasta, mixed with Tuna Creations (tomato basil) and grape tomatoes. Today, we had lunch at a local sandwich shop. I had a Hawaiian BBQ sandwich (grilled chicken, roasted ham, pineapple and BBQ sauce) with broccoli cheese soup. For dinner, I heated up a LEAN CUISINE^® spa cuisine™ classics Ginger Garlic Stir Fry with Chicken since its just me tonight. At this point in my week (day 4 of 7), I'm left with 20 WPA.

I'm saving my points for a Friday night drink fest. And maybe a dinner beforehand... who knows!

I'll be in bed early tonight, I'd like to get in some yoga/pilates and/or weights before work tomorrow morning.

Have a good one - keep reaching for those dreams!

Victory tastes so sweet!

The pub was so yummy!

I had a "Poor Man's Black Velvet" and split the apple pie dessert with DBF. Super cute little place, I can definitely see myself hanging out there on St. Patty's Day!

I miss my Irish Pubs back home :(

Anyway, I just took a muscle relaxer and some pain relievers - way to get the party started on a Monday morning! It is cold out... 35 degrees with wind chill (in Florida!). I have to go walk an area today to check its standards against what our written documentation says. Thankfully, it's mostly inside with minimal stairs. I bought a knee brace yesterday which does wonders keeping my knee from pulling on its tendons. We out some icy hot on it as well last night, which seems to have loosened it up a bit.

I'm a little worried though, I get most of my APs from playing/coaching sand volleyball 2 nights a week. I might have to sit out this week if this doesn't improve.

Oh well. Off to the movies tonight! Seeing "Back to the Future" on the big screen!! YEA!

Have a good day everyone! Thanks for all the support!

Another Goal Reached!

WI results: -1.8 lbs

New Goal: 15 lb! WOW!

February milestones:

• Overall 5 lb weight loss
• Reached 5% weight loss
• Got two 5 lb stars (10 & 15)
  
• Busted out of the 260's
  

I can't wait to go to the pub for a drink!

I'm getting better at this...

Every week on the WW Boards, I see people ask whether or not they should eat all their Daily Points, or all their WPA, or how much AP they need. Then like an automated response, the general reply is "you need to play with your numbers."

I didn't really understand what that meant until week 11 on the WW program. But wow, what a difference it makes!

I've learned that for a maximum weight loss (at least, in the past weigh in) I personally need to consume all my WPA and have 16 available AP.

Right now, all the WPA are gone and I have 12.5 available AP. If I can get in 30 minutes on the treadmill today, and maybe another 30-40 with the Pilates/Weight training; then I will be golden for WI tomorrow.

What else have I learned? Water is incredibly key. At week 11, I typically go through 4 -5 refills of my 36 oz. water bottle daily. In the more tropical climate I live in, dehydration is always a threat. But there are also other benefits - cleaner skin (its been proven by Popular Science), hungry less often, and (dare I say) more consistent digestive processes. It make sense, since WW promotes "filling foods" (read: more fiber) you automatically need to up your liquid intake.

Real food is so much better than fake food. For example, I could have 2 servings of a processed 100 calorie pack of cookies/crackers, etc - or I can have 1/4 c. of homemade guacamole with veggies and baked chips. In the end real food tastes better, and keeps me fuller longer.

It's OK to eat Fast Food. I think I've eaten at a Fast Food location 1-2 times a week while on WW. I've eaten at a Restaurant maybe 5-7 times a month. Life doesn't stop, and this isn't a diet. It's a lifestyle change, and I don't want to become a hermit with frozen meals!

I had forgotten how much I love grapes. Cold grapes and water after exercising is absolutely rejuvenating.

Blogging has been wonderful! Having a running record of my thoughts, emotions, actions and behaviors has been surprisingly helpful for self-realization and pattern tracking. No more lies, no more excuses. This is documented!

I've been so excited about the "ah-ha" light that came on this week that I expanded my goals section on the blog. I have no idea what the rewards will be - I'm open for suggestions!

Time for grocery shopping! Keep reaching for those dreams!

A Leg Up...

... on the OP week, and on the couch with ice.

Boo. Hiss. It's on days like this that I truly believe my body hates me.

I've racked up 14 APs this week, mainly through 2 nights of volleyball. Last night was the official scrimmage game before the season starts. It was cold, we played well - but I ended up popping my knee again. I did this towards the end of last season, and I thought it thoroughly healed.

Old injuries just never go away, I guess.

So, for now, I've got my knee wrapped in ice; cuddled under the blankets while sipping water, nibbling grapes, and watching Toddlers and Tiaras.

I'm 3.5pts under for the day. I'm not too concerned since I've gobbled through my WPA already. I even had a yummy Panera dinner: You Pick Two® Mediterranean Veggie and New England Clam Chowder.

That's all for now, I hope everyone is having a OP week. Keep updating your blogs!

Gotta stay OP, gotta stay OP...

Sunday: Lunch at Smokey Bones, Dinner was Digornio pizza and mozzarella sticks
Monday: Triple Dipper Dinner at Chili's (buffalo wings, ancho chile wings, spinach artichoke dip) and a 99 cent container of Ben & Jerry's

I am OUT of WPA!! Sadly, its only day 3 of my week. Oopsies.

Today was our annual Mardi Gras potluck at work. I kept it fairly OP - fried chicken drumstick, orzo salad, cornbread casserole, biscuits and king cake.

I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day. At all. I had some dried cranberries and yogurt before volleyball, followed by grapes and water on the way home.

Could it be? Is my body craving food only when it needs it?! Holy carp, what a concept!

I just put a huge pot of "everything but the kitchen sink" chili into the slow cooker. It's got chicken, beans, pepper, yellow onions, green onions, carrots - you name it, its in there. But, it's 4 pts a serving - so we're good.

Need to up the exercise this week to make up for the early week gorging.

Gotta stay OP, gotta stay OP...

Keep reaching for those dreams!!

HUGE Scale Victory!

-4.4 lbs

14 lbs overall (1 lb off my 15 lb goal)

5% weight loss

SOOOOOOOOO incredibly excited :)

That is all.

Stress!

So, please allow me to sum up my Thursday and Friday.

**TMI Warning... this is a full transparency vent.

After Wednesday's news of my company's plans for reorganization hit the news circuit, Thursday was an incredibly tense day at work. My friends and I met up for lunch at a Nature's Table, where I had a delicious Shanghai Chicken salad. Later that afternoon, I walked into my boss's building for a meeting. In the lobby, every executive in the company was gathered for a meeting regarding the news in the press.

Great, that means some of it must be true.

Thursday night was a treat, however. DBF and I went to see a production of The Three Mo' Tenors. Before the show, we stopped at TGIFridays for dinner. I got a Jack Daniel's burger with a side of steamed broccoli. I thought it was a good choice - probably not the BEST choice, but a good compromise.

Then I researched the NI online, and according to a report by ABCNews the burger has 1540 calories! Oops!

Plus, I've skipped a TOM. In fact, there hasn't been a TOM since December. Don't worry, nothing medically wrong - but this typically happens when I drastically change my diet and exercise. But, it Thursday it reappeared. YAY! I think that partially explains my insane gain last WI.

Friday rolls around, and starts with a request for a mandatory meeting for that afternoon. Ugh. Why? What's going on?!

We chose to sooth our nerves with a lunch at Fuddrucker's. I was good, just a kid's meal for me, hold the free cookie.

The team meeting basically confirmed all our fears - mandatory workforce reductions. ::sigh:: They don't know when or how many - but to have a good weekend and don't worry about.

I did resist the urge to dive into a box of Krispy Kremes. However, the bottle of rum was just too good to pass up.

Today, I took a sneak peak at the scale... -3.6lbs. WOOT WOOT! Granted, its a cheat sneak - but I hope tomorrow will be a joyous WI.

Hope everyone is doing well! Keep reaching for those dreams!

Game on!

I am so excited! Tonight was the kick-off for the Spring '09 Volleyball Season!! YEA!!!

But, I'll back up to talk about my OP day.

I woke up VERY late this morning, and only has enough time to whip up a smoothie before leaving the apartment. My point balance was way out of whack. By the time I left work, leaving 5 points for some after volleyball snacks, I had 15 points for dinner!

11 weeks ago I would have dove head first into a McDonald's burger. But today, I chose Panera's You Pick Two® Bacon Bravo Turkey sandwich and Broccoli Cheddar soup.

Personally, I think that was head and shoulders above a greasy burger and fries.

We played on the sand courts for about 2 hours. I was excited to see that the shirt and shorts I always wear were missing the trademark muffin top bulge. YEA!

On the way home, I scarfed 10 oz. of grapes and 4 glasses of water. Phew!

Then I nibbled my way nervously through my kettle corn as I'm reading online news reports about my company continuing to reorganize and cut more jobs. ::Sigh:: The cuts haven't reached my level yet, so I'm not insanely worried.

I'm going to wash off the rest of the sand and go to bed. No oversleeping tomorrow!

I hope you all are having an OP day as well. Keep reaching for those dreams!

Be all that you can be...

and stay OP!

Hahaha, well at least I amuse myself!

Today I was up at 5:00am ready to work out. I got through a full set of lunges and boxer punches. I transitioned into a new move: Dead Lift to Hip Opener (from Shape or Self, I don't remember which)

DEAD LIFT TO HIP OPENER

Works legs, butt, core, and shoulders

Hold a weighted ball in both hands in front of your chest. Lift right foot and slowly extend right leg back as you bend over from hips and reach ball forward so your arms and leg are parallel to the floor [A]. Rise up to starting position and repeat. Do 10 reps, then switch sides to complete set. Next, repeat move on left leg, but keep right leg and arms extended as you rotate your hips and shoulders to the right as far as you can [B]. Lower them so they're parallel to the floor and repeat. Do 8 reps, then switch sides to complete set.

No sooner than do I get through 5 regular reps when my back says "Oh heck no" and the spasm puts me in crippling pain.

Exercising is so much harder when your body doesn't want to play nice.

Needless to say, no AP for me today. I'll try again tomorrow. Exercise is going to be key in ridding myself of last week's completely unnecessary gain!

A small NSV for me over the past two days: DBF has been working night shifts, and I haven't opted for fast food! YAY! Although, the past two night have had the same meal.

Mmm, tacos and oven-roasted asparagus. Odd combination, but I love it!

I was 7 pts under for the night, mostly because I fell asleep after getting home from work. I did get the chance to indulge in Eggo Low-Fat Nutri-Grain waffles with 1 tbsp of Parkay and 1/4 c of light syrup. MMMmmmm!

Time to watch my new guilty pleasure, Toddlers & Tiaras on TLC.

Keep reaching for those dreams! Skinny vibes to you all!!

5 steps forward, 3 steps back...

Stay strong, stay focused...

I knew I overate this past week. There were lots of nights noshing on fast food on the way home from the hospital (DBF's grandmother was there), lots of dining out at work (business lunches), and a night out filled with drinking and a drunken binge at McDonalds.

I teared up when I saw the 2.8lb gain. I worked so hard to get into the 250s, and now I jumped back into the 260s.

Boo. Hiss. Lame!

I think I ultimately learned that I can't give up on the momentum program, or the weight sneaks right back up on you! A burger here, some nachos there... a couple of alabama slammers and BOOM!

Oh well, this is a new week. Although I did go over by 6 pts last night, I am entirely OP today. I went walking for 30 minutes with work colleagues during lunch. Last week, management mandated that we have to take a 30 minute lunch. So, we eat at our desks and go for a stroll.

Makes the day go by so much faster.

Hahaha, I've been nodding off while writing this blog! I guess that means I should wrap this up, wash the dishes, and get ready for bed!

Hope everyone is having better weight loss successes! Keep reaching for those dreams!

Emotional eating, I know thee well...

Today was the first day in this Sahara desert of a journey that I felt so stressed out that I wanted nothing more than to eat my way through a display case at a Krispy Kreme.

The cute lil' orange temptation monster has nothing on this vile beast - lack of coping skills which results in a caloric gorge fest.

I start my morning with a meeting about my goals and aspirations for the coming fiscal year. Problem was, I had nothing. For a month, I have been cranking the hamster wheel with practically no results. I know what goals I have in my personal life: onderland, a degree, an engagement ring; but I am helplessly lost with direction in my career.

Following that hour of a pressure cooker, I ventured to meeting #2 where I was given less credit than deserved for a recognition event that I designed and executed. Mix in lots of new rules and regulations regarding standard policy, and I was ready to blow!

I tried taking a walk to release some steam: nothing. Sat outside in the sun for some quick meditation: nothing. I could not pinpoint where this stress was coming from, and I couldn't find the off-button.

After driving home with DBF, he offered to take me out to Chili's for margaritas and appetizers. In the past, I would have jumped at the offer. But I sighed and said something I never thought I would be able to admit to myself:

"I need to learn to deal with my stress in ways that don't involve food."

There was a moment of silence in the car, followed by DBF replying "I think that is a great idea." We needed to stop at Wal-mart to pick up some last minute items for our mini-cuban sandwiches. He walked with me through the store for 30 minutes, holding my hand and just letting me savor the silence. After diffusing a bit, I did buy a small box of milk duds.

Eh, I'm human.

After dinner, I flopped on the couch with the milk duds and skimmed the Grammy awards. I barely nibbled through half the box, which was a far cry from the visions of donuts dancing in my head earlier.

Feeling better, I grabbed my workout scrapbook and made myself a berry smoothie.

• 1 c. frozen unsweetened berries
• 1 c. Ocean Spray diet cran-grape
• 2 packets of splenda fiber
• 1 tsp. Fiber-sure
  
• 1 c. ice

Whirl in a blender until smooth

Sip by sip, I channeled my "need-to-achieve" into creating a structured workout plan, utilizing almost all the exercises in the binder. I felt some closure on the day.

More importantly, I recognized a moment of weakness and refused to succumb to it. I know I am an emotional eater, and hopefully I won't be one for the rest of my life. One day at a time...

Keep reaching for those dreams (personal or otherwise)!

Late night snack...

...means early morning workout!

DBF and I went to the hospital last night to visit his grandmother (she's OK, no worries) and brought some other family members Wendy's fast food.

I guess the smell of nuggets and fries got to us - we stopped at Taco Bell on the way home.

I kept the damage to 13 pts (I can't resist the warm, gooey processed cheese!), but I woke up this morning feeling icky, dehydrated and gassy (TMI, sorry). I pulled out that mat, ball and weights and got in a good solid 20 minutes of cardio-pilates and weight training.

I've taken the exercises from my personal trainer class and adding exercises I find in different magazines. I currently subscribe to All*You, Self and Shape. I have this cute little scrapbook of different types of exercises - always keeps it interesting. It also gives me goals - like doing the pike on the fitness ball. Someday Jillian Michaels... someday...

Part of my workout includes "Take a Bow" (about 4:15 in the video)



What I can't figure out is WHY that move is so freakin hard?!

Last night at the hospital did give DBF and I a good reality check. Listening to his family members talk about their ailments (high blood pressure, asthma, adult onset diabetes, etc) gave us a look into the future - at least for him. At his recent doctor's appointment, his blood pressure was a little high (140/90). The doctor recommended 30-45 minutes of cardio 3x a week to bring it down. So far, he's been blowing it off.

I think we saw what putting of your health can do. Come hell or high water, we're getting on the treadmill tonight. He might whine and complain - but better now that deal with the consequences later.

Here's to an OP day! 4 glasses of water already done (and its 5:48am), 1 serving of dairy (yummy Activia) and the multivitamin.

Making a pork tenderloin roast tonight (gotta love Hormel), which will turn into mini cuban sandwiches (with Arnold sandwich thins) later this week.

• 2 oz of pork tenderloin
• 2 slices of lean ham
• 1 slice of kraft thin sliced swiss cheese
• 1 tsp mustard
• 3-4 pickle slices

MMMMM!! Since its so low point, maybe we can throw in a few tostones. Why is all Puerto Rican food fried deliciousness?!

Time to shower and get ready for work. I promised myself I would blog more often - so expect more mindless rambling from me!

Keep reaching for those dreams! We can SO do this!!

Epic Scale Victory!

I did absolutely nothing yesterday! Woke up at 12:30, lounged on the couch until DBF came home from work at 3:00.

I did opt for a Smart Ones meal instead of Burger King. So, that was good at least.

Last night, DBF and I decided to go out tonight for dinner and shopping. A daring move on my part, considering WI is today. We stopped at Five Guys Burgers and Fries for a bite. I had never been there before so I figured, how bad can it be?

We ordered burgers with regular fries. I ordered the little bacon cheeseburger and regular (smaller) fries. We both ended up getting large fries by accident, so I only ate half pf my fries. How bad could it be?

I saw they had a website, so I just checked it for the NI of the food...

Needless to say, the meal put me over for the week by 6.5.

I was beyond devastated. I tried to hard this week to stay OP and I mentally beat myself up pretty bad about it.

WI was the last thing I wanted to do this morning. I kept hitting the snooze button - not because I was tired but because I didn't want to face that dreaded scale. As I activated the scale, I did a mini-confessional - 'fessing up for all my sins of the past week. Damn Catholic guilt - it bleeds over into other areas of life.

SURPRISE! I saw a loss of 2.4 lbs. I jumped back on to double check - was it for real?! Sure was!!

Last week, hit the 10 lb mark - this week, busted out of the 260s. I feel like I'm on top of the world!!!

12.4 lbs in 9 weeks... I know this time its for real. There's no stopping me now!

Back into the Routine

For the time being, I've stopped taking the muscle relaxers. This is day 7, and I'm feeling pretty good!

I've started working out again. UGH. Even just taking a few weeks off makes a world of difference. I was feeling the burn early on, cursing myself for my laziness.

The new blender has practically paid for itself by now! Every morning this week, I have made myself my "Homemade Frappucino" with a tsp of Benefiber. It keeps me full all morning! At night, I've made myself fruit smoothies with Ocean Spray Diet cran-grape. YUMMY!

Overall, this week has been relatively OP. Superbowl Sunday wasn't the normal gorgefest, and I made sure I allocated points for our night at the theater. My co-workers have abandoned the fitness challenge, which makes the tiny room we share difficult when they're bringing in Chick-fil-a and Dunkin' Donuts.

I'm also losing the commraderie with my friends back home. After 5 or so weeks, they've resorted to ridiculous detox programs for weight loss. What happened to getting healthy?

I can't believe Sunday is my 9th weigh-in. Where did the time go? I just have to keep plugging along. I would LOVE to get out of the 260s! OH and I need to buy those shoes!!

Keep reaching for those dreams! We can do this!!

Finally! Another Goal Reached!

I've reached the 10lb mark - I am so happy! I can finally get those shoes! WOOT WOOT!

Its Me or the Alcohol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUbsc_a-e3g

I had this moment today. Not about food...

I was extremely excited because I'm going to a party at a local piano bar. Included in the free admission, we each get two free drink tickets. I've been saving up the remainder of my weeklies for the event.

Then, DBF gently reminded me that I can't drink while on muscle relaxers. Cue the horrible puppy face!

Oh well, I guess its fate that I can reserve some weeklies. DANG IT.

Update on the "withoutchaneichino" (hahaha) - take one wasn't that great. Too much liquid, not enough ice, and way too much splenda. I'll revise the recipe for tomorrow!

Hope everyone is doing well - keep reaching for those dreams!

OP by midweek!

I feel like I am back in the groove this week! No boredom at work, no boredom at home.

15 WPA left... and I'm eating my dailies.

I feel great!!

I'm still working through challenges with my back. My lower back is very tight, so yoga has been a big help.

I just received my blender today!! I can't wait to try my hand at a "starbucks-eque" drink tomorrow morning!!

Keep reaching for those dreams! We can do it!

No more!

Well, the WI wasn't terribly traumatic: -0.6lbs.

But this will be the test this week: since we are starting to feel the economy pinch, DBF will be working overtime every night this week. Normally, when he's not here at night I resort to single-serve take out. Sooooo tempting...

But, I also bought a new toy this weekend:

Bella Cucina 12-Piece Rocket Blender

I'm hoping to use it to make frozen blended coffee drinks, and kick this expensive Starbucks habit. I think it will also be useful to make marinades that are too small to prepare in my food processor.

I look forward to catching up with everyone's blogs today - I need a motivational boost!

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

Pills, Pills, Pills

Wow, what a crazy week!

I've learned that the hardest part about dieting, even Weight Watchers, is that life doesn't follow the rules. Sometimes, there isn't a healthy option on the menu. Sometimes, there isn't time to get that extra snack in before running out the door.

And then sometimes, your body throws in a nice curveball. I haven't been playing the "sport" nearly long enough to know to handle that.

I'll make this quick, because I believe this is a journal about weight loss and health - not a place to whine and gripe about things outside that theme to gain sympathy. I hate it when people do it in WW, which is the main reason I stopped joining challenges.

Monday night/Tuesday morning I woke up in extreme pain, localized in my back. After a trip to the emergency room and a follow up doctor's appointment - my pain was diagnosed as a muscle spasm. I have to take dose of ibuprofen and muscle relaxer three times a day. I also have to avoid all "aggravating activities."

Here comes the problem - I'm not entirely sure what sets off the spasm! I've been extremely hesitant to exercise, avoided volleyball, and I don't know whether or not I can go back to my exercise class this week. Very bummed out! However, the website for the muscle relaxer has some basic stretches though they are hardly anything aerobic.

So in addition to only exercising minimally, comfort foods have been the staple on the menu this week. Soups, pastas, and pizza - I'm not looking forward to this weigh in.

The one plus to this situation is that I can't drink while taking the medication, so I can gain back some points there! Hahaha.

While I was at the doctor's, we talked about about my previous blood work which made me very proud! My HDLs (the good cholesterol) were 47 (needs to be higher than 46) and my LDLs (bad cholesterol) were 86 (needs to be lower than 130) and my triglycerides were 96 (needs to be lower than 150). It exciting to know that even know I am overweight, I am truly eating healthy items - be it too many of them!

I just have to remember, a couple of setbacks with my weight are okay. The road to weight loss is a long journey, its going to take some time. I can't give up, I can't go back. My health may be good for now, but if I keep this weight on I do run the risk of more spasms or worse afflictions. I could be destined for diabetes or complicated cholesterol issues.

This week is in the past - time to learn and be wiser for when the curve ball comes again. I'm ready!

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

First Set Back

Well, at least this is NO surprise!

I will admit, though, I really did absolutely no damage control yesterday. After noshing on Burger King and two huge bowls of cereal, I consumed 100 calories cakes, grapes, yogurt and chocolate before heading to a steak house for dinner with DBF family.

So, in retrospect, I could have minimized the 1.4 lb gain. Oh well, onto a new day!

Last night, I bought some new workout pants because my current ones have shrunk, lengthwise. I'm excited to test out my new duds today. Except they are BRIGHT blue... oh my.

I also invested in Activia, and dumped those Good Belly shots I was taking. Aside from being just nasty to taste, I truly think they messed up my system. Hopefully, Activia will be better - it definitely tastes better.

To sum up, more exercise this week. Starting now. :)

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

Where'd the exercise go?

This week, I very much traded exercise for warmth and comfort.

I'm bracing myself for WI tomorrow. With -7 on the week, and icy cold fingers just typing this - the outcome is not looking positive.

But its ok, just need to pick myself up by my bootstraps and try harder next week!

I did find a neat website: http://www.mapmywalk.com/

Using Google Maps, it will measure the length of your walk wherever you decide to go!

Keep reaching for those dreams (and stay warm)!

Thank Goodness, Its My Thursday...

Its the new TGIF, TGIMT!

These past two days have been wretched for eating correctly. Ever have those days of busting through work at your desk and realize its almost two hour past your normal lunch break?

Ugh, I hate stressful work weeks.

I am, however, doing better about eating my point this week. I've enjoyed an occasional Starbucks drink, some bacon and even chicken parmesan.

Now I just need to find a balance between eating when I am hungry, and eating my points. I've been able to do both really well - but I don't see the results I want.

Ah, the learning processes of life.

I am .2 lbs from my 10lb mark. I really hope this will be the week!! But getting motivated to workout this week is absolutely killer. Its cold outside, its been stressful at work, and I am incredibly sore (still) from my class on Monday. Volleyball was canceled last night due to rain. I as up at 4:30 this morning, and quickly jumped back under the covers.

One day at a time, tomorrow will be better - I can feel it!

Keep reaching for those dreams!!

Fighting the Uphill Battle...

Sorry that I've disappeared, but this has been a CRAZY week!

I only had one day off - super bummer. But, going to work on Sunday for new-hire onboarding gave me lots of AP from walking all over the place. My coworker had her pedometer, which tallied about 4 or so miles. Go us!

Thanks Nic for the advice - I did send my body into "starvation" mode. Losing only .2lbs this week just fires me up more to stick to the WW plan this week. Eat those points, eat those points!

I am exhausted after my Personal Trainer class tonight. After kicking off with a mile power walk, with weights, we didn't slow down for the whole hour. I was sweating like crazy and got a little dizzy towards the end.

Feel the burn!

I felt no guilt about the chicken parmesan I had for dinner tonight - HA! I very much earned that!

Volleyball season is starting up again, which is very exciting. For now, we'll just practice one to two times a week until games start.

Look at all the APs rolling in :)

Now I just need to get my coworkers back on plan with our 10 week challenge. No more excuses ladies - we need to get out walking!

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

Walk like a Winner!

Making my way through week - very successfully. I haven't dipped into my weekly points or my activity points.

I had a small NSV today. I went to the blood donation drive, and the last time I went I had to use an extended cuff because my upper arm was too chubby. But this time, the regular cuff did the trick. It's simple things like that that make this journey very fulfilling!

I was out of work early so instead of waiting for DBF to pick me up, I walked the 30 minutes to his workplace. It was a beautiful day outside, and I walked briskly along the river while jamming to my iPod tunes.

DBF was SO surprised that I walked over - the last time we took that walk about 6 months ago I almost didn't make it. But today, I powerwalked it in good time.

Hope everyone is doing well! Keep posting those updates! I'll have something more substantial tomorrow, but work is mentally draining me this week :)

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

Maxed out on APs

13 APs today - can you believe it?!

Here's how it went down today:

• 5:15 am - Pilates and weight training (30 min)
• 7:00 am - Walk to my office, with the ankle weights (15 min)
• 1:00 pm - Walk around the complex with co-workers (30 min)
• 4:45 pm - Walk back to my car (15 min)
• 5:30pm - Personal Trainer class (60 min)

Needless to say, I am a little tired. But I feel faaaaaaaaaaaaaaabulous!

We decided, us 5 co-workers, to participate in the 10 week fitness challenge through our company. Its nothing too terribly intense, but more of a weekly focus.

The first week is focused on cardiovascular activity and drinking more water. After being on WW for 3 weeks, this is nothing new to me. However, we did decide on 3 ground rules so far: 1) Bring bagged lunches at least 4 days a week, 2) walk for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week, 3) Support each other in reaching our goals.

I am super excited to have support and structure not only here at home, but among my co-workers. We're planning to celebrate the "graduation" from the 10 week challenge by going to a water park.

Hmm... March 16th...

If I can lose an average of 2 lbs a week, I will drop about 20 lbs. The most I could realistically drop would be 40.

WOW! Can you imagine? 40 lbs?! That's what I'll be dreaming about tonight, probably the best sleep I'll have had in a while :)

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

Not quite..

the 10 lbs I was hoping for, but I'm not complaining!

I've lost 9.6 lbs as of today, with an awesome SV this week of 4 lbs! I survived NYE with DBF's family and 4 days of vacation.

I feel on top of the world!! WEEE!!

I started working out yesterday with the weights I bought for Monday's exercise class. Side note: weights are EXPENSIVE! I spent about $20 for bell weights and wrist/ankle weights.

Anyway, I went walking with the ankle weights on. I could immediately notice the difference, even though the total weight added was only 3 lbs. Makes you wonder how much stress all the extra body weight puts on the body as well.

I just finished the season finale of Ruby, so I'm all jazzed for the next week. But its the season finale! What am I going to do now?!

I've set the DVR to start recording Diet Tribe on Lifetime. I also stumbled upon FitTV, which broadcasts workout programs, healthy cooking shows, etc. I'm really excited for Shimmy, which is a belly dancing workout. I used to take lessons, but now I live over an hour from the studio I haven't been able to go.

Thank you everyone for your kind words of encouragement! Also, thank you for your courage to post your stories on your own blogs. Reading your tales of victory inspire me everyday :)

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

Movie Date Night

I've been off from work for a long weekend. Actually, it feels like the longest weekend ever.

Sensing my complete boredom, DBF suggested going out for dinner and a movie. Thinking quickly, I suggested eating dinner and packing snacks at home then heading out to the movie. He agreed.

NSV #1! Yea!

Knowing it could be an OP night, I wanted to start the day off right. I bought some WW Smart Ones morning express meals, which are VERY yummy. I'm a big fan of the stuffed breakfast sandwiches. For lunch, I had Special K chocolately delight. It was on sale, along with the Smart Ones.

We ate dinner around 4:30 - I made some pork loin and bacon brussels sprouts. So going into the rest of the night, I had about 13 points left over.

We got to the movie theater early so we could walk around for a bit (yay AP!). Then, DBF said the fatal words: "Can I treat you to an ice cream?"

Dammit. DAMMIT. I absolutely love ice cream. I had bought sherbet to help calm my occasional craving, but I haven't had real ice cream in a while. I agreed, but pulled my tongue up off the floor long enough to think rationally. I ordered a kiddie cup, which was approximately 3/4 cup.

Oh my, did it taste good! Haagen Daz dulce de leche is quite possibly one of my favorite tastes of all time. But thank goodness I only got the kiddie cup, that alone was 9 points!! 9?! YIKES!

We agreed to only buy a diet soda at the food counter, since we had brought healthy snacks (grapes, watermelon, sunflower seeds). But DBF looked like such a sad puppy, watching all those trays of popcorn, nachos and candies walking by. Its at times like these that I truly feel like I'm being selfish; he shouldn't have to suffer simply because I'm trying to lose weight. Yet at the same time, I feel happy and get those warm fuzzies when he is supportive and trying not to tempt me :)

Anyway, rave reviews for "Slumdog Millionaire." Absolutely beautiful!

This morning I took a sneak peak at the scale - kinda gauging where I should spend my time today. I'm 1.8lbs off my 10lb goal. WOWIE WOW WOW!!!

Tomorrow is the official weigh in, so nothing truly counts until then. Since I've been watching all the Biggest Loser marathons this weekend, I am going to go out for a "last chance" workout.

So til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.

The Final Countdown!

The evening was set - me vs. New Year's Eve: lots of food, lots of goodies and lots of room for temptation.

Yet, somehow - I won!

Starting with the most amazing fact of the night, this was the first New Year's Eve in a long time that I haven't had a drop of alcohol. No beer, no wine - and it didn't phase me one bit!

Dinner was very yummy indeed! We spent the night with DBF family, serving up some wonderful Puerto Rican dishes. Pastelles, which are mashed yucca or plantain wrapped around beef or pork and steamed in a plantain leaf, are addictive but not so healthy. Oven roasted pork and rice with pigeon peas (arroz con gandules) rounded out the meal. DBF and I had a heart to heart moment when we watched the woman who made the arroz con gandules free pour (more like drown) the finished rice in canola oil to "keep it moist."

DBF just gave me a sad smile saying "It's ok if you don't want to eat that." I just smiled back, I am so glad I have such great support!!

Desserts were just as decedant - sweet rice, a flan type cake and cookies. But overall I took small portions, ate slowly and enjoyed the conversation more than the food. I didn't finish any plate in its entirety and I didn't go grazing about the appetizer bar of chips, pretzels and olives.

I've done WW before, and each time I've felt like I was forcing myself to conform to the diet. I was on the diet, but using every loop hole possible to not be on it at the same time. For example, I would just eat all day long with lots of little one and two point foods. I wasn't eating because I was hungry but because I was bored, tired, stressed or lonely. In the past few weeks, I have been watching what I eat and when I eat it. I've stopped most of the "I'm bored at work" eating. I've gotten a handle on the "grazing before bedtime" eating. What I need to work on is the "I only have to cook for myself today, so Fast Food sounds good."

After hanging around the WW boards, I'm adopting the idea of a goal for 2009. Not a resolution, which I think of as a starting point with little substance. I prefer goal, which is the end point.

For 2009, I'd like to get closer to getting my undergraduate degree. I have 13 classes remaining, so I would like to get down to 5 or less for 2010. I will achieve this goal by strategically chosing courses that will complement each other each semester. I also need to devote myself entirely to my school work, really putting the pedal to the metal in this last lap of the race. Ideally, I'd like to have both my undergraduate ad graduate degree by 2011.

Also for 2009, I want to see ONEderland for the first time in I-don't-even-know how long. I've been 200+ since high school, and it would be simply amazing. I'm going to reach this goal by continuing to monitor my eating habits, and always trying new healthy alternatives. Maybe I can find a way to use flaxseed oil. Hmmm...

I also need to keep moving. I have a bad history of losing 30 or so lbs and then thinking "Eh, I don't need to try so hard anymore." But with 150lbs to lose, I need to move past that level of apathy and push all the way to the goal.

Time to start the new year off on a good foot: buying weights for my training class, and some healthy snacks.

So, til next time, keep reaching for your dreams.