Big Girl Undies and Night Nights

I say, "Show me your new big girl undies, Zoe." ... and what do I get?  I get a little "butt wiggle"  and then a big laugh ... next, she's pulling her shirt way down over the underwear to hide them from me ... all to mess with mommy, of course!  :)

Zoe has started the (hopefully quick) road to diaper liberation.  Soon, she will be diaper free except for night time ... if all goes as I have planned, that is ... which, honestly, isn't very likely ... but a mommy can dream!  :)

She has also moved out of her baby crib.  This (unlike my experiences with potty training) is usually a very easy transition for all my kids.  She is sleeping in the bed at night and doesn't even want to go near her crib ... though she does miss her two angels (cloth pictures) right above her while she sleeps.  This weekend, we plan to take the crib down and rearrange her room so I'll probably move the angel pics then.

For those of you who have transitioned four kids, over a decade or more, out of diapers and out of their cribs, you'll understand what a milestone this is for us.  We've been spending $50 to $100 or more per month on diapers since 1997.  :)

I'm Back

After a few months of "less than good behavior" ... I'm back to my original "New Year's Resolution" promises to myself.  They include 1) attend a Weight Watcher's meeting every week and 2) log my food in the online Weight Watcher's food journal.  I have found that if I do these two things, my weight drops to the place where I'm most comfortable (i.e. my clothes fit).

So ... after a couple of weeks "on program", I have lost a couple of pounds but I'm still up by about six pounds from where I'm comfortable.  It's so funny to me how quickly the pounds can come back on and how unable I seem to be able to stop them ... once I'm "on a roll" with my eating, I have a tough time getting back on track.

Maybe by the end of June, I'll be getting close to the weight range that I want to stay in.  Stay tuned ... I'm trying not to go crazy with only eating Healthy Choice dinners and never backing cookies.  I want to find out how to incorporate my favorite eating pleasures into a lifestyle that maintains my weight ... the ever tough struggle!  :)

Emotional Eating - People LOVE to deny this problem!

This was a hard reality for me to swallow ... that I might "emotional eat."  It sounds so silly ... so weak ... so cliche.  I just figured that I ate because I wanted to not feel hungry.  

It is funny, though, once I opened my mind to really noticing when/why I was picking up certain foods, I also saw a pattern ... eating well past the hungry phase ... eating out and "pigging out" for the shear fun of it.  That, my friends, is emotional eating ... mindless or fun eating ... emotional eating.  That equates to using food as a mechanism to bring you pleasure when you know logically that the high calories and fat are ruining your health.

I think that any time you are eating for any reason other than being legitimately hungry, then you are emotional eating.  The reasons can range from ... "I deserve a treat after my tough day." ... to "Someone made this special treat at the office and I should at least try it." ... "My husband wants to eat out and I have to go along with him and there isn't anything healthy on the menu." ... "I just love the taste of food but I don't eat to satisfy any emotion." (yeah, right ... Pleasure seeking at the expense of your health IS an attempt to meet an emotional need!)

Other emotional eating comes from what I call "habit foods" or "treat foods."  These are the "treats" that suddenly become a standard part of our diet.  For example, you go to the donut store on Saturday and find a new donut that you really, really like.  Sunday, you're back at the store ... then swinging by there again on Monday morning.  Before you know it, you have started and maintained a bad habit of a donut every morning ... It's very hard to admit these harmful habits (because then you have to give them up ... or live in guilt).

I did this with Starbucks coffee.  I finally decided to break the habit and quit going.  Now, when I do stop for a coffee, it doesn't taste nearly as great as I remember when I was in the cycle.  It's still very good ... but it doesn't call my name the next day.  I'm okay with once or twice a month as a fun treat ...

I'm trying to keep variety in my diet and not let myself fall into too much "habit food" indulging.  I have picked up a new "drink of choice" at the Shell station ... so I'm thinking that my goal for March is to drop the drink down to only one morning per week ... maybe I'll make it a Saturday morning treat only.

Good luck to me!  :)

Fresh Start

This week will be my "fresh start" back into journaling my food.  I'm weighing in at 137 - even after being "off the wagon" for so long between me being sick, kids being sick and going out of town.  

I would like to take off another 3-5 pounds before the summer.  Sticking with small portions and healthy choices in snacks is key for me ... along with 40-60 minutes of exercise bike or Stairmaster per day.  I'm back to doing some weights, too ... I'd been out of that habit for these past few weeks.

A Fun Group of Divas

I wanted to log this blog that I found ... www.beentheredonethatdivas.blogspot.com.  They are a group that has lost weight together and that have been chatting through WW online for a while.  They meet every year for a diva weekend.  The blog has all the members before and after pictures ... oh, and they are part of the 40-year-olds section of the online community ... so they are all my age, too.  Fun to read about them .......

I appreciate the encouraging comments I got on my last "binge" commenting.  I know myself and once a "binge" time starts, I have a tough time breaking it.  I woke up today ... over my flu and ready to get back on the program of eating right, too.  So ... I hit the Stairmaster this morning and I'm logging on the WW site today.  Unfortunately, I still managed to blow it a little again by eating a Sonic chili dog when I stopped to buy my son a burger for lunch.  I am just bad, bad lately!  :)

So ... I logged the chili dog ... just 14 points ... ughhh.  And, the rest of the day, I'll be chewing on baby carrots.  Love those baby carrots.  :)

Okay ... A Downer!

Trying to lose/maintain weight is such a roller coaster.  I had a little binge moment last night when the Girl Scout cookies arrived.  We started making ice cream sandwiches (full blown, fat loaded ice cream) with the shortbread cookies.  Then, my husband and I opened the Tagalongs and started eating them like popcorn and commenting on how few were in the box these days ... especially after we had munched for a moment or two.

Sicky Sunday

I am sick with flu so unable to exercise ... plus stuck lying around wanting to snack!  :)  Here's hoping for a week that I don't end up gaining ... I've been pretty good all week until getting sick.

I'm using this down time to start thinking about menu ideas for the family.  I'm trying to start collecting a larger set of meal ideas so that I'm not just cooking the same thing all the time.

From the WW community, I got a suggestion for meatloaf muffins ... now that sounds really good.  I think we'll have that one night this next week ... individual servings of meatloaf (from ground turkey) with a light ketchup sauce on top.  I think I'll pair it up with baked potatoes ... mine with just a tad of light margarine ... the rest of the family can have theirs loaded.

Another suggestion that I liked ... a "breakfast" dinner ... French toast sandwiches of Nutella or smashed strawberries and chocolate chips ... dipped in egg/egg white and cooked in Pam.  Points would depend on the bread ... but could be fairly low - especially since strawberries are now zero points.  Served with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a couple of slices of bacon.  Bacon is just one point per slice if you buy the "reduced fat" version and cook it crisp.  Wonder how the kids would like this?  I would like it ... but we have very different ideas of good food ...

Off to check the community boards for more ideas .........

Happy Sunday!

WI Tonight

I've been working, working, working to "work off" the dinner at J Alexander's on Monday night.  I put on three pounds this week after that meal.   I'm forever amazed at how a big meal can put on three pounds and it takes me a week or two of solid discipline to lose three pounds.

Today, I'm weighing in at 137 this morning ... so I think I'll see a loss this week at my WI tonight.  Can't remember what my weight was this time last week ... so we'll see.

Whatever I weigh tonight ... I'm happy with my progress.

Into the 130s

I hate to weigh into the 140s (and anything beyond, for that matter!)  During Christmas, I just couldn't seem to stay under 140 ... so, with an extra push on working out and continuing to eat modestly over the weekend, I hit 139 this morning ... yeah!!  I'm down about 9 pounds since I started this blog a few weeks ago ... I still have 7 or so pounds to go ... but I feel like the old "muffin top" has really gone way down.

Yesterday, I biked at the Y for an hour and this morning, I was on the Stairmaster for 40 minutes ... it's amazing how your body starts to respond when you really push it.  I was able to bike for an hour yesterday with no problem.

Weigh In Success!!

Tonight's meeting showed a 3 1/2 pound weight loss ... much better than I expected.  To celebrate, I had a glass of Merlot and piece of Pizza Hut cheese pizza left over from the family's dinner that I missed to attend meeting.  :)

I bought some new things this week to try ... some Healthy Choice ice cream, Progresso 0 point soups and Key Lime WW yogurt.  I'm trying to keep lots of variety because I know that lack of variety causes me to start cheating.  Any suggestions for favorite foods?  Please leave a comment!

How Many Points for Hooter's Wings?

Football Sunday ... Hooter's Wings, bowls of candy, trays of cookies, chips ... you get the picture.  I think I did "okay" ... but nothing to be too proud of!  I ate about 4 wings, a piece of candy, some jelly beans, a few chips.  On the positive side, I tried to stick with SF hot chocolate, fat free Cool Whip and a couple of WW Giant Fudge bars to satisfy my ever-present sweet tooth.  Those 1 pt fudge bars are really good.

Plus, I just worked out for 30 minutes tonight and plan to get up first thing for another 30-40 minutes.  I had about 20 flex points left tonight so I don't think that I blew all those ... Tomorrow is my weigh-in day for on-line so we'll see what it says for my week of "watching it."

Considering that I was really ready to "blow it" today and pig out on those wings (they are some of my favorites), I think that I was pretty successful!  :)  The key was to stop eating and journal my food before eating more.  That helped me to stop ...

Staying "Up" After Disappointing Weigh-In!

I'm trying to not get to discouraged over the meeting last night.  I only lost .4 after a week of completely staying OP.  This was my first weigh in after months of not really watching my eating at all.  Every other time that I've started back to WW, I've lost about 5 pounds the first week.  My home scale still continues to show more loss than .4 - weighing in the mornings without any clothes ... maybe my clothes are at fault!  :)

I'm wondering if I could be having more trouble this time because I'm taking hormones.  I haven't been on the pill in years and recently started back a couple of months ago.  It just so happens that a couple of months ago, I started really gaining weight, too.  Yes, I was eating a little more than normal (it was Christmas time) but I couldn't believe how quick the pounds were coming on and sticking on.  I'm thinking that I may quit taking the pill for a few months and see if that helps.  I know that my age will start to be a factor ... but I can't believe that my metabolism has died off that much!

My "funk" has spilled over to today, too.  The kids are being tough to deal with ... making lots of messes and doing things to push my buttons.  Sometimes, these struggles can seem really futile ... and I'm a week into this weight loss battle.  

Okay, I'm going to adjust the attitude and have a good day ... despite my bummed feelings.  I'll grab a "to go" lunch from a restaurant to pep up my spirit ... nothing high calorie - but something to make the day special.  Maybe the pasta that I ordered on "girls night" this week.  It was great and didn't seem too fattening at all ... plus, they have "take out" and I can stop on the way home from noon car pool.  ;)

Weigh In Day

Tonight is my WW meeting. I weighed this morning for the on-line programand recorded my weight. I have a 1.2 loss this week. Yes, this small loss is disappointing for the first week ... but as I get older, I find that my body really holds onto those extra pounds. I used to fast for a day or so and lose 5 pounds easy. Now, it just doesn't work and I consider anything over a pound a week to be a success.! :)

One pound down and 12 or so to go ... an easy goal to make by the summer!

Girls' Night Out

Tonight's challenge: Girls' Night Out and not blow too many points!

We're going to one of my favorite restaurants that I've eaten at quite a bit while on Weight Watchers. I usually get the Goat Cheese & Walnut Salad and I count it as 10 points ... add a glass of wine and I'm at 12 total. This means no "bread nibbling" or being sucked into the "dessert sure would be nice" black hole! :)

After just a week of being back into "workout mode", I'm feeling like I'm in better shape already. I'm working out in the mornings mostly from 6 to 7 AM ... before the kids are up ... and it's out of the way for the day.

The Journey Begins (Again)

A year or so ago, a friend of mine sent me one of those standard family Christmas card letters. Each family member had a "blurb" about what they were doing ... little league ball for one, dance lessons for another. For her part, she said that she had gained and lost the same five pounds five times. Okay, that is SO me right now ... except I seem to be more like 10-15 pounds on and off.

One of my New Year's resolutions/goals is in the title area for the blog ... to go an entire year and adhere to three of the Weight Watchers principles ... meetings, journaling and exercise. I'm writing this blog to share my story and progress ... the ups and downs ... and to, hopefully, add another layer of accountability to my efforts.

I'm doing my journaling on weightwatchers.com ... it's easy and fairly inexpensive. My meeting night is Thursday. My exercise preferences right now are the Stairmaster and the stationary bike.

So, now for the embarrassing fact ... I want to weigh between 132-135 before the spring so I have about 13-16 pounds to lose. uggh! Let's hope that this is the LAST time that I have to lose this much weight! :)