Somehow I let chocolate get the better of me today. First, I had two bites of a chocolate doughnut. Then, there were the five bite-sized candy bars. Finally, I gave into a small cupcake with about two tablespoons of icing on top. With each indulgence, I knew I was eating something I shouldn't. Any one of these things would have been fine on their own. But eating all three in one day really isn't acceptable.
But wait. There is good news. Feeling guilty when I got home, I decided to go for a walk around my neighborhood. Just a minute or two down the road and I started to jog. I walked and jogged for four laps (or 2.4 miles). I know I didn't burn enough calories to make up for the splurges, but I did jog more than I ever have before. And, mentally, I consider the fact that I ate something bad for me and then knew I needed to exercise as major progress.
Plus, I really want to run a 5K before I'm 40. I've got a little more than a year to do it (May 2013 is the deadline). Today was the first time I felt as if it might be possible. Of course, there is a price for everything. My left knee is throbbing and my feet are killing me. I have a feeling I'll have even more aches and pains tomorrow morning.
Nonetheless, I'm proud of today's mental and physical progress. I'm not sure what the scale is going to say come Friday, but I am happy to have momentum on my side.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Weekly weigh-in: I cheated a little
Last week's weight: 178.4
This week's weight: 177
Difference: -1.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 94.8
I weighed in a day early this week (Thursday evening) because I was attending a reception for the Wilmington Theater Awards Thursday night. I knew I was going to indulge in some delicious appetizers, and I was worried that the scale would show it come Friday morning (my normal weigh-in time). I felt really guilty about it at first, but then seeing that I'd lost weight this week actually made me feel less guilty about the mini egg rolls, chocolate candy and crab dip I ate at the reception. I did skip the after party, which means I at least managed to avoid the alcohol. I felt much better about my early weigh-in when I did get on the scale at home Friday morning and it read even less than the day before. I'm going with Thursday evening's number on the scale at work just to be as consistent as possible. And I'm thrilled with the result.
Last week, I felt like I should have lost more weight. I tried really hard not to splurge and I exercised almost every day. This week, I didn't exercise a single day and I ate/drank more than I should have, but I lost more weight. I guess that's just proof that it all balances out in the end. Mostly, I'm so proud that I'm losing again. A couple of months ago, I felt like I was ready to give in and stop trying. After a difficult year, I was starting to doubt whether I could achieve my goal. I really thought that maybe I should accept where I was and the progress I'd made and be happy with it. I'm so glad now that I didn't give up. And despite the occasional indulgences, I'm making smart choices again.
I also feel like I'm losing weight the right way. I haven't completely eliminated anything from my diet. But I have severely limited certain foods, such as pasta, starchy veggies, sugar and fat. The biggest difference is that I cook for myself, which means I can control the ingredients and how much I use. When I eat out, I try to carefully choose from the menu. So many times, I see something I really want, but I don't get it because a quick mental calculation of the Weight Watchers points tells me that it will put me over my limit. It really helps to keep track of what I'm eating, and I try to be as honest as possible even when I cheat a little. Now that I'm doing that again, the number on the scale is moving in the right direction.
This week's weight: 177
Difference: -1.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 94.8
I weighed in a day early this week (Thursday evening) because I was attending a reception for the Wilmington Theater Awards Thursday night. I knew I was going to indulge in some delicious appetizers, and I was worried that the scale would show it come Friday morning (my normal weigh-in time). I felt really guilty about it at first, but then seeing that I'd lost weight this week actually made me feel less guilty about the mini egg rolls, chocolate candy and crab dip I ate at the reception. I did skip the after party, which means I at least managed to avoid the alcohol. I felt much better about my early weigh-in when I did get on the scale at home Friday morning and it read even less than the day before. I'm going with Thursday evening's number on the scale at work just to be as consistent as possible. And I'm thrilled with the result.
Last week, I felt like I should have lost more weight. I tried really hard not to splurge and I exercised almost every day. This week, I didn't exercise a single day and I ate/drank more than I should have, but I lost more weight. I guess that's just proof that it all balances out in the end. Mostly, I'm so proud that I'm losing again. A couple of months ago, I felt like I was ready to give in and stop trying. After a difficult year, I was starting to doubt whether I could achieve my goal. I really thought that maybe I should accept where I was and the progress I'd made and be happy with it. I'm so glad now that I didn't give up. And despite the occasional indulgences, I'm making smart choices again.
I also feel like I'm losing weight the right way. I haven't completely eliminated anything from my diet. But I have severely limited certain foods, such as pasta, starchy veggies, sugar and fat. The biggest difference is that I cook for myself, which means I can control the ingredients and how much I use. When I eat out, I try to carefully choose from the menu. So many times, I see something I really want, but I don't get it because a quick mental calculation of the Weight Watchers points tells me that it will put me over my limit. It really helps to keep track of what I'm eating, and I try to be as honest as possible even when I cheat a little. Now that I'm doing that again, the number on the scale is moving in the right direction.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Weekly weigh-in: Done in by donuts?
Last week's weight: 179.2
This week's weight: 178.4
Difference: -0.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 93.4
I'm content with this week's number, but I'm also left wondering if I could have done better. I splurged a bit on dinner out last Saturday and again Wednesday. Then, I had 10 Dunkin Donuts munchkins on Thursday. And I skipped exercising a couple of days this week. When I think about those choices, I can see why I didn't lose more weight this week.
I'm not beating myself up. I just wish I could resist temptation. I guess I should be happy because there were many more times this week that I wanted to eat terrible foods. (I've been craving pizza all week.) And I'm happy that I lost weight. My progress has improved so much in the past couple of months. For that, I'm thankful.
I just have to keep reminding myself that slow and steady wins the race. My goal is the create habits that will last me a lifetime. And it's unreasonable to think that I'll never eat a donut or drink wine. So it's a good thing that I'm learning to incorporate moderate amounts of foods I love into my routine.
This week's weight: 178.4
Difference: -0.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 93.4
I'm content with this week's number, but I'm also left wondering if I could have done better. I splurged a bit on dinner out last Saturday and again Wednesday. Then, I had 10 Dunkin Donuts munchkins on Thursday. And I skipped exercising a couple of days this week. When I think about those choices, I can see why I didn't lose more weight this week.
I'm not beating myself up. I just wish I could resist temptation. I guess I should be happy because there were many more times this week that I wanted to eat terrible foods. (I've been craving pizza all week.) And I'm happy that I lost weight. My progress has improved so much in the past couple of months. For that, I'm thankful.
I just have to keep reminding myself that slow and steady wins the race. My goal is the create habits that will last me a lifetime. And it's unreasonable to think that I'll never eat a donut or drink wine. So it's a good thing that I'm learning to incorporate moderate amounts of foods I love into my routine.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Recipe: Slow cooker chicken and vegetables
For me, Sundays are usually about comfort food. And cooking something in the slow cooker simply makes the house smell wonderful all day. This turned out kinda like a stew. It looks really yummy and is perfect for a cold winter's day.
Ingredients
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used three and cut each one into four pieces.)
1/2 pound tiny fingerling potatoes
3 carrots, peeled and each cut into four pieces
1 onion, diced
1 package (8 oz.) mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 can chicken broth
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cups frozen green beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the chicken in the slow cooker, followed by the tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper. Cook on high for four hours or until potatoes are just tender. Reduce to low and add mushrooms and green beans. Cook two more hours. Makes four servings. (If you're counting WW points like I am, you'll want to make sure you take only 1/4 of the chicken, potatoes and carrots.)
Ingredients
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used three and cut each one into four pieces.)
1/2 pound tiny fingerling potatoes
3 carrots, peeled and each cut into four pieces
1 onion, diced
1 package (8 oz.) mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 can chicken broth
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cups frozen green beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the chicken in the slow cooker, followed by the tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper. Cook on high for four hours or until potatoes are just tender. Reduce to low and add mushrooms and green beans. Cook two more hours. Makes four servings. (If you're counting WW points like I am, you'll want to make sure you take only 1/4 of the chicken, potatoes and carrots.)
Recipe: Chocolate-covered strawberries
Even though I'm trying to lose weight, I still want dessert sometimes. I've learned to live with Weight Watchers popsicles or Fiber One brownies. But, let's be honest, they aren't the same as "real" dessert. Most dessert recipes that appeal to me are far too many WW points for me to make them. When I saw strawberries on sale at the grocery store today, I had an idea -- chocolate-covered strawberries. The fresh fruit is really good for me and it doesn't take make chocolate.
All you need are two packages of strawberries (about 40) and three tablespoons of chocolate chips. I used Ghirardelli 60% cacoa bittersweet chips, but whatever you like is fine. I washed the strawberries and cut off the greens, but you could leave those on. Then, I melted the chips in the microwave. Initially, I dipped the strawberries in the chocolate, but that was using a lot of chocolate. So then I used a spoon to drizzle the chocolate on the strawberries. The key is to make the chocolate last so you have enough for all of the strawberries. This makes four servings (about 10 strawberries). So simple, yet so decadent.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Weekly weigh-in: Off to a good start
Last week's weight: 183
This week's weight:179.2
Difference: -3.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 92.6
Week one of this year's Biggest Loser Challenge at work went well ... as far as losing weight goes. Pretty much everything else about this week has been terrible. With two exceptions, my eating was right on track. I worked really hard at not letting stress dictate my eating habits. I almost caved several times -- considering pizza, pasta, Cheez Doodles and a cheeseburger. But I resisted temptation. I also drank lots of water this week and exercised every day. So I'm surprised that I lost as much as I did, but not surprised that I lost. I did the right things. Now I just need to keep it up.
This week's weight:179.2
Difference: -3.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 92.6
Week one of this year's Biggest Loser Challenge at work went well ... as far as losing weight goes. Pretty much everything else about this week has been terrible. With two exceptions, my eating was right on track. I worked really hard at not letting stress dictate my eating habits. I almost caved several times -- considering pizza, pasta, Cheez Doodles and a cheeseburger. But I resisted temptation. I also drank lots of water this week and exercised every day. So I'm surprised that I lost as much as I did, but not surprised that I lost. I did the right things. Now I just need to keep it up.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Before and after photos: I look good, but ...
Since it's the two-year anniversary of the start of my weight-loss journey, I decided it was finally time for an updated photo. I started this process by getting a new headshot for every 25 pounds I lost. It went quickly in the beginning, but I haven't had new photos in a year. That's because I haven't lost another 25 pounds. Still, the difference is noticeable and I think it's important to show everyone my progress. Plus, my friend and colleague (a professional photographer at the StarNews) Paul Stephen took great photos last January and he kept bugging me to get new ones. In all seriousness, I can't believe how nice Paul was to take the photos, especially since it meant dealing with me giggling, fidgeting and rolling my eyes. I definitely owe him one for making me feel like I deserve to have my picture taken. I also owe my friend Julian March for letting me drag him away from work for a few minutes so he could put me more at ease during the photo shoot and, well, just make me laugh. So here's what I look like now compared to two years ago. Of course, I think I look good, but I also see all of the areas I still need to work on.You can also see more shots from today's photo shoot on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3000909107018.2156059.1391017485&type=1&l=5e0a0a335d
 |
| 91 pounds lost |
 |
| 76 pounds lost |
 |
| 50 pounds lost |
 |
| 25 pounds lost |
 |
| 0 pounds lost |
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Back to the beginning
As most of you already know, it was exactly two years ago this week that my weight-loss journey began. It all started in January 2010 when a co-worker organized a Biggest Loser competition at the office. Several colleagues from the newsroom were signing up and after a bit of prodding, I paid my $20 and got on the scale.
I felt terrible that first day. I was ashamed of how much I weighed -- 271.8 pounds. I can remember that first weigh-in like it was yesterday. Only the organizer of the contest knew my weight, but I was still embarrassed. It was difficult to face.
Two years later, I'm signing up once again for the contest at work and I'm proud to tell anyone who'll listen about my success. My progress has been slow, but maybe this will be the motivation I need to seriously buckle down and get a jumpstart on those last 30 pounds.
I weighed in for the contest today ... 183 pounds. That's a little higher than my scale at home, but that will be my starting number. And, starting next week, I'll continue to officially weigh-in on Fridays (on the scale at work) and post weekly about my progress.
One final note, a photographer at work took photos of me last January. I had lost about 75 pounds at the time. He's been bugging me for months to get new ones, but I just wasn't ready. I finally committed to doing it in January. Well, January is here. So he's taking the photos tomorrow.
I'm feeling a lot more nervous about it than I expected. On one hand, I want the photos because maybe they will help me see the progress I am making. On the other hand, I don't really like the idea of people looking at me. I don't like being the center of attention. (But I will probably post them here tomorrow because I figure people do like to see the before and after photos.)
I felt terrible that first day. I was ashamed of how much I weighed -- 271.8 pounds. I can remember that first weigh-in like it was yesterday. Only the organizer of the contest knew my weight, but I was still embarrassed. It was difficult to face.
Two years later, I'm signing up once again for the contest at work and I'm proud to tell anyone who'll listen about my success. My progress has been slow, but maybe this will be the motivation I need to seriously buckle down and get a jumpstart on those last 30 pounds.
I weighed in for the contest today ... 183 pounds. That's a little higher than my scale at home, but that will be my starting number. And, starting next week, I'll continue to officially weigh-in on Fridays (on the scale at work) and post weekly about my progress.
One final note, a photographer at work took photos of me last January. I had lost about 75 pounds at the time. He's been bugging me for months to get new ones, but I just wasn't ready. I finally committed to doing it in January. Well, January is here. So he's taking the photos tomorrow.
I'm feeling a lot more nervous about it than I expected. On one hand, I want the photos because maybe they will help me see the progress I am making. On the other hand, I don't really like the idea of people looking at me. I don't like being the center of attention. (But I will probably post them here tomorrow because I figure people do like to see the before and after photos.)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Staying the course
I'm feeling a bit discouraged this morning because my mid-week weigh-in says I've gained nearly two pounds since Friday. How is that possible? Yes, I indulged a little on New Year's Eve, but I've been eating right and exercising all of the other days.
As a result, I was tempted to skip the exercise bike this morning. I dropped a can of artichokes on my big toe yesterday and it was throbbing. I strained a muscle in my shoulder. And I woke up with a runny nose. Combined with the number I saw on the scale, those all seemed like good reasons to be a slug this morning.
Instead, I made myself egg whites with spinach and parmesan cheese and a side of fruit for breakfast. That gave me a little burst of energy, so I did four miles on my bike. I'm glad now even though I do seem to be experiencing more aches and pains than normal.
I know that this journey is about long-term weight loss, so a slight gain here and there shouldn't be a big deal. The real key to success is maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits and they will pay off in the long run. I just hate when I feel like I'm trying really hard and then I don't see results. That makes sticking with it that much harder.
As a result, I was tempted to skip the exercise bike this morning. I dropped a can of artichokes on my big toe yesterday and it was throbbing. I strained a muscle in my shoulder. And I woke up with a runny nose. Combined with the number I saw on the scale, those all seemed like good reasons to be a slug this morning.
Instead, I made myself egg whites with spinach and parmesan cheese and a side of fruit for breakfast. That gave me a little burst of energy, so I did four miles on my bike. I'm glad now even though I do seem to be experiencing more aches and pains than normal.
I know that this journey is about long-term weight loss, so a slight gain here and there shouldn't be a big deal. The real key to success is maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits and they will pay off in the long run. I just hate when I feel like I'm trying really hard and then I don't see results. That makes sticking with it that much harder.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
