Last week's weight: 173.6
This week's weight: 173.2
Difference: -0.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.6
I'm glad I lost a little bit of the weight I gained last week, but I'm still frustrated and disappointed with my eating this past week. For two straight weeks, I haven't kept track of my food and the scale shows it. I did better this week because I didn't binge eat or go overboard. I did, however, eat too much junk food, including lots of mini candy bars at work. I also exercised almost every day this week, so that helped.
I really feel like I've been heading in the wrong direction. I've said it before, but maintaining my weight lost (and losing 20 more pounds) requires constant attention. I have to plan everything I eat and drink. Otherwise, I consume too much or the wrong foods.
I'm trying not to let it stress me out, but I'll be in DC next weekend and I have family visiting me the weekend after that, which means I'll likely be eating and drinking more than normal. The thought of gaining more than I already have in the past couple of weeks scares me. I looked back this morning at my weight tracker for the past year. I've lost only 15 pounds total. That's pretty frustrating since I lost only 20 pounds in the year before that. Realizing how slow my progress has been is disappointing, especially when I lost 50 pounds in the first six months of my journey.
The only time I lose now is when I'm very strict about what I eat, when I eat and how much I eat. And I spend most of those weeks feeling like I'm starving. I start to wonder if it's worth it. But then I try on clothes and realize how close I am to being a size 10. Just a few pounds (OK, maybe 10) and I'll be there. I want to get there. So I keep trying.
That brings me to the start of a new week (remember, my weight loss week starts on Friday). I tracked everything I ate and drank yesterday and I went over by just one Weight Watchers point. That's a good day. And I've started today right. I guess that's all I can do at this point.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Weekly weigh-in: Downward spiral
Last week's weight: 170.8
This week's weight: 173.6
Difference: +2.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.2
Saying I had a bad week is an understatement. There wasn't a single day where I didn't make a bad food choice. And my decisions got worse as the week progressed. Even after weighing in yesterday morning, I proceeded to indulge. Just yesterday I ate a cheeseburger, a hot dog, two cookies, chips, pizza and cake. Naturally, the number on the scale this morning was even worse than when I officially weighed in yesterday.
In hindsight, this week's complete disaster has been coming for a few weeks. I can see that now. What really cemented it was an emotional trigger on Tuesday -- I officially signed the paperwork to sell my dad's house. As many of you know, he passed away in May 2011. Dealing with his estate has been an emotional roller coaster ever since.
Once I got headed down the wrong path Tuesday, I decided to simply give in. Fighting my urge to eat everything in sight was just too much. I didn't have it in me. So I told myself I had until the end of the day Friday to eat whatever I wanted and worry about the consequences later. I ate and ate and ate. The overeating not only made me feel guilty but also made me feel bad physically.
I woke up this morning and I knew what I had to do. I walked for an hour on the beach and now I've got a healthy breakfast under way. In addition to the pizza and cake I bought at the grocery store last night, I bought tons of fruits, veggies and whole grains so I'd be prepared for today. I've got a very strict diet planned for the next two days because I know I need to rid my body of all the bad stuff, especially sugar. Following it might be painful at first, but I think I'll be feeling so much better by Monday because of it.
I admit that I went a little nuts this past week. It happens. I'm not going to beat myself up. But I refuse to let that behavior continue. I've worked far too hard to change my habits to give up now.
This week's weight: 173.6
Difference: +2.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.2
Saying I had a bad week is an understatement. There wasn't a single day where I didn't make a bad food choice. And my decisions got worse as the week progressed. Even after weighing in yesterday morning, I proceeded to indulge. Just yesterday I ate a cheeseburger, a hot dog, two cookies, chips, pizza and cake. Naturally, the number on the scale this morning was even worse than when I officially weighed in yesterday.
In hindsight, this week's complete disaster has been coming for a few weeks. I can see that now. What really cemented it was an emotional trigger on Tuesday -- I officially signed the paperwork to sell my dad's house. As many of you know, he passed away in May 2011. Dealing with his estate has been an emotional roller coaster ever since.
Once I got headed down the wrong path Tuesday, I decided to simply give in. Fighting my urge to eat everything in sight was just too much. I didn't have it in me. So I told myself I had until the end of the day Friday to eat whatever I wanted and worry about the consequences later. I ate and ate and ate. The overeating not only made me feel guilty but also made me feel bad physically.
I woke up this morning and I knew what I had to do. I walked for an hour on the beach and now I've got a healthy breakfast under way. In addition to the pizza and cake I bought at the grocery store last night, I bought tons of fruits, veggies and whole grains so I'd be prepared for today. I've got a very strict diet planned for the next two days because I know I need to rid my body of all the bad stuff, especially sugar. Following it might be painful at first, but I think I'll be feeling so much better by Monday because of it.
I admit that I went a little nuts this past week. It happens. I'm not going to beat myself up. But I refuse to let that behavior continue. I've worked far too hard to change my habits to give up now.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Weekly weigh-in: I'm so confused
Last week's weight: 171.2
This week's weight: 170.8
Difference: -0.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 101
I was fully prepared to have gained weight this week, so imagine how confused I was when I got on the scale and I'd lost a little. I didn't track my food or exercise any day in the past week. And, based on what I ate and drank, I knew it wouldn't be a good week. Plus, the scale had been showing a gain every day.
Yes, I weigh myself every day. The only time I don't is when I'm not at home in the morning. This is a habit that started when my weight-loss journey first began nearly three years ago. I know lots of people recommend weighing in only once a week, but it seems to be working for me. In fact, I used to take the scale on vacation during the first year. I've since learned to give myself a little more leeway during those times.
Anyway, I even thought that a tremendous amount of stress this week and a lot of insomnia might affect the number on the scale. I'm glad I lost weight this week. But it doesn't make sense to me.And I don't like the eating habits I've developed lately. They've involved far too much junk food and mindless snacking. I've never worried about splurging when it was a conscious choice and for a specific reason (a celebration, vacation, etc.).
So my goal for this week is simple because I know that truly regaining control over my eating will be a slow process. All I want to do is think about everything I eat and drink and decide before I consume it whether it's something I really want and whether I'll feel good after eating/drinking it.
This week's weight: 170.8
Difference: -0.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 101
I was fully prepared to have gained weight this week, so imagine how confused I was when I got on the scale and I'd lost a little. I didn't track my food or exercise any day in the past week. And, based on what I ate and drank, I knew it wouldn't be a good week. Plus, the scale had been showing a gain every day.
Yes, I weigh myself every day. The only time I don't is when I'm not at home in the morning. This is a habit that started when my weight-loss journey first began nearly three years ago. I know lots of people recommend weighing in only once a week, but it seems to be working for me. In fact, I used to take the scale on vacation during the first year. I've since learned to give myself a little more leeway during those times.
Anyway, I even thought that a tremendous amount of stress this week and a lot of insomnia might affect the number on the scale. I'm glad I lost weight this week. But it doesn't make sense to me.And I don't like the eating habits I've developed lately. They've involved far too much junk food and mindless snacking. I've never worried about splurging when it was a conscious choice and for a specific reason (a celebration, vacation, etc.).
So my goal for this week is simple because I know that truly regaining control over my eating will be a slow process. All I want to do is think about everything I eat and drink and decide before I consume it whether it's something I really want and whether I'll feel good after eating/drinking it.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Weekly weigh-in: Snack attack
Last week's weight: 171
This week's weight: 171.2
Difference: +0.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 100.6
I apologize for the delay in posting my weekly update. I was simply too tired when I got home from work Friday to do it and I didn't even turn on my computer on Saturday. Anyway, this week was about maintaining ... obviously.
I was under a tremendous amount of stress personally and professionally so I knew this past week wouldn't be easy. So I cooked healthy foods last weekend and they did help me stay away from major pitfalls. But I felt hungry all week, which led to a lot of snacking.
The good news is that I didn't eat anything incredibly bad for me. The bad news is that I did eat more than I should have. And the trend has continued into the weekend with a a function for work during the day Saturday that involved food and wine and then a dinner out Saturday night that ended with a stop at an ice shop (I bought candy instead of ice cream, but the effect on the scale will be the same.)
I had a proud moment during dinner Saturday night, though, when a friend pointed out that she's never seen me truly deprive myself of anything. We've been to dinner, parties, etc. many time in the past couple of years and I try to make smart choices, but she's right that I don't starve myself or refuse to eat something served to me.
I've said all along that this journey is about changing my eating habits for the rest of my life. And I hope I'm doing it in a way that allows me to maintain my weight loss forever. I know that I could drastically restrict my food intake for a couple of months and lose the last 20 pounds. But I also know that after those two months (maybe even before), I'd end up binging and gaining the weight back quickly.
I love food. I love to cook. I love to eat. This is part of who I am. That's not going to change. My goal is to find a healthy balance that lets me eat foods I love while maintaining my weight loss. So I might not be exactly where I want to be yet in my journey, but I am happy that my friend recognized that my strategy does not involve eating like a bird or giving up the foods I love the most. I hope this is a recipe for long-term success.
This week's weight: 171.2
Difference: +0.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 100.6
I apologize for the delay in posting my weekly update. I was simply too tired when I got home from work Friday to do it and I didn't even turn on my computer on Saturday. Anyway, this week was about maintaining ... obviously.
I was under a tremendous amount of stress personally and professionally so I knew this past week wouldn't be easy. So I cooked healthy foods last weekend and they did help me stay away from major pitfalls. But I felt hungry all week, which led to a lot of snacking.
The good news is that I didn't eat anything incredibly bad for me. The bad news is that I did eat more than I should have. And the trend has continued into the weekend with a a function for work during the day Saturday that involved food and wine and then a dinner out Saturday night that ended with a stop at an ice shop (I bought candy instead of ice cream, but the effect on the scale will be the same.)
I had a proud moment during dinner Saturday night, though, when a friend pointed out that she's never seen me truly deprive myself of anything. We've been to dinner, parties, etc. many time in the past couple of years and I try to make smart choices, but she's right that I don't starve myself or refuse to eat something served to me.
I've said all along that this journey is about changing my eating habits for the rest of my life. And I hope I'm doing it in a way that allows me to maintain my weight loss forever. I know that I could drastically restrict my food intake for a couple of months and lose the last 20 pounds. But I also know that after those two months (maybe even before), I'd end up binging and gaining the weight back quickly.
I love food. I love to cook. I love to eat. This is part of who I am. That's not going to change. My goal is to find a healthy balance that lets me eat foods I love while maintaining my weight loss. So I might not be exactly where I want to be yet in my journey, but I am happy that my friend recognized that my strategy does not involve eating like a bird or giving up the foods I love the most. I hope this is a recipe for long-term success.
Monday, September 3, 2012
My kitchen makeover: before and after photos
As the three-day Labor Day weekend approached, I knew I needed something to keep my busy. I figured if I ended up sitting around the house all weekend, I'd also end up snacking way too much. So I decided it was time to revamp my kitchen. It took me 2 1/2 days (about 17 hours total work), but I cleaned every inch of the kitchen and dining area. I'm ashamed to admit that some spots (such as the top of the cabinets) hadn't been cleaned since I moved in 9 years ago. Yuck! I filled three boxes with dishes, pans and other junk I never use and I also filled three garbage bags with outdated food, chipped dishes and stuff too caked with dust to bother trying to clean. The project included taking every item out of every cabinet (and the fridge) so I could wash the cabinets and scrubbing the floor by hand. Every muscle in my body aches, but I'm so proud of my effort. Everything is organized and sparkling clean. Here are before and after photos.
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