Today had its good moments, but it also had its bad moments. I knew I was having pizza for lunch because of a function at work. I was actually kind of excited about it because I've been craving pizza for a couple of days. This seemed like a good opportunity to satisfy the craving without going overboard. I spent all morning telling myself that I could have two pieces. I even had a very light breakfast in anticipation of the pizza. Of course, once the pizza was sitting in front of me, I couldn't resist a third piece.
I was disappointed because I didn't eat it because I was hungry. I ate it because it tasted good. I was also disappointed in myself this afternoon because I couldn't resist the incredible desserts a reporter brought into the newsroom. Normally, a few bites of a brownie wouldn't matter, but on top of the pizza it felt like I had gone overboard today.
But there is good news. I'm proud that I stopped with just three pieces of pizza nnd a few bites of dessert. Two years ago, I probably would have eaten five pieces of pizza and tasted each of the roughly 10 desserts. And then I would have come home and stuffed myself with something awful for dinner. Instead, I stopped at the grocery store and replenished my stock of Progresso Light soup and came home and hopped on my exercise bike.
I had already done my normal 30 minutes (4 miles) on the bike this morning, but I felt like I had to do a little more. I know the additional 30 minutes (4 miles) doesn't exactly make up for the pizza/brownie, but it helps. And, mentally, it's a huge step in changing how I look at food. I'm disappointed that I indulged today, but I feel good about how I dealt with my guilt. What's more, I put in the double dose of exercise on a day when I have a sore throat and stuffy nose and I really want to just go to bed.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
It's all about the dress
The past few days have been quite busy and were a good test of what I will face during the holidays. Overall, I did OK with my eating (a few splurges, but nothing outlandish) and I'm back on track with exercising. What I'm most proud of is that after indulging at a social function this afternoon, I walked three miles. And that's on top of the four miles I'd already done on my exercise bike this morning.
The scale isn't exactly cooperating this weekend, but I feel good about knowing that I ate a little too much so I needed to exercise more. It's a good place to be mentally ... instead of feeling guilty and then just eating more.
Anyway, I had other successes this weekend. I resisted the buttery movie popcorn twice and I had a major craving for pizza Saturday, but I had a healthy bowl of light chicken noodle soup instead. I was also reminded in a strange way that a lot of people struggle with weight issues ... even skinny people. I won't go into details, but somehow it made me feel better hearing this.
Of course, it also didn't hurt that I saw a few people this weekend that I don't see on a regular basis and everyone commented on my weight loss. I feel kind of vain admitting it, but it makes me feel good when people notice.
Finally, I had somewhat of a breakthrough when it comes to what I see in the mirror. About a month ago, I bought a size large dress for Christmas party. I tried it on at the store and it looked great, but I felt like it was a little snug in the wrong places (basically, my hips and stomach). But I loved it and it was pretty cheap. So I bought it anyway. I told a friend about it and vowed to wear it to the Christmas party even if I didn't lose another pound before then. Well, I have lost a few pounds since then and I've been riding my exercise bike regularly. When I tried it on today, I couldn't believe what I saw in the mirror. For one brief moment, I felt like I looked good. The feeling didn't last because I quickly started feeling self-conscious and wondering if I could actually wear it in public. There's nothing revealing about the dress, but it is eye-catching. For now, I'm just glad the dress fits and I hope it's the motivation I need to stay on track for the next few weeks.
The scale isn't exactly cooperating this weekend, but I feel good about knowing that I ate a little too much so I needed to exercise more. It's a good place to be mentally ... instead of feeling guilty and then just eating more.
Anyway, I had other successes this weekend. I resisted the buttery movie popcorn twice and I had a major craving for pizza Saturday, but I had a healthy bowl of light chicken noodle soup instead. I was also reminded in a strange way that a lot of people struggle with weight issues ... even skinny people. I won't go into details, but somehow it made me feel better hearing this.
Of course, it also didn't hurt that I saw a few people this weekend that I don't see on a regular basis and everyone commented on my weight loss. I feel kind of vain admitting it, but it makes me feel good when people notice.
Finally, I had somewhat of a breakthrough when it comes to what I see in the mirror. About a month ago, I bought a size large dress for Christmas party. I tried it on at the store and it looked great, but I felt like it was a little snug in the wrong places (basically, my hips and stomach). But I loved it and it was pretty cheap. So I bought it anyway. I told a friend about it and vowed to wear it to the Christmas party even if I didn't lose another pound before then. Well, I have lost a few pounds since then and I've been riding my exercise bike regularly. When I tried it on today, I couldn't believe what I saw in the mirror. For one brief moment, I felt like I looked good. The feeling didn't last because I quickly started feeling self-conscious and wondering if I could actually wear it in public. There's nothing revealing about the dress, but it is eye-catching. For now, I'm just glad the dress fits and I hope it's the motivation I need to stay on track for the next few weeks.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Weekly weigh-in: A number I can live with
Last week's weight: 183.2
This week's weight: 183.4
Difference: +0.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 88.4
I was tempted to skip this week's weigh-in. The scale had not been cooperating all week. I was, as my grandmother would say, "weighing heavy." I stuck to my Weight Watchers points, but I didn't exercise as much this week and my food choices weren't as smart as they could have been (lots of sodium). Plus, I just knew that weighing in the morning after Thanksgiving wasn't going to go well.
So I was surprised to see the result. I'll admit that I did weigh three times and used the lowest number. But still ... a slight gain in a week that included Thanksgiving is perfectly acceptable in my mind. I'm going to consider this week a wash and keep plugging along. Luckily, I made lots of healthy, lowfat foods for Thanksgiving so the leftovers shouldn't be a problem. And, after four days without exercise, I know getting on my exercise bike tomorrow won't be easy. But I will do it.
This week's weight: 183.4
Difference: +0.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 88.4
I was tempted to skip this week's weigh-in. The scale had not been cooperating all week. I was, as my grandmother would say, "weighing heavy." I stuck to my Weight Watchers points, but I didn't exercise as much this week and my food choices weren't as smart as they could have been (lots of sodium). Plus, I just knew that weighing in the morning after Thanksgiving wasn't going to go well.
So I was surprised to see the result. I'll admit that I did weigh three times and used the lowest number. But still ... a slight gain in a week that included Thanksgiving is perfectly acceptable in my mind. I'm going to consider this week a wash and keep plugging along. Luckily, I made lots of healthy, lowfat foods for Thanksgiving so the leftovers shouldn't be a problem. And, after four days without exercise, I know getting on my exercise bike tomorrow won't be easy. But I will do it.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Recipe: Cocktail time
If you're a regular follower, you know I tend to splurge from time to time on an alcoholic beverage. With the holidays just around the corner, I decided to experiment and came up with two low-cal, yet tasty, cocktails. Both make use of one of my new favorite ingredients Torani sugar-free syrup. I use it in coffee all the time. Just a half a teaspoon is enough.
Cocktail No. 1
1 oz. spiced rum
1/2 tsp. Torani sugar-free almond roca syrup (caramel or chocolate would probably be good, too)
1/4 fresh orange
Club soda
Ice
Cocktail No. 2
1 oz. vodka
1/2 tsp. Torani sugar-free raspberry syrup (any fruit flavor would be good)
1/4 fresh orange
Club soda
Ice
Mix the rum and syrup in a glass. (I used a martini glass, but anything that holds 6 to 8 ounces would work.) Squeeze in the juice from the orange section. Fill about 1/3 of the way with ice. Fill with club soda.
1 oz. spiced rum
1/2 tsp. Torani sugar-free almond roca syrup (caramel or chocolate would probably be good, too)
1/4 fresh orange
Club soda
Ice
1 oz. vodka
1/2 tsp. Torani sugar-free raspberry syrup (any fruit flavor would be good)
1/4 fresh orange
Club soda
Ice
Mix the rum and syrup in a glass. (I used a martini glass, but anything that holds 6 to 8 ounces would work.) Squeeze in the juice from the orange section. Fill about 1/3 of the way with ice. Fill with club soda.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Weekly weigh-in: In control
Last week's weight: 184.4
This week's weight: 183.2
Difference: -1.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 88.6
It was almost a year ago this week that I feel like I lost control of my weight loss efforts. I think I knew it was happening at the time, but I kept making poor choices. As the year progressed I encountered several stressful life events, so my choices didn't improve. I finally think I've regained control.
I'm hesitant to celebrate too much and I don't want to be overly confident about my recent success. But this marks four consecutive weeks of losing weight. After so many ups and downs in the past year, it feels like a true milestone.
Plus, I've faced temptation so many times this week. I haven't always made the best choice, but I definitely haven't made the worst choice either. In fact, my food choices have been fairly good. And when I've splurged, it's been in small amounts. For example, I've been craving mac and cheese all week. I even tried making a lowfat version. It tasted good, but not really like mac and cheese. I finally gave in last night. While getting dinner to go at Carolina Farmin', I had the server give me what amounted to a few bites of mac and cheese instead of the normal side portion. Yes, that was a proud moment.
I've also exercised at least 30 minutes every day this week. This wasn't easy during my staycation because several days I wanted to just lay around in my pajamas. Turns out getting in my morning exercise stopped me from being a slug. It's been a busy and fast week and I haven't spent nearly as much time in front of the TV as I thought I might.
Finally, I should mention that I've tracked my Weight Watchers food points and activity points online every day for the past four weeks. I've said all along that one of the reasons for my previous success was keeping track of what I ate.
Obviously, eating well, exercising and monitoring both habits makes a difference. Keeping it up won't be easy, but I am a creature of habit. Just a few more weeks and I'm sure it all be routine again.
This week's weight: 183.2
Difference: -1.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 88.6
It was almost a year ago this week that I feel like I lost control of my weight loss efforts. I think I knew it was happening at the time, but I kept making poor choices. As the year progressed I encountered several stressful life events, so my choices didn't improve. I finally think I've regained control.
I'm hesitant to celebrate too much and I don't want to be overly confident about my recent success. But this marks four consecutive weeks of losing weight. After so many ups and downs in the past year, it feels like a true milestone.
Plus, I've faced temptation so many times this week. I haven't always made the best choice, but I definitely haven't made the worst choice either. In fact, my food choices have been fairly good. And when I've splurged, it's been in small amounts. For example, I've been craving mac and cheese all week. I even tried making a lowfat version. It tasted good, but not really like mac and cheese. I finally gave in last night. While getting dinner to go at Carolina Farmin', I had the server give me what amounted to a few bites of mac and cheese instead of the normal side portion. Yes, that was a proud moment.
I've also exercised at least 30 minutes every day this week. This wasn't easy during my staycation because several days I wanted to just lay around in my pajamas. Turns out getting in my morning exercise stopped me from being a slug. It's been a busy and fast week and I haven't spent nearly as much time in front of the TV as I thought I might.
Finally, I should mention that I've tracked my Weight Watchers food points and activity points online every day for the past four weeks. I've said all along that one of the reasons for my previous success was keeping track of what I ate.
Obviously, eating well, exercising and monitoring both habits makes a difference. Keeping it up won't be easy, but I am a creature of habit. Just a few more weeks and I'm sure it all be routine again.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Recipe: Lowfat Mac and Cheese
I've been craving mac and cheese for days now, so I decided to make a healthier version. It didn't really turn out like mac and cheese, but it did taste very good. And it was so easy to make. BTW, I ate one serving as my meal.
Ingredients
6 oz. No Yolks egg noodles
3 cups Fresh broccoli florets (I used two crowns. You could also just use frozen.)
1 cup Kraft 2% milk reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Fat-free half and half
1 can Petite diced tomatoes (I used the kind with basil, oregano and garlic, but whatever flavor you like would be fine.)
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the noodles according to the package directions. About halfway through, throw the broccoli into the same pot of boiling water. (You can cook it separately, but this is easier.) Drain noodles and broccoli. Return to pan and add diced tomatoes. In a small saucepan, heat the half and half on medium heat. Don't let it boil. Once it's hot, add 3/4 cup cheese. Reduce heat to low and stir with a whisk until creamy. Add salt and pepper. Spray a medium-sized casserole dish with cooking spray. Add noddle mixture and pour cheese sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly on top. Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted (about 20 minutes). Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
6 oz. No Yolks egg noodles
3 cups Fresh broccoli florets (I used two crowns. You could also just use frozen.)
1 cup Kraft 2% milk reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Fat-free half and half
1 can Petite diced tomatoes (I used the kind with basil, oregano and garlic, but whatever flavor you like would be fine.)
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
A proud moment
This has been the kind of day that normally would send me over the edge. And I've been close a couple of times. I'm feeling calmer now, but I'm still thinking about all the "bad" foods I want to eat -- pizza, mac and cheese, Chinese, etc. But I'm not going to do it.
I was really close to giving in to temptation when I ended up at Walmart for a second time in the same day. Aside from a few work issues (which I won't go into detail about), it turns out that putting up my Christmas tree this afternoon was more stressful than I anticipated.
It was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon. I put "Love Actually," one of my all-time favorite movies, in the DVD player and started putting together my fake pre-lit tree. I spent about an hour straightening branches. Then, I plugged it in. The entire bottom row of branches weren't lit. I vaguely remember having a problem last year. I spent another 20 minutes jiggling bulbs. Nothing!
So I decided it was time to get a new tree. I went to three stores then Walmart. Walmart!!!!! My least favorite store. I got a tree for $39, which I thought seemed like a good deal. Back at home, I fielded several calls from my family. Then I opened the box ... to find a black tree. Seriously. Who buys a black Christmas tree?
That was almost the breaking point. Feeling defeated, I considered just going to bed and trying again tomorrow. But, no, I'm not really the sort to give up. I headed back to Walmart. Every bad food I could think of passed through my mind. I really wanted to just get something in the deli area -- they have mac and cheese, fried chicken tenders, potato wedges.
But I resisted. Back at home ... again ... I almost ordered Chinese. Almost six hours after I first set out to put up my tree, it's done and it looks beautiful. And I'm so proud that I didn't give in to temptation. I did splurge on a little wine while decorating the tree, but I'm about to eat my healthy chicken, spinach, mushrooms and pasta leftovers.
Dealing with stressful situations without turning to fattening foods is a big part of how I was so successful last year. And I'm proud to say I'm once again making progress.
I was really close to giving in to temptation when I ended up at Walmart for a second time in the same day. Aside from a few work issues (which I won't go into detail about), it turns out that putting up my Christmas tree this afternoon was more stressful than I anticipated.
It was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon. I put "Love Actually," one of my all-time favorite movies, in the DVD player and started putting together my fake pre-lit tree. I spent about an hour straightening branches. Then, I plugged it in. The entire bottom row of branches weren't lit. I vaguely remember having a problem last year. I spent another 20 minutes jiggling bulbs. Nothing!
So I decided it was time to get a new tree. I went to three stores then Walmart. Walmart!!!!! My least favorite store. I got a tree for $39, which I thought seemed like a good deal. Back at home, I fielded several calls from my family. Then I opened the box ... to find a black tree. Seriously. Who buys a black Christmas tree?
That was almost the breaking point. Feeling defeated, I considered just going to bed and trying again tomorrow. But, no, I'm not really the sort to give up. I headed back to Walmart. Every bad food I could think of passed through my mind. I really wanted to just get something in the deli area -- they have mac and cheese, fried chicken tenders, potato wedges.
But I resisted. Back at home ... again ... I almost ordered Chinese. Almost six hours after I first set out to put up my tree, it's done and it looks beautiful. And I'm so proud that I didn't give in to temptation. I did splurge on a little wine while decorating the tree, but I'm about to eat my healthy chicken, spinach, mushrooms and pasta leftovers.
Dealing with stressful situations without turning to fattening foods is a big part of how I was so successful last year. And I'm proud to say I'm once again making progress.
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