Hard to believe the 16 weeks is finally over! In some ways, it took forever, and in others it flew by. Strange to look back and see that 16 weeks ago was AUGUST; I thought it was at least the fall when I started it. But no!
Instead of doing a weekly recap, I thought I would look at my success at each goal overall. Looking at the big picture has helped me think about what I want to focus on next, what I've managed to build into a habit and what still needs work.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
This was the primary goal I wanted to accomplish, and I succeeded 100%. Attending weekly meetings is now a regular habit, one I will continue through 2010 at least. I prefer the Thursday leader but I like the convenience of a Saturday meeting better, so if I don't make one I definitely do the other.
For those of you new to the blog, I actually am a former WW Leader. It's a program I love and wholeheartedly believe in. It's not for everyone, but the weekly meeting format is where I thrive. I needed to get back into it, to get over my embarrassment of paying while being Lifetime, of continuing to gain and still attend meetings. It's not just when you are successful that you need to go to a meeting; it's every week. That finally sunk in during these 16 weeks.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
My success here was much more sporadic. I tried mixing it up, doing running and Wii yoga and stretching, working the Couch-to-5K plan and running a 5K, picking specific days for exercise, etc, but I still could not quite get to a regular routine. I will continue to concentrate on getting this into a habit, because I know regular exercise is so good for my health and for continued weight loss.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
This took some time to get going, but I have been regularly journaling all my foods in my Tracker for the last 7 weeks. I don't count points but I do write (most) of it down now. Weekends are my weakest still; the Tracker stays tucked away in my purse with the rest of my work papers, unfortunately. I will keep plugging away at this too.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
This was pretty easy, for the most part. We do end up drinking more during the holiday so I will stay more aware of it, but right now my biggest empty-calorie indulgence is cookies.
Overall, I think I did pretty well sticking to my goals. The problem, though, was despite all that focus, I did not lose any weight. In fact, I ended up gaining 11 pounds over the last 16 weeks.
Oops.
So my next challenge will address that. This one will range from today through to my birthday, March 13. Ironically, that is 13 weeks away. Yay, my lucky number! And even more ironically, I want to lose at least 13 pounds by then; that will put me at 166, which is a good middle point to decide what my final goal number will be.
I'm calling it the 13-in-13 Challenge. All the regular things will still be in place: I will be following the WW plan, attending weekly meetings, and exercising. But it's not enough to randomly pick a goal weight to aim for; I need smaller goals to achieve every week that will help me get to the larger goal. These are the ones I am doing for the next 13 weeks:
1. LOSE WEIGHT.
It seems so obvious a goal, but since it didn't happen the last challenge I am going to spell it out here. I will record my loss every week (or my gain, SIGH) instead of glancing once ay my book after weigh-in and not thinking about it again until the next weigh-in.
2. Eat one vegetable-based meal a day.
This means salads, veggie soups, my beloved spaghetti squash and tomato sauce, etc. If I have salad for lunch, then I can have a meat-based meal for dinner (steeak, meatloaf, etc). If I have a sandwich or hot entree at lunch, then dinner will be a salad or soup or spaghetti squash.
I have learned from journaling that the days I do best at staying on-track are days I do one veggie-based meal. So now I am going to do so consciously.
3. Do at least 2 different types of exercise each week.
Instead of focusing on the quantity of exercise, I am going to focus on the type. I have my punchcard for lap sessions at the park district pool, I have at least 2 types of Wii exercises I can alternate, and I will be ordering new running shoes this week so I can pick that back up. Maybe by keeping it changed up I will do it more often, and get into that habit I want so much to have.
4. Limit my sweets/dessert/treats to 3-4 per week.
I have to stop having a cookie a day, but cold turkey will only result in disaster. So I'll try moderation. I hear it's all the rage. :)
So there you have it. Ready, set, get to goal!
Showing posts with label 16-week commitment challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 16-week commitment challenge. Show all posts
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
16-week Commitment Challenge: Week 15 complete
Getting near the end of my challenge. I stumbled hard this week, and part of it of course had to do with the holiday but also I think I am ready to start concentrating on new goals. Also, I need to start LOSING WEIGHT. Why is this so impossible for me to accomplish? I don't know, but I know I am fed up.
Anyway. Let's look at my weekly goals.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Made it to Saturday's meeting, and I wore jeans! That's living dangerously, LOL, and naturally I did gain weight. Enough! Enough, enough, enough.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
The Turkey Trot was filled up, but I got at least 4 days on the Wii in. I also went for a run on Thursday morning at the indoor track, and I got the rude awakening that it has been a long time since I ran, and it is time to replace my running shoes: my knee got so stiff about halfway through I had to switch to walking only. Yikes! New shoes will solve that...
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Yeah, no. It didn't happen, and I'm not sure why. But that's two weeks in a row, and that's worrisome. I'm back to a full week at work this week, and that should get my routines back to normal.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
There was a lot of wine all Thanksgiving weekend. I wish I could say I regret it, but I don't. It was worth it.
++++++
OH! And I got my haircut! It wasn't exactly like Katherine McPhee's, but it was closest to this one. My stylist can see now that I like longer layers and less volume than she usually gives me when she blows it out. I love it!
Love it! So much better than the last cut.
Anyway. Let's look at my weekly goals.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Made it to Saturday's meeting, and I wore jeans! That's living dangerously, LOL, and naturally I did gain weight. Enough! Enough, enough, enough.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
The Turkey Trot was filled up, but I got at least 4 days on the Wii in. I also went for a run on Thursday morning at the indoor track, and I got the rude awakening that it has been a long time since I ran, and it is time to replace my running shoes: my knee got so stiff about halfway through I had to switch to walking only. Yikes! New shoes will solve that...
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Yeah, no. It didn't happen, and I'm not sure why. But that's two weeks in a row, and that's worrisome. I'm back to a full week at work this week, and that should get my routines back to normal.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
There was a lot of wine all Thanksgiving weekend. I wish I could say I regret it, but I don't. It was worth it.
++++++
OH! And I got my haircut! It wasn't exactly like Katherine McPhee's, but it was closest to this one. My stylist can see now that I like longer layers and less volume than she usually gives me when she blows it out. I love it!
Love it! So much better than the last cut.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
16-week Commitment Challenge: Week 14 complete
Weird little week I had; I was in Arizona until Monday, was home sick on Tuesday, got some terrible news about a good friend on Wednesday, had My First Migraine on Thursday, and then my Aunt Flo visit started on Friday. No wonder I've been hiding under my covers all week! Although this is a short week too, I promise to be more social and comment more on blogs and post more consistently; I have noticed that when I am feeling the least confident I find more excuses not to have time to take photos, and that's got to stop. Keeping myself honest about my weight and my appearance through daily blogging has been just as important to my weight loss efforts as eating right, and it's not a habit I should let go of.
Speaking of which, it was interesting to realize which goals I did stumble on this week. They weren't the ones I expected!
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I had to bring all our old oversized coats to a charity coat drive on Thursday night so I went to the Saturday morning meeting.
The topic was again Thanksgiving, and I got to total up all the points I ate at the old-fashioned dinner we had in Arizona: 48, and that didn't even count all the appetizers and cheese-crackers I had. YIKES. But my real Thanksgiving dinner will be much more reasonable, 18-24 points depending on how much stuffing I have. :)
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Due to illness and timing, I got 5 days in on the Wii, but no other exercise types. Yet. That's going to be one of my goals at the upcoming challenge commitment, to alternate exercise types so I get 3 out of 4 weekly: running, swimming, Wii cardio, Wii yoga/stretching.
Still need to Google the local Turkey Trot. Oooh, let me do that now. Me likey my Thanksgiving stuffing... :)
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
And THIS is where I fell down this week! I was good until about Thursday, then I just...didn't take it out of my purse. And I ate all kinds of crap the minute I stopped writing it down. Lesson learned; it's back out now!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
This is the some of the "crap" I mentioned in #3, LOL. But oohhhh, those beers hit the spot on Friday night. And they bloated me up for Saturday weigh-in, so there were consequences.
+++++++
I've started to think about what I want my next commitment challenge to be; this was great for me because it got me into some good habits that I desperately needed to do, and really helped me transition from the Medifast mindset to the WW one for good; I probably should have done something like this starting back in July instead of waiting all summer! Oh well.
But the next one needs a firm goal at the end, something more than just "learn this new habit". I need to actually lose weight now, and knowing the way I've tackled this commitment challenge and my Type A personality in general, making Getting to Goal the goal of the next one is exactly what I need to do. My birthday is March 13, so my next challenge will be from December 13 to March 13 (oooooh, I just realized the date range! COOL!), and the main thrust of the challenge will be to be at goal weight by my birthday. There will still be smaller habit steps involved, but all will be selected in order to get me to my weight goal again.
Heh. In a way I kind of want this challenge to hurry up and be finished; I am ready to start concentrating on different mini-goals. Which is so silly, since these will remain a part of my regular routine now even with the next one. The mental games I play with myself are very strange sometimes!
++++++
Speaking of mental games, my shopping budget has been going well. I haven't kept it exactly to my limit down to the dollar, but I have stayed pretty close to it. Considering I slashed my monthly spending by 75% with this budget, that's pretty impressive!
I would be more proud of myself if there weren't an underlying reason I've not been buying a lot of new clothes: I refuse to buy a larger size while I am still hanging onto these extra 18 pounds. We'll see if I'm bragging about how easy a budget is when I actually *want* to buy clothes again, LOL!
Speaking of which, it was interesting to realize which goals I did stumble on this week. They weren't the ones I expected!
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I had to bring all our old oversized coats to a charity coat drive on Thursday night so I went to the Saturday morning meeting.
The topic was again Thanksgiving, and I got to total up all the points I ate at the old-fashioned dinner we had in Arizona: 48, and that didn't even count all the appetizers and cheese-crackers I had. YIKES. But my real Thanksgiving dinner will be much more reasonable, 18-24 points depending on how much stuffing I have. :)
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Due to illness and timing, I got 5 days in on the Wii, but no other exercise types. Yet. That's going to be one of my goals at the upcoming challenge commitment, to alternate exercise types so I get 3 out of 4 weekly: running, swimming, Wii cardio, Wii yoga/stretching.
Still need to Google the local Turkey Trot. Oooh, let me do that now. Me likey my Thanksgiving stuffing... :)
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
And THIS is where I fell down this week! I was good until about Thursday, then I just...didn't take it out of my purse. And I ate all kinds of crap the minute I stopped writing it down. Lesson learned; it's back out now!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
This is the some of the "crap" I mentioned in #3, LOL. But oohhhh, those beers hit the spot on Friday night. And they bloated me up for Saturday weigh-in, so there were consequences.
+++++++
I've started to think about what I want my next commitment challenge to be; this was great for me because it got me into some good habits that I desperately needed to do, and really helped me transition from the Medifast mindset to the WW one for good; I probably should have done something like this starting back in July instead of waiting all summer! Oh well.
But the next one needs a firm goal at the end, something more than just "learn this new habit". I need to actually lose weight now, and knowing the way I've tackled this commitment challenge and my Type A personality in general, making Getting to Goal the goal of the next one is exactly what I need to do. My birthday is March 13, so my next challenge will be from December 13 to March 13 (oooooh, I just realized the date range! COOL!), and the main thrust of the challenge will be to be at goal weight by my birthday. There will still be smaller habit steps involved, but all will be selected in order to get me to my weight goal again.
Heh. In a way I kind of want this challenge to hurry up and be finished; I am ready to start concentrating on different mini-goals. Which is so silly, since these will remain a part of my regular routine now even with the next one. The mental games I play with myself are very strange sometimes!
++++++
Speaking of mental games, my shopping budget has been going well. I haven't kept it exactly to my limit down to the dollar, but I have stayed pretty close to it. Considering I slashed my monthly spending by 75% with this budget, that's pretty impressive!
I would be more proud of myself if there weren't an underlying reason I've not been buying a lot of new clothes: I refuse to buy a larger size while I am still hanging onto these extra 18 pounds. We'll see if I'm bragging about how easy a budget is when I actually *want* to buy clothes again, LOL!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
16-week Commitment Challenge: Week 13 complete
I am back from my early Thanksgiving celebration with family in Arizona. Sadly, I was promptly felled by a cold as soon as I got off the plane back home (I think literally running flat-out 20 gates at the Dallas airport to catch my connection loosened up a lot of gunk in my chest), so I stayed home yesterday and took it easy. But I was well enough to do my yoga this morning so I am well enough to go into the office. Alas! :)
How did I do with my goals this week?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I went to the Thursday night meeting since I was going to be out of town over the weekend. I really like this leader a lot; she's very good at engaging the members in real conversations, not just trying to get us to fill in the blanks exactly, like Saturday's does. I am going back to the Thursday meeting again this week.
The topic was about trying new traditions mixed in with the old ones, and I was able to put some of that to use during Thanksgiving #1 this weekend. They served all the old-fashioned classics, like green bean casserole and sweet potatoes with marshmallows. I filled half my plate with plain old peas-and-carrots, then took small scoops of everything else. Of course, I also ate my weight in crescent rolls, which probably defeated the peas-and-carrots victory. Ah well!
My own Thanksgiving will be much easier; I am serving a small turkey breast, my delicious cornbread-and-sausage stuffing, and the rest will be one huge pan of roasted veggies and potatoes. I'm looking forward to it!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I. Exercised. Every. Single. Day.
That Wii Fitness Plus is awesome. At home, I alternated between yoga days and cardio days, then I wrote down all my yoga and stretching moves and brought them with me to Arizona. Did them every morning!
Interestingly, just doing yoga for days straight made me crave a good cardio workout. Wish I'd brought my running shoes there, but I got a good workout this morning, and I'm going to plan to get at least one run in this week. There is a Turkey Trot being held in the neighborhood down the street on Thanksgiving morning, and I'm considering doing it, just because.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Did it almost every day on the day, and filled it in the next day if I had missed. Definitely becoming a nice, solid habit now.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Didn't have any. Next will be to cut back on sugar and cookies. :)
How did I do with my goals this week?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I went to the Thursday night meeting since I was going to be out of town over the weekend. I really like this leader a lot; she's very good at engaging the members in real conversations, not just trying to get us to fill in the blanks exactly, like Saturday's does. I am going back to the Thursday meeting again this week.
The topic was about trying new traditions mixed in with the old ones, and I was able to put some of that to use during Thanksgiving #1 this weekend. They served all the old-fashioned classics, like green bean casserole and sweet potatoes with marshmallows. I filled half my plate with plain old peas-and-carrots, then took small scoops of everything else. Of course, I also ate my weight in crescent rolls, which probably defeated the peas-and-carrots victory. Ah well!
My own Thanksgiving will be much easier; I am serving a small turkey breast, my delicious cornbread-and-sausage stuffing, and the rest will be one huge pan of roasted veggies and potatoes. I'm looking forward to it!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I. Exercised. Every. Single. Day.
That Wii Fitness Plus is awesome. At home, I alternated between yoga days and cardio days, then I wrote down all my yoga and stretching moves and brought them with me to Arizona. Did them every morning!
Interestingly, just doing yoga for days straight made me crave a good cardio workout. Wish I'd brought my running shoes there, but I got a good workout this morning, and I'm going to plan to get at least one run in this week. There is a Turkey Trot being held in the neighborhood down the street on Thanksgiving morning, and I'm considering doing it, just because.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Did it almost every day on the day, and filled it in the next day if I had missed. Definitely becoming a nice, solid habit now.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Didn't have any. Next will be to cut back on sugar and cookies. :)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 12 complete
Holy cow, where did this week go? I only posted twice this entire week, and now I am about to do two posts just today! I will post more consistently this week, and hopefully not fall as far behind on reading blogs as I did; I lost all my open tabs and my history of blogs I had been visiting so I wasn't able to catch up on the last of them, sorry.
So...onward! How did I do on my goals this week?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Good meeting topic this week, about sustaining motivation through the holidays. I am almost at the end of my 16-week commitment challenge, and I'm starting to think of what I want my goals in my next challenge to be. Even though I haven't completely achieved these, I know I have to pick new ones or I will get bored and give up. And I have achieved this one, which was the main thing I wanted to turn into an automatic routine. For the next set, "attending weekly meetings" won't even be a goal because it IS a habit now.
The others, well, I will be coming up with new ways to continue to work on them.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Oh boy, have I let this slide. I did turn on the Wii though, and I'm about to do another routine on it this morning. Slowly but surely this will come back. I need it to; I need my hips and waist smaller again!
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
I got a little sloppy about tracking on the day it was happening, but I kept going, and I will keep going.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
I did very well on this until last night. Heh.
This week is going to be fine, but this weekend I am going out West to see my family, including my parents, so...we'll see. I do intend to get back into the oyga groove before I go so I will know the moves I can do there as my morning exercise. I really enjoy exercising out there.
So...onward! How did I do on my goals this week?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Good meeting topic this week, about sustaining motivation through the holidays. I am almost at the end of my 16-week commitment challenge, and I'm starting to think of what I want my goals in my next challenge to be. Even though I haven't completely achieved these, I know I have to pick new ones or I will get bored and give up. And I have achieved this one, which was the main thing I wanted to turn into an automatic routine. For the next set, "attending weekly meetings" won't even be a goal because it IS a habit now.
The others, well, I will be coming up with new ways to continue to work on them.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Oh boy, have I let this slide. I did turn on the Wii though, and I'm about to do another routine on it this morning. Slowly but surely this will come back. I need it to; I need my hips and waist smaller again!
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
I got a little sloppy about tracking on the day it was happening, but I kept going, and I will keep going.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
I did very well on this until last night. Heh.
This week is going to be fine, but this weekend I am going out West to see my family, including my parents, so...we'll see. I do intend to get back into the oyga groove before I go so I will know the moves I can do there as my morning exercise. I really enjoy exercising out there.
Monday, November 2, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 11 complete
I knew there was something I wanted to post yesterday! At least I remembered this morning. Let's just jump right in and see how I did with my goals this week.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Strangely enough, I toyed with the idea of not attending this week, mainly because it was my "womantimes" and I knew I wasn't going to have a loss like I wanted to. But it's at those moments of weakness when I am glad I made this commitment; I may waver on getting the eating and exercising goals completed each week, but I will not allow myself to miss a meeting.
I am glad I went; apparently there is a new deal for Lifetime members. I only need to pay $10 instead of $12 as long as I come every week. Even more incentive not to miss!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
And this is my downfall right now. Hmmm. I have no out-of-office meetings this week, so it's time to fold exercise back into my daily routine.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
The journaling has continued, hurray! I didn't do it this weeked -- and I definitely should have picked it up on Sunday and perhaps done less damage -- but once I get it all written down I am sure the horror of seeing what I ate will get me on track for the rest of the week.
Stupid Halloween bite-size candy bars.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Went out to celebrate a friend's birthday at a fabulous fancy French restaurant on Saturday night, and I had a beer at the bar and a glass of wine with dinner, but other than that, I was good. The food was divine, as well; I obviously was not on plan for that, but I tried to make smart choices when I could. That side dish of roasted Brussels sprouts was heavenly; it was made with cippolini onions, bacon and red grapes! Unbelievable.
I have my work cut out for me this week. I really want a loss again this Saturday. I can do it!
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Strangely enough, I toyed with the idea of not attending this week, mainly because it was my "womantimes" and I knew I wasn't going to have a loss like I wanted to. But it's at those moments of weakness when I am glad I made this commitment; I may waver on getting the eating and exercising goals completed each week, but I will not allow myself to miss a meeting.
I am glad I went; apparently there is a new deal for Lifetime members. I only need to pay $10 instead of $12 as long as I come every week. Even more incentive not to miss!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
And this is my downfall right now. Hmmm. I have no out-of-office meetings this week, so it's time to fold exercise back into my daily routine.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
The journaling has continued, hurray! I didn't do it this weeked -- and I definitely should have picked it up on Sunday and perhaps done less damage -- but once I get it all written down I am sure the horror of seeing what I ate will get me on track for the rest of the week.
Stupid Halloween bite-size candy bars.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Went out to celebrate a friend's birthday at a fabulous fancy French restaurant on Saturday night, and I had a beer at the bar and a glass of wine with dinner, but other than that, I was good. The food was divine, as well; I obviously was not on plan for that, but I tried to make smart choices when I could. That side dish of roasted Brussels sprouts was heavenly; it was made with cippolini onions, bacon and red grapes! Unbelievable.
I have my work cut out for me this week. I really want a loss again this Saturday. I can do it!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 10 complete
Sorry, I have outfit photos from the weekend but I haven't downloaded them yet. No more classics, but cozy and warm. Rainy weekends tend to bring that out in me.
Let's see how this week's commitments went.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I weighed in on Saturday morning, and while it was less than what I knew it was last week when I took the no-weigh pass, it still wasn't back down to two weeks ago. But it was down, and it will continue to go that way.
The meeting topic was timely: the importance of eating the Healthy Guidelines instead of just eating your points. I've been concentrating on that a lot this week, making sure I was getting fruits and vegetables, yogurt and whole grains, instead of 2-point grab-and-go snacks. Unfortunately, the leader quizzed us with random questions about some of the specific rules for each guideline, and I would love to have heard examples of ways to incorporate the healthy guidelines into real meals. The topic is a two-parter so I am going to try to go to Thursday's meeting this week so I can see how the other leader handles it.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Didn't happen; at first I was still babying my back, then I just got lazy. My pain is gone now, so I bought a new Wii Fit game and will hit that and some running again this week.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Oh, YES, I tracked my food. Every last bite. I am not counting points, but I'm journaling and that alone made a tremendous difference. I thought I had a disastrous day today, but I just wrote it all down and I realized it wasn't as bad as I thought.
No soup was made this weekend, but I have all the makings and can probably throw one together tomorrow night. Plus I have a new spaghetti squash the size of a watermelon! Usually I microwave my squash for 20 minutes, but that sucker is definitely going to need some oven time. Hope I can cut it open!
Plus, there will be more Mr. Bento posts. Maybe even with pictures!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Had a beer after my shopping trip with Laura65, but that was it.
It was a good week, and a nice build of momentum that will keep me going into this week. I'm ready to fit back into my new jeans! ;-D
Let's see how this week's commitments went.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I weighed in on Saturday morning, and while it was less than what I knew it was last week when I took the no-weigh pass, it still wasn't back down to two weeks ago. But it was down, and it will continue to go that way.
The meeting topic was timely: the importance of eating the Healthy Guidelines instead of just eating your points. I've been concentrating on that a lot this week, making sure I was getting fruits and vegetables, yogurt and whole grains, instead of 2-point grab-and-go snacks. Unfortunately, the leader quizzed us with random questions about some of the specific rules for each guideline, and I would love to have heard examples of ways to incorporate the healthy guidelines into real meals. The topic is a two-parter so I am going to try to go to Thursday's meeting this week so I can see how the other leader handles it.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Didn't happen; at first I was still babying my back, then I just got lazy. My pain is gone now, so I bought a new Wii Fit game and will hit that and some running again this week.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Oh, YES, I tracked my food. Every last bite. I am not counting points, but I'm journaling and that alone made a tremendous difference. I thought I had a disastrous day today, but I just wrote it all down and I realized it wasn't as bad as I thought.
No soup was made this weekend, but I have all the makings and can probably throw one together tomorrow night. Plus I have a new spaghetti squash the size of a watermelon! Usually I microwave my squash for 20 minutes, but that sucker is definitely going to need some oven time. Hope I can cut it open!
Plus, there will be more Mr. Bento posts. Maybe even with pictures!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Had a beer after my shopping trip with Laura65, but that was it.
It was a good week, and a nice build of momentum that will keep me going into this week. I'm ready to fit back into my new jeans! ;-D
Sunday, October 18, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 9 complete
Had a major incident happen this week which threw me off my game even more than usual. I strained my back on Tuesday morning, and spent the rest of the week babying it, being a slug and feeling sorry for myself and eating my weight in crap. By Thursday I went to the doctor and got myself on some muscle relaxants which has helped tremendously but I'm still not able to exercise. BOO!
BUT! There is still good news. Let's see how I did in my goals. FWIW, my expectations aren't that I will succeed at all of these every week, but that I remember these are four areas that do need my attention because they are where I slack off the most.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I was in no shape for the Thursday night meeting so I went back to Saturday's. I took the no-weigh-in pass this week because I knew it was bad. I can feel it in my clothes; they're barely fitting me right now. I didn't need to see another gain on the scale, I need motivation, so I went and I got some. It was a good meeting, plus I made a key purchase.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I ran on Tuesday and that was the last thing I *could* do all week. I am going to continue to take it easy this week, but I may try some gentle yoga moves to keep myself stretched.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
This is the big change for the coming week; I can't pretend I am going to "run off" any extra calories (which isn't true anyway since I have been eating MANY more calories than I use up in exercise). I need to start being accountable WITH my food and paying close attention to what I am eating. So I bought a three-month tracking journal and I am writing everything down again.
I'm also making more of an effort with Hubby to have easy, healthy meals available at home for dinner. To that end, I have a pot of lentil soup on the stove right now that should last us most of the week, and I'll be cooking up spaghetti squash for the rest of the week. We also decided no ordering pizza until January 1st, sort of a reverse New Year's Resolution in a way. We both need to lay off it; we only order it because we are lazy and it's a long-time habit.
(Long, long time habit. As in, we once got a personal call from the President of Pizza Hut thanking us for our business. For real. And the driver from the local pizza place actually congratulated us on our weight loss last month; he hadn't seen us in a while!)
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Had wine when we went out for our wedding anniversary on Monday night, and a tasty olive martini last night when we went out for fish. Mmmm, I'm happy with that.
Time to check on the soup! Mmmm. I love soup in the fall and winter. Easiest way to get in my veggies ever!
BUT! There is still good news. Let's see how I did in my goals. FWIW, my expectations aren't that I will succeed at all of these every week, but that I remember these are four areas that do need my attention because they are where I slack off the most.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I was in no shape for the Thursday night meeting so I went back to Saturday's. I took the no-weigh-in pass this week because I knew it was bad. I can feel it in my clothes; they're barely fitting me right now. I didn't need to see another gain on the scale, I need motivation, so I went and I got some. It was a good meeting, plus I made a key purchase.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I ran on Tuesday and that was the last thing I *could* do all week. I am going to continue to take it easy this week, but I may try some gentle yoga moves to keep myself stretched.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
This is the big change for the coming week; I can't pretend I am going to "run off" any extra calories (which isn't true anyway since I have been eating MANY more calories than I use up in exercise). I need to start being accountable WITH my food and paying close attention to what I am eating. So I bought a three-month tracking journal and I am writing everything down again.
I'm also making more of an effort with Hubby to have easy, healthy meals available at home for dinner. To that end, I have a pot of lentil soup on the stove right now that should last us most of the week, and I'll be cooking up spaghetti squash for the rest of the week. We also decided no ordering pizza until January 1st, sort of a reverse New Year's Resolution in a way. We both need to lay off it; we only order it because we are lazy and it's a long-time habit.
(Long, long time habit. As in, we once got a personal call from the President of Pizza Hut thanking us for our business. For real. And the driver from the local pizza place actually congratulated us on our weight loss last month; he hadn't seen us in a while!)
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Had wine when we went out for our wedding anniversary on Monday night, and a tasty olive martini last night when we went out for fish. Mmmm, I'm happy with that.
Time to check on the soup! Mmmm. I love soup in the fall and winter. Easiest way to get in my veggies ever!
Monday, October 12, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 8 complete
Wow, the responses to my photo transformation post were just overwhelming. Thank you all so much for the kind words and encouragement! I skim through my photos all the time in my iPhoto program, but really seeing them all together like that reminds me how far I really have come -- and weirdly enough, how easy it would be to slip back to that. This isn't the first time I've lost a significant amount of weight, but I am determined -- even more so now -- that it will be the last.
And so, it's time to look at my progress on the commitment challenge.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I was out of town this weekend, so I made sure to attend the Thursday night meeting instead. I even weighed in, which of course showed me the gain of my poor eating and the evening weigh-in. I am really hoping this is the peak of my re-gain; I hit a number I am NOT okay with, and that combined with my clothes not fitting right anymore, is the tipping point for me. Even though I was driving 16 hours or at a casino all weekend, I managed to lose some weight. Enough is enough!
Also, I really liked this leader on Thursday, more so than the Saturday one. The timing of the meeting isn't great, but I think I will try to attend it again this week. I might switch days altogether in the end; a good leader is too valuable an asset to WW to pass by. I've had my share of both; I know!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
My specific-day commitment worked; I got in 3 days of running on Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday. I did miss getting it done on Friday as I said I would, but instead I ran all around the casino parking lot on Saturday morning. Which was CRAZY because it was frosty cold and I did not even have a sweatshirt, but made me feel super-virtuous. I ran by at least 3 people sleeping in their cars at 7:30 in the morning!
This week I am changing my set days, but I will get 3 in for sure. I also want to add at least 1 day of yoga. My waist will thank me later!
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
No, but I didn't try. I did make sure I got some fruits and veggies in at the casino, and I had good lunches all week.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
I did mention I was at a casino all weekend, didn't I? Nuff said. :)
++++++++
No pictures of this weekend's outfits, but they were plenty cute. You will just have to trust me on that. :)
And so, it's time to look at my progress on the commitment challenge.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I was out of town this weekend, so I made sure to attend the Thursday night meeting instead. I even weighed in, which of course showed me the gain of my poor eating and the evening weigh-in. I am really hoping this is the peak of my re-gain; I hit a number I am NOT okay with, and that combined with my clothes not fitting right anymore, is the tipping point for me. Even though I was driving 16 hours or at a casino all weekend, I managed to lose some weight. Enough is enough!
Also, I really liked this leader on Thursday, more so than the Saturday one. The timing of the meeting isn't great, but I think I will try to attend it again this week. I might switch days altogether in the end; a good leader is too valuable an asset to WW to pass by. I've had my share of both; I know!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
My specific-day commitment worked; I got in 3 days of running on Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday. I did miss getting it done on Friday as I said I would, but instead I ran all around the casino parking lot on Saturday morning. Which was CRAZY because it was frosty cold and I did not even have a sweatshirt, but made me feel super-virtuous. I ran by at least 3 people sleeping in their cars at 7:30 in the morning!
This week I am changing my set days, but I will get 3 in for sure. I also want to add at least 1 day of yoga. My waist will thank me later!
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
No, but I didn't try. I did make sure I got some fruits and veggies in at the casino, and I had good lunches all week.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
I did mention I was at a casino all weekend, didn't I? Nuff said. :)
++++++++
No pictures of this weekend's outfits, but they were plenty cute. You will just have to trust me on that. :)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 7 complete
This was definitely my worst week yet.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Done.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I ran the 5K on Sunday, and then I did absolutely nothing all week. Ugh! Why do I do that to myself?
So I committed to a MF buddy that I would commit to 3 days a week running for the next month, and further I would do it on set days of the week: Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. Both the commitment and the set days were a good idea, as I wanted to blow off running all day today but knew that I could not. So I got it done, hurray!
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Hahaha. No.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Hahahahahaha! Oh, goodness, no.
++++++
I don't know why or how I fell so completely off the rails, especially since last Sunday I was feeling like I was starting to turn things around. But I felt and was out of control all week. I am just lucky it didn't impact my weight worse.
This week will be a challenge as I will be driving a lot next weekend and eating out on a trip away with my mother-in-law. I've set it up so small, easy meals will be available at home before I go, and I will stick with my running commitment. And I read that the hotel has a really cool pool so I will be checking that out, for sure!
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Done.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I ran the 5K on Sunday, and then I did absolutely nothing all week. Ugh! Why do I do that to myself?
So I committed to a MF buddy that I would commit to 3 days a week running for the next month, and further I would do it on set days of the week: Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. Both the commitment and the set days were a good idea, as I wanted to blow off running all day today but knew that I could not. So I got it done, hurray!
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Hahaha. No.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Hahahahahaha! Oh, goodness, no.
++++++
I don't know why or how I fell so completely off the rails, especially since last Sunday I was feeling like I was starting to turn things around. But I felt and was out of control all week. I am just lucky it didn't impact my weight worse.
This week will be a challenge as I will be driving a lot next weekend and eating out on a trip away with my mother-in-law. I've set it up so small, easy meals will be available at home before I go, and I will stick with my running commitment. And I read that the hotel has a really cool pool so I will be checking that out, for sure!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 6 complete
Before I start my weekly commitment challenge assessment, I want to gloat a bit about my accomplishments this morning. Technically, today's exercise will count toward this week's total, but still I ran a 5K today!
It felt pretty good; I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to run the whole way, and the last half-mile was especially brutal, but I never stopped and I never gave in. My time was 38:01, which was fine by me; I said I would be happy with anything under 40 minutes, and I am. I came in #356, and my girlfriend who ran with me was about 3 seconds faster. She's training for her first marathon, so she's allowed to beat me. :)
I feel great, and I'm definitely going to keep running as part of my workouts, but I won't lie, it was HARD. I'll be ready for another one...eventually. :)
++++++
Otherwise, how did I do this week with my goals?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I got a Bravo sticker for talking about this challenge; the other members were pretty impressed I've been keeping myself accountable on the blog like this. Hee!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I ran Monday, Wednesday, Friday in preparation for the 5K. Whoohoo! I think the next step is to get myself into regular days/nights for workouts; I've been doing it "flexible" style so I could accommodate any meetings, etc, but the truth is our lives are pretty steady. I need a firm schedule.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Nope. But I'm going to try this week!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Yep, just a sangria when we went out for Mexican on Thursday. But I'm realizing that Fridays are VERY tough; all I want to do each Friday is have some beer and pizza, or anything unhealthy and extravagant, and really does take a sheer force of will to remind myself weigh-in is the next day and I would like to see some good results. I'm going to see what I can do to work around that Friday longing.
I am feeling like the ship is finally turning around and may just avoid the iceberg in time; I'm no longer gaining like crazy, and the habits I am trying to create with each goal of this challenge are beginning to settle into my brain and my routine. These are all things I WANT to do differently, but for the first time I am feeling like they're not as far away as they were.
To use a different analogy, I am starting to see the finish line now. BUT. I think I need to remember what happened today when we made our last turn into the park and could see the finish line for the first time. I wasn't able to sprint toward it immediately; I was very quickly reminded that just because I could see didn't mean the race was over. My heart was racing in my chest, my breathing was terrible, and my legs were screaming for me to stop and walk. But I wasn't done; there was still another 1/4 mile to go. There were times as we plodded through that last bit that it felt like the finish line was moving farther away! It wasn't until the very very end, only a few yards to go, that I was able to pick up the pace and run over the line. I thought I would do that from further away, but I couldn't. I HAD to keep my steady pace until I was steps away.
I need to remember that on this journey.
Monday, September 21, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 5 complete
Well, this was not a good week on any of my goals, but I still need to do my weekly assessment!
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
This is a regular habit now, thank goodness. I'm even beginning to recognize the regulars.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Um. I must be freaking out in some contrary, subconscious way about signing up for the 5K next Sunday, because I exercised exactly ZERO times this week! What the heck?
I'm not going to make any grand pronouncements about it, I am just going to get it done. I will be competing in the 5K no matter if I finish the C25K plan or not.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Nope.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Nope. The worst is that I end up having drinks and tons of salty food on Fridays, which bloats me up in time for my weigh-in the next morning.
I guess it's time to evaluate why I am self-sabotaging. This is not good. I'll work on it.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
This is a regular habit now, thank goodness. I'm even beginning to recognize the regulars.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Um. I must be freaking out in some contrary, subconscious way about signing up for the 5K next Sunday, because I exercised exactly ZERO times this week! What the heck?
I'm not going to make any grand pronouncements about it, I am just going to get it done. I will be competing in the 5K no matter if I finish the C25K plan or not.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Nope.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Nope. The worst is that I end up having drinks and tons of salty food on Fridays, which bloats me up in time for my weigh-in the next morning.
I guess it's time to evaluate why I am self-sabotaging. This is not good. I'll work on it.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 4 complete
Another week down! I am really glad that I've committed a 16-week stretch; knowing there's a long-range goal is helpful in accepting small victories or defeats. I'm easing myself out of the 'fast results' mindset of Medifast, and instead starting to aim for the horizon.
In other words, losing a little over a pound this week felt as great as it did when I lost 3 on a MF week. :)
Let's recap the 4 goals:
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Almost missed it because I was running late, but I made myself sit down and enjoy the meeting anyway. I also picked up a new cookbook called "Now and Later", which is two different meals from the same base ingredients. I could use those kinds of ideas!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I got 3 "real" exercise sessions in, and then did hours of yardwork on Saturday. which I am counting as exercise since my muscles are sore today. :)
But the true victories here were two: I dusted off the Wii Fit and started doing morning yoga sessions again (which will be great at firming up my core and waist, which has gotten flabby again), and I signed up for a 5K on September 27th. So I definitely have to complete the last 5 days of C25K before then! LOL.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Didn't do this at all. Ill try again this week. I need the honest accountability.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
A couple of pear martinis at dinner last night, and that was it.
+++++
I think it's time to drill down and concentrate on better eating. I do well with menu planning, so I'm going to try that this week. I've got today wide open, so there will be fridge cleaning and shopping and maybe a little food prep.
But first, there will be some outfit photos. I've been buying some new dresses and I think some are too similar to ones I already have. So it's time for a deathmatch! Stay tuned for details... ;-D
In other words, losing a little over a pound this week felt as great as it did when I lost 3 on a MF week. :)
Let's recap the 4 goals:
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Almost missed it because I was running late, but I made myself sit down and enjoy the meeting anyway. I also picked up a new cookbook called "Now and Later", which is two different meals from the same base ingredients. I could use those kinds of ideas!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
I got 3 "real" exercise sessions in, and then did hours of yardwork on Saturday. which I am counting as exercise since my muscles are sore today. :)
But the true victories here were two: I dusted off the Wii Fit and started doing morning yoga sessions again (which will be great at firming up my core and waist, which has gotten flabby again), and I signed up for a 5K on September 27th. So I definitely have to complete the last 5 days of C25K before then! LOL.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Didn't do this at all. Ill try again this week. I need the honest accountability.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
A couple of pear martinis at dinner last night, and that was it.
+++++
I think it's time to drill down and concentrate on better eating. I do well with menu planning, so I'm going to try that this week. I've got today wide open, so there will be fridge cleaning and shopping and maybe a little food prep.
But first, there will be some outfit photos. I've been buying some new dresses and I think some are too similar to ones I already have. So it's time for a deathmatch! Stay tuned for details... ;-D
Saturday, September 5, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 3 complete
We'll be out charter fishing on Lake Michigan tomorrow morning, then throwing a small barbecue for our fellow fishermen, so I wanted to post my stats today.
I actually had a very good week, and then completely fell apart on Friday. I ate too much sodium, didn't get my exercise in, had some beers with dinner, and then totally bloated up with water just in time for my Saturday morning meeting. SIGH. I gained back all the weight I'd been steadily losing all week, and even gained some more. I know it's just water weight and PMS, but still. It's disheartening to stumble at the finish line. It'll be a better race next week!
How did I do on my weekly goals?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I went, and had every intention of using the no-weigh-in pass because I knew I was going to be mad to see a + sign when I should have had a - on the page. But right as I was paying, I changed my mind and recorded my weight. I don't know why I can't use those free passes, but I can't. It feels like a cop-out. So I acknowedged the gain, and I know it will be gone by next week. Heck, it'll be gone by tomorrow!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Another 2-day week. I'm going to work on getting in some time for that mid-week.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
This is where I excelled this week! I started journaling my food, which kept me honest and on track. I didn't count the points, but I will soon.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
The 3 beers on Friday did me in, but otherwise this was good.
+++++
In shopping news, I finally found some killer straight-leg jeans! And they were on sale! Martin + Osa is discontinuing their straight-legs for a slim fit, but I tried on the straight-legs and loved them. Scooped up a pair of longs and regular; I also got some whites, but I've reconsidered and will be returning them (and a salmon-y satin dress) as soon as I can. But the dark wash jeans are keepers! Oh, and I also found a pair of Levi's at Kohl's -- dark wash, straight legs, sold.
Each pair was $35 -- not a bad price, I'd say.
I actually had a very good week, and then completely fell apart on Friday. I ate too much sodium, didn't get my exercise in, had some beers with dinner, and then totally bloated up with water just in time for my Saturday morning meeting. SIGH. I gained back all the weight I'd been steadily losing all week, and even gained some more. I know it's just water weight and PMS, but still. It's disheartening to stumble at the finish line. It'll be a better race next week!
How did I do on my weekly goals?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
I went, and had every intention of using the no-weigh-in pass because I knew I was going to be mad to see a + sign when I should have had a - on the page. But right as I was paying, I changed my mind and recorded my weight. I don't know why I can't use those free passes, but I can't. It feels like a cop-out. So I acknowedged the gain, and I know it will be gone by next week. Heck, it'll be gone by tomorrow!
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Another 2-day week. I'm going to work on getting in some time for that mid-week.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
This is where I excelled this week! I started journaling my food, which kept me honest and on track. I didn't count the points, but I will soon.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
The 3 beers on Friday did me in, but otherwise this was good.
+++++
In shopping news, I finally found some killer straight-leg jeans! And they were on sale! Martin + Osa is discontinuing their straight-legs for a slim fit, but I tried on the straight-legs and loved them. Scooped up a pair of longs and regular; I also got some whites, but I've reconsidered and will be returning them (and a salmon-y satin dress) as soon as I can. But the dark wash jeans are keepers! Oh, and I also found a pair of Levi's at Kohl's -- dark wash, straight legs, sold.
Each pair was $35 -- not a bad price, I'd say.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Shut up and Eat Less
We were talking on the YLF forum this week about our individual struggles and goals for losing weight (for those of us who are trying to lose right now), and I said: It is much harder to lose ten pounds than it is to lose fifty!
That got me thinking about my (mostly internal) reaction in the past when friends would announce, "I need to lose 10/15/20 pounds!" Looking at them from deep past the 200-pound mark, I would think in reply, "Shut up and eat less!"
I admit, my response was not charitable or encouraging. I never claimed to be the kindest person around, and naturally my jealousy over them being so close to a goal that I knew I would never reach overwhelmed any remaining drops of kindness buried in me. To my credit, I tried not to say it very often, but I did think it.
From where I stood back then, losing ten pounds seemed easy: it was a low number so it wouldn't take as long to reach as a larger loss would, and it wouldn't require as much commitment or rigid adherence to an eating plan. After all, I could drop 5 pounds just by drinking water for a week! Plus, I couldn't understand WHY they needed to lose ten pounds, or any weight at all; they fit into sizes sold in regular stores, they looked healthy and slim, and they were in way better shape than me. All they needed to do stop their whining and eat salad for a week and it would be done.
Like I said, not very charitable.
I hit me yesterday that maybe this attitude was my problem now; I haven't quite believed that to lose these last ten pounds that I needed to work as hard as I did on the first fifty. Unconsciously, I've cut corners and not committed myself, not really following any eating plan at all. A few salads here and there, patting myself on the back for eating a grilled-portobello sandwich instead of a greasy burger and thus conveniently forgetting about the mixed drink and sweet-potato FRENCH FRIES I ate with my "healthy" dinner; in my mixed-up brain, somehow I thought that would be enough to take off these last few "easy" pounds.
Instead, I have gone from needing to lose 2 pounds to needing to lose 10. Or stated another way, I've GAINED eight pounds in this convoluted, half-hearted, stupid attempt to be on a "diet".
I was wrong. I get it now. Losing weight requires the exact same dedication, focus, and commitment no matter how much you need to lose. The last ten is no different than the first ten -- and no, you are not going to get me to believe that the last ten is harder. Maybe there is some truth about our body not wanting to let go of any fat when we are close to goal, but that first ten requires letting go of an enormous amount of denial and emotional baggage, and then a lot of tens after that require deep examination about what we are capable of and our relationships with family, friends, and food. Each ten pounds is hard, in equal measure.
That said, maybe my sarcastic mental advice still has a grain of truth in it. If I want to lose these last ten pounds, I can't half-commit to an eating plan. I have to go all-in, just like I did at the beginning. I need, in the end, to shut up and eat less.
So that's what I'm doing. I'm two weeks in on my 16-week commitment challenge, and I'm finally genuinely committing. I'm delighted that it's beginning to stick again, because that in turn revs up my motivation. Speaking of which, a Medifast friend reminded me last night about one of my first posts on this blog; he said he still turns to it now, to remind himself about motivation or lack thereof. I had forgotten about the post, but when I went back and re-read it, I realized creating my commitment challenge was actually following my own advice; by creating 4 measurable goals and committing to them for 16 weeks, I carved out the path of my dry river, and waited for the water/motivation to return. And now it is.
Shut up and eat less. That's the plan.
That got me thinking about my (mostly internal) reaction in the past when friends would announce, "I need to lose 10/15/20 pounds!" Looking at them from deep past the 200-pound mark, I would think in reply, "Shut up and eat less!"
I admit, my response was not charitable or encouraging. I never claimed to be the kindest person around, and naturally my jealousy over them being so close to a goal that I knew I would never reach overwhelmed any remaining drops of kindness buried in me. To my credit, I tried not to say it very often, but I did think it.
From where I stood back then, losing ten pounds seemed easy: it was a low number so it wouldn't take as long to reach as a larger loss would, and it wouldn't require as much commitment or rigid adherence to an eating plan. After all, I could drop 5 pounds just by drinking water for a week! Plus, I couldn't understand WHY they needed to lose ten pounds, or any weight at all; they fit into sizes sold in regular stores, they looked healthy and slim, and they were in way better shape than me. All they needed to do stop their whining and eat salad for a week and it would be done.
Like I said, not very charitable.
I hit me yesterday that maybe this attitude was my problem now; I haven't quite believed that to lose these last ten pounds that I needed to work as hard as I did on the first fifty. Unconsciously, I've cut corners and not committed myself, not really following any eating plan at all. A few salads here and there, patting myself on the back for eating a grilled-portobello sandwich instead of a greasy burger and thus conveniently forgetting about the mixed drink and sweet-potato FRENCH FRIES I ate with my "healthy" dinner; in my mixed-up brain, somehow I thought that would be enough to take off these last few "easy" pounds.
Instead, I have gone from needing to lose 2 pounds to needing to lose 10. Or stated another way, I've GAINED eight pounds in this convoluted, half-hearted, stupid attempt to be on a "diet".
I was wrong. I get it now. Losing weight requires the exact same dedication, focus, and commitment no matter how much you need to lose. The last ten is no different than the first ten -- and no, you are not going to get me to believe that the last ten is harder. Maybe there is some truth about our body not wanting to let go of any fat when we are close to goal, but that first ten requires letting go of an enormous amount of denial and emotional baggage, and then a lot of tens after that require deep examination about what we are capable of and our relationships with family, friends, and food. Each ten pounds is hard, in equal measure.
That said, maybe my sarcastic mental advice still has a grain of truth in it. If I want to lose these last ten pounds, I can't half-commit to an eating plan. I have to go all-in, just like I did at the beginning. I need, in the end, to shut up and eat less.
So that's what I'm doing. I'm two weeks in on my 16-week commitment challenge, and I'm finally genuinely committing. I'm delighted that it's beginning to stick again, because that in turn revs up my motivation. Speaking of which, a Medifast friend reminded me last night about one of my first posts on this blog; he said he still turns to it now, to remind himself about motivation or lack thereof. I had forgotten about the post, but when I went back and re-read it, I realized creating my commitment challenge was actually following my own advice; by creating 4 measurable goals and committing to them for 16 weeks, I carved out the path of my dry river, and waited for the water/motivation to return. And now it is.
Shut up and eat less. That's the plan.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 2 complete
Time to recap Week 2's results!
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Done, but only because I had made this commitment; I had a terrible week and knew I had a significant gain. I was trying to barter with myself, come up with reasons not to go, but as I said at the meeting, I knew after announcing the prior week that I was going to come for 16 weeks I couldn't bail out on week 2, for cryin' out loud! LOL.
So I sucked it up and went. That's why those meetings are important; they force to face reality, good or bad, and when you've gotten off-track that weekly accountability helps get you back on it. And going yesterday has gotten me to recommit.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Great googly-moogly, did I fail at this; I only got two days in, Monday and Saturday. I could blame the rainy weather and the fact that both the indoor track and the pool was closed for maintenance, but if I had really wanted to exercise I could have figured something out. Like, say, my Wii sitting right in front of my couch.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Not yet. I did download an app for this for my iPhone. I should try to use it. Maybe.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Eh, I think this was okay; the problem was the other thing Hubby and I do when we are lazy and tired from work and stressed out. We ate out too many times. Need to get a grip on that this week. We have easy-to-cook food in the house; we just need to open the fridge and eat it.
The other commitment I made at my WW meeting was to eat fruit 2 times a day. I can get in my veggies no problem, but when I am grabbing snacks -- particularly on the days when I am traveling to meetings for work instead of being in the office -- I have been grabbing the last of the MF bars or a small weighed-out bag of dried cranberries and peanuts. It's perfectly within plan, but it's not the healthiest choices. Then, because I feel like I've been eating "junk" throughout the day, I am more inclined to make poor choices for dinner. I need to stop that cycle, and to break the mental connection that granola bars or MF bars are acceptable alternatives to real food. They're not; they're processed snack foods with snack-y flavors. They are not meals.
But after 6 months on MF where I ate bars all day long, it's a tough habit to break. I will work on it!
Lastly, I need to remember this: part of why I am wearing dresses all the time now is that I don't want to admit that my size 10 pants don't fit anymore. I need to own up to that ASAP. This isn't a matter of just trying to lose the last bit of weight anymore; I am GAINING IT BACK. That is unacceptable.
My pants don't fit. I couldn't buy any of the beautiful new modern-style pants at Ann Taylor yesterday because I didn't fit into the size 10s. My pants don't fit, my pants don't fit, my pants don't fit.
If I say it long enough and loud enough, then hopefully it will drown out my pizza voice, right?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Done, but only because I had made this commitment; I had a terrible week and knew I had a significant gain. I was trying to barter with myself, come up with reasons not to go, but as I said at the meeting, I knew after announcing the prior week that I was going to come for 16 weeks I couldn't bail out on week 2, for cryin' out loud! LOL.
So I sucked it up and went. That's why those meetings are important; they force to face reality, good or bad, and when you've gotten off-track that weekly accountability helps get you back on it. And going yesterday has gotten me to recommit.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Great googly-moogly, did I fail at this; I only got two days in, Monday and Saturday. I could blame the rainy weather and the fact that both the indoor track and the pool was closed for maintenance, but if I had really wanted to exercise I could have figured something out. Like, say, my Wii sitting right in front of my couch.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
Not yet. I did download an app for this for my iPhone. I should try to use it. Maybe.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Eh, I think this was okay; the problem was the other thing Hubby and I do when we are lazy and tired from work and stressed out. We ate out too many times. Need to get a grip on that this week. We have easy-to-cook food in the house; we just need to open the fridge and eat it.
The other commitment I made at my WW meeting was to eat fruit 2 times a day. I can get in my veggies no problem, but when I am grabbing snacks -- particularly on the days when I am traveling to meetings for work instead of being in the office -- I have been grabbing the last of the MF bars or a small weighed-out bag of dried cranberries and peanuts. It's perfectly within plan, but it's not the healthiest choices. Then, because I feel like I've been eating "junk" throughout the day, I am more inclined to make poor choices for dinner. I need to stop that cycle, and to break the mental connection that granola bars or MF bars are acceptable alternatives to real food. They're not; they're processed snack foods with snack-y flavors. They are not meals.
But after 6 months on MF where I ate bars all day long, it's a tough habit to break. I will work on it!
Lastly, I need to remember this: part of why I am wearing dresses all the time now is that I don't want to admit that my size 10 pants don't fit anymore. I need to own up to that ASAP. This isn't a matter of just trying to lose the last bit of weight anymore; I am GAINING IT BACK. That is unacceptable.
My pants don't fit. I couldn't buy any of the beautiful new modern-style pants at Ann Taylor yesterday because I didn't fit into the size 10s. My pants don't fit, my pants don't fit, my pants don't fit.
If I say it long enough and loud enough, then hopefully it will drown out my pizza voice, right?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
16-Week Commitment Challenge: Week 1 complete
So I completed Week 1 of my 16-week challenge. How did I do?
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Done, and it was great! This week's topic was about mental plateaus, and I realize I have essentially been on one since I switched plans. Got some good tips for getting myself in gear again.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Hrm. Only got in 3 days this week; I fell apart mid-week because I had errands to run after work too many nights. Since I have work meetings in other locations all week and I won't be on the same getting-home schedule as usual, I am going to work on getting in my exercise in the morning. I certainly get up earlier enough for it; now I just need to pull myself away from the internet to do it.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
I did this for a day or two, and erratically even then. I will get there soon.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Went out for dinner with cocktails a few too many times this week. I want to eat in more this week, so that issue should be eliminated.
That said, I went down -.4 from my previous week's WW weigh-in (which I am going to start using as my official weigh-ins, not the ones on my home scale), which pleases me. I have been careening up and down the scale 3-4 pounds per week, and it's been too much. A small amount up or down is much more reasonable and realistic.
A related accomplishment occurred yesterday: for my sister's birthday, a bunch of our pals from MF agreed to each run 5K yesterday in honor of her. I was on Week 6/Day 3 of the C25K, so I was supposed to run 25 minutes non-stop. I did, and I am pretty sure I ran the whole 5K distance! I tried to track according to the markings on the path (the town 5K is held there), plus I ran an extra amount while getting to the running path around the lake. I may have shorted the distance a little bit in the end, but I ran for 27 minutes non-stop, and it felt great! I am looking forward now to a) start increasing my endurance and distance, and b) measure the distance I can run more accurately on the indoor track. Whooo, I am a runner! Who knew?
In addition, Hubby and I have been noticing that I am developing muscle definition on my shoulders and upper arms. I will have my Michelle Obama arms yet! (I used to call them Linda Hamilton Terminator arms, but that's so 90s, LOL!)
This week, my main concentrations will be attending meeting and getting in all my exercise and waters. We also ate out a lot this week, and I'd like to rein that in a bit. Amusingly, we ordered a pizza (medium, with spinach and onions -- hey, it's a start) on Wednesday, and "our" regular driver was the one who delivered it. We hadn't seen him in a while, and he was pretty amazed at how much we'd both lost! Hubby replied, "This is what we've been doing since we stopped ordering pizza from you!" Hee.
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any.
Done, and it was great! This week's topic was about mental plateaus, and I realize I have essentially been on one since I switched plans. Got some good tips for getting myself in gear again.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum.
Hrm. Only got in 3 days this week; I fell apart mid-week because I had errands to run after work too many nights. Since I have work meetings in other locations all week and I won't be on the same getting-home schedule as usual, I am going to work on getting in my exercise in the morning. I certainly get up earlier enough for it; now I just need to pull myself away from the internet to do it.
3. Count my points in my Tracker.
I did this for a day or two, and erratically even then. I will get there soon.
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week.
Went out for dinner with cocktails a few too many times this week. I want to eat in more this week, so that issue should be eliminated.
That said, I went down -.4 from my previous week's WW weigh-in (which I am going to start using as my official weigh-ins, not the ones on my home scale), which pleases me. I have been careening up and down the scale 3-4 pounds per week, and it's been too much. A small amount up or down is much more reasonable and realistic.
A related accomplishment occurred yesterday: for my sister's birthday, a bunch of our pals from MF agreed to each run 5K yesterday in honor of her. I was on Week 6/Day 3 of the C25K, so I was supposed to run 25 minutes non-stop. I did, and I am pretty sure I ran the whole 5K distance! I tried to track according to the markings on the path (the town 5K is held there), plus I ran an extra amount while getting to the running path around the lake. I may have shorted the distance a little bit in the end, but I ran for 27 minutes non-stop, and it felt great! I am looking forward now to a) start increasing my endurance and distance, and b) measure the distance I can run more accurately on the indoor track. Whooo, I am a runner! Who knew?
In addition, Hubby and I have been noticing that I am developing muscle definition on my shoulders and upper arms. I will have my Michelle Obama arms yet! (I used to call them Linda Hamilton Terminator arms, but that's so 90s, LOL!)
This week, my main concentrations will be attending meeting and getting in all my exercise and waters. We also ate out a lot this week, and I'd like to rein that in a bit. Amusingly, we ordered a pizza (medium, with spinach and onions -- hey, it's a start) on Wednesday, and "our" regular driver was the one who delivered it. We hadn't seen him in a while, and he was pretty amazed at how much we'd both lost! Hubby replied, "This is what we've been doing since we stopped ordering pizza from you!" Hee.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Final Push to Goal: the 16 Week Challenge
For those of you just reading this journal for the first time, I've lost 50-60 pounds since January of this year. I say a range because I've been sliding up and down the scale for a couple of months now, losing at peak 60 pounds. I need to lose a total of 65 to be at goal (I started at 225 at Christmas, which was my highest weight).
Losing these last 10 pounds have been tough. I've tried a lot of different mental adjustments and strategies to keep myself committed and on-track: switching from Medifast to Weight Watchers, starting a fairly steady exercise regimen, taking up C25K running, experimenting with kayaking, joining the town pool for swimming laps, putting myself on a short-lived shopping ban, bringing MF bars with me on vacations, etc. Some of these things have turned into new habits -- the new fun exercises in particular -- but still, the scale has gone up more than it is gone down. At peak last week, I was 12 pounds from goal -- and when I ended Medifast, I was 2. Now, I knew I would gain once I left MF, and I was prepared mentally to deal with that. But I thought it would be instantaneous, a quick big jump up as I re-introduced carbs and real food back into my diet. I wasn't prepared for this roller-coaster up and down and up and up.
And I can't really blame WW or eating real food as the problem here: the problem is my inconsistent commitment. Some days I count points, most days I don't. My days of exercise per week range from 0-7. I haven't even attended WW meetings every week!
I need to put the building blocks back in place, and leave them there; let them settle in and become true habits. It's said in WW that people who attend meetings for 16 weeks have the most success; they are the ones who truly commit to the plan and who lose the weight and usually keep it off. And really, it's creating new habits that gives us our weight-loss success, not what we eat; anyone can starve themselves for a week or two and drop a couple of pounds. A successful loser makes deeper changes to their eating habits. That's what I need to do, again. I managed to create new eating habits on six months of Medifast, and they have still kept me in good stead: I eat small meals through the day, I cut out skim milk and too much sweetener in my coffee in the morning, I never miss breakfast, I don't eat nearly as much starch as I used to, I added exercise as a desired and regular part of my life, etc.
Now I need to create more new habits for this phase. For the next 16 weeks, I hereby commit to:
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any. If I cannot make my Saturday 8am meeting, I will make plans to attend the Thursday night one.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum. That 5th day is a mental stumbling block for me; if I can't get it in, I get 'all or nothing' in my thinking and I end up doing NO exercise. Four days per week I can do without any mental games.
3. Count my points in my Tracker. I know from vast experience keeping myself accountable is how I lose weight. Plus, I am anal-retentive and I like using the Tracker. It's so cute and organized! There are ticky boxes! I love ticky boxes!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week. I like my nightly beer on the porch with Hubby too much; I have to remember I like my size 8 skirts better. *grins*
That's it. I will of course keep going on the good habits I have established, and within the confines of the four commitments above I will continue eating good foods and trying to stay on plan as best I can, but really, the goal here is to build the habits. The weight loss will follow; it won't have a choice.
So in a total Bridget Jones move, here are my current weight stats:
Started at: 225
Today's weight: 167.2
Total loss: 57.8
Weekly loss: -4.4 (Water weight. The losses after this won't be this big again.)
++++++
I want to note this observation while I am talking about all of this, as a reminder for keeping myself motivated if I start to flag: for my body, the difference between 160 and 170 pounds is the difference between looking skinny and looking chubby. As my weight has crept back up around 170, I've been shocked and embarrassed at the way it's changed my shape: my belly is round and flabby and isn't easily held in place with a slim skirt, my extra chin reappeared, my hands look puffy, there's a little extra flab of back fat starting to take shape. I've never really noticed how 10 measly pounds alters me before, but I definitely do not like it. I much, MUCH prefer my body at 160; I feel slender at that weight, and I don't have to waste my time dressing to hide parts of my body. Everything just fits as it should.
I know all of the above sounds incredibly narcissistic and self-obsessed, but honestly it is a revelation to me. I've never noticed these changes in such small increments before; the last time I gained (all the) weight back, I knew I was going up, I immediately hated myself and my body, but I just closed my eyes and ignored it and let it happen. Seeing it, making note of it, coming up with a plan to confront it will, I hope, stop that process in its tracks.
My eyes are wide open this time, and they plan on staying that way.
Losing these last 10 pounds have been tough. I've tried a lot of different mental adjustments and strategies to keep myself committed and on-track: switching from Medifast to Weight Watchers, starting a fairly steady exercise regimen, taking up C25K running, experimenting with kayaking, joining the town pool for swimming laps, putting myself on a short-lived shopping ban, bringing MF bars with me on vacations, etc. Some of these things have turned into new habits -- the new fun exercises in particular -- but still, the scale has gone up more than it is gone down. At peak last week, I was 12 pounds from goal -- and when I ended Medifast, I was 2. Now, I knew I would gain once I left MF, and I was prepared mentally to deal with that. But I thought it would be instantaneous, a quick big jump up as I re-introduced carbs and real food back into my diet. I wasn't prepared for this roller-coaster up and down and up and up.
And I can't really blame WW or eating real food as the problem here: the problem is my inconsistent commitment. Some days I count points, most days I don't. My days of exercise per week range from 0-7. I haven't even attended WW meetings every week!
I need to put the building blocks back in place, and leave them there; let them settle in and become true habits. It's said in WW that people who attend meetings for 16 weeks have the most success; they are the ones who truly commit to the plan and who lose the weight and usually keep it off. And really, it's creating new habits that gives us our weight-loss success, not what we eat; anyone can starve themselves for a week or two and drop a couple of pounds. A successful loser makes deeper changes to their eating habits. That's what I need to do, again. I managed to create new eating habits on six months of Medifast, and they have still kept me in good stead: I eat small meals through the day, I cut out skim milk and too much sweetener in my coffee in the morning, I never miss breakfast, I don't eat nearly as much starch as I used to, I added exercise as a desired and regular part of my life, etc.
Now I need to create more new habits for this phase. For the next 16 weeks, I hereby commit to:
1. Attend WW meetings every week without skipping any. If I cannot make my Saturday 8am meeting, I will make plans to attend the Thursday night one.
2. Exercise 4 days a week minimum. That 5th day is a mental stumbling block for me; if I can't get it in, I get 'all or nothing' in my thinking and I end up doing NO exercise. Four days per week I can do without any mental games.
3. Count my points in my Tracker. I know from vast experience keeping myself accountable is how I lose weight. Plus, I am anal-retentive and I like using the Tracker. It's so cute and organized! There are ticky boxes! I love ticky boxes!
4. Cut back on the alcohol to 1-2 drinks a week. I like my nightly beer on the porch with Hubby too much; I have to remember I like my size 8 skirts better. *grins*
That's it. I will of course keep going on the good habits I have established, and within the confines of the four commitments above I will continue eating good foods and trying to stay on plan as best I can, but really, the goal here is to build the habits. The weight loss will follow; it won't have a choice.
So in a total Bridget Jones move, here are my current weight stats:
Started at: 225
Today's weight: 167.2
Total loss: 57.8
Weekly loss: -4.4 (Water weight. The losses after this won't be this big again.)
++++++
I want to note this observation while I am talking about all of this, as a reminder for keeping myself motivated if I start to flag: for my body, the difference between 160 and 170 pounds is the difference between looking skinny and looking chubby. As my weight has crept back up around 170, I've been shocked and embarrassed at the way it's changed my shape: my belly is round and flabby and isn't easily held in place with a slim skirt, my extra chin reappeared, my hands look puffy, there's a little extra flab of back fat starting to take shape. I've never really noticed how 10 measly pounds alters me before, but I definitely do not like it. I much, MUCH prefer my body at 160; I feel slender at that weight, and I don't have to waste my time dressing to hide parts of my body. Everything just fits as it should.
I know all of the above sounds incredibly narcissistic and self-obsessed, but honestly it is a revelation to me. I've never noticed these changes in such small increments before; the last time I gained (all the) weight back, I knew I was going up, I immediately hated myself and my body, but I just closed my eyes and ignored it and let it happen. Seeing it, making note of it, coming up with a plan to confront it will, I hope, stop that process in its tracks.
My eyes are wide open this time, and they plan on staying that way.
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