This week in half review

The first week is half way thru...

It's always the hardest in the beginning. But this beginning is not nearly as hard at that first beginning back in 2007.

Tracking is something that is always hard. I start out good in the AM, but by dinner I just forget. Despite that, I have stayed within 2-3 points over my daily points allowance. And to step down from my sweet tooth, which the holiday season did not help any, I've just had one or two cinnamon graham crackers after dinner. They are sweet enough to do the trick, but not sweet enough or full of fat to submarine me. I know in a few more days my palate will be where it needs to be and I won't even need the graham crackers anymore.

One thing that I love though are oranges. I'm from Arizona and grew up in an orange grove. In Arizona, during the winter (when the citrus comes in) you just don't buy oranges at the store, you just don't. Usually there are calls up and down the street and across town from families to "Come get some citrus. We're swimming over here." It's great. But being in the deep, dark winter of Northern New Mexico (I know not nearly as gnarly as say Minnesota or Nebraska -- or so my friends there tell me), there is no citrus and you have to buy your oranges at the store. For shame, for shame.

This year I actually did good with a box of Christmas navels. All of them have been very sweet and almost, but not nearly as good as oranges from our trees at home. So we'll make due with what we have. In good news though, my 13 month old son loves oranges. I slice them up into "smiles" for him and he likes to gnaw on them for a snack. A true Arizona baby, even though he was born here.

So for this week, down a pound, getting things back under control Only three more pounds to break into the 190s again...and that will be good.

Standing at the Base of the Mountian of Self Improvement

New Year, new me. Right?

It's funny. Only last week it was December, and I was lolling around eating butter and mayo out of the containers. No, no I was not. However, I was having a healthy relationship with cheese and crackers. Curse you Town House crackers!

Anyway, that's all done now. I'm mending my wicked ways.

Everything is ready to go. I have my notebooks for tracking my food points all set up. I have healthy snacks in the fridge. I have healthy meals planned for the week. I have opened up and have read thru all of my Weight Watchers literature, cook books and etc.

So here is where I stand. I am 20#s less than when I started in 2007. YAY! I am still 20#s heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight. Boo! My 10% weigh loss goal just happens to be that 20#s. YAY! So, if I can keep my motivation up and my drive, I think I can get rid of that 20#s, make that 10% in a reasonable amount of time.

My hurdles are these: my mental state. That's a given. Last year I had no motivation to track points, to do anything productive. Let's face it though, with an newborn I was lucky to not lose my mind on a daily basis, which happened more often than I wanted. I'm just sayin'.

Granted I did not eat like a pig nor was I gluttonish in anyway, but I did flirt with chocolate way too much. Lindt Intense Orange bars to be exact. Well, we broke up, me Lindt, cheese, crackers all of it. There is none of it in the house. Not even my secret bean jar chocolate stash has chocolate in it at present. That's progress people, progress.

My second goal is to lose a jean size. If and when I do that, I will be in my pre-pregnancy clothes. Which there are many of, and cute ones too.

My third goal, and this will be a result of the other two coming to pass, is that my blood pressure will go back down into the acceptable range. Right now I am right on the border of moderately high and normal. I know with lifestyle changes it will fall again, and the doctor will get off my back.

At present my issues are these: it is cold and that means my normal outside walk has been sidelines. We can go out if the temp is above 40* without giving my son frost bite. Under that it's too cold. I am hoping for a "warm" day (I realize that is totally a relative term but it's what we have to work with here!). If not, it's DVD time. Not that Leslie Sanson is bad. She's not. She and Denise Austin are totally great and motivating. It's just that they are DVDs, and that is my least favorite way to exercise.

There is is, the whole, nekkid truth of where I stand at the base of the mountain of self improvement. Ready or not 2010 here we go.

Soylent Green is People, or So They Say.

So, this morning I got out the food journal, and wrote down what I ate. I'm going to do it this week. Last week I walked everyday but Sunday, one thing at a time.

I also think my scale has multiple personalities. I weighed in yesterday at 210#s, this morning 212#s. I doubt I gained 2 pounds in a day, I didn't eat much yesterday, and what I did eat was healthy and in proportion. I think it might have to do with where I stand on it. We have old creaky floors that buckle, I should probably weigh myself downstairs on the tile floor.

Anyway...

In my quest to wean myself off of treats and sweets right now, I've been saving the baby food containers from Baby's meals. Gerber comes in little plastic tubs now. They are about 4oz volume, and perfect for making single serve sugar free jello in. Seriously, it's so much less expensive to make my own jello cups rather than buy them premade. I also allow myself a small squirt of spray-cream....a girl can't give up everything. Sugar free jello will be my new secret lover....or somesuch.

I'm also going to try and update here more than once a week. I've got to chronicle my love/hate relationship with food. As I said on my regular blog, "love it, hate it, gotta have it, Soylent Green is people!"

The New Week Two.

So the new week one went mostly well. Although I have to say that starting over, and ridding the house of sweets is not the best idea the week of the monthly guest. I will get thru however.

We walked 5 out of 7 days last week. Saturday I did the hills in my neighborhood, which only adds a half mile onto the total distance I walk, but holycow! I have been feeling it for the last day or so. I am really out of shape, no really. It used to be that the hills wouldn't even wind me...ah, but that was life before baby.

The other problem I face is this, I start out the week really well, writing down what I eat, but it seems by Weds I'm lost and not doing that. I know that when I write things down I am sucessful. I need to just do it.

The other hurdle, or trouble that we've had to overcome is what to do about dogs in the neighborhood. I've been attacked and chased by dogs before, and it was scary, but not a big deal Almost 2 weeks ago a rotweiler attacked us and almost ate my son. The dog, according to his owners is 'very sweet and wouldn't hurt anyone.' Anyway, after a call to the dog catcher and a ticket, I've not seen the dog, in his yard or otherwise. Needless to say, it was one of the few times I've truly feared for my life, and the first I've feared for the life of my child -- I'm sure it won't be the last for that, but....

So, my DH came up with a good solution. I'm carrying a squirt bottle full of ammonia and water. I was hesitant to use pepper sray, as that gets all over everything and everyone. Ammonia is mostly harmless however and should do the trick. I can only hope that this incident was the last with a dog.

So, here's to the new week 2....write it down.

Starting Over is a Good Thing

Ohhhh Nelly!

It's not that I've not wanted to post here, I just have let it slide.

Anyway....back to the program.

I've started over and I'm in week 1 again. We went to visit the Grandmas in March and April, and it's impossible to even think about doing WW at their houses. Espeically, my parents house. Holy cow, we never, and I repeat NEVER had treats and stuff growing up. Mom would buy popsicles in the summer and that's about it. Now my parents have turned into Willy Wonka and Wife. At every turn, "Here have a candy, have some ice cream" AAA!

So I decided to start over. The weather is also really good now. We have been able to go out every day for the last 3 weeks. This week when I started keeping track of points again, I lost 2 lbs the first day. And now that my house is offically rid of all sweets, with the excpetion of a box of graham crackers and a jar of Nutella, I should be good. I hope.

Now, if we can just get the neighborhood dogs to leave us alone while we are out and about, life would be almost perfect.

Week 4 update

Today is the start of Week 4. I've lost 3 lbs. I knew it would be hard going back on WW with a newborn, but I didn't realize HOW hard. Most weekdays I don't get to excerceise, which makes me sad. However, I do try to take advantage of my DH being home on the weekend to get out and move.

The eating has been ok. I am still fighting some bad habits that re-emerged during pregnancy and am having to relearn how to self control. However, since I am still post partum and recovering from being pregnant and having a baby, I am not as militant with my food intake as I once was. I know I need nutrients to rebuild what was lost, so I don't feel bad if I have extra milk, or more fruit and veg in a day than my points allow. I figure if I need to eat more, make it count.

But, my sweet jogging stroller came. I can't wait till it warms up a bit more, then we are out of here on a daily basis, and I know excercise will be easier then.

Shoes and a Yogi

The shoes did not work, so I had to send them back and re-order my old shoes, which is fine, except they come with pink accents. Gag! But, they will work and I use them.

As for hot and steamy yoga mentioned a few posts ago, I went yesterday. The studio is new so they have a great introductory rate for an unlimited week of classes for $20. I chose this option, just to see if I like it.

Well I did. I have to admit though, I have no balance whatsoever and I felt big and very clunky. Heck I can't even put my feet together and not fall down. All those years of singing training have taught me to stand differently and breath differently, it wasn't wrong, but different. I have also mention that there was a lady in the class who I am going to call "Noodle Lady" because she could do all the positions, like standing on one leg with the other leg kicked out and squating on on foot in tip toe with the other leg folded up around her lap. Ya, she's Noodle Lady, because she was that flexable!

As for the hot and steamy, it was warm, but it felt so good to work out in a room that was that warm. Of course I sweated like a little piggy, but it was ok. And when I came out of the room, I felt relaxed, limber and for the first time in a long time my plantar facitis foot and leg, the right, did not hurt! YAY!

Now, the trick is this convincing my DH to pay for the 5 week card next week. He thinks yoga is for hippies and that I should just rent a DVD, but I really like this....and I lost a pound doing it.

Week 2.4

Week 2.4 brought us nothing, but static....at least I didn't gain weight on the homefront (see the previous post on the Sour Cream Racket). I found myself able to manage my portions and what I ate at my parents house quite nicely, despite the growing enchalada conspiricy in the fridge.

Last week was also the one year mark of being on WW, meaning I started the program last year at this time. I can't believe what a year it's been. Those first weeks were so hard. Breaking habits, making news ones and really learing about my relationship with food were hard. I will say this, I do miss the resolve I had back then. I was in top mental form, now I'm just not. I think my brain turned to butter, or sour cream. :)

So, on with the countdown, I hope week 5 is good!

Joining Weight Watchers

I did it. I joined Weight Watchers--to be refered to hereafter as WW--because I'm just that lazy!

Ok, so I bought the "AT HOME KIT" which consists of: 1-At Home Guide, 2-Complete Food Companion, 3-Dining Out Guide, 4-Points Tracker (a little cardbord slide thingy), 5-Points Calculator (it's really a calculator with their super secret logarithim--which is up for public view on Wikipedia), 6-Cook Book, 7-WW Mag subscription, 8-Food Diary and designer carrying case. It was an obscene ammount of money and I know I could have bought it on eBay, but I'm trying to be honest here.

So why the AT HOME? Well, there are several reasons, one, the meeting in my town are at a very bad time for me. Second, I don't do well in person with strangers--it's called being an anxiety freak. Finally, I know I can do this becaue I've decided to, I don't need to be prodded along.

I've also created a profile on the WW website which allows me free access to the message boards. Now all I have to do is wait for the merchandise to arrive and I'm set!

Fat Lady tired of singing--can you help?

They say when you turn 30 things start to change (who are "they" anyway, and why do "they": seem to have so much sway over all of us????). On my 30th birthday and shortly there after, I didn't really believe the notion 'that things would change' to be true. But then things started to change---grey hair, wrinkles, using large ammounts of Oil of Olay, having to be in bed and sleeping by 10PM, an overwhelming dislike of teenagers, and a little more of me to love. That's what brings me here today, the fact that this fat lady is tired of singing. I'm an emotional eater, and weight has always been an issue with me.

I go by the moniker East of Eden (to protect the innocet you know), I'm a 33 year old burned out high school teacher, turned Haus-frau living in Northern New Mexico. My chubby secrets read like a really sad novel. But none of you are allowed to feel sorry for me, I do that enough on my own. (It's my party, I can cry if I want to!!)

A little over two years ago--almost three years really, I picked up my teaching hat again, and began a job teaching history to 10th and 11th graders at what I like to call "Satan's High School." I kid you not, it was that bad. Normally when I teach I would loose weight. Not this time around. I found myself coming home from horrible days with the legions of the devil and putting anything in my mouth for comfort. The day I was reaching for a big spoon and the jar of mayonaise (well maybe not that, but you get the picture) I stopped myself and had a major revelation about myself. It was then and there that I knew I was an emotional eater and I had to do something. Despite my new found knowledge, I did not have the actual desire to DO anything about the junk in my trunk. And I kept on loading the junk in.

Fast forward to a little under two years ago, the summer of 2005. I'd quit my job teaching with the hopes that me and the Spouse could try and start our family. I found myself pregnant and then loosing two prenancies in the space of about five months. (that was the part you're not supposed to feel sorry for me). If I thought teaching with the spawn of Satan was bad, being thrust into the deep dark hell that is pregnancy loss, post-partum depression and grief was much worse. For most of 2006 I found myself wandering aimlessly in a fog of misery and tins of Danish Butter Cookies as I healed from these experiences. As this last holiday approached I wondered how I was doing, deep down inside and I could feel the fog lifting. For the first time in a long time I felt like myself again, and I had the desire to DO something.

Aside from the junk in my trunk, I have ever higher blood pressure. I know the dangers of high blood pressure from family experience, and from watching way too many Discovery Channel specials on the subject. I also know that being overweight while pregnant brings many health problems and challenges, that I just don't have the constitution to deal with. So as you can see, my reasons for wanting to lose weight are many.

So what am I doing?

This week my Weight Watchers home kit came in the mail. It's great, with an explanation of how both of their programs work, cookbooks, meal plans, points calculator and excercies DVD. Whoooo-who! I'm still plowing thru all of it, but so far, I've decided to go with the "Flex-plan". How that works is I get a set number of food points each day. When I eat I lose points, but when I excercise I gain points. I'm trying to figure out an excercise plan I can do indoors in the winter that won't kill me. (Our town didn't get the memo on global warming this year--it's stinkin' cold!!) I'm exited to count points--look at me I've become a bean counter!! I don't have to buy weird food on WW or eat tofu--which would kill me, or weird things from the rain forest; and I can eat out, if we happen to be out. I know myself well enough that with this plan I can re-gain control of my self and reign in my bad habits. Re-direction of behavior is what I'm about now. I also know that thru lots of prayer, serious contemplation and help from you all, my Husband and God, I can reign in my bad habits and emotions and get my body back.

Now if you think I'm actually going to say how big of a lard I am, you need mental help....haha...maybe I do too! I will say this, my goal is to loose 10% of my body weight by the end of March. After that I will re-evaluate my life, look for me on Dr. Phil--ha! The ultimate goal is to fit back into my size 14 clothes, I actually don't care how much I weigh, but if I can fit into that closet of cute clothes I will be a happy camper.