Weight Watchers Restarted

I realize that I've posted several "plans of attack" throughout my weight loss journey so far and I've come to the conclusion that I'm still working the trial and error part of finding what works for me. As you may know, I've been stick in a pleateau since March and it's getting frustrating. My friends here on MFP have kept me from throwing in the towel, but I figured it was time to start something different to hopefully get things moving in the right direction again.

I basically took the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas off from really watching what I ate. For most of that time, I still tracked my food, but I just needed a break. Unfortunately that enjoyment came with several pounds.

Yesterday, I restarted Weight Watchers to see if it would shake things up. I was a Weight Watchers member in 2006, where I lost 12 lbs in 9 weeks. It was awesome! However, I quit because I moved and there were no convenient centers. Yes, it's a terrible excuse and it caused me to gain it all back over the next year, plus some. Now, I'm still at a lower weight than I was when I left in 2006, so that's at least something.

Even though I had eaten the majority of my food for the day prior to going to my meeting, I still went back and tracked what I had eaten and even had to use some of my weekly extra points. It's a good thing, however, that I've started eating a lot more fruits and veggies since most are now 0 points on the new plan. Yay!

I know everyone has their opinions about Weight Watchers, but I know it works for me and I need to see progress again to keep my motivation. Heck, the little "Bravo" stickers I got yesterday for declaring my 2011 goal (non-scale goal, mind you!) were a little bit motivating. I don't even care that it's a little bit elementary. Yep, I even like the round of applause you get at meetings for meeting goals!

A New Plan of Attack

As you may know, I've recently expressed my frustration at the whole weight loss journey and the fact that I've been stuck in a rut (plateau!) for quite some time now. After reading Jackie Warner's "This is Why You're Fat" book, I decided to try her jumpstart plan in which you add foods to the things you're already eating.

The plan includes adding 2 eggs, 1 cup of oatmeal, 3 servings of veggies, 2 servings of fruit, 3 liters of lemon water and whey protein daily to what you're already eating. As you can guess, adding all of those things leaves less room for the junk.

I started the plan on Monday, December 6th and so far, I've only had the oatmeal once and haven't had the eggs. I've grown up hating the smell of cooking eggs, so therefore I didn't eat the stuff. I did give them a try on Sunday and although I didn't hate them, I didn't love them either. It will take some getting used to. The oatmeal was the same way, since I'd never eaten it before and the texture gets to me.

Anyway, I've decided I'm going to focus on the eating first. I know last week I said I was going to focus on the exercising but I've come to realize that the food is the root cause. I love food...who doesn't? I especially love ice cream, which is a major problem.

I'm still going to be as active as I can, but I'm not going to stress over getting my workouts done. If I can get the eating under control, the rest will come; I'm sure of this. Most of the time, I like working out but the junk food I'm eating has made me lazy. I also find that I eat the junk with the intention of working out ("I'll burn at least 300 calories tonight"). Of course, I eat the junk and then don't fit the workout in. Enter the list of excuses here.

So, this is my course of action of the next few weeks, and beyond if it takes longer to get the food under control. To be honest, though, after eating more fruits and veggies throughout the week, I had more energy last night than I've had in a long time. I actually stayed awake past 10pm. The clean eating phenomenon suddenly makes even more sense. I realize it will take me a while to get it down and control the cravings, but I think it's important, so I'll do it.

Goal weight, I'll see you 2011!

Inches Lost

As many of my MFP friends know, I've been very down and frustrated this week because I'm stressed about constantly logging calories, trying to exercise enough to eat what I want, etc. and not seeing any results. Add these things to the fact that I've been teetering between 184-188 lbs. since March and I'm bummed.

I decided to take a step back from logging so obsessively and am attempting to get on my scale less. The stress of my weight loss journey is likely causing my body to hold onto weight and I need to figure something out. Now is a good time to relax a little because the six week weight loss challenge I've been on is done. Obviously, I didn't win anything but it did force me to take a look at how far I've come since starting this journey just over a year ago.

As the title of this blog says, I've lost inches. The scale hasn't moved, but my body has apparently reshaped itself.

Since August 2009, I've lost:

Bust    1.50 inches

Waist  7.50 inches!

Hips   3.0 inches

Thigh 1.70 inches

Bicep  0.50 inches

 

Total: 14.2 inches from my body overall!

Going forward, I need to remember not to be so hard on myself. Things are happening, whether it seems like they are or not. Not only have I lost 14.2 inches and 33 lbs. since starting this weight loss journey, I've increased my BMR.

Now, it's time for me to make a plan to get me though the next 33 lbs of my weight loss journey without feeling like I have to throw the scale through a wall.

Dwindling Motivation

I'm sure others experience this, but I find my motivation starts out really strong at the beginning of the week and by Thursday, it's almost gone. The eating starts to slide along with the desire to workout. I start by telling myself I'm not going to miss any workouts this week. Then, by Wednesday or Thursday, I tell myself, "I can use today as a rest day and rearrange the rest of my schedule. It will be fine." By the weekend, I start telling myself I can start again Monday.

No, I can't start again Monday! It only makes it that much harder. Yes, I WANT to get to my goal weight. I'm excited when I see any kind of progress, be it on the scale, inches or muscles and bones showing that didn't before (biceps, collar bones). I need to figure out how to keep the momentum going!

Analysis Results

I did a brief analysis today in an attempt to get my weight loss moving consisently again. I've been stalled out basically since May, other than fluctuations in the 4 lb. range. What I found was interesting. Here's what has changed.

1. I was drinking protein shakes as meal replacements for 1-2 meals (usually lunch and/or dinner). I gave up the shakes completely when I was getting nauseous after drinking them. I've since learned that it was the brand of coffee/cappuccino flavoring I was using.

2. I was eating a snack during the day, generally at 11am or 3pm, depending on how I was feeling at work.  I now rarely have a snack between meals.

3. I was drinking barely any water.

4. I was eating an average of 2,000 calories per day with lots of zig-zagging. Since around the time of my stall, I've been averaging 1700-1800 on days without exercise.

So what am I going to do with the information I've learned? I'm going to start experimenting to see if I can get things moving consistently again. I recently had my 1 year anniversary with MFP and have lost half of the weight I want to lose. Now, I'd like to lose the other half before my 2 year anniversary with MFP.

Here's the plan:
1. Start using protein shakes as meal replacements for at least 1 meal, most likely breakfast since this is the hardest meal for me.

2. Pack healthy snacks so I can have one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon to keep the metabolism going. Fruit and veggies are key!

3. Keep drinking lots of water! This part I've since gotten much better at and I feel better overall when I'm well-hydrated.

4. Start eating closer to 2,000 calories a day (average) with zig-zagging. I think it's especially important to eat enough calories now that I'm doing a weight lifting program.

5. Focus on the kinds of foods I eat and make an attempt to try eating clean(er). After all, it makes perfect sense but it does take some effort. 

 For a while, it's going to be all about experimentation to see what works for me. As long as I have a plan, though, and know I can tweak it at any time I think it will be okay. 

Shred with Weights by Jillian Michaels - A Review

I thought I'd post this for you Jillian Michaels fans out there.

I just received Shred with Weights by Jillian Michaels, which was released earlier this month. It's a kettlebell workout, but can be modified to use a single dumbbell. Unfortunately, Jillian does not give a recommendation for the weight of kettlebell to be used, but does push her adjustable kettlebell. She does suggest those using dumbbells use 3-8 lb weight.

The video consists of a tutorial and two different level workouts. I highly recommend using the tutorial if you haven't used kettlebells before, like me. It was very helpful to take the time to figure out the correct form for the movements before adding the cardio aspect.

I did the tutorial followed by Level 1 and it was HARD. My fitness level is intermediate, as I've been working out consistently for over a year now. It's been a long time since I've felt like passing out during a workout. I did stop to sit down during the workout, in the third circuit during a move called "Turkish Getups". Personally, I burned 199 calories in the 27 minutes of Level 1. I did not count my calories during the tutorial because it is slow-paced.

Overall, I believe this would be a very effective video, like the rest of hers are. It's a killer workout incorporating her famous circuits which include both strength and cardio.

As an FYI for you Jillian fans, her Six Week Six Pack DVD will be released November 30th.

A Milestone

It happened today. The scale said 185 for the first time since 2006, when I was doing Weight Watchers. Of course, I gained everything back once I stopped following the program, but that's another story.

 Typically, I wait until my official weigh-in day to change my ticker and really count any losses. However, I was too excited to wait two days until Friday. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I even had 185 set as my Labor Day goal, and although it's two days late, it's the first weight goal I've met by my own deadline.

Perhaps even more exciting than the actual number of 185 is that today's weigh-in moved my BMI score from "obese" to "overweight." Seeing the calculation left me speechless for a few moments; all I could do was grin.

Sure, I know as well as the next person that BMI isn't necessarily an accurate measure of one's body composition, but I'm finding all of the reasons I can to celebrate my success. In fact, everyone should, rather than focus on the what they have left to accomplish.

Here's to a new milestone and my successes so far! 

Angry at the Scale!

It happened for the first time this morning. I was so angry at the scale, I wanted to throw it out the window.

 What happened to create these feelings? I worked hard all week with exercising, staying within my calories enough to have a good deficit and drinking more than enough water and the scale "rewarded" me by showing a 0.6 lb weight gain.

Trust me, I'm no stranger to gaining weight from week to week. I've had fluctuations of 5 lbs from one day to the next at times, but this one angered me more than any others because I really had my heart set on seeing a 185 on the scale; my Labor Day goal.

After letting my anger fester for a few hours, I tried to talk myself down with the usual reasoning. Too much sodium, sore muscles, etc. It was when I got up from my desk to walk to the fax machine that I realized my size 10 jeans, which I just bought last week, felt looser. They aren't snug around my waist.

I've calmed down and come to the conclusion that I must be losing inches instead of pounds again. For me, I only see decreases in one of them at a time. So, it looks like it's time to take measurements again...and remind myself to breathe and let it go!

A Successful Weekend

For probably the first time since starting my weight loss journey in November 2009, I had a successful weekend in regards to weight loss. For the first time, I didn't over eat and go crazy, thinking "I'll behave again on Monday." Instead, I thought, "I'll behave all weekend because it makes Monday easier."

The very best part of the weekend? I didn't deprive myself of anything I wanted, but simply counted all of my calories BEFORE I ate it; especially when it came to ice cream. Sure, the sodium was still higher than during the week, but even that wasn't higher than a typical weekend and I know the 1.2 lbs gained over the weekend will be gone by tomorrow. It's all water-weight due to the sodium, so no freaking out here!

It's also been easier this morning to fall back into my routine because I won't feel like I'm starving, the way I do after two or three days of eating whatever I want. Who knew behaving on the weekends would be LESS stressful than doing whatever I want to? It's a nice change and one I'm hoping I'll be able to continue going forward.

Hot by Halloween

One of my weight loss sisters remind me today that it's only 12 weeks until Halloween. Where did the time go?
A while ago, my weight loss sisters and I set Halloween goals so that we could wear the costumes we really want to wear to parties. For me, that means dressing provocatively; mostly because I've never been able to do so. Last year's spandex leopard print pants do NOT count.

What all of this boils down to is that it's really time to get serious and start behaving on the weekends! I do really well all week and crash on the weekends with too much unhealthy food and adult beverages. No more! I want badly to see 175 on the scale for Halloween. I realize that 14 lbs in 12 weeks may not be reasonable for me, but I want to at least be able to say that I tried my hardest and have no regrets!

Swimming Confidence

As a child, I remember taking horrifying swimming lessons from a woman who would make us hold empty gallon milk jugs under our arms (caps were on) and jump into the deep end. From there, we had to swim to the shallow end, where she would shove our heads under the water to get us used to putting our faces in the water. Instead all of this making me like swimming and making me want to learn to swim properly, it scared me! As you can probably imagine, my swimming has been pretty limited because of it. I somewhat like to swim (if I can touch and/or see the bottom), but rarely go under water and never open my eyes under water. Oh, and forget going under water without plugging my nose! I even used to fake reasons why I couldn't swim when it was part of gym class in school.

Last night I was at a pool party with my boyfriend's family and his nieces thought that it was funny when I told them I'd never jumped off of a diving board because it was scary. His 11 year old niece took me on as her special project, trying to teach me to go under water without holding my nose. Eventually, when I couldn't figure out how to blow enough air out of my nose under water, she told me "Well, maybe you could hire a personal swimming teacher for like $10 an hour." Yeah, even an 11 year old realizes I'm hopeless!

Even though I "failed" at my lessons last night, the fact that I tried and let the kids try to help me was progress in itself. For several years now I've had the desire to learn to swim properly or be able to jump in the water, but there's a fear factor there dating back about 22 years. It's hard to overcome that and it's certainly not going to happen overnight. Considering I live in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," it just might be a good idea to take the advice and hire a personal swimming teacher!

What Will it Take?

What will it take for me to realize that I am no longer a size 14 in pants or an XL in shirts? Yes, I know that I've lost just over 30 pounds and yes, I know that I can now fit into smaller clothes. But when will I stop wearing the old, baggy clothes that look terrible on me and replace them with fashionable, well-fitting clothes?

Quite a while ago, I purchased a shirt on clearance for $1 at Steve & Barry's when they were going out of business. I figured for $1, I would buy a "goal shirt" as something to work toward. When I took the shirt home that night and tried it on, I couldn't even get it on all the way, so I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me.

Fast forward to last night, when I pulled the lovely "goal shirt" out of the dresser drawer and tried it on. Surprise! It fit beautifully and the saying on the front, "It's not my fault I'm AWESOME" has become even more appropriate than it was when I bought the shirt. It sums everything up. I am awesome.

This brings me to today. I pulled on a pair of my favorite size 14 jeans and wore them to work. Within an hour, I realized they are baggy and look terrible on me. I have jeans of the same brand in both 14s and 12s but continue to wear the 14s. I need to give them up once and for all but the familiarity of being the same size for many years brings emotional attachment. Will giving them up change me? Probably not because the change happened before needing to give up the jeans.

So, the question remains. What is it that will finally convince me I'm no longer the same size I was 30 pounds ago? The answer has yet to be determined.

Weight Loss Makes You Taller

Okay, so weight loss may not actually make you taller, but it makes you seem taller in several ways.

1.  Weight loss causes increased confidence which in turn causes one to have better posture creating the illusion of being taller.

2.  Weight loss decreases or eliminates foot and joint pain, causing women to be more likely to wear high heels when they didn't before.

3.  When you aren't as large around, especially in the hip, butt and thigh regions, your clothes don't need to stretch as far and your pants suddenly become longer. Because your clothes fit better, you'll appear taller.

All of the above are strange but true. Amazingly, I'm no longer having to seek out "tall" length pants for my 5'6" self because average lengths are now appropriate and no longer look like flood pants.

My "Short" Pants

A while back, my sister gave me a pair of her size 12 Molly flair jeans from Maurice's. At the time she gave them to me, I couldn't quite fit into them but held on to them for the future.

Last week, I wore the the jeans for the first time in public and thought of them as my "short" pants. I typically wear long length jeans but my sister always wears average length. I was convinced these jeans looked and felt too short, but when you forget to do laundry, you run out of options.

A friend said they looked good and that they were actually the perfect length because they covered the heel of my boot without dragging in the mud. Then, I went to the boyfriend's house and he couldn't keep his hands off of my rump, saying the jeans looked awesome. Whether the jeans actually looked awesome or whethey they just looked better than the size 14s that are extremely bagging and falling off of me, is up for debate.

Regardless, I've added my "short" pants to my regular wardrobe.

All of the above brings me to another point. Wearing clothing the right size is the key to adding self esteem and confidence! I can't stop checking myself out in the mirror while wearing my "short" pants!

Weekend Follow-Up

On Thursday of last week, I posted my plan for staying on track for the weekend. Surprise, surprise! With potlucks both Saturday and Sunday, I can't say I was as good as I would have liked, but I wasn't as terrible as I would have been in the past, either.

However, I did get most of the exercising completed that I planned on, most of it being horseback riding and all that goes with it (catching, grooming, saddling the horse). I did not do the running or tennis as anticipated due to soreness from Thursday night's Cardio Max workout. Well, that and the fact that my tennis partners (family) had their own plans last minute.

Although today is only Tuesday, I'm starting to think ahead to my plans for the weekend and how I'm going to compensate for another potluck and/or drinks at a bachelorette party. I think for me, planning is key because I feel guilty when I am not sticking to my plans.

Sure, I gained a little last weekend, but what I gained is almost gone already and I'm looking forward to Friday with hopes of seeing a loss.

A Weekend Plan

One of my "weight loss sisters" challenged me to behave this weekend. There seems to be a common trend of doing a great job staying within daily calorie goals and exercising during the week, only to backtrack on the weekends by having cheat meals or even cheat days and being somewhat lazy. I know I repeatedly have this problem.

Sometime in the past two months, I lost my motivation. I made it to my half-way point for my final goal and felt somewhat content with my progress. In my mind, it was time to reward myself by indulging a bit more and taking it easier with the workouts. I'm sure you can guess what happened. I gained back about five pounds and bounced those same pounds around for a while.

Fast forward to last week, when I saw 198.4 on the scale for the first time since March, when I saw it briefly one morning. Now that I've seen movement on the scale again, I've found my motivation again which brings me to the weekend challenge. Yes, I mean challenge because there are a few events this weekend that will test my willpower; that being said, here is my plan. I'm posting it here in hopes that it will make me more accountable to sticking to it.

Thursday (today): My meals are planned for the day with a little leeway for snacks should I get hungry this evening after volunteering. I plan on doing a boxing video after volunteering.
 Friday: I will plan my meals for the day in the morning and be sure to stick to it. For exercise, will with ride my horse and run or play tennis.

Saturday: Will go running or horseback riding in the morning. My challenge will be to really watch my eating at the birthday party will be attending in the evening. The hosts are fans of Leinenkugel beer and so am I! Beware!

Sunday: Walking, running or workout DVD in the morning. My challenge will be to watch the eating during the potluck lunch at the barn where I board my horse. After the potluck, I will be horseback riding with others from the barn.

Still Running...

What seems like eons ago, I started the Couch to 5k program because I always hated running. To me, the program was the ultimate challenge both mentally and physically. I told msyelf that once I got through the program, I would never have to run again if I didn't want to.

A strange thing happened. I finished the program. I'll admit, it took me much longer than nine weeks because some workouts took a few attempts to complete, then I'd take breaks from running. I always came back, though, which surprised even me. I figured I'd surely give up before completing the entire program; that's what I always did with weight loss or exercise programs. Why was this time going to be any different?

Thanks to my "weight loss sisters," many of whom also completed or are currently doing the program, I stuck with it because I held myself accountable. Whenever I'd be doing one of the workouts, I'd tell myself I HAD to finish because I didn't want to let them down. Granted, they would have been supportive regardless of what I did with the C25k program, but I told myself I needed to do it for them. Suddenly, this made it easier.

I officially finished the last Couch to 5k workout the first week of June, yet I continue to run at least one day per week. I don't have a gym membership and have found it's a great way to burn a lot of calories in a short time. I've learned that for me, running is more mental than anything else. I'm now capable of running 30-45 minutes without stopping as long as my thoughts stay positive. It still amazes me that the "chubby girl" actually passes other joggers occasionally! I've learned that the "runners high" exists and for me, it's the pride I feel toward myself when I've finished a run.

Women Don't Hike?

It absolutely amazes me than many of the places that carry inexpensive hiking boots do not carry them for women. Walmart and Target, for example, carry hiking boots for men but do not have a single pair for women. It makes me wonder if there is really such a small number of women who hike and spend time outdoors that these stores can't justify carrying these items.

I was lucky enough to find a sale on an inexpensive pair of waterproof hiking boots at a sporting goods store, but they cost double what my boyfriend's waterproof hiking boots cost at Walmart.

Not only are so many stores not carrying hiking boots, but many of them do not carry various other outdoor apparel for women that they do carry for men. It sounds to me like more women need to get out and enjoy the outdoors or need to let these stores know that we'd like outdoor gear, too!

Retiring

I've come to the conclusion that I need to officially retire my size 14 jeans. They've been big for a while, but comfortable and familiar. Afterall, I've been this size for quite a while now. I own a few pairs of size 12 jeans that fit better, but the 14s have been hard to give up.

This morning, I've realized that the size 14s no longer look good on me. They sag in the butt, hang off my thighs and are practically falling off even with a belt. The size 12s are here to stay and even those are loose now and will soon need to be replaced with size 10 jeans. The size 10s at the store fit, but I'm more like a size 10.5 and I'm not allowing myself to actually spend the money on the 10s until they look good. Just a few more pounds...

Another realization hit me this morning. I'm wearing a size large tshirt that was much too tight when it was given to me two years ago. I've been wearing it off and on for the past few months and didn't give it much thought other than the fact that it was no longer tight. This morning, though, I am wearing a long-sleeved tshirt under my size large tshirt and *gasp* it's loose. Could it be? Can I really start wearing size medium tshirts?

Now, I've always been a window shopper but never got too excited about shopping unless it was for shoes, horse equipment or I got a heck of a deal on something necessary. However, this weight loss is turning me into someone who enjoys and looks forward to going shopping. Who knew that being able to fit into things at the store and feel confident in them would change one's outlook so much? I'm thinking I need to do some shopping this weekend!

Month Four Sabotage

After being inactive in the exercise department for several weeks (other than a few snowshoeing adventures) and eating consistently over my calories, it dawned on me that I tend to sabotage my weight loss at month four.
 Last year when I starting working out and eating better for my New Year's resolution, I lost 20 lbs. and was able to run three miles. Then, at month four (April), I slacked off and gained everything back.

This time around, I re-started my weight loss journey in November and am starting to see symptoms of sabotage. I've been eating nonstop, not exercisig and not drinking my water. I have gained two pounds in the past week and need to put a stop to my behavior right now!

If admitting that you have a problem is the first step, then I'm considering this as my first step to fixing the problem.

A New Size Already?

Since November, I have been on a renewed mission to lose weight, eat better and get healthier. I've lost 27 lbs. so far and dropped from a size 14 jean to a size 12 jean.

Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I was able to pull my size 12 jeans off without unbuttoning or unzipping them. This means...drum roll, please...that I might be ready to move into a size 10!

It has officially been ten years since I've been able to fit into a size 10, which is when I graduated from high school. At that time, I weighed about 150 lbs. Now, I'm trying to figure out how my body shape has changed so much that I can fit into a size 10 at 192 lbs. Not that I'm complaining, because I'm happy to be down another size.

Now, I'm wondering just how long it will be before I can fit into a size 8. I can't remember the last time I could fit into a single digit size. The even crazier thought is that with approximately 40 more pounds to lose, is it possible that I could end up in a size 6? I don't want to jump ahead of myself with these thoughts, but it's motivational to think that it COULD actually happen!

Vanity in the Making?

Lately I've noticed that I have been looking in the mirror and "checking myself out" more than I have in, perhaps, my entire life. Why? As I've lost weight, I love seeing the progress I've made and being able to pinpoint exactly where the inches and flab has come off. My comments to myself are no longer along the lines of "Oh, look at that fat stomach" or "Those dimply thighs are hideous." Instead, those comments have changed into "Wow, my stomach doesn't hang over the top of my jeans as far" and "I can run two miles without stopping thanks to those strong thighs." It's absolutely amazing how one's perspective can change thanks to a mere 20 lbs. of weight disappearing.

I just hope that when I reach my goal weight, I will always be able to remind myself about the progress and what I looked like at my heaviest instead of looking for the flaws. In all honesty, I love my body now because it can do things that it couldn't before and it can do some things that "skinny" people can't do. I've realized that just because someone is skinny, they aren't necessarily healthy or in shape. I now have friends who are smaller than me who cannot run two miles, cannot lift a 50 lb. bale of hay and cannot snowshoe for over an hour without being absolutely exhausted. But guess what? I can do all of those things.

So, if looking in the mirror and admiring myself frequently is considered vanity, I can accept that because I'm not looking for flyaway hairs or to negatively critique myself. I'm looking to see how my glutes are becoming defined and how flat my stomach is becoming. I can only hope that others who are on their weight loss journey can appreciate their bodies as I appreciate mine. Remember your progress and what you CAN do now that you couldn't do before!