Tuesday September 25, 2012

Tuesday September 25, 2012

For someone who wants to reach 50 pounds lost this week, I sure am eating a lot of points....

Busy, stressed, insert favorite excuse here....I don't want to talk about it. There's a challenge. How to continue journaling, blogging, whatever...when I just don't want to talk about it right now.

So, here are the facts. Just the facts.

I started the day with a 3.55 mile jog. Yay me!!

Breakfast:
Breakfast sandwich made with egg substitute, a sandwich thin, FF cheese, tomato & spinach.
Orange segments
Coffee with SF creamer
6 PointsPlus

Lunch:
Spinach salad with roast beef, Swiss cheese, strawberries, and a light spray of raspberry balsamic salad spray.
Diet iced tea
5 PointsPlus

Dinner:
(in the car on my way to my Bible study group)
Carl's Junior Turkey Burger
13 PointsPlus

And finally...Snacks...ugh!! The snacks!!
Fage total 0 Greek yogurt with PB2 peanut butter, sliced banana, and a mini vitacake.
6 PointsPlus

100 calorie tortilla with FF cheese, laughing cow light wedge and Brummel & Brown spread.
7 PointsPlus

Total 37
Weekly Points used 11
Weekly remaining 0
ActiveLink Points earned 7
ActiveLink Points remaining 20

Things to celebrate:
I ran 3.55 miles
I tracked every bite
I have 20 activity points left

Monday September 24, 2012

Monday September 24, 2012

Today was a much better day for me. Something about the structure of the work week is helpful to me.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal with fruit
Coffee with SF creamer
5 PointsPlus

Lunch:
GardenBurger Portabello Patty on a
Sandwich Thin with
Spinach and tomato
Sliced carrots
Diet iced tea
5 PointsPlus

Dinner:
Smart Ones Three Cheese Ziti Entree with added Shiritaki noodles and spinach.
Green beans
Butternut Squash with Brummel & Brown spread, Cinnamon, and stevia.
10 PointsPlus

Snack:
Orange

Total 20 PointsPlus
Weekly used 0 / remaining 11
ActiveLink earned 2
Remaining 13

Sunday September 23, 2012

Sunday September 23, 2012

Some days it's difficult to be completely honest in journaling this weight loss journey! But honestly looking at our behavior is part of the process and its so necessary if we hope to effect lasting change. So here we go...

It's becoming a tradition for us to have lunch at the Chicken Pie Shop after church on Sunday. I am learning how to make that work in this effort to lose weight and be healthier.

I don't really know how to describe the experience of San Diego's Chicken Pie Shop to someone who hasn't been there. It's not that the food is extraordinary. It's not. It's just good, old fashioned, comfort food served in a casual atmosphere by middle aged waitresses. The classic "Pie Dinner" consists of a chicken pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, coleslaw, a roll, and pie for dessert. All for $7.50.

The nutritional information isn't available but I have looked up comparable foods and come up with a PointsPlus value of 30 for the meal if I eat half of the roll and the pumpkin part only of the pumpkin pie.

We went yesterday and I did exactly that. But, really I could have eaten half of the meal and been satisfied. There was a point during the meal when I knew I was full. I knew it was time to stop...but I kept eating. I ate the entire meal with the exception of half of the roll and the crust of the pumpkin pie. I foolishly told myself I just wouldn't eat anything else but fruit for the rest of the day....yeah right.

Then in the evening I started grazing...ugh!!

Here it is...

Breakfast:
Mixed fruits
Coffee with SF creamer
1 PointsPlus

Lunch:
Pie Dinner
30 PointsPlus

Evening:
Fage Total 0
Banana
VitaCake Mini
Chocolate Chip Cookie
100Calorie Tortilla
FatFree Cheddar Cheese
Laughing Cow Wedges (2)
Brummel & Brown Yogurt Spread
16 PointsPlus

Total 47
Weekly Used 21 / Remaining 11
ActiveLink Earned 1 / Remaining 11

So here is the strategy for next time...because there will be a next time and making this a lifestyle change means learning to enjoy the Chicken Pie Shop Classic Pie Dinner...not avoiding it because of the temptation to over eat. So next week I will have the waitress bring the "to-go" container when she brings the food. I will IMMEDIATELY put half in the container...REMINDING MYSELF THAT I AM NOT BEING DEPRIVED OF HALF THE MEAL!! It will still be mine to eat if I choose to. I just have to eat it on a different day. This is such a simple strategy and we talk about it all the time in my Weight Watcher meetings. But these strategies can do nothing to change my behavior and my relationship to food until I begin to really practice them.

The nighttime grazing...yeah, not so clear on that one. I think if I had used my points more wisely and allowed for a healthy dinner of filling foods. I wouldn't have been so inclined to graze. I think the subtle feeling of having "blown it" at lunch contributed to the grazing in the evening. I'm just calling that one a slip up and focusing on all the evenings I've avoided snacking...and moving on.

When it's all said and done. I am still within my allotted PointsPlus for the week and its okay to use the points to learn. AND I TRACKED EVERY SINGLE BITE...the good, the bad, and the embarrassing!

Saturday September 22, 2012

Interestingly, our topic this week at Weight Watchers was all about strategies for THE WEEKEND!!

We talked about all the different ways we could better handle the weekend without it being a free for all. There were some great ideas and they all work really well in theory. The problem is that in order for them to work in my real life, I have to actually use them!

I have always taken weekends to pretty much eat what I want with the idea that I'll get "back on plan" on Monday......um, yeah....maybe that's why it's taken me two years to lose 8 pounds...

So anyway, Saturday was a lot like every Saturday for the past couple of years....or was it?

I started the morning with a sunrise run. 6.52 miles of intervals. Walk 30 seconds/Jog 45 seconds. On my Saturday run I simply keep that pace and work on distance. I included in my collage a picture of the sunrise I got to see this morning.

After my run I had to shower and meet a customer at the shop. I was pressed for time so I grabbed breakfast at the shop after my customer left.
Coffee with SF Creamer
Smart Ones Breakfast Sandwich
A Sliced Apple(didn't finish this)
And a Monster Zero
(I know energy drinks are not good for you but one every once in a while isn't going to kill me)
7 PointsPlus

Then off to my mom's for coffee and a visit. Ended up going to Costco with my sister.
Very Berry Sundae? Why yes, I think I will
10 PointsPlus

Car wash, errands, running around..then home.
The conversation really did go like this..."Have you eaten? I'm going for Hawaiian BBQ"...."Just get something for yourself. I'll fix myself something here"....but my brain was saying "I really like Hawaiian BBQ. "...and the mental back and forth lasted a couple of minutes before my mouth said, "Oh, get me a BBQ Chicken Plate."

Now here's the thing. I KNOW the strategies!! My brain was saying, "Just get the bowl. It's less points and its plenty of food." But my mouth said "I'll have the plate."

When the food arrived at the house my brain was saying "Put half of it away." But I sat down and ate every single bite.

I haven't done that in a while. Afterward it wasn't pleasant. I was overly full and uncomfortable. I hope I remember that feeling the next time.

Was it a catastrophe? No. I ate it. I tracked it. I had the weekly points to cover it. I'm not beating myself up over it. But I am rethinking it. I think I'm finally beginning to learn from these experiences...and THAT is worth the 22 PointsPlus that meal cost me.

Later in the evening I wanted something sweet. I had Greek nonfat yogurt with SF vanilla syrup, cut up banana, and topped with a diced up mini VitaCake.
4 PointsPlus

So, while Saturday appeared to be like every other Saturday for the past couple of years...it really was different in some subtle, yet powerful ways. First of all I TRACKED every single bite. This is HUGE! I didn't throw in the towel and decide to "start fresh" on Monday. I didn't continue to spiral out of control and finish the day with some ridiculous "treat." And finally, I reviewed and thought about my choices and what I could have done better or different...and I learned some things.
So all in all, I'm okay with it :)

Total 43 PointsPlus
Weekly Used 17 / Remaining 32
ActiveLink Points earned 8
Remaining 10

Friday September 21, 2012

Friday September 21, 2012

Friday morning weigh in at my Weight Watcher meeting. I'm down 1.2 pounds this week for a total of 48.4 pounds. I'm closing in on 50 pounds!! So close!!! I want that 50 pound milestone so much. I'm hoping it will be next week. I plan to do my part to make it happen but I do realize that weight loss can be fickle and it might not happen. But I really feel like its going to!!

I'm still working on curbing night time snacking. Tonight I had a cup of vanilla hazelnut tea. It was really nice.

Here's what I ate today...

Breakfast:
Coffee with SF vanilla creamer
Low Fat Whole Grain waffles
With
PB2 Peanut Butter
And sliced banana
7 PointsPlus

Lunch:
Pita sandwich made with a western alternative pita, roast beef, FF cheese slice, spinach and tomatoes, with honey mustard
Carrots zapped in the microwave with salt.
Diet raspberry white tea
6 PointsPlus

Snack:
Sliced apple

Dinner:
Leftover chicken, potatoes, and sauce, with Shirataki noodles, snap peas and broccoli
Cantaloupe and mango chunks
10 PointsPlus

Total 23 PointsPlus
Weekly used 0 / Remaining 49
ActiveLink earned 2
Remaining 2

Thursday September 20, 2012

As of today I have tracked every single bite every single day for two weeks!
I have also controlled my urge to snack at night. Tonight was challenging. For whatever reason, Thursday nights are a bigger challenge for me. I think it's the idea of the week ending and the new one starting, plus having leftover weekly and activity points...something in all of that brings out the snack cravings in a big way. So, I did end up having a piece of chocolate chip cookie dough, about 2 tablespoons. (Yes, Vern has been keeping cookie dough in the fridge lately!!) But, here's the difference, I STOPPED AFTER THAT ONE CHUNK!!! I realized what was happening, I regrouped, and I stopped!! Huge progress here! I will be sharing this in my WW meeting Friday morning!

Here's an interesting tidbit. I walked to work yesterday. It's one mile from my front door to my shop. Guess how many activity points I earned yesterday? Zero. Just another evidence that I was over estimating activity points before getting my ActiveLink.

So here's my menu:
Breakfast:
Smart Ones Breakfast Sandwich
Banana
Coffee with SF creamer
7 PointsPlus

Lunch:
Smart Ones Lasagna Florentine
Spinach
Tomato
(Yes I need groceries at work)
8 PointsPlus

Snack:
Apple
0 PointsPlus

Dinner:
Stir Fried leftover pork sirloin with
Snap peas and broccoli
Shiritaki "rice" mixed with small amount, 1/3 cup, white rice
9 PointsPlus

Snack:
FF Greek yogurt with
Mango, strawberries, & grapes
4 PointsPlus

Not pictured:
2tbs chocolate chip cookie dough
3 PointsPlus

Total 31
Weekly used 5, Remaining 6
ActiveLink Earned 0
Remaining 23

Wednesday September 19, 2012

I started the morning with a 4 mile jog/walk. I have my interval timer set for intervals of walk 30 seconds, jog 45 seconds. But on these weekday runs I've been working on increasing the length of time that I jog. So I follow the interval prompts for the first mile or so, and then I just do a few intervals of jogging as long as I can. Then I go back to the set intervals. I really enjoy these morning runs.

I've been working on curbing my nighttime snacking and I've done well this week. I have also tracked every single day for the past two weeks. Yay me!!

I'm closing in on 50 pounds lost soon and I am excited in anticipating that milestone. It would be awesome to reach it at my weigh in tomorrow but realistically I think it will be the following week.

Here's my menu for Wednesday ...
Breakfast:
Smart Ones Breakfast Entree
"Cheesy Scrambled Eggs"
Orange segments
Coffee with SF vanilla creamer
6 PointsPlus

Lunch:
Turkey Sandwich with FF cheese slice, spinach, and tomato on Roman Meal Round Top bread. (I was delighted to learn that this bread has the same PointPlus value as sandwich thins!)
Microwaved French Beans
Special K Popcorn Chips
8 PointsPlus

Dinner:
Baked Pork Sirloin with Panko crumb coating. (I didn't bake these hot enough and the coating was soggy but still tasty)
Pan roasted Brussels sprouts
Shirataki noodles with onion and garlic.
8 PointsPlus

Snack:
Black grapes
0 PointsPlus

Total 22 PointsPlus
Weekly used 0 / remaining 11
ActiveLink points earned 8
ActiveLink remaining 23