Weight Watching Mama

-0.8 lb.

2011-09-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yay for a minus. Small but I'll take it. I am still hanging out at 12 pounds lost. The bright side is I'm maintaining the loss. Now it's time to lose. My plan this week is to get back to basics. Track, track, track! I haven't been tracking any of my food/points. I've gotten comfortable with guessing at my daily intake and I've simply let tracking slide down the priority list (along with most things for myself as mentioned in my previous post).

In addition to tracking, I am going to get a run or two in this week. Even if it's with my boys watching me. I need to start making time for myself any way I can. Here's to a successful week!

Back to blogging

2011-09-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Need to get focused again - NOW.

First, I'm still going to Weight Watchers. I just couldn't find time to keep up on blogging about it. BUT that's the problem... I am terrible about making time for me. I struggle with carving out time for exercise, blogging (this blog, my food blog and family blog), coffee with a friend, reading, time with my husband, etc. I pretty much don't do any of these things. My days (and nights) are focused on my boys and, well, that's it. I currently have no balance. And now that the scale has been at a 2 pound plus or minus hover for more than a few weeks, I find myself frustrated. I have once again let myself drop to the bottom of the priority list. Time to prep my food for the week? Nope, don't have time. Time to get a run in? Nope. Time for a shower? Most of the time, nope!

So with all of this said, I am kicking off a renewed commitment to me, today. I am going to make this blog a priority as it serves as a support to myself and a place to stay focused on something very personal - my health. I will stick with my original goal for this blog and include my personal WW experience as well as information that will help others.

By the way, I did get my 16 week charm a few weeks back. It was nice to see the commitment in the form of a charm. It did help me feel good about sticking with the program even though my weight loss has been less than I expected. Due solely to me and my lack of focus. But today is a new day... "and I'm feeling good!"

What?

2011-05-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

I actually lost again! .8 pounds making a grand total of 7.2 pounds since starting Weight Watchers. I really didn't expect to lose, I expected to gain. Likely it was the super strict eating the last half of the week that saved me. I felt terrible about my three (BIG) pieces of chocolate cheesecake I ate the first three days of last week and tried to make up for it.

The cheesecake "binge" made me realize how bad my emotional eating can actually get. I didn't have a good Mother's Day, which put me in a bad mood then when my son and husband brought home a chocolate cheesecake from Whole Foods, I ignored it for a while but eventually went for it. It felt so good. Lifted my spirits about three bites in. The good feelings faded by the next morning and I was ready for another pick me up by the afternoon. And then Tuesday came along and more than a pick me up, it was a major craving. That's the problem, once I get started, it's hard to stop. I made myself throw away the rest of the cake the next morning because I knew if I didn't I would eat more. I'm still having a little withdrawal but today's loss is making it easier to ignore.

My goals this week are to take at least 2 walks with the boys, have a plan for every meal and make time to read some of the book I just bought. Here's to a healthy week!

Dreading the weigh in

2011-05-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

Had a rough time resisting cheesecake at the beginning of the week. A really rough time. Like three days in a row. Blah. I'll be back to report tomorrow.

PS: I didn't post my results from last week, Mother's Day. I didn't have the best day hence the three day cheesecake binge and neglected to post. I did lose .2 pounds. Not much but something.

I got a sticker!

2011-05-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

It feels good, even as an adult, to earn a star! I got my 5 pound star sticker at my weigh in this week. I've lost a total of 6.2 pounds. This is why I love Weight Watchers. Being on the program really helps me stay motivated and really keeps my portion control in check. Two things I totally need.

Hey sister!

2011-05-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've decided to create a sister blog, so to speak, to my Medium Food Mama blog. I was inspired by my recent and long overdue decision to add myself back to the priority list. Joining Weight Watchers was my first step, four weeks ago. The last time I did the program was pre-mamahood. In fact, I was doing really well on the program, just 9 pounds away from goal, only quitting after finding out I was pregnant with my first baby in the summer of 2006. Since joining again, I cannot lie, it's been tough but somehow I've managed to lose 3.4 lbs. .8 at my first weigh in, two pounds at my second and .6 at my third.

Being a Medium Food Mama and an ex calorie counter, I have a pretty good handle on how make good food choices and understand portion control but having two babies, going from a corporate manager to a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, a regular runner to a stressed out non-exerciser for over three years presents its challenges. I've discovered how not making myself a priority has really affected my health and habits. When you don't care about yourself you just don't do things like take note of how much water you've had to drink, how many snacks you've had or if you've eaten any fruit or had any balanced meals. I make sure the boys have healthy and balanced meals and snacks. By the time I organize their food, I try to remember to put something in the bag for me but often come up short or with nothing at all. There have been days I was extra thankful for the fact the kids almost never clean their plates. What's left is what I'd have for lunch. Sad but true.

The first week keeping track of my food was harder than I expected. I've gone so long now just "winging it." That little bite here, little handful there or my infamous Starbucks latte and banana bread quick I'm starving and exhausted sad excuse for a meal really adds up. And with a severely lacking nutritional profile. Again, it comes back to not being on the "list." Having to track what and when I eat demands focus and effort. And time. If you had asked me a few weeks back if I had the time to care, I would have said - nope. Ask me today and I will tell you finding the time is extremely challenging but making the time is getting easier. For food tracking that is. Exercise is another story.

More than blogging about weight loss, I want to share strategies, ideas and recipes for shedding pounds eating medium food style and not all the typical super processed items like packaged meals, fake sugar, fat free cheese and those terrible 100 Calorie packaged "snacks." Whether it's Points or calories you're counting, the bulk of them should provide significant nutritional value. One of the smartest things about the new PointsPlus program is fruit is 0 points. In previous programs you had to use points for fruit and guess what a lot of people did - skipped the fruit. I know I chose a scoop of ice cream over a banana more than a few times. Now though, when you're in need of a snack, it's almost automatic to grab a piece of fruit. At least for me.

Here's to staying motivated and staying on the "list."