Changes......

This upcoming week is going to be very busy, but should be promising. I start my new position at work on Wednesday, which will be bittersweet for me. I'm excited for new challenges and opportunities, but I'll miss the people I worked with. The good news is that I'm only 2 floors and a short elevator ride away :) 

The change I'm really happy about is the number on the scale! I weigh myself every morning and every night because I don't like surprises. At lot of people say it's bad to weigh yourself everyday, but it helps keep me motivated so I'm not stopping anytime soon. Part of the reason why I gained this weight that I'm losing is because I didn't weigh myself for months and never got "scale shock." What I'm really excited about is that I've finally hit my 10% goal and I'm only 1.8 lbs away from my mini goal of losing 20 lbs by the New Year. Do I dare resurrect my previous goal of losing 25 lbs by 2009?? I think I'll have to wait for the official weigh in results on Wednesday to make that decision. 

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I'm off to get ready and go wine tasting with my wineaux partner in crime, Mary!  

You be the Judge

As I've mentioned several times before, I did not grow up fat. I don't have any horror stories about being teased as a child, being picked last for dodgeball or having to sit alone at lunch. I've always had a smaller build and was gifted athletically, thus never living a very sedentary life. I hear a lot of my WW blogger and online friends talking about people who judge them for being overweight. I have to admit, I have always been one of the those people. I still am to some extent.

I was the kid in school who didn't want to be friends with the fat girl or boy. I would stuff my Hostess cupcakes in my cheeks and make faces at them. I'd be the first one to complain when the fat kid had to be on my team in gym class and I'd laugh at them when I lapped them during a mile run. I wasn't necessarily a cruel child, I was just going along with the perceptions of society. My parents didn't raise me to make fun of overweight people, but they did raise me to believe that a proper diet and exercise made you a healthier person. Still, I came to see fat people as lazy, unmotivated and unhappy.

When I put on weight, I did it so slowly that I barely noticed it was happening. The gradual gains barely registered with me because I thought gaining a little bit of weight was normal for a girl in her 20's. I wasn't an athlete anymore, my metabolism was slowing down, and gaining a little weight was just a fact of life. WRONG. By the time I noticed that I was not as thin as I used to be, I knew that my choices had made me gain weight, not facts of life. A lack of exercise and consumption of high calorie food was to blame, and I realized that if I didn't get myself back on track, I would soon become the type of person that I had always judged. I used to roll my eyes at women in the dressing room who would stuff themselves into clothes that were to small and now I was afraid that I was that woman.

After being on the plan for 12 weeks and losing 16 lbs and countless inches, I'm glad I didn't become the stereotypical fat girl that I had always judged. Do I still judge people? To be honest, yes. But now I judge them on whether or not they are taking the steps to change their lives. I respect and applaud those who have taken control of their weight in a healthy and responsible way. But I still feel sorry for the people I see that have weight and health problems spiraling out of control. So many people have been an inspiration to me, and I urge people with weight and health problems to just take the first step towards a new life. That first step could lead you to becoming the person you always knew you could be, but never had the courage to become.....

Attention Pizza Lovers....

While browsing the supermarket with my handy Points Calculators the other day, I was aimlessly wandering near the frozen pizza, mourning the loss of yet another food I used to enjoy.... 

But then I saw Kashi's frozen pizza, specifically the Mushroom Trio & Spinach. The picture on the box looked delicious and with "14g of Protein and 4g of Fiber" on the packaging, I knew I had to check out the nutritional information and find the points value. For 1/3 of the pizza (one serving), it's only 5 points! That's right folks, only 5 points for a generous portion! I bought it, thinking to myself, It must be too good to be true... I bet it tastes like cardboard. 

After a long day at work, tutoring two students and a great weigh in, I felt like I was ready for a reward and decided that tonight would be a great time to try the Kashi pizza. I placed it in the oven, watching the crust rise and the cheese melt, just like it looked on the box. When it was ready I immediately cut it into thirds and put away the 2/3rds that I wouldn't be eating. I finally bit into my pizza and couldn't have been more surprised! Not only did the pizza  look good, but it tasted good and was actually fit into my food plan! It totally satisfied my pizza craving and made a very filling meal with a side of mixed veggies. If you love pizza, this is one brand that you've got to check out!

Great Weigh In!

I was down 2.4 lbs at weigh in today! I'm so happy to lose what I've gained over the past 2 weeks plus an additional 0.6 lbs! My mini-goal is to hit my 10% next week (I have to lose another 1.2 lbs) and my next goal was to lose a total of 25 by the New Year (which means 9.2 lbs to lose in 3 weeks, or 3 lbs per week). My first New Year's goal is probably a bit of a stretch, so I'm modifying my goal to 20 lbs total lost by New Year's (4.2 lbs in 3 weeks, or 1.4 lbs a week) which is a much more manageable goal. I was a little disappointed because I really wanted to break into the 150's this week and hit my 10% goal, but 2.4 lbs is a significant loss for a person of my weight and height (5'5 and 160.2), so I'll take it!

I want to thank everyone who reads and follows this blog for all of your help and support, especially my Mom who is a Lifetime member of WW and offers me so much advice and encouragement! My friends have also be incredibly supportive, whether it's staying in the office to eat lunch with me so I'm not tempted or meeting me at the gym to work out. Each week brings new and exciting challenges, and I'm determined to keep losing, toning up and reaching my goal!

A pretty awesome day

So today was a great day for a variety of reasons, but it was a great day for my weight loss goals too. Not only did I eat some really delicious food, but I stayed within my points value, got in an ass-kicking workout and loved the numbers I saw on the scale! So here is the menu for today:

Breakfast:

-2 Van's waffles (2 points for 2 waffles, you've got to get them!) 

-reduced calorie pancake syrup

-light butter

-red grapefruit

-fat free milk 

AM Snack:

-reduced fat cheese stick 

Lunch:

-Leftover Shrimp and Vegetables with garlic sauce

-brown rice 

-apple 

-sugar free pudding 

-Diet Dr Pepper 

PM Snack:

-Kashi Cereal bar 

Dinner:

-Salad from Chipotle with lettuce, black beans, mild salsa, corn salsa and cheese (no dressing)

I've got weigh in tomorrow, so send skinny vibes my way!!

Yet another holiday party....

'Tis the season to be..... EATING, DRINKING and generally putting things in your body that shouldn't be there. I am determined to not go overboard at yet another holiday party at work. Thankfully there will be no alcohol at this one, but there will be sugary punch. I'm going to bring my own water to keep from drinking a day's worth of points. I've also eaten a pretty filling lunch and I have my own snacks on hand should I feel the need to eat (string cheese and orange slices). However, I know that there will be a fruit tray and veggie platter so I'll have some safe choices! I'll be back in the gym tonight too for my usual cardio and light weights. Here's the meal plan for the day:

Breakfast:
-3 slices turkey bacon
-light multi-grain English muffin with sugar free blackberry jam
-1 cup fat free milk

AM Snack:
-1 cup red grapefruit
-small banana

Lunch:
-turkey and reduced fat provolone on a pumpernickel wrap with fat free mayo & dijon mustard
-1 1/3 cup steamed green beans
-small apple
-sugar free jello pudding
-Diet Dr. Pepper

PM Snack:
-orange slices
-reduced fat string cheese

Dinner:
-Shrimp & vegetable stir-fry with garlic sauce
-1 cup brown rice

Dessert:
-sugar free jello

Weekend successes

During my last post, I wrote about trying to keep a Friday morning bagel from setting a dangerous chain of eating events into motion. So how did I do? Pretty darn good, actually. At the Christmas party complete with open bar, appetizers and buffet, I had 2 beers during the cocktail hour and no appetizers. When we went in for dinner, I had one more beer and ate salad with balsamic vinaigrette, mixed vegetables, wild rice and 1/8 cup mashed potatoes. I also passed on the dessert afterwards. When I got home later that night, I ate the dinner I had already planned out (high fiber pasta with ground turkey meat sauce). 

Yesterday I had a business meeting all day which we were having catered for breakfast with muffins, bagels, turnovers and donuts, followed a lunch of lasagna and garlic bread. Since it was held in our office, I brought my breakfast and lunch like I do most days- oatmeal for breakfast, orange slices for a morning snack, leftover pasta and veggies for lunch, and an apple for my afternoon snack. I never touched the catered food! When we took our visitors out for dinner last night I did get a pasta dish but didn't finish and passed on the appetizers. It's a small success, but it's nice to have my will power back after last weekend. I stepped on the scale this morning and was delighted to see that I've dropped into the 150's!! I'm hoping that I can keep the ball rolling until weigh in on Wednesday! For now, I'm off to the gym!