30 days later...

Well, my month of My Fitness Pal is officially over.  I stuck with it and only missed a few days of tracking. 

I have to say, the first week was really tough. I struggled a lot with being hungry.  After the first week, it got easier and by the end of the month, hunger was barely an issue.

I missed eating "free" fruits and veggies quite a bit. One big lesson I learned during this month was that I eat WAY too much fruit. I was eating about 600 calories a day of just fruit/veggies alone. I used to say all the time that no one ever got fat from eating bananas, but as it turns out...I was on my way to doing just that!

Another thing that I learned was that I wasn't tracking honestly on WW. A long time ago I chose to not track my daily coffee w/cream as well as my alcohol consumption. I also didn't track my activity and in my head these two balanced each other out. Turns out that wasn't happening at all. After eating 600 extra calories of fruit, I was drinking an average of 400 calories a night in beer/wine.  (Disclaimer: I didn't drink EVERY night...but when I did drink...I DRANK. Hence why I said "average".) 

I liked that this challenge got me back to weighing and measuring everything I ate. I really was slacking with that the last year. I also liked that my calories burned for each day were cashed in immediately for food. That saved me a lot of times when I would want to eat something or not want to work out.  Granted, I didn't work out every day, but I did increase my level of activity quite a bit.

So...How did I do?

3-Apr: 152.0 (Starting weight)

10-Apr: 150.4 = -1.6

17-Apr: 149.2 = -1.2

24-Apr: 148.8 = -0.4

1-May: 149.4 = +0.6

8-May: 147.8 = -1.6

Overall, 4.2lbs lost!  I will take that! 

This is the lowest I have weighed since July. I am about 6lbs away from my ideal weight which I was at exactly a year ago from today.

I have decided to stick with MFP for awhile longer.  I really like it and it is working for me right now.

I hope all of my WW friends understand that this decision has NOTHING to do with WW. I love, love, LOVE WW and always will. The program works and is amazing. WW changed my life. I lost 68 lbs on WW (well,technically 58 since I gained 10lbs back), and will continue to go to meetings and do my monthly Lifetime check ins.

Does this make sense?

My birthday is at the end of this month and I am running my 2nd 10k that morning to celebrate. I'm super excited. I need to plan an outfit to make it known that it's my birthday! (Can I attach birthday balloons to myself?)

Please, if you read my blog and like it...nag me to post more often. This once a month crap is silly.

xoxox

Lifetime Update; Week ending 1/30/2011

Scale said I broke even this week which is just fine by me.  I am just slightly above my lowest recorded weight in history so whatever I am doing must be working!  What am I doing?  Duh, tracking, measuring, counting, drinking tons of water, and eating lots of fruits and veggies.  (Seriously, that was a stupid question.)  However, last week I did get on the treadmill and go for a run.  Not just once.  But TWICE!  HA! 

I had lots of hurdles last week that contributed to me only maintaining and not losing.  (Yes, I AM trying to lose still.  I have some vanity pounds I need to work off.  Plus, I feel like a total pig if I have to eat the extra 6 pts+ a day I get when I am on Maintenance!)  I wrote down every BLT (Bite, Lick, Taste...NOT the sandwich, but if I ate one of those, I would write that down too!  Mmmmmmm, bacon!) and tracked everything I put in my mouth that I probably should have passed on.  Monday was a 2nd glass of wine.   Thursday was pizza AND taco bell (I had a 20 pt+ Nacho Bell Grande and it was worth it).  Saturday was beer and pizza at a birthday party (Tracker says bowling for 120 minutes is 9 AP but I think that is hooey.  Also, I think it is illegal to earn AP while consuming beer and pizza.  And if it isn't illegal, it should be...remind me to draft a strongly worded letter to my Congress-person later).  And Sunday was a traditional German dinner at my parents.  (If anyone feels like finding out how many pts+ is in Leberkneudlesuppe, I would be interested to know...Liver, bread, eggs and parsley balled up and boiled in beef broth...YUM!)  I have leftover pizza and kneudle in the fridge so this week will be just as challenging.

KT had a pretty great loss this week, but if you were to ask her about it she would say it was crap.  Down 1.6!  She was really disappointed and wanted to see a bigger loss.  I could tell at the meeting that she wasn't really paying too much attention as I could hear the gears of negative self talk grinding in her head.  On our way out of the meeting she wiped away some hidden tears that she doesn't think I saw and tried to keep the conversation on other things.  However, I verbally assaulted her for the whole drive back to the office after our meeting.  It went something like this:

Me:  I don't understand why you are so upset.  1.6 is a great loss for your 2nd week!  WW recommends 1-2lbs a week so you are right where you should be.
KT:  I know, but I thought with the big loss last week (6 lbs) and being really good this week that I would have seen at least 2 down.  And my husband lost like FIFTY-TWO pounds last week, which isn't fair.
Me:  Don't be stupid, he didn't lose 52 lbs.  And he is a dude.  Dudes lose weight faster.  Stop comparing yourself to him.  Let's just worry about you, and let him worry about himself and his obvious eating disorder or worms that enables him to lose 50 lbs in an effing week. 
KT:  Idiot, I was exaggerating.  He didn't really lose 52 lbs.
Me: Whatever, bite me. Okay so, did you eat all your points?
KT:  Yes, I ate all of my DP and about 20 of my WP.
Me:  Were you doing activity?
KT:  Yes, I did my yoga and pilates every night.  My muscles are the good kind of sore.  It feels really great.
Me:  Sounds like you are doing all the right things.  So, really, the problem is that you set your mind on a number that you had no control over and are now beating yourself up over it.  You are sitting there thinking "I shoulda done this, or I coulda done that" feeling bad and punishing yourself over it!  Even though you might not like the loss, it is still a loss.  A GREAT loss!  Stop being so stupid and be fricken happy for yourself!  And don't you dare go and push yourself toward a larger loss by cutting back on your points because I will find out and punch you in the face.
KT:  I dare you to punch me.  I would murder you.
Me:  Bitch, I ain't scared of you.  Bring it.
KT:  You are stupid.
Me:  No, you are stupid.  See that guy right there, he thinks you are hot and wants to boink you.  He told me.
KT:  He must have a big doink, he is tall and skinny.
Me:  He also has a big nose, which would be helpful for fellatio.
KT:  Yes, I am SURE his big nose, helps with sucking cock.
Me:  Oh, shit, I meant, cunnilingus. 
KT:  I am outta here...talk at you later.

Okay, so we got a little off track there at the end, but you get the point.  And if you don't get the point and are still giggling about cunnilingus (don't worry, I am too) than here is the moral of the story.

Don't beat yourself up over something you can't control!  Eat the the right foods, get in some activity, stay within your points budget and let the plan do all the work!  Eventually, if you keep working at it, and keep focused, the weight WILL come off!  WW is NOT an overnight fix.  AND, getting all upset over things, will only make it worse!  Over my time with WW, I saw lots of ups and downs.  More downs than ups, but it was still a bumpy ride!  Some weeks will be huge fantastic losses, some will be little ones, and others will show a gain.  BUT, when you add all that up, in the end, it is STILL a negative number, which is what matters most!

In other news, as noted previously, I got my lazy ass on the treadmill twice last week.  I did under 2 miles each time, but I did it, so that is what counts.  I made up a chart for the Man and I with each day of the year and a box to check off if we did treadmill or weights that day.  I hung it on the pantry door which faces the treadmill to use as motivation (or as we discussed at the WW meeting today, an Anchor).  I also like it being on the pantry because it is on the door of the snack side of the pantry to if I go for a treat my lack of activity checks will be staring me in the face. 

I also found out that my step-sister started WW a few weeks ago.  I reached out to her to see if she would like any support or advice but I haven't heard back.  Which is just as well,  because as KT might tell her,  my support is more like threats and perverted jokes, so she really isn't missing much! 

This week will hopefully be much smoother, so I am hoping to achieve my new official lowest weight ever.  No biggs if it doesn't happen though, I will just keep trying!   I will be sure to get on the treadmill at least twice this week just as last week and have 7 chapters to read for school in two weeks.  I plan on spending quite a bit of time over the weekend in bed doing that reading and I can't tell you how excited I am by that plan!

Sorry, no pictures this week. 

I suck. 

Whatever. 

Bite me.

Lifetime: Week 3

Well, this week was much better than the last 3 for sure. Weighed this morning at 146.8 which is down. 3.2 from last week, and just .2 higher than my lowest weight.

I knew doing my weekly shopping was going to make a big difference in my week. I was able to pack both breakfast and lunch with me every day before work.

I had my banana every morning with yogurt. On Wednesday, I was extra hungry (ugh, TOM) so I made my extra filling special breakfast.

That's a cup of strawberries, a whole banana, one container of light yogurt (today was lemon flavored) and 1 1/2 Post Shredded Wheat biscuits. It takes me a while to eat because I like the shredded wheat to get soggy and it keeps me full until late afternoon.

I started counting my baby carrots that I have with lunch every day. As it turns out, the giant Ziploc full of carrots isn't zero points like I have been tracking, but more like 2 or 3 because of the large amount of them that I eat.

I made a recipe I got off of the WW message boards too this week and it was fantastic. Salsa Chicken! I took lots of pictures of the process and will do a blog about it in a few days.

I am filling in shifts at the 'family' restaurant Lupe's Escape until they find a replacement for someone so I earned a little activity, and more importantly, stayed completely ON PLAN!! Avoided the cheese and deep fried goodness that I used to devour with no second thoughts. (to clarify, I used to work at Lupe's on a full time basis, but when I moved it was too far of a drive for me to continue. When they need some extra help they call me because they know they can depend on me to always help out in a pinch. Plus, I really love waitressing/bartending so it is a win/win for us both!) During my shift tonight, I did not eat a single tortilla chip! I don't think I have ever been in that restaurant and not put at least one chip in my mouth! I will be there tomorrow night as well as Friday and Saturday nights and I fully intend to not eat any chips then either!

Portland to Coast is coming up in a few weeks and I am in desperate need of training. On the nights that I am not at the restaurant I will be doing a minimum of 5 miles on the treadmill. I have to. No other choice! (I am looking forward to doing an after relay blog with pictures from previous years, and this year!)

This week is going to be really busy with work, Lupe's, training, and everything else, that I have to make sure to take the time to plan my meals, pack lots of snack, and not let myself get too hungry so I reach for what ever is close by instead of what is the best option.

Here is a great picture I took of myself on Saturday. My mom sent me this shirt completely unexpectedly. It is an XL, but I think it is a child's size. (My mom lives in Ohio and knows I love Alice!) I posted this pic right away on FB and got a few requests to post my 'After' pics as most of my friends live far enough away that they haven't seen the "new me". I got some great resoponses! I have to admit, the attention I get being skinny is amazing!