Knowledge is Power

I have got to be better informed sooner.

Last night I attended a youth game night with my kids. They had a blast playing various games and I enjoyed chatting with some of the other parents.

Everyone was to bring a snack. We brought peanut butter cookies. There also were bowls of skittles, twizzlers, hershey kisses, and bags of chips. My weakness however was the bowl of dark chocolate peanut M&M's. [we won't talk about the Cheeto's...shhhhh]

Anywhooo, I'd take a few M&M's and eat them. Walk around, come back and take a few more. Go chat with others and swipe a few as I walked by the counter. I knew better, however since my weigh in was today I guess I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. It's not like I am going to gain a bunch of weight over night.

I wasn't even going to track what I ate at the game night because it was the last night before weigh in and honestly I didn't care.

Then I thought....that's not a good attitude and it's not one that will keep me on a track of being successful. So, reluctantly I went ahead and tracked what I ate.

Another eye opener for me....and it will be a while before you see me indulging randomly in a bowl of peanut M&M's. Guess that saying..."knowledge is power"...applies in this situation too.

I guesstimated that I ate a total of about 1 cup of M&M's...or pretty close. Does anyone have ANY idea how many points are in 1 cup??? ......................20!!!


This is the first week since I started WW in July that I ended the week with negative points.

The good news is that I did lose -2 pds. this week. Not sure how that happened as this was not one of my better weeks but hey....I'll take it.

Now if I can survive this coming week. I leave tomorrow for two nights and three days away with my hubby. We are celebrating our 20th Anniversary. Not sure how I'll do point wise but I will try to be as informed as possible BEFORE I eat something.

An Amazing Experience

This has been and incredible week. And it has nothing to do with food.

My first grand-baby was born yesterday. Sweet little Skylee made here dramatic entrance around 2:40pm and I got to watch...and take pictures...and pray...and be amazed at the miracle.



This was the first birth I got to witness live that wasn't my own. It was amazing!!! Unfortunately there were some complications with her lungs and she was taken to the "special care" unit. Her lungs were not responding correctly... so she had lots of tubes put in her and she had to remain still. But thankfully she is responding and today my daughter was able to hold her for an hour. And hopefully she will be coming home by Sunday.



Since this is a blog about weight loss I will mention that I am learning how to make better choices in all kinds of situations. Take being in a hospital waiting the birth of your grand child.

We were up very early and I was able to eat my standard breakfast at home. I also brought along some "point friendly" snacks which came in handy as the morning made it's way into the afternoon.

Around 10am a friend and I decided to take a walk around, my hubby joined us. We ended up at the cafeteria because my friend had not eaten breakfast yet and my husband was tempted by the smells. I resisted getting anything because I really wasn't hungry although in the past I would have gotten something just because.

Later in the room as I got hungry I would eat one of my snacks...an apple, a fiber one bar, and a single serving bag of pretzels...5 points total for all three.

Around lunch time my hubby was wanting to go down to the cafeteria for lunch but I was concerned that we'd miss the birth since our daughter was getting very close to pushing. Finally around 1:45 we sent our other daughters down with orders. Gee, I wonder why we didn't think of that sooner...lol!!! I chose a turkey burger and a bag of baked chips. I didn't know that fries came with my sandwich...I did eat two fries but then gave the rest away. And wouldn't you know it...baby Skylee wanted to make her appearance while we were eating...

We left the hospital close to 5pm and had entertained the idea of going to Chili's for dinner. But none of us were really hungry and we'd been away from the house since 7am so the boys had been by themselves all day. So, we decided to stop at the store and get some frozen pizzas. I thought I'd get some low point soup. But I ended up walking down the frozen food aisle and getting a lean cuisine chinese chicken and rice meal. It wasn't bad.

The hubby and daughters picked out ice cream for dessert and I decided I'd try the Weight Watcher's mint ice cream. I must say it was very good and only 2 points.

After I totaled up my points for the day I only dipped a few points into my weekly allowance. And about the only thing I ate that I wasn't planning on was about 5 Hershey Kisses which wasn't too bad considering all the food available in the room for me to eat.

I really believe that this new attitude will last...I see it long term...not just something I am doing now to lose weight.

Eating at a Chinese Buffet

I went to a Chinese Buffet tonight!! I'm pretty sure this is the first time since joining WW that I dined at a buffet. I ADORE Chinese food...it is my choice of food whenever my hubby and I go out to eat. Thankfully he doesn't mind Chinese.

I felt like a contestant on Biggest Loser when they have a challenge, like having to eat out all their meals every day for a week. When I have gone to a Chinese buffet pre WW I loaded up on stuff like fried egg rolls, fried chicken, fried biscuits, and all the good food like sesame chicken or orange chicken and dumplings....lots of dumplings...yum

But not tonight....I had to do good, especially since I blew through my points yesterday.

It was probably good that the food selection looked "sad". Very dry and most of the food wasn't even warm. I thought I'd try the sweet and sour soup, which I've never eaten before and the lady next to me in line was telling me how good it was but as I was standing there I smelled a most disgusting smell...like a combo of rotten food and socks. I didn't know where the smell came from but when I went to eat a spoonful of the soup I found out....blech!!! It tasted like it smelled. Awful!! It was so bad it about spoiled my eating of anything else. Thankfully I had some wonton soup and that tasted good and took the yucky taste out of my mouth.

I sit here recalling the less than pleasant experience of dining at this establishment and my stomach is feeling a bit queasy....hope it's not because of the food. The best part of the meal was sitting across from my husband. One thing I can guarantee it that it's the last time we will be going to this particular restaurant.

Oh yeah....I stayed within my daily points. I had 1/2 c.steamed rice, 2 non fried chicken on a stick, broccoli, 1/2 serving of baked fish, 1/2 c. of wonton soup and two cookies. I also had a bite out of two different egg rolls but I didn't like either one so I didn't eat any more.

We are planning on going out to a different Chinese Buffet for Christmas Eve but somehow I don't think it will be as easy....cause the food is much, much better. But at least I have an idea now of how to tackle that when it comes.

***added the next day-
just in case you are concerned...I did not get food poisoning...I think just remembering is what made me queasy...:-)****

Patterns

Today was weigh in and one thing I have found most intriguing is that I am developing a pattern. I've never noticed it before but since I have been tracking my eating it has become very noticeable.

So, true to my pattern....I maintained this week. Actually I had a very small gain...+.4 or in other words...I gained 1/4th of a pound. But it's such a small gain, so small it doesn't even show up on my scale, so I consider it a maintain. The good thing about noticing a pattern is that I was not surprised today at my weigh in. I was expecting it. Not to say that in the future it might change but since I started Weight Watchers the last week of July it's been predictable. And that's o.k.

So funny how our body works. Last week I was hungry, hungry and ate every single daily and weekly point available and lost weight. This week I wasn't as hungry and didn't eat all my weekly points and I maintained.

Oh well, if all goes as it's been going I should expect a loss this next weigh in.

Not my normal kind of week

I had all sorts of plans and ideas of things to write about this week and now the week is over and I've yet to write. Well, I am writing now but still...

This week was unusual in that I had my first grandbaby's baby shower on Sunday, a daughter's birthday on Monday and a son's birthday today. I started off the week a little "stressed" about how I was going to handle this week. And now the week is over and I look back and see that it was easier than I thought.

The baby shower was nice and there were some good things to eat. Thankfully there was also a veggie tray. I snacked on carrots and actually enjoyed it. I did have a bite of the cake and a couple of treats but at the end of the day I had only used about 4 of my weekly points. Not too bad..but I still had a daughter's birthday to celebrate on Monday.

Monday comes and we ended up eating at Genghis Grill for lunch. I got about 4 oz. of chicken [wish I had brought my scale to of made sure] and then I loaded up with veggies. I love that I could go to their website and find the nutritional value for the sauces and stuff and when I added up the points it came to 11. A little higher in point than I usually eat for lunch but not too outrageous either.

Dinner consisted of chicken fried stead, mashed potatoes and green beans. For dessert the b-day girl picked out cheesecake bites which ended up being 2 points a piece. I allotted 6 points for dessert. I did by pass a Hawaiian roll with dinner, figured I'd rather spend those points on a cheesecake bite...yum!!

One good thing on Monday is I got up super early to participate in a water aerobic class. The class was from 6am to 7am which is hard for me since I am not an early bird but I did it because I knew I wouldn't have any other time to exercise all day.

Wednesday I ended up sick with a virus and had no appetite or energy for the whole day. I was nauseous and ended up eating saltines because it was the only thing that sounded good and helped with the nausea. Between the crackers and some yogurt and pudding I was able to accumulate some points. Not enough to meet my dailies but enough to show I did get some nourishment.

And here I am tonight. We had ham, twice baked potatoes, apple pie and ice cream. That's what my 12 year old son picked out for his birthday dinner. I measured out my ham, ate my potato like a regular baked potato and then indulged in the apple pie....the homemade apple pie....and it was well worth the points spent on it.

Tomorrow I weigh in. I have no idea how I've done other than I think I probably have maintained, which is o.k. with me. It's been strange not getting in the exercise I usually do during the week but I also am o.k. with that because my body is still recuperating from being ill.

My mind is getting use to the concept that this weight loss journey is just that....a journey...NOT a race. I enjoyed this week [ other than being sick] and I ate moderately considering all the things I could have indulged in. I started the week apprehensive about all the eating challenges and ended it very happy that I only used 10 of my weekly points.

I reached a goal!!

Today was my weigh in day and all I have to say is that it's a good thing I don't get weighed in for my "feelings". This past week I have eaten every daily AND weekly points available and I wasn't feeling any loss. I drove to the meeting today thinking and girding myself up for either a maintain or a slight gain. Mainly because I don't usually eat all my points as I did this week.

Imagine my shock when I was told that I reached my 10%.....

I REACHED MY 10%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am thrilled!!! Excited!!!! Amazed!!! and Shocked!!!!

30 pounds gone..............

Now I have to set another goal. I'll ponder on that and share in my next post.

I LOVE PIZZA!!!! LOVE IT!!!


I made some homemade pizza tonight [picture of it above]. Actually I usually make homemade pizza at least once a week. When we moved to where we live now, 10 yrs. ago, there were no pizza places that delivered to our house being that we live out in the country and out of the delivery zone. If we wanted pizza we would have to order it from the nearest Pizza Hut and drive 15 minutes one way and then back. And since I have a large family, 6 children, it wasn't cheap.

My brother and his wife came to visit us not to long after we moved. My sis-in-law showed me how to make homemade pizza...even the dough is made from scratch. I usually shy away from making anything that requires yeast. Not sure why, maybe cause it seemed like it would be hard. But it wasn't and the pizza was soooooo good!!! So good...I quite ordering pizza out and started making it in...

I wonder how much money I have saved? 10 years ago it cost around $45 per trip and whatever we used in gas. Now I spend about $30 a month for around 8-12 pizzas. I love saving money.

But what else I like about home made pizza is that I am in control of the toppings. I know exactly what is used. Making home made pizza also comes in handy now that I am doing Weight Watchers. I am able to get more pizza for my points since I can control the ingredients.

My pizza ends up being 4 points per slice. Which is kind of high for one slice but they are big slices. And I always leave enough points so I can have two slices....yum!!!


It wasn't too long ago that I would eat 4 to 5 slices. I didn't eat that much because I was so hungry but because I just LOVE pizza. Now that I see how many points are in one slice I can understand why I wasn't losing any weight. And now I am in that place where "nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels".

I find that I am content eating two slices...and I feel full afterward. I haven't been tempted to eat more but if I am, I know that I can save some and eat it for lunch the next day.

Our family tends to finish up a dinner of pizza with a bowl of ice cream. I still indulge in the ice cream too but I changed from eating a bowl of ice cream to eating the 100 calorie ice cream sandwiches. It is just as much a treat to me as a bowl of ice cream would be.

I love that I am becoming more in control of my food and that food isn't as in control of me...

It's about time

I have finally gotten serious with losing weight. Or maybe you could say that I am fed up with being fat....finally!!! I have not always been overweight. But after having six children and not making losing weight a priority....let's just say I have reached some "highs" that I never thought I'd reach.

A few weeks ago one of my sisters-in-love mentioned that she was wanting to lose another 20 pounds. She has already successfully lost 40 pounds and had kept it off through Weight Watcher's.

The fact that she has kept it off is what has inspired me to try Weight Watcher's myself. I have lost weight before through other programs and if rewards were given out for most weight lost and regained....I could be a gold medal winner. I seem to lose and regain the same 30 pounds over and over...ugh!! I want to lose the weight and KEEP it off. I am TIRED of being fat, overweight, obese....I think you get the picture:-)

My oldest daughter was married this past summer and when I saw myself in the video and the pictures I was so disgusted. I know I am heavy, and I know I want to lose weight...but I wasn't making it a priority. I am now making it a priority and am doing something about it.


I joined Weight Watchers [WW] July 25, 2009. I don't think I am ready to tell the blog world my starting weight yet....I will eventually but not in this post. I will say that since then I have successfully lost over 10 pounds...whoo-hoo!!!! I ONLY have over 100 pounds to go....but I can do it...one pound at a time.

So begins my blogging about my journey. My life was transformed over 20 years ago when I acknowledged Jesus as Lord of my life. He has been gently working and transforming me from the inside out. I want ALL of me to be a witness to His goodness, not just what's "inside". It's my season to focus on the outside. And in sharing my journey I hope to encourage others on the same path.

Tomorrow is my weigh in day...I'll let you know how it went.