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.

Curves in the journey

Originally we were only going to have one Thanksgiving meal but my oldest daughter's grandparents invited us over and since we won't be eating our meal till late we figured we'd pop in since we haven't seen them in a few months.

One Thanksgiving meal was something I could handle but two.....eeekkk!!

And on top of dealing with tomorrow... today was a challenge. Originally I was going to stay at home and do some cleaning and baking. But a friend was celebrating her son's birthday and since her husband was out of town she asked me to help. So, being the good friend I am...I said yes. The only problem is that we were taking the boys to....

Amazing Jakes....along with being a fun place to play it has a buffet. And there aren't a lot of good choices. We were there for 5 hours...I wish I would have been more prepared but I wasn't. Let's just say it's a good thing I have weekly points. I am trying to save them for tomorrow but used up a few today.

Looking at the buffet and seeing how many points I used for such a small amount of food was another reminder of how my eating is changing. I ate a salad and two slices of pizza, choosing the smallest slice available. I had two small oatmeal cookies with about 1/4 cup of soft serve ice cream. If I would have left that's all I would have eaten, but we stayed for 5 hours and since we ate the first hour by the 5th hour everyone including myself was hungry. I ate two more small slices of pizza and two more small oatmeal cookies. I used 27 points...and I didn't really eat a lot, at least in comparison to what I would have eaten pre WW. I can't even begin to imagine how many points I would have eaten in this 5 hour period in the past. And let's not forget the drinks. I do know that I would have drank coke and many refills, but this time around I drank water or unsweetened tea with sugar free lemonade. That save me points.

I came home tonight and around 9 I had a strong urge to go walk. Thankfully my 18 yr. old son agreed to go with me since it was dark and we live on a road with not much light. I only walked a mile but we walked at a quick pace and I feel so much better getting that little bit of exercise.

So, even though my day didn't go as I originally planned...and I ate a lot of points at lunch...I enjoyed playing with my boys and spending time with my friend.

I keep reminding myself....this is a journey I am on and there will be many curves in the road but I am learning how to safely make it around the curves and while some curves may slow me down they won't stop me from reaching my destination.

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.

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.

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.