I had my Weight Watchers meeting today. Well, actually it is going on as I write. Our meeting got relocated to another conference room and it was so hot and cramped that I could not tolerate it. I debated and debated over the past few days about whether I would weigh in or not. Why would have this debate you ask? I know what I ate over the holidays. I was BAD!!!! I ate more than I would on a regular day. Most holidays I don't eat much, but I lay around a lot. This year I did both. Long story short...I GAINED 3.4 pounds over the past 3 weeks. Let see. What does that 3.4 pounds represent during those 3 weeks? Here are some memorable dishes. The delicious fruitcake my daddy makes. The awesome hermit cake he also makes. My mother-in-law's scrumptious rum cake. My mother-in-law's heavenly country ham. My sister-in-law's delightful parmesan stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. My sister-in-law's delightful oreo cookie treats. My mom's tantalizingly moist turkey (which later made amazing turkey sandwiches with white bread and Miracle Whip...3 at a time). My mom's sinful spiral ham. My decadent cream cheese filled pumpkin muffins. My dad's comforting oyster stew. The 4 Apple Uglies. The Big 'N Tasty with cheese and the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonalds. The Swiss Colony cheeses. And, that's not all. Then there was the Cheeseburger in Paradise episode...an order of conch fritters with dipping sauce, 90% of my husband's order of fried dill pickles with dipping sauce, an order of teriyaki string beans, a HUGE burger with 2 kinds of cheese, 3 glasses of sweetened black tea, and one fruity mixed drink. There was also halves of 2 different kinds of pizza (that means one whole pizza) from Mellow Mushroom, the 3 BBQ pork sandwiches with cole slaw and a half bag of cheddar sour cream chips, and the 24 chicken wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. That was the holiday for me. That was just the itty bitty tip of the iceberg. Sad. So sad.
Ok. Now what? I learned something very important from this holiday experience. I have a SERIOUS problem with food. DUH!!! If you asked me how many times I was actually hungry when I ate all of this stuff, the answer would probably be around 30-40% of the time. Now, I just have to take a deep breath and head in the right direction. This week, I've gone to the gym 3 times for 45 minutes each time on the Nu Step machine. The lady in charge of the training program at my gym delayed our sessions until next Thursday. I will start that program next week. I will also be starting 2 different yoga classes the week of January 18. I was a little proud of myself for even going to that Weight Watchers meeting today. It was a personal triumph. You see, in the past, I have always (for some strange reason) started the Weight Watchers programs before the holidays. I would also feel so ashamed of my holiday weight gains that I would either never show up to another meeting or go to find out what I weighed and THEN stop going. But, this year I went and WILL continue to go no matter the results.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Same things in a different way
Last night was the premiere of the Biggest Loser: Season 9. Of course, I was watching intently. I had to just let my negative feelings about the show go and just give in. I still would LOVE to be on that show. I'm thinking casting calls for season 11 will be sometime in February or March. I'm hoping they will try for a Virginia location again. My first casting call was in Suffolk, VA back in March 2008. They still have not found a contestant from Virginia to be on the ranch. But, I'm losing weight on my own, so they may miss their chance. I made a promise to myself that with each casting call I go to, I will be thinner than the previous one. Thus far, I have kept that promise.
I have watched every season of the Biggest Loser. It's a cry-fest for me. I hear the contestants stories and they reflect my own story. As Jillian Michaels said last night, when someone gets to the Biggest Loser ranch they are at their lowest. I believe that. As someone who is willing to put on a sports bra and biker shorts, stand in front of the nation, and tell them what their weight is, I know what low is. But, I'm not exactly at the lowest. I was at the lowest between January 2007 and June 2009. My weight was at its highest and my morale was at its lowest. It's starting to slowly turn around for me. The funny part is, I have no clue what caused me to be so low or what has caused me to improve. I'm moving on though. As part of moving on, I decided to use the Biggest Loser in a different way last night. Back a few seasons ago, my husband and I would watch the show and eat snacks. Watching them exercise used to make me really hungry for some reason. The past two seasons, my husband has been working during the Biggest Loser and didn't watch the show with me. I would do chores during the show and play on the computer. Bob and Jillian have said many times that during commercial breaks, viewers should do exercises. Well, last night, I gave it a try. I have a set of 5 pound weights and a resistance band beside the couch. Back in January of 2008 I started lifting light 3 pound weights while I watched TV. I did this for all of 2008. In January 2009, I moved up to 5 pound weights and bought the resistance bands. I stuck with it for about a month and then quit. Last night I dusted the weights and bands off and started "working out" during the commercials. I can laugh about it now because it is over, but you never realize how many commercials there are during a show and how long they are. If I had been doing laundry or going to the bathroom or something, I'd have to rush to get back before a show started up after the commercials. Not last night. It seemed like the commercials would never end. During one commercial break, I even did some wall pushups (standing up and pushing against a wall instead of getting on the floor...same motion and form as a traditional pushup, only standing up instead) like Bob suggested last year on the Biggest Loser. By the end of that commercial break I was out of breath, sweating, and my arms were quivering. At the end of the two hour premier, I was exhausted!! That's sad. Anyway, I feel like I actually did something good for my body. I woke up feeling great this morning and my 45 minute workout at the gym on the Nu Step machine breezed by. Now I just have to watch what I eat today. So far, I've had my vitamins, one banana, and a mug of hot unsweetened green tea. My fingers are crossed that I can be good for the rest of the day.
I have watched every season of the Biggest Loser. It's a cry-fest for me. I hear the contestants stories and they reflect my own story. As Jillian Michaels said last night, when someone gets to the Biggest Loser ranch they are at their lowest. I believe that. As someone who is willing to put on a sports bra and biker shorts, stand in front of the nation, and tell them what their weight is, I know what low is. But, I'm not exactly at the lowest. I was at the lowest between January 2007 and June 2009. My weight was at its highest and my morale was at its lowest. It's starting to slowly turn around for me. The funny part is, I have no clue what caused me to be so low or what has caused me to improve. I'm moving on though. As part of moving on, I decided to use the Biggest Loser in a different way last night. Back a few seasons ago, my husband and I would watch the show and eat snacks. Watching them exercise used to make me really hungry for some reason. The past two seasons, my husband has been working during the Biggest Loser and didn't watch the show with me. I would do chores during the show and play on the computer. Bob and Jillian have said many times that during commercial breaks, viewers should do exercises. Well, last night, I gave it a try. I have a set of 5 pound weights and a resistance band beside the couch. Back in January of 2008 I started lifting light 3 pound weights while I watched TV. I did this for all of 2008. In January 2009, I moved up to 5 pound weights and bought the resistance bands. I stuck with it for about a month and then quit. Last night I dusted the weights and bands off and started "working out" during the commercials. I can laugh about it now because it is over, but you never realize how many commercials there are during a show and how long they are. If I had been doing laundry or going to the bathroom or something, I'd have to rush to get back before a show started up after the commercials. Not last night. It seemed like the commercials would never end. During one commercial break, I even did some wall pushups (standing up and pushing against a wall instead of getting on the floor...same motion and form as a traditional pushup, only standing up instead) like Bob suggested last year on the Biggest Loser. By the end of that commercial break I was out of breath, sweating, and my arms were quivering. At the end of the two hour premier, I was exhausted!! That's sad. Anyway, I feel like I actually did something good for my body. I woke up feeling great this morning and my 45 minute workout at the gym on the Nu Step machine breezed by. Now I just have to watch what I eat today. So far, I've had my vitamins, one banana, and a mug of hot unsweetened green tea. My fingers are crossed that I can be good for the rest of the day.
Monday, January 4, 2010
New year, new perspective
Happy new year to all!!!! I hope it was a restful holiday season for everyone. I also hope that we all have recharged our "batteries" and are ready to meet our individual goals for the new year. I have always hated the idea of resolutions. I always felt that it was useless to wait until January 1 to make a change. I suppose it is one of the reasons why I joined the gym in July and started Weight Watchers in November. I also tend to "start" new things on May 15 (my birthday). To me my birthday is the start of my year. But, this year I feel like I want to celebrate this whole tradition of making a resolution. My resolutions are more like goals. I am going to the gym at least 3 days per week for 30 minutes each time. I am going to go to all of my Weight Watchers meetings even if I didn't do well during the week (I can go and not weigh in). I am going to write on my blog at least 3 times per week.
Now that I've written those resolutions/goals, I'm realizing something. I am afraid to commit to making significant changes. If I were not scared of failing, I would have said that I am going to the gym everyday for 45 minutes or more. I would have said that I am going to go to the gym 3 or more times per week in the afternoons after work. I would have said that I am going to lose a specific amount of weight before the end of the year. I would have committed to writing on the blog each and every day. I'm so accustomed to failure that I no longer "set the bar" high. I hope that I am just able to do the minimum. I need to challenge myself more in the new year.
Now that I've written those resolutions/goals, I'm realizing something. I am afraid to commit to making significant changes. If I were not scared of failing, I would have said that I am going to the gym everyday for 45 minutes or more. I would have said that I am going to go to the gym 3 or more times per week in the afternoons after work. I would have said that I am going to lose a specific amount of weight before the end of the year. I would have committed to writing on the blog each and every day. I'm so accustomed to failure that I no longer "set the bar" high. I hope that I am just able to do the minimum. I need to challenge myself more in the new year.
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