Bumpy week

Allright, this has been one bad week. If you'll notice I haven't even posted for a week. Anyway, I was doing good until Thursday when I got some bad/upsetting/depressing news. I promptly attempted to cheer myself up by eating (and drinking) everything in sight. Then I went to a NASCAR race on Saturday (ever try eating healthy at a sporting event? Not easy!). Then I went on a little trip that involved 16 hours in the car in 2 days (and nothing to do but snack) and of course lots of eating out. Anyway, I gained 2 pounds. I'm probably lucky it wasn't more.

So, I need to be extra good this next week to make up for it. Lots of fruits, veggies, water and working out!

Tuesday update

Allright, so my summary of the past week: Overall really good. I lost two pounds, yay! I've done better at making healthier food choices and I've done alot better at exercising :) For instance, today at work I walked up 20 flights of stairs!

Today's menu:
Breakfast: Cheerios w/ skim milk-3
Orange-1
Morning snack: Banana-2
Lunch: Grilled chicken salad w/ very little dressing-5
Grapes-1
Afternoon snack: 2 Doritos and candy corn-2
Dinner: Small frozen pizza-14
Weight Watchers chocolate cake-1
Total: 29 (saving 2, I've saved 15 so far this week)

For exercise today I did aerobics and weights and stretching for a little over an hour while I watched the Biggest Loser.

Monday update

Well, today went good again. I must confess though, I had 4 cans of pop today :-( My excuse is that I was really tired and needed caffeine. (I only slept about 2 1/2 hours last night). I still drank about 7 glasses of water, so hopefully I didn't kill myself too bad. I did an aerobics DVD for about 55 minutes for exercise, plus I walked up 12 flights of stairs at work!

Menu:
Breakfast: Carnation Instant Breakfast w/ skim milk-5
Snack: Banana-2
Lunch: Chef's salad w/ very small amt of dressing-5
2/3 of a cookie-2
Snack: Apple-1
Candy corn-1
Dinner: Cereal w/ skim milk-6
Snack size Hershey bar-2
Total: 24

So not my healthiest day. At least I stayed in my points range and exercized! I'm trying to remember to take a vitamin every day, too, so that helps a little hopefully.

A new week

Today is Sunday, which starts my new week. I weighed today-lost 2 pounds! I think it's pretty good considereing I was at the absolute upper limits of my points the whole week. Actually, I was over, because last Sunday after I weighed, I binged and had a Big Mac value meal with regular Coke, some pizza, some chocolate covered cashews, and 2 hot fudge sundays (not all at once, though!) So that probably put a damper on the whole week. I don't even want to think about how many points that was. So, 2 pounds down (I'm actually down 4 pounds for the whole year-woo hoo!), and I'm starting a brand new week. I've gotten a much better start to this week!

I started watching a new show this week called "I want to look like a high school cheerleader again" on CMT. It's about former cheerleaders who have gained weight and need help losing. The trainer is the guy who trains the Dallas Cowbows Cheerleaders. Anyway it's kind of a fun show, but I got irritated because none of them are really that big, and the heaviest one still weighs 40 pounds less than me. Plus I can tell she's really tall. Anyway. I'll probably keep watching it because I like weight loss shows. It'll still be inspiring to watch them lose and tone up.

Sunday's menu
Brunch: Omelet (1 egg/1 egg white, fat free cheese, green peppers and tomatoes)-4
1 slice wheat toast with margarine and low sugar jam-3
skim milk-2
Snack: Candy pumpkins-1
Dinner: Stuffed Chicken Parmesan-7
Bruschetta-6
Green beans-1
Weight Watchers chocolate cake-1
Total: 25 (saving 6)

I am going to my grandmother's this weekend, so my goal is to save as many points as possible. We all know how grandmas cook!

I went to the gym earlier and worked out on the cross trainer for 30 min (2.17 miles, 252 calories burned if you believe the machine). I also did some lower body weights and exercises. I should add that I walk over to the gym (I live in apartments) and it is about 8 minutes round trip, so that's a little more exercise, too. When I got the gym today, I got on the machine and put my earphones in and tried to turn on my ipod, and it didn't work :( I had to work out with no music!!!!! I am very proud of myself for still doing it. I sure was tempted to just not work out but I remember that those kinds of excuses and laziness are how I got to where I am today, so I buckled down and did it!

I've drank 8+ glasses of water/crystal light today, and only 2 cans of pop.

Here's to a good week!

Saturday update

I did great today! I've only had 1 can of pop and at least 8 glasses of water (if you count Crystal Light, which I do). I worked out at the gym today: 1 hour on the eliptical trainer plus upper body weights and crunces. I went grocery shopping and actually got dressed and did my hair before going out. I felt great about myself!

Saturday's menu
Breakfast: Egg sandwich-4
Lunch: Chicken tortilla soup-2
Apple-1
Dinner: Chik-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken sandwich-5
Fruit cup-1
Snack size Hershey bar-2
Total: 15

I am right at my points limit for the week. Tomorrow I weigh in, and then I start a whole new week!

Friday update

Friday was both good and bad for me. It was good because I made some healthier choices that I don't normally make. I had subway for lunch and chose WHEAT bread instead of white! Plus I didn't get any chips or anything and had one of the lowfat subs. Later I went to dinner with friends and drank water with my meal. I think that is a first, honestly. Of course, it really was only because their pop machine was broken, but I was tempted to get wine or tea, but resisted and stuck with water. So that is an accomplishment for me! Now the rest of the dinner didn't go quite so well :( I should be OK, though, since I've done so well all week, I have plenty of points available to make up for it.

Friday's Menu
Breakfast: Zone snack bar-2
Morning snack: Cocoa puffs with a little bit of 2% milk-5
Banana-2
Strawberries-1
Lunch: Subway Sweet Onion Chicken Terriyaki on wheat-8
Afternoon snack: Candy corn-5
Dinner: Giovani's Italian Restaurant
Chicken Parmagiana-15
Spaghetti-6
Bruschetta-3
Tiramisu-10
Total: 57
So I was 26 over, but like I said before, I've done well enough this week (providing saturday goes well) to make up for it.

I drank about 6 glasses of water overall. I didn't exercise except for walking alot and walking hte stairs at work.

I ended up not going to the gym-it was dark and stormy by the time I finished setting this up. So I did my Biggest Loser workout DVD instead (a good workout BTW!) and some inner/outer thigh lifts and crunches. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. My arms are still sore from a workout earlier this week!

I'm trying to do better drinking water, too, so today I've had a total of 7 glasses of water. I'm trying to cut down on the amount of pop I drink, even though I always drink diet. It's so hard! I really love Diet Dr. Pepper :) I'm trying to limit it to one or two cans a day.

Beginning my journey...

I've been overweight for years, and like the typical story, have been on and off of diets numerous times. I've lost up to 25 pounds on a diet before, but gained it back plus some. So, I'm not going on a diet, I'm CHANGING MY LIFESTYLE!! I am using Weight Watchers materials as my guide, but am trying to incorporate healthy habits, not just count the points until I reach my goal. (Which is what I was supposed to be doing all along, right?!)

I'm watching the Biggest Loser right now, which is really inspiring. I some episodes Tivo'd to watch when I need the boost. I know their weekly numbers can be pretty unrealistic, but I love watching them change, and seein them get smaller right before my very eyes. I decided that this time I'm going to change right along with them!

OK, so I really started seriously this past Monday (10/2), but I just found this cool site and decided that the accountability would be good for me, plus the encouragement from others and tips, etc.

I've done pretty well this week with making healthy choices. I've worked out once, and am getting ready to go again.

My overall goal: Lose 100 pounds. That would put me towards the upper middle of my healthy weight range. Most of all I want to be healthy and confident and be able to wear whatever I want and look good!

Todays menu:
Breakfast: Zone snack bar-2 pts
Morning snack: grapes-1
Lunch: McAlister's Deli grilled chicken club sandwich-15
Potato salad-7
Afternoon snack: Candy corn-4
Dinner: Chicken Tortilla Soup-2
Apple-1
Total: 32

OK, so I'm a little bit over today, but I've saved enough the rest of the week that one or two points is OK. (I still do it the old way) Plus, I walked up about 9 or 10 flights of stairs at work today and I'm getting ready to leave for the gym.