A Slow Paced Saturday (Plus Weekly Weigh in #6)

This week has been a little bit rough. I have some personal (yup too personal for the blog right now) stuff going on and I really wanted to use today to recover from my fast paced week. I packed up the wonderbug bright and early and headed out for the morning. I made sure all of the essentials (purse, yoga bag, yoga mat, water, vitamin water, breakfast, etc) were all good to go since I would not have time to stop back by my house. I am amazed at my ability to be so prepared so early on a Saturday morning!

My first stop was Weight Watchers for my week 6 weigh in. I really busted my booty this week in terms of my workouts. I pushed myself hard, didn’t eat any of the resulting activity points, and made sure to get in tons of fresh veggies and fruits. I had myself all geared up for a stellar result but got this instead…

Week      +/-        Total lost

6               -0.2          21.2

Which makes my overall stats:

Week            +/-          Total Lost

1                   -10.8         10.8

2                   -3.2            14

3                   -3.0             17

4                  -1.0              18

5                  -3.0              21

6                 -0.2              21.2

I normally try (try try try) to take my number in stride. I really do. However, today to say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was pissed. My Weight Watchers leader was really supportive and answered my questions about how this complete injustice occurred. Her explanations made perfect sense but I am still upset. I feel like when you consider calories in versus calories out I should have had a three pound lost at least! I worked so hard this week and truly pushed myself. A 0.2 pound loss feels like a slap in the face. I know I should not be bitching about this. I posted a three pound loss last week and am seeing great changes in my strength and body shape. However, people feel the way they feel and this made me feel like crap. I feel like this early in the process a 0.2 pound loss should not be happening. I wanted to grab a latte and a scone after this less than stellar weigh in but instead I read over my Weight Watchers materials for the week, ate a quick breakfast of organic peanut butter on whole grain, and headed downtown to my Bikram yoga class.

Class was amazing as it usually is. My mind was all over the place when I first went in and I was really dwelling on the weigh-in. However, a few poses into the practice and I felt myself calm down. I worked really hard and even managed to get a little further into some of the poses than I have in the past. This is such a great practice and a wonderful studio. I truly feel at home/ at ease there now which is so unlike me. I have been at my current gym for over two years and still do not feel totally comfortable there. Plus, I can feel and see myself change from week to week with yoga. I am so glad I worked it into my routine. After class I was pretty much famished so I stopped at Subway to grab lunch for the hubs and I. I chose chicken on flatbread with loads of veggies and some Sunchips. I have not had Sunchips in forever and they were really yummy. And of course my gigantic water bottle made an appearance.

After our quick lunch the hubs left for his afternoon bike ride and I decided a bubble bath was in order. After the week (and super hard class) I had it was much needed. I also took in my trusty copy of Rachael Ray to get in some reading. Ya’ll know how much I heart that lady!

The hubs and I had a little date night planned so I got dressed in a super cute sweater I picked up in Dallas last fall and we headed out.

We headed out to an E A R L Y dinner. I am talking Golden Girls early. We were trying to avoid the Valentines weekend crowd. Mission accomplished as we pulled into one of my favorite local places, Neighbor’s Place, around 5:00.

I was totally craving a Spinach salad so I ordered one topped with yummy piping hot grilled chicken. It was pretty fantastic. I love it when restaurants have open kitchens. Its cool to watch how quickly they can get everything cooked up. They are the ultimate multi-taskers!

Since it was Saturday (yay Saturday!!) the hubs and I decided to share this amazing piece of chocolate cake. Even between the two of us we could not finish it.

Let me tell you a little something about said amazing cake- It tasted wonderful but was too much for my tummy to handle. We were barely to the car and I was sick with a capital S. It’s not that I never indulge, because I do. I have a piece of chocolate on Wednesday nights and pretty much an item or two I have been craving on Saturdays. However, I am apparently going to have to be a little more choosey because my body has started to change in terms of what it will tolerate. The hubs and I sort of marveled at what a difference six weeks makes.

The hubs and I ditched our original plan to see a movie and instead watched “The Killers” on DVD with my fave Katherine Hiegel at home. We capped off the night with a trip to Old Navy. The hubs promised me some new yoga pants and I was ready to collect. I somehow ended up with an entire new outfit. Not sure how that happened. 😉 (photos coming soon).

We headed home and are currently bonding with our TIVO. My relaxing Saturday is just what I needed. Check back tomorrow for my re-cap of my Anti-Valentines date with fabulous fave Kristen.

Have a Happy and Healthy Weekend!

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Weekly Weigh-In #5

I can’t believe I have been on the Weight Watchers program for five weeks. 2011 seems to be flying by. On Saturday morning my pal Siobhan and I decided to work an extra Bikram yoga class into our week. So, I headed out VERY early to get my week 5 results. Here is what went down….

Week      +/-        Total lost

5               -3.0          21

Which makes my overall stats:

Week            +/-          Total Lost

1                   -10.8         10.8

2                   -3.2            14

3                   -3.0             17

4                  -1.0              18

5                  -3.0              21

I am thrilled to be over the 20 pound mark. While I still have a LONG way to go it feels like I have hit a significant milestone. To celebrate this “mini goal” the hubs and I are heading out this week to buy some brand new yoga pants! I will hit my next personal milestone in 10 lbs. I feel incredibly empowered and motivated to stay on this journey. I am only 4 lbs away from my “lightest” 2010 weight when things derailed. It’s exciting to get to the point where I feel like I am no longer taking care of “re-losing” weight but rather moving forward. I can’t wait to see where I go next. For those keeping track, the hubs picked up Florence and The Machine for me this week. 😉 Happy Weekend!

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Weekly Weigh-In # 4 and Month’s End Stats

So, today marks the official one month mark that I have been on my new diet/workout program. I was up super early Saturday morning to get my official way-in done. Here are this week’s stats….

Week      +/-        Total lost

4               -1.0          18

Which makes my overall stats:

Week            +/-          Total Lost

1                   -10.8         10.8

2                   -3.2            14

3                   -3.0             17

4                  -1.0              18

I will admit I was a little disappointed with just a 1 pound loss. I feel like I have SO far to go and that 1 pound is just a drop in a pretty gigantic bucket. However, when I look at the month as a whole 18 pounds is a very respectable loss for one month. I was also pretty excited to learn I have lost 4 inches from my waist! What’s more, I think looking at my overall appearance is a motivating factor. In just 4 weeks my skin looks better, I am less “puffy” and I am starting to feel more confident about the process. Here is a quick comparison look at my starting photos and my current photos….

I am excited to get February started and see where the next month of my journey takes me. In terms of NSV (non scale victories) my February goals include:

1. Trying a Zumba class
   
2. Making certain I eat my points (no daily points left behind)
   
3. Incorporating more fruits and veggies into my daily routine
   
4. Being conscious of my bread/crackers intake
   
5. Taking a multivitamin daily!
   

Also, for those keeping track of my little arrangement with the hubs, this week I chose Lady GaGa “The Fame Monster.

I now return you to
regular food/fitness blogging! Happy Monday!

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Weekly Weigh In #3

I had really put 100% into my workouts this week and was eager to see if that had reflected on the scale. I got up pretty much on time to be at the Weight Watchers center right when it opened. The hubs, who is not really a late sleeper, was still tucked away all cozy in the covers.  This has been a tough week for me in terms of diet. I did my very best to control my cravings and push through them even though I was feeling over tired and stressed. I had my moments of wondering why I was even bothering. I have to admit I was thankful for this week’s weigh in. It was what I needed to re-motivate me and keep me on the right track.

Week      +/-        Total lost

3               -3.0          17

Which makes my overall stats:

Week            +/-          Total Lost

1                   -10.8         10.8

2                   -3.2            14

3                   -3.0             17

 

I am looking forward to measuring and photo taking at the end of the month to see if I can really “see” any of these changes happening. And onto more frivolous things, This week’s CD pick per my agreement with the hubs is…..That’s What I Call Music 36 (36, really? WOW!)

I am off to fix a healthy breakfast, get a workout done with the hubs (running or P90x yoga..I am undecided), and start getting the house ready for guests. Tonight we are hosting our monthly themed movie night. *Yes it is just as fabulously nerdy as it sounds!* Have a great Saturday!!

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Weekly Weigh In #2

This morning I went in to Weight Watchers to get my official week 2 weigh in and here are the results:

Week      +/-        Total lost

2               -3.2          14

Which makes my overall stats:

Week            +/-          Total Lost

1                   -10.8         10.8

2                   -3.2            14

The 3.2 loss was bittersweet for me. I know I cannot expect to post big losses every single week and 3.2 is a respectable number. However, sometimes I think shows like The Biggest Loser (which I love) ruin us as to what a “normal” good week looks like. Either way, in staying with his promise of a new CD each week I lose at least 1 pound the hubs already got this week’s choice for me….

I am now headed to the salon for a morning of pampering and getting ready to see all of my friends this evening for my Birthday dinner celebration! This week my goal is to stress less about the weight loss and keep things positive!

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Weekly Weigh In #1

I headed out super early to my Weight Watchers center this morning to get my official week 1 weigh in. Here are my results:

Week        +/-        Total Losses

1              -10.8                 10.8

I am beyond pleased with this. I know you lose a lot of water weight during the first week of a program but I am really excited to be on the right track! I also don’t want to dismiss the work I did this week. So, I am going to stick with simply being all smiles at a good result!

The hubs and I have a little deal that any week I post a one pound loss (or more) he will get me the CD of my choice. Sooo, this week I chose Katy Perry- Teenage Dream. It’s a fun little reward to help me stay on track for my larger “reward” goals later in the process.

One final note, it’s official: it’s LOVE with the new scale and I from Eat Smart. The scale is giving consistent readings AND it was exactly (to the ounce) giving the same reading as the super accurate way expensive scales at the Weight Watchers center. I am so stoked to be able to accurately track my weight from home!

After my weigh in I went to the gym for 3 miles on the elliptical and am ready to start week 2 off right!

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Mail Call, A New Recipe, and A Workout Fear

Warning: Tonight’s blog is a mish-mosh of topics. My mind is sort of all over the place today and apparently so is my blog. Please excuse the random thoughts ahead!!

I love getting snail mail (when it’s not a bill that is) and I was really jazzed to have two fabulous things waiting on me when I got home today. First, I need to mention that last week I actually won a giveaway on another blog. (Pretty cool way to start the New Year!) Anywho, I won an awesome new Eat Smart Bathroom Scale from Gina’s blog. (Thanks Again!!) The scale arrived today and I am totally jazzed to have a bathroom scale that works and actually gives a consistent weight reading (basically, you know, a scale’s job!). My current scale is terrible so I am pleased to be moving this little gem in. I will now be able to do mid-week check-ins on my weight to make sure I am making progress toward my “official” Saturday weigh-ins!

Next (and I totally get that you won’t be as excited about this as I am) I was stoked to get my February issue of “Everyday with Rachael Ray” magazine. If you are a reader of the blog (or have ever met me in real life) you know of my love for all things Rachael Ray. I am not a huge magazine fan but I do get all excited about this one!

Moving on, a few months ago I had a blog fail moment when I made a new dish and completely blanked on giving you fab readers the recipe. Tonight I am going to rectify that wrong with my recipe for Balsamic Onion Pasta. This recipe was adapted from a recipe for a vegetarian balsamic onion linguini I found ages ago. However, I have made so many modifications to the original recipe I feel comfortable calling it my own.

• First, roast 2-3 red bell peppers (or cheat and buy them already roasted) then chop them into strips

• Prepare a box of whole grain penne while you brown up 1lb of Italian turkey sausage

• Set aside the browed turkey sausage and allow the excess oil to drain on a plate. In the same skillet add 1 table spoon butter and 3 small onions. Allow them to caramelize for 20 minutes. They will go from stark white to a gooey brown.

• After the onions are caramelized add in the red peppers and browned Italian turkey sausage. Allow this to cook up for approximately 5 minutes

• Next make the “sauce” by adding 1 cup chicken broth or stock, 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Allow it to come to a boil and reduce heat

• Combine with the wheat pasta, add a touch of grated parmesan and enjoy!

The last thing on my agenda tonight is preparing for my yoga class tomorrow tonight. My friend and I are signed up for Bikram Yoga. For those not familiar with this term it is 90 minutes of a series of 26 poses completed in a room that is 105 degrees and 40% humidity! I have heard horror stories of people vomiting or passing out during their first class. To say I am a little nervous is an understatement. Any bikram yoga fans out there? Is it truly as intense as I am thinking it will be? I will be giving a full report tomorrow night if I survive!

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Weigh In #16

Even though I have a  run coming up this morning that really
requires me to focus, my mind was somewhere else. This is pretty much
the case every Saturday morning when I go to weigh-in. It never seems
to get any easier. My ultimate goal, while keeping my calories/points
in check with WW is living healthfully and getting fit yet these
weigh-ins are still very very important to me. I strongly feel, for
me, losing weight is a huge part of those ultimate fitness goals.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago there is nothing to do but
continue to face the scale and carry on. That is what I have been
trying to do this week, just keep moving and making the best choices I
can. My 16th weigh-in turned out to be a loss of 3.4 pounds, which
brings my total loss to 37.2 pounds.

This may not seem like much to some, but breaking that 35-pound
barrier is a huge moment for me. I feel like I have been stuck in
limbo for so long. Now I have my eye on the next prize, 50 pounds.

I am considering how to reward myself when I reach 50 lbs lost. Any Suggestions?

Off to Run!

Have a Happy and Healthy Saturday!

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Weigh In # 15

I headed out bright and early for my weigh in. I love that I have switched to Saturdays as it seems to work so much better with my schedule. I was not sure what to expect this week. I have done everything I am supposed to but we all know the troubles I have had with these weigh-ins lately. I hopped on the scale and learned I am down 1.8 pounds this week for a total loss of 33.8 pounds. My fingers are crossed that I can stay on a losing trend. I am beyond due for some losses!

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Weigh-In Worries

How is it I am more anxious about this week’s weigh-in than lasts?  I
guess it has a little to do with that pesky fear of failure thing that
keeps creeping in and disturbing this process. Last week I was
prepared for a gain. I knew I had not been following the plan as
closely as I should for quite some time. This week, however, I have
done everything “right”, or rather on plan I should say. If I am
stuck, for what feels like the millionth time, without a loss I know I
will feel disappointed and most likely discouraged.

While I am not an expert on the subject I am pretty sure plateaus are
not infinite. I think I passed being able to call it that with a
straight face several weeks ago. I am now equating no loss with me
doing something “wrong” or incorrectly and I don’t really know how to
start figuring out what that is. At what point on the journey does one
move from the calories in versus calories burned method and start
concentrating on carbohydrates/protein combos, counting sodium grams,
etc. Have I already reached a point where I need to start doing those
things? It just seems to soon.

I am sure my attitude today seems defeatist. I have not even
weighed-in yet I have myself beaten and frustrated. It is so hard to
hold off those feelings of guilt and anger when the losses don’t seem
to measure up to the work you are putting in.

My husband, on the other hand, is dong great. He has not really
changed his diet that much, but has started mountain biking regularly. The
change in his body in just one month is staggering. I could not be
more proud of him. With that said, it does make me wonder why
something that seems so effortless for him is so difficult and
emotionally taxing for me? I feel like I literally have to fight off
every ounce. Does it ever get easier?

If I have learned anything in these last few weeks it is that this
will never ever work for me if I don’t continue to go in, monitor my
weight weekly, track my food, track my workouts and keep my emotions
in check. This blog is pretty great for all of those things. Just this
little venting session has me feeling much more calm and collected for
tomorrow’s weigh-in.  I will be here, good or bad, with the news.

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