So How Did I Do This Week????

OK let's just get it over with.........I was up at the scale this week......but not much at all and definitely much less than I could have been or have been other years.  I am still down a lot from Thanksgiving which means I met my goal of weighing less at the end of the year than I did at the end of November.  I am calling it  a victory for me!!!

On Monday, Jenn and I went to see "It's A Wonderful Life" on the big screen at the Nickelodeon Theatre.  We only purchased plain popcorn and brought our own popcorn topping. Nothing like seeing a Christmas classic in a movie house vs. on TV.

Jenn and I did our annual day before Christmas Eve dinner.  We went to the Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse. It was one of those places where they come around with the meat on skewers and you can say yes or no. I tried a variety of meats but not too much and asked for small portions. I made wise choices at the salad bar and stayed away from the potato's, rice, rolls and high calorie salad dressings.  I also passed on dessert.  But I did have 2 drinks and that was what put me over my daily allowance of points and put me into using some of my weekly points.


My Christmas Eve strategy worked......for the most part.  I was not able to find turkey salami (I have seen it before) but did use turkey pepperoni in the antipasto along with roasted peppers, black and green olives...... mozzarella, fresh provolone and genoa salami.  I only ate the pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers and olives and passed on the provolone and salami.  There was also blue cheese dip to die for......I put it at the other end of the table with assorted crackers.  Closer to me was the fat free cottage cheese mixed with dry ranch dip with celery in lieu of chips or crackers.  I did have a few pizza bagels but passed on the potato skins.  I had one yes one baked clam.  Instead of the hot dogs wrapped in bacon and covered with brown sugar and butter......I had fat free turkey hot dogs wrapped in turkey bacon with nothing else on top of it.  I did indulge in 2 chocolate chip cookies and had one drink of vodka and low fat fruit punch (15 calories per 16 oz serving). Overall  not too bad!!


Christmas Day, I made stuffed shells for dinner.  I had 4 of them and took my time savoring each bite.  They were yummy!!!!



We cleaned out the fridge of any temptations known as Christmas leftovers. The biggest issue for me was the cookies.......I love the cookies we make at Christmas.  On Christmas Eve, I sent my sister's family home with my favorites....thumbprints.  I also sent the pinwheels....another favorite.  But we still had so many cookies left.  Yesterday, Jenn and I packed them up in two big disposable trays and took them to the Oliver Gospel Mission.  They were delighted for the donation and I was delighted to have the cookies that scream my name gone.  It was also nice to think of them being served for dessert last night to some homeless people.

I did track everything....and I mean everything!!!

I had been reading a lot of entries on the Weight Watchers page on FB and those entries gave me the courage to go to my weigh in this morning. After the meeting, I bought a few new things such as the Power Foods book, the starter kit (which included plates, benito box, a cookbook and a bunch of coupons), two bowls which have a variety of measurements and some of the snacks (pretzel bars, chocolate shakes and sour cream popped snacks).  I think that is a good start for 2015.

While I wasn't perfect this week......I wasn't very bad either.  And we are now past the worst of the holidays......I am not a big New Year's Eve or New Years Day person so I am not concerned as much about this week.

I have ambitious goals for 2015.....but I am not sharing them with you......LOL.  I will of course let you know when I have accomplished them....LOL!!!!

I wish you all a Very Happy New Year filled with only the good things that life has to offer.  And as we say at Weight Watchers.....you can expect to see less of me next year......

I Am Worried and Stressing....how unusual for me..... Surviving Christmas.........

If you know me well enough you know I can find just about anything to stress or worry about.......anything!!

I could make a career of worrying......

What if the air conditioning breaks down in August?

What if it rains when I plan to go to the beach?

What is my car needs tires?

What if I over sleep?

What if, what if, what if...........

So here is my new worry.....

I am down 32.8 pounds so far on Weight Watchers since September......that is great.....right? But I am still worrying and maybe it is justified......

This will be my toughest week.......I love Christmas Eve Day.....it is my favoriate day of the year........and Christmas Day runs a close 2nd.......but we all know what that means.........

Food glorius food.  Treats we do not enjoy all year round.....we have a chance to eat during those few precious days.  I want to eat a Thumbprint cookie, I want to eat a hot dog wrapped in bacon, I want a baked clam, I want some hot and cold tortolini.......I want, I want, I want.......

Do you see where I am going with this????

With the Weight Watchers program, I am  allowed to have all of those things....within reason.....watching the portions.....and practicing self-control.

And that is why I am stressing and worrying........it is so hard to have one cookie.  I want two or three.  One baked clam.....maybe.  But those cute little hot dogs.........I can pop several of them in my mouth without blinking.

I don't want to go back to WW next week and be up on the scale........I am hoping to hit the 35 pound mark by the first week-end of the New Year.

Normal people do not think about food 24/7......I do. I have to in order to plan.

So I sit here the Sunday night of Christmas week trying to figure out how to do it??  Have I learned enough to just eat one cookie?  I am not sure.  Can I eat celery with cottage cheese mixed with ranch dip while the rest are having lucious blue cheese dip with pretzels? Can I choose between the hot and cold tortolini?

The answer is ........I DON"T KNOW !!!!!

I have worked really hard to get where I am but it has also been easy up until now because the temptations were not there.......now they will be spread out before me.....

All I can do is try.....and try I will.  I just let out a big sigh because this will be so challenging for me and my WW buddies.  Tomorrow morning,  I will grab my iphone and start planning my week.

Oh crap, I hadn't even thought about drinks......yes, alcohol.......ugh!!!!

Well, next Sunday I will be at my WW meeting either a success or a failure........but bottom line is.......am I really a failure or just a failure in my own mind??  I am not going to gain back all that weight I have lost if I slip up.......right?

Please send me some good vibes and  positive  thoughts this week.....lots of them!!!!

I don't see a huge difference in my ass or thighs but I did compare two picture recently......not full body of course.......not ready for that yet........but when I compare the two pictures I do see a difference.......is it just me or do you see it too??

Have a Merry Christmas!! Yes, I said it ....not Happy Holidays.....MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

See you next week!!!!

Finding Answers......

There are a few things I am finding the answers to slowly but surely......

Such as......

Like to song says "Where Are You Christmas?".......

I had a hard time this week missing my Mom.  Just 4 short years ago she was in my house helping me get ready for the holiday.  I can see her in the kitchen as if it was yesterday. But I have sought out Christmas in other ways.......Jenn and I drove through a local cemetary last week on the night of their luminary ceremony.  It was so beautiful to see!! Today, we went over to the VA Hospital to watch the Vet's Christmas Charity Ride.  We sat on the back of my car and watched motorcycles that were part of the ride drive into the VA for over 30 minutes.  It was great to see and Jenn will be posting some pictures on FB later. Last night, Jenn and I baked cookies.......again. We have baked cookies for the last 3 weeks.....once for Jenn's class, once to mail to family, this weekend it was for Jenn's office cookie day tomorrow.  OK we get a late start.....about 8:00 PM and finished at 3:00AM....yes I said 3:00AM.  To keep me going Jenn asked questions about the Christmas's I had when I was young......it brought back great memories. We have also been sharing daily pictures of our Elf that my grandniece, Victoria, has named  Aurora.  Aurora has had many adventures in the last two weeks...LOL.  Last night while baking, we watched Rudolph, Frosty and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.....as I was singing (not very well) one of the songs "Put One Foot In Front Of The Other"....Jenn said Mom that is what you are trying to do....which is true.....

So I am finding Christmas.....in moments.....in seconds.....in laughter......in memories........

Next question......

How do you go out to dinner with friends and eat healthy?

Yes, you do research. I knew not having an appetizer would be hard so Jenn ordered salsa and I pulled out a bag of cut up celery from my pocketbook (talk about class) but you know what....it worked.  I had something to munch on while we chatted.  Dinner was easy because I was able to look up the nutritional info and the points for my choices.  Sad to say.....no drinks or dessert but not saying never again ...... just not today.....

And........

How am I doing with weight loss during the holiday season?

In the past, I was happy to get through without much of a gain.  This year, I am trying to get through it all with a loss. And so far so good.....I was down .6 pounds today. I know that is not a huge amount but it is still down and more than 2 sticks of butter!! Speaking of butter....Jenn had me hold on to just 3 pounds of butter the other night to see how heavy it was.....I was surprised at how heavy it felt.  Then she said times that by more than 9 and that is how much you have lost already.  I want to get to that 30 pounds so bad.......I hope to be there by the last weigh-in of the year or the first one for the New Year. Keeping my fingers crossed and my mouth shut!!

Finally.....

Why do I weigh in on Sunday morning?

There are a few reasons.....

First....I used to weigh in on Friday or Saturday and then felt I could "cheat for a day" since I had almost a week until my next weigh in.  By waiting until Sunday morning, the week end is over and most reasons to cheat are gone.  See how crazy my mind is....who thinks like that????

I also love my WW leader, Kay, she is funny, honest and motivates us each week!!

I have gotten to bond with some of the people in my class.  They are my WW family and everyone is so encouraging.  I am also amazed at the feedback from the WW FB pages I belong to.........they share likes and praises and suggestions.....all trying to help me and others reach their goal.

So this Christmas.....it is not all about food.....it is about luminaries in the dark, vet's on motorcycles, baking but not having to eat, the  music, the decorations and of course the feeling that anything is possible.....my Dad made me believe that about Christmas.......and I still do.

See you next week!!!!

PS Bob update....Bob is doing much better ....he is getting around and taking daily walks.  I took him with me shopping yesterday and we were out for several hours.  He kept up with my but like a little kid who has had too much fresh air he crashed as soon as we got home.  Today, he went out with Jenn for a few hours.  I know he is scared and I don't blame him!! But he is getting a little stronger each day!!!