As I look for physical changes along my path of losing weight, eating healthier and maintaining a healthy lifestyle......I have to look at how I have changed inside too.
While the scales are still either my friend or enemy depending on the dreaded weigh-in each Saturday.....(the last 3 weeks the scale has been my friend.....sticking with my rule of not saying how much but suffice it to say I weigh less now than I have in 5 years!!!).....I am also changing on the inside.
I believe... it is the inside that takes the biggest beating. Being told "I don't know why you bother with the gym.....I don't see any improvement"....really hurts and I still am not strong enough emotionally to let those kind of words bounce off of me. On the outside, I may appear confident to those who don't know me well or some of those who do.....but the years of beating myself up and allowing others to beat me up has taken it's toll. It is not something I can fix over night.
The outside of me may get there long before the inside does.....
I watched a movie a long time ago about a teenager going to visit her estranged father for a summer. By the time she was ready to return home, her father's girlfriend said to her "Have you grown this summer.....you seem taller." To which the teenager replied " I have grown taller.....inside"
That is another part of my journey I need to deal with.....while the outside gets smaller......slowly but surely I am growing.....inside....
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Bowl Sunday
By the time Jenn was 2, she knew many football signals. If someone said,"touchdown"....her arms flew up in the air, same with "timeout", "offsides" and "clipping". I have a picture of her sitting next to her Dad, baby bottle in her mouth, wearing a New York Giants shirt. The girl loves sports about as much as most guys she knows.
My dad loved football and baseball....
He and my brother stood on line many Sunday mornings at Yankee Stadium waiting to see if they could get tickets to the Giants game any given Sunday. Sometimes they got lucky and would get tickets....other times they would walk back to our Bronx apartment empty handed.
My father died on Super Bowl Sunday a year before his beloved Giants not only went to the Super Bowl for the first time.....they also won the game. I wish he could have been here to see it.
Dad was a Brooklyn Dodger fan as a kid but by the time his kids were growing up he had become a Yankee fan. I remember going to a game with my parents, brother Greg and several of Greg's friends for his birthday. It was one of those games where the Yankees were battling with Boston for 1st place. It was the comeback year for the Yankees after years of not making it to the post season. Dad was a good sport and took the kids over to wait while the players walked out of the stadium. He enjoyed seeing the players leave as much as the kids did.....
So today as I watch the game.....I will be thinking of Dad.....
Then comes the next big issue......what to eat?? even if you are not going to a Super Bowl party or a bar to watch the game.....I still feel a need to make some special treats....
Shrimp is a good option....low in points.
Low fat sour cream mixed with a package of fiesta dip to eat with cukes....another good option.
Marinated mushrooms.....yum....a freebie in the points dept.
OK....so now I have my game plan to offset the pizza bagels, crab cakes and anything else that might be on the menu.....
Ready, set, go......it's time to play ball and watch the commercials....I wish it was the Giants taking the field today....and somewhere I bet my Dad does too....
My dad loved football and baseball....
He and my brother stood on line many Sunday mornings at Yankee Stadium waiting to see if they could get tickets to the Giants game any given Sunday. Sometimes they got lucky and would get tickets....other times they would walk back to our Bronx apartment empty handed.
My father died on Super Bowl Sunday a year before his beloved Giants not only went to the Super Bowl for the first time.....they also won the game. I wish he could have been here to see it.
Dad was a Brooklyn Dodger fan as a kid but by the time his kids were growing up he had become a Yankee fan. I remember going to a game with my parents, brother Greg and several of Greg's friends for his birthday. It was one of those games where the Yankees were battling with Boston for 1st place. It was the comeback year for the Yankees after years of not making it to the post season. Dad was a good sport and took the kids over to wait while the players walked out of the stadium. He enjoyed seeing the players leave as much as the kids did.....
So today as I watch the game.....I will be thinking of Dad.....
Then comes the next big issue......what to eat?? even if you are not going to a Super Bowl party or a bar to watch the game.....I still feel a need to make some special treats....
Shrimp is a good option....low in points.
Low fat sour cream mixed with a package of fiesta dip to eat with cukes....another good option.
Marinated mushrooms.....yum....a freebie in the points dept.
OK....so now I have my game plan to offset the pizza bagels, crab cakes and anything else that might be on the menu.....
Ready, set, go......it's time to play ball and watch the commercials....I wish it was the Giants taking the field today....and somewhere I bet my Dad does too....
Trying to Find Ways To Eat Some of My Favorite Foods
Although with the new WW Points Plus program most veggies and fruits are 0 points, Carol thinks I should stay away from some fruits. Banana's, grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon.....are loaded with natural sugars. Although she feels the WW program is heading in the right direction now that they calculate fat, protein, carb's and fiber.....Carol wants me to also focus on sugar. She has suggested I stick with berries.....straw, blue, rasp....I am not a big raspberry or blueberry fan so strawberries it is!!
I bought a large basket of strawberries yesterday (on sale for $7....uuugghhh).Now how to eat them? I do like them plain....that is good. Now, I am trying to search for other ways to eat them.
Here is my newest brain storm.....once I find the new whole wheat flat bread for 1 point, I am going to put some peanut butter on it and slice some strawberries to add on top. My own form of PB & J.......I love PB and J!!!!... 1 point for the bread, 0 points from the strawberries and a couple of points from the PB. Not a bad idea since I love strawberry preserves. I will let you know how it tastes.
If I eat pasta....I put less in the bowl and add veggies to build up the bulk. I really enjoy the mushrooms and spinach I add.
I saw a great recipe for a soup that is thick, bulky, has lots of veggies and is low in points.....I know I will be trying that soon.
I am like a mad scientist in the kitchen....trying to figure out things I like and things that work for my goal of a healthier lifestyle.....
It's not that I don't crave some of the foods I shouldn't have.....I am just trying to find a way to have them and still eat healthy.
Am I saying a slice of carrot cake or a chocolate covered pretzel will never pass my lips again??.....NO.....that is not realistic......making healthy choices each and every day will allow me to have those occasional treats.....
Right now my life is all about choices......and I choose me......
I bought a large basket of strawberries yesterday (on sale for $7....uuugghhh).Now how to eat them? I do like them plain....that is good. Now, I am trying to search for other ways to eat them.
Here is my newest brain storm.....once I find the new whole wheat flat bread for 1 point, I am going to put some peanut butter on it and slice some strawberries to add on top. My own form of PB & J.......I love PB and J!!!!... 1 point for the bread, 0 points from the strawberries and a couple of points from the PB. Not a bad idea since I love strawberry preserves. I will let you know how it tastes.
If I eat pasta....I put less in the bowl and add veggies to build up the bulk. I really enjoy the mushrooms and spinach I add.
I saw a great recipe for a soup that is thick, bulky, has lots of veggies and is low in points.....I know I will be trying that soon.
I am like a mad scientist in the kitchen....trying to figure out things I like and things that work for my goal of a healthier lifestyle.....
It's not that I don't crave some of the foods I shouldn't have.....I am just trying to find a way to have them and still eat healthy.
Am I saying a slice of carrot cake or a chocolate covered pretzel will never pass my lips again??.....NO.....that is not realistic......making healthy choices each and every day will allow me to have those occasional treats.....
Right now my life is all about choices......and I choose me......
Sharing At The Meetings......
One of the good things about going to the Weight Watcher meetings is hearing info from the other members. New recipes, what works and what doesn't. With the new points program many types of bread have gone up in points so I have been steering clear of them. While chatting with one of the ladies sitting next to me, she told me about Extreme Wellness Flat Bread (1 point) and the whole wheat and spinach herb options are very good. I searched for them at Publix without any success but will keep looking for them.
Kay, our meeting leader, keeps us laughing and motivated. If you are a regular and you miss some meetings.....you can expect a post card from Kay checking in. If she knows you have had a hard week, chances are you will get a phone call. When I had 2 bad weeks in a row a while back, Kay tracked me down and let a cryptic message on my answering machine at home. "Hi Donna, It's Kay, your Saturday morning buddy. Here's my number give me a call..." I told her at the meeting next week how much I appreciated her call. I also told her I thought it was funny how she identified herself on the answering machine. She said "I didn't know who might hear the message and she was trying to protect my privacy" I really appreciated her thoughtfulness.
Some of Kay's good advice:
The weeks you gain....you need the meeting.
The weeks you lose.....the meeting needs you.
All points are NOT created equal.
That last piece of advice has stuck with me. I am allocated a certain amount of points each day and bonus points for the week. I can also earn activity points for exercising (I do not use those activity points). Back to the points....for example....I could eat a candy bar for 6 points or a salad with chicken for 6 points. Although they are the same amount of points, the wiser choice would be the salad with chicken. I try to think about my choices and pick the right options.
This week I went to Ruby Tuesday for a business lunch. Guess what I did before I went??.......I googled Ruby Tuesday's and checked out the menu. I was able to decide what I would have before I went......it made lunch so much easier and I was able to allocate my points appropriately.
This month there will be a birthday brunch at work. I am already searching out recipes from my different weight loss/healthy option websites so I can make something I can enjoy.
A team ice cream social is coming up this week....I will bring something low in fat and calories and maybe a Weight Watcher dessert for myself.
Like Kay says it's all about planning......
I continue to plan, write it all down, take one day at a time......sometimes one meal at a time.....I am doing the best I can.....so on I go.....
Kay, our meeting leader, keeps us laughing and motivated. If you are a regular and you miss some meetings.....you can expect a post card from Kay checking in. If she knows you have had a hard week, chances are you will get a phone call. When I had 2 bad weeks in a row a while back, Kay tracked me down and let a cryptic message on my answering machine at home. "Hi Donna, It's Kay, your Saturday morning buddy. Here's my number give me a call..." I told her at the meeting next week how much I appreciated her call. I also told her I thought it was funny how she identified herself on the answering machine. She said "I didn't know who might hear the message and she was trying to protect my privacy" I really appreciated her thoughtfulness.
Some of Kay's good advice:
The weeks you gain....you need the meeting.
The weeks you lose.....the meeting needs you.
All points are NOT created equal.
That last piece of advice has stuck with me. I am allocated a certain amount of points each day and bonus points for the week. I can also earn activity points for exercising (I do not use those activity points). Back to the points....for example....I could eat a candy bar for 6 points or a salad with chicken for 6 points. Although they are the same amount of points, the wiser choice would be the salad with chicken. I try to think about my choices and pick the right options.
This week I went to Ruby Tuesday for a business lunch. Guess what I did before I went??.......I googled Ruby Tuesday's and checked out the menu. I was able to decide what I would have before I went......it made lunch so much easier and I was able to allocate my points appropriately.
This month there will be a birthday brunch at work. I am already searching out recipes from my different weight loss/healthy option websites so I can make something I can enjoy.
A team ice cream social is coming up this week....I will bring something low in fat and calories and maybe a Weight Watcher dessert for myself.
Like Kay says it's all about planning......
I continue to plan, write it all down, take one day at a time......sometimes one meal at a time.....I am doing the best I can.....so on I go.....
On the Elliptical All By Myself...
It took 6 months of healing but I am finally able to go back on the elliptical without Carol standing next to me correcting my posture. So far my hip doesn't hurt (oh no..... is that like saying there is no traffic??). I am very excited because I know my time on the elliptical is pure cardio and that is what I need. We did the stepper using the riser and I did pretty well. Drank lots of water. No real breaks in the workout. When we were done, Carol said she would meet me upstairs to sign in. In the past, I took the elevator from being so worn out. This time I took the stairs. It is three flights of about 12-15 stairs ( I am guessing, next time I will count). Carol was waiting for me. When she saw me go all the way to the back of come up the last stair.....she said "You did the stairs??" I said I had....that earned me a High 5 from her. I also went back down the stairs. The problems with the stairs is 2 fold.....the line on my bifocals seems to hit right where the stair is so I have to watch my step and going up isn't too bad but going down is when I feel the difference in the length of my legs ( I am telling you one if definitely shorter than the other). But anyway I did the damn stairs.....I had said in a post last week that it was one of my goals to walk further and use the stairs more often.
I do want to apologize to the traffic jam I might have caused going back down the stairs. Going up I did them like everyone else but going down it was not quite as graceful......oh well......it is what it is!!!
I didn't use the stairs at work this week but there is always next week. I DID NOT search for close parking spots!! I parked where ever I found a spot.....OK I did not seek out the empty spot in the back of the lot but I also did not drive around for 10 minutes looking for one closer.
Baby steps......it's all about baby steps....
I do want to apologize to the traffic jam I might have caused going back down the stairs. Going up I did them like everyone else but going down it was not quite as graceful......oh well......it is what it is!!!
I didn't use the stairs at work this week but there is always next week. I DID NOT search for close parking spots!! I parked where ever I found a spot.....OK I did not seek out the empty spot in the back of the lot but I also did not drive around for 10 minutes looking for one closer.
Baby steps......it's all about baby steps....
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Green Eyed Monster
It is hard for me to see some people being much more successful than me each week. I have been working at this weight loss/healthier lifestyle change for a year. Where am I now? Weight down, more active and have made so many changes in my eating habits. But each week I sit and watch people get up at Weight Watchers who have lost so much more than me. In some cases, in less time. I am sure I could come up with a list as long as my arm as to why this is such a slow process for me. I think part of it is because I need to really learn about food, fitness and good health. In the past, I have also gotten a little cocky when the weight starts coming off quickly. Then I also start to think.....I can do this by myself....and we all know where that got me in the past......weight back up and higher than where I began.
Not this time....
I know I need to focus on myself and not worry about how others are doing. It gets hard sometimes when I know how much I need to lose to get to my goal weight...... At Weight Watchers, they tell you to think 5 pounds at a time and it makes sense......if I think about how far I have to go......I would quit now.
Here is a very cool quote: “So many of our dreams at first seems impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” - Christopher Reeve
OK I am summoning the will......hopefully the rest will follow......
Not this time....
I know I need to focus on myself and not worry about how others are doing. It gets hard sometimes when I know how much I need to lose to get to my goal weight...... At Weight Watchers, they tell you to think 5 pounds at a time and it makes sense......if I think about how far I have to go......I would quit now.
Here is a very cool quote: “So many of our dreams at first seems impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” - Christopher Reeve
OK I am summoning the will......hopefully the rest will follow......
It Is Not Cheap Eating Healthy....
I find it frustrating that to eat healthy costs a lot more than to not eat healthy. A box of Mac and Cheese 34 cents. A head of cabbage.....99 cents pound !!! I wanted cabbage today for my steamer but decided against it since there were no small heads and the sign said that ridiculous price. I was not about to spend $5.00 on a head of cabbage. Just to buy the foods for my steamer costs a small mint. Add up the cost of mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, squash, celery and shrimp.....it gets pricey but what choice do I have? Why on earth would a veggie omelet cost $2 more because I asked for egg whites vs. eggs? Fruit is another hot button.....I buy a bowl of fruit each week so I can have some variety but it is not cheap. I can't wait for the summer and fall when a lot of this produce is in season and the prices go down. Strawberries will be in season before you know it....yum.....
I guess part of the problem is I am buying for 2 families....one family member likes things I really can't and/or shouldn't eat. In order to keep peace in the house, I have to shop for both and then figure out a way to make it work for all of us.
So, if I want a burger I can go to the golden arches and get it for 99 cents but a salad costs a few dollars....it is any wonder so many people are ....obese....fat....have health issues. Gym membership, trainer, weight watchers, healthier foods.....there is no way around it. If I want to be healthy and live longer I have to pay the piper.
Time to put the veggies in the steamer.....sure not going to waste them.....that would be like lighting a match to my money and those of you who know me well....know that would just make me crazy....
I guess part of the problem is I am buying for 2 families....one family member likes things I really can't and/or shouldn't eat. In order to keep peace in the house, I have to shop for both and then figure out a way to make it work for all of us.
So, if I want a burger I can go to the golden arches and get it for 99 cents but a salad costs a few dollars....it is any wonder so many people are ....obese....fat....have health issues. Gym membership, trainer, weight watchers, healthier foods.....there is no way around it. If I want to be healthy and live longer I have to pay the piper.
Time to put the veggies in the steamer.....sure not going to waste them.....that would be like lighting a match to my money and those of you who know me well....know that would just make me crazy....
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