Just Keep Counting...

Okay, I get it.  I'm pushing 50.  Yes, I take enough daily medication to choke a horse.  And of course there's the interferon injections.  Let's not forget the interferon injections.  But 7.2 pounds in five weeks.  Come on!

I admit I haven't been religious about drinking the water.

Exercise?  Nope, haven't exercised.

I have however stayed under my allotted points allowance each day (with the exception of that dang Dove Days weekend!) and some weeks I haven't even used all my "weekly points".  Isn't the premise behind Weight Watchers that you can eat anything you want as long as you don't exceed your daily points allowance?  I may not make the best food choices but I do know how to count.

That being said, at the end of week two I was down 5 pounds.  I considered that a good start.  End of week 3 still 5 pounds.  Okay, not so great but I had lost some.

Then came Dove Days where I ate and drank whatever I pleased for three days and gained every ounce of that 5 pounds plus some.  Yes, what took three weeks to lose I managed to gain back in a three day period.  Three freaking days!

I got home and got right back on track.  Within the first four days over four pounds of the weight gain was gone.  Not bad considering.  Okay, I'm on my way, right?  Oh no girl, don't be getting all proud of yourself.  It's been another week and guess what?  Another whopping 15 ounces!

I am disturbed to say the least.

So now I ask myself, what's a girl to do?  Thankfully my self quickly answers.

"Numero Uno - Fill a 60 ounce pitcher of water every morning and drink every ounce before the end of the day."

"Numero Dos - Get to peddling."

A little voice from somewhere in the back of my head says, "but you hate peddling."

"So what?" says my self.  "Do it anyway."

"Numero Tres - Just keep counting."

Five weeks = minus 7.2 pounds

I'm Back On The Path...

Well folks, tomorrow I'm going to share another yummy yet healthy recipe with you.  If you haven't figured it out, I'm on a health kick.  Actually, let's just call it what it is, I'm on a weight loss program.  I am now an official member of Weight Watchers on line.

Weight loss and weight gain are no strangers to me.  I have gained and lost, lost and gained always.   The past 10 years have found me at my largest and most unhealthy ever.  Quiet frankly, I've done little to correct it.  Why you might ask?  It's simple.  I've been really happy!  I'm head-over-heels in love with a man who loves to cook, loves good food and loves to eat just as much as I do.  We've been having so much fun that I just haven't been willing to make the sacrifices necessary to lose the weight.  Until now.

There have been many times in the past decade (the length of time I've been carrying around extra weight the equivalent of an adolescent child) that I started on a health kick only to become discouraged.  I would then become lax in my efforts and at at some point say "what the heck" and go eat a dozen salt and vinegar at Buffalo Wild Wings.  After that my motivation would take a nose dive and things would go downhill faster than the paverbial snow ball headed for hell.

On the other hand, there have been a couple of times in my very distant past when I got on the right path and I stayed there for some time.  As long as I walked that path I was at a healthy weight.  The path is called Weight Watchers. 

Needless to say I left the path long ago.

So what's changed in the past couple of weeks to steer me back to the Weight Watchers path?  Here's the God's honest truth.  I woke up one morning with the realization that I am sick of being fat.  I'm done.  

I know I am capable of losing the weight.  I've done it before (albeit not as much as I need to lose this time ).  

I have come to this realization:

With the right research and effort the Señor and I can cook and enjoy great food together.

With a little bit of planning we can enjoy nice restaurants and a lovely bottle of wine.

With a healthier body we will live a healthier life style and that will open up even more opportunities for us to enjoy our life together.

Why did these things hit me on a random morning of a random day?  I have know idea but I do know that the resolve I feel now is much like the resolve I felt on a similar morning in 1989.  With that resolve I was able to wake up several months later 65 pounds lighter.

So, I'm back on the path.  It's going to be a long journey but one well worth the ride.

Remember, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels."

Week 2 = minus 4.6 pounds

I Hope....

I fell in love with this the moment I read it. I hope I have the strength...

Someone help me!

With the start of a new year as incentive, the Señor and I decided to make an attempt at healthier eating. With the help of www.loseit.com we are journaling our food which in turn tracks the number of calories we consume each day. The application is very user friendly, is free and allows the user to establish a profile which based on age and weight determines the number of calories the user should eat in order to experience weight loss. The application also allows you to track your daily exercise and; of course, your weight. Seems so simple, right?

I'm going to be honest. I do great during the week. Not so great on the weekends. Breakfasts are easy. Lunch? I do okay. I might even have an afternoon snack.

Control calorie intake at week day breakfasts, week day lunches and week day snacks - check.

Control calorie intake at week day dinners and weekend meals - let's just call those a work in progress!

Oh, dinner! I try. I really do. I read cookbooks. I research the Internet. I put a lot of thought in to finding meals that are pleasing and don't taste like cardboard. Some of them turn out okay. Some of them not so much. A couple have gone straight to the garbage.

It would be different if the Señor and I didn't enjoy good food but the fact of the matter is we do. We love to cook, we love to eat and we love restaurants. Thus the challenge. Finding tasty dinner options that don't leave us feeling as if we are being punished merely for eating.

So lovely readers, will you help me? Do you have any yummy low-cal recipes or meal ideas you are willing to share? I'll go ahead and share a couple with you that I like - www.eatingwell.com and www.cookinglight.com. If you are not familiar with them you should check them out. They, in my humble opinion, have some nice low-cal recipes.

So, come on. Work with me people. Send me some low-cal love!