For the one or two of you who actually read this blog, my apologies for not blogging over the last few weeks. It wasn't so much that I didn't want to post my weigh-in results...just that life has a way of taking over sometimes. The thing I enjoy most is writing...so, consequently, I tend to put it off in the hopes that it will motivate me to do the things I least enjoy. It's like the proverbial carrot for me...if I get enough things checked off my "to do" list, then I can sit down and write without feeling guilty that something is going undone. But, with three boys in the house (two of my own and one that's on loan during the school year while his parents are working) - ages 8 years (whom I am homeschooling), 9 months, and 2 1/2 months...well, the "to do" list never seems to get done! So...I'm taking a moment while my 8 year old is off at his homeschool p.e. class and the two little boys are napping to get some writing done in spite of the fact that there are other things that "should" be done.
So...to catch you up, two weeks ago, I lost .8 pounds (that's 8/10 of a pound), then gained .4 (4/10) back last week...and this week, I'm somewhat back on track with a one pound weight loss! Yay! So, in the 5 weeks that I've officially been back on the plan, I've lost a total of 6 pounds...so that's a little better than a pound a week, which is right on track. Weight Watchers suggests that you lose 1/2 to 2 pounds per week. So, I'm on right around the middle, which is good. :)
I am trying to be more consistent with exercise, but I'll admit, it's my downfall. I don't really enjoy doing it...but I do enjoy the results. One nice thing about exercising is that you earn activity points, which you can trade in for food points if you need or want to use them. This comes in handy when life puts a big fat doughnut in front of you just at the moment when you have lost every ounce of willpower you had left (the kind with chocolate on top and cream inside, no less)!
Speaking of curveballs, I had one thrown at me with the gym where I usually work out. Please forgive me...but I'm going to vent just a bit (if you want to skip it, just go to the next paragraph). ;) When I signed up at the beginning of the year (back when I was just pretending to still be following the Weight Watchers program, but not really & a friend of my suggested I sign up with her), I signed up for the premium plan...$30/month rather than the basic $10/month because that was the only way I could use the childcare facility. That's all well and good...but the problem is, the child care hours are 9am-noon and 5-8pm during the week and 9am-noon on Saturday. Since I homeschool, that doesn't really work for my schedule. I tried for several months to make it work, but I ended up either not using the gym or going when David was home, which meant I didn't need the childcare option anyway. So...in an effort to save $20 each month, I decided that since I wasn't able to take full advantage of the premium plan, I'd downsize to the basic plan. The next time I went in, I informed the gym that I wanted to downgrade. I was handed a form to sign that stated I would be charged a $20 feel to downgrade my plan to the basic. I also noticed that if I had been on the basic plan and wanted to upgrade to the premium plan, it would have cost me $10 to do so. Seriously?!? I had never heard of a fee to change your plan before and it certainly wasn't explained to me when I signed up. The response by the acting manager to this statement was that the people who were working at the gym when it first opened are no longer with them for a reason...they were careless and didn't inform new memebers of all the rules. Really? And I suppose this is MY problem? Apparently so. My next question was to inquire how much it would cost me to cancel my membership. I was told it wouldn't cost anything, but I did need to give a 2 month notice. So...let me get this straight...you would rather I pay you $30 for the next two months and then lose my business than allow me to downgrade my membership without paying a penalty? So...you guessed it, I cancelled my membership. I have until mid November to use it until it expires...during that time, I'll be looking for a new gym. :)
OK...venting is done. I'm ready to talk about more pleasant things. Today, I picked up my ActiveLink from Weight Watchers. This is a new device that just came out this week. It will monitor my activity during the day and and then set goals for me depending on my current activity. This is my first day of my 8-day assessment. It's a small fob that clips on to an item of clothing (either near your heart or at your waist, depending on what you set up as your preference) or you can wear it as a necklace or carry it in your pocket (also depending on the preference you choose). Then, at the end of the day, you plug it into a USB port on your computer and it calculates your movement, as well as charges itself. Here's a picture of it:
I'm looking forward to seeing what it shows at the end of my 8 days. I already like it because it's less bulky than the pedometer I was wearing (which had also begun to spontaneously reset itself, which was quite annoying). :) I'll be posting more about it in the next week or two, when I have a better idea of how it works for me. :)
I have to say, I was encouraged by my weight loss this week. :) Enough so that I want to stay on plan this week (I can't say I've thought the same over the last few weeks). I constantly have to remind myself that this is a new lifestyle for me. I am NOT on a diet...I am learning how to eat better so that I can be healthier and have more energy (though letting go of the excess weight is a nice benefit)! If I had to be on a diet until I reached a healthy weight (whatever that is)...well, let's just say I'd give up now! It's not going to happen. I've been on just about every diet known to man and they have all failed me. I like salad...but I can't eat it every day, or even every time I go out. I need to taste food...and I need to be able to eat NORMAL food! If it tastes like a diet, I'm going to lose interest very fast. I think I've said it before...but it bears repeating...that's one of the reasons I like Weight Watchers...I can choose what I LIKE to eat, not force foods down my throat that I don't like and then feel deprived later. I know myself too well for that now. If I'm feeling pressured to eat like I'm on a diet, then I'll comply...at least for the moment. BUT...then I'll seek out the most unhealthy thing I can find (fast food, junk food, ice cream, etc.) and gorge myself on it when I get a moment to myself. It's just how I am...and I can chastise myself for it all I want, feel miserable once the damage is done, promise myself I'll never do that again...and yet, the next time I'm feeling deprived, that's exactly what happens. It's almost like an addiction. Well, ok...not almost...it is!
Food is more than just nutrition for me...emotions are attached to it. I'm a southern girl...and southerners like to eat. More than that, I'm a Baptist girl raised in the Heart of Dixie (Alabama)...so food is more than just a way of life, it's an event...and sometimes brings back a special memory. Whenever I make green bean casserole or banana pudding, I remember making them with my grandmother. Whenever I drink unsweet tea (yes, this southern girl drinks her tea without sugar by choice!) or have a cup of coffee with dessert, I remember special times spent with my grandfather. A covered dish event is both a precious memory and a roadblock waiting to happen! You see, my grandfather was a Baptist pastor and we had these often at his church...and boy could those southern church ladies cook!!! And you had to have some of everything so you didn't offend any of 'em, consequently my plate was often overflowing at such events! And a habit was formed...so now, I have to be mindful when I attend such events and I'm learning to give myself permission not to put every single thing on my plate. :) I may not always make the best choices, but this is a new lifestyle I'm learning, so I'll get it. :)
Well, I started this blog during nap time, but of course it got interrupted (as things often do with little ones in the house), and now it's late, so I'm going to stop here, post this blog entry, and head off to bed. Nighty Night! ;)
