The week STARTED well...

...and it ended on a low note!

I did so well all week with eating. I was walking the dog every day, and hardly even snacking or feeling hungry because I was too busy to think about it. I even managed to find time to plan out my lunches so I was staying on track.

And then the weekend rolled around. It started Friday night when I suggested we get soft serve ice cream. Then Saturday, after our street sale (and I managed to say "no" to hotdogs, doughnuts and lemonde!) we had our street party. I had a bratwurst. And a cookie (it was vegan, but it was still very much a fattening thing! And some heavenly granny smith apple salad with snickers and coolwhip mixed in. It wasn't awful, since I hadn't eaten much all day. But then my neighbor brought out a carton of strawberry whoppers, and a carton of chocolate whoppers. And I proceeded to eat them and eat them and eat them. Sunday, too. Only Sunday i finished off two bowls of that apple salad in addition and then ate my way around the local Greek Festival.

*SIGH* I don't know how this happens to me. And I was even thinking while I was doing it how mad at myself I would be.

But today's a new day! I weighed in today at the same weight as last week, thank goodness, and i've made solid choices today. I even told Chris he should take our friend Adam to the Reds' game so I could go work out.

Here's to another week of staying on target and remaining that way!

Weekly Recap

I did very well last week, I think.

I didn't manage much time for exercise at the gym, but I did take at least one walk (sometimes two) with the dog every day. I made it to the gym once. And though I had the time yesterday to go to the gym, I was (and still am) very sore from the yardwork I did on saturday for about 3 and a half hours.

I was trying really hard to approach this differently. I don't want to count every little thing I put into my mouth. I'm trying to make good choices about what i'm putting in my mouth. I want to realize when I'm actually HUNGRY, and not just bored, tired or stressed out. I think I did a pretty good job of that.

Saturday, we went to a family party where my uncle grilled burgers and "tube meat." I gave up beef several months ago, and found the other choices too fattening. So I had a huge salad, some baked beans and potato salad. Before dinner while everyone else was filling up on chips, dips, cookies and brownies, I had a small rice krispy treat and two hand fulls of carrots. And then a very small brownie after dinner.

Yesterday we had dinner at my Grandma's. She's a fantastic cook. We had grilled pork tenderloin, asparagus, salad, rolls and (my favorite) mashed potatoes. I only ate until I was full and I stopped. I didn't go back for seconds on the potatoes, and I passed up the cheesecake for dessert. It was still a big and dense meal.

When I weighed in this morning, I had lost two pounds for the week. And I'm VERY satisfied with that!

On tap for this week's goals:

Drink more water!
Strategize eating for this weekend's street party and Thursday's happy hour

Recap of a fun weekend!

Wow, I have been MIA from this blog.

I really have been trying to think of something meaningful to say here. I realize I put too much pressure on myself to be entertaining in this arena though.

Chris and I had a really fun fun weekend. I made good food choices for the most part. We ate out entirely too much though, and I realize that's the root of most of my problems and why the scale seems to be stuck. It's something I need to work on. We have been cutting back on our spending, and we've been surprisingly successful at that - we've just had an abundance of free meal offers lately, and that can be hard to pass up!

Yesterday, after I weighed in (at the SAME weight - after three nights in a row of eating out, but having worked out 4 times last week - yay me), we spent the day downtown for Reds' opening day festivities.

It was a day of over consumption. I must have had 6 or 7 beers and two margaritas. Along with a veggie burger, chips, potato salad a slice of pizza and waffle fries. Boy oh boy. I feel like i'm in full-fledged detox mode today. On the upside, we rode the bus yesterday, so we walked a LOT, and i'm sure we got in some good calorie-burning offsets there! At least for a beer or two.

Today I woke up feeling like hell from what I hope is just my allergies - and not a head cold. I'm too beat to go work out, and i'm not sure if I should. I plan to do a little cooking to plan some meals for tomorrow, follow-up on some email, and then lay in bed. Sounds nice doesn't it? I feel terribly guilty though. I know I should work out. Or clean my house. Or work out. Ugh.

On the up side of things - I sucessfully worked under 45 hours last week. That won't be the case this week since I have to travel and work this weekend, but I do plan to work my alloted hours, and just tell my boss what I can't get done in that time. Not only am I severely burnt out, the HVAC system in my office is being replaced, and it has been (no lie!) 87 stagnant degrees in my office for a few weeks. I'm done torturing myself in more ways than one at that place!

It's going to be a GOOD week!

I have decided that this week is going to be a good one. I stepped on the scale this morning and lost a pound! That's the first pound i've lost in a month, and i'm not quite sure how I did it, but I'll take it.

Last week wasn't as good as I'd hoped, and I just didn't want to blog about it and inflict any more of my own depressed self onto this blog. I'm sure what it came down to is that I didn't have TIME for anything. No time for the gym (I didn't go even once), and no time to eat. But when I did eat, I made fairly wise choices (except for yesterday - my easter dinner was a plate of macaroni and cheese and baked beans - and raspberry cheesecake for dessert - whoops!).

I slept in this morning for a work day. And I AM going home on time. My grandfather pointed something out to me this weekend about my job - mainly that if I keep killing myself working, they may never hire the replacement for my boss, because i'm getting the work of two people done all on my own. And he's right. I spoke up for myself last week to my boss and told him I couldn't get a project done in the timeline needed. I really hope he comes through for me on pushing back on the client because they have dragged their feet on the project for almost a year, and now want me to have the project designed and finished within a month - and have only given me part of the info I need.

*sigh*

Such is my life these days.

I am working hard today and this week. I am going to the gym. Chris and I are working hard at combining our money and paying down debt, and we're doing pretty well so far. It's going to be a GOOD week!

More of the Same

This morning at weigh in, I stayed the same. AGAIN.

And i'm really really okay with that. I am ashamed of the way I ate this weekend.

Today's a new day though. And i'm working really hard to give myself more work/life balance this week even though i'm busier than ever. I truly think that's the source of my eating desires and pitfalls.

Wish me luck!

Ugh. Week 8?

Okay, i'm having a bad day already. Negative post alert!

1. I stayed the same AGAIN this week. I hate plateaus
2. Chris' friend really annoyed me last night talking politics and i'm still in a foul mood from it today (a.k.a. i don't understand a gay man who votes republican!)
3. A lady at work who is in a management position is REALLY annoying me with "DROP EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING" requests for something PERSONAL when she just had a half hour long conversation with me on Friday, keeping me here after 6pm, about how busy I am, and why i'm working weekends! URGGGGGGGGGGGGH!
4. It's GORGEOUS outside, and I will be chained to my desk all day with more work than I can possibly get done.

Week Seven

Week seven weigh in was this morning, and I knew I'd have a loss because of being sick (today is day 8....this virus really has knocked me on my ass). I did get my appetite back on Thursday of last week though, and I wasn't watching it too heavily.

I have a three pound loss for this past week. Now i've just got to concentrate on maintaining that through next week. Ten pounds total lost.

I also have to adjust my points intake this week from 26 to 24 based on this loss. I'm only 8 pounds from the weight I was this summer when I lost 20 pounds and was starting to feel pretty good. I'm 24 pounds from my wedding weight, which is my first big goal. I'm gonna keep on truckin'!

Week Six Update

After a gain last week, I was hoping to see a loss on the scale this week. And I did. Only one pound, but I'll take it!

Here's a recap of my habits this week:

Things I did well:
I worked out four times this week (yay me!)
I drank LOTS of water
I got lots of sleep
I planned my meals well, for the most part.

Things that probably held me back:
Chris and I ate out Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Friday and Saturday nights were tricky - Friday we went out with my parents (their choice) to an AWFUL place, where I ordered a salad with grilled chicken. The chicken was good, but the salad was nasty, and I wound up eating about half a plate of my Dad's fries with the chicken.
Saturday we went to an awards dinner and I didn't make the best choices. It started out well with some pasta and veggies, and I wound up eating two eggrolls along with it. I completely regretted it afterwards. I could feel the grease just sitting in my stomach.

Today begins a new week though! I've got my hopes high for more success. I just have to watch myself with lunches out twice this week, and dinner (and probably breakfast and lunch the next day) out with girlfriends in Columbus on Friday/Saturday. I'm hoping to get my act together Thursday night to cut up some fruit and bring fruit, yogurt and granola to share for breakfast - I'll look like a thoughtful and organized person, but my motive will be for my own health - I don't think there's anything wrong with that!

Apparently, the number two is my favorite - Week 5

Since I began this weight loss journey early in January, I have consistently taken off two pounds each week and been very proud.

This week the number I saw was also a difference of two pounds. But it was two pounds in the wrong direction. I'm upset about it, sure. But I know exactly what I did to put those pounds on, and I HAVE to work harder this week at planning better, and exercising more.

Here's a quick rundown:
•I didn't drink enough water - instead, i drank a lot of pop.
• I didn't fare so well at parties on Saturday or Sunday nights with food.
• I didn't work out at all this weekend, and usually I do at least twice
• I had a massive chocolate craving, and i found Chris' secret stash and totally binged.


Goals for this week:
• Drink more water (i'm on 20 oz today already).
• Make good choices when I eat out (so far this week, it looks like i have two work commitments out for lunch, I ran out this morning without packing anything, so I will have to seek something out on my own, and my friend Datina just invited me out for thai/sushi tomorrow night.
• Workout at least 4 times, but aim for 5, and work in some Pilates this week on days I don't go to the gym.
• Shop/plan better for the week so I can tackle those cravings with more strategy.

I WILL get back on track, and not sweat this. It happens. I have several things at home to make for meals to really get myself motivated this week.

Hope you all had better weigh-ins than me!

Scratch that - Week 4

The moment came this morning. I stepped on the scale with a wince in my eyes to find another two pound loss this week! That's 8 pounds in four weeks.

Thank God for small favors. What a great pick me up. It motivates me even more to stay on track this week.

My goal for this week is to find a way to change up my workout a bit. I find myself very very bored when I go to the gym. I listen to good music, but I have trouble reading, because i find that it slows me down on the cardio machines. I think maybe I need to incorporate a class or try a new machine to help with the boredom.

Week 3!

It's been a solid three weeks overall. Today when I stepped back on the scale, I was delighted to see a two pound loss. Six pounds total.

YAY ME!

I know the working out is really helping. Today I am so sore, that i'm debating on taking the day off from working out, but I may go and at least do my cardio. I won't get to the gym Tuesday or Wednesday because of after work commitments for my professional organization.

This week is bound to be better than last. I'm SO proud of myself for not giving into stress eating. I focused that stress into gym time and took out my aggressions that way. It's amazing how I feel so different just sitting here. I'm breathing easier, and I feel strong and energetic.

I love surprises. Especially when they come from myself!

Week Two

At weigh in this morning, I was at the same weight I was at last Wednesday. A loss for the week is a loss though. My four pound total is still great. I'm very excited.

I managed two great workouts over the weekend. Yesterday, I really pushed myself. I'm very sore this morning. It feels great.

I ate out four times between Thursday and Sunday. It wasn't really avoidable either. Okay, last night's was, but it was the only social thing Chris and I did all weekend.

I'm going to keep trudging along. I'm going to check out a new gym near my house tonight. It might be time for a change.

On Making Excuses

I didn't make it to the gym last night. I really had intended to. But I made excuses for myself. There were several. All were true, but still, I should have gone. Here they are:

I had a sinus headache.
I was still sore from Monday Pilates.
There was a really bad thunderstorm.
My dog was terrified of the really bad storm, and following me everywhere.
I was really tired after another exhausting day.
My friend/old boss called and we spent an hour on the phone.

How do I get myself out of this habit?

In other news, I weighed myself again this morning, since I officially started last Wednesday. I'm down a grand total of four pounds now, not two, like I was Monday. Hooray!

Week One

My friend Sarah asked me to participate in a weight loss challenge with some friends last week, and I figured what the heck!

I weighed in last Wednesday morning, and weigh ins will be due every Monday.

It was a pretty good week. On Thursday night, I met my old boss for dinner at a bar. I had one beer. I chose a beer i'd like instead of two light beers that I wouldn't like. I had eaten wisely for breakfast and lunch to ensure that dinner wouldn't be a big problem. This place only serves burritos and quesadillas.

I chose the Black and Tan burrito - rice, black beans and pinto beans in a tortilla. I had 5-6 chips with Queso, which I couldn't resist. I ate half of the burrito and asked them to take the rest away immediately.

Saturday we went for Mexican with our neighbors. I really wanted to resist going, and stay home for a healthy meal, but we got sucked in. Everyone's doing it, you know.

I did alright. I ordered what they called the Mexican Salad, which was just iceberg, grilled chicken breast, tomatoes, jalapenos, green peppers and chihuaua cheese. I mixed the ranch with some of the salsa and had it on the side. What killed me there was the chips. I resisted the urge for margaritas though!

So this morning on weigh in (after 5 days), i lost two pounds.

I'm pretty happy with that!! Yay me! Back to the gym tonight.