Dear Weight Watchers...

Dear Weight Watchers,

Once again you have proven to me how the program DOES work. After going back to your meeting last week and committing myself to making it work, I jumped back in with both feet, making smart decisions whether I was eating at home or out, testing my willpower in some instances (i.e., no chips and salsa at Chili's!), and making new recipes that I have enjoyed all week long. I never once felt deprived or hungry or like I was missing out on something, even when choosing not to have the evil delicious chips and salsa at Chili's. To me, the points weren't worth it. I stuck to my points, walked a total of 24 miles since last Thursday, drank a lot of water, and took my vitamins.

Needless to say, I had high hopes when I went to the meeting this morning and got on the scale. Since last night I was thinking "oh no, what if despite all my hard work this week I didn't lose anything?" You never know with my body anymore. But, I was proven very wrong and I was very happy when I stepped on the scale and saw a 4 pound loss. GO ME!!!!

I walked out of there feeling very empowered, happy to have some sort of control over my body again after it has had a mind of it's own the last several months. I have a long road ahead of me and a lot of hard work to get it back to where I want to be, my "happy weight". But seeing that loss this morning tells me I CAN DO IT. My hard work will not go unnoticed.

It's only a matter of time that I will be more comfortable in my clothes and feel better in my skin. Thank you for once again showing me that I can eat healthy and enjoy it and that I don't need all that bad stuff that does nothing for me except stick to my hips.

Love,
Me

So far so good!

Today is my 4th day back on WW. I jumped back in with both feet and I'm feeling really good about it, glad I finally made the decision to go back, even if it meant going to a different location to fit it in.

Thursday, the day I re-joined, I came in right at my daily points without much planning. Friday was a little more challenging as we went out for lunch and dinner. I planned ahead for both and was  very proud of myself. Jason's Deli for lunch meant I could easily have a half of a turkey sandwich on wheat with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. it came with a small side of blue tortilla chips and salsa. Very filling. We went to Chili's for dinner and I didn't have any chips and salsa. Not. One. This is so freaking hard for me because endless chips and salsa are one of my most favorite things but I decided it wasn't worth it. Much different than the ones I had at lunch which weren't greasy and there was a set amount on my plate. I knew if I took one chip at dinner, I was done. I went into my weekly  points for the Margarita Grilled Chicken I had with black beans and rice but it was well worth it, and I didn't eat every single bite. I stopped when I was full.

Saturday after walking 9.34 miles I was pretty hungry, but amazingly didn't eat all my points for the day. We went to Jimmy John's for lunch, I knew I could have one of their Unwich lettuce wraps for hardly any points. IT WAS SO GOOD!!! So many things I want to try there and if I go the Unwich route, not many points at all for such a filling meal. For dinner I made tilapia with zucchini and tomatoes. Great day for good food, not once feeling deprived.

This morning, I had my first Starbucks in several days and boy was it worth the 3 points. I went to the store and stocked up on goodies to make a Cheesy Chili Mac and Mustard Vinaigrette dressing that I got from WW. I also planned ahead for meals, lunches, and snacks for the week. I love being prepared, it makes it so much easier. I am still on point for today.

I am feeling very empowered and proud of myself for doing this, and falling back into it so smoothly. I know the program works, I just need to take it one day at a time, and plan ahead. This is the biggest thing for me when I am so busy during the week. The more healthy choices I have, the less likely I will be to fall into the trap of eating anything - and everything - around me. I love that there are so many options for eating out and that I don't ever have to feel deprived of enjoying delicious food just because I am trying to be healthier.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Wrapping up 2011

It's hard to believe there are only a few days left in 2011. I remember when I was little and being so sad the day after Christmas, just thinking about how long it was until next Christmas. Time seemed to pass so quickly back then. Now, it seems like I blink and a month has passed.

2011 was a good year, despite the sadness that enveloped our family the end of 2010. Much of our family remained close as each month passed without my dad. My dad was a true family man, loved having everyone together. When he was in the hospital, we pulled together even more, leaning on each other for suppport. Stronger bonds were formed out of heartache. We celebrated holidays together as a family, an important tradition my dad would want us to keep up.

Ozzie joined our family in April. When I saw his picture on the Humane Society Facebook page, I had to go and visit him. Hubby and I had been discussing adding a second dog, a brother for Blue. When I met him, I knew we had to have him. Someone else had already placed a hold on him but for whatever reason, she could not take him right away and of course their goal is to place the pets in their forever homes as quickly as they can. After taking hubby back with me, and Blue, to meet him, we brought him home. He was very shy the day we brought him home and we were still a little unsure of how he would get along with Blue. He has fit into our home so wonderfully, it seems impossible now to imagine him not being there. He is such a handsome boy, my sweet Ozzie. He longs to be loved and is happy just being by our side. Ozzie and Blue are quite the perfect pair, just like brothers.

Two of my fabulous aunts visited for a week in the summer. Time with them is always a treasure. There is much laughter, Scrabble-playing, and enjoying our time together.

 Hubby and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in October. It doesn't seem possible that we have already been married for 10 years and together for 12. We had a wonderful anniversary dinner. I am so lucky to have my wonderful hubby who loves me so. I love him so very much.

In November, we had our fun trip to California. It was a great time, even with the flying part which I do not like. I fly so rarely that I am just not a good flyer. I hate taking off, literally have to close my eyes and not think about it. It's silly, but it's how it is.

And now Christmas has yet again come and gone, and we are looking ahead to 2012. This Sunday we are having a New Years Day family dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's house. It will be another great family day. I enjoy time spent together, catching up, and time with Autumn and her little laugh that is so contagious. Family, food, and fun - my kind of day.

Saturday randomness

What a nice day this has been so far! My morning started with a 7.88 mile training walk with my sister-in-law Jenna. She is doing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For The Cure walk in October and has training walks pretty often. I did one with her a few weeks ago, 6 miles. Today's was just short of 8 miles and we ROCKED IT! I really enjoy walking with Jenna... We keep a great pace together and there is always plenty to talk about. Here's a picture from this morning when we finished.... You can tell that I was super sweaty and icky and I felt totally gross when done, but it was worth it. And can I just say, for the record, that I love how my shoulders are starting to look again. After looking at this picture again, it makes me feel good to know the hard work and effort I am putting out is paying off.

Me and Jenna

After our walk we went to Starbucks (the big green logo behind us gave that one away) for a much needed caffeine fix for me. Jenna had TWO passion iced teas. I think that is awesome. Even better, the passion tea is pink, perfect color for the cause.

After going home for a much needed shower, I had suddent motivation to not only go grocery shopping but also to the produce market. The amount of money you can save at the produce market is crazy. We are fortunate to have one about two miles away and it's great. I went there first to stock up... Baking potatoes, green cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, apples, plums, and fresh garlic. Then it was off to the grocery store. I got stuff to make WW 0-point garden vegetable soup, always good to have on hand, and some shrimp to make a new WW recipe. Mmmmm, can't wait to make it.

I spent the last 2 hours in the kitchen making the soup, putting all my groceries away, and making devils food spice cupcakes. SUPER easy to make, just mix with a can pf pure pumpkin and bake. They are super moist and fewer points since there is no egg or oil. I put buttercream icing on half of them for my hubby so he can get his sweet tooth fix but left mine plain. De-lish!!

There is laundry going now and I foresee a nap in my future. I'm going to curl up with my book and I bet within a short time I fall asleep. I have been a busy girl today!

I hope you are all  having a GREAT Saturday!!

Give and Take

This past week marked 16 weeks back at WW for me. I had a gain, as expected, after the long holiday weekend of the 4th and a busy week. I need to work on being more prepared for the busy weeks so I stop using that as an excuse handle them better.

Let's start with my stats:
Current weight:  155.6
Total  lost: 10.2
This loss is down from 12.2 lbs. lost back on 06/03/11

Having been back at WW for 16 weeks now, I have been reminded how so much of it is give and take. Part of WW is learning how to handle different situations and to make wise decisions when it comes to eating. I do my best to always have fruit in the fridge, LOTS of water, and dinner is my biggest protein meal of the day. I also don't eat after 8:30 pm. 

Where I struggle is lunch during the week. My stress level has a tendency to dictate how good or bad I will be for lunch. The smoother my day is going, the better I'm going to be. If it is a bad day, all good intentions go out the window. Even if I started out the day by packing a lunch and calculating my points for the day, it doesn't matter at that point.

This is where that give and take comes in. If I give 110% and do everything I can - eat right, drinnk plenty of water, and get in plenty of activity - I will more than likely see results when I weigh-in. If I don't do all those things, it will also be reflected on the scale.

I am in control of my destiny on that scale. How hard do I want to work each week to make it happen? Do I want to kill myself to lose the weight as soon as possible? NO. Slow and steady whens the race... Do I want to do my best when I can yet still enjoy life and eating out and family meals, etc.... YES.

Would I like to be a little farther in my weight loss journey at this 16 week mark? YES. Maybe at my 10%.... Am I going to stress over it? NO. I made choices throughout these 16 weeks and this is where I am so far. Being down 10.2 lbs. is nothing to sneeze at. And that is going to keep me going.

A couple goals I am setting for myself this week:
- Keep up the 64 oz. of water a day. A couple days this week I did not meet that goal. I am also going to get back to posting it on FB when I reach my goal each day - helps to keep me accountable.
- Do my best to make time to walk at least 4 days this week, despite how busy I am.

What are some of your goals for the week?

1st week on WW!

My first week on WW was really good. Going back felt right at the time and I still agree 100%. The minute I left the meeting, I was already planning what I would keep around to snack on, have for meals, etc... It's funny how lack of structure caused me to forget all the wonderful foods and recipes I enjoyed while on WW. It was just easier to eat whatever was handy, quick, and easy. Ultimately, those choices packed on the pounds.

I weighed in Friday morning and was so happy when I saw I lost 3.6 pounds. The best thing, I didn't feel deprived once all week. And ironically, when we went out to dinner Friday night, I enjoyed a great meal (steak, shrimp, salad, rice pilaf) and had no guilt. I chose not to have Cold Stone because it felt good to make that choice. That was a hard one, but I am so glad I didn't have one. It's all about choices.

I am making my garden vegetable soup for the week now, it smells so good cooking. I am looking forward to another good week. Remember how I was afraid I'd have to get on the scale if I joined WW? Well now I can't wait to get on the scale. It's a great feeling to take good care of myself, and a long time coming.

I did it!

I joined WW, bright and early this morning. I decided as much as I was thinking about it, it meant I needed to do it. The center I used to go to was just around the corner from my house, but has since moved. All new... Much has changed including the points system. It is now Points Plus.

Ironically, I was not as worried about getting on the scale as I thought I would be. Not sure if that is good or bad. Since I've been so candid about my weight in my last few posts, I will share my first weigh-in. (YIKES)I weighed 165.8 lbs.. This is 7 pounds more than I weighed the first time I joined WW in 2006. It is also 6 pounds less than my highest weight ever. I am glad I was not more than my highest, but being 6 pounds away is nothing in my world. Very scary. I am definitely glad I went back. It was time.

So, my first goal is 5% which is 8 pounds. After that is to reach my 10% goal, 16 pounds. The first time I did WW, I consistently lost 1-3 pounds a week. The slower the better in my world. I am not looking to lose 10 pounds in one week. So this first week will be all about getting used to keeping track of my points again, as well as recalculating the foods I eat as the points may have changed.

For now, Fridays will be my weigh-in day. I will be very open and honest here about my weight loss efforts because I need to be. And who knows, maybe I'll help someone else in the process.

I also walked 5 miles today. Activity certainly won't be a problem. My biggest hurdle will be food. I am so excited to have this weekend free to get foods ready for the week. The more prepared I am, the better. I did that last time and it was great.

I am feeling VERY empowered and excited. I have a closet full of clothes that currently don't fit and I can't wait to fit in them again.

Has anyone seen my willpower?

I can't seem to find it... Seriously, I've looked everywhere and it is nowhere to be found. Every morning I wake up with good intentions of eating better that day. Once I fail to do so, I figure the day is a bust, may as well not worry about it. Tomorrow is another day. I go to bed thinking that tomorrow I will do better. Tomorrow never seems to come.

Five years ago I lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers. I rocked it, totally stuck to the plan, swore by it, and it worked. Went to a meeting every Saturday and constantly saw the scale going down. I was never hungry. I changed my eating habits and made better choices. Eating better motivated me to work out. I worked out twice a day for a couple months of my weight loss journey. I became a runner and did TaeBo like there was no tomorrow. I even continued to lose weight while we had our Italian restaurant and had all that wonderful food at my fingertips. Where in the world did I get that will power??

I think about how great it felt to feel good in my skin, to love shopping for clothes. I kept the weight off, for the most part, for almost two years. What happened to that will power??

Oh yes, I know.... We've battled infertility for over four years now... Tests, medications, poking and prodding, the heartbreaking depression it causes... Yea, that didn't help things any. Add to that the stress of being self-employed and dealing with all that comes with that in these trying economic times. And of course most recently, the loss of my daddy. No matter what I have faced in the past four years,  my friend FOOD has always been here. I am an emotional eater, that is for sure. The second I get stressed, I know there is a salty snack waiting for me, or a heavenly sweet chocolate treat. Not to mention a beer or two, or a glass of wine or two.

Something has to give... Something has to change. I haven't been on a scale in probably 8 months now.... Probably the longest I have ever gone without weighing myself. I am TERRIFIED of what the scale will say. Thankfully we don't even have one here.

Twelve years ago I was at my heaviest of 173. I saw a picture of myself and wanted to cry. I made huge changes and over the course of a year I lost 40 pounds by following a strict low-carb diet. I will never do that again. No carbs for Nanci makes for an unhappy girl. I'm Italian, carbs are a necessity. In fact, if you tell me I can't have any type of food, I'm not happy. That is what was so great about Weight Watchers - I could literally have anything I wanted as long as I budgeted my points.

When I met Mike I was 133 pounds and felt great. We fell in love, got comfy with each other, got married, and the weight went back on. In early 2006 I was 157 pounds and decided I had to do something for complete fear of getting back up to 173. So I joined WW and lost 30 pounds, getting down to 127. Anywhere between 127 and 130 is my happy weight, where I am my most comfortable. The last time I was on a scale about 8 months ago, I was 159. Every single pound I worked so hard to lose on WW came back, and brought a few friends. It's like my mom says... The problem with losing weight is that is ends up finding me again.

So why don't I just join WW again? Well, for one, it's an expense that is not quite in the budget right now. But I know how to do it, what to follow, every little trick to make the most of it. So why don't I do it on my own? I need the accountability of weighing in once a week. Knowing I have to get on a scale once a week sure does make me think twice about that Hershey bar I want to eat. Maybe I should get a scale after all...

I have been walking and walking... I love to walk. Walking is a great exercise and it's free. But it's not doing me a darn bit of good if I keep stuffing my face. So, I need to do something. This fragile heart and soul of mine can't take any huge changes so I need to take it a step at a time... My first step will be to cut the soda out. I used to have one, maybe two, sodas a week - usually on the weekend. The past several months, it has become a daily thing again. Cutting soda out is my first step. And I will get my water intake back to where it was. I am even setting reminders on my phone to tell me to DRINK WATER!!!

If you so desire, you can follow my quest to once again, lose weight. I have to, I need to. For me.