Weigh-In Wednesday: Burst into Summer FINALE!

Man, I can't believe this challenge is over. When we first started, it sounded like so much time! But here we are: the end of a challenge, the end of August, the end of summer...

And 5 lbs lighter!

Not exactly what I was hoping for, but then I wasn't planning on being quite as busy and routine-free as we ended up being either! So I'm happy.

In a season where I generally tend to GAIN a few, a 5-lb loss is victory.

Tomorrow is September and I imagine the Sisterhood will kick off a new challenge in a week or two.  I'm not sure where I'm going from here though.  I mean, I still plan on losing more weight, but I'm not sure about this blog.  I'm debating either leaving it for a while, or just posting periodically ~ when I feel like it ~ or deleting it altogether.  I tend to get annoyed with feeling "obligated" to post regularly, and then I get stubborn and self-sabotage.

So I don't know.  My weight-loss efforts will continue, but this blog has felt a little pointless for quite some time already.

"Sitting is Killing You"

Saw this link on someone's FB page and found it interesting. (click on the infographic itself to head over to the larger, easier-to-read original)


Via: Medical Billing And Coding

Kinda makes ya wanna get up and hoe a couple rows in the field before dark, doesn't it?

 

Weigh-In Wednesday

Still sloggin' through summer!

Again, no major comings or goings to report, but a small loss is a big deal in summer when there's no schedule, no routine, the days are lazy and the weekends filled with friends and family gatherings...

I'm down a measely 0.4, which brings me back (FINALLY) to my lowest point this challenge, which I reached several weeks ago. This current Sisterhood challenge is only two weeks away from ending, and though my ultimate goal will be a struggle indeed, it is technically still do-able.

I will just have to decide I really want it. And with my birthday, a weekend family gathering, and potentially a few days hosting my in-laws all in between now and the 31st, I will need all the determination I can muster!

One thing I've done consistently well this summer, even at gatherings and visiting at both parents' homes, is resisting the urge to snack in the evenings.  It happens on occasion, but hasn't been a regular occurrence like it once was, so I'm pretty happy about that.  That's probably the biggest battle in my weight-loss war.

Now if I could just learn to love replacing some of the things I eat both at mealtimes and when I allow snacking with fruits and vegetables, I'd be home free!!

 

Weigh-In Wednesday

I HATE it that I have to report a slight gain this week! Team 20 is kickin' some SERIOUS HEINY in this competition and I really hate the thought of being the one to unseat us from our top spot!!

But I did gain a bit.

And if it wasn't for this competition, I'd be very happy about the 0.4 lbs I packed on over the last two weeks, because for one of those weeks, we were on holidays.

There was one day of rodeo food, two full days of family gathering food and sitting around at the lake, two days of my mom's cooking and over-feeding, a date night including FAR too many deep-fried delicacies (ie. fish 'n' chips and MARS BARS) followed by ballpark snacks (quite likely also deep-fried!), and two days of my mother-in-law's cooking and overfeeding.

So you see, a gain of only 0.4 under those circumstances really is a victory in most cases.

Except when you're part of a weight-loss TEAM, dang it!

Weigh-In Wednesday

No change this week. Which I'm okay with. We spent the weekend camping with The Man's family, which, as you can probably imagine, involved a lot of sitting around and eating.

Personally, I don't believe lunch is necessary when you only finish breakfast at 11 am, but obviously not everyone is of the same opinion!! The powers that be cook provided three square meals a day, so that's the way it was. I tried to make sure I limited my portions ~ especially at lunch! ~ but it was still more food than I really needed, given the general lack of activity.

And then the night before last (which is the night before weigh-in for me), a girlfriend and I went out for supper in the town near the camp where we'd just dropped our kids off for the week, so that didn't help either.

But I'm happy. It's been a fun week with lots of great food and I haven't gained, so I feel pretty lucky, actually!!

Weigh-In Wednesday

Okay, so...

I have a bit of a confession to make.



I didn't actually step on the scale last week.

I forgot.



So I just kinda fudged the number.

I figured if I reported a loss of 0.6, I could easily lose it the following week if need be. You know, a realistic number where I wouldn't get caught in my lie.

But I kinda got caught anyway.

Because this week, I am suddenly down 3.4 pounds!

And y'all KNOW there's no stinkin' way I actually lost that much in just one week!
But I can chalk up that success ~ over the last TWO weeks  ~ to virtually no snacking of any kind (it happened just one evening over the last week and a half, and it was two large pancakes smothered in butter and swimming in syrup.... mmmmmmmmm, delicious!) and really watching my portions at mealtimes.

And the nicest thing is, I haven't really been thinking about it much.  It's really only crossed my mind a couple of times when I wanted to eat late at night and I forced myself to be content with a cup of green tea.  I have not gotten my daughters involved in meal- and snack-planning yet like I said I wanted to, but one thing I've noticed myself doing is making sure I eat only what I give them or tell them to eat.  And sometimes I just don't, even when they are.

(Since June 1)

So maybe I'm finally getting somewhere!

Weigh-in Wednesday

Woo-hoo!  I'm down 0.6!  It's not a lot, but at least it's the right direction.

I am still not into the swing of summer holidays ~ the girls finished school a week ago yesterday and we were gone for the long weekend, so there's not much of a routine yet.  And I'm also finding I don't have much time for blogging!

Hope all y'all had a great week!


 

Weigh-in Wednesday

Ugh. NOT a great start to a challenge!!

Fortunately, I don't have to report a gain, but once again, I also can't report a loss.  Zip. Zero. Zilch.

NOTHIN'.

I know exactly what the problem is, too. Snacking. I can exhibit all sorts of self-control at mealtimes, but I cannot seem to control the snacking. If I don't sit down in front of the TV at ALL, it's okay, but if I spend ANY time there... I nibble binge.

I allow one little snack, thinking that will be it ~ because, after all, I'm trying to lose weight and break bad eating habits and all ~ but it's like a dam bursts as soon as that first bite hits my tongue. And then I can't stop.

Hi, my name is Tammi, and I'm a compulsive over-eater.

In a way, I'm actually kind of looking forward to having the girls home all day so that I won't have quite so many opportunities to lose control.

Here we go again...

Kickin' off another weight-loss challenge over at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans!!  And this one's another TEAM challenge.

I'll confess, that makes me a little nervous.  I mean, who wants to be the one responsible for sabotaging their team's efforts, right??  It's a bit scary, given my track record, but I'm determined to be a POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTING member!!

I'm down an even pound from last week, so I'm still making progress, but again this week I've been too weak in my struggle with "the munchies."  I have had a couple of good self-discipline days, but I know I definitely had more that weren't.  I need to change that ratio up a little, especially since I'm very rapidly approaching the weeks where I will NOT be fasting intermittently!

I talked about an eating plan a couple weeks ago that I've followed in the past with great success that incorporates intermittent fasting, but that I wasn't sure how I felt about not eating while my girls are around to witness my eating habits during the day.  I've decided that it's not really something I want them to see, since it's not something I want them employing should they suddenly feel they need to control, or ~ perish the thought ~ LOSE weight.  Because they really don't!  They're both very active little girls and neither sports a single excessive ounce, believe me!!

But they know their mom struggles with self-discipline in the eating and exercise areas and that's why she has more weight than necessary.  They understand working to lose the weight takes serious effort, and while there are plenty of health benefits to fasting regularly, it really doesn't set the example that I want them to follow. I want to help them learn to make wise decisions in this, and all areas of life, so that they won't have to work at undoing as many mistakes!

So my plan this summer is to let THEM do the meal- and snack-planning. Well, assist me with it, anyway! They know mom should probably have a few carrot and celery sticks rather than a handful of chips ~ after all, that's what I make them choose!! (Man, I am such a hypocrite.) They're also quite interested in seeing how our meals fit into the Canada Food Guide, so I think this plan for summer eating will be good for all of us. It might even find us making some long-term dietary changes...

Here's hoping!!

 

Wednesday Weigh-In

Nothin' to report today.

No weight loss ~ no weight gain.

Considering we had weekend company (again) and that it's that special time of the month (again), I'm pretty happy with NOTHING.

But here's to some steady forward progress now that "houseguest season" is over and a new challenge is beginning! :)

May MY Weigh-in and Challenge Wrap-Up

Well, I'm back down to where I was the second week. But at least it's down from the beginning of the month and not up!  I'm posting a grand total loss of only 2.2 pounds for the last 4-1/2 weeks.

I gotta say, I'm not real pleased with that.  Especially since if weigh-in day had been on Monday, I would have been able to say a total loss of 3.8!!

I've decided to return to what worked the best for me in the past ~ a return to the eating plan recommended by the Bible study that kicked off this whole blog.  There's no counting, no calculating, no planning ~ just no breakfast and lunch some days!  As tough as it might be for some to understand, I find it easier to just not eat than to care about what I can or can't have, how much, how many points it's worth, or how many fat and calories it contains.  I even find it easier than days when the eating plan allows half-portions all day.  I guess I'm a bit of an "all or nothin'" kinda gal in that way!

I quit using this eating plan two years ago once summer rolled around.  When my girls were home during the day, I didn't want them to see me "starving myself" on the liquids/fasting days.  This year, with deciding to start again only a month before school's out, I'm faced again with the dilemma of how to handle it or if I will continue at all.  (My past experience with quitting and then trying to resume 2 months later would tell me it makes more sense NOT to take a break!!)

My girls know I'm overweight, and they know it's because I eat more than my body needs for daily function.  They understand the relationship there, and they also understand that because I wasn't more self-disciplined all these years, there's hard work to be done in order to reverse the effects ~ the weight AND the attitude/habits.  So I'm not sure I really NEED to hide it, yet I'm not sure I can do it successfully in a way that doesn't seem like I'm just consumed with meeting the beauty standards of the media.  So the jury's still out on that one.

But it is a return to the plan that netted me my loss this week, so I'm looking forward to at least another four weeks of good progress before summer begins!

May My Weigh-in Wednesday

Well, I gotta say, I don't hold a WHOLE lot of hope for reaching my goal anymore...

That nasty 2.2 gain last week kindasorta wrecked the whole thing!!

Funny how even just a little bit of reverse progress puts the goal so much further away, isn't it? It's more of a set-back than you realize because you gotta lose the gain first before you can continue! Sucky.

I did lose a little this past week, even though my parents were out this weekend and took us on a road trip.  Two days of nibbling in the van while travelling, and eating out normally has a very negative affect on my weight!  But amazingly, I'm down 0.6 from last week, which means I'm at least a TINY bit lighter again than my starting weight this month!

And I have NO plans for company or travel for the next week, so I'm planning for a big finish!! :)

(Wish me luck!)

May MY Weigh-In Wednesday

Ugh, I totally TANKED this week.

Wednesday and Thursday were okay, and Friday during the day, too, but then our weekend company arrived for suppertime and that was the end of all restraint and, dare I say it... moderation.  {groan}

My brother-in-law and his family came, as well as another single sister-in-law, and we had a WONDERFUL time together. I used paper plates and plastic cups all weekend, so I spent minimal time in my kitchen time, and I'd asked the two ladies to bring the snacks for the weekend and they REALLY came through!!

We spent our weekend eating,

sitting around outside, enjoying the first summer-like weather we've had this year,

snacking,

eating again,

followed by more sitting around,

a little sunburnin',

and then more snacking.

You get the idea.

I had an awesome weekend... but I'm up 2.2 lbs.

Which means I'm heavier than when we started this challenge at the beginning of the month.

::sigh::

I've got my work cut out for me.

 

May MY Weigh Wednesday

Does anyone else just compulsively throw EVERY. SINGLE. THING. they can find into their mouths at the beginning of that time of the month??  I never used to have any of the "symptoms" that so many women complain about, but I'm noticing certain ones developing ~ and worsening with age!

It's the weirdest feeling; somewhat similar to panic.  I almost literally can't sit still unless I've got food in my hands.  Not sure how to combat that!  Fortunately, it usually just hits me for a day or two at the beginning.  During the day, when there's stuff to get done, I can much more easily distract myself, but evenings are rough.  I'll admit to having a long, drawn-out "second supper" on Saturday night.

Followed closely, of course, by Mothers Day!!  We ate lunch at our favourite little Chinese food place which was having a smorg for the occasion, and I was still not hungry at 7:00pm when we finally had supper. I did eat, but only very little, figuring if I didn't have anything, I'd likely have problems falling asleep.

And then I had a package of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the evening.  You know, just to make sure!  ;)

Until the Saturday night grazing and the Sunday afternoon smorg, my weight was EXACTLY the same all week as it had been last week ~ right down to the tenth of a pound!  I was up considerably on Monday morning (surprise, surprise!), but after behaving myself for the remainder of the time till weigh-in, I managed to drop ALMOST back to last week's weight.  Not quite.  I'm up 0.4 lb, but I can deal with that, especially since it's very normal for me to gain a bit at this point in my monthly cycle anyway.

I'm doing really well with the water challenge, so I think that's probably helping.  I've always been a "heavy drinker," but this past week I've been making very sure I get in my full 64 ozs/2L daily.

This coming week will be a challenge as my SIL/cousin and her family, as well as another single SIL, will be spending the weekend at our house!!  Might have to do a bit of fasting before and after...  ;)

Checkin' in ~ May MY Weigh

Well, I have to say, the first few days of this challenge have been a raving success.  I'm already down 2.2 lbs from my challenge-starting weight!!

Now if only I could figure out what I'd done differently...

Before the snowstorm obliterated our satellite signal last Saturday night (yes, we had a blizzard on April 30th!  It dumped 4" on us, and all the way up to 20" in nearby areas!!), The Man and I watched the first half of some obscure rugby movie about a delinquent kid.

Despite the relative forgettableness of the movie, one line stood out and I think it will stick with me for quite some time.  It was after the team had suffered a loss as a result of the delinquent kid's selfish attitude.  The coach was punishing the entire team, not just the loner who figured he should be the star.  The team was running laps up and down the bleachers, and while they ran to the point of complete exhaustion, he had them repeat this phrase:
 

Practice don't make perfect; practice makes permanent.

And he's right.  Regardless of how popular the saying is, practice really doesn't make perfect.  There will always be mistakes.  There will always be circumstances we didn't or couldn't plan for.  But the longer we practice something ~ whether it's rugby technique or eating habits or anything else ~ the more likely it will become a permanent habit.

It's a no-brainer, really, and yet I found it kinda profound!

I guess one of the things I've avoided in the last week is evening snacking.  I think, since last Wednesday, I haven't had a SINGLE evening snack, not even just a piece of fruit!  That's a virtually unheard-of practice in this house!!  I have also been more carefully watching my portions ~ generally trying to give myself less than I would normally have dished out, and not going back for seconds, no matter how wonderful it tastes!  Or how not full my stomach still feels afterwards.

So if for the next 4 weeks I continue to conscientiously practice portion-control and limit my evening snacking to special occasions ONLY, I will be well on the way to permanence!

It's been a while...

I haven't missed counting points.  I haven't missed following a strict weekly eating plan.  I haven't missed disallowing certain foods.  I haven't missed stepping on the scale.  I haven't missed obssessing about food, eating, and weight.

I haven't missed the regular weight-loss/gain postings, that's for sure.  I haven't missed the challenges.  And quite honestly, I haven't even missed all the positive, encouraging, "You can DO it!" comments from well-meaning Internet strangers and friends, either.

The past almost-year since my last post here has been very freeing in some ways.  I've loved not spending every waking minute thinking about food, planning meals, counting points, fretting about how to lose the extra weight from a binge night or two, and being disappointed when I stepped on the scale.

But I have missed being lighter.

Today, I weigh 170.8.  I am 12 lbs heavier than I was at the end of last August (roughly when I posted last) and almost 16 lbs heavier than I was exactly a year ago.

Obviously, this TOTAL FREEDOM thing isn't such a great idea.  Of course, maybe that's because it might have been more appropriately called RECKLESS ABANDON...

I just wish I could find a balance between being conscientious about my food choices, and my eating and exercise habits, without feeling like that's ALL I think about.  I have been saying this for years ~ to the point that I'm sick and tired of saying it and hearing myself say it ~ but whatever I do needs to feel natural in order to become a habit.  All these counting, figuring, and abstinence plans are not NATURAL.  They work, but none of the programs and systems I've tried so far, no matter how successful they might have been, were just not something I wanted to have to adhere to for the rest of my life.

So, all this to say, I guess I'm back at square one.  This month will be about trying to start some habits (AGAIN) that feel good, feel natural, will be good FOR me, and that I can see myself sticking with for a lifetime.

Sure.  No problem, right??