tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471242287876072922024-02-21T08:13:38.910-08:00Off the Fat PathStephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-83578669336313201282012-08-20T09:30:00.001-07:002012-08-20T09:30:20.020-07:00Are We On the Flipside Now?This week I am <em>extremely</em> happy to say that I lost 2.8 pounds! Finally! I had lost 1.6 last week, but I sorta didn't count that since I had gone up the week before that. I think it's just been the combination of heat, really not wanting to eat, and trying to drink all the water and Powerade Zero I can get my hands on. I've been SO thirsty.....<br />
<br />
Yes, there is a Powerade Zero.....I love it. I sweat so much since it's been so hot....and I'm glad that I can have some sort of sports drink.<br />
<br />
It is one of the worst things to struggle with your weight. It's draining emotionally since you are investing so much time and sweat into improving yourself and how you look. I'm not a vain person, but when you've done everything you're supposed to, and you gain 2 pounds, you feel like the fattest and ugliest person in the world. I'm taking my little vistory this week and running with it. Here's hoping we're on the flipside....the side where I actually start LOSING weight again.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-16478443398379299362012-08-03T22:22:00.000-07:002012-08-03T22:22:03.114-07:00I'm Still Here....I'm still alive, I didn't go anywhere.<br />
<br />
I've just been taking things one week at a time and trying not to stress over things so much. My weight had been doing this yo-yo thing, and I was not really impressed with it. I found myself stressing out over it, and I already had enough stressful things going on in my personal life. I just decided that I was going to watch my food intake a little more closely, and add in an extra day of exercise each week. It has been making a difference, albeit a small one. At this point, I'll take what I can get. I have noticed body changes, and I've also been taking my blood pressure daily, as well as multivitamins and supplements.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-73435399205635973592012-05-03T08:58:00.002-07:002012-05-03T08:58:44.644-07:00Week 58 and On......I've decided that I'm not really going to keep track of the weeks anymore. I've been having a hard time even wanting to write on this blog the past couple months, as evidenced by the fact that it's now MAY and the last time I updated was FEBRUARY.<br />
<br />
I have been very unhappy with my weight loss. Very unhappy...almost to the point of being depressed. The weight has not come off like I had hoped it would, and I've been seesawing back and forth with the gains and losses. At last week's WW meeting, we were asked to describe our view of our weight loss journey with the following phrases: "sizzling hot", "lukewarm", "ice cold"...or some other phrase of our creation. The phrase of our choice was put on a name label and we were supposed to wear it for an activity. Sigh. This alone almost got me crying on the scale, not to mention the slight gain I had. I think I mumbled that my weight loss journey was "something else" at this point and just collected my shoes and purse and sat down in the meeting room with the rotten sticker in hand. I couldn't muster up enough "muchness" to put it on. Sigh.<br />
<br />
I've still been making it a point to exercise regularly (at least 4 times a week), and I've been pretty diligent at doing a minimum of 20 minutes a pop at a high intensity. Anything less is just.....too much less. I've noticed a lot more definition (despite the ugly ass pudge) in my arms and legs from working out on the rowing machine. I've also noticed a little more "trimness" through the midsection as well, but I guess I don't see it as much since clothes cover that part all the time. Thank heavens. I'll keep the pudge rolls to myself, thank you very much.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-44398359608357122652012-02-21T21:07:00.000-08:002012-02-21T21:07:39.155-08:00Weeks Fifty-One through Fifty-Seven<div class="MsoNormal">FINALLY!!!!!! I had a significant weight loss this week!</div><div class="MsoNormal">The past month or so has been nothing but yo-yo-ing back and forth…..up here, down here, up here, down here. Needless to say, it’s been frustrating and a bit depressing for me, and I’ve felt like something had to give.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My mom got a rowing machine mid-January (not those funky 80s style ones….but the kind that rowing clubs use for training) and I’ve been putting in some time on that thing each week. At first, I could barely do 10 minutes without having to stop and take a break, and I had to keep the intensity really low. Believe it or not, it’s really a big ass-kicking workout since you are actually working your whole body; it’s a deceptively simple looking workout. Gradually, I’ve upped my time each week, and I’ve upped the intensity of the workout. Now I alternate between two workouts: 20 minute duration at a higher resistance, or I do 30 minutes (or 5000 meters) at a moderate intensity. Not only have I noticed that I don’t get winded as quickly, but I’ve also noticed some serious muscle building/toning going on in all the major muscle groups.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">I have to say that I’m really pleased about that since I don’t dig jiggle, and my arms (we won’t even talk about my stomach) have never been a thing of pride for me. I can deal with maybe not dropping some serious poundage quickly in exchange for losing inches on the body and toning up that which has been SORELY lacking.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-36268845558673678702012-01-04T20:46:00.000-08:002012-01-04T20:46:05.972-08:00Weeks Forty-Six through FiftyWeight on.....Weight off. <br />
<br />
Sounds like some wacky Mr. Miyagi thing, doesn't it?<br />
<br />
Week Forty-Six: 0.8 pound loss<br />
Week Forty-Seven: 0.4 pound gain<br />
Week Forty-Eight: 3.4 pound gain (I have some REAL choice words for this one....)<br />
Week Forty-Nine: 3.2 pound loss (cue the Happy Dance)<br />
Week Fifty: 0.4 pound gain<br />
<br />
Nope....that's been the routine AGAIN. Seriously, I hate stress. I really do. I was all stressed out from learning my new job, and then we had to get ready to move our office to its new location. Most of December was spent readying for the move, and of course, lots of holiday celebrations and requisite junk food and sweets. Sigh. I'm really hoping for some sort of break in this nasty weight-loss roller coaster. <br />
<br />
Please let 2012 be a better year......Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-22885133887222560142011-12-02T13:27:00.000-08:002011-12-02T13:28:18.626-08:00Weeks Forty-One Through Forty-FiveI know I haven’t been updating this thing near as often as I should. I hate to cite the excuse that I’ve been busy, but I really have!<br />
<br />
This past month has been nothing but frustration for me with my weight. <br />
Week 41: up 1.6<br />
Week 42: down 0.6<br />
Week 43: up 4.0 and one big “what the HELL”<br />
Week 44: down 3.6 and one big “that’s more like it”<br />
Week 45: down 1.0.<br />
<br />
I have just been a big mess of stress with my husband being out of town for work and me starting a new job. I know I wasn’t making the smartest food choices sometimes and I know that it showed on the scale. I can’t make any excuses for that, especially when presented with the numbers. I’m just tired of dancing around the same weight for……well, it seems like FOREVER. It just sometimes really sucks your will to live.<br />
<br />
More than the irritation, I’m horribly disappointed in myself. I had hoped to be a lot lighter at this point in the game; I had hoped to be about 40-45 pounds lighter at this point, and that’s obviously not happened. I really was hoping to be down 50 pounds by the end of the year and I know I’m going to have to seriously rethink that goal since I know I won’t realistically make that goal AT ALL. I didn’t want to be fat in the holiday pics that are sure to happen, and I guess I’ll have to deal with another year of fat pics. I just hope they don’t make it onto Facebook or something like that. Ugh.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-46596089413914321992011-10-23T20:45:00.000-07:002011-10-23T20:45:50.345-07:00Weeks Thirty-Nine and FortyWell, the same stupid rollercoaster routine.......<br />
<br />
Week Thirty-Nine saw a 2.4 pound gain, and this week (Week Forty) showed a 3 pound loss. Seriously, I am so tired of this up and down and up and down. The eating habits have not changed, but the stress level has. I wish I could say otherwise, but I guess it is what it is. I just wish I wasn't going into the early part of the holiday season with this current stress level. <br />
<br />
I banged up my baby toe on my right foot today, and that thing hurts way more than a baby toe should. It's about 3 times normal size and it's all red and bruised. It hurts to walk on, no big surprise there, so going for daily walks should be interesting since I don't want to put any more weight on it than I need to. I was on my feet a bit today, and the outside part of my foot hurts a bit. I HATE it when my feet hurt!Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-278097241247310202011-10-11T19:27:00.000-07:002011-10-11T19:37:08.308-07:00The Trifecta -- Weeks Thirty-Six, Thirty-Seven and Thirty-EightUgh....where to begin......hmmmm....perhaps at the beginning?<br />
<br />
These past few weeks have been immensely difficult for me for a number of reasons. One: There's been some serious juju at work. Two: My dear husband has been traveling a LOT out of town. While I'm certainly of sturdy enough stock to handle that little bit of change, it has been an adjustment. Three: I've just been plain frustrated. Frustrated as hell and irritated. All of these combined, do not make for happy weight loss. Especially, when you add in that I wasn't sleeping well at all (maybe 4 hours of good sleep a night), it's just one hot mess. Week 36 saw an oh-so-fun 2.2 pound gain; if that wasn't good enough, Week 37 saw a 0.8 pound gain. Thankfully, Week 38 brought a nice, cool 2.0 pound loss. Still, I wasn't doing any sort of happy dance at the scale. I'm just pissed and angry at myself for the stupid 3 pound gain over this past few weeks.....wait, no......3.6 pound gain over the past month. Total b.s. in my book. And for what? Nothing.<br />
<br />
All I have to say is that stress can bite my lily-white butt. I don't like it, and the scale REALLY doesn't like it. If stress had a corporeal form, I'd drop kick it. I've been trying hard to make sure I get plenty of sleep each night, and for those nights where I have trouble, I've been taking these melatonin supplements that I got at Trader Joes. They have seemed to help a bit....just reset my sleep rhythm a tiny bit. I've also been making sure I get plenty of hydration throughout the day. I know that when I'm dehydrated I get the munchies....and obviously that's not good for weight loss.<br />
<br />
So here's hoping that Week 39 has much better results. I need some happy news.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-82244275775310837252011-09-21T10:56:00.000-07:002011-09-21T10:56:54.793-07:00Week Thirty-FiveI know this is super late as far as posting, but I did go up slightly this week; I went up 0.6 pounds. Lesson learned: Do NOT eat burritos on Friday before you weigh in. Enough said.<br />
<br />
But darned if that burrito wasn't tasty as heck. :o)Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-15149295498366798932011-09-10T12:46:00.000-07:002011-09-10T12:46:27.574-07:00Week Thirty-FourDown 1.6 pounds!<br />
<br />
After maintaining the weight for the past two weeks, there has finally been a change....and for the better! The hot weather we recently had was not incredibly helpful to me since all I wanted to do was eat cold/cool things like ice cream. Yeah, not so hot (pardon the pun) for someone trying to drop some nasty weight. So, when I went grocery shopping I thought I'd try to find some snacks that would help satisfy me. One day when I had just been hungry, I had gone up front to the mailroom and I thought I'd stop off and see if there was "something" I could get at the little snack shack. I happened upon some string cheese and thought "what the hell....why not?" It's cold, it's something of the dairy persuasion so it's got protein, and it's got a hint of saltiness which would hit that salty snack craving I was having. Wouldn't you know it? That bit of string cheese really worked. Guess I should have listened to my inner 5 year old sooner.<br />
<br />
I was also starting to get roped in by the siren song of the vending machine with all of it's glorious Hostess snack cakes. Uh oh. A friend of mine had introduced me to Cinnamon Cheerios (really, I SHOULD have listened to my inner 5 year old) and darned if they weren't just super tasty and satisfying as well when you NEED something sweet. So, in the same shopping trip, I bought a box of those Cheerios. I've cleaned out the entire box, but those silly Cheerios really helped me stave off some not-so-nice sweet attacks.<br />
<br />
I will cop to this though, I do have a special container for those Cheerios. I have a Goldfish plastic container that you are supposed to put fishy crackers in. Yeah. I rock the Cheerios in that thing. If nothing else, I'm losing weight and making my coworkers smile at my inner 5 year old.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-83219451226363924132011-09-05T17:49:00.000-07:002011-09-05T17:49:21.309-07:00Weeks Thirty-Two & Thirty-ThreeWell, nothing new to report. I've maintained for the past two weeks.<br />
<br />
There's been a lot going on at the house, and I'm actually surprised that I didn't gain anything. Granted, I'd rather be losing weight, but at the same time, at least it's not that super-annoying up and down, up and down stuff that just makes you lose hope. I know plateaus are sort of "built in" the whole weight loss journey, so I'm just kind of rolling with it. I did have a really awesome loss prior to this 2 week "Hold fast and don't budge" dealie-o. Usually when I have an awesome loss, I have a not so awesome gain the next week. Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-82071304981089060942011-08-22T09:04:00.000-07:002011-08-22T09:04:06.844-07:00Week Thirty-OneWOOHOO!!!!! Down 2.8 pounds!!!!!<br />
<br />
If I had stayed for the meeting on Saturday, you better believe I would have been celebrating! This brings the total weight loss, to date, to the grand total of 36.4 pounds. I finally cracked the "35 pound loss" floor that I had been dancing around for weeks (it seemed).<br />
<br />
I really wish I knew what exactly it was that brought on that loss. I've been trying to figure it out. I've been making sure that I stay hydrated and I take my vitamins. Other than that, I'm not sure if the recent warmer weather played a part or if it's just that my body decided that it was okay to shed a few extra pounds. I'm kinda leaning toward that explanation. Nothing's really moved much the past few weeks, to my frustration, and then all of a sudden......BAM! I've just been staying the course: drinking water, eating my daily points "ration", keeping indulgences down to a dull roar, and making sure I exercise regularly.<br />
<br />
I guess that's the thing to take away from this: "stay the course". It's really easy to get all frustrated with a lack of results (or the wishy washy ups and downs on the scale) and abandon what you know will eventually work for you. I think it's really easy for us to get annoyed and lose faith with things that may take some time to take effect, and I think we tend to get irritated with ourselves when our bodies don't want to do something when WE think they should. Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-15240584453876458192011-08-16T10:47:00.000-07:002011-08-16T10:47:55.510-07:00Week ThirtyI did it again......forgot to post on the weekend after weigh-in. I've been busy working on projects for Christmas presents on the weekends, and I've not really been getting on the computer much.<br />
<br />
I went up this week a whole 0.6 pounds. I'm not overly thrilled with the gain, but Chris and I did have mexican food for dinner on Friday and I'm sure the extra sodium didn't help me any. For my part, I did try to make sure I drank a little extra water to help flush it out of my system, but it is what it is. All I have to say is that at least my dinner was darn tasty and I enjoyed every bite! That's the way a restaurant meal should be....something to savor and truly enjoy. Believe me, I did!!!!<br />
<br />
Since it seems like the weather is warming up again, I bought one of those reusable hard plastic cups with the straw so that I can be sure I'm drinking enough water at home. I have gotten so much use out of that thing this past weekend, it isn't even funny. I think the cup is 24 ozs. and I usually fill that thing up twice a day, and sometimes 3 times a day when it's a little warmer. It seems like I tend to drink more water when I'm drinking it through a straw. I also like the fact that the cup is reusable and sturdy as hell. I had been reusing a Starbucks cup that I got iced coffee in about a month ago, and that promptly went in the recycle bin on Sunday.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-46834180813136291832011-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:002011-08-08T20:52:24.384-07:00Week Twenty-NineIn my excitement, I completely forgot to post this weekend after weighing in. I'm down 3 glorious pounds!!!!!!<br />
<br />
I'm really not sure what contributed to the weight loss. I didn't do anything different and I sure as heck ate when I was hungry. I did make a point to drink plenty of water since it was rather warm and I wanted to make sure I was properly hydrated. I get kinda gnarly headaches when I'm dehydrated and they're not particularly fun, especially when you're at work trying to concentrate. (I'm sure sitting in an air conditioned office doesn't help with staying hydrated either.)<br />
<br />
One thing that I was really proud of was Friday. One of the managers was going to buy lunch for the small group of us in the office, and he was buying lunch from BJ's. Whoa....pizza, pasta and more....what to do? So, I checked the menu and I remembered that one time I had ordered these Thai Lettuce Wrap things and they were pretty tasty. So, I went ahead and ordered them figuring they couldn't be all that bad and they were about the normal volume of food I eat at lunch normally. Unfortunately, BJ's doesn't really have any nutrition info online, so I was at a loss for points calculation. So, I figured I would just enjoy them, hope for the best, but have a normal dinner just in case. I was able to find nutrition info online at another website for BJ's...and.....drumroll please.....with the help of the online points calculator, all 4 lettuce wraps cost me..............wait for it................................5 points. SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy that I was able to have lunch out, and still enjoy going out to eat with my husband that evening.<br />
<br />
Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-51162743166624524792011-07-30T15:12:00.000-07:002011-07-30T15:12:37.551-07:00Week Twenty-EightI was hoping against hope that I wouldn't gain this week.....but I figured I'd be up a little bit. Turns out I was right. This week was not a good week for me at all. I don't know what I did, but I torqued something in my neck and shoulders. I've been in a lot of pain this week, and I was in a little bit of pain the week before as well. Needless to say, being in pain has affected my sleep pattern and activity pattern. Namely, I don't want to do anything that makes the neck and shoulder area move. Kinda sucks....since almost EVERYTHING makes that area move. Still, I do have the remainder of the weekend to rest up and try to get better before the coming week. Here's hoping the next week will be relatively pain free so I can get out and move!Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-81149207284477914132011-07-23T15:18:00.000-07:002011-07-23T15:18:27.587-07:00Week Twenty-SevenWoo hoo!!!! Goal met!!!!<br />
<br />
That awful pound that Harry Potter put on last week was "magically" gone this week! Well, not exactly magical. I decided that I was not going to keep that pesky pound, so I was extra careful with what I ate and made sure that I drank plenty of water since it got a little warm. We did eat out a couple times the past week, but I tried to keep it in moderation and I kept the ordering to a minimum. I did have a moment of weakness with some Oreo cookies, but in all fairness I haven't had them for a long time. I was proud that I only had four cookies, when normally I would eat 10-12 of them; I was actually satisfied after eating those cookies. The craving was gone, and I honestly don't think I could have eaten any more than I did. I forgot how sweet they are.<br />
<br />
Here's hoping that I'll have another loss on the scale next weigh-in!Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-54562141533479810672011-07-16T15:38:00.000-07:002011-07-16T15:38:55.683-07:00Week Twenty-SixI went up 1 pound this week, and I know what caused it. Yep. Harry Potter made me gain weight. For real!<br />
<br />
We went to the movies last night to see the latest (and final) Harry Potter movie. We had the requisite popcorn (no extra salt though) and the Twizzlers. I know the extra sodium was none too friendly to me, and I did drink a little extra water to try and help flush out the extra salt....but I don't think it was enough. That's okay though. Going to the movies, eating out and celebrating are important parts of day to day life and I did have a lot of fun at the movies. I'm okay with the gain, not overly happy with it, but okay with it. Today starts a brand new week, and now the task at hand is to take that damn pound that Mr. Harry Potter gave me, and "avada kedavra" the hell out of it. In muggle-speak, that means to basically kill it or get rid of it.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-62731679692552326422011-07-09T15:30:00.000-07:002011-07-09T15:30:49.697-07:00Week Twenty-FiveDown 2.8 pounds!!!!!!<br />
<br />
This week was an interesting week because I don't feel like I did anything outside the scope of "normal" to get this loss. This week was rather warm, so perhaps some of the weight loss can be attributed to water loss, but I'm not really sure that's the entire case. I did make sure that I drank plenty of water to stay properly hydrated. I have to say that really don't care much for the headache that comes with dehydration. I also don't really care for the fatigue and dizziness. <br />
<br />
This week was also kind of a mixed bag in terms of how hungry I was. I think that was related to how hot it was. I noticed that some days I was starving when I woke up, and other days I really didn't eat (or want to eat) anything until almost noon. I just made sure that I packed something to eat for breakfast and that I had some sort of snack (usually carrots or berries) just in case. Most of the time this week, I didn't eat much for breakfast and I would wind up eating my snack for lunch since it was something cold and crunchy. I also made sure I kept cut up fruit like peaches in the fridge at work, and sometimes I'd eat those for lunch. For some reason this week, that was enough for me. But, it wasn't a Week of Epic Hunger....so that's probably why I was able to slide by with that.<br />
<br />
I think the Nugget of Wisdom to take away this week is to eat for what your body needs. I noticed that with the days being so warm, I tended to want water-rich food items and I preferred to have cold food items as well. Occasionally, I did want something hot to eat, and I would go ahead and heat up the Smart Ones for lunch. I also made sure to drink plenty of water and fluids and make sure to take my vitamins (I know....I still struggle with this) to help ensure that I'm getting the right amount of nutrients.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-71272856465468797532011-07-02T09:36:00.000-07:002011-07-02T09:36:22.752-07:00Week Twenty-FourFinally......a loss on the scale. I was hoping for more of a loss this week, but I'll take the precious 0.8 pound loss that I got.<br />
<br />
I think I've just gotten into a rut, and I need to re-evaluate things. I haven't been eating much breakfast lately, not really sure why, but that's something I need to make a habit again. I also REALLY need to make sure I'm drinking plenty of water. The weather's been getting warmer, and I just don't think I've been drinking enough to compensate for it. Yesterday, I polished off 2 big glasses of iced tea when we went to dinner, and that's a big indicator to me that I'm simply not taking in enough fluids. I also slacked off big time with the vitamins.......I need to get back on track and stop the laziness there.<br />
<br />
On the flip side, I did get out 4 times last week for exercise (despite the heat) and I did try to bump up the intensity of the workout. Now I just need to maintain that intensity level and get back on track with the other stuff. I'm hoping that the combination of the two will result in a nice weight loss. The kind of weight loss to "write home about". Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-54663405404622382312011-06-25T13:46:00.000-07:002011-06-25T13:46:15.516-07:00Week Twenty-ThreeWell, I didn't go up this week, but I didn't go down either. Yup...straight-up maintained the weight.<br />
<br />
That's okay though. We had a surprise retirement celebration for two of the guys in our department on Thursday, and we had mexican food. For my part, I was really pleased with how well I did. I opted not to eat breakfast that morning since we were going to be eating around 11. Since I usually eat my breakfast around 10, I was okay...a touch hungry, but okay. Yeah, I had two green chile/cheese tamales, but I didn't load up on chips or rice. I had a proper portion of pasta salad (the no-mayo kind), and a proper portion of refriend beans. I was really pretty well-behaved considering that I was hungry, and usually that's when I make my poor choices. I sure wasn't hungry at all for the rest of the day....well, until dinner of course. The walk in the park made me really hungry.<br />
<br />
So, all the extra food that I normally wouldn't be eating probably didn't help with me actually showing a loss. However, I did celebrate with my co-workers and we had a really great extended lunch outside. Sometimes it's not completely about the food and being on your absolute best behavior with it. Sometimes it's actually about enjoying yourself and savoring the food you are eating. Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-44765669256776161482011-06-18T15:18:00.000-07:002011-06-18T15:18:02.773-07:00Week Twenty-TwoUp again. I'm sick of this.<br />
<br />
It's my own fault though. I overindulged a couple times this week, and I got a little bit lazy with my tracking. Plus, I got on this soda kick and that's really not a habit I care to continue. So, when I went grocery shopping today, I loaded up on the fizzy water (carbonated, but NO sweetener) to help me get back on track. I also got a little lazy with the vitamins too, and I think that also made a difference. I've noticed that I get kinda tired and lethargic when I don't take them regularly. Being tired is NOT a good thing for me with weight loss since I just want to eat. And it's not eating the good stuff....oh no. It's eating whatever crap food is available. Nope....not going to happen this next week.<br />
<br />
I think I'm done beating myself up for being lazy this past week, and I'm ready to move on. Despite being lazy and tired this past week, I apparently had enough energy today to clean stuff in the house. I now have nice clean grout in the kitchen and a nice clean bathroom, in addition to clean clothes. Life is good.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-30439989352891994212011-06-11T14:08:00.000-07:002011-06-11T14:08:25.984-07:00Week Twenty-OneEPIC WEEK OF HUNGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Grrrrr. Yep, that's been my stomach this week. I guess I called it last week, or perhaps I jinxed it. <br />
<br />
This week I have not only been hungry all the time, but I've been strangely tired too. I get the feeling like I haven't been sleeping too terribly well and I have woken up a few days in pain (lower back pain). Maybe I was sleeping funny or something. I have no idea, really. The combination of the two has just created this epic week of hunger for me though. Although I did go up a pound this week, I have to admit that I think I still did a pretty good job this week, overall.<br />
<br />
First, I came prepared. Yep, I had carrots all prepped and cut into sticks, and these were packed up in containers so they were ready to go. I also had the various fruits (mostly berries and cherries) packed up in containers as well, so I had those on hand too. I'd pop one of each into my lunch bag in the morning and I just kept those in the fridge at work for when Epic Hunger would strike. <br />
<br />
Second, I planned ahead for eating out. I know, this sounds reminiscent of a "like, duh" but I really had to up the thoughfulness on this one for the Week of Epic Hunger. We usually go out to eat on Friday night, and I was just ravenous. This is dangerous, as you guys well know, when you're eating out since EVERYTHING looks good. So, I pulled up the nutrition facts for the restaurant we were going to, and I pulled up the WW points calculator online. I calculated the points for about 4 different things that appealed to me and jotted those down. I did the math and figured that I would have 9 daily points left over after I ate what I wanted to at dinner. Okay....that's fine, until you figure in that I haven't eaten lunch yet and that's 6 points. Oh. So I made a quick call to Chris and asked him if he minded going for a walk after dinner at the park. He didn't (such a sweetie), so that gave me 6 activity points I could use toward my day. Woo hoo! I have to admit, that I felt a lot better going on that walk after dinner because I just didn't feel all...."blargh".Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-45217234373011793062011-06-04T16:33:00.000-07:002011-06-04T16:33:24.625-07:00Week TwentyThis week brings a loss of 2.6 pounds on the scale as well as the end of me being sick!!!! Woo hoo!<br />
<br />
I wish I could say that there has been some special "magic bullet" that's brought about the huge dumping of weight this week, but I really don't know what it is. I've made an effort to stay within my daily points, and even with Memorial Day happening, I still tried hard not to overindulge. The funny thing is though, I've noticed that I haven't been super hungry throughout the day. I don't know if it's just better food choices, or some sort of funky appetite sluggishness from being sick, but although I'm eating much more normally now I just haven't been getting really hungry during the day. Yeah, maybe next week will be the Week of Hunger, who knows?<br />
<br />
I've been taking this as an opportunity to listen to my body and feed it accordingly. Yes, I know that could have the potential to get me in a world of hurt....but hear me out. I have been trying to incorporate less carbs and more protein in my diet already, but I've also been eating when my body says it's hungry and not necessarily eating when I think it's time to according to the clock. I do make an effort to not eat dinner past 7 pm, but that's simply because it's an awful feeling to go to bed on a full stomach. At least, it is for me. I don't sleep well, and I feel like I have "food hangover" or something the next morning. Blech. I've also been trying to make sure that I stay properly hydrated as well. I've been trying to drink green tea as well as the requisite morning coffee, in addition to the water that I normally consume.<br />
<br />
With all this, I did have a tiny slack-off though.......my vitamins. Sigh. It's easier for me to remember to take them in the evening with dinner. However, when I wasn't feeling well and was absolutely not hungry and nothing even tasted good....that got a little lax. I've been trying to get back on track and form the habit again, since I know it's something that I truly do need to do and it will only help kick my immune system back to where it needs to be. I guess that's my project for the next week.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I'm just happy that my clothes are fitting so much better. I still am not able to get my wedding set back on the pudgy ol' ring finger....but I'm working on it. Perhaps within the next few months, that will become a reality!Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-90204026179820044192011-06-01T09:35:00.000-07:002011-06-01T09:35:36.967-07:00It's June Already......Insane. I can't believe it's June already. Where has the time gone? <br />
<br />
Seriously, it seems like not that long ago it was the beginning of May, and beyond that....I don't really remember January being so long ago. This being said, I also can't believe that I've lost 28.8 pounds so far. I had tried to lose the weight before my mom smacked some sense into me and talked me into going back to WW. Believe me, I had tried....but it just didn't work. Now is about the time where I'm sorta kicking myself for not going back sooner because I would have had LESS overall weight to lose. Yeah, woulda coulda shoulda.<br />
<br />
May was a great month full of a lot of celebrations. I celebrated another year of marriage, another year on the planet, and there's been a lot of celebrations at work for the large number of people retiring. The only cruddy thing about May this year was that I was sick for most of it. Three weeks. Three weeks!!!!! That did not do wonders for my weight loss, but overall I did actually have a weight loss to report when it was all over with. Yeah, I only lost 2.6 pounds over the course of the month, but at least I didn't maintain or (heaven forbid) gain anything.<br />
<br />
Here's hoping that June shows more success on the scale than May did. I'm feeling tons better healthwise; I have more energy, I sleep better, I don't have as much joint and foot pain. I'm also feeling a lot better about myself as well. While I will not ever be one of those chicks with a flat stomach and toned, hot body......I will be able to wear smaller sizes and I'll look at lot better without all the flab. Plus, maybe I'll finally be able to put my wedding set back on my finger.Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47124228787607292.post-25011464678771451532011-05-28T10:07:00.000-07:002011-05-28T10:07:30.326-07:00Week NineteenDown 1 pound exactly today! <br />
<br />
I have to say that I'm extremely happy about this as my weight has been bouncing around this month. It's really difficult to maintain a normal eating habit when you're not feeling well, and it seems like I've been sick for a good 75% of this month. Sigh. I'm hoping that once this last little bout of ickiness is gone, that I'm DONE being sick.<br />
<br />
I'm only 1.2 pounds away from my next personal weight loss goal of 30 pounds. Wow, 30 pounds. It's hard to believe that the weight has come off so quickly. Yeah, I've lost an average of 1.5 pounds a week, which is about what you should expect, but it just seems like it's happened so quickly. I know I am excited every time I can fit into something that's been languishing in the closet or drawer for a while. I got a box of clothes from my aunt this week. She's been losing weight, and a lot of these things she's only worn once (or not at all) and she's way too small for them now. About a third of the stuff I can actually wear now, and it's so cool to have new things! The other third, I can get into but I don't look good as I do need to lose a little more. The last third is "no way, no how".....wayyyyyy too small. But that's okay, at least I have something to look forward to!Stephanie A. F. Barlowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13317898080707905594noreply@blogger.com4