Weight Loss Journey, Step Aside Mo

I'm so excited! I stepped on my scale (not official) and I weighed 217! I haven't been that far below 220 in 2-1/2 years! I feel like I found the magic combination: Eat less and exercise more! Who woulda thunk . . .

I'll let you know how I did with my choices. The weight loss may have 2 effects - I might "celebrate" or I might want to continue the momentum. Having big Mo on my side will help, so I think I'll try to keep it around.

Well, Mo had to step aside today, but not too far away. I ate 20 potato chips, 15-20 York peppermint pieces (like M&Ms), a egg salad sandwich with a croissant, a small piece of cake, and a slice of a cookie/fruit pizza. On the way home, I realized I could have taken the top off the sandwich and saved a lot of calories. I'll keep something like that in mind for this evening.

Well, the good thing is I only had $6.50, so I couldn't go crazy ordering dinner. That was a good thing. I actually had a hard time finding things I could afford to get. Oh, I could have borrowed some cash from someone or used my card, but I chose to spend no more than the cash I had on hand. So, I got a burrito with beans, beef, cheese, and stuff. It was large and filling. And I drank 2 large glasses of water. I was commenting that everything I eat these days seems to need salt. I have never been a salter, but lately, I salt practically everything. Could it be because I'm sweating buckets when we walk? Maybe the salt deposits on my nose from the plugs in my tear ducts is depleting my natural salt supply, causing me to crave salt.

Don't think for a minute that the burrito was all I ate. I ate a whole bowl of tortilla chips and the bowl of salsa that came with it. And I had a buttered corn tortilla. So, basically, dinner was my complete day of points. I should consider that 35 extra points gone.

Now I'll have a couple of tums. My tummy isn't so happy.

Food:
2 egg white sandwich with whole wheat bread
croissant with egg salad
potato chips
small slice vanilla cake
1 slice cookie/fruit/cream cheese pizza
York mint pieces
burrito
chips/salsa
2 corn tortillas (they were stuck together ;O)) with margarine
2 large marshmallows

Weight Loss Journey, Challenges

We walked again today. That makes 4 days this week for me. We walked 4 laps on the 1/3-mile track at the fitness center. It was 98 degrees out, and neither of us was complaining about the heat. Maybe it wasn't as humid. As a matter of fact, when I commented about it, my walking partner said she was complaining on the inside. She didn't want to say anything negative. I really like this snapping thing.

I was teasing that before we knew it, we'd be playing soccer or kick ball. Watch out world!

Now I just have to stop eating so much when I get home from walking. I'm hoping I'll get used to the routine and not feel like I deserve more food because I walked.

I tried another new recipe today from the old Weight Watchers cookbook. It was Ricotta-Parmesan Pasta. I ate both helpings (16 pts) even though it wasn't all that good. I probably won't make it again.

My son is in El Paso. He's closing a chapter in his life by getting all the stuff he left there when he came back in January. So I'm "batching it" this weekend. So, what did I do? I walked after work, ate too much for dinner, and fell asleep in my recliner about 8:30. Wow! Watch out world ;O)

Tomorrow I have 2 challenges -- a baby shower and dinner with some classmates at a Mexican restaurant. I should probably look up their menu online and pick out what I want to order ahead of time. When I've done that, I don't even look at the menu. I just order what I already decided on. It saves money and calories. I just searched Felix's and they don't have a menu online. I'll just have to look for a salad even though I'd prefer something like puffy tacos or enchiladas. But that would be self defeating.

I'm still listening to Belleruth Naparstek at least once a day.

Food:
Sandwich with whole wheat bread, 3 egg whites, 1 tsp salad dressing (4 pts)
Sandwich with whole wheat bread, chicken salad, lettuce, tomato slice (10 pts)
1 dill pickle spear
capellini with ricotta-parmesan sauce (16 pts)
12 large marshmallows (5 pts)

Exercise:
Walked to and from Toastmasters
Walked 1-1/3 mile
Jumped down someone's throat (does that count as exercise?)

Weight Loss Journey, Staying Even at the Scale

It's amazing how easily I can undo all the good I did by eating 1 slice of pizza! Of course, that's what kept rolling around in my head today after I weighed in at WeightWatchers and didn't gain or lose. But truly, it wasn't the slice of pizza -- it was all the other things I did that weren't good choices. Now that I think of it, maybe it was the mojitos Saturday night.

I went over my points every day. I had a piece of German chocolate cake (the end piece with all the icing), 3 cookies PLUS the slice of pizza! I'll have to add all the points for the week to see how much I went over. I believe I get 26 a day + 35 extra for the week. That adds up to 5 extra points a day.

Don't you think it's pretty sad that I can't remember how many points I get a day? That should be first and foremost in my mind. Starting TODAY (not tomorrow), I'll keep it at 26. I do have to find out how many extra points I get for walking 2 miles when I do. We're walking a 20-minute mile consistently, so that's good. AND I don't complain anymore. My walking partner HAS to enjoy that.

I've walked 3 times this week! I know I said I'd walk 5 times, but it looked like rain yesterday, and if I walked, I couldn't indulge at the retirement reception, so we talked each other out of walking. Life is tough when you're spineless. I should know.

I'm going to a baby shower at my sister's Saturday, then to a Mexican restaurant with a bunch of my high school classmates. So I HAVE to store up points for those 2 events.

Food:
Grilled cheese sandwich with 2 slices of 1/3-fat cheese, and 2 slices whole wheat bread (4 pts)
1 cup cappucino (at Jaguar) (3 pts?)
1 can pinto beans (right out of the can) (6 pts)
6 almonds (1 pt)
1/4 bagel with taste of cream cheese (2 pts)
1 pkg crisps (2 pts)
1 hamburger patty (4 pts)
1-1/2 serving potato salad (1 tbsp mayo) (3 pts)

Exercise:
Walk to and from WeightWatchers meeting
Walked 2 miles after work

Weight:
221.4 (exactly the same as last week)

Weight Loss Journey, Sabotaging Myself

It rained today most of the day, so it was easy to talk ourselves out of walking this evening. And that meant I could eat at the retirement ceremony I went to at the end of the day. The usual retirement fare includes vegetables, fruits, dip, flautas (or taquitos), cake, and cookies. In addition to the usual, there was crab salad, with slices of french bread toasted with cheese. I had lots of vegetables, some fruit, a slice of cake and 3 cookies. I indulged. I admit it. The night before weigh in wasn't too smart.

I'm trying not to plan my days around weigh ins. I want to get into good habits and have losing weight be a result of my good choices. Not the reason for the good habits. Does that make sense?

I walked to and from the retirement party. That was the only exercise I got because I worked through lunch.

Food:
1 small baked potatoe browned with 2 egg whites (1 pt)
1 small gala apple (1 pt)
1 patty of 1/2 turkey breast and 1/2 ground round (4 pts)
1-1/2 servings potato/kale soup
1 cup broccoli
3 small celery pieces
crab salad
1 small sl french bread w/cheese
3 cubes watermelon
2 cubes cantaloupe
1 slice german chocolate cake
3 cookies
1 slice stuffed crust pepperoni pizza

Exercise:
Walked to and from Cafeteria

Weight Loss Journey, Getting Back to Counting Points

Write this down -- I walked 2 miles again today! I'm shooting for 5 days a week this week and maybe next. Then I'll go for 4 days a week and keep it steady at that as long as I can.

An interesting thing happened yesterday. When I woke up, I weighed 225 (not official), but that wasn't good. Then last night, I weighed 220. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we supposed to weigh more at night than in the morning? I hope that means I'm losing weight.

Another interesting thing happened yesterday. I started counting points again. I knew this would happen. For a week I wrote down everything I ate, purposely leaving out the points, and then I started adding the points to the easy things. And before you know it, I'm looking up points and reading labels again. I guess it was inevitable. Of course, it's not the worst thing that could happen.

I guess you noticed the graph on the right. I've been keeping this since January. It tells a good story. At first it showed that I'd lose for 5 weeks, then gain; lose for 5 weeks, then gain; lose for 5 weeks, then gain. Once I saw the pattern, it stopped. But it wasn't a good stop. I've floundered for 2 months. Now that I see that pattern, I'm hoping to stop it in a good way.

My walking partner and I are going to do what we can to lose at least 30 lbs by Christmas. If I do that, I'll have lost 50 lbs in a year! Now that we're building a pattern and doing what we can to be more conscious about our choices, we should gain momentum and having big Mo on our side will help a LOT according to Darren Hardy's Compound Effect CD.

It's crazy, but I almost can't wait to weigh in Thursday. Go figure ;O)

Food:
2 serv oatmeal with 2 pkts Splenda and 1 carton unsweetened applesauce (7 pts)
1 small gala apple (1)
2 serv. Potato/Kale soup (5)
3 serv. macaroni salad (1 lunch and 2 dinner) (6)
hamburger made from 1/2 turkey breast and ground round (no fat at all), 2/3 fat cheese (1 pt) and 2 slices whole wheat, double fiber bread and mustard.(9)
2 peppermints (1)
1 pkg WW multigrain crisps (2)
Total points: 32

Exercise:
Walked 2 miles

Weight Loss Journey, Walked Alone!

I have to brag -- I just walked 2 miles by myself! The horizon showed signs of rain, but I went anyway. It was pleasant, cloudy, and breezy most of the time. When I got in the car, I saw a drop on the windshield. I thought it might be from the tree I was parked under. By the time I got out of the parking lot, it was coming down -- huge drops. I was afraid it might be hail, but the sky wasn't the right color. It rained the whole way home. As a matter of fact by the time I got home, it was a gale with lightning and thunder.

I thanked God for waiting until I finished the walk. I don't have to tell you that I'm pretty proud of myself.

The food I made yesterday -- the macaroni salad and black-eyed pea salad are delicious. But the raw green peppers and onions don't agree with me. Darn :(

A friend told me I was inspiring her to get back into a walking routine. If I'm inspiring you to do anything, please add a comment to my blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, if you have a comment about the food or anything else, please comment.

Food:
2 servings oatmeal (didn't finish it all) with 1 serving unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon (6 + 1)
1 small gala apple (1)
8 baby carrots (or so) (1)
1 serving macaroni salad (3)
1-1/2 serving black-eyed pea salad (3)
1-1/2 serving beef stroganoff (15)
1 pkg wholewheat crisps (2)
1 peppermint (0)

32 points (6 over). If I lose another pound, I'll lose a point. Hmmm
Look at this -- I'm counting points! I figured it was just a matter of time ;O)

Exercise:
Walked 2 miles ;O) I have to if I'm going to continue to eat like this.

Weight Loss Journey, Playing Hookey

Today is Sunday, and I'm playing hookey from life. I've been reading a Janet Evanovich novel about Stephanie Plum (Fingerlicking Fifteen), and I'm cooking for next week. So far I've baked 4 small potatoes and a batch of Potato and Kale Soup. Later today I'll make Salisbury Steak. I can't find the written list for what I bought groceries for, so I'll probably have to go back to Sunday's blog post to see what I listed. Maybe another goal should be to be more organized.

Sunday's post had the list I needed. I made the Black-Eyed Pea salad, Macaroni Salad, and Salisbury Steak. I still didn't have Worchestershire Sauce, so I tried Soy Sauce instead, and I didn't have red wine, so I tried red wine vinegar instead. I don't know that the vinegar was a good sub for red wine, but the soy sauce was OK.

I ended up with lots of BLTs (bites, licks, and tastes), so I probably went over my points for the day. But I have lots of stuff for lunch next week!

Food:
1 egg with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread (not grilled) (6 pts)
1 small baked potato with 1 tbsp lite margarine and salt and pepper
2 servings Potato and Kale soup (YUM!)(4pt/serv and 10/2 serv)
2 serving black-eyed pea salad (2 pts each)
1 serving macaroni salad--had to make sure they tasted OK ;O) (3 pts)
1 serving Salisbury Steak (6 pts) with 2 serving instant mashed potatoes
1-1/2 glass chocolate milk
2 peppermints (1)
34 points (8 over)

Weight Loss Journey, SNAP!

My son and I started snapping our fingers when one of us says something negative. At Toastmasters meetings, when someone says "ah," the "ah" counter rings a bell; so before you know it, that annoying habit is gone. We're snapping for negative comments, and I think I'm even censoring my thoughts. You know, what comes out of your mouth should have started out in your head. Although, sometimes I wonder where things I say come from. ;O) I'm actually much happier now.

I have a couple of challenges ahead of me today. My daughter is having a lia sophia jewelry party, and, afterward, I'm going to a classmate's house to work on the table decorations for our class reunion. There will be food at both. Until just this moment, I was planning to throw caution to the wind and enjoy whatever food is being served at both places. But then I'd have to write it down for you to see. And where would that put me on my journey? Back to last week most probably. I want to continue to 135, so I have to make sure I don't take as many detours as I have been. I don't want to run out of gas before I get there!

SO, I'll avoid baked goods (except my cookies), dips, and chips. Wish me luck!

Starting today, I'll add any off-scale victory that I celebrate. Like last Sunday, I actually put my clothes in the dryer for the first time in years! I stopped drying them in the dryer because the clothes get too tight. Consequently, all door frames have something hanging in them when I do laundry. Starting last week, that's a thing of the past.

I listened to Belleruth while taking my nap -- The CD has 2 tracks, 1 is the guided meditation, and 1 is affirmations. The affirmations are great! If you don't have something like this, consider it. The affirmations will give me different things to say to myself when old tapes start to play.

I've been challenged to walk or workout 6 days a week. I don't really have time today, so I'll start tomorrow. Tuesday and Thursday are already part of my walk routine, so I'm 1/3 of the way there.

Food:
Grilled mozzarella cheese sandwich on dry whole wheat bread (4 pts)
2 cookies (that I baked using chocolate cake mix, 2 large eggs, and 1 small carton unsweetened applesauce (2 cookies = 3 WW points -- if I figured it right)
1 serving Scallops with Pasta and Pesto (yes, I still have some left -- 1 more serving to go) (6 pts)
veggies at my daughter's
My friend's:
lots of salad w/4 tbsp Ken's Smokehouse Olive Oil vinaigrette dressing
100 huge olives with garlic (a slight exaggeration)
5 or 6 black olives
lots of fruit
fruit/pudding trifle (light and delicious)
cheese and crackers
4 more cookies
5 mojitos (or was it 7?)

Weight Loss Journey, Working on my Why

Well, I deserve how I felt when I woke up. BLOATED! I had a hard time putting on my rings this morning, and they were so tight, I couldn't get them off! Now, is that how someone on a weight reduction plan is supposed to feel? NO! So, why do I do what I do?

Years of conditioning? Years of self sabotage by an inner voice that's stronger than my will power? Darren Hardy says to work on my Why Power so it'll be there when my will power fails.

So, what is my why power? Why do I want to lose weight? I obviously need to remind myself more often:
To look good.
To feel good.
To get off the blood pressure and cholesterol meds.
So I don't start developing other problems that start because of weight.
So I can touch my toes without moaning and groaning.
To feel sexy again.
So I can put on a swimsuit again (currently, I won't even put one on, much less wear one in public).
So I can be more agile and physically fit (as opposed to physically phffft).

If you can think of other reasons to be at my perfect weight, please remind me.

I read in Judith Beck's Weight Loss Workbook this morning that refusing to eat food that won't help me lose weight should be automatic like brushing my teeth, washing my face, taking a bath. I should say "NO CHOICE" when something like Church's chicken with honey biscuits call my name. I also read about deceiving myself. I need to read this one again, because I can't remember what I read.

I fixed Beef Stroganoff for the first time this evening. It was so filling that I wasn't tempted to eat anything else except 2 peppermints. It was filling, but tasteless. And it was a lot of work! The kitchen was hot and full of dirty dishes! If I do it again, I'll have to make sure I have Worchestershire Sauce. The bottle I had probably had a sell by date of 1993! I chose to skip it. Maybe I could have substituted low-sodium soy sauce.

Food:
Grilled mozzarella cheese sandwich with dry whole wheat bread
small Gala apple
1 can black-eyed peas (straight out of the can)
1 pkg WW Multigrain crisps
1 vending machine pkg of salted peanuts
serving of Beef Stroganoff with No Yolk egg noodles
15 green grapes
1 med. peanut butter cup
2 peppermints

Exercise:
Walked two miles after work

Extras:
Listened to Belleruth Naparstek.

Weight Loss Journey, Weight Loss ;O)

I woke up at 3:50 this morning (as usual), and instead of just going back to sleep, I listened to the guided meditation by Belleruth Naparstek again. In no time, I was relaxed and back to sleep (I hope that's a good thing). It's interesting that when the guided meditation ended, I woke up.

A couple of years ago, a friend who was learning hypnosis asked me to help her practice. I was not only hypnotized for free, but I also got a CD of the session -- WOW! I listened to it faithfully every night. She recorded the whole session, including the end where she counts to wake me up. So everytime I listened to the session, I woke up at the end, and sometimes I couldn't go back to sleep. I mentioned it to her, not as a complaint, but as a suggestion that she stop recording before that part or reword it so the person doesn't wake up if it's at night.

Anyway, I ate the same sandwich I had yesterday for breakfast, but today I added something else. I counted to 30 between bites. That really slowed me down, and I actually tasted the food. Now I'm not sure if I like the cheese I had in my sandwich. ;O) I have to decide -- good taste -- low calories and fat. Hmmm . . .

I just got back from the Weight Watchers @ Work meeting and I lost 1.4!!!

So my Official weight is 221.4. I've lost 21 lbs in 29 weeks :( I seem to be a slow learner. Maybe I'm a slow burner. Now that I'm fired up, I hope I keep the momentum.

To keep the Journey theme -- I've finally stopped going in circles. I was doing well until May 13, when, for some reason, I seemed to get off course. Now, I have my map, I'm hitting the "Restart Button," and I'm back on track.

My Personal Development coach said that I have to work through the days that I don't feel like eating the right foods, getting the exercise, or drinking the water. I have to do it even though I don't feel like it. For a couple of reasons: I'll feel better after I've done it, I'll build the good habits, and there will be consequences whichever I choose.

I really prefer the consequences of doing it even though I don't feel like it. That's why I like having a walking partner (my navigator). We walk even though there are days one of us doesn't want to. We do it because we should, and heck, we have our clothes with us, we might as well put them to work.

Weight: 221.4

Food:
2 slices whole wheet, double fiber bread
1 slice low fat American cheese
2 egg whites
1 serving of Scallops, Pasta & Pesto
8 pieces of WeightWatchers Original Multigrain Crisps (BLT)
2 Church's chicken thighs, 2 biscuits, and a small Diet Coke
1 pkg of chocolate covered peanuts (2.5 servings) :(
about 15 pretzels

Exercise:
Walked to the Weight Watchers @ Work meeting.

Weight Loss Journey, Guided Meditation

I started today at 5:00. I've been sleeping in lately. But today I was ready to get up when my alarm sounded. I tried something new today: Guided Meditation for weight loss by Belleruth Naparstek. I listened to 22 minutes of the 60-minute CD in the morning. Then, at night, I listened to the whole CD.

Food:
Sandwich of whole wheat bread, 2 egg whites and 1 slice of HEB lite cheese
Chicken and Rice (leftovers)
1 snack pkg of salted peanuts
1 small ice cream cone from Sonic (yum!)
1 Sourdough Jack and small order of fries
chocolate bar from the Credit Union

Exercise:
I did 12 situps on my bed. That's not much exercise, but it's something.

Weight Loss Journey, Fighting for Control

I feel like I was out of control last night. I ate way too much for dinner, and I had a craving for something, anything to eat.

Today was pretty routine, so nothing exciting to report.

Food:
2 servings of oatmeal with 3 tsp of sugar
12 baby carrots
1 chicken thigh with rice (leftover from last night)
15 green grapes
3 slices Little Caesar's large pepperoni pizza
16 oz. chocolate milk

Exercise:
Walked 2 miles after work

Weight Loss Journey, Back to a Routine

Well, today is another day. I started out with the usual. I'm back into a routine. I do better eating wise with a routine.

I've had a couple of opportunities to walk today. It's hot, but it doesn't bother me like it used to. When I started Weight Watchers, I decided to walk to the meetings, rain or shine! Then I started walking to every meeting, within reason. Actually, the only meetings I haven't walked to have been in Bldg. 209, which is just a little farther than the building I walked to today at lunch. Maybe I'll walk to it next time I have a meeting.

I planned to make Beef Stroganoff for dinner but found some chicken thighs that needed to be cooked. So I fried 6 skinless, boneless thighs, no breading, just fried on a pancake griddle. Then I put the remaining 4 thighs in a casserole dish with a cup of brown rice and a can of cream of mushroom soup. YUM! The dinner probably set me back a day or so, but it was delicious ;O)

Food:
2 servings of oatmeal with 3 tsp of sugar
1 small gala apple
1 serving Scallops with Pesto
1 serving carrots
23 grapes
4 cups water
1 small red leaf lettuce salad w/light ranch dressing
3 chicken thighs
rice with mushroom soup
16 oz skim milk with lite chocolate

OK, so I didn't do so well today. I was really hungry when I got home, and the food was really good. Not a good combination. I hope the walking will offset the bad food choices this evening.

Exercise:
Walked to and from Bldg. 171 during lunch (11:30 & 1:00)
Walked to and from Bldg. 263 (3:00)

Weight Loss Journey, Preparing for the Journey, 10-07-18

I weighed when I awoke, and according to my scale (not official mind you), I weigh 220. I actually weighed about 225 yesterday on my scale (not official). So, I'm already making progress.

This weight loss journey is so much like taking a trip. First I had to decide where to go, and if it was worth the trouble, planning, work, etc.

Now that I've decided to go to 135, I have to pack. Picking out recipes and preparing a shopping list is much like packing for a long trip. Once I picked out several new recipes, my first thought was to get all I needed. But history tells me that too much is not a good thing. Like taking too many clothes, buying too many fresh ingredients is not smart. I usually tire of cooking something new every night, and the rest of the food spoils.

I culled my list of new recipes and made a list of groceries to get for those. I've spent about 3 hours just planning the menu for this week! Now I'm ready to shop. I have my calculator and budget. Shopping will take at least an hour or more. It's kind of exciting to see what I actually end up with. Hopefully I'll have enough for several good new meals. I've decided on the Salisbury Steak, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Parmigiano, Black Beans with Rice, Pasta Salad, Oatmeal Scones, Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Macaroni Salad, Fettuccine Alfredo, Ricotta-Parmesan Pasta, Scallops with Green Pesto, and Italian-Style Swiss Steak

After 1-1/2 hours of shopping, I finally got home with lots of goodies, overspending my budget by $40! The only thing I didn't have with me was my Weight Watchers Points counter.

I decided to fix the Scallops with Green Pesto from the Weight Watchers Favorite Homestyle Recipes cookbook. I liked it. I chose to buy the pesto instead of making it, and the brand I chose didn't have much flavor. I used to buy a packet that I added olive oil to, but I couldn't find it this time. My son didn't like the crunchy of the almonds which contrasted with the "squishy" scallops and pasta. Once I added salt, I thought it was delicious. There's lots left, so I hope it tastes good as leftovers ;O).

Scallops with Green Pesto

Pesto (I used a jar)
1 c chopped scallions
1 c fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 c fresh basil leaves
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil

Scallops
1 lb, 2 oz bay scallops
1 packet low-sodium instand chicken broth mix
2 oz. toasted slivered almonds
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
4-12 cups hot cooked tricolor fusilli pasta (I used whole wheat)

1. To prepare pesto, in blender, combine scallions, parsley, basil, cheese, garlic, and oil until just blended; set aside.
2. In large skillet, bring 1 cup water to a boil; add scallops. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallops just turn opaque, about 3 minutes.
3. With slotted spoon, transfer scallops to large serving bowl; reserve poaching liquid. Add remaining ingredients, pesto, and 1/2 cup reserved liquid. Toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

6 Servings

Per serving: 294 calories, 22 g protein, 11 g fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 146 mg calcium, 306 mg sodium, 31 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber.

Weight Watchers points: 6

Pinto Beans
I decided to make some pinto beans last night, so I soaked them overnight. I started cooking them first thing when I got up. Then I headed to the store and forgot about them being on the stove. By the time I remembered them, the water had cooked away. I'm eating them anyway. I have never made a good pot of beans. They are supposed to be so easy to make. Even my Dad makes good beans. But, alas, the bean cooking gene skipped me.

I grew up with beans and cornbread, so I decided to make cornbread to go with my beans. When I got to the milk in the recipe, I realized the carton was bad, so I used water instead. Not a good substitute. The cornbread is completely tasteless.

At least one meal worked out OK! ;O)

Food:
2 servings Oatmeal (need the fiber and quality to lower cholesterol) with 3 tsp sugar.
17 green grapes
1 serving of the Scallops with Green Pesto
1 apple
3 cups of homemade pinto beans
1 serving of cornbread
2 spoonfuls of Scallops
1 pkg of WW Cheese Twists
16 oz skim milk with lite chocolate

Exercise:
15 minutes on exercise ball

Weight Loss Journey, The Continuing Story, 10-07-17

Those who know me know I've struggled with weight problems since I was 8 years old. I went from too skinny to too fat in one year (most likely over the summer). It changed from people telling me I needed to eat to people telling me I had to stop eating.

So, here I am, 50 years later, struggling once again to get to the perfect weight. In 7th grade, I was on my first official diet -- I had to take tenuate (sp?) 30 minutes before lunch. Lunch consisted of diet jello, soup, vegetables. Then over the next few years, I tried Ayds (a caramel-like candy that you chew before each meal). I ate sauerkraut once until I got sick, same with spinach. I drank my weight in grapefruit juice and ate nothing until I ended up in the hospital. I took Desoxyn (sp?), even tried speed.

Then I started weight reduction programs like Weight Reduction Medical Center where I got a weekly vitamin B shot and added protein powder to caffeine-free drinks along with 4 ozs of protein and a small salad. I had to keep my body in ketosis. I got really weak doing that. The next one was Nutrasystems. I did really well with that program. But it was very expensive and I quit. Then I gained all the weight back and then some.

I joined Weight Watchers hundreds of times it seems. I'd do well then I'd start "cheating" and losing interest. In 2006, my cardiologist suggested I try LA Weight Loss. LA was like Weight Watchers on steroids. We followed a very similar eating plan and weighed in 3 times a week. It was very expensive, and we had to pay for some LA Lite bars that were tasty (once you got used to the chemical taste). The bars were a great way to feel like I was indulging myself, and they helped fill in the gaps between meals. I did very well -- lost 40 lbs (of 110)! Then they changed the plan and the weight loss stopped immediately, and a year later, I was still struggling to lose more. I stuck with LA until 2008 when they closed their doors, owing me 40 boxes of bars! It happened right after I had my first knee surgery and wasn't able to drive. I was very disappointed.

Then for a new year's resolution, I decided to once again lose weight. But I started on my resolution early by joining Weight Watchers Dec. 22, 2009, so I'd be armed for the holidays. It helped a lot! I actually lost weight during the holidays! Then a friend started a Weight Loss group that works through "The Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook." By May 13, I'd lost 20 lbs! And, here it is July 17, and I'm still at that 20 lbs loss!

What's going on? Why do I sabotage myself? I'm certainly not happy at this weight! I don't like the way I look in clothes. I get tired of people not wanting to sit next to me at conferences or meetings. So what's going on?

I've been blessed with a mentor who is working through a personal development program with my son and me. Today we got down to the nitty gritty. Since we started this in April, I've mentioned that I want to weigh 135 by Christmas 2010. Well, here it is 3 months later, and I've lost a couple of pounds and 3 months. He finally asked today if that was truly something I wanted to do. I said it was. So, we discussed how I HAD to eat less and move more. Duh! But why don't I do that?

I have to forget the past. Put it behind me. Jim Rohn said something like You can't change your life overnight, but you can change the direction of your life overnight. I have to think about the future. I have to work through the times that I don't feel like doing anything. Three struggles I have are procrastination, laziness, and busyness, oh, and stinking thinking. I'm always telling myself that I can start again tomorrow and I give myself permission to eat something I shouldn't or to skip exercising. I'm basically a slug, so it doesn't take much to talk myself out of being active. Then I get busy and before I know it, it's late and I haven't had time to exercise.

So, I'm starting fresh today (not tomorrow). I'm going to use this blog as a way to track what I eat and my exercise. I still go to Weight Watchers and weigh in every Thursday, so on Thursdays, I'll post my weight and whatever we discussed at the meetings. I walk on Tuesdays and Thursdays with my friend and accountability partner.

Please have patience with me, encourage me, and help me through this journey. I was originally going to call it a struggle. But that sure puts a negative connotation on this. It is a journey, and I'm excited about the side trips and fun times we can have on this journey.

I don't remember exactly what my weight was Thursday -- I don't have my book with me. I think it was 222.8. I bought 2 boxes of 2-pt snacks (a first): I got cheese curls and original wheat crisps. I'm hoping these will help me through the "gotta have something" times.

I just went through 3 different cookbooks -- Weight Watchers favorite Homestyle Recipes, LA Weight Loss (no nutritional info; I'll have to plug the ingredients into the Weight Watchers website), and Better Homes and Gardens Low-Fat Meals (no fiber info) -- looking for food that my son and I can eat that's tasty, healthy, and low fat/cal. Then I made a grocery list.

The recipes I found are:
Salisbury Steak
Beef Stroganoff
Potato/Kale soup (like the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden)
Chicken Parmigiano
Swiss Steak
Black Beans with Rice
Vegetable Lasagna
Pasta Salad
Oatmeal Scones
Breakfast Pie
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Macaroni Salad
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ricotta-Parmesan Pasta
Denise's Pasta Supreme
Easy Manicotti Florentine
Scallops with Green Pesto
Betty's Fried Rice
Itanlian-Style Swiss Steak

Weight: 222.8
Exercise: walked to and from library, 1:30, 95 deg., 1.1 mile (I'm pretty proud of myself)
Food: 2 servings of Oatmeal with 3 tsp of sugar (9 pts)
Bill Miller salad/ranch dressing (dipped fork in dressing)
fruit salad
1/2 chicken dark (no skin)
2 captain's wafer crackers
1 roll (Biller Miller)
1 pkg cheese curls (2 pts)
2 chalupa shells (2 pts)