Turn Around Tuesday.

Hi all.

October 16th is approaching and I am no where near that goal I posted recently.  This girl has a new goal and that is to be at 168 by Thanksgiving.

Weight Watchers does a 8 weeks until Thanksgiving program where they basically say, "Hey, you could be at a reasonable goal by Thanksgiving."  I thought I would give it a try.

I have learned that I have a problem with limiting myself.  Especially when it comes to yogurt toppings.  So, I just am taking that off the deal, and planning for these treats.

The new goal has me tracking everything I eat, before I eat it.  I also am paper tracking.  That means writing it down without the help of the smart phone or web.  I am more conscious  when I do it. I am also journaling about obstacles and feelings.  That adds to the process too.

I like to think of myself as an example of somebody who has met their goal but still struggles.  Hey we all do.  I used to look at skinny girls and just get angry and think they were blessed with some amazing metabolism.  The truth is that lots of these "skinny" girls are very conscious of what goes in their bodies and they are also usually big exercisers.  Life is about the calorie in-calorie out equation.  It is just simple math.  If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight.  If you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight.  Simple, yet so hard because the natural man just wants to eat whatever he wants without consequence.  There is opposition in all things.  Even food.  Interesting, no?

Okay.  Enough about this.  I am off to change the world one teen at a time.  Have a great turnaround Tuesday!

A New Goal

I have set a goal to be at 169 on October 16th.  The reason I am wanting to be there is so that I can try to become a Weight Watchers leader. 

By writing this goal on this site, I am putting it out there and making it reality.

Habits I am changing:

1.  If I have frozen yogurt, no toppings. 

And the no fat option.

2. I will track everything, BEFORE it becomes part of me. If I can't find it in the tracker, I cannot eat it!

3.  Snacking at work needs to change. The candy in my office is getting moved and I am going to buy healthier snacks and put them at the stops I have after school. Especially, in the front office. 

4. I am going to drink water like it is going out of style. It will keep me full. 

5. I am going to notice and listen to my hunger and stop when full!

6.  I am going to track ahead.  This means that I need to know what is for dinner BEFORE the day starts!

A Run in the Sun

Hi. I decided while out on my run that I would come back, stretch and then post in here.

I used to blog on a running blog but have recently been debating my life as a runner. I love running. It truly has a drug effect on my brain and has really helped me get into shape. The unfortunate thing about running is that it is very hard on my knee(an old war injury from my rugby days at Utah State.). See, I like running races because it really helps me focus my training. When you have a race coming up, you train more out of fear that you will die or be publicly humiliated(lots of people show up for those races!). And running against the clock is a thrill and great goal. I am great at 5 kilometer races(3.1 miles). My knee doesn't complain and I can train. I, at, one time wanted to run a 10k and started to train. The knee hated me. I got in a rut and have just been a running for the sake of running and to burn calories. It is nice not to track distance or pace and I am happy with just being a non-racing runner. So, long story short, to save the knee and not get bored, I am now a cross trainer. Hiking, biking, an occasional(2 times per week) run, and walking are the new modes of calorie burning. The running blog seems obsolete these days, so on occasion, I will be writing about my training on here. It's a way to keep track of my activity and make it that I blog more.

I now gage runs based not on miles and pace but on sprinklers and water fountains. Today was a pretty nice run with three sprinklers and two and a half water fountains(one had poor pressure). The sprinklers this time of year are divine. It is too hot here in Utah for this Wisconsin girl and running through sprinklers not only makes me feel like a kid again, but it cools me off!! I also got out on the run a little late because I miss judged time on my weight watchers meeting which makes for warmer runs. I still got myself out there though which is a win.

I had to pay again this week to attend the meeting but I still went. It' totally worth ten bucks to get back on track. My friends and I are having a tracking challenge this week. If you fail, you buy movie tickets for everybody next week (summer brings a weekly movie escapade).

Having a support group is highly important. Knowing other people are in the same situation as am is confronting and motivating. I know I wouldn't be as successful without my supports. I also wouldn't be as successful without weekly check ins/meetings. (As was apparent by the last three weeks and my weight gain.)

Two goals for this week:
1. Get back to my goal weight and not have to pay for Weight Watchers next week.
2. Track all I eat and their PointsPlus Values on paper.

Here is an experiment. Who is reading this blog these days? I am curious like George. I ask that you leave a comment on this post. What is your goal this week? Thanks for participating! Cheers.

Oh boy.

The past three weeks have been a roller coaster. Getting married is a whole new kind of adventure. Stress was a huge thing before and the celebrations seemed never ending after. Mix that all with vacationing in Wisconsin and it was a deadly combination for being off track with my eating.

I expected that though and to be completely honest, I let loose. I didn't keep track of what I was eating and I ate what I wanted. The seven pounds gained is the consequence to that choice. I fully take responsibility and can't complain about the extra work I now need to do in order to get to my new goal (and the money I will have to pay to Weight Watchers tomorrow night.).

Life is always going to happen and there are going to be many times when I let loose and have to refocus later. This is the journey that I always talk about. I will always have food issues and will always need to be conscious of them. I also feel that sometimes I will need to have some time where I am flexible and can celebrate and not keep track of food. The most important thing is that I come back on track. That is what it is all about. We all make mistakes and we all need to refocus sometimes. If we realize that and don't give up, we can and will be successful in our weight journey!

So, here is to flexibility and here is to refocusing. Go team!

I Want to Eat Everything in the World!

I am surprisingly calm for it being the week of my wedding day.  

Of course, I think I am calm, but I just want to eat and eat.  That is totally a sign of me being a little stressed.  

I better go to bed so I don't eat everything in the world.  That would be embarrassing.  

It's all good until the Calzone

I had a good day. I kept stuffing veggies and fruits into my mouth when I was HUNGRY!  Watermelon is my favorite these days.  So yummy!

The calzone at Nicolitalia ROCKED, but it probably wasn't good point-wise.  I am putting it in as two pieces of pizza.

Reuben and I went to the temple after dinner.  Very nice day!

A Day

Note to self:  You eat when you are stressed.  When I heard the park where my reception is to be was on fire, I kinda freaked.  Luckily, the fire was little and didn't effect the actual place of the reception.  Good thing!

Ran today.  It was nice.  I also rode the bike to work, then to the bowling alley and back with the kids in my summer class, and then rode home.  Good bit of activity!

I need to track better...meaning I do not wait until the tail end of the day to know what I have eaten and how much wiggle room I have for dinner.  So, the second Note to Self is:  Track before Bite.

Cheers.

Hi

I weighed myself on Saturday and quickly went and weighed in.  I figure that if I am in my goal range, I best be a weighing.  Seems like this time before getting married is tough and I will take what I can get.  Life should get a little less hectic come July and then I can get back on the quest to become a leader.  Not that I couldn't be concentrating on losing weight right now, but it is just proving to be hard and sometimes you just have to accept life.  I am trying to be real good during the day,  seeing my nights usually end up being on the higher point plus values end.  Dang fiances!

Went on a two hour bike ride with my summer PE class today.  It was nice to be out and about in the good weather.  I think I am going to start logging my exercise here on the blog.  It will motivate me to be more active.

Cheers!

Damn Crackers and other Ramblings

Note to Self:  Don't eat things before tracking them.  I hate those blasted crackers.

Did okay today.  Was able to enjoy the burger because I planned for it.  I would have been a bit more happy had I actually looked up the points plus value for the crackers I had while on the hike with my students, but it is what it is.  We had a good hike and I really wish the online tools would have a real hiking listed for activity.  Cross country just doesn't seem intense enough.  Bummer.  

The burger with my friend, Kerri was delicious.  I sure do love me a burger!

Cheers!

30 Points Plus and 12 Activity Points Plus

Not too bad of a day.  Good stuff!

I am tired.  Summer school for three hours just wears me out! :)

And there was great celebration!

The final bridal shower happened tonight.  I am so not the girl that gets excited about this stuff.  Thankfully, I have a great future sister-in-law to plan amazing parties like this one.  Notice the wonderful snacks on this beautifully set up table.  The cake pops were divine.  And that wonderful strawberry smoothie shake thing was delightful.  Emily rocks!

Now how do I balance all this celebration and lose weight?  If you find the answer, let me know, because this girl is a struggling.

Surprise Sabotage

Craziness happened at work today and when I was there to bring something back, the principal asked me to lunch.  I said yes because it was a goodbye to one of our co-workers, which was totally unexpected.

It was Brick Oven and very tasty.  I ate too much.   I should have skipped the pasta and only had the salad bar and soup.  You live you learn, right?

Then Reuben came and we picked up a sandwich before the hike.  And we had frozen yogurt to top off the night.  SIGH.

I did hike and that was a good workout.  I will track it.

Baseball Rocks.

I went to a Bees game today and I sure do love baseball.  I did track and make sure I didn't go too overboard.  Okay, so the cookie dough ice cream was a little extreme, but so be it.

There is nothing like a hot dog at the ballpark.  I highly enjoyed it.

I also rode the bike for an hour this morning.  That is a good thing.  Maybe it will help erase that ice cream and cotton candy.  This is why I exercise.  I think about how many cookies or frozen yogurts I just burned.  It makes me feel better about sweating and being in agony.  Exercise isn't my favorite but I do it for the benefits.

Good stuff.
Cheers

Activity.

Key to weight loss.  Eat less, move more.  Just sayin'

Tonight at meeting we talked about activity.  It is important to find something you like to do.  Not all of us are runners and if you don't like it, you won't do it.

I committed that I will be active and track in each day in the next week.  I will do it.

Today, I did better than the last few.  It is nice.

Holy Jambalaya!

We celebrated the holiday with the future in-laws.  Specifically, the Cajun side from Reuben's dad's side.  I was in Cajun heaven with Jambalaya and Gumbo.  LOVED IT.

I did eat way too much, but the chocolate cake was totally worth it.  Just sayin'.  I rode the bike for an hour and a half to hopefully solve the overeat problem.  We will see.  The overeating needs to stop.  Back on track tomorrow, even though that isn't ever a good thing to say.  It should be: I am now back on track!

Cheers and Happy Memorial Day!

Fail

I am actually trying to see how many pounds I can GAIN this week.  Just kidding, but that is how I am eating.

Tomorrow will be hard with the family gathering and dinner with a friend.  SIGH.

Someday I'll Get Back on Track!

Pizza and a Rockband Party.  'Nough said!

Horribly no good

When breakfast is 19 Points Plus Value, you know it's bad.

With a school's over breakfast and BBQ lunch, I was doomed.

Tomorrow is a new day!

Repeat Pete.

Pretty much a horrible food day.  Celebrating the end of school is bad, bad tracking news.

From a hot dog at lunch, to 3 big cookies, to the fabulous Indian food my fiance bought me tonight that I didn't budget for.  It was all yummy.

Sometimes you have to indulge or you will always indulge.  Just sayin'

Graduation Day.

Too. Much. Food.

I should track it but haven't yet.  It probably is bad, bad news with the yearbook signing party with snow cones, popcorn and diet coke.  I guess the diet coke is okay even though it is killing my body slowly.

Then it was graduation with cookies after and then Jimmy Johns and frozen yogurt.

Oh yeah and lunch was Sensuous Sandwich.

What a day.  But it was a good and fun day.  I love graduation day.  Those kids sure do have my heart!