Grrr

My weight keeps inching up every morning. It's very discouraging. But I'm going to get through this. I just have to tough it out. I need to change up my routine. I need to watch what I eat. I say that because last night after the gym I ask hubby, you want Chinese? Sure. Enough said. I probably ate 2000 calories for dinner alone. Le sigh. I'm tired, and it's hard.....but I know I can do this! Snap out of it woman! You've lost so much already....you can take off all the weight! YEAH!

Plateaued

I've reached my first plateau in my weight loss. Hubby says it's because I'm putting on muscle and still losing weight. I think it's because I haven't been working out hard enough. According to a fitness website I was reading you need to burn 3500 calories + the amount of calories you take in daily to burn 1 pound of fat. Yesterday I did the bike for 50 minutes and burned 400 calories. Then I did weight machines which burned about 350 calories. How in the world am I going to make it to 3500 + 1500 when I can only do 750 calories at a time?! It's all right, I'll be fine. Just feeling a little discouraged is all.

I've started to add more fiber to my diet. I bought some fiber one yogurt and cereal bars from the grocery store this morning. The yogurt has 5g of fiber and the bars have 9g. That should hold me for a couple of days until I find more fiber-ish options. I've also decided to cut my caloric intake down to 1500 calories a day. At my current point value I have 39 a day, this change will cut me down to about 30 a day. Which is fine with me since I hardly ate all my points anyways. I just want to see the scale start falling instead of rising. I need a little something to rebuild my confidence.

Yeah...

So I've been in a funky mood for blogging/logging food lately. Saturday I had a fasting day for purposes of faith. I ate dinner that day, which was chicken and spinach quesadilla from El Chico's. Then on Sunday I ate a salad for lunch from Lonestar. I tried their steak and protabello mushroom half salad. It was so good and very filling. Then for dinner we went to eat at Barnhill's. I can't believe I ate that much. Two plates! Mostly cabbage, some green beans, some black eyed peas, some dressing, some broccoli cheese rice casserole, and baked chicken. Anyways, I didn't count points, or calories, I'm getting a little burned out on that whole thing. I'm just going to try and eat healthy and keep working out for awhile. And I did work out on Sunday. I worked my butt off. New weight posted. Down 1.4 pounds from last week. Wooo!

I'm feelin pretty good

I feel like yesterday really got me back on track. I went to the gym after work, I rode the stationary bike for 25 minutes and my legs started to hurt so bad. I didn't push myself beyond that, I don't want another time off exercise. After I worked out I went home and fixed Spaghetti Squash with meat sauce for dinner. It took FOREVER! Well maybe it just seemed like forever because not only did I wait until 7 (because I had my legs propped up) to start cooking but I also started the three bean turkey chili for tonight's dinner. I browned that meat first so I practically cooked two meals last night. After that my feet and legs were screaming at me. I don't know what made it hurt the worst, exercising after having not for four days or retaining water and swelling or spending an hour in the kitchen on my feet. And for some odd reason today my abs and back have sore muscles. Explain that!

Anyways, I hope I have time to exercise before church tonight. But if I do I may be all sweaty because I may not have time to take a shower. Hmmm, might have to risk it. On an off topic I was shocked at how many points one container is of yoplait blueberry yogurt. It's 4 pts! And it's 99% fat free! I may have to look into that Fiber One yogurt.

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, raisin bran, half a carton of 2% milk (7 1/2 pts)

Lunch - 8" Sausage pizza from subway (whoppin 19 pts)

Mid-afternoon snack - TCBY small cup of soft serve White Chocolate Mousse yogurt (4 pts)

Dinner - Three bean Turkey chili 2 bowls (6 1/4 pts)

I do apologize

For the past several days I've been the world's worst at posting. Being sick is no excuse but it's all I got. I was sick, and hubby was out of town visiting his dad so I was a little depressed. Not to mention the eating...yes it was bad. Very, very bad. I ate a potato from Mcalister's for lunch on Saturday, spud max...the worst one for you. Then for dinner I ate pizza. Then Sunday for lunch I ate pizza, Sunday for dinner I ate pizza. There's still pizza in the fridge. I felt so guilty, but guilt isn't going to get me anywhere but into a shame spiral which will cause more depression. No more guilt I tell you. I have to get over it and move on. So today is me getting back on track. Healthy point counting eating and the gym after work. Oh that's another thing I haven't gone to work or the gym since last Thursday. I didn't even work out then I just used the steam room. But I'm moving on! Even with ALL this my Monday weigh in was still nice to me. I broke 300! 298.8. That's even with my monthly curse coming to visit.

I've been seeing a lot of people posting about their WW meetings and such, I feel like I'm missing out myself. I don't have that accountability of getting up infront of a group of people with the same goal as me and getting up on that scale. But does it make me stronger in the end if the only person I'm accountable to on the scale is me? Won't that help me more in my maintenance stage? I just wish that I had a close friend who was going through the same thing that I am. My boss/friend Debbie is trying to lose weight, but she's a tiny short 130. She always says that when she's around me it makes her want to be good, but I'm not sure how to feel about that. We occassionaly make it to the gym at the same time, but we don't work out together. It's not anything like a support buddy who tries to push you. If anything I'm always the one pushing her. I would invest in a trainer but so far I've heard that they aren't worth the money. Oh what to do, what to do.

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - (I was STARVING this morning) Scrambled eggs, sausage patty, raisin bran, whole carton of 2% milk (11 pts)

Mid-day snack - Cheddar Sunchips (3 pts)

Lunch - Roasted chicken breast on 6 inch wheat with mayo spinach and provolone cheese (9 pts) sour cream and onion Sunchips (5 pts)

Mid-afternoon snack - Curves 90 calorie mini bag of butter popcorn (1 pt)

Dinner - Spaghetti squash with meat sauce (5 pts)

The coughing continues

Well I actually came to work today, loaded to the teeth with chloraseptic and cough drops and my prescription cough medicine. Take that whatever you are rattling around in my chest! Yesterday was not a good day. I did rather well with my food until hubby got home, and I guess he didn't want to cook so he suggested pizza. Oh sweet Lord my mouth started watering at the thought. I was in a weakened state and didn't feel like arguing...not to mention I wanted it just as much as he did. So last night we ate deep dish pizza, with double sausage, mushrooms, garlic parmesan sauce instead of marinara, and extra provolone cheese on top. It was sooooooo good. So you know it had to be bad for me. I probably ate my whole days worth of points just during dinner! But that's enough of that, I'm back on track today. I plan on visiting the steam room at my gym and maybe...MAYBE going for a swim, if my lungs will allow it.

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, raisin bran, 2% milk (7 1/2 pts)

*Groans*

Man does my mouth hurt. The dentist apparently did a number on me yesterday and I didn't even realize it was that bad. But now my jaw hurts where he shot me and my throat is sore, I keep coughing. Breakfast was tricky this morning since I couldn't open my mouth more than an inch. I hope this won't be lasting all day. Yesterday I didn't get a chance to go work out. After my dentist appointment at 3 it was 5:30 when I got out. Then my hubby was off work and at the chiropractor's. I waited there with him for my mouth to stop being numb. By then I was starving so we went to Red Lobster. I think yesterday was a "rest stop" day. One of those days that you take off for yourself to enjoy and you don't feel guilty about it later. And it can only last for one day. After we ate I went grocery shopping. So I feel like I got something good accomplished, even though I did play hooky from work. Today I am going to the gym for sure! My knee feels better, I'm off of caffeine and other than the occasional cough I feel great!

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, Raisin bran, 2 % milk, medium banana (9 1/2 pts)

Mid-day snack - handful of cheddar sunchips (2 pts)

Lunch - Subway chicken noodle soup (2 pts) Barely any of a chicken spinach salad with mozzarella (2 pts) Another handful of cheddar sunchips (2 pts)

Dinner - Roasted curry chicken quarter, steamed garlic squash, and spinach and tomato couscous (7 pts)

I just don't know

I over slept today, and I felt so crappy that I decided to play hooky from work. My knee feels better at least. I'm catching up on laundry and chores around the place. For some reason I let it all go to hell in a hand basket. I also have a dentist appointment at 3 so I may not be able to make it to the gym today either. After the dentist I need to go grocery shopping with hubby. We're in desperate need of meats and more veggies. I updated my weight. Down 3.5 pounds. Wooo!

Ugh

Last night I had a rather rough night. Not only was my knee hurting and requiring to be iced, but I also got sick! I don't know why but all of a sudden nausea swept over me and that's all she wrote. Worst part is I had already taken all my nightly medicine. :-/ I would consider most of the points from my dinner sub-tractable after I got sick. So yesterday I was actually under points. I would be more concerned with being sick if I hadn't already been taking antibiotics for a week. Plus I don't feel bad. The only thing that I can complain about is my knee.

I didn't get up until 1 this afternoon. Feel kinda groggy because hubby let me sleep for so long. Needless to say I haven't gotten anything done today. I think I talked my hubby into going grocery shopping for us so we can have baked chicken tonight. Mmmm.

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast/Lunch - 4 sugar free chocolate chip girl scout cookies (4 pts.) 1/2 cup All bran, 1/8 cup raisins, and 1 cup 2% milk (5 pts)

Ow

For some reason I woke up this morning and my right knee is hurting something awful. It's probably the way I slept. I knew I didn't hurt it yesterday working out. Hopefully I can work out the kink in my knee so I can go to the gym without any complaints.

I've made a decision about my weigh ins. I have decided that I will only use my morning weight to track my weight lose. I'm going to change the beginning weight less three pounds and take off three pounds on my current weight, I figured three because that's usually my water weight difference. Next Monday I will update for my weekly weight loss. And from now up I will update weekly on Monday. I'm keeping up with one of my March Goals. :D

Yesterday's workout was pretty awesome. I did 50 minutes on the stationary bike, it said I burned 377 calories. Booyah! After that I worked out my arms. Then did 2 sets of 10 obliques. I thought my hamstrings would be more sore now but they aren't sore at all.

Well I didn't make it to the gym. My knee actually hurt worse as I tried to move around on it. I'm putting cold on it right now. Hopefully I'll be able to do something at the gym after church. If I can even go to gym, my knee hurts that bad.

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - All Bran, raisins, cup of 2 % milk (5 pts)

Mid-day snack - Banana (2 pts)

Lunch - Chili (3 1/4 pts) Chicken mushroom spinach salad with ranch (8 pts)

Dinner - Pizza Hut Organic sausage pizza with mushroom (11 pt/slice) 2 slices, Small dinner salad (3 pts)

Socializing is Fun

Yesterday I did go to the gym. I had a couple of times when my heart felt like it was beating fast but I felt well enough to go. No more excuses right... I did the bike for about 40 minutes and then did 35 crunches on the ab machine with 50 pounds on it! While I was on the bike I had a small chat with two lovely ladies. One of them was a retired OB nurse and the other is a teacher who is about to retire. I could've done more reps but I was so hot and sweaty and I felt a little rushed to go meet my folks for dinner. I skipped working on my arms and just took a shower and went to Cracker Barrel for dinner. I got the grilled steak salad....it was soooo good. And I was completely full after that.

My weigh in last night was much more satisfying, 306.9. I do honestly believe that eating sunflower seeds after working out was making me retain fluid for my weigh in. This morning it was 3 pounds less, so I'm happy with the way my body is dealing with my water weight...for now. I'm starting to feel a little worn down with my will power. I just feel so, blah all the time. I know I've lost 20 pounds which is so wonderful, I mean I never thought I would be this close to the 200's ever again. But, I just wish I saw faster results. I know it's a long and slow process that takes SO much hard work...but geez. I think once I've reached 299 I'll have a renewed vitality in my will power. Nothing better to help you with your resolve than to actually reach a goal! Maybe I've been feeling this way because I've had babies on the brain. I want to have a baby so badly...and I still have a year+ to wait just from weight loss. I need to pick myself out of this slump.

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - Half a bottle of orange juice, scrambled eggs, single serving size of Special K (They were out of raisin bran), half carton of 2% milk (9 1/2 pts.)

Mid-day snack - Banana (2 pts.)

Lunch - Chinese Beef and Broccoli with steamed rice (I think it could be 9 pts.)

Mid-afternoon snack - Cheddar Sunchips (3 pts)

Dinner - 2 bowls of Gina's Three Bean crock pot chili (6 1/4 pts.) Dessert I had 1/2 a serving of Sugar free fudge dipped vanilla wafers (1 1/2 pts.)

That wasn't so bad..

My session with the trainer was much easier than I thought it would be. There was no weighing, no measuring. He just showed me the basics on how to work the stationary bike and elliptical, which I've already been doing so... And then he explained to me the importance of stretching before and after exercise whenever possible. The only new thing that I did was work my obliques. I'm not quite sure if my description is going to do it justice, but the device that he showed me to work my obliques was a metal stand with two bars, one was the base on the floor and the other was about a 45 degree angle from the base and had padding at the top and feet plates. I get on the obtuse side of the angle and put my legs flat against the padding and my feet on the plates, then I lean forward so my body makes a 90 degree angle and go back up to 180. It's crazy, I kept thinking I could fall and break my face! Then he had me turn to the side so my hip was against the pads and I did the same thing but sideways. That really worked my love handles. The soreness that I'm feeling now is mainly in the love handles and in my quads, for some reason I kept using my legs as a way of coming back up instead of using my back muscles? That's still a little confusing... But good thing is I know I worked out my butt...and I didn't even have to get on the stair stepper. Thank God! After that I got on the bike and did maybe 30 minutes. Then I did some more obliques.

My weigh in last night was only .1 pound less than the night before. Disappointing... This morning I was down .5 from the previous morning. Eh, I hope it'll be better tomorrow. Last night I was feeling so odd. My heart kept feeling like it would skip a beat every 4 or 5 beats. I think it could be that I'm off caffeine, but when I go out to lunch and get an unsweet tea...that has caffeine! I never really thought about it before because the tea we make at home is decaf. I think I'm going to stick strictly with my water bottle, even when I do go out for lunch. If I'm not feeling 100% this afternoon when I go to work out...I'll just have to skip today and have a rest day. I am not going to push myself too hard again!

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - Half a bottle of orange juice, scrambled eggs, single serving size of raisin bran, half carton of 2% milk (9 1/2 pts.)

Mid-day snack - Banana (2 pts.)

Lunch - Captain D's low cal fish with broccoli and green beans and the bread (Darn their bread...11 pts.)

Mid-afternoon snack - Cheddar Sunchips (4 pts.)

Dinner - Grilled Steak salad from Cracker Barrel with Ranch (14 pts.)

I knew this would happen

My three days of debauchery finally caught up with me. This morning my weight shot up 2.6 pounds from yesterday morning. Plus my nightly weigh in was higher too. Although I thought it would have shown up sooner. It could also be that my heavy weigh is water weight because I found out the sunflower seeds that I was eating were loaded with sodium. I mean like the whole package had 1300 mg! It's still a major dose even cut in a 1/3. That's one thing I would like to warn everyone about if they are also watching their sodium, which they would be if they're being good dieters. Do not buy Frito Lay's sunflower seeds! My husband researched it and apparently David's has the least amount of sodium that he could find. We'll see how I do tonight with my weigh in.

This morning I made a snack run to the grocery store so I could stock up at work. I've decided that I'm going to make a bigger effort to snack regularly. I bought two bags of Sunchips (cheddar and sour cream and onion flavors), a box of 10 mini bags of Curves brand butter flavor popcorn, and a big bag of David's Ranch sunflower seeds. Oh, and my hubby bought me a bundle of bananas to bring to work for my mid-day snack. I love bananas! I also bought a bottle of smart water for my workout this afternoon. My tiny pink jug, that I keep for a back up if I drink my big blue jug before the end of work, sprung a leak yesterday! Very sad, but I'll get over it. I'll just keep refilling the smart water bottle and use that for my back up.

I'm kinda nervous about my first trainer session today. He's gonna weigh me and measure me. :-\ I'm just not comfortable enough with my body around males as I would be with females. I don't know why, maybe it's a modesty thing, or maybe I don't want to feel unattractive to them? Who knows!

Today I've Eaten:
Breakfast - Half a bottle of orange juice, scrambled eggs, single serving size of raisin bran, half carton of 2% milk (9 1/2 pts.)

Mid-day snack - Banana (2 pts.)

Lunch - Grilled Salmon Caesar salad from Logan's with ranch and unsweet tea. (No idea, there is no nutritional info for Logan's anywhere!)

Mid-afternoon snack - David's Ranch sunflower seeds (3 pts.)

Dinner - Turkey meatloaf with sauteed zucchini and pureed cauliflower (14 pts.)

Ugh...

As mentioned in my previous post, I pigged out on my birthday. But not only on that day, I also ate cookie cake, and other things, for two days after it. So there's about two and a half days were I wasn't on my diet. And I didn't work out because my husband got me sick with bronchitis, and you can all imagine working out when it's hard to breath. I've been taking antibiotics so I'm feeling better. Sunday was my first true day back on track. We went to church in the morning, which was a first for us but it won't be a last. And after that we went to the gym. I felt rather accomplished that day. I have however gained 2 to 3 pounds back as punishment for my days of leisure. I intend to lose them by the end of the week if I can. For some reason I seem to be gaining less and less water weight throughout my day. My morning weights are heavier but my evening weights are about the same every night. I wonder why...

Oh I almost forgot! I've posted my February measurements on the side bar. I must say I'm rather proud of the results. A total lose of around 11 inches. I lost FOUR inches off my waist!!! I was just tickled pink when I saw that. Now if I could just get more inches off my hips...

You will not believe this...

Yesterday....I drank a Dr. Pepper. Not only did I drink one can of Dr. Pepper....I drank TWO cans of Dr. Pepper. I know, I know I said no more Dr. Peppers, but I had to. Because I gave blood!!! HA HA HA! I had all of you fooled. You thought I fell off the bandwagon. Nope, I did a good deed and needed some sugar and fluids. That was my first time to donate blood, and it was particularly fun either. I kinda had a, not really reaction but thing maybe? Basically I lost all my color started to sweat like a pig and was about to pass out. The ladies at the lifeshare are good though, they immediately knew I was lying when I said I was okay and put ice packs on me. They put a fan on me and gave me a Dr. Pepper. Bless those sweet sweet women. I sat there for some time after and talked to them. The one who actually did my blood draw was a pretty lady in her late 20's to early 30's who had seen me several times before when I came in and got my iron checked to see if I had a high enough level to give or not. Finally this time after taking iron supplements for two weeks my hematocrite was at 38 which is there limit for cut off so I could donate! Well I was telling her how I might go next door and get a quesadilla from Dilla's when I felt up to it and she said she had never eatten there before but she heard it was suppose to be healthier for you than other place even though one time a co-worker of hers got something from there and it looked greasy. So from that I guessed she was into healthy living and talked to her about my cooking WW meals, and she said be sure to drink plenty of fluids and I told her about my 2 liter bottle of water in the car. She drinks a lot of water too, because she had gastric bypass in October of '07! Crazy! She was telling me how horrible it was. She gets sick all the time even though she eats the right foods. She can't throw up when she gets sick so she just dry heaves for half an hour. Then she told me about all of her loose skin that was suppose to be removed and they had to cancel the surgery because she won't stop losing weight! I wish that was my biggest problem! She also told me about how she had to have an iron infusion because she doesn't use a large portion of her intestines which is were all the minerals and vitamins and nutrients are obsorbed into the body. And she said most people who have bypass surgery lose their gal bladder. Can you just imagine? I've heard about what happens to you after you lose the gal bladder, it isn't pretty. Nobody ever tells you about the bad parts of gastric bypass until it's too late. Well I am SO glad I met her. Even though I'm getting this weight off the right way it would've been so easy for me to take the easy way out and get lap band or bypass. Man did I make the right choice.

Needless to say after giving yesterday I did not work out. I did however want to work out today because I feel fine but my hubby isn't comfortable with me doing that just yet. I might sneak in some home workout before he gets in. No cardio though, I'm not that crazy. Last night I weighed 304.5. I can't believe it. That is so AWSOME!! Maybe I can make it to 300 before February's over. That's pushing it I know but a girl can dream can't she?

Valentine's

I was kinda bad on Valentine's day. My husband and I went to eat Valentine's dinner on Friday night because we knew we wouldn't be able to get in anywhere on the day of. We ate at Outback, one of his favorite places. For appetizer we go the half chicken quesadilla which was LOADED with cheese, I mean lots of cheese. I got a 9 oz. Outback Special with garlic mashed potatoes and Caesar salad. The next day for a late lunch we went to eat at Red Lobster. We had the lobster seafood spinach and artichoke dip for an appetizer. I got the broiled seafood platter with buttery scallops, shrimp scampi, and stuffed flounder and broccoli and a Caesar salad. That's not all! Later that night he gave me a small box of a Whitman sampler. It only had five pieces of chocolate, so that's not too bad. I ate the coconut filled one and half of the milk chocolate bar with the little dutch boy and sampled the rest with a small bit. He made me eat another bite of the last one. At least for dinner we ate something good. I made Zucchini Lasagna. It was soooo good. Not that hard to make either.

Grrrr

I am so PO'd! I got up at 6:30 this morning to get to the hospital by 7 for my stress test. Well when I get in the lady at admissions is saying how in my records it says make sure that patient has gotten pre-cert. What the hell?! I can't even get a pre-cert even if I wanted to that has to come from the doctor. They let me be admitted and then made me wait for two hours while they tried to get the pre-cert. There was some confusion as to who needed to get it, my primary care physician as he's the one who ordered it or my referred cardiologist. Well my cardiologist's office tried to get the pre-cert but that didn't get it. So I got up early and abstained from eatting for no reason at all. BLAH! I'm mostly bummed because I was all nervous and now I have to go through it again. And I have to wait even LONGER to start exercising at the gym.

On a good sidenote, my husband and I have actually gone grocery shopping and bought all kinds of good stuff to make the recipes on Gina's Weight Watcher Recipe blog! We made turkey stuffed zucinni halves last night. YUM YUM! Tonight I'd like to make the Squash spaghetti with meat sauce. Mmmmm.

Aight

I actually stood up to what I said. I actually did my exercises last night. I didn't do them the night before because I went to bed at 7:30. I was exhausted for some reason. But last night I did my exercises from the chiropractor. So I'm happy with myself. Although yesterday I was kinda bad with my food choices. For lunch I ate beef and broccoli Chinese style, with all of those bad sauces even if that restaurant only uses vegetable oil. And I ate all of my fried rice. Them for dinner I ate a Reuben sandwich with turkey instead of corned beef and no sauerkraut. And there were Cajun fries....I ate many of them. OH and my evil husband made me drink a half a 16 oz. bottle of Dr. Pepper. He kept reading the label saying...If you drink half of this then you'll get so and so calories, if I drink the whole thing then I'll get so much sodium, blah blah blah! Tempter!!!