Thursday, February 26, 2004

Bison- the other red meat

The last two nights, DH and I have had bison for dinner- and it's been amazing! Tues night was bison fillet broiled, and served with baked frozen latkes and steamed veggies- last night was bison burgers with the same sides. A 6 oz fillet of bison was only 4 points, and the 4-oz burger was only 4 points and filled us both up more than Ken's Diner's famos 1/2-pound burger buddy!

Very pleased, and I'll definitely do it again- I guess we have a new camping dinner favorite, also!

Monday, February 23, 2004

Weekend Report

Well, this weekend was a relaxed weekend. I ate what I was going to eat, chose wisely, and even though I ate more than half my flex points for the week, I had Shabbat lunch at a friend's house with a great crowd, went out for dinner on Sunday with friends who we haven't seen in a while, and started making my chocolate Mishloach Manot.

I'm not going to list out what I ate, as it really doesn't matter in the mental aspects of Weight Watchers. Rather, I'm going to use this venue to work out how I feel; my thoughts on the process and life in general.

On Sunday, I spent a good hour and a half with Adin, which was really the highlight of my weekend. He's so great- he actually WANTS me to pick him up! I'm so glad I let the shopping and laundry aside to spend time with him.

I also got through a very difficult time on Sunday after being frusterated not finding the stuff I need for truffles (and being quite overwhelmed at how hard chocolate can be to work with). I really just wanted one of those hard-icing-covered sugar cookies (Zelda's are the best!), but I had couscous and a roll with salatim, instead, and for the crunchy-craving, I had 9 cups of air-popped popcorn. It actually worked! I no longer desperately crave an 8-point cookie! All told, I did end up eating 11 points, but 11 points of stuff that constituted a lunch, and filled me up. Most of all, I didn't use junk food to overcome my frusteration.

I worked out yesterday morning at Curves (thank you for joining me, Sarah, I love exercising with you!), and I did the 2-mile WATP (Walk Away the Pounds) routine, AND I even did about 7 minutes of Pilates at Sarah's house... I'd really like to be that person who exercises every day and doesn't dread it... I almost feel like I'm there!

So, I want to publicly (or as public as this non-advertised blog is) thank Lisa for all your support last Thursday. I didn't plan a single thing for this week, but you're right- after being OP (on program) for over a year, I know what I can make from basic staples in the fridge, and there's more to life than points. So, thank you for pointing out the obvious and not making me feel stupid that I couldn't see it on my own!

Oh, and by the way, I lost 2 pounds last week, and my BMI dropped below 27%. [insert smily face here]

Friday, February 20, 2004

Yesterday's report

Yesterday I met with my WW leader, Lisa, and had a great talk. By way of background, I'm a teensy weensy bit Type A. Just a tiny bit. Ok... a whole lot. I have one way that I plan out my menus for the week, I have an excel document into which I enter this plan each day, and then adjust as I deviate from it, and then I have this blog to air out my feelings and, again, to write out my plan and my actual intake.

Lisa told me to calm down. Lisa was right. By the end of the meeting, Lisa asked me, 'do you ever just have a hamburger and fries?' I nearly cried. (See my previous post for an extensive emotional analysis of pre-WW eating and current habits). I don't think I've had fries in a year! She told me to go out and have a burger and fries (note, not a butter-burger-fries-milkshake-etc-etc-etc, but a burger and fries). So, with that 'permission' and about 20 Flex Points, 1 AP, and 6 daily target points in tow, DH and I went out to the ole' steakhouse- and I had ribs, fries and sauteed mushrooms. I had the waitress wrap 1/2 right off the bat so I could take it home (DH's lunch today), and order chicken broth rather than mushroom barley. Ate only 1/4 loaf or bread, and no dessert.

Today, I don't feel guilty, I feel good- mostly 'cause I have reaffirmed that fries are good, but not that good. ;)

Thursday, February 19, 2004

Thoughts on Progress

I had such a good time last night talking and exercising with Sarah. It also made me realize just how much I've learned in the past year. Not just about food, and how to make the most of points, etc, but also about myself.

There is a WW pyramid (or bullseye, depending on the leader), that is a diagram of what the weight loss process changes when it is a life-long commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Roughly, it goes something like this- you'll have to mentally draw a pyramid around the following list

Identity
Beliefs
Capabilities
Behaviors
Environment


Basically, your environment is the base of the pyramid- and if you don't have a solid base, the entire pyramid collapses. So, in the same way you start to build a pyramid from the bottom, you start weight loss from the base- your environment. (For example, if you came to my house and were craving potato chips, the closest thing I'd have for you is baked latkes for 1 point each! There hasn't been a potato chip in our kitchen for almost 8 months, and even then it was only to host a bridal shower!).

I personally think that the 'beliefs' and 'capabilities' levels are a bit mixed (the way blue and purple blend into indigo in a rainbow). You change your capabilities after you believe you can; likewise, as your capabilities change, your conventional beliefs about yourself will change. For example, my whole life I've thought I was 'big boned', or 'naturally thick', or other such designations that would inherently prevent me from being thin. *as a side note, did you ever hear that if you can overlap your thumb and middle finger when wrapping them around your wrist, you were small-boned, just touch 'em and you were medium-boned, but if you couldn't touch your fingers together, you were big-boned? Well, it doesn't work. I didn't used to be able to touch my fingers at all, now I can overlap them a bit.* As I lose weight, I'm realizing that I will never be built like my sister, but I can look a bit more like her! I can, and rightfully should, weight in the 130's and 140's. My natural tendencies towards food will incline me closer to 140, but either way, it's a healthy range- one I never believed my body structure would allow!

So, I'm a bit off-topic as it relates to Sarah, but in talking with her last night, I realized that I probably really overwhelmed her with all the info I threw down in 2 hours. I mean, I've been doing this for a year solid, not to mention the 5 other times I've been a member and lost varying amounts of weight. She's been OP for a whole 24 hours, and doesn't need to concern herself with the minutia of which flavor of whole wheat bread has the lowest fat while still packing a protein punch and not tasting like cardboard. There is so much knowledge to combine between Kashrut, hypoglycemia, WW rules and guidelines, conventional nutrition knowledge, etc etc etc, and I'm a bit surprised at how far I've come, and how much I've learned in the past year.

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

It's finally 5:00 *almost*

This day has dragged and dragged, and it's finally almost time to go home. I ate what I planned to eat so far today, except I didn't have my salad. I will have salad with dinner, instead, and save this one for tomorrow.

I am going out with a friend for coffee after exercise, though, so I may eat out rather than have the veal cutlets. Decisions, decisions, it's nice to actually have options this late in my WW week- I think an OP (on program) Shabbat is definitely the way for me to go!

until tomorrow...

drag... drag... drag...

I really want to eat something. Today is just dragging by, and I just want to eat something. I'm not hungry, per se, I just want to eat. I have barely finished my first 24 oz water, and it's already 1:40... At least I'm going out with a friend tonight whom I haven't seen in a while.

Also, as a TMI (too much information) revisit to the fiber issue as posted a couple days ago. So, this week I've been eating lots of protein and fiber, to stave off the shakies... Today I've discovered the first downfall. Take it as a warning, if you decide to up your fiber intake, you will need to up your water intake, and up your FAT intake, also- otherwise, don't forget to take the Reader and Onion with you when you 'do your thing'. You'll need both to fill the time while you're waiting.

It's kind-of exciting to think that I actually need to increase my fat intake! I guess those flex points will be used on avocado tonight! I have really been craving avocados over the last few months. It's guac city for Becky tonight!

Oh, why can't 5:00 come faster?!

Today's Plan, Wednesday 2/18

Breakfast:
Cheesy Eggplant & Orzo Casserole (6)
2 cups grapes (2)
Coffee with cream (1)

Lunch:
4 oz Turkey breast (2)
2 pieces whole wheat bread (2)
FF mayo (0)
lettuce leaves (0)
Salad w/ FF Italian dressing (0)

Snack:
chocolate chip banana muffin (2)

Dinner:
Veal Cutlets (4)
1 cup rice pilaf (4)

Exercise:
Curves (+2)

All told, I use all my daily target points and 1 AP, and have 1 AP to play with if I get hungry later- not to mention over 20 Flex points. I'm going to try not to have the Flex points today, though, as WI is tomorrow, and if I eat a lot today, I could throw off the WI.

Yesterday's Report & Assorted Thoughts

Last night DH and I had a wonderful, family dinner, at a table- with plates- and placemats- and wine. It was a very nice (if not cliche) evening, spent with my favorite person in the world.

The best thing about yesterday's eating was that I drank all my 100 oz water! I think this is the first time I have actually drank all 100 oz in almost a week! Now, if I can just keep it up...

We ended up not going to the shiva house at the request of our friend's DF (dear fiance), as there have been literally hundreds of people in and out over the past week, and it can get pretty overwhelming. Which means, I didn't have to worry about being tempted by all the sweets. So, I had the glass of wine in place of my banana, and at the end of the night, I had one point left before my daily target, so I had a 2-point chocolate chip banana muffin. I'm pretty sure that means I have used 12.5 flex points this week, and since I'm definitely not over-eating today, maybe DH and I can go out to that steakhouse, afterall! We'll see how WI (weigh-in) goes tomorrow, as well as my meeting with Lisa (my WW leader).

Lisa, by the way, is amazing, awesome, and real. I highly encourage people to seek her out, and she is truly a mentor for me. My long-term goal is to be a WW leader. I want to lead a Kosher meeting and encourage frum (and not-so-frum) Jewish women to become more educated about nutrition, and take better care of their bodies. The Curves I go to in Licolnwood is run by a good friend who is frum, and I really love to see the women working out in snoods and skirts. I really wish there was more outreach to married women, especially, encouraging them to eat in a healthy manner, and to take care of themselves. I say married women because it seems to me that there are enough peer pressures in the high school and teen years to prevent frum girls from becoming overweight. Quite on the contrary, I seem to see a lot of frum girls who seem to need an education on what is healthy and what is too skinny. Though I have no firm information to this end, I truly think that there is a lot of pressure put on teenage girls in the frum world to be pretty, thin, attractive- but tzinut- so as to make a good match for marriage. If that is the case, then it would follow that married women don't have such concerns, and can gain weight all they want- they've made their match, and there isn't the same pressure to not gain weight.

So, off my tangent- I want to be a WW leader in a Kosher setting, to try to help those who keep Kosher and KNOW why it's important to eat healthy and maintain a healthy (not low, not high) weight, as well as to demonstrate to the world that shrimp and pork chops aren't the only low-point high-protein options out there.

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

End of the day... kind-of

I only get to post during working hours (ooops, is that legal?), so this is kind-of the end of the day, but it's only 5:00. I have done extremely well today, finished 72 oz water already, and haven't had my banana. So, I'm going to skip it in favor of an extra two points for this evening. And, I'm taking my one-a-day weight smart, to try to make up some calcium.

Can't wait for veal dinner, and some time to not think about what I should be doing. Just a bissle time to sit, talk with DH, and relax from the day!

Yesterday's report

Yesterday was not exactly a stellar day. First of all, a friend at work (who decided to start Atkins yesterday) brought in a bag of Snickers bites and left 'em at the receptionist's desk... and I swear, I was the only one in the office who noticed them. I ate a full serving by the end of the day, which is 13 pieces. It's amazing how two here, three there really adds up to a lot- they cost me 5 POINTS! So, even though I didn't have my cottage cheese, I didn't get to have my milk, either, 'cause I had the stupid chocolate bites! (they were good, don't get me wrong, but I really should have had my calcium).

I also decided it was ok to use some Flex Points for 'what my mind wants'... (see below for an explanation of 'what my mind wants') I had 9 cups of air-popped popcorn (3) with spray butter (0) while watching Pretty in Pink. But, I had the points for it, and it kept me from finishing the rest of the tortellini primevera, and that would have cost me 7 points instead of 3.

My leader explains to new members that your Points target is what your body needs, and the 35 Flex Points are what your mind wants. I like that explanation, but I would extend it a bit and say the Points target is what your body needs, and the Flex points are for a) what your mind thinks your body needs and b) what life throws at you. Last night, my mind thought my body needed 9 cups of popcorn, and it threw a Molly Ringwold movie at me!

Anyways, I did exercise, even though I just wanted to stay home, which was an accomplishment. I also drank 72 oz water... not my 100, but still got my WW requirement in. I was 1 short on fruits and veggies, and missed my calcium altogether. Overall, not my most stellar day, but now that I think of it, not my worst, either.

Focus on the positive- I think I did A-ok, if I do say so myself! :)

Today's Plan, Tuesday 2/17/04

Breakfast
3 egg whites (1)
1 oz mozzarella cheese (2)
1/2 cup cottage cheese (2)

Lunch
2 bison hot dogs (6)
1 cup mushroom soup (1)
salad with fat-free Italian dressing (0)

Snack
banana (2)

Dinner
Veal Cutlets (4)
Mashed potatoes (3)
Steamed Vegetables (0)

I'm not planning on exercising today, as a friend's grandfather passed away, and we're making a shiva call. That's another reason dinner is fleishig- if I'm fleishig, I have a lesser chance of eating the sweets at the shiva house. I'm also leaving myself one point under my daily target, to allow for popcorn or a single chocolate, something like that.

The bison hot dogs are a real treat for me today. A normal hot dog is around 7 points, but these are big links for only 3 points each! We'll see how well they hold me over between meals- I haven't got a lot of fiber in the daytime meals, though I did choose a banana over pineapple or melon... we'll see how it goes!

Monday, February 16, 2004

Change in today's plan

So, I didn't eat my cottage cheese for breakfast, and now it's 5:00, and I don't feel like I need it.

therefore, I'm going to have a cup of skim milk with dinner, get my calcium from the source, and trade 2 points for 2 points.

it's been a pretty good day, overall- had enough to eat, had a bunch of good grapes, and drank most of my water already. Off to exercise and a new recipe... Oh, and live music with DH's band. I love when they come over!

Mother knows best!

Last week, I called my mom and told her how I was always feeling shaky, and if I ate to the point where I wasn't shaky, I was over my points- I was really worrying that I just can't live (literally) on 20 points/day. She suggested I try to structure my food to be high protein/high fiber- I've known about the high protein part my whole life, but the high fiber thing was a new suggestion to me.

So, this week (so far) I've picked out four new recipes that are all high protein AND high fiber... Today, I haven't felt shaky once, and I still haven't had my cottage cheese, which I had planned to be breakfast!

Just goes to show- mother knows best! Thanks, mom :)

Change in today's plan

So, I didn't eat my cottage cheese for breakfast, and now it's 5:00, and I don't feel like I need it.

therefore, I'm going to have a cup of skim milk with dinner, get my calcium from the source, and trade 2 points for 2 points.

it's been a pretty good day, overall- had enough to eat, had a bunch of good grapes, and drank most of my water already. Off to exercise and a new recipe... Oh, and live music with DH's band. I love when they come over!

Mother knows best!

Last week, I called my mom and told her how I was always feeling shaky, and if I ate to the point where I wasn't shaky, I was over my points- I was really worrying that I just can't live (literally) on 20 points/day. She suggested I try to structure my food to be high protein/high fiber- I've known about the high protein part my whole life, but the high fiber thing was a new suggestion to me.

So, this week (so far) I've picked out four new recipes that are all high protein AND high fiber... Today, I haven't felt shaky once, and I still haven't had my cottage cheese, which I had planned to be breakfast!

Just goes to show- mother knows best! Thanks, mom :)

I'll probably post a dozen or more times today, but mostly 'cause there's a lot on my mind. First of all, I finished 24 oz water so far. Three sport bottles to go.

So, this weekend I did very well (considering) on points. However, a friend did mention to me at Kiddush that I seemed reserved, quiet- generally not myself. That bothered me so much, not because he said so, but because he was right. I was quiet, I kept leaving the table, etc. I know why- because I kept thinking, 'don't eat that. don't get more cakes. Eat slowly, stretch it out. Should I leave now?' and other such insecurities. When I'm so preoccoupied by trying not to eat, it takes over everything else, and I couldn't even enjoy singing and talking with friends I hadn't seen in a week. As much as many of my basic habits and tendencies have changed, I just don't forsee a time in my life when I'll be able to put aside these kind of feelings and just enjoy a meal.

Pre-WW, DH (dear husband) and I used to go to a local steakhouse, where my usual dinner was as follows: 1/2 slab beef ribs with french fries and sauteed mushrooms, mushroom barley soup and, when they had it, snickers pie for dessert. And it wasn't uncommon for me to finish the whole meal, including 1/2 a loaf (if not more) of homemade sourdough bread with garlic margarine. If DH and I were to go to the same restaurant again today, I would agonize over my traumatic loss of opportunity to eat beef ribs, order chicken or buffalo in place of the ribs, order salad in place of the soup, skip the dessert, and STILL feel guilty about going over points. The alternative would be to order the meal I want, and just eat it- deal with the 'consequences' later. However, those beef ribs will never taste the way they used to- I can't imagine eating french fries without thinking about how terribly I'm treating my body, how much good I'm 'undoing' by eating them, and how I have 'failed' at having a sucessful meal. I, thankfully, no longer associate my eating/weight with my worth as a person, but I have a hard time reconciling just taking a night off without guilt. If I've set my mind to do this program, does that mean I have to be 100% OP (on program) 100% of the time? sometimes it seems so, and that's the difficult part right now.

Today's plan: Monday, February 16, 2004

Breakfast
1/2 cup cottage cheese 2
1 1/2 cup oatmeal 3
1 Tbsp brown sugar 1
1 Tbsp raisins 1
Lunch
Tuscan Skillet Supper 3
2 cups grapes 2
Dinner
Tortellini Primavera 7
Something else I can't remember!
Snack
banana chocolate chip muffin 2
Exercise
Curves +2

I made my own pesto last night! It smelled so good- very fresh. I hope the primavera turns out good!

Weekend Report

I managed to count everything I ate this weekend -- and to boot, I didn't eat all of my flex points. Here's what I ate:

Sat. 2/14

Kiddush: brownie (5); skinless chicken thigh (3); ~1 cup fruit salad (1)
Lunch (out): 1 piece challah (2); Homemade babaganouj (0); 1 cup chollent (4); 1 serving WW coleslaw (1); salad greens w/ 2 Tbsp FF Western (1); WW balsamic mushrooms (0); 2 chocolate chip cookies (6); 1 black-and-white cookie (2)
Motzei Shabbat: 2 Portobello mushroom caps (0); 1/4 cup pasta sauce (1); 1 oz light mozzarella (2); 8 pieces imitation pepperoni (.5); salad w/ sweet peppers, mushrooms and hearts of palm, with 2 Tbsp FF Italian (0)
Exercise: Curves (+2)
Mark's B-day party: Shirley Temple (3); coffee (0)

I also had 48 oz water at lunch, and 24 oz water after Shabbat. It's not quite 100 oz, but at least I fulfilled my daily WW requirement of 64 oz.

All together, I had my 22 daily points, my 2 AP's, and 7.5 flex points.

Sunday 2/15

Breakfast: 2 eggs over easy (4); 2 pieces white toast (4); spray butter (0)
Exercise: Curves (+2)
Water: 2-24 oz bottles
Lunch: Turkey Pot Pie (10)
Dinner: Tuscan Skillet Supper (3); 1 cup skim milk (2)
Water: 24-oz bottle
Late-night snack: banana chocolate chip muffin (2)

So, I was much lacking on the veggies on Sunday... I ate my 22 daily points, used 2 (all) of my APs, and 1 Flex point. I also got my WW water requirement in, but not my 100 oz goal.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with my weekend; used only 8.5 flex points, leaving me 26.5 to use throughout the week. Hopefully this will help me fight off the shakiness I have been feeling lately... (I'm Hypoglycemic). I also got to exercise twice, which will set me on the right track this week.

Friday, February 13, 2004

1:15 p.m. and 24-oz water down.

Background: I'm participating (sort of) in a challenge to do the following:
100 oz water each day
5 fruits/vegetables each day
6-10 activity points each week

Today's Plan, Friday the 13th

B: 1 1/2 cup oatmeal (3); 1 Tbsp brown sugar (1); 1 Tbsp raisins (1)
L: 3/4 cup white rice (3) with spray butter (.5); 4-oz BBQ chicken breast (4)
D: WW Turkey Burger (8); canned mushroom soup (1.5)

That's 22 points, and that's what I get!

oh, and I just realized I started my blog on Friday the 13th... think that's an omen?

I've been on weight watchers for over a year now, having lost all but the last 10 pounds to my goal--- and I'm stuck. These are my musings, frustrations, 'woe-is-me's, accomplishments, and victory- in short, this is my story. I make no guarantees as to the 'interesting-ness' of my posts, I just want somewhere to diary my journey, and I type much faster than I scribble.