Wednesday, June 30, 2010

In the hole...

I just tracked all my points, and depending on how I calculate my two margaritas from last night, I have used more than my 35 weekly points. The WW tracker says that a margarita is 5 points (for 4 ounces) and I'm pretty sure my drinks were 8 ounces, so that would mean 20 points for the two drinks, ugh... That puts me 9 POINTS in the hole. Probably not enough to gain weight. But certainly enough to keep me from having a good loss.

I will go to Zumba tonight to try to limit the damage. And I will have an OP (on-plan) day today because I have no social activities planned.

Yesterday, was a pretty blah day, overall. I was hungover and sleep deprived all day which made me unproducive at work and made me lock my keys inside my car when I went to run errands, which cost me an hour and a half and forty bucks...boo. After all that, I had zero desire to go to the gym :(

My date with A went well though. He brought me flowers :) and took me to a cool restaurant in Richmond (hence the therapeutic margaritas). We had fun, but I called it an early night so that I could attempt to make up on some sleep. I got about 6.5 hours last night and I feel marginally better, although my body is really craving more sleep.

Anyway, today is a new day. I'm not sure why I feel quite so grumpy. I think my body really needs a good workout and some fruits and vegetables. I'm feeling a little bloated and gross from so much alcohol.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Not so healthy...

I want to preface this by saying WW is a lifestyle not a diet...

Last night, I had a plan. I intended to clean my apartment, go to my dance class, cook a healthy dinner, watch a movie, and go to bed early.

So, I got home spent an hour and a half cleaning, got dressed in my workout clothes, drove to my gym and discovered the class was cancelled...ugh...And I forgot my iPod so I didn't stay to work out (lame, I know). Then, when I was walking to my apartment, I ran into some boys next door who invited me over for a drink. One drink turned into five and PIZZA at 1 am. I only had about 2/3 of a slice, but still...

So my original plan failed, but I definitely had a fun night...I am a little annoyed with myself because I have a feeling this will show up on the scale, although I had enough weeklies to cover the damage. However, WW is a lifestyle, not a diet...

Right now, I am feeling pretty sleep deprived and hungover, yuck. Going to bed at 1:30am and waking up at 6am is not pretty. Especially when you sleep with your contacts on. And then this morning, I spent about 20 minutes searching for my cell phone, which I found wrapped up in my covers.

However, today is a new day and a chance to get back on track. I ate my typical breakfast (bagel thin with peanut butter and honey) and I have been guzzling water. I plan on having Subway for lunch, so that should be pretty good for points. I'm going out with A again tonight :) and he's taking me to this cool bar/ restaurant, and I'm NOT GOING to drink very much (max two drinks) and I WILL stay within my points. I'm hoping that I can still have a good weigh in this week, but at this point I'm not feeling all that optimistic.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Ice Cream Success

Happy Monday everyone! I'm sorry I failed to post this weekend, but what with traveling to my parent's house to help with their construction project, going on two dates, and going to my Zumba class I did not have much time to post ;)

All in all, it was a good, active weekend. I struggled with tracking my meals but I think I managed to eat pretty well and stay (mostly) within my points. On Friday, I went out with a new guy, A, and we had a great time. He took me to this nice Greek restaurant near Carytown and I splurged for the evening. We started out with red wine, then we got Greek salads and stuffed grape leaves. I ordered a pork tenderloin kabob for my main dish and it was very yummy and then we split a piece of baklava for dessert. And then we walked around Carytown and got ICE CREAM CONES--my favorite dessert in the whole world. Overall, I tried to enjoy my indulgence in moderation--I only hate half of my entree, only had a few forkfulls of baklava, and only had about half of my gigantic ice cream cone. Now, for me that is a major NSV (Non-scale victory) because I have never in my life thrown away left over ice cream. However, on Friday night as I was licking my cone, it hit me that I was actually pretty full, so I threw it away.

When I counted my points, I estimated about 16 points for the whole dinner, so I had to break into some of my weeklies. But the date was fun and it's nice to splurge once in a while ;)

On Saturday, I drove to my parent's house outside of DC (early) to help put up drywall in the new addition, as my Father's Day gift for my dad. Basically, my dad has tackled a huge project to enlarge my parent's bedroom and bathroom and he needs all the help he can get (since he also works a full time job). So, my entire family pitched in yesterday to help with the gigantic job of putting up the drywall. I basically did whatever I was asked to do--from carrying huge pieces of drywall from the driveway to the house, hammering staples, covering the insulation with plastic, etc...It was pretty hard work, and it was a relief when we were finished. To celebrate, we had a very nice steak dinner, with organic steak, baked potatoes, asparagus, and tomato salad. Yum!

I drove back to Richmond early on Sunday morning so that I could make my 9am Zumba class. The class was fun and it felt nice to get some cardio in (I hadn't "worked out" since Wednesday, although the work on Saturday was pretty tiring. And then I went to a movie with JM on Sunday night.

All in all, a very busy weekend. Anyway, I have to get back to work. How was your weekend?

Friday, June 25, 2010

I should know better...

Yesterday I pretty much failed at being healthy...but I had a good time :)

Breakfast:
Coffee (1)
Fiber 1 Bar (1)

Lunch:
Wrap (1)
Grilled Chicken (4)
Laughing Cow Cheese (2)

Snack:
Fiber 1 Bar (1)

Dinner:
1 Long Island Iced Tea (8, just guessing)
1 Beer (3)

Total points: 21

But I did not go over my points, so I guess that's good...maybe...

At the moment, I am actually feeling slighly headachy and hungover despite only drinking 2 drinks (although that Long Island was VERY strong). Not surprisingly, I got a little bit drunk last night, and I had a good time on my date with a JM--a different guy from J. We went to Carytown and got drinks at this cool place called New York Deli--where they make awesome drinks. And then we walked around Carytown and hung out outside. It was very nice ;) The nice thing about Richmond is that it's a very low key city--you can almost always find free parking, you can find cheap yummy restaurants, and the people you meet tend to be pretty friendly and easy going. Plus, the housing is really cheap, so I can afford to live there :)

Anyway, I started my day out with a bagel thin with peanut butter and honey--I was hungry from last night. I brought a sweet potato, black beans, and sour cream so that will be my lunch, yum! And then I'm going to the gym after work. No class today, but I want to get in some quality time on the elliptical.

In other news, I am now fitting comfortably in one of my pairs of "skinny jeans," so I'm really pleased about that :)

Happy Friday everyone!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Before and Now





And the verdict is...

Down 1.6

Which is a little disappointing, if you want to know the truth. After working out 5 days this week, eating within my points, and using hardly any of my weekly points, I had one of my lowest losses so far.

There are a million reasons to explain the small loss--my big loss last week wasn't quite real, the amount of kosher salt I consumed last night, the intense heat, hormones, building muscle, etc...And none of those reasons matter one bit (in the long run). A good week is a good week, and if I have more like it I will reach my goal.

So with that said, I am going to ignore the number on the scale. I enjoyed getting more exercise this week and, after all, I'm doing this to become a "healthy" person not necessarily a Size 6.

Summer Salad

Good morning everyone and happy Thursday! It's amazing how well my day turned out after my disaster of a morning. My boss was really understanding and let me miss a few hours of work without using leave, I enjoyed my Zumba class and felt energized and refreshed (taking a day off is sometimes a great idea), the gas was turned back on, and I cooked an amazing salad for dinner that was super easy and tasted like summer.

I basically got home from the gym feeling absolutely starving so I took out a baking sheet and put some asparagus, 1/2 sliced red pepper, and slices of tomato on it. I sprinkled the whole lot with some kosher salt and tossed it with 2 tsp of olive oil. Then I baked it for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, I chopped up half a huge chicken breast into bite sized chunks, marinaded it with some honey mustard dressing, and then tossed it onto a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Then put some romaine lettuce in my salad bowl and added some sliced onion and 1/4 cup black beans.

At the end, I basically tossed everything in the salad and added 1 tbsp of honey mustard dressing and it was DELICIOUS. I also ate a warmed piece of flat bread with it.

The points broke down like this:

Baked veggies with olive oil (2.5)
Honey mustard dressing (2)
Chicken (4)
1/4 cup black beans (1)
Flat bread (1)

Total points: 10.5

Not too shabby for an absolutely delicious and huge salad. Plus, I tend to overestimate my points slightly, and I count the dressing used for the marinade. And I typically don't weigh my chicken so I have to eyeball it. However, it gave me 3 servings of vegetables, two servings of lean protein, and two servings of healthy oil--so overall it was a very healthy and nutritious meal.

Anyway, this morning is weigh in so I will let you know what the verdict is. Honestly, this week, I am not too concerned with the number on the scale because I ate within my points and tried to get in a lot of healthy food and I worked out 5 times. So I know that I had a good week, no matter what the scale says :)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Dropping the ball

Sometimes I feel like I am juggling so many different aspects of my life. I see my various responsibilites as glass snow globes (don't ask me why that image comes to mind) and, well, yesterday I dropped one of the snow globes. And the pieces of glass shattered throughout my house.

More specifically, I "forgot" to pay a utlities bill (I was hoping no one would notice) and the utilities company turned my gas off. I cannot describe the feeling of panic when you walk into your home and realize that something feels different--oh wait, the stove won't turn on. So anyway, I had to pay the bill which involved driving to the office this morning and means that I have to be home between 12-4. I have learned my lesson the hard way--always pay your utilites bills.

Oh and I stepped in cat poop this morning, and I'm not sure if I can (or want to) describe that particular sensation either.

Anyway, enough about that. The good news is that the bill is paid, I will have gas this afternoon, and I will try to be a financially responsible adult from now on :)

So anyway, yesterday I took a day off from the gym and I ate a very light point day (I think I was punishing myself) so I only ate 17.5 points. I also went out with R last night--and ironically he asked me to pay for the two of us (when HE invited me). I hate to be bitchy, but seriously even my 16-year-old brother, who doesn't have much money, would pay for a girl on a third date--particularly if he asked her out. And yet somehow R didn't. I have to admit it was particularly bad timing. And I'm sorry to say that R's decision makes it that much easier for me to cut things off with him. Oh well. Lot's more fish in the sea--although I'm beginning to doubt that.

As for today, I will be leaving work early, but I am DEFINITELY going to my Zumba class tonight--exercise always makes me feel better. And my netflix dvds are supposed to come today, which is good. So, I'm planning on going home, going to Zumba, and then watching a dvd while eating a yummy dinner.

Hopefully, my day will go a little better from here :)

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Body Jam



I made it to Body Jam last night, and I'm so glad that I gave it a try. Body Jam is somewhat like Zumba (similar moves with lots of hip rolling) but it is a dance routine. You learn each step and then combine the steps, so unlike Zumba you don't start over with each new song, rather you keep doing the same moves throughout the hour. Since the rest of the class has been doing the same routine for the past month, I was definitely not as strong a dancer. But I gave it my all and got in a good workout. I managed to follow about 80% of the steps--so not bad for a first timer :) The instructor was awesome and he was such a good dancer that I was able to pick up the steps pretty well. I'm definitely going to make Body Jam a part of my workout routine.

So far, I have managed to work out 4 times this week and it's only Tuesday! So I am pretty happy about that. Today, I am going to give my legs a rest, and tomorrow is my Zumba class, so that will make 5 times :) On the downside, all of this exercise has definitely made me hungrier, so I've had to work hard to stay within my points. So far so good.

Anyway, tonight the guy R invited me to this show/ concert thing and I'm a little anxious about going because (a) it's going to be very late on a weeknight, (b) I really don't want to drink very much alcohol so close to weigh in, and last but not least, (c) I'm not sure how much I like R. Anyway, I don't really want to go, but now I feel obligated so I guess I'm stuck with the plans (I tried to get out of it last night, but he convinced me to say yes).

Anyway, I have to get back to work. Wish me luck on this date tonight :)

Monday, June 21, 2010

Mondays...

After my eventful weekend, I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning! Only the thought of hot coffee and a bagel with peanut butter and honey compelled me to get up. I guess food is always the great motivator :)

Lately, I have been eating up all my points very easily, so I've been thinking about ways to economize. Before people yell at me that eating all one's points is a GOOD THING, please let me explain. When I first started WW with 31 points, I didn't have to worry about blowing a few points on stupid things--like extra dressing or a few crackers. But now that I only have 27, it seems like I sometimes don't have enough points in the day for everything I want to eat. HAHA...it's starting to hit me that I actually can't eat everything I want and maintain a healthy weight. Nevertheless, I'm looking for smarter ways to eat so that I can eat more. So I have decided to stop eating so much peanut butter and limit myself to one cup of coffee with cream each day. That way, I can make room for more substantial meals...and let's not forget the occasional ice cream sandwich.

Okay, enough about that. In other news, I am very pleased with myself because I exercised on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I planned on using today as a rest day, but my muscles don't feel that bad, so I might try to make it to my Body Jam class tonight. I also have a second date with the guy R tonight--he wants to walk around Carytown after he gets off work at around 9:30pm. I'm a bit hesitant about staying out so late--I have work tomorrow after all--but it might be fun, so we'll see.

Anyway, I'm sorry for the disjointed post, and I'll let you know how Body Jam/ the date goes tomorrow!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Climbing Roofs

Happy Sunday everyone! It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day in Richmond. I'm sorry for failing to post yesterday--I don't have much of an excuse except that after my Zumba class (11:30am-12:30am) I spent a good deal of the day/ night sleeping. I guess I was exhausted from Friday night ;)

Friday night started out with me going to the gym. I tried the Spin Class, but it was a dismal failure. Here's what happened...I got there five minutes late because of work, and the class had already started. However, I summoned my courage and walked into the class where dozens of INCREDIBLY FIT people were pumping on their bikes. So I walked to a bike and tried to get me feet into the pedals, but they wouldn't go in (Spin classes use very complicated bikes). Then I realized I had to adjust the seat, but there were several levers and the room was pretty dark. So after disrupting the class for about 5 minutes, I decided to leave. I will have to try another spin class--one that meets at a more convenient time. Anyway, after trying the class, I returned to my old standby, the elliptical and got in a good workout, 37 minutes, 2.75 miles, and 375 calories burned (but I'm always slightly skeptical).

After the class, I rushed home to shower, eat, and dress before my date at 8pm.
The date went really well. The guy (who turns out to be 21 years old) picked me up and we went to a movie, and then we went to a Hookah bar afterward. It was really fun--the only downside was that he is just my height and super skinny. I felt so much bigger than him that I felt a little uncomfortable. However, he didn't seem to mind and he was really nice ;) We have plans to go to Belle Island for a picnic on Monday evening.

I got home at around midnight, and instead of going to bed I walked upstairs to my neighbor B's apartment who was having some people over. We hung out and drank a bottle of wine. At about 1:00am, my neighbor suggested climbing onto the roof of one of the buildings in Richmond and I thought that was an awesome idea ;) So we walked a few blocks in Richmond and got to this roof that had one of those fire escape ladders that you have to pull yourself onto. At first, I didn't think I could do it, but I managed to hoist myself up there. All of that working out must have done something. It felt amazing to be able to do something physically challenging. Anyway, we went home and nothing happened...like that. I think I learned my lesson with J: it is not a good idea to get involved (especially drunkenly) with neighbors.

Anyway, needless to say, my Zumba class was definitely a challenge on Saturday morning but I went and sweated through it. Then I came home, and basically lounged/ slept for the rest of the day and night. I think I needed a chance to relax and catch up on sleep, because I feel much more energized now.

Anyway, today I am going to my Zumba class at 9am-10am, then I'm trying out a church (for the second time), and then I'm meeting this guy to play volleyball and grab a beer. So, overall today should be pretty fun. I gotta run and get dressed for Zumba. Happy Sunday!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Finally Friday

Good morning (almost afternoon) everyone!

I'm sorry I didn't post earlier--it's been a hectic morning at work. I actually went to two Weight Watcher meetings yesterday, which was fun. I ran into a woman from my "old" meeting (that meets on Thursday evenings) on Tuesday and she asked me to stop by the meeting. However, I wanted to weigh in at my earlier meeting (that meets on Thursday morning), so I ended up going to two, haha. It was great coming back to my original meeting because a lot of people remembered me and commented on my weight loss ;) Plus, Nancy the meeting leader at the later session is hilarious and she makes the meeting really fun. As a result of going to both meetings, I also got to brag about my big weight loss TWO times, haha.

There is another upside to the later meeting, which I am a little embarrassed to admit, but here goes. In my morning meeting, there is a woman who has been overshadowing me EVERY SINGLE WEEK. She started a week earlier than me, but she has been losing WAY faster than me, and it seems that whenever I hit a milestone, she hits a bigger one. Case in point, this week I made it to my 30 pounds mark and she hit 40. In response our leader, congratulated me on my loss, but then she asked the Other Woman to tell the whole group what her secret is. Not fair! Okay, I know I'm being silly and competitive, but seriously, this is annoying. So anyway, I was not overshadowed at the later meeting, so for all these reasons I may decide to switch ;)

FYI--I was concerned that my weight would fluctuate a lot from the morning to the evening weigh in, which is one reason I haven't wanted to switch back, but I weighed myself unofficially last night and it only fluctuated a pound. So it's really not a big deal. If I do switch next week, I'll just have to be prepared for a smaller loss/ staying the same.

Anyway, enough about that. Yesterday, I had a really odd/ off eating day.

Breakfast:
Fiber 1 Bar (1)
Coffee with cream (1)

Lunch:
Wrap (2)
Chicken (2)
Lettuce (0)
Laughing Cow Cheese (3)

Snack:
Fiber 1 Bar (1)
Coffee (1)

Dinner:

Subway turkey sandwich with light mayo and cheese (7)
Chips (2)
Diet coke (0)

Later...

Wine (2)

Total: 22

And I should be eating 27...so yeah, it was an oddly light day, but I didn't feel hungry at all. But I didn't eat any fruits and veggies, so I'm going to turn that around today.

Anyway, as for today, I am planning on going to a Spin Class (my first ever) but don't hold me to it, because the class begins at 5:35 and I don't get off work until around 5 and I have a 30 minute commute, so I may not be able to make it. If I don't make it, I'll definitely do something else instead.

What are your plans for this weekend?

Thursday, June 17, 2010

And the verdict is...

Down 4.8 pounds...for a total of 33.4 pounds since I started Weight Watchers during the last week of March, yay!

I'm so glad that I was able to come back from my 1 pound gain from last week. All I can say is, gotta love that Zumba :)

Sorry for the short post, but I have to get back to work.

Happy Thursday!

Made it to the gym!

I went to my Zumba class yesterday, thank goodness! Maybe it was the fact that I skipped working out Monday and Tuesday or maybe it was the change of instructor, but the class felt WAY HARDER yesterday than last weekend. Basically, it was non-stop jumping, hip swaying, and leg lifts--fun stuff :) I kept looking at the clock--which I normally don't do in Zumba--but I managed to get through the hour-long-workout, hurray! I also saw some familiar faces, which was nice. It would be great to make some friends, while also getting a good workout. A girl I've met a few times (but can't remember her name) lent me a belly dancer belt, so I got to make some noise throughout the class :)

The only irritating part about the Zumba was my weak/crappy sports bra, which kept slipping out of place as I was jumping around. I may have to buy a better bra...does anyone know where to buy a really strong sports bra? I got my last two at Target, so I'm ex-ing that store out.

My weigh in is this morning, and I have to admit that I was fully intending on fasting until then. But then I woke up starving so I ate a Fiber 1 Bar and then I desperately needed a cup of coffee when I got to work. So yeah, that plan failed. Hopefully, it won't impact my weigh in too much. I'll let you know what the verdict is when I weigh in at lunch time.

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

No Matter What Anyone Says...

Motivation has to come from within.

Yesterday, I did everything in my power to sabotage myself and not go to the gym, even though everyone told me I should go and I even promised to work out on this blog. I failed to pack my gym clothes, I decided to go grocery shopping after work, and then, after the grocery shopping, I figured it was too late to go and besides, by that point, I was ready for dinner. For some reason, I really didn't want to go to the gym. I think it's because I am bored with the exercise machines and there weren't any interesting classes. I know, excuses...excuses. The upshot was that I managed to stay within my points and eat a very healthy and yummy tuna salad.

The menu:
Pan seared tuna (roughly 5 ounces) with 1 tsp olive oil and kosher salt (5 points)
Lettuce (0 points)
1/4 cup low fat blue cheese (2 points)
1/4 cup blackberries (1 point)
Lemon juice (0 points)
1 tbsp low fat honey mustard dressing (1 point)

I ate a warmed piece of a flat bread on the side, and the meal was filling and delicious--the blackberries really worked with the blue cheese.

I also had a skinny cow ice cream sandwich for dessert :)

Overall, my day looked like:

Coffee (1)
Oatmeal (2)

Panera 1/2 Roast beef sandwich with cup of black bean soup (10)

Tuna Salad (9)
Flat bread (2)
Ice Cream Sandwich (2)

Total Points Used: 26

Not too shabby, but I didn't get in many vegetables, so I'm going to try to eat a little healthier today, although I started out with a bagel thin with peanut butter and a drizzle of honey...haha...I'm going to eat an apple for my snack.

I have to keep reminding myself that I AM NOT PERFECT and that this is a lifestyle change that is not going to happen overnight. I am going to feel proud of myself because I am eating a lot healthier and exercising a lot more since I started this journey three months ago :) And I am ABSOLUTELY going to Zumba tonight--I have my gym bag packed in the car. When I go to Zumba tonight, that will be the third time I have exercised this week, so that's pretty good.

Anyway, I have to get back to work. Happy Wednesday.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Panera again...


After swearing off Panera just last week, I feel a little sheepish admitting that I succumbed to peer pressure and had Panera for lunch today :) Oh well. I had a half sandwich with the black bean soup and it was pretty yummy and very filling--just what I needed. It cost me 10 points which is pretty reasonable, particularly given that I had only used 3 points for breakfast, and I get a total of 28 points a day (I like to save about 1/2 my points for dinner.) My only regret is the salt. I know, for a fact, that Panera products are really, really full of salt, so I've been guzzling water so that it doesn't negatively affect my weigh in on Thursday. I should be okay, I think...

Anyway, I just wanted to check back in--time to get back to work. Ciao!

Hunger pains

Despite having oatmeal and a strong cup of coffee this morning, I am feeling VERY hungry now, at 11:30am. Thank goodness that lunch is in a half an hour. At my last Weight Watchers meeting, we discussed hunger and strategies for dealing with it--like eating frequent snacks, eating filling foods, and drinking lots of water. So to combat the hunger I drank 1 liter of water. Unfortunately, I am still hungry :) Must be the real thing.

I did not make it to my Body Jam class last night, as I had intended. 7:30pm is a very awkward time for me to work out because by that point, I'm kind of settling down for the night, lame I know :) But I get off work at 5:00pm, and I drive to work at 7:30 am. So by 7:30 pm, I like to eat dinner and do something relaxing like watch a movie or read a book--which is the complete opposite of a Body Jam workout, haha. Besides, I was sore from Zumba two days in a row and my heels are covered in blisters from walking in the park on Sunday with high heels. ANYWAY, I am going to the gym this evening, I promise! Because, after all, I want my weigh in this week to be a success--hopefully I can lose back the pound that I gained last week ;)

Today, I am wearing a skirt that I haven't worn since my Syracuse days--a size 14 non-elastic black and white striped number, and I'm so pleased. It feels great to be finally fitting back into some of my nice "skinny" clothes. Closet shopping is truly an awesome thing--particularly because it's free :) As usual, I am trying to resist the urge to buy new clothes, but I really want a summer dress. I was thinking about stopping by a thrift shop or Ross after work to find something cheap and pretty. After all, it's been about 90 degrees every day this week and the summer is only beginning (haha, that's how I'm going to justify the purchase anyway).

In other news, I had a slight J relapse last night--I texted him to see if he wanted to watch a movie. I know, I know...BAD IDEA. He asked to postpone until tonight, and this morning I texted back to CANCEL. I would love to see him, but it's really not a good idea and it might set me back emotionally (and even in this Weight Loss Journey), so I'm going to be smart and give him some space. It's hard, but I ultimately think I made the right decision.

Anyway, wish me luck at the gym tonight. I think I'm going to shoot for 37 minutes on the elliptical and maybe some leg weights. I wish there was a dance class, but unfortunately they aren't offered tonight.

Monday, June 14, 2010



Instant oatmeal has become one of my work breakfast staples. I can throw a package (or two) in my purse before going to work, and I have a healthy, filling, low point breakfast. Plus, I can bring some fruit to mix in with it. Last week, I added sliced mango, and it was DELICIOUS--kind of like a low-cal version of Sticky Rice with Mango. I also add bananas and berries to it--depending on my mood and what I have in the fridge. This morning, I had the oatmeal plain because I have not had a chance to go grocery shopping and I am OUT OF FRUIT. I definitely have to get to the store after work.

I had an awesome weekend. I went to Zumba on both Saturday and Sunday morning, and I can definitely feel it in my legs this morning. My date went really well on Saturday afternoon, and the guy e-mailed me yesterday to let me know what a great time he had, which was pretty nice :) I think we may go out again next weekend, so I'll keep you updated. And I hung out with friends on Saturday night until around 12:30 am when I got exhausted and went home to bed. So, all in all, a pretty busy and fun weekend, but I did not get a chance to clean my apartment or go grocery shopping, so I'll have to catch up with that this week.

Food wise, I tried to stay OP all weekend, although I did have to use 6 weeklies on Saturday because I had two beers and indulged in a high point Italian lunch. But I feel pretty okay with that, because I made it to Zumba.

Anyway, Monday came way to quickly and now I have to catch up with work. The weekend is officially over, oh well. Hope everyone has, at least, an okay Monday.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Sweet Saturdays...


Good morning everyone. I woke up this morning and snuggled with my cats Leo and Fanny. The weekends are nice because I can spend my mornings relaxing as opposed to rushing to get ready for work. But today is going to be a busy day. I had wheat toast with laughing cow cheese and grapes (on the side) for breakfast, a total of 7 points, which is a bit high for breakfast. However, I am going to my Zumba class at 11:30am and I wanted to have a hearty breakfast. After Zumba, I am going on a lunch date and then I am meeting a friend for an ice cream cone. It's sometimes difficult to stay OP when so many social activities revolve around bad food. But life is all about balance, so I'm just going to try to make smart choices while also having a good time. Maybe there is a frozen yogurt option at Dairy Queen?

Anyway, happy Saturday!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants



Losing weight means giving up a lot of things. It means giving up eating ice cream with hot fudge every night for dessert. It means not ordering an entire large pizza and eating 3/4 of it. And it also, at least temporarily, means not buying new clothes, because YOU WILL grow out of them. This, for me, is always the hardest blow because as my body begins to improve and I can actually see my waist--yay--I want to run to the nearest clothing store and try on EVERYTHING. But I can't, because I know that the weight loss journey is not even close to over, and I don't want to waste my very limited money.

I have reached a frustrating place in my weight loss journey where my "normal" clothes are too big and my "skinny" clothes are too tight. The good news is that coworkers, friends, and even strangers are taking pity on me and giving me cast-off clothes. My neighbor downstairs, Brandy, gave me a cute, stretchy brown skirt, my coworker Harriett gave me a huge bag of work clothes, and a complete stranger Kristen (who writes the blog Conversations With My Inner Skinny Chick) is actually sending me a pair of jeans that she has grown out of. In the spirit of the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I will wear the "magic" jeans, and then send them to another girl on Weight Watchers when I grow out of them. I think this is a fantastic idea and I can't wait until I get the jeans because as of now I have only 2 pairs that fit--even though I have about 10 pairs of jeans in my closet :)

On another note, I made it to the gym last night and sweated through 37 minutes on the elliptical machine. It felt good to exercise but I have to admit the elliptical is getting a little boring and repetitive. Plus, my knee starts hurting after a while because of my hyperextension. I really need to buy a knee brace. Does anybody have any workout suggestions? I really liked Zumba and I'm going to take another class on Saturday morning. After the gym, I got home and made a huge grilled chicken salad with carrots, lettuce, onions, black beans, and honey mustard dressing, with a warmed tortilla on the side. Very yummy. As soon as I find the connection for my camera, I'll be posting more photographs of food. Then I watched The Philadelphia Story and went to bed. All in all, a good day.

Anyway, I have to get back to work. What are your weekend plans? I, for one, am going on a date on Saturday afternoon and going to Zumba. Happy Friday!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

And the verdict is...

A gain of one pound. Which is MUCH, MUCH better than a gain of 5.7 pounds. Whew...

When I stepped into the meeting today, the receptionist rushed over and gave me a big hug (I guess I must have made an impression yesterday, haha). Then the WW Leader came over and asked me to explain what was going on. I told her about the hormones and overeating, and she encouraged me to move on and start the new week on a positive note. The good news is that because I lost 4 pounds last week and gained 1 pound this week, I still lost a total of 3 pounds in the last 2 weeks, which is pretty good.

Anyway, I have to get back to work, but I wanted to give you guys the update.

ZUMBA




I made it to Zumba last night, and unfortunately I didn't manage to take any pictures. I was too busy trying to keep up with the steps. Despite my lack of coordination, Zumba was actually fun and it definitely was a good workout. It also improved my mood, substantially--it's pretty hard to feel like a failure after you've sweated through an hour long aerobics class:) My gym only offers Zumba once a week (Wednesday evenings) but there is a gym in the Fan area of Richmond that offers the class on Saturday mornings, so I think I'm going to try to go to that class as well. I'm trying to develop an exercise routine that I like so that I can stick with it. I've grown a little bored of the elliptical, so maybe trying some classes would be a good idea? There's also a class called Body Pump, which I might decide to take, but the name freaks me out. It makes me think of body builders, which I most certainly don't want to become. However, I met a girl named Tanya in my Zumba class and she said it was a fun workout, so maybe I'll give it a try. The class meets on Monday evenings.

Balancing exercising and eating right is not always so simple. Sometimes, I get a bit lazy and think that if I just restrict my calories the pounds will fall off. After all, you lose weight when you consume less calories than you burn. But it's hard for me to keep motivated to eat well when I don't exercise. So I need to fight the urge to be lazy, and exercise more regularly which will (a) help me eat better, (b) help me lose weight, and (c) tone my body. I'm thinking that 4 times a week is a good goal, so if I go to Zumba twice a week, and Body Pump once a week, and then hit the machines (elliptical, treadmill, bike) once a week, I'll get in pretty good shape. I've never developed an exercise plan like this, but this one seems pretty reasonable.

On other news, I weigh in officially today and I sincerely hope that I have not gained a true 5.7 pounds. But if I did, I'll just move on and get back on the program. I've talked to everyone about my weight gain--from my parents to my friends and coworkers--and everyone has reassured me that slip-ups happen and that, "No, it is not possible to gain 5.7 real pounds in 3 days." However, my mom mentioned that my huge loss last week of 4 pounds might not have been real either. So, for the time being I'm going to take the scale with a grain of salt (of course I will continue to weigh in) and get back on plan with eating within my points and exercising consistently. I don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that eating healthy + exercising more will eventually lead to a weight loss.

Anyway, I have to get back to work. Wish me luck on the scale and I'll be sure to let you know what the verdict is.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010




After a VERY off-plan beginning of the week, I am determined to get back on track today. How, you may ask? By eating a mango of course :) In all due seriousness, I am going to try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and drink lots of WATER today. And I am going to Zumba, no matter what!!

Since I began WW at the end of March, my diet has gone very smoothly, with good losses each week, but this week I hit a problem--PMS and boy issues. Not a pretty combination, let me tell you. I spent the last few days eating the entire contents of my refrigerator, crying my eyes out, avoiding my neighbors, reading spy novels, and watching Gilmore Girls. I was craving McDonalds french fries and chicken nuggets, but I really didn't want to run into anyone I knew. So I stayed home and ate gross/ boring combinations of food: Special K out of the box, pasta with butter, bread with peanut butter, and asparagus (just because I really like roasted asparagus with olive oil).

Today I weighed in a day early, with heavier clothes, and on Day 2 of my period because I HATE myself. Despite my bad eating, I was shocked that the scale said I had gained 5.7 pounds!!! How can that be possible after only eating badly for 3 days? I burst into tears and the kind Weight Watchers receptionist offered to post No Weigh In and let me continue next week. She said, "You're not a true Weight Watcher member until you've cried on the scale at least once."

But I practically ran out of the Weight Watchers office. I was too ashamed to attend the meeting, which I know is completely counterproductive. However, I will return tomorrow in my standard Weight Watcher outfit, a skimpy sundress, and record the truth. I don't think that I actually gained 5.7 whole pounds--that would mean I ate over 10,000 extra calories which I don't think I did in less than 3 days. I probably gained a few pounds, which is a major drag because I am trying to lose so much weight. On the other hand, this is a lifestyle, not a diet. And I have to love myself enough to keep plugging along despite minor setbacks.

Which is why I will eat a mango today, go to Zumba (I hope that I have the energy to do it) and drink lots of water. It's amazing how much about healthy living is about your attitude. I swear, I felt more confident in myself when I first started the program and was embracing healthy choices, even though I was over 25 pounds heavier. I just have to summon the self confidence to move forward with my weight loss and exercise goals. I know that if I stick with this program I will eventually get where I want to be. Wish me luck, and I'll let you know how Zumba goes in my post tomorrow!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Sweet Potato with Black Beans and Sour Cream




Beth, from Beth's Journey to Thin (bethsjourney.com) inspired me to try a baked sweet potato with black beans (not the most typical combination) and it was delicious. I added some low fat sour cream to make it a little less dry, and it was so yummy, filling, healthy, easy, and CHEAP. Honestly, it beats a Panera sandwich, hands down (my old crutch food).

My story



Katie's Way to Healthy is a blog about a 24-year-old girl who is trying to lose a great amount of weight, just about 90 pounds, and and who is trying to learn how to live a happy, healthy, productive life.


I have been overweight since middle school (and I was chubby even as a child) and I am determined to get to a healthy weight the right way, by slowly changing my diet to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and to become more active. Throughout my adolescence, everyone told me how pretty I was, but the implication was that I would be so much more attractive if I were thinner. Instead of being inspired to lose the weight, I ate more and more. I used to hide cracker boxes and empty yogurt containers in my room, because I thought no one would notice if the food just magically disappeared. (They noticed, believe me.) One of my favorite sayings is, what you eat in private shows in public. It's taken me a while to realize that is true--I still sometimes struggle with hiding my binges and pretending that they just didn't happen.


A year and a half ago, I somewhat successfully lost about 35 pounds by exercising 4-5 times per week and eating healthy, but as soon as I stopped exercising the weight came back on (plus some). This time, I am using the Weight Watcher program to keep me accountable and help me stick with the program, because, let's face it I'm not going to lose 100 pounds in three months. This isn't the Biggest Loser. I started Weight Watchers on March 25th 2010 and so far I have lost 29.6 pounds, which certainly makes me feel better even though I am not yet even close to my goal weight. In order to lose the weight, I've tracked my points (I get 28 per day) and I have exercised 3-4 times per week. Now that I have lost some weight, I would like to bump my exercise up to 4-5 times per week.


This blog will serve as a way for me to stay committed to my overall goals, track my progress, experiment with new recipes and activities and hopefully serve as an inspiration for people in similar boats as me. Enjoy!