Why’d I give up? Time — lack of it, really. No time to count my points, no time to cook healthy meals or plan ahead for lunch at work. I know that WW has a new Core program, which allows you to eat healthy without counting points — as long as you stay with a specific list of food. I have been a little skeptical of the Core program, for me at least, knowing that making the right food choices and using moderation are two of my biggest hurdles.

Well…as we get ready to head into a New Year, I’m thinking about trying out WW’s Core program as part of a “new me” resolution. Week after week I see that people find this blog by doing searches for the printable weight loss journals. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t even know what those are. It also makes me think there are WAY more people currently on Weight Watchers than I realized.

I do know that WW is most often recommended by doctors, and for good reason. Weight Watchers is based on sound nutrition, gradual addition of exercise into your lifestyle, and their program even attacks the psychological side of things. I’m not really in a position where I want to pay for meetings when I know literally NOBODY in this town (not to mention that I’m moving in February), but I do have all the WW materials up until Week 4.

What do you think? Should I give it a go? Are you on Weight Watchers…or on their maintenance plan? Would you follow this blog more often if I joined a program like WW and tracked my progress?

 I really want to hear your thoughts!

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Watchers: Are You With the Program?

Well, I definitely let stress get to me this week. If I go into any further detail, you’ll learn way more about me then you probably bargained for, so let’s just leave it at that today. My favorite stress reduction technique is writing, but the kind of writing I need to do right now is the kind that belongs in a three-ring notebook away from the public’s eye.

This week’s progress:

Starting Weight: 182

Current Weight: 184

So tell me, what’s your favorite stress reduction technique?

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Progress 12/13: A Bad Week

If you can put the past behind you and live through today with renewed self-confidence and motivation, you can do anything.

Smile and say aloud, “Nothing matters more than that I feel good,” and you’ll be on your way!

Best wishes for the week ahead,

Diane

Post from: Blisstree

Monday Motivation: Get Over the Guilt and Back on Track

This week’s progress:

Two pounds gained, which didn’t surprise me one bit. I ate mostly healthy stuff, didn’t snack and didn’t drink (too much).

Starting Weight: 180

Current Weight: 182

This week’s slips:

Let’s see: pumpkin pie, whipped cream, cranberry sauce, lots of carbs and a good dose of gravy. Enough said.

This week’s successes:

I think getting through Thanksgiving with only a 2-pound gain is a success. My goal was to make it through with less than a 5-pound gain, remember? Goal!

Goals for next week:

I am ramping up my weight loss efforts this coming week. I’m aiming for 12 miles on the treadmill, whether it takes me 4 days or 6 days. I’m also going to do two days of Slim-Fast meal replacements, in an effort to get my appetite back down after an indulgent holiday.

What are your goals for this week, and how do you plan on reaching them? Please share with us in the comments.

Post from: Blisstree

Weekly Weight Progress, 11/29

So…you can imagine the fear I have about holiday meals. I dread them, especially since I’m usually not the one cooking them. It’s hard to stick to a healthy diet when you don’t have control over what you are served.

This year however, I have been living with a more positive mind-set, and I’ve decided to apply that to my relationship with food. Losing ten pounds recently helps, since I’ve gained a bit of confidence in my ability to take care of my body.

Here’s my 3-step plan to get through the day tomorrow:

Limit the Cocktails

I’m not much of a drinker, but I will have something at family gatherings. I’m not a beer drinker, but instead prefer the hard stuff — not good if you’re watching your calories. The good news is that I’m a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, so I can make one potent drink last all night if needed. However, I’m going to allow myself one or two small drinks, and take a break with a large glass of water in between.

Use a Smaller Plate

One of my favorite tricks to eating less is using a smaller plate. Sure, I’ve tried to dish less onto a big plate, but it doesn’t work the same. I end up taking a little of everything when maybe I should have just a little more of the few things I really want. This year I’m going to use a smaller plate so I can avoid eating the high-sugar foods that usually make me sick — like candied yams.

Talk More, Eat Less

Talking may be easy for some, but not for an introvert like myself. I’m going to avoid eating all the pre-dinner appetizers and goodies by visiting more with my in-laws and the others who will be there. Talking more give you less chances to put food in your mouth, and also leaves time in between your bites for your brain to realize your stomach is filling up.

Have Fun!

If you’re worried about getting through tomorrow without ruining your healthy diet, just take a deep breath and remember that Friday is a new day. Above all, I hope you relax, have fun, and enjoy yourself, because that’s what I’ll be doing.

Post from: Blisstree

My Plan to Survive Thanksgiving Dinner

I’ll be spending the day at home, putting my toy order in online — but if I didn’t live in the middle of nowhere, I’d take a trip to the local Gold’s Gym after doing my internet shopping.

From November 28th through the holiday weekend, Gold’s Gym will be hosting a “Trim the Fat Friday” program. For this one weekend, you can get in free, exercise to your heart’s content, and receive tips for keeping the pounds off through the entire holiday season. Nutrition experts and gym trainers will also be on hand to help with weight loss and maintenance goals. How cool is that?

Considering that the average Thanksgiving meal is 3000 calories, I think it’s a smart marketing move for Gold’s Gym, and a great way to get people in the door.

P.S. Contest Alert: If you prefer to exercise in the comfort of your own home but need a little motivation, very soon I’ll be giving away a great (musical) addition to your workout. Stay tuned!

Post from: Blisstree

Spend Black Friday at Gold’s Gym

I’ve been away from the computer for a few days, packing and driving my kids to my parents for some housesitting. I don’t know about you, but times that are busy and stressful like now (around the holidays) are always spent worrying about my weight.

The good news is that nothing has changed on the scale — but that’s also the bad news.

This week’s progress:

No pounds gained, but no pounds lost. I suppose I can live with that.

Starting Weight: 180

Current Weight: 180

This week’s slips:

Is it my fault if my husband brings home two packages of “ultimate” cookie dough because they were buy-one-get-one? *sigh* No, but it’s certainly my fault for eating them. Considering I also didn’t succeed with my daily exercise, it’s amazing I didn’t gain an ounce.

This week’s successes:

I may not have hopped on the treadmill, but I did do a lot of running around in general thanks to a week-long minimum day schedule at my daughter’s school. I am also rockin’ in the water department. Usually I have trouble drinking my fluids when the weather cools down, but I’ve stocked up on so many flavors of Crystal Light packets that getting in my water has been a breeze.

Goals for next this week:

Who am I kidding? This is a holiday week here in the U.S., and I know I will not be eating healthy. My biggest goal is to make it through Thanksgiving without gaining five pounds. How will I do that? I’ll use a smaller plate, fill up on water and fiber, and eat slooooowly.

Look for my post in a couple days with more tips for getting through the diet-breaking holiday feast.

What are your goals for this week, and how do you plan on reaching them?

Post from: Blisstree

Weekly Weight Progress, 11/24

I’m not a medical professional, but look at these two facts:

Severely underweight individuals will often stop menstruating altogether.

Overweight individuals have higher rates of thyroid disorder, diabetes, infertility, and polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS.

There is some “chicken and the egg” debates about whether weight issues are a cause of these disorders or merely a symptom of them. However, it is clear that hormones and weight are tightly interwoven, especially when it comes to our reproductive systems.

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while now and are overweight, you may consider whether the excess weight is preventing you from conceiving. Personally, I had trouble conceiving while I was borderline obese, and I know it was because my cycles were not normal. Even though I was menstruating, things just weren’t working the way they should “in there.”

My doctor never said I should lose weight to increase my chances, though I suspect had I seen an infertility specialist, I would have heard the suggestion. See, when you lose weight, you are helping your body normalize itself…reach its natural state of balance. I mentioned this before: your body is going to fight back by altering its physiology if there is an imbalance, in this instance your weight.

Don’t believe me? Okay, here are a couple more facts:

Women who have weight loss surgery dramatically increase their chances of getting pregnant. So much so, that women are often warned of unplanned pregnancies after such a surgery.

Women who have weight loss surgery also improve their chances of success with in-vitro fertilization.

Now these findings, as recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, obviously focus on weight loss surgery as the method of fat loss. I suspect this is because researchers are continually studying both the positive and negative effects of such drastic surgeries. I also believe that weight loss is weight loss — if you take yourself from obesity to a healthy weight then I bet you’d have the same successes as the women in the studies.

I am definitely not promoting weight loss surgery as a cure to infertility, but if you are overweight and have not yet seen the positive pregnancy test, think about putting your body back into balance first — and the baby just might follow.

You might also be interested in Peggy Rowland’s contest over at Lively Women — for a conception kit worth $300! You have to hurry and enter though, because her contest ends November 24th. She also interviewed a Board Certified physician regarding infertility and the conception kit, so be sure to take a look at that.

On a more personal note – I wish you swift success in trying to conceive!

Photo courtesy of Rotorhead on stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Overweight and Trying to Get Pregnant?

After finding a more positive mind-set and reaffirming my self-worth, I lost all the weight and got in shape by doing the following:

I purchased a one-month supply of Herbalife products.

This included meal replacement powder, vitamins, and other supplements. While I don’t think meal replacements and supplements are necessary for weight loss, they were for me. I needed the help to jump-start the loss. Once I lost 20 pounds, I had regained control of my appetite. I was so motivated by my new look that I didn’t need to continue the meal replacements, energy boosters, or appetite suppressants.

I scheduled exercise.

My good friend and I made a “date” at least 4 times a week at her house to use her treadmill and exercise videos. She’d do one and I’d do the other, then we’d switch. Of course being single with no kids, I had more time for this than most people probably do. Scheduling the time and considering it an important appointment that you must keep really helps.

I ate less, and what I did eat was healthier.

Obviously, I was eating fewer calories while on the meal replacement shakes. I drank a shake when I arrived at work, one for lunch, and my mom made me a healthy dinner each night. I kept myself busy after work by doing my exercise. Before you eat is a great time to exercise, and you will actually burn more of your food calories that way.

I didn’t starve myself.

The meal replacements were heavy on protein, which helped suppress my appetite. I did get hungry while working though, and kept a tube of saltine crackers on my desk. While they aren’t the healthiest things in the world, they are relatively low in calories. When combined with massive amounts of water, they filled me up. (Though I should probably recommend fruit and veggie snacks, crackers worked best for me.)

I drank as if my life depended on it.

Seriously.  Luckily, the office I worked in had a full kitchen with a sink and the best weight loss tool — water. I filled up a pint sized plastic cup and vowed to finish one of those for every hour I worked. It was easy, even while doing my job as a receptionist and billing clerk. Did you notice what I did to make it easy? I scheduled my drinking. By making myself empty and refill the cup once each hour, I ended up drinking a full 128 ounces of water over the course of my day. That’s 16 cups of water, 2 for each hour I worked! I can’t even begin to explain the benefits of water while losing weight — that in itself deserves its own post.

That’s it. That’s what I did. Perhaps I was in the minority by having family support, exercise equipment at my disposal, and time to put myself first — but those are all very important parts of successful weight loss. Of course, as you probably have guessed by now, I did gain the weight back eventually. Such is the life of someone with obesity written in the genes. You might be asking why bother then….

I kept that extra weight off for about 4 years, and the only reason I gained it back was because of my first pregnancy. During those 4 years, my thyroid hormones stayed at a normal range, I was at less risk for heart attack and stroke, and I felt energized and healthy.

It was worth the effort.

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Gain and Hormones, Losing the Fat

Today, I have something extra special for you. I had so much to share with you that I have multiple posts for you. I felt this information was too important to wait another week. I’m going to explain why your mind-set is important to your weight loss, explain how I lost the weight I had gained, and then tomorrow I’ll discuss a little secret about the how weight loss affects hormones.

I walked out of the doctor’s office that day I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, a little dejected that I was offered no help with my weight other than the advice to eat less and exercise more. That’s the worst thing we overweight people want to hear — it’s almost as bad as “but you have such a pretty face.”

Eating less and exercising more is easier said than done, right? Wrong! Okay, now don’t hate me and please just listen for a second. The reason we begin to believe that we can’t lose the weight is purely psychological. If you can get past the limitations of your mind, you can do almost anything.

Over the course of six months to a year, I found myself obese, depressed, and to top it off — in a very unfulfilling relationship that I was hanging onto just because I believed I didn’t deserve better. What did I do? I woke up!

So much of losing weight is about appreciating yourself. I will touch upon the psychological aspects of weight loss many times over the life of this blog, because it’s so important. You have to love yourself, AS YOU ARE NOW, in order to feel compelled to change.

Let me put it this way. Would you rather suffer the consequence of being overweight by dying of a heart attack at age 50…or would you rather fit into some skinny jeans? Most people would be more motivated by the former, the consequence versus the reward.

Okay, so what did I do? I dumped my fiancé who was no good for me, called up one of my best friends to let her know my intentions, and yes, I did buy some supplements to help me. I also let my parents know what my plan was, since I was living at home and my mom was still the cook in the family.

It was important to put me first, and for a change I was going to do it. If you’re married with kids, or even have a demanding job, I understand this is easier said than done. You must understand how essential it is to your success. It’s critical! If you don’t have self-worth, what motivation is there to take care of you and your body?

So now, please read my post on the tools I used to finally lose the weight.

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Gain and Hormones, Your Mind-Set