Yesterday, I had my weekly Weight Watcher's weigh-in and meeting. I like having the meeting on Sunday because I'm uber careful eating out on Friday and Saturday nights. Since I joined WW on June 19th (for the 4th time, mind you), I have lost 13.8 lbs. YAY!
I still have a long way to go to drop down to my ideal weight--all I have to say is that being a writer is NOT condusive to a healthy lifestyle, especially when one works out of her kitchen! But I'm on the road again. I've succeeded each time I've been on WW, but I seem to fail when it comes to 'maintenance' and maintaining my goal weight.
This time is different. It feels different. My goals are different. My mindset is different.
And as my dear hubster said, "How many old fat people do you see?" None. That's right, Peeps, being obese is an early death sentence and one I don't want.
Food is one addiction that you can't go cold turkey on. You have to eat to survive, the key is to retrain your body to crave the right choices instead of the unhealthy ones.
Does this mean that I have given up eating out? Given up chocolate? Or any of those goodies that I enjoy?
NO! The key is to enjoy them, but make smart choices.
What happens if I'm at the store and I want to buy some Fat Free Sugar Free cookies that my buddy Jody told me about? Do I buy them? No, because I know myself well enough to know that won't satisfy that particular craving of mine. I'll eat the entire box trying to satisfy a craving, and that is not acceptable.
A word of advice: If you crave homemade chocolate chip cookies. Make homemade chocolate chip cookies. But eat only one AND if you are a Weight Watcher, then use the recipe calculator to figure out how much each cookie is worth, points-wise.
I love making homemade cookies. I love eating the raw cookie dough. Do you know how many WW points/calories/fat grams are in those cookies? Well, neither do I. But I have a plan. I'm not cooking as much this summer because 1) it's freaking hot out, 2) cookies are a winter comfort food for me.
Oh, and the raw cookie dough that I usually nibble on while baking--well, my plan is to use my cookie scoop and count it as an unbaked cookie. Win-win. Raw cookie dough but in a quantifiable amount. \
--and the rest of the cookies? Well, I send them with the hubster to take to work. They are usually gone before lunch! Win-win.
Losing weight is only half the battle. Keeping the weight off will be part two of the challenge. This time I will succeed because I'm doing this for myself. I won't be wearing my goal-weight birthday suit by my fiftieth b-day (in a month), but I'll be firmly on my way.
And I'm happy about that.
Later, Peeps!
Mary, that's fabulous! I don't like going to groups - by now I know what I should eat and why I'm gaining and not losing. But I do like the accountability of groups like WW or TOPS. So I decided to report to my sister each week.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first, and so far, I lost one whole pound this last week. I actually lost two, but gained one back over the weekend. At least I had a great meal. Like you and the low calorie, no fat cookies, sometimes it's not worth it. But in this case it was. Still, I'm back on the diet saddle again and my unofficial weigh-in date is tomorrow. I can make the two pound loss for the week.
Congrats, Margaret! Keeping it off is the challenge, isn't it? But mindset makes all the difference.
ReplyDeleteI freeze chocolate chip cookie dough in cookie-size balls, then I can take out a couple when I really want them, bake them and have no leftovers to worry about.
With this heat, it's also been easier for me to say, "Hm, walk an extra hour for a scoop of ice cream? No, thanks."
ERm . . . Edie, it's Margaret, Maggie or Mags. I don't believe that I have ever been a Mary. :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the weight loss, Edie! Sometimes winning the battle at the beginning of the war is hard to do, but then the momentum starts. And that's a good thing!
I love having a weigh-in on Sunday or even Monday because it sure does keep me honest!
Thanks, Marilyn!
ReplyDeleteI like your cookie dough idea. I might have to try it some time!
With this heat, I simply havent' wanted to eat. When winter comes around and I'm typing away in my kitchen while the kidlet is at school and the hubster is at work, then we'll be talking a whole different story! I just hope my good habits are firmly in place.
Congrats, Margaret!!!
ReplyDeleteI failed at the maintenance, but am back on the exercise trail.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Apologies for the "Mary." Don't know where that came from.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Meg--maybe we can put our heads together and come up with ideas to succeed at maintenance this time around!
ReplyDeleteIt's okay, Edie--I enjoyed teasing you. :-) Shoot, I forget names all the time, even people I've known for years. I'll know it begins with 'Z', but couldn't remember their name. In fact, only after an hour of getting my teeth cleaned, my kidlet asked me what our dentist's name was and I DREW A BLANK!
ReplyDelete*shakes head* Sad, but true.
I actually prefer the no-fat devil's food cookies. "Real" stuff starts to taste bad to me after I've been eating lower fat options, too. For example, I find I dislike regular cheese after I've been eating the low-fat cheese - ug, too greasy tasting! "Real" cookies - too sugary and rich tasting after I'm used to the lower-fat options. But the one 'real' thing I won't give up - butter.
ReplyDeleteI'll try the low fat/no fat options on certain items, Jody. I remember years ago when we were dieting and I bought no-fat cheddar cheese . . . uhm, it doesn't melt and it tastes like plastic. I'll take the real stuff any day and just eat less of it.
ReplyDelete