No New Year's Resolution

Over my lifetime, I've made thousands of New Year's resolutions.

And have subsequently failed to meet them over the next 365 days.

This year will be different.

I won't make any resolutions. Instead, I'll borrow this wonderful idea from the talented author Holly Jacobs. Last year, her word was GLEE. This year, her word is RESTART.

Find one word that will be your mantra for the year.

For me, that word will be FOCUS.

It will be useful in many aspects of my life:

• losing weight
• becoming more active
• work
• and last, but not least, writing 

One word is easy to remember. Do you have one word that will allow you to make a New Year's resolution without making a resolution?

I found one word. I bet you can, too!

MAG's

Weighty Wednesday--I Got This

It has been a long time since I wrote a Weighty Wednesday blog post. Most of my gems of wisdom are posted under the Weighty Wednesday tab. Click there to find anything and everything I've posted on the topic of weight loss from dealing to exercise to cravings to plateaus.

Weight loss journey is constant, because once you've reached goal then you have to maintain, which is in essence, a plateau . I've gained weight. I'm striving to return to my goal weight.

As much as I want to get to goal weight again, I haven't had the motivation to try.

I've grown complacent, comfortable, and fat-and-happy in my padded flesh.

Three things have happened recently that have spurred me back into weight-loss mode.

1. I'm taking a course of antibiotics that seriously stress--NO ALCOHOL or any food that might contain alcohol. 
2. My daughter is away at swim camp.
3. I put on my bikini--no, I don't wear it in public, but I want to look good in private!

After we dropped our daughter off at camp, my hubby and I had 4 hours to discuss this coming week. We decided to make a point of walking every evening (This goal failed last night as it decided to rain, so he fixed the toilet.) If we eat dinner, then it will be something simple, like salad with grilled chicken.

1. I will say that I enjoy an adult beverage, but will admit that the 'occasional' glass of wine, ounce of liqueur, or beer had become more than occasional. So with the horrible side effects stated on my medicine, I decided to cut out any and all alcohol. Once the habit is broken, then it is easier to keep it from being a 'daily' instead of occasional. When one is trying to lose weight, alcohol is a point-laden pit that adds up quite quickly. 
2. With my kiddo at swim camp, I don't need to fix meals for dinner. Smoothies and salads work better for me, plus the hubby usually eats a pretty good lunch. Eating too much at night only makes me crave more food throughout the evening. Last night, I was hungry about six, but we were at Lowes buying parts for the toilet. By the time we got home, and I kept the hubby company upstairs while he fixed the toilet, I stopped being hungry. The one thing that I need to remind myself is that you don't have to eat--no matter what the clock says--if you aren't hungry.
3. I like wearing a bikini by my pool. I hate the fact that most one-piece swimsuits have a high back or high front. This make it hard to get an even tone to your body when you have different styles of shirts to wear over the summer! 

With these three items in my arsenal, I also attended my WW meeting yesterday, after missing the previous two weeks, where Julie talked about 'anchors'.

To me, an anchor is something that weighs you down. While the WW definition, an anchor is meant to keep you from 'drifting' from the program, the reason you keep focused. 

It's all about semantics. 

Since my interpretation is different than the intended WW use, I've been having a tough time finding a reason to focus on my weight loss again. 

So I will focus on an event, or a date, or something that works with me to get me back into the right frame of mind. 

What happens after that particular event takes place?

Well, I'll find another goal. And another goal. And another goal until this lifestyle becomes a habit. 

Because, I got this. 

Later, Peeps! 

Weighty Wednesday -- It's hard, but worth it

If you saw my Monday blog post, you'll realize that I went skiing last week. I had really good intentions of staying on the weight loss track. I . . .

• packed healthy snacks for the car (sliced apples, baby carrots and cheese sticks)
• packed a tortilla roll-up for lunch in the car, instead of a hamburger and fries along the way
• planned all our dinner meals, which included salads
• planned healthy, protein-filled breakfasts
• planned to eat salads for lunch up on the mountain

I did great on the drive and the first night. But things fell apart when I ate salad on the mountain on Monday . . . I had a very, very unpleasant Tuesday. 

I tried to eat well. Really, I did.

But it didn't happen as I envisioned it. 

We got home on Friday night and I weighed myself of Saturday AM. 

I do believe the words, "Holy Moly!" erupted from my mouth . . . or it could have been some other words that aren't PG rated, but who am I to say??

So, I focused. I planned to eat as many unprocessed foods as possible. I did cut most carbs out of my diet. 

*on a side note: Carbs are not evil. In fact, WW stresses the need for whole grains in one's diet. But carbs don't like me--I retain water when I eat them, plus they tend to make me feel dumpy/frumpy and all around blimpy, so I try to stay away from them. 

And I started my two-a-day walks. These double walks don't happen every day, but if I can get three a week, then I'm good.

And on Tuesday, I had weigh-in.

I LOST 1.8 pounds from the previous week's weigh-in, prior to the skiing debacle.

But if you count the weight I was the day AFTER vacation, then I lost 4 pounds.

Look, I hit my goal before, but as I've mentioned, life doesn't stop when you hit your goal weight. It's a constant challenge to maintain the correct weight for you.

And I had let myself go.

It happens. I have a long way to go to get back to my goal weight (16 pounds), but I'm on the right track.

If you've hit a bump, or mountain, on your weight loss road don't give up. Giving up will just make matters worse.

It's time to fight.

It's time to get back to basics.

If I can do it, YOU can do it.

Later, Peeps!

Weighty Wednesday -- Teach an Old Dog

Have you ever noticed that I seem to have to keep learning and writing the same lesson over and over again?

It just goes to show that this isn't just some diet you go on to lose the weight and then amazingly you can eat whatever you want again . . . not if you want to keep the weight off.

I'll confess that even with my good intentions last week, I went through a bout of carb-loading. It had to do with fact I went shopping and the store had Raisin Bread and Caramel Apple Bread prominently displayed. I hadn't had raisin bread in a long time, but the Caramel Apple Bread sounded divine . . . and it was. I ate the small loaf over three days. Some days it was soaked in butter and added cinnamon for flavor, and other days I took Greek yogurt, mixed with brown sugar Splenda and cinnamon and smeared it on top--that was actually the best. It almost tasted like cream cheese spread!

Well, that indulgence weighed me down, figuratively and literally. For me, carbs are evil. Maybe I should clarify--refined carbs are evil, namely white flour and sugar enhanced products.

I had to cut them out to get this excess baggage off before weigh-in.

Now, I didn't go to my WW meeting--long story involving slushy weather and my husband's car not designed for nasty weather, so he took my car for the day. Anyhoo, I weighed in at home, and barely made my cut-off again. I'm not a fan of weighing in on the heavy side of the scale. I like the extra wiggle room of being 4-5 pounds UNDER my goal weight for the occasional indulgences.

But I have to get back into fighting shape.

I've been talking the talk of Simply Filling, but now I'm managing it. Sometimes, those of us who are overweight or struggling, realize for some odd reason we have to feel full--stuffed actually. I'm sure there's some psycho mumble-jumble that can explain this phenomena, but I'm not here to analyze it, I'm here to help us through it.

The last two days, I've seriously focused on Simply Filling. The technique allows you to eat as much as you want of some very specific items. Fat Free dairy products, lean meats (mainly chicken, fish, etc), fresh fruits and veggies, and lots of water.

How do I prepare for this?

I buy a roasted chicken and strip the meat off the bones. I make sure I have large containers of Fat Free cottage cheese and 0% Fat Fage Greek yogurt. And I buy plenty of fruit and veggies that are easy servings--lettuce, tomatoes, bananas, apples, cutie oranges.

Many time when we troll through the cabinets it's because we need protein. Instead of going for the chips, crackers, bread or scoops of peanut butter, then eat a piece of lean chicken or drink a big glass of water.

Yes, it takes planning.

Yes, it takes focus.

But, I've done it before, I can do it again.

How about you? Ready for the challenge?

Later, Peeps! It's time for walkies!

Weighty Wednesday -- GET 'ER DONE!

All right. I have had it!

I've been putzing around with losing these last few pounds for MONTHS now. Yesterday, I lost 0.4. Big whoop. I need to kick my butt into gear because this is getting redonculous!

So what am I going to do to hit WW Lifetime--AGAIN?

It's back to basics.

• Filling up on fruits and veggies.
• Keeping my spoon out of the peanut butter jar.
• Keep up my workouts and maybe adding a few strength-training free-weight exercises.
• It's summer--drink lots and lots of water
• yard work

That should be a good start to this mission.

On June 17, 2011, I started this weight loss journey. The first 35 pound flew off my body, but then the last 10 have been stubborn. I could list numerous reasons for this, and most of them are just lame excuses!

• I stopped tracking
• My body had been at that weight for YEARS and it equilized
• I stopped measuring and weighing my food

Even though I still lost weight it was at a substantially slower pace than before. AND I still continued some GOOD habits:

• Meeting my healthy check guidelines on most days
• drinking at least 6 cups of water daily
• eating 5-6 servings of fruits and veggies
• walking--a lot--even in the cruddiest of weather
• found a meeting leader/group that meshed with my personality

And for a long time I was okay with this, but now I'm NOT. I'm reaching my one year anniversary and I need to be at goal. So how do I get to goal in 11 days?

I did one thing that I hadn't planned to do, and that was raise my goal weight from 130 to 132 pounds. 132 is the upper limit of the healthy weight range for my height. I feel good. I look good, but I need to "Git 'er done!" I have a feeling that when I reach goal, the mental block that I have will be gone and I'll be able to drop the rest of the weight a little easier.

Another thing I did was to try to find my Lifetime pin. I still have a few areas to look, but I know I made it once before--in 1996 (we found my hubby's card and pin!).  The interesting thing about making Lifetime again is that I don't have to do the 6 weeks of maintenance--shoot, I've been doing that for over 6 MONTHS now!

I don't know about y'all, but I'm tired of reporting my non-progress on this point.

I'd like to finish with my Weighty Wednesday posts forever. I started them for me, but I often wonder if the struggles I've been facing on my journey have helped anyone else on their weight loss journey? I know keeping my weight in control will be a lifetime change. I'll be working at it on a daily basis as I know some days I'll make some not so good choices. Heck, we all do that, but the key is to have more days making EXCELLENT CHOICES!

Here's my question--And I wonder how many people will actually comment on my blog/Facebook/Google +--

WHEN I REACH MY GOAL WEIGHT, DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE WITH MY WEIGHTY WEDNESDAY BLOGS?

Later, Peeps!