Weigh-in day 12!

Yes, I know, I've missed a couple of weigh-ins. AND this one is a day late, but I'm trying my best to post when I can! This week . . . 202.5!! This is a bit of a guesstimate, because Monday at the doctor's office I weighed 202.4, but today at the gym I weighed 202.9 in my non-workout clothes. So, I'm sort of averaging. Nonethless - a step closer! When I weighed in before Texas in March, I was at 203. So, this is good! Once I got back to my (sort of) normal lifestyle, the weight is still coming off, albeit slowly.

I'm about to take another trip to Texas which I'm sure will include some alcohol temptation and also delicious food that I shouldn't eat. These are things that everyone has to deal with on vacation - they can't be avoided. So, I'm going to say a couple of things about TRAVELING while on a diet. #1 - PREPARATION IS YOUR FRIEND!! Don't expect the gas station or the news stand in the airport to have the cereal/snack bars/baked chips you like. Bring your own! There's no airline restriction on how much food you can carry on. As long as it's not liquid, you're safe. If you're staying with a friend, they won't mind you buying some healthy snacks or foods from the grocery store. Family is sometimes a little harder - nobody wants to hurt grandma's feelings by not eating her pie! But if your family supports you, they will want you to succeed. Just say, in the nicest way possible, I just need a couple of things from the store to help me stay on track with my diet! Have a bite or two of whatever they're cooking, and then rave about how delicious it is. Most importantly - don't guilt yourself into eating what you don't want to. In the end, it's your call.
#2 - DRINK WATER! A great plan in everyday life, too, but traveling makes your body retain water. The best thing you can do is stay hydrated and try to flush the salt out of your system, so you won't feel bloated. Steer clear of sodas and even teas (especially sweetened ones) if you can - water's always better!
#3 - Make good decisions WHENEVER POSSIBLE! Everyone likes to splurge a little on vacation. But the key is to plan your splurges. If you splurge at every meal, don't expect to lose weight that week. Eat salads/veggies and fruit whenever you can to help combat the fatty /cheesy/carb-filled things you might want to eat later.
#4 - Be HONEST WITH YOURSELF. If you know you're going to be miserable making "good decisions" all week - then decide BEFORE HAND to maintain or gain a pound or two. Take control of your situation and say, "This is my week to have a little of what I usually can't have, so that I don't feel deprived and I can stick to my diet plan longer." Really, that's the ultimate goal. Nobody can go through life avoiding all desserts forever (ok, maybe you can, and I applaud you!), so it's all about balance. The most important thing is not to lose control - have a little of the stuff you love, and try to push away the plate. Whether it's good foods or bad foods, it's all about portion control. And if you decide before hand to let yourself loose a bit, then you're in control of your diet. Your diet CANNOT control you.

Thanks for reading everyone! Happy vacationing if you're lucky enough to do so!

Dealing with Busyness

AHHHHH I know I've been a slacker about blogging!! I haven't given up! But I have been SUPER busy. Here's why: The last few days of March I made a surprise visit to Texas. I did my best to make good food choices, but there was lots of celebratory drinking. And I was in Texas for my weigh-in day, so I didn't get on my regular scale. And since each scale is a little different, I didn't count that weigh-in day.

Then, the Monday after Texas was my birthday! And again, I made smarter food choices than would have this time last year. BUT I did eat a little more than I usually would. And again, celebratory drinks with friends. So last week when I weighed in I had gained 1.3 pounds. Considering the 2 weeks before, I thought that was pretty good. Weight Watchers considers "maintaining" your weight to be within 2 pounds of your weight. So - I maintained to the most part.

My weigh-in day tomorrow I'm kind of dreading. On one hand, I need to get back on the horse big time. On the other, I hate feeling like I'm moving away from my goal. I know, I know - as long as I don't let my momentum go out the window and give up because I haven't lost a lot lately, it will be fine. And in that vein, my friend Sarah and I went to the gym today. I had a free guest pass from the gym as a birthday gift, and she went with me to my Body Flow class. Now, let me say, my friend Sarah has ALWAYS pushed me when it comes to being fit. And now she's in the best shape I've ever seen her in. And she left the class saying, "Wow, that was tough!" It made me feel really good that I go every week and work hard there.

I need 2 things to change for me to continue losing weight. 1 - I need a better way for me to track my points. Some days I come home and I crash, and I don't have the energy to log all my points. And a lot of times, I don't get to my computer in the middle of the day. So I'm looking for the Weight Watchers iphone/ipod touch app. That way, anywhere there's wireless, even if I don't have my computer, I can figure out how many points I have left for the day.
2 - I need to get to the gym more often. I'm working at the restaurant more, and I'm teaching more. These are great financial things that I've been blessed with, but I need to learn to balance that with taking care of myself physically. So, in short, I need to learn to wake up early and get to the gym. I know how to wake up early if I have to - but every time I say, "I'm going to go to the gym early!" somehow, the snooze button keeps getting hit and then I have no time. So - I'm asking for help. (Yes, Mom, I know it's shocking!) I know I have friends who wake up early, so I might ask one of you one day to call me until I'm awake. Until I make myself get in that habit, it won't happen.

So I know what I need to change - all that's left is to do it! Love you all and thank you so much for your support!