Weigh In Friday & Other Successes

I've finally gotten around to updating my stats on the left sidebar.  I'm now down 29.9 lbs as of today!  I'm working on getting back down to my lowest weight yet, of 227.1 lbs (during Terrible Awful) so that I can feel good about wearing my weight loss bracelet again.  But I'm not going to discount my recent success - it feels good to be at almost a 30 lbs loss!  This week I took off 2.3 lbs - go me!

spring is in full swing in VA!

A few weeks ago I wrote about the upcoming 5K's I have for April and May.  I'm so excited to report that the donations are rolling in!  While the previous blog post only spoke of two 5K's, I've since enrolled in the Walk for MS (click on the badge on the left for more info) - another event that I wanted to participate in last year but couldn't due to a conflict with another walk.   To those who have donated, please know that they are much appreciated by myself and these organizations!  And to those who may still want to donate - there is still plenty of time!

I don't know about you, but I sure am looking forward to this weekend.  Heck, I'm looking forward to the entire month of April!  For starters, April is my birth month (April 4 to be exact!), Easter is just around the corner - my favorite Sunday, and lastly, every single weekend we have something planned.  I'm going to just pretend that those are all birthday celebration events :).

Do you have anything planned this weekend?  Are you an April baby?  If so, what day?  

Have a great 'on plan' weekend friends!

*All pictures were taken with my Blackberry Torch outside of my office just this past week!*

Helpful Habits: Manage Your Thoughts

"Manage Your Thoughts" is another one of Weight Watcher's Helpful Habits.  It's all about positive self-talk.

I've read about the benefits of positive self-talk, especially in Joel Osteen's books.  At times, the thought of being my own mental cheerleader sounds a little cheesy.  However, there have been times in my life where I have told myself "You can do this Hilary!" and I know that those positive thoughts have helped get me through those situations immensely.  I also believe that, with time, the positive self-talk just becomes natural.

This is something I need to work on, however.  I still have more days than not where I can't help but wonder if I'll ever reach my goal.  Will I ever be able to control my food temptations/cravings?  Will I ever be able to have a week where I am perfectly "on plan" the entire week?  Do I truly have what it takes to reach my goal both mentally and physically?

WW's recommends three strategies:

1. Befriend yourself.

The idea is this - would you really tell your friend who is trying to lose weight: "You're never going to succeed.  You'll never be able to control your food cravings.  You'll never have a perfect 'on plan' week.  You don't have what it takes to lose weight and maintain it."  Most likely not.  So, if you're not telling your friend those things, you shouldn't be telling yourself those things either.

2. Use WW's Tools for Living "Positive Self-Talk".

Under Column A, you put down your negative thoughts.  Under Column B, you put down the opposite (positive) thought.

Column A -  Negative Thoughts	Column B -  Positive Thoughts
I will never reach my goal.	It will take time and a firm commitment, but I can do it!
I will never have a perfect "on plan" week.	No one is perfect. Each week I can still strive for perfection, but the plans flexibility (i.e. WPs) allow for these slip ups.
I don't have what it takes to lose weight.	You have a plan in place (i.e. WW) that is helping you on this journey. You DO have what it takes to lose weight!
I cannot resist food temptation.	Go ahead and have it, just track it!

3. Surround yourself with kindness.

Spend time with those who are nice to you and encourage you, especially in regard to your weight loss journey.  "You need and deserve the same kindness you offer others."

Do you abide by positive self-talk?  How does it work for you if you do?  What are some of your mental strategies for successful weight loss?

Cherry Blossoms

For those who don't know, I live in the DC area, and this time of year is very special around these parts.  Right around the end of March/beginning of April, the beautiful cherry trees start blooming, sticking around for just two weeks.

As if DC wasn't already crowded enough, those two weeks in early spring cause a HUGE migration of tourists/residents to the Tidal Basin area to bask in the glory of those pretty-in-pink petals.

One of my favorite things about the cherry blossoms is that when the wind blows, the petals come cascading off of the trees like pink snow, creating this blanket of pink all over the ground/sidewalks.

By the way, I wouldn't be surprised if you had never heard of this DC-area phenomenon.  I never heard of it until I moved here.  Still, if you ever have an opportunity to visit, try your hardest to come during this two week span - they are definitely worth seeing!

Back when Joel and I first started dating, I told him that I wanted to go on a paddle boat date on the Tidal Basin {by the way - this is the body of water by the Jefferson Memorial - shown below}.  I just felt like it would be such a perfect date - you get a view of two of the monuments while scooting around the water - peaceful and calming.  Every year since that first year together, I've subtly reminded him that we have yet to do that paddle boat date. 

You know where I'm going with this.

Friday, the long awaited paddle boat date finally ensued!

Guys, it could not have been a more perfect day.  The weather was mild - warm but with cool breezes along the water.  We also took full advantage of all of the photo ops.

Another bonus - we got in a lot of exercise from walking and paddling.  I think this is why my hips/legs are still sore.  Well, from this and from the Wave - I'm sure of it!

 

It was definitely one of my favorite moments of living in DC thus far.

Now, this isn't he first time I've been to see these beauties.  I actually went three years ago on my birthday {April 4}.  It was incredibly windy and cold that day.  And while it started off great for me in DC, it ended in tragedy for my dear friend back in Pittsburgh.  While I love this time of year because it means cherry blossoms and my birthday, I also cannot help but think of my friend and the loss she suffered, unbelievably, three years ago now.  When I see the trees, I automatically think of her and her family.  Please keep them in your prayers as they approach the three year anniversary in just one week.

Have you ever been to see the Cherry Blossoms?  What is your favorite thing to see/do this time of year? 

    

FMM: Current Favorites

It's been awhile since I participated in FMM, but alas, I am taking on today's topic of Current Favorites.  Stop on by All the Weigh and see what FMM is all about!

1. Song - Woman Like You by Lee Brice.  {Fun Fact: Lee Brice just hosted the 4th hour of the Today show last week with Hoda Kotb!!} I first heard this song on the way to church the very first morning after the Terrible Awful.  It reminded me so much of Joel and I just felt like it was another one of God's little hints to me to stay in faith, and trust that He would bring Joel back to me in due time.
   
2. Drink – Skim Earl Grey Lattes {preferably from Starbucks...but I make them myself too}
   
3. Physical feature of the opposite sex (or the sex that you find attractive) – I like his big blue eyes and lips.
   
4. TV Show(s) – Army Wives, Mike & Molly, and Bethenny Ever After.
   
5. Actor/Actress –
6. Book – Right now I'm reading a boat load of books but I really love Joel Osteen and his latest, Everyday a Friday.  Another wonderfully, inspiring book brought to you by J.O.!
   
7. Form of communication – I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  I love that because I live so far away from home, it allows me to keep in touch with friends/family I don't get to see regularly.  However, I'm not a fan of those "forwards" that seem to be all the rage right now.  This means people reposting pictures of quotes/optical illusions/whatever else.  It reminds me of email forwards, which I strongly disliked.  Still, I love when people post personal pics on Facebook!
   
8. Exercise – Currently I'm really liking The Wave!
   
9. Food – A huge part of my recent downfall.... Thai Basil Fried Rice! Ahhh!!!! It's going to be the death of me!  I simply cannot get enough!
   
10. Quote – "The harder the challenge, the sweeter the victory."

Feel free to participate in this friend making affair... just be sure to go back to Kenlie's page and link up with the others in the comments section. 

Happy Monday!

Refocusing - Winning Outcomes

Sometimes I just don't have anything to say, and last week was one of those times.  Part of this is because I've been in a weight loss slump.  When I'm not losing, then it's hard to find the inspiration to write something substantial.  I know what needs to change, I just need to do it and stop saying I'm going to do it.

Back in January, I wrote about Weight Watchers' Winning Outcomes helpful habit.  Here are some things I've stuck to:

• Meal planning two weeks at a time: for me this simply means carving out meal options for two full weeks - not actually tracking them and such.  That part I still need to work on.  However, I did plan out my day today and that feels like a huge relief!  I know I could have easily "blown it" today if I had not pre-tracked my day, overestimating how much I would have left for dinner. In fact I would have had next to nothing had I brought my usual snacks.  Must. Continue. Pre-tracking.
• Two days of weekly activity.  I've stuck to this with no problem - it was easily doable for me.  Now I've added in one extra day per week.  More about that later!
• Eating out only one meal per week.  No Starbucks Mon-Fri.  This was going well for me right off the bat.  I know applying this rule (along with the others mentioned above) had significant impacts on my weight loss... and the success I was having just a few weeks ago.  Then the Terrible Awful happened.  Then things quickly went downhill.  This rule is going back into effect...effective immediately!  While I have eaten 2 meals out this weekend - ok, fine, what's done is done - the rest of the week will be meals prepared by myself or Joel AT HOME.    

Now that I've gotten that all off of my chest....

One way to combat my failed attempts at eating healthy lately has been to step up my exercise each week.  I'm trying to keep it varied, so as not to get bored.  While I'll still be utilizing the gym, I also found a new activity that I've been enjoying so far.  It's called The Wave.  You might have heard of this from an infomercial.  I actually read about it in All You's recent issue of their health magazine.  They touted The Wave and The Bender Ball as being some of the most effective at-home workouts available.  I've used The Wave three times so far, and all three times I've been very sore afterward, which means it must be working!

I will be doing a full review of The Wave in an upcoming post.  In case you're curious though, I purchased mine from Amazon.  The Wave is an arched platform that you use in conjunction with several workout DVD's. 

If it gives me variety and isn't overly complicated, then I'll do it.  So far so good!

Have you heard of The Wave?  Have you tried it?  What at-home workout do you like the best?

Things I'm Loving This Week

Back in the day, as in the college days, I used to thrive on Lean Cuisine's and granola bars.  I've had every single granola bar under the sun.  Frankly, just as I got burned out on the LC's (and all frozen meals for that matter), I also got tired of granola bars.  BUT, there is still an "oldie" out there than I still enjoy, but I've added two new ones to that list as well.

1. Kashi/Kellogg's Special K/Luna Granola Bars

My all time favorite "granola" bar is the Kashi TLC Cherry Vanilla.  My mom told me that as a baby one of my favorite Gerber jars was the cherry vanilla flavor.  These Kashi bars are a very close representation of the Gerber days and that is precisely why I love them.  They are 3 PointsPlus each.

 

Next up are the new Special K Granola Bars.  I like these because they're not overly sweet but they're sweet enough and flavorful enough to not taste like cardboard.  I've only tried the dark chocolate (3 PointsPlus) so far and I really like them:

Other Luna bars I've tried taste a little too vitamin-y for me, but I really find the S'mores flavor tasty (5 PointsPlus):

2.  Seltzer's Sweet Lebanon Bologna

I've grown completely tired of a turkey sandwich.  Again, I've eaten so much of that crap over my lifetime that the thought of another turkey sandwich almost gags me.  I've always been in the mindset that other lunch-meat would just be too high in calories/fat and so I never considered anything else (I don't like ham by the way).

Then I came upon Seltzer's Sweet Lebanon Bologna at my local Giant!!  Man do I LOVE this stuff! Two slices of the bologna is 2 PointsPlus, and that is PLENTY of meat to make for a satisfying sandwich.  Now, I believe Seltzer's is a regional thing, so depending on where you live you may not be able to find this brand in your store.  They are out of Palmyra, PA (go motherland!) and they seem like they're a small operation, but I don't know that for sure.  However, I think Boar's Head seems to be a national meat chain and their Lebanon bologna is comparable in PointsPlus (though not nearly as good!).  If you're on the east coast - request this at your supermarket if you enjoy Lebanon bologna.  Giant stocks mine with the other prepackaged lunch-meats.   

**Update on Seltzer's - you can go here to find out if they sell it in your state.  If not, you can order their products online!**

3. Walks During an Awesome Weather Week!

The weather in Virginia has been absolutely superb all week.  It's so typical of this area - it seems like we'll just skip seasons all together and go straight into the next one.  For example, it's March and we're already seeing temps in the 80s here!  What happened to Spring?!

Uhhhh, can you believe I've done some form of activity almost every single day since Saturday (minus Monday)? I went to the gym on Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday afternoon Joel and I did that walk through the park.  Tuesday night we went for a walk around our neighborhood.  Wednesday and Thursday I had lunch hour walks with Katie and Meghan (thank you ladies!).  All of this activity was almost effortless because it was enjoyable.  When you're walking and talking, you're not thinking about "How much longer do I have to go?".

Katie helped me snag this pic of me and the Washington Monument today - thank you Katherine!

Anything that you're finding exceptionally helpful this week for your own weight loss journey?
These summer temps sure are motivating!

Self Sabotage

Last week during one of my Bible study sessions, I came across this verse that I thought was an absolute perfect depiction of my weight loss journey:

I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.  When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. ~Romans 7:15-19

I don't know about you, but this describes my weight loss journey almost to a tee.  I have sabotaged my weight loss efforts time and again by telling myself things like:

"Housing this entire package of Oreos in 2 days won't hurt - I'll get back on track after that."

OR

"It's been a terrible 'off plan' week, I'll finish out this week as I please and start again next week."   

I've had 2 weeks in a row most recently where I've fallen back into that thought pattern.  I know I'm capable of eating mindfully, but lately I've been eating mindlessly.  Just like issues in relationships somehow always point back to poor communication, challenges with eating always come back to poor planning.

I know there are things I am doing well though.  Every two weeks I come up with meal ideas for a two week time frame.  I write down 3 breakfast options, 3 lunch options and 4 dinner options for the two week period (bear in mind that there are only two people in my household - so lunches/dinners often turn into leftovers).  I'm good at this part!

What I'm NOT good at is sitting down and planning out a day.  Even though I plan out a menu, I don't calculate the PointsPlus at that time.  I just write down the meal ideas (which are almost always recipes that I have to calculate the PointsPlus values for).  This is obviously one area that can use improvement.  If I knew the PointsPlus values of my meals before I ate them, I would be in much better shape, instead of waiting to calculate it after the fact.  I realize how absurd this sounds, but I'm obviously lazy.

Case in point: last night I made this beef stroganoff from the Eat What You Love cookbook.

While her recent cookbooks do list PointsPlus values, the version I have only lists the old Points value.  So, I knew it was going to be approximately 7 PointsPlus for the meal.  Turns out it was 8 PointsPlus for just the meat mixture alone - that did not include the 5 PointsPlus for the serving of egg noodles!  To combat this problem I could have cut my serving size in half, but that thought never crossed my mind until after I finished the 13 PointsPlus meal!

Next approach to meal planning/success:  calculate the PointsPlus values of all recipe menu items ahead of time!

Two Upcoming 5K's

For those of you who read The Big Weight in a Reader, you may not have noticed that I added two new “widgets” to the sidebar recently.  If you're able, please click through now to see them :).

The two new widgets are for the March of Dimes – March for Babies benefit walk and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides 5K.  I did both of these walks last year and was definitely inspired to make them part of my annual routine. 

The March of Dimes is near and dear to my heart, as this was a foundation that the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) heavily supported.  I was a very active member of FBLA in high school and learned the mission of the March of Dimes then.  The mission, by the way, is simple:

We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies.

Last year’s walk provided some very emotional moments.

Last year, I chose to walk for the CFF for no other reason than I wanted another 5K to enroll in.  However, when you go to events like that, you quickly realize how it’s more than just a walk.   You see firsthand how your money benefits those affected by cystic fibrosis.  In high school I worked at a locally owned pharmacy.  We had a customer who had CF.  He was just a child and was such a joyful little kid everytime he came in with his mom to pick up his prescriptions.  At the time I didn’t even realize the magnitude of his disease.  As an adult, and someone who is pursuing a nursing degree, I have started to understand and appreciate the challenges involved with such illnesses. 

If you can find it in your heart to make a donation to one of these organizations, know that it will be put to good use.  There are plenty of children/parents out there who really need the help that each of these organizations provide, and even $5 can make a difference. 

{Clicking on the widgets will take you to my campaign page where you can make a secure online donation.} 

Thank you in advance on behalf of the March of Dimes and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for those of you who are able to contribute!

Week/Weekend Recap

First off, congratulations to Kari for winning the Weight Watchers Magazine giveaway :)! 

I think I'll start with the bad, then quickly move on to the good and pretend the bad was never discussed.

I've been doing a lot of gaining, which means I've been doing a lot of eating {and drinking of beer}, and not abiding by eTools.  I have banished those practices and already have myself set up for some delicious meals this week.  Friday I will have a loss.

Now to the fun stuff!

Last week I made the Kielbasa Baked Ziti, an eTools recipe.  I didn't change a thing about it and loved it!

It offered plenty of flavor with the cheeses, turkey kielbasa, peas and the sauce I used.  Easy, quick, tasty and I will definitely make this again!

Next up was an AWESOME meal at Famous Daves.  I have never been there before, mainly because I'm not a huge meat eater.  I do like meat, but I'm very basic with my meat choices - ground beef, chicken, and turkey.   I don't like ribs, steak, pulled pork, etc.  While Famous Daves is pretty "famous" for those latter entrees, they also had a great chicken sandwich that I loved, made especially delicious by adding some of their tasty barbeque sauce.

The first letters of the different BBQ sauces they offer - presented by our server

I felt like I was able to easily stay On Plan eating here.  Their dishes are all on eTools!

I will definitely go back to this place in the near future!

Because of all the poor eating I've been doing, I stayed exceptionally active this weekend.  I completed three workouts already!  I did two at the gym, and one at a nearby park.

I got some pretty great pictures while there. 

We decided to go off the neat and tidy path and head around the Pond Trail.

It was fairly muddy, but still a nice stroll through the woods.  While on this little diversion, we came upon this crazy looking tree.  There were several trunks with branches that draped down to the ground {click for a larger pic that hopefully offers a better perspective}.

Perhaps my favorite part of this walk was coming upon this guy:

My FAVORITE bird, the cardinal!  He also happens to be our state bird here in Virginia.  I love them so much. 

By the way, "we" in this story is myself and Joel.  By the grace of God alone, He brought Joel back to me.  Even after Joel moved out of our condo, even after all that was said, it was clear that there was no one who would be able to change Joel's heart and mind other than the G-man.  I have held off sharing this information so quickly because of the fragility of it all.  However, it is clear and understood that we are both committed to working on our relationship, placing God first in hearts, and each other second. 

I am SO happy again!

WWM Giveaway

As promised, I am giving away my duplicate copy of this month's Weight Watchers Magazine. 

I really like her outfit!

If you are interested in this magazine, all you have to do is leave a comment below answering this question:

What has been your biggest challenge you've had to overcome, or are still trying to overcome, during your weight loss journey?  How did you do it?

That's it!  Of course, if you want to like me on Facebook or Twitter, that's okay too, but those entries don't count this time :).  We'll make it easy peezy for ya. 

On another note, I'm still struggling with staying On Plan this week.  Too many temptations in my house in the name of Hershey Kisses in Dark Chocolate that I actually need to just throw away.  That, and the cravings for junk food has been severe this week.  BUT, it's day by day and that's how I'm approaching it.  

Now hurry up and leave a comment so you can win your copy of WWM.  I will draw a winner on Saturday!

1 Year Anniversary

This past weekend marked the one year anniversary since I have officially been tracking my weight on this little lady, The Big Weight.

I definitely got off to a rocky start.  A year ago, my dedication to hitting the gym and being active was impeccable.  However, the weight loss itself was hardly a reflection of all the time I spent hitting the gym or doing all of those 5Ks!   At one point I was even worried that something might be wrong with me.

I mean, just look at the first part of the graph {click for a larger view} - I was barely moving!

Thankfully I continued to persevere through the lack of significant losses, and finally started to find my losing streak late in the summer, and since then it's been a fairly steady downhill battle. 

What I think was holding me back was definitely my eating habits.  For starters, I had a pretty hard time staying within my Daily PointsPlus Target and Weekly PointsPlus Allowance.  I almost daily/weekly went over both.  Perhaps even more importantly, I was still eating a ton of fast food.  By fast food, I mean just generally going out to eat and eating things that weren't PointsPlus friendly. 

LOVE these purple carnations from Giant!

The bottom line is that I wasn't planning.  And guess what?  I'm still not super great at planning each day out, but I have gotten better at coming up with meal ideas for the week that I can throw together.  I try to do a lot of cooking on Sunday's so that the 3 main meals are in the fridge/freezer and ready for the taking as the week progresses. 

The mini goals have also helped me significantly.  Who doesn't love working for a new piece of jewelry plus whatever other item I've been wanting to get myself?  Even the mini goals each week in terms of activity have really helped me keep a positive mindset about exercise.  I'd rather do 2 days of activity a week (working up to 3 here soon), than do none at all!

tulips I just bought - aren't they pretty?

So in one year's time I have managed to lose just over 30 lbs and I am THRILLED with those numbers.  Do I wish it was more?  Yes, of course.  However,  a negative 30 lbs is better than sitting where I was a year ago, or even worse - weighing more than the 263.8 lbs I started with.

It is my goal to have lost at least another 30 lbs by this time next year.  It doesn't sound like much, but just 30 lbs off of my body already feels so amazing, I know another 30 lbs removed will feel even better!  

This week I have some pictures to share of those recipe links I posted last week, as well as an itty bitty giveaway that will come to you tomorrow.  Weight Watchers sent me another duplicate magazine (I really need to call them to find out what's up with this!), but you are going to benefit from it... stay tuned!

Clearing Out the Pantry

My appetite has started to come back now, and the eating choices haven't been great over the last several days. 

Now that I'm pretty much back to having an actual desire to eat something, I must start cooking again and prepping my meals for the week.  I went on a small hiatus from the New Year's Resolution I made of not eating out through the week.  I had no desire to cook whatsoever, and therefore almost every meal consumed over the last 2 weeks has been of the restaurant variety, and usually not the healthiest of choices.  Did this really affect me?  Well obviously not, given that I weighed in just days ago at 227.1.  Still, that lifestyle simply is not sustainable for me – eventually I will go overboard and gain – neither of which I want to see happen.   It’s time to get my rear back in gear and on to making some better choices. 

I have a lot of food in my pantry and freezer, and so my goal over the next few weeks is to use up what I’ve got with very minimal trips to the grocery store.  If I have to go to the grocery store, I’m going to challenge myself to spend no more than $25 per week. 

I love cooking and I tend to go overboard when I head to the store.  I almost always buy stuff that isn’t on my grocery list and this is how I end up with an extremely full pantry.   

For the remainder of the week, here are a few things I plan to whip up to start dwindling down my stockpile:

1. Green beans with bacon.  I’ve got many cans of green beans and two packages of frozen turkey bacon that needs used up.  I think I’ll take the Neely’s recipe and modify it to be a little more WW friendly.  Should be easy peezy! 
2. Spinach Cheese Tortellini.  I’m thinking about doing a variation of this, but cutting back on the butter somehow.  I have some packages of frozen tortellini and this recipe has received great reviews!
3. Kielbasa Baked Ziti. This is directly from WW... at 11 PointsPlus.  Rather high but we'll see what happens. 
4. SkinnyTaste Easiest Pasta and Broccoli.  I have tons of pasta waiting to be eaten.  Pasta is hard to consume when trying to limit your caloric intake, but everything in moderation, right? 

Are you like me when it comes to grocery shopping?