Weight Watcher Weigh-In Week 11

I set goals last week. I was going to do better with my eating and start getting exercise in more often. I didn't do either very well. I had some really good days followed by some really bad days. I drank more water but I also drank a fair amount of regular Coke. I ate more fruits and vegetables but I also ate brownies, cream cheese filled pretzels, York peppermint patties, ice cream, Arby's potato cakes, raisinettes, Taco Bell Nacho's, etc. (sometimes all in the same day). I will say I enjoyed all of them. I did not enjoy what they did to me on the scale. So in honor of the 4th of July which was a new start for our country...I am starting again. This is the point where I would usually give up on Weight Watchers and go back to eating what I want...not this time. I will get over this hurtle. (Maybe not today I've had an OK day eating but not great.) I want to lose weight...I want to be healthier...I want to have more energy...I want to look at myself in the mirror and go "Dang girl, you look good" I know I can get there it will take time and effort.

Weigh-In
Weigh-in: +2.4
Total: -4.8

Meeting Topic: ????
To be honest I'm not sure what the topic was at the meeting. I got there a little bit late and the leader was talking about her health again. J and I had some things to get done that day so I decided to head home instead of listening to the health update. I think I will be looking for a new meeting. So today you get to hear a topic that I think is appropriate.

Megan's Meeting Topic: Just Say No
I am horrible at saying "no" to food, people, my dogs, my family, my friends, etc. If someone says "Meg can you...?" I usually say yes. If someone offers me food that I like I usually accept. And sometimes have additional helpings. One of my biggest downfalls is food in our workroom. If there is cake, cookies, bread, etc. I will have some...usually multiple times. I need to learn to walk away. My friend says weight loss is as simple as will power. If you know you shouldn't eat it don't eat it. (she said this as she was eating a bacon cheeseburger) And I argue if it were really that simple we would not have a nation with a weight problem. I know what I should not eat. I know what happens when I eat it. Yet I still eat these things. I think that it is also deciding which is worth more...the calories from the food and enjoying it momentarily or walking away and losing the weight I want to lose. I also think it is about planning, time, desire, energy, self-worth, and many other things. We often try and oversimplify things...eat less...exercise more...lose weight. If you have will power you'll lose weight. Yes both of these things are true but this isn't all there is to it.

As a nation we are horrible about taking care of ourselves. We often wait until it is too late or we are in crisis to do something. I know for myself I take on way too much for other people from actual physical tasks to worry. It is not my worry to take on but I do. So I've decided I need to start saying "no." I will be respectful...it will be a polite no...not a "heck no are you crazy" but it will be a "no." Recently some friends of mine and I were out to dinner...one of them ordered a high fat appetizer. She didn't eat it all because she was depending on the table to help her...we didn't because we had our own food. She then said she was going to box it up and send it home with me. I politely said no because J and I are both on Weight Watchers and didn't want that type of food in our house. She seemed a little thrown but as someone who had lost a lot of weight she took it for what it was me trying to be healthy not something personal. I all too often worry about offending people when I say no. I don't worry about how it affects me. I am going to start thinking about myself in the process. This week we have a cake in the workroom. I may ask my co-workers if we can put it across the hall where it isn't in front of me all the time. I'm not sure how this would work for them but I figure it can't hurt to ask. The other advantage to saying no...I can get back to some of the things I used to do with my time saved. I miss some of the things I used to do when I had the time. I miss my beading. I enjoy my beading. And if I said no to a few things I could get back to it. So "just say no" it is ok to take care of yourself first.

I'm getting older...

So I'm not sure when this happened but I'm getting older. How do I know this? Well the obvious signs...gray hairs, youth that I babysat when they were 5 years old are now graduating from college, music and tv shows that were new when I was young are now "classic," clothing I wore is now making a "come back", and of course looking at myself in the mirror. Although I've been told I really haven't changed much since high school.

OK...pictures...see for yourself...

My high school graduation picture...1995....

My profile picture from 2006. You be the judge...lol








Another major thing that is telling me I'm getting older...friends parents dying. I'm not sure when my generation got old enough to start losing parents. Some had died due to cancer but now we're losing them to age. A friend of mine's (from youth group) mother died this week. I hadn't really talked to my friend or her mother in years but I adored her mother. She was the kind of woman who brought enthusiasm and joy to everything she did. She was a teacher and taught many both in and out of school. She will be missed. And my heart and prayers go out to my friend. I can't imagine losing my Mom. The thought makes me teary eyed. I know that her mother is in a better place but I'm sure my friend would rather have her here. Life is short...tell those around you that you love them often. And pray for those who have lost loved ones.

I've learned that...

Sometimes I'm in a bad mood and I don't know why. And sometimes in a ironic joke that bad mood coincides with my "monthly visitor". I have to tell you that the consequences of this crossing are bad... "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!" (Ghostbusters quote) bad. And the worst part of it is that J often gets the brunt of it because he's the one I go home to. It isn't fair to him I know this so I try to keep it under control. But last night I couldn't control it...and he dealt with me as he usually does. He balances me the way I balance him.

And it is interesting because although we have days where he is a jerkish or I'm a bit of a witch we get through them because we respect each other, love each other, and talk. Sometimes in the moment we seem lost but we always get to the other side. Both of us have been through divorce...I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy it sucks, but it was also one of my best learning experiences about myself, other people, and the world. I try to take the wisdom that I gained from that experience and pass it on to others. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they decide to go the trial and error route, and sometimes they tell me to shut-up. (Mostly they say thank you.) And so for today I want to share some things I've learned that...

• If you have something to say...say it to the person not about them. No problem is solved by triangulating someone else into the equation. Deal with the person. It will help you and them. (Exception: I believe professional counseling can help in a lot of cases...and recommend it to people often...a neutral third party is a blessing.)
• It is not always just the other person's fault. All too often in life we try and put the blame on someone else...our parents, siblings, friends, significant others, etc. The reality is a relationship has two people...which means two people bring gifts and two people bring challenges. If you think it is all the other person's fault take a good look at yourself and see what have you brought to the situation...is it all good? (Exception: In the case of abusive situations it is not the victims fault...it is all the fault of the the abuser. Get out of that situation.)
• You cannot truly love someone if you don't truly respect them. And vise versa...if someone does not truly respect you they can't truly love you. Don't put up with people who don't treat you with respect. Address the situation (calmly) and if it does not change reaccess the situation and see if it is worth staying. Sometimes people cannot respect you because they do not respect themselves. And realize you may still love them and that may not change. That is OK.
  
• Change is good...but be aware not everyone will like it. Change is inevitable. And it can be exciting, frightening, challengeing, growth inspiring, and benefitial. But sometimes personal change will occur in spite of what is going on with the other person. Respect where they are...they are not where you are but that is OK.
  
• You have to have faith. Some would say have faith in something...I say have faith in God. God is an amazing God. No matter what happens God is there and will never leave you. God wants to have a relationship with you. How you have this relationship is personal but for me it comes from my art, my work, and prayer. For you it may be totally different...that is OK.
• Patience is a virtue. God does not work in our time. If we got everything we wanted when we wanted it the world would be in chaos. And if you want to make God laugh...tell God your plans. The cliche is true...good things come to those who wait. "If you rush a miracle, you'll get a bad miracle." Mad Max, Princess Bride
• There are good people out there. Unfortunately the reverse is true. But have faith that the good will prevail. And don't give up hope. Even if you have encountered bad people in your life don't become cynical...continue to love and trust just be a bit more picky about who you trust. Assume the best not the worst.
• COMMUNICATE...COMMUNICATE...COMMUNICATE I have a degree in Communication so I admit that I feel very strongly about the importance of communication. But I cannot emphasize this enough...so many problems can and would be resolved if people communicated. Don't assume that you know what someone meant...talk to them and confirm it. Don't assume they know what you meant either. You know what happens when you make assumptions.
  
• Forgiveness is the best gift you can give. There are people in your life who will hurt you intentially and unintentially. You at some point need to forgive them even if they don't ask for it. Yes this is hard. No I won't pretend that I'm good at it. But when I have truly forgiven people I feel better. And I remind myself that Jesus was betrayed by the very people he came to save and his final words were to ask God to forgive them.
  
• Laughter is wonderful. A serious life is a wasted life. "Those who can laugh at themselves will never cease to be amused." (not sure who said that) I believe that laughter can heal and that laughter gets us through a lot of crap. J makes me laugh often sometimes at him and sometimes with him. It is one of the many many things I love about him.
• You need to take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, relax, pamper yourself, read, do what makes you happy at least once a day. You are of no use to others if you don't take care of yourself.
  
• Last but not least love.
  

Weight Watcher Weigh-In Week 10

So blogging keeps you honest. And checking in keeps you focused. I went to the early meeting this week. Our regular leader was out so we had a substitute. I liked her a lot and I liked going to the 8:00 meeting because then I had the rest of the day. My results on the scale weren't so good. But I admit I'm not surprised. Last week was a rough week food wise. I worked late a lot and had a stressful week and I did what I do best...stress eat. And it caught up with me. But that is OK. I will work on it more this week. And weight loss is a journey. There are ups and downs. I plan on going back and rereading my materials from earlier weeks to help me restart. And I also know part of the weight could be related to girl issues. But I think the food is more likely.

Weigh-In
Weigh-in: +2.4
Total: -7.2

I admit it is only 2 lbs. It is not a big deal. It can be lost again. And I am learning what things work and what things don't. That is important. And I know I will never be perfect about it but that is the reality of my life. Perfection is impossible.

This week I'm going to add activity. I've been trying to do that for a while but it hasn't worked. Mainly I haven't made it a priority. This week I'm going to try and get a 30 minute workout in three times. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm also trying the Berry Weight Watchers smoothie. It is their summer flavor. I'll let you know how it is.

On the journey.

Meeting Topic: Breakfast

Your Mom was right...breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gets you going and more importantly it gets your metabolism going. So here is how the session went...

Excuses
The most common excuse was lack of time. Here is a list of ideas in 5 minutes or less.

• smoothies (WW of course)...lovin' the WW Berry Smoothie...very summery
• oatmeal w/fruit
• wraps
• fiber cereal with milk
• yogurt
• waffle
• pb, nutella, banana wrap
• string cheese
• hard boiled eggs (made ahead or bought)
• whole wheat muffin with egg & cheese
  

~~Preparation makes a difference. ~~

Ideas (from fellow members)

• cereal
• cheese toast
• eggs, turkey bacon, 1/2 bagel
• egg mcmuffin
• WW oatmeal
• ham & cheese egg roll
• cheese tortilla
• already cooked bacon
• pancakes
  
• waffles
  

Variety

Make sure you change it up. Your body gets used to food...you get bored...that can lead to disaster.

Filling Foods

Go for filling foods they stay with you longer.

• grits
• oatmeal
• eggs
• cream of wheat (for me this goes fast...crazy fast)

Fuel Up

Just like you wouldn't go on a long trip without filling the gas tank of your car you shouldn't go on your "long trip" without filling up your tank. You need food to have energy. Food is good.

Sharing Favorites

The leader gave us a recipe for a "baggie omelet" you put your omelet ingredients in a freezer bag and put it in boiling water for 13 minutes until cooked. She said it was good for a camping trip and/or on the go. (I myself think this seems like more work than doing it in a pan or the microwave but that is just me.)

So eat your breakfast. It is good for you. And Mom was right.

Believe the Love Story

J and I go to a great church. The church family is welcoming and encouraging, the pastor is a wonderful preacher and counselor, and they have a great choir. We started attending there in October and just finished our membership class recently.

Yesterday morning our Pastor was on fire while preaching. He was preaching on the scripture from Mark 4:35-41...the story of Jesus calming the storm. His title was "Have You Still No Faith?" related to the question Jesus asked the disciples because they were afraid and concerned about their safety during the storm. They had been with Jesus through so many things and yet they still were afraid of what might happen and unsure of the outcome.

I admit this makes me feel better about my own faith. If the men who walked on earth with Jesus and knew first hand of God's love had concerns and doubt then me having doubt is normal right? Pastor C went on to talk about how God is with us in the storms of life...both the literal hurricanes that hit our area but more importantly the storms of life that aren't predicted. The loss of a job, financial struggles, the loss of a loved one, a child gone astray, difficulties in marriage, divorce, etc those are also storms in our life and God is with us. I needed this sermon. I have a great life...I have my faith, I have a wonderful family, I have a good job, I have an amazing boyfriend, I have a great group of friends, etc. I am not in a major storm. I have been through some in my life but not right now. I am however in a minor storm. And I realized that I need to have faith. I need to trust that God is there and will be there. Life will be fine. God has never let me down and I don't see it happening now. I have faith. For some this sounds cliched. For me this is a fact. I don't know how you do it without God. I don't want to find out.

Pastor C gave the following quote as a summary of his sermon..."Faith is not a human action but it is a reaction to the love of God." God wants us to believe the Love Story. God loves us...because God loves us we have faith. All love begins with God. My love for others is a reflection of God's love for me.

I am loved. I have faith. I love others. God loves you.

Weight Watcher Weigh-In Week 9

OK so this week at the meeting was a bit uneventful weight loss wise...other than the fact that their computers were down due to scheduled maintenance which seemed silly to me on a Saturday. But what do I know. I did not go down...but I didn't go up either. So I call it a victory. I know one of things I need to work on this week is my water intake. When I'm good about my liquids my weight goes down. I know this...I plan on focusing this weekend.

Another cool thing that came about...I made a WW buddy. A woman next to me was lamenting that she was horrible at tracking and just needed someone to keep her honest. I offered to text her daily to check and see how she was doing. Also a friend from college is in my meeting too. And another friend is considering joining with me. I like having people there that know I should be there it keeps me honest.

Week 9

Weigh-In: 0
Total: -9.6

Weekly Meeting Topic: Burn Calories Not Cash

So this weeks' meeting was supposed to be about "Ways to get fit for free * or cheap" and she had a list of ways to save money on the chart...here's the list.

• Take a walk $7,834
• Ride a bike $7,714
• Buddy-up $1,300
• Watch TV or Web $1,200
• Clean-up Clutter $3,600
• Make Your Gym $1,200
  work for you

We got through part of the list but not all in the hour I was there because our leader took the first 20-30 minutes to talk about her personal health problems. Which to be fair she has some serious issues but I felt like we were a captive audience. So to be honest I'm not exactly sure how these save you money according to Weight Watchers but I'll give you my take.

Take a walk...It costs very little to take a walk. You need a good pair of shoes and that is about it. Now in my case my trip to work is not walkable or bikeable but I have been known to walk to the 7-11 near my house. Now that our weather is getting hotter and more humid walks become a little bit less likely but still doable.
Ride a bike...if you live close to work, errands, etc take your bike. It certainly costs less than putting gas in your car.
Buddy-Up...if you know that you have to meet someone you are less likely to skip a workout which means if you've joined a gym you're not wasting money. And it keeps you dedicated.
Watch TV or Web...if you already have a Monthly Pass with Weight Watchers there are a lot of workouts on the website you can use. Or just google workouts...there are a lot of free resources out on the web.
Clean-up Clutter...first off this gives you activity points. But you can also turn around and sell it at a garage sale, eBay, Craigs List, etc and make some money.
Make Your Gym Work for you...I can't tell you how many resources most gyms offer that are often overlooked by members. I love the Y for some of the extras they give and many other gyms offer classes, screenings, leaders, dietitians, etc. as resources. Find out what your gym offers and use it.

Possible name change...

for the blog not me...

When J and I first started dating a good friend of his referred to me as "churchy." Not in the adjective since but as a nickname. I haven't let him live this down. I actually thought it was kind of cute since I work in a church. And have thought about renaming my blog..."Churchy & Her Sailer" we'll see.

Hope you have a great weekend!!!

Temptation

So my post today is about temptation. And usually I discuss food temptation but today I'm also going to discuss other temptations.

Temptation # 1 ~ Food
I am learning a lot about myself and my relationship to food as I go through Weight Watchers. I am very much an "if its there I'll eat it" kind of person. I have a very hard time resisting sweets in particular. Today I thought I was doing better. I went to Starbucks to get myself a non-fat latte (one of my favorite ways to get my milk) and I decided in a moment of weakness to order a toffee bar. Well I get back to work and before eating it I decide to check the points value. And it came out to be a whopping 9 on the points value. I decided I still wanted some but would only eat half....yeah that didn't work out so well. I ended up eating the whole thing. Fortunately I have a healthy dinner planned so I'll be OK point wise but I get frustrated when I do stuff like that. But I remind myself no one is perfect and learn from this and go on.

Temptation # 2 ~ Judging People
Matthew 7:1-2
¹ "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." ³ "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in someone else's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person's eye.

I like many people have a horrible habit of judging people for things I would never do while ignoring the multitude of things I would do. I do this with J and his smoking although I had an epiphany about that and have been much less judgmental about his smoking. Although I will admit I think $5 a pack is insanity...until I think how much I pay for Starbucks, etc.

Lately I have had some issues with friends feeling the need to judge other people's behavior. You know as my co-worker says...before you judge walk a mile in their moccasins. And if you don't want to be judged don't judge others. I have a good friend who has gone through a pretty major transformation physically, mentally, and emotionally. I'm very proud of her and how far she's come. And she gets frustrated with people who judge her for how she's living her life and then turns around and judges others. I'm working on a nice way to say...hey now Ms. Pot...speaking as a Kettle I know it is hard to stop and easy to do. But you have to be careful judging others because you too may get judged.

Temptation #3 ~ Spending Money
I am horrible at holding on to money. I love to give it to people. Spend it on things. Waste it. I've made some very unwise decisions money wise over the years and I'm working to fix that. But it is tempting to burn through my money. I don't know where I get it from either. My parents are very good at handling money. And so is my brother.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. ~ The Lord's Prayer

Weight Watcher Weigh-In Week 7 & 8

So last week I was sick as a dog with some kind of Flu bug. I'm still a little congested with the remainder of a head cold but it is getting better. So since I was home sick and crazy busy at work posting sort of went to the wayside. But I'm back. And I promise that I will be more regular in posting this week...

So here are Weight Watcher Weigh-In results....

Week 7

Weigh-In: -0.6
Total: -7.4

I totally missed the meeting because we were running late getting our sick puppy to the vet. But I walked in at the end and the leader was performing a marriage ceremony of members and Weight Watchers. Don't know the details there. But it was interesting.

Week 8

Weigh-In: -2.2
Total: - 9.6

I made it to the meeting this week. And the topic was very appropriate to those of us on a budget.

"Trim the Cost While Maximizing Efforts"
The leader had the following suggestions...

• Make a list - when shopping have a list and stick to it...extras = more $$
• Think filling foods - a bag of apples may be similar in cost to a bag of chips but the apples will last much longer
• BYO - bring your own...I do this for snacks at work I keep a cooler by my desk with WW friendly food...it keeps me honest
  
• Buy in Bulk - Go to one of the warehouse centers and buy big...then divide and freeze
• Raid Freezer or go canned - look at what you have in the house...don't go buy things until you know what you have and plan around what you have
• DIY - make bread, make hamburgers, etc instead of buying already made
• Buy in season - for fruits and vegetables perhaps even go to a farmers market
• Patrol portions - this helps your waist line and your budget
• Clip coupons - I'm bad at this but it really can save mad money
• Be a bean counter - she didn't explain this but I'm guessing she means use foods like beans that are lower cost and higher filling

I've been going on Saturday mornings at the 9:30 or 11:00 AM meeting...this week I went to the 11:00 AM which I didn't like the last time because there were conversation monopolizers and the leader couldn't keep control very well but this time it didn't happen so I may stick with the 11:00 AM meeting we'll see. I still haven't found that leader that just resonates with me...and I know WW meetings are kind of like church...it isn't all about the leader it is about what you bring to it so I'm trying.

Great Give Away at My Blonde Reality

There is a great give away at My Blonde Reality for a $100 gas card. And who doesn't need that?

Love the honesty...

I love the honesty of this post by Mrs. Classic at Weight Watchers Changed My Life.