Hello all!
In a few short hours, I will be leaving town to go visit my brother and sister-in-law for five days! I'm so excited, but of course, temptation will be there waiting on me. I'm sure we will eat out quite a bit and have tons of opportunities for dangerous snacking. I'm arming myself well, I have a bag full of Points-friendly snacks and goodies, my handy dandy Points counter, and two books full of Points values for common foods and popular Restaurants. Let's see how I do!
Wish me luck! I'll try to post an entry or two while I'm gone (because my brother does have internet), but I won't have my own computer, so it might not pan out. If you don't hear from me for five more days, know that I'm out there trying my hardest and facing the same temptations that we all face every day!
Until next time,
BB
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Good, the Bad, and the So-So
Oh my goodness! It feels like SO long since I've written and I apologize. This week has been crazypants. First off, I had a job interview on Monday... and I found today that I got the job! I'll be working with a psychologist in Spartanburg administering psychological tests. It's the perfect job for me because the hours are flexible and this work in my field is both perfecting one of my crafts and also making me look really desirable for PhD programs!
Also, I lost 1.2 pounds this week! Yay! I know it doesn't sound like much, but my motto is "slow and steady wins the race!" Last week I had gained 0.4, so I was a little bit bummed, but this week I feel like I'm back on track. I can't wait until my Mom and I can join a gym and get more active, because I know that will help shed the pounds even faster. In the meantime, I'm trying to find ways to be more active at home, like walking more. The only issue with walking is that it is ridiculously HOT. I mean, goodness gracious, I cannot remember a summer being hotter and I lived on James Island last summer.
I also went to the doctor today. I've been having a lot of knee pain in my right knee with some swelling and the doctor told me that I have arthritis in both my knees. Luckily, the arthritis is believed to be caused by weight, so as I keep losing the pain will eventually go away. Under normal circumstances, I would be prescribed a strong anti-inflammatory, but I am allergic to ibuprofen (Advil) and Naproxen (Aleve) and therefore, I can't take any type of anti-inflammatory without busting out into hives. Therefore, for the next month until my next doctor's appointment there will be a TON of ace bandage around my knee and much elevating while I'm sitting down. Keep your prayers open that the swelling will go down by the time I go to my appointment next month!
Another reason why I was too busy to post was that I took the GRE yesterday. For those of you who don't know, the GRE is like the SAT for graduate school. I'm applying to PhD programs and need to raise my score from an 1170 to above a 1200 to be a competitive applicant. I made an 1180 yesterday. I was pleased that it was higher, but a bit disappointed that it wasn't above that 1200 mark. But that's alright, I have time to take it one more time. Wish me luck!
In the meantime, my suggestion for this week is Veggie Straws. They are sold at places like Costco and sometimes at Bilo in the snack section. They are a good alternative to chips, made with potatoes, tomatoes and spinach. To me, they taste like Funyuns, but they are awfully tasty and only 3 points for 38 of them! So if you like salty snacks and are looking for something other than potato chips or french fries, try these out!
Until next time,
BB
Also, I lost 1.2 pounds this week! Yay! I know it doesn't sound like much, but my motto is "slow and steady wins the race!" Last week I had gained 0.4, so I was a little bit bummed, but this week I feel like I'm back on track. I can't wait until my Mom and I can join a gym and get more active, because I know that will help shed the pounds even faster. In the meantime, I'm trying to find ways to be more active at home, like walking more. The only issue with walking is that it is ridiculously HOT. I mean, goodness gracious, I cannot remember a summer being hotter and I lived on James Island last summer.
I also went to the doctor today. I've been having a lot of knee pain in my right knee with some swelling and the doctor told me that I have arthritis in both my knees. Luckily, the arthritis is believed to be caused by weight, so as I keep losing the pain will eventually go away. Under normal circumstances, I would be prescribed a strong anti-inflammatory, but I am allergic to ibuprofen (Advil) and Naproxen (Aleve) and therefore, I can't take any type of anti-inflammatory without busting out into hives. Therefore, for the next month until my next doctor's appointment there will be a TON of ace bandage around my knee and much elevating while I'm sitting down. Keep your prayers open that the swelling will go down by the time I go to my appointment next month!
Another reason why I was too busy to post was that I took the GRE yesterday. For those of you who don't know, the GRE is like the SAT for graduate school. I'm applying to PhD programs and need to raise my score from an 1170 to above a 1200 to be a competitive applicant. I made an 1180 yesterday. I was pleased that it was higher, but a bit disappointed that it wasn't above that 1200 mark. But that's alright, I have time to take it one more time. Wish me luck!
In the meantime, my suggestion for this week is Veggie Straws. They are sold at places like Costco and sometimes at Bilo in the snack section. They are a good alternative to chips, made with potatoes, tomatoes and spinach. To me, they taste like Funyuns, but they are awfully tasty and only 3 points for 38 of them! So if you like salty snacks and are looking for something other than potato chips or french fries, try these out!
Until next time,
BB
Saturday, July 24, 2010
A Few Suggestions
I don't really have much to write about today, but I do have two super big suggestions:
(1) GO SEE INCEPTION. OMG. It was fantastically mesmerizing. The casting was phenomenal, the plot was riveting, and it was just visually stunning. You will not be sorry to have spent the big bucks to see it on the big screen. And, if you bite your nails, then wear gloves, because it is an anxiety-causer. I think Kyle and I will probably see it again, just to get a better handle on it.
(2) My new favorite summer (low-points) treat is Fat Free custard from Rita's Ice-Custard-Happiness. You may have never heard of this place, they sell custard (really creamy ice cream type stuff), italian ice, and frozen coffee drinks. If you are in the mood for something sweet and refreshingly cold, their fat-free custard is the way to go. It's 6 points for a large cup (though be warned, a large cup is ginormous). Just to put it in perspective, the new Campfire Blast ( a s'more flavored milkshake) from Sonic is 21 points for a small. So go check it out, there's one on Pelham Road in Greenville.
That's all I got, folks. Thanks for reading.
Until next time,
BB
(1) GO SEE INCEPTION. OMG. It was fantastically mesmerizing. The casting was phenomenal, the plot was riveting, and it was just visually stunning. You will not be sorry to have spent the big bucks to see it on the big screen. And, if you bite your nails, then wear gloves, because it is an anxiety-causer. I think Kyle and I will probably see it again, just to get a better handle on it.
(2) My new favorite summer (low-points) treat is Fat Free custard from Rita's Ice-Custard-Happiness. You may have never heard of this place, they sell custard (really creamy ice cream type stuff), italian ice, and frozen coffee drinks. If you are in the mood for something sweet and refreshingly cold, their fat-free custard is the way to go. It's 6 points for a large cup (though be warned, a large cup is ginormous). Just to put it in perspective, the new Campfire Blast ( a s'more flavored milkshake) from Sonic is 21 points for a small. So go check it out, there's one on Pelham Road in Greenville.
That's all I got, folks. Thanks for reading.
Until next time,
BB
Thursday, July 22, 2010
I really really love pie
So first off, I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who said something encouraging or who responded positive to my blog. When I first mentioned the idea to Kyle (my boyfriend, for those who may not know), I told him I was worried that people would say mean things or think that the idea was stupid. Obviously, no one has thought that (or voiced it yet), so thank you for being so accepting. It is so encouraging.
Secondly, I ate chocolate pie last night. Yummy delicious chocolate pie. No, I did not cheat on my diet. I planned my Weight Watcher points for the day around me getting a piece of chocolate pie. Those of you who do not have a massive sweet tooth may think planning my day around pie is ridiculous, but for me, it's a necessity. Before I was counting points or serious about losing weight, when I wanted pie, I'd sure as heck get me a piece of pie, with no thought to calories or what else I had eaten that day. In fact, I might get a lot of pie, just because it is so darn delicious! But yesterday, I found myself in the grocery store with my Mom and my trusty Weight Watchers points calculator scrutinizing over different types of pie. I tested Chocolate, Butterfinger candy pie, Key Lime pie, cheesecake, and the like. I ended up getting four pieces of chocolate pie (one for me, one for Kyle, one for my mom, and one because of the annoying fact that grocery store sold them in packs of two).
So last night after dinner, I enjoyed my 7 points piece of pie. It was truly a magnificent experience, as usual, which sometimes worries me. I worry that I'll never get to that point where my life doesn't revolve around food, where food doesn't take center stage. Before dieting, food was my comfort object, my shoulder to cry on (or munch on), my celebration go-to, and my indulgence. Now, I count points for my food, measure out my food, plan out my food (sometimes days in advance, because I'm a huge planner), and I still feel like food is the central focus of my life, just this time in a healthier way. Maybe one day I'll be free from its clutches. Until then, I'll save up points for pie. I do love it so.
On another happy note, I had planned my day so well yesterday that I had 7 points left over after my 7 point pie. Does any one else see the conundrum? Well my brain sure did, it was screaming "Blair, use your last 7 points on that last piece of pie!!"
Do you think I did?
I didn't. I really wanted to, but I spent my last seven points on microwave popcorn (well 5 of the seven points). That decision was shockingly easy and I was actually proud of myself. Granted, I could have chosen to eat nothing which would have made me more proud, but hey, I'm human.
Until next time,
BB
Secondly, I ate chocolate pie last night. Yummy delicious chocolate pie. No, I did not cheat on my diet. I planned my Weight Watcher points for the day around me getting a piece of chocolate pie. Those of you who do not have a massive sweet tooth may think planning my day around pie is ridiculous, but for me, it's a necessity. Before I was counting points or serious about losing weight, when I wanted pie, I'd sure as heck get me a piece of pie, with no thought to calories or what else I had eaten that day. In fact, I might get a lot of pie, just because it is so darn delicious! But yesterday, I found myself in the grocery store with my Mom and my trusty Weight Watchers points calculator scrutinizing over different types of pie. I tested Chocolate, Butterfinger candy pie, Key Lime pie, cheesecake, and the like. I ended up getting four pieces of chocolate pie (one for me, one for Kyle, one for my mom, and one because of the annoying fact that grocery store sold them in packs of two).
So last night after dinner, I enjoyed my 7 points piece of pie. It was truly a magnificent experience, as usual, which sometimes worries me. I worry that I'll never get to that point where my life doesn't revolve around food, where food doesn't take center stage. Before dieting, food was my comfort object, my shoulder to cry on (or munch on), my celebration go-to, and my indulgence. Now, I count points for my food, measure out my food, plan out my food (sometimes days in advance, because I'm a huge planner), and I still feel like food is the central focus of my life, just this time in a healthier way. Maybe one day I'll be free from its clutches. Until then, I'll save up points for pie. I do love it so.
On another happy note, I had planned my day so well yesterday that I had 7 points left over after my 7 point pie. Does any one else see the conundrum? Well my brain sure did, it was screaming "Blair, use your last 7 points on that last piece of pie!!"
Do you think I did?
I didn't. I really wanted to, but I spent my last seven points on microwave popcorn (well 5 of the seven points). That decision was shockingly easy and I was actually proud of myself. Granted, I could have chosen to eat nothing which would have made me more proud, but hey, I'm human.
Until next time,
BB
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
First entry, here we go.
Hello internet! Hello people who read this (or more likely person who reads this! haha).
My name is Blair. I'm 24 years old and since I was really young, I've been a Chubby girl. I can probably pinpoint the time in my life when I became a chubby girl and it was around the age of 6 or 7. So for the vast majority of my life, I've been teased by classmates, frustrated at clothing stores, miserable walking up hill, and just plain unhappy with my body. I know, I know, you all out there who don't have weight problems are probably thinking "Why don't you do something about it? Like lose weight?" Well, the thing about that is... I tried. A lot. I tried many different types of diets as a teenager and as a young adult, but either frustration or life circumstances through me off track.
But this time, it's different. I reached my highest weight last spring on the eve of my 23rd birthday. Are you ready? I'm about to post my highest weight. Sure, it's embarassing and some might say even pathetic, but I need to be accountable to more than just my Mom and my boyfriend. Last spring, I weighed 353 pounds. Shocking, isn't it? 353. Sometimes I hardly believed it. But my body felt it. It was hard to be on my feet for long periods of time and I didn't feel good in my own skin.
So last summer, my Mom and I started Weight Watchers, right after my birthday. And I ended up losing about 26 pounds over the course of the summer. But then, of course, those pesky life circumstances come in and I went on to my second year of graduate school, where time was scarce (especially time in my apartment), food was an emotional crutch for stress, and I ate out at restaurants a lot. I didn't gain all the weight back, but I got back up to 344. And I just realized that I needed to make a change. A real change. A lasting change.
I have quite a few reasons for this change, some of them legitimate and some of them a bit vain. You see, being overweight runs in my family: parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, second cousins... you get the point. My family has a lot of overweight people. We live in the South, food is a social and comforting thing, which is fine until you forget about that thing called moderation. Likewise, my family has a history of health problems: diabetes, heart disease, knee and joint problems. Ergo my first reason for really really really being serious about getting the weight off is that I want to lengthen my life and increase my quality of life. I want to be able to climb stairs without sounding like I've had an asthma attack. I want to be able to run with my dog. And I'd also like to stop the knee problems I've started to have. At 24.
The second reason is that I am in a relationship with a wonderful man and one day, I think I'll marry him. We've been dating for 2 and 1/2 years and I can't imagine being with anyone else who could make me happier. And, of course, since he's so wonderful, he loves me just the way I am... Now. He wants me to be healthy and to make this change, but he tells me I'm beautiful every day. But the real second reason for losing weight is that I simply do not want to be a fat bride. I want to look my best, for me and for him. I want to be able to buy a wedding dress, wear it, and think I look stunning. And it may seem vain, but every little girl dreams of a wedding and I'm dreaming of one where I'm mostly happy with my body.
Likewise, my third reason involves a pregnancy. I am the type of person who wants to have children very badly and having a child in the body I'm in now would be extremely dangerous, if not impossible. I want to lose weight so I can safely carry a child without excessive complications.
So those are my reasons and the first week of June, my mom and I started Weight Watchers again, mixing in a 3-day-Diet that my uncle recommended. We started doing the three day diet on the Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday of every other week, and then all other days and weeks will consist of counting Weight Watcher Points. So far, I've lost 17 pounds. My weight is 327.6 pounds and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. My favorite thing about Weight Watchers is that it is so easy to incorporate into a life change and though I'm definitely watching what I eat, I don't feel deprived, which is the first step in diet failure to me.
So, that's my story. I made this blog to chronicle my journey into weight loss. If you have any encouraging things to say, any tips or ideas, or any questions, please feel free. If you have any negative comments or smart remarks, please (by all means) keep them to yourself or simply don't read my blog. Your choice. :)
Until next time,
BB
My name is Blair. I'm 24 years old and since I was really young, I've been a Chubby girl. I can probably pinpoint the time in my life when I became a chubby girl and it was around the age of 6 or 7. So for the vast majority of my life, I've been teased by classmates, frustrated at clothing stores, miserable walking up hill, and just plain unhappy with my body. I know, I know, you all out there who don't have weight problems are probably thinking "Why don't you do something about it? Like lose weight?" Well, the thing about that is... I tried. A lot. I tried many different types of diets as a teenager and as a young adult, but either frustration or life circumstances through me off track.
But this time, it's different. I reached my highest weight last spring on the eve of my 23rd birthday. Are you ready? I'm about to post my highest weight. Sure, it's embarassing and some might say even pathetic, but I need to be accountable to more than just my Mom and my boyfriend. Last spring, I weighed 353 pounds. Shocking, isn't it? 353. Sometimes I hardly believed it. But my body felt it. It was hard to be on my feet for long periods of time and I didn't feel good in my own skin.
So last summer, my Mom and I started Weight Watchers, right after my birthday. And I ended up losing about 26 pounds over the course of the summer. But then, of course, those pesky life circumstances come in and I went on to my second year of graduate school, where time was scarce (especially time in my apartment), food was an emotional crutch for stress, and I ate out at restaurants a lot. I didn't gain all the weight back, but I got back up to 344. And I just realized that I needed to make a change. A real change. A lasting change.
I have quite a few reasons for this change, some of them legitimate and some of them a bit vain. You see, being overweight runs in my family: parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, second cousins... you get the point. My family has a lot of overweight people. We live in the South, food is a social and comforting thing, which is fine until you forget about that thing called moderation. Likewise, my family has a history of health problems: diabetes, heart disease, knee and joint problems. Ergo my first reason for really really really being serious about getting the weight off is that I want to lengthen my life and increase my quality of life. I want to be able to climb stairs without sounding like I've had an asthma attack. I want to be able to run with my dog. And I'd also like to stop the knee problems I've started to have. At 24.
The second reason is that I am in a relationship with a wonderful man and one day, I think I'll marry him. We've been dating for 2 and 1/2 years and I can't imagine being with anyone else who could make me happier. And, of course, since he's so wonderful, he loves me just the way I am... Now. He wants me to be healthy and to make this change, but he tells me I'm beautiful every day. But the real second reason for losing weight is that I simply do not want to be a fat bride. I want to look my best, for me and for him. I want to be able to buy a wedding dress, wear it, and think I look stunning. And it may seem vain, but every little girl dreams of a wedding and I'm dreaming of one where I'm mostly happy with my body.
Likewise, my third reason involves a pregnancy. I am the type of person who wants to have children very badly and having a child in the body I'm in now would be extremely dangerous, if not impossible. I want to lose weight so I can safely carry a child without excessive complications.
So those are my reasons and the first week of June, my mom and I started Weight Watchers again, mixing in a 3-day-Diet that my uncle recommended. We started doing the three day diet on the Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday of every other week, and then all other days and weeks will consist of counting Weight Watcher Points. So far, I've lost 17 pounds. My weight is 327.6 pounds and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. My favorite thing about Weight Watchers is that it is so easy to incorporate into a life change and though I'm definitely watching what I eat, I don't feel deprived, which is the first step in diet failure to me.
So, that's my story. I made this blog to chronicle my journey into weight loss. If you have any encouraging things to say, any tips or ideas, or any questions, please feel free. If you have any negative comments or smart remarks, please (by all means) keep them to yourself or simply don't read my blog. Your choice. :)
Until next time,
BB
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