Good morning everyone!
It's weigh-in day and I lost 1.8 pounds!
Current weight: 290.1
I ALMOST reached my goal of being in the 280s. I was so close, but I'm just happy that I lost, honestly. I got a little bit (a few points) off program with mine and Kyle's families being in town, but overall I'm pleased to have lost almost 2 pounds!
Kyle is officially moved in and he had his first weigh-in today (starting weight 268.1). I've given him his daily pointsplus value and he's already tracked his breakfast points. :) It's going to be awesome to have a partner with me in this journey! I'm so happy that we can FINALLY live together.
We had a great visit with our families. We got all of Kyle's stuffed unpacked and put away in two days and were then able to just enjoy the visit. We did go out to eat quite a bit, but I made the best choices I could (baked fish instead of fried, veggie burger instead of beef, etc). I still ate out a LOT more than I usually do and had went a few points over my daily and weekly points, BUT the loss was still there, thank goodness.
With Hurricane Isaac bearing down on us today, it'll be interesting to see what we are able to eat over the next few days. We bought the best canned goods we could find (minus a can of Dinty Moore beef stew... that stuff is delicious). We also have baked chips, crackers, Larabars, and other non-perishable yum yums. So far, we haven't been without power, but that could change and we are prepared!
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers during the storm.
Until next time,
BK
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tropical Storm/Hurricane
Hello all!
I know I owe you a Snack of the Week post and I'll be sure to make that happen this week (maybe tomorrow if we have power). I've so busy with family/moving Kyle in that it slipped my mind!
Long story short, the weekend with mine and Kyle's families was amazing! We got him all moved in and I'm so happy that he's here and we are FINALLY living together.
As I'm sure you've heard on the news, Tropical Storm (and soon-to-be Hurricane) Isaac is making landfall later today/tonight in the Gulf Coast. As such, I'm not sure if I'll have electricity over the next day or so, BUT if I do have power, I will definitely post my weigh-in entry and a snack of the week post. If not, I'll get to it as soon as I can!
Please pray for everyone's safety who has been and is being affected by this storm.
Until next time!
BK
I know I owe you a Snack of the Week post and I'll be sure to make that happen this week (maybe tomorrow if we have power). I've so busy with family/moving Kyle in that it slipped my mind!
Long story short, the weekend with mine and Kyle's families was amazing! We got him all moved in and I'm so happy that he's here and we are FINALLY living together.
As I'm sure you've heard on the news, Tropical Storm (and soon-to-be Hurricane) Isaac is making landfall later today/tonight in the Gulf Coast. As such, I'm not sure if I'll have electricity over the next day or so, BUT if I do have power, I will definitely post my weigh-in entry and a snack of the week post. If not, I'll get to it as soon as I can!
Please pray for everyone's safety who has been and is being affected by this storm.
Until next time!
BK
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
The Pattern Has Been Broken!
Hello everybody!
It's weigh-in day and I lost 1.5 pounds!
Current weight: 291.9
That's a total of 15.9 pounds in the past 8 weeks and a grand total of 61.1 pounds since my heaviest weight! I am thrilled! I had already prepared myself to not lose any weight this week since my pattern has been lose, maintain, lose, maintain, lose... and so on and so forth. BUT this is the second week in a row of loss! :) This is my last weigh-in post before Kyle moves in. I'm sure over the next few weeks you will hear about the adjustments and growing that we will do as a married couple cohabitating for the first time. Luckily, Kyle also has a desire to lose weight and begin a healthier, more active lifestyle. So I'll continue this journey with the best partner ever (and keep you posted along the way)!
Kyle moves down in TWO days!! He's bringing both our moms, my brother, and his sister (in addition to a van full of boxes). This weekend will be the double whammy of family AND out-of-town guests all rolled into one. Of course we'll be eating out frequently, but as per usual I am already beginning to plan what I'll be ordering at each restaurant so I won't be tempted to get something completely out of my points-range. My goal for next week is to be back in the 280s, but as long as I don't GAIN weight during the next week I'll be satisfied, considering the move and the family being in town. I've proven it can be done before, I just need to keep my wits about me and do it again!
Another fun adjustment after Kyle moves will be planning meals and cooking for two. For over a year I've been cooking for one, which is in some ways harder and some ways easier than cooking for two or more. I've gotten a bit spoiled by eating what I want to eat every night and not have to worry about pleasing someone else. Fortunately, Kyle and I have similar tastes with regards to food (minus the fact that he LOVES mushrooms and I think they are gross). I'm also looking for some low-sodium tips and recipes, so feel free to send those my way!
This week also marks the beginning of the fall semester for me, which means I'm back in class. This semester I'm taking 3 classes and working three 8-hour days of clinical work. With all of that AND my husband finally living with me, I am foreseeing a huge lesson in time management over the next few months. Historically, school starting back has been a deterrent for my weight loss because life gets busy and it's easy to let "less important" things slide when you are under a lot of stress. It's also easy to eat the wrong things when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed (or at least it is for me). My desire is to keep my weight loss and exercise plan a priority every week. I may not make it to EVERY exercise class EVERY week, but my goal is to work out at least 2-3 times a week no matter what is going on. It's going to be a challenge and I'm sure I will feel like giving up multiple times, but I'm determined and I have Kyle, my family, and my sweet friends to encourage me and motivate me.
If you've started school, I wish you nothing but the best for the upcoming school year! If you're out of the school range and you are working the same way you work all year, then keep on keepin' on!
Until next time,
BK
It's weigh-in day and I lost 1.5 pounds!
Current weight: 291.9
That's a total of 15.9 pounds in the past 8 weeks and a grand total of 61.1 pounds since my heaviest weight! I am thrilled! I had already prepared myself to not lose any weight this week since my pattern has been lose, maintain, lose, maintain, lose... and so on and so forth. BUT this is the second week in a row of loss! :) This is my last weigh-in post before Kyle moves in. I'm sure over the next few weeks you will hear about the adjustments and growing that we will do as a married couple cohabitating for the first time. Luckily, Kyle also has a desire to lose weight and begin a healthier, more active lifestyle. So I'll continue this journey with the best partner ever (and keep you posted along the way)!
Kyle moves down in TWO days!! He's bringing both our moms, my brother, and his sister (in addition to a van full of boxes). This weekend will be the double whammy of family AND out-of-town guests all rolled into one. Of course we'll be eating out frequently, but as per usual I am already beginning to plan what I'll be ordering at each restaurant so I won't be tempted to get something completely out of my points-range. My goal for next week is to be back in the 280s, but as long as I don't GAIN weight during the next week I'll be satisfied, considering the move and the family being in town. I've proven it can be done before, I just need to keep my wits about me and do it again!
Another fun adjustment after Kyle moves will be planning meals and cooking for two. For over a year I've been cooking for one, which is in some ways harder and some ways easier than cooking for two or more. I've gotten a bit spoiled by eating what I want to eat every night and not have to worry about pleasing someone else. Fortunately, Kyle and I have similar tastes with regards to food (minus the fact that he LOVES mushrooms and I think they are gross). I'm also looking for some low-sodium tips and recipes, so feel free to send those my way!
This week also marks the beginning of the fall semester for me, which means I'm back in class. This semester I'm taking 3 classes and working three 8-hour days of clinical work. With all of that AND my husband finally living with me, I am foreseeing a huge lesson in time management over the next few months. Historically, school starting back has been a deterrent for my weight loss because life gets busy and it's easy to let "less important" things slide when you are under a lot of stress. It's also easy to eat the wrong things when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed (or at least it is for me). My desire is to keep my weight loss and exercise plan a priority every week. I may not make it to EVERY exercise class EVERY week, but my goal is to work out at least 2-3 times a week no matter what is going on. It's going to be a challenge and I'm sure I will feel like giving up multiple times, but I'm determined and I have Kyle, my family, and my sweet friends to encourage me and motivate me.
If you've started school, I wish you nothing but the best for the upcoming school year! If you're out of the school range and you are working the same way you work all year, then keep on keepin' on!
Until next time,
BK
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Snack of the Week: Dried Cranberries
Hello all!
It's Sunday, therefore it's time for our snack of the week post. I love Sundays for a lot of reasons. I'm a Christian, so I love going to church and worshipping God. I love taking Sunday afternoon naps, also! :) Sunday is also laundry day for me. Laundry is my favorite chore because it pretty much does itself (except for the folding)!
Today is my last Sunday before classes start and it's also my last Sunday before Kyle moves in! Both situations present challenges in weight loss. I'll blog more about that Wednesday during my weigh-in post.
This week's snack is dried cranberries (also known as "craisins").
I have become recently very addicted to these tasty little treats. They are similar to raisins, but have a tarter taste to it, which makes me like them more! They are great as a salad topping, as an addition to a chicken salad, or just by themselves! 1/8 cup is 2 pointsplus and 1/4 cup is 4 points plus. I also like them because they have lots of little pieces and if I eat them one at a time it feels like I am eating a lot (a tip I got from Sara!). It's a nice way to finish off a meal as a light dessert!
Keep snacking smart!
Until next time,
BK
It's Sunday, therefore it's time for our snack of the week post. I love Sundays for a lot of reasons. I'm a Christian, so I love going to church and worshipping God. I love taking Sunday afternoon naps, also! :) Sunday is also laundry day for me. Laundry is my favorite chore because it pretty much does itself (except for the folding)!
Today is my last Sunday before classes start and it's also my last Sunday before Kyle moves in! Both situations present challenges in weight loss. I'll blog more about that Wednesday during my weigh-in post.
Keep snacking smart!
Until next time,
BK
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Mission Accomplished
Good morning everyone!
It's weigh-in day and I lost 2.7 pounds this week! :)
Current weight: 293.4
I'm so excited! This week has been an unusual week for me because I went home (as you all well know). Usually when I go home I'll gain 2.7 pounds (or more, sadly) because I'll get off program, get on "vacation mode" and, frankly, eat like a crazy person. This long weekend went beautifully. That 2.7 pounds is the product of good decision-making, planning ahead, and awesome support from my friends and family. I blogged last week that I considered going home a "hurdle" in my weight loss and worried quite a bit that it would adversely affect my number on the scale. I was also worried about only being able to fit in one workout all week! I was happy to prove to myself that I CAN lose weight while "out of town" and "at home" with my family; it just takes some prep work.
Kyle's graduation was wonderful. I'm so proud of him for accomplishing this major goal of completing his master's program. I feel very blessed that I was able to be there for him during that happy time!
I have a few proud moments of the weekend that I'd like to share:
What REALLY threw me for a loop was my airport fiasco. It just goes to show you that no matter HOW well you think you have things planned, life can throw your a curveball and knock those plans out of whack and THAT'S when you get to be resourceful. My mother, brother, and husband took me to the airport in Charlotte for my flight to Atlanta. I get there on time and decide to wait to eat dinner (even though it is already dinnertime) until I get in Atlanta because I'd have more choices and more time. We board the plane and then get the message that Atlanta is having bad weather and all flights to and from ATL have been temporarily grounded until the storm passes. And then we wait. For over an hour. By this point, I'm starving and luckily I had packed a Luna bar and a Lara bar in my bag and was able to eat those to tide me over. When we finally get to Atlanta (over an hour and 1/2 after we were supposed to), my flight to Baton Rouge had already left and there were no more flights until the next day. Delta gave me a hotel voucher, two meal vouchers, and a boarding pass for the following afternoon.
At this point it's almost 10 PM and once I had informed my family that I'd be staying overnight in Atlanta and told my supervisor that I wouldn't be at work the next day, I decided to eat at Chili's. Luckily, Delta put in a pretty nice hotel room, so I got a good night's sleep and headed to the airport around lunchtime the next day to grab lunch and wait on my flight. Once I get to my concourse, I realized that my only three choices for lunch were Sbarro, Cinnabon, or Burger King (unless I wanted a Starbucks baked good for lunch). Burger King was (of course) "out" of their new veggie burgers, so I consulted my points guide and settled for chicken nuggets and fries at Burger King. I was very relieved to FINALLY get back to Baton Rouge and go grocery shopping for food that I enjoy and that is also healthy for me.
So that was my crazy weekend in a nutshell. If I had to choose some take-away messages from my experience it would be the old mottos "fail to plan and you plan to fail" and "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade (with Splenda)." Planning is SUPER important in weight loss and, in my opinion, crucial to success. However, sometimes circumstances negate your plans and you just have to use your noggin and make smart choices in the moment.
Also, another piece of good news is that I'm FINALLY able to wear my cute new cropped dress pants that I bought for work! I bought two pairs over 2 months ago when they were on sale and they sadly did not fit at the time. :( I've been trying them on sporadically just to see and this morning I was able to wear them comfortably! Happy day!
Until next time,
BK
It's weigh-in day and I lost 2.7 pounds this week! :)
Current weight: 293.4
I'm so excited! This week has been an unusual week for me because I went home (as you all well know). Usually when I go home I'll gain 2.7 pounds (or more, sadly) because I'll get off program, get on "vacation mode" and, frankly, eat like a crazy person. This long weekend went beautifully. That 2.7 pounds is the product of good decision-making, planning ahead, and awesome support from my friends and family. I blogged last week that I considered going home a "hurdle" in my weight loss and worried quite a bit that it would adversely affect my number on the scale. I was also worried about only being able to fit in one workout all week! I was happy to prove to myself that I CAN lose weight while "out of town" and "at home" with my family; it just takes some prep work.
Kyle's graduation was wonderful. I'm so proud of him for accomplishing this major goal of completing his master's program. I feel very blessed that I was able to be there for him during that happy time!
I have a few proud moments of the weekend that I'd like to share:
- On Thursday night (my first night), a big group of us including Kyle, me, our moms, my sister-in-law, and our friend Brendan went to go see the Dark Knight Rises (awesome movie by the way). As usual, my mother and I decided to share popcorn at the movies. If you know me well you know that movie theatre popcorn is a HUGE weakness of mine. I still eat it almost every time I go to the movies, I just count points for it and skip adding fatty butter. My usual pattern (even when counting points) is to eat until the popcorn is gone, but this time I stopped about 1/2 way through the tub. I knew I hadn't eaten dinner yet and wanted to conserve my points so that I could eat something slightly nutritious. So I just stopped eating and put the popcorn down. I know this seems like a trivial accomplishment, but I was impressed with myself.
- Kyle's mom made peanut butter brownies when I was home. No matter what she bakes, it's always delicious and the smell of those brownies baking almost did me in. Usually I'd eat 2-3 full size brownies with some milk when she makes them. I ended up eating about 1/2 brownie TOTAL and just stopped. That little taste was all I needed.
- I'll talk more about this later, but I ended up getting stuck in Atlanta on my plane trip from home back to Baton Rouge. Subsequently, I had to find dinner in the airport. I decided to eat at the Chili's because I figured I could at least find some vegetables there (as opposed to the endless burger/pizza places in the terminal). So I sit down and look at the menu. I was exhausted and starving (it was almost 10 PM) because of the delay in my flight. EVERYTHING on the menu looked good and I had the first real urge to cheat on my diet. For seven weeks, I haven't had too much temptation to stray from the plan, but that night was tough. All I wanted was to order the triple appetizer plate. You know the one: fried cheese, boneless buffalo wings, and mini-cheeseburgers (at least those would have been my picks). I sat there trying to justify choosing that as my dinner. I thought "I'm so hungry and I'm under a lot of stress." No one was there to hold me accountable for my decision. It was SO tempting. But then I thought about not losing weight last week and about all the good decisions I had made so far. Instead, I chose the salmon dinner from the "light" menu. It. was. absolutely. delicious! I didn't regret making my decision for a second. It came with a quite large filet of seasoned salmon, a serving of seasoned rice with corn in it, and steamed broccoli. My meal came out to be 14 pointsplus.
What REALLY threw me for a loop was my airport fiasco. It just goes to show you that no matter HOW well you think you have things planned, life can throw your a curveball and knock those plans out of whack and THAT'S when you get to be resourceful. My mother, brother, and husband took me to the airport in Charlotte for my flight to Atlanta. I get there on time and decide to wait to eat dinner (even though it is already dinnertime) until I get in Atlanta because I'd have more choices and more time. We board the plane and then get the message that Atlanta is having bad weather and all flights to and from ATL have been temporarily grounded until the storm passes. And then we wait. For over an hour. By this point, I'm starving and luckily I had packed a Luna bar and a Lara bar in my bag and was able to eat those to tide me over. When we finally get to Atlanta (over an hour and 1/2 after we were supposed to), my flight to Baton Rouge had already left and there were no more flights until the next day. Delta gave me a hotel voucher, two meal vouchers, and a boarding pass for the following afternoon.
At this point it's almost 10 PM and once I had informed my family that I'd be staying overnight in Atlanta and told my supervisor that I wouldn't be at work the next day, I decided to eat at Chili's. Luckily, Delta put in a pretty nice hotel room, so I got a good night's sleep and headed to the airport around lunchtime the next day to grab lunch and wait on my flight. Once I get to my concourse, I realized that my only three choices for lunch were Sbarro, Cinnabon, or Burger King (unless I wanted a Starbucks baked good for lunch). Burger King was (of course) "out" of their new veggie burgers, so I consulted my points guide and settled for chicken nuggets and fries at Burger King. I was very relieved to FINALLY get back to Baton Rouge and go grocery shopping for food that I enjoy and that is also healthy for me.
So that was my crazy weekend in a nutshell. If I had to choose some take-away messages from my experience it would be the old mottos "fail to plan and you plan to fail" and "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade (with Splenda)." Planning is SUPER important in weight loss and, in my opinion, crucial to success. However, sometimes circumstances negate your plans and you just have to use your noggin and make smart choices in the moment.
Also, another piece of good news is that I'm FINALLY able to wear my cute new cropped dress pants that I bought for work! I bought two pairs over 2 months ago when they were on sale and they sadly did not fit at the time. :( I've been trying them on sporadically just to see and this morning I was able to wear them comfortably! Happy day!
Until next time,
BK
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
(Late) Snack of the Week: Greek Yogurt!
Hello all!
I owe you a LONG entry about my weekend at home (and subsequent airport troubles) tomorrow when I write my weigh-in entry. Just a teaser: no matter what the scale says tomorrow (weight loss or not), I consider this week a success!
I apologize for not blogging my snack of the week post on Sundays as I usually do, but I was shamelessly enjoying time with my husband and helping him back for his upcoming move. :) I had a great weekend at home with him and our families.
Today's snack of the week is one that I have newly re-discovered and fallen back in love with: Greek yogurt! My favorite brand is Chobani and I picked up a few different flavors today when I was grocery shopping.
So far my favorite flavors are Raspberry and Blood Orange. These cups are 4 pointsplus and have thick, creamy Greek yogurt on top with fruit on the bottom to mix in. They have a TON of protein and ZERO fat. This brand also boasts all-natural ingredients. I've always been a fan of all kinds of yogurt, but Greek yogurt has its own special taste in my opinion. It's also thicker and richer. If you have yet to try it, choose your favorite fruit and pick up a cup of Chobani's!
Also, as promised, here is a picture of me in my size 22/24 dress that I wore on Kyle's graduation day.
I really liked it. It fit wonderfully! That's Kyle's sister Gabby, my brother Matt, Kyle and me. It was a pretty awesome day and I'm super proud of Kyle for graduating from his Master's program!
Long entry following my weigh-in tomorrow morning!
Until next time,
BK
I owe you a LONG entry about my weekend at home (and subsequent airport troubles) tomorrow when I write my weigh-in entry. Just a teaser: no matter what the scale says tomorrow (weight loss or not), I consider this week a success!
I apologize for not blogging my snack of the week post on Sundays as I usually do, but I was shamelessly enjoying time with my husband and helping him back for his upcoming move. :) I had a great weekend at home with him and our families.
Today's snack of the week is one that I have newly re-discovered and fallen back in love with: Greek yogurt! My favorite brand is Chobani and I picked up a few different flavors today when I was grocery shopping.
Also, as promised, here is a picture of me in my size 22/24 dress that I wore on Kyle's graduation day.
Long entry following my weigh-in tomorrow morning!
Until next time,
BK
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
A Scale is Just a Scale
Good morning everyone!
It's weigh-in day!
Current weight: 296.1 (still)
That's right, another week of staying the same. I am disappointed, but I'm not discouraged. As you can probably remember, this happened to me two weeks ago and I was a lot more upset then than I am today. Logically, I should have lost weight. I exercised 6 days this week and counted my points as meticulously as always. I haven't done anything "wrong" in my diet, so I honestly can't be upset with myself. Last time I attributed the lack of weight loss to my monthly cycle (which was probably true). This week that was not the case, but it could be that I'm losing fat, but gaining muscle and therefore not showing a loss. It could also be that my body is just deciding to not let go of any more weight right now because I've already lost almost 12 pounds. I could speculate all morning, but I'm not going to. Today is the start of a new week and I'm going to keep going on. If this IS a pattern that is emerging with my body, then maybe next week will be a repeat of a high weight loss number (last time it was 3.9 lbs!). I know I'm making the right decisions for my body and for my health and I won't let the scale get me down this week!
Tomorrow I'm headed home to South Carolina for a long weekend to visit my family and see my sweet husband graduate with his master's degree. I am very excited to be going home! It's been over two months since I've been to SC (and since I've seen my mom and brother) and it's been five weeks since I've seen Kyle. I am nervous about how the trip home will affect my weight loss. I'll be missing all of my exercise classes but one (my Zumba class tonight). I am taking my work-out clothes home with me in hopes that I can squeeze in some type of activity while I'm away. In the past, "going home" has meant a sure weight gain because I would decide to not count points and just try to "eat sensibly." Let me just tell you... for ME that is a fallacy. I need structure or I don't pay attention to the points/calories/fat that I'm putting in my body. Going home also means my mother's (and mother-in-law's) delicious home cooking and going out to eat quite a bit. Luckily, both my mother and mother-in-law know that I'm serious about my weight loss and I'm sure they won't tempt me with their highest calorie recipes!
I'm taking with me my PointsPlus calculator, my Dining Out PointsPlus book, and my Complete Food PointsPlus book. I'll also be keeping track of the points I eat the same way I always do. I have the tools I need to succeed, it's just up to me to make the right decisions. Overall, I'm going to enjoy myself while I'm at home and I'm going to try my hardest to stay completely on program. If I need to use every single one of my weekly points, then so be it! That's why they are there! I keep trying to tell myself that I'm not on a "diet," I'm changing my lifestyle. I need to be able to live with this for the rest of my life and the rest of my life is going to have a lot of my mother's and mother-in-law's cooking and quite a few restaurants!
As always, thank you so much for the encouragement and motivation that you all have been giving me, especially yesterday. I hope that I can be as supportive to you all as you all have been to me!
Until next time,
BK
It's weigh-in day!
Current weight: 296.1 (still)
That's right, another week of staying the same. I am disappointed, but I'm not discouraged. As you can probably remember, this happened to me two weeks ago and I was a lot more upset then than I am today. Logically, I should have lost weight. I exercised 6 days this week and counted my points as meticulously as always. I haven't done anything "wrong" in my diet, so I honestly can't be upset with myself. Last time I attributed the lack of weight loss to my monthly cycle (which was probably true). This week that was not the case, but it could be that I'm losing fat, but gaining muscle and therefore not showing a loss. It could also be that my body is just deciding to not let go of any more weight right now because I've already lost almost 12 pounds. I could speculate all morning, but I'm not going to. Today is the start of a new week and I'm going to keep going on. If this IS a pattern that is emerging with my body, then maybe next week will be a repeat of a high weight loss number (last time it was 3.9 lbs!). I know I'm making the right decisions for my body and for my health and I won't let the scale get me down this week!
Tomorrow I'm headed home to South Carolina for a long weekend to visit my family and see my sweet husband graduate with his master's degree. I am very excited to be going home! It's been over two months since I've been to SC (and since I've seen my mom and brother) and it's been five weeks since I've seen Kyle. I am nervous about how the trip home will affect my weight loss. I'll be missing all of my exercise classes but one (my Zumba class tonight). I am taking my work-out clothes home with me in hopes that I can squeeze in some type of activity while I'm away. In the past, "going home" has meant a sure weight gain because I would decide to not count points and just try to "eat sensibly." Let me just tell you... for ME that is a fallacy. I need structure or I don't pay attention to the points/calories/fat that I'm putting in my body. Going home also means my mother's (and mother-in-law's) delicious home cooking and going out to eat quite a bit. Luckily, both my mother and mother-in-law know that I'm serious about my weight loss and I'm sure they won't tempt me with their highest calorie recipes!
I'm taking with me my PointsPlus calculator, my Dining Out PointsPlus book, and my Complete Food PointsPlus book. I'll also be keeping track of the points I eat the same way I always do. I have the tools I need to succeed, it's just up to me to make the right decisions. Overall, I'm going to enjoy myself while I'm at home and I'm going to try my hardest to stay completely on program. If I need to use every single one of my weekly points, then so be it! That's why they are there! I keep trying to tell myself that I'm not on a "diet," I'm changing my lifestyle. I need to be able to live with this for the rest of my life and the rest of my life is going to have a lot of my mother's and mother-in-law's cooking and quite a few restaurants!
As always, thank you so much for the encouragement and motivation that you all have been giving me, especially yesterday. I hope that I can be as supportive to you all as you all have been to me!
Until next time,
BK
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Trying New Things
Hello all!
It's been an interesting week. If I had to pick a theme for my week it would be the same as the title of this post: trying new things. I've been trying new snacks and I've been trying new fitness activities. Most of them turned out well, but some did not. But the point is to try!
On Thursday, I tried a Boot Camp group exercise class. I was really, really nervous before I went and was scared that it would be too intense for me. The class was taught by my friend, Stephanie, who also teaches the Zumba classes and Pilates class that I take each week. I trusted her to push me without pushing me past my limit. It turns out that I absolutely loved Boot Camp! I did feel like I pushed myself and did things I didn't even think I could do. Because of my weight and my size, I feel like I tell myself that I "can't" do things. Before Boot Camp, I told myself "I can't run, I'm too heavy." During the class I realized that I CAN run. It may not be for more than a minute at a time, but I can run nonetheless. I'll work my way up to running for longer. I told myself I couldn't do lunges or jumping jacks because I have bad knees. I CAN do lunges and jumping jacks. I can't do 100 of them at a time, but I can do enough of them. I told myself I couldn't do pushups because my body was just too heavy, but I CAN. I know that I can because I tried. Unless your doctor tells you not to do something, then it's worth trying things that you have told yourself you cannot do. You might just surprise yourself!
Today, I tried something else new and I failed at it. I had decided to go try a 30-minute Spin class at one of the local YMCA branches. I thought "30 minutes, I can probably make it through that." So I went early and met the teacher (super nice!) and got the spin bike all set up to the proper settings and was ready to go. The instructor warned me that first couple of times I did Spin would be painful on my tailbone/sit bones because of the way the seats are designed, but that eventually it would get better as I got used to it. So I practiced a little on the bike before class started and pretty soon we were ready to go. After a couple of minutes into the class, the pain in my tailbone/sit bones was excruciating and my legs (of course) felt like jello. I tried to tough it out, but the pain was unbearable, so after just 5 minutes of Spin class, I got off the bike and left.
I was so disappointed in myself and felt really embarrassed to have had to leave a class after only five minutes. I drove to my usual YMCA branch to finish some type of workout, called Kyle, and cried. I felt really defeated. Kyle (being the awesome husband that he is) told me that there was no reason to be upset or embarrassed because I had at least tried. He reiterated that Spin class is really intense and that I could work my way up to it in the future if it is something I really wanted to do. I still felt really bummed, but I felt considerably better after talking to him. I also got a text message pep talk from my Mom who told me pretty much the same thing. So after composing myself, I walked into the gym and got on a standard exercise bike (much easier on my tailbone) and rode for 25 minutes to finish the 30 minutes I would have spent in my spin class. I pushed myself and got 4.66 miles in those 25 minutes and felt pretty good about it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still disappointed about my failure in Spin, but I'm proud of myself for trying. I now know that I can't do Spin class....yet. I plan to revisit it after I get in better shape and take some more of this weight off.
In addition to trying Larabars this week, I also bought a couple of Luna bars to try! I had one today for a snack and it was delicious.
Luna bars are nutrition bars made for women that are a source of Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Iron, and Calcium, among others. They also have 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber to keep you full! There's a larger list of ingredients with these bars than there are with Larabars, but this bar definitely has its perks. It is 5 points plus per bar (according to the 3 I calculated) and they come in a lot of different flavors. As with Larabars, quite a few of their bars contain tree nuts, but as you can see I found at least 3 flavors without. Today I had the Chocolate Peppermint Stick flavor and it definitely satisfied my sweet craving. I got these at Whole Foods for $1 a piece (they were on sale!).
So go out and try new things! Don't be too hard on yourself if you aren't able to do everything, but if you are like me, your body might just surprise you!
Until next time,
BK
It's been an interesting week. If I had to pick a theme for my week it would be the same as the title of this post: trying new things. I've been trying new snacks and I've been trying new fitness activities. Most of them turned out well, but some did not. But the point is to try!
On Thursday, I tried a Boot Camp group exercise class. I was really, really nervous before I went and was scared that it would be too intense for me. The class was taught by my friend, Stephanie, who also teaches the Zumba classes and Pilates class that I take each week. I trusted her to push me without pushing me past my limit. It turns out that I absolutely loved Boot Camp! I did feel like I pushed myself and did things I didn't even think I could do. Because of my weight and my size, I feel like I tell myself that I "can't" do things. Before Boot Camp, I told myself "I can't run, I'm too heavy." During the class I realized that I CAN run. It may not be for more than a minute at a time, but I can run nonetheless. I'll work my way up to running for longer. I told myself I couldn't do lunges or jumping jacks because I have bad knees. I CAN do lunges and jumping jacks. I can't do 100 of them at a time, but I can do enough of them. I told myself I couldn't do pushups because my body was just too heavy, but I CAN. I know that I can because I tried. Unless your doctor tells you not to do something, then it's worth trying things that you have told yourself you cannot do. You might just surprise yourself!
Today, I tried something else new and I failed at it. I had decided to go try a 30-minute Spin class at one of the local YMCA branches. I thought "30 minutes, I can probably make it through that." So I went early and met the teacher (super nice!) and got the spin bike all set up to the proper settings and was ready to go. The instructor warned me that first couple of times I did Spin would be painful on my tailbone/sit bones because of the way the seats are designed, but that eventually it would get better as I got used to it. So I practiced a little on the bike before class started and pretty soon we were ready to go. After a couple of minutes into the class, the pain in my tailbone/sit bones was excruciating and my legs (of course) felt like jello. I tried to tough it out, but the pain was unbearable, so after just 5 minutes of Spin class, I got off the bike and left.
I was so disappointed in myself and felt really embarrassed to have had to leave a class after only five minutes. I drove to my usual YMCA branch to finish some type of workout, called Kyle, and cried. I felt really defeated. Kyle (being the awesome husband that he is) told me that there was no reason to be upset or embarrassed because I had at least tried. He reiterated that Spin class is really intense and that I could work my way up to it in the future if it is something I really wanted to do. I still felt really bummed, but I felt considerably better after talking to him. I also got a text message pep talk from my Mom who told me pretty much the same thing. So after composing myself, I walked into the gym and got on a standard exercise bike (much easier on my tailbone) and rode for 25 minutes to finish the 30 minutes I would have spent in my spin class. I pushed myself and got 4.66 miles in those 25 minutes and felt pretty good about it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still disappointed about my failure in Spin, but I'm proud of myself for trying. I now know that I can't do Spin class....yet. I plan to revisit it after I get in better shape and take some more of this weight off.
In addition to trying Larabars this week, I also bought a couple of Luna bars to try! I had one today for a snack and it was delicious.
So go out and try new things! Don't be too hard on yourself if you aren't able to do everything, but if you are like me, your body might just surprise you!
Until next time,
BK
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Snack of the Week: Larabars
Hello everyone!
It's Sunday! Time for a snack of the week post. This week's snack is a recommendation I got from Bob Harper on the Biggest Loser as a filling and healthy snack. It's called a Larabar and it's an all-natural fruit and nut bar that is full of yummy ingredients. They are dairy free (all except ones with chocolate chips), soy free, gluten free, and vegan (all except the ones with chocolate chips). They are also kosher!
Here's what the wrappers look like. I bought mine today at Whole Foods for about $1.35 a piece. You can also order them online (and see all the flavors!) at www.larabar.com. They come in all different flavors from Cherry Pie to Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Whole Foods had at least 2/3 of the flavors I saw online. I'm in an interesting situation in that I can't eat snacks that have tree nuts in them. My husband and I are both allergic. Our allergies aren't severe (they don't involve anaphylaxis), but our symptoms are still unpleasant enough to avoid them. So anything with almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, or pistachios are off limits to us. This can be frustrating because a lot of health food companies fill their products with these types of nuts because they are healthy and full of protein. This is especially true with Kashi. I've wanted to badly to try their cookies and bars and cereals, but every single product I look at has some type of tree nut in the ingredients. Luckily, Larabar has three different flavors without any tree nuts in them: Peanut Butter and Jelly, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Whole Foods had the first two flavors, which I snatched up today. Instead of tree nuts, these bars have peanuts in them (peanuts are legumes, not actual nuts, so Kyle and I can eat them without side effects). Also, because so many people have severe peanut allergies, Larabar's company makes the peanut bars in a separate place from the tree nut bars!
So anyway, I found some tree nut-free flavors and decided to give them a try. I ate one of the Peanut Butter and Jelly bars today for an afternoon snack and let me just read you the list of ingredients: dates, peanuts, unsweetened cherries, and sea salt. THAT'S IT! No preservatives, no fillers, no artificial flavors. I was amazed. When I usually stop for a bar, like a Fiber One bar or a Special K protein bar (both delicious), there's a long list of ingredients to look through.
Granted, they aren't the most appealing to look at, here's the bar unwrapped:
I really enjoyed my snack today! It wasn't the same as eating a PB& J sandwich, but it definitely had that same flavor, which satisfied my sweet craving. The bar was also very moist. Most bars I eat are pretty dry, but not this one. It had almost a cake-y quality to it. As you can see from the picture, the ingredients are apparent: you can SEE the peanut and cherry pieces immediately.
These bars are 6 points plus per bar, which seems like a lot, but they have 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, so they should be nice and filling! I also appreciate the fact that I know EXACTLY what I'm eating with that tiny list of truly all-natural ingredients! So give a Larabar a try if you want and see if you like them as much as I do! Snack smart!
Until next time,
BK
It's Sunday! Time for a snack of the week post. This week's snack is a recommendation I got from Bob Harper on the Biggest Loser as a filling and healthy snack. It's called a Larabar and it's an all-natural fruit and nut bar that is full of yummy ingredients. They are dairy free (all except ones with chocolate chips), soy free, gluten free, and vegan (all except the ones with chocolate chips). They are also kosher!
Whole Foods had at least 2/3 of the flavors I saw online. I'm in an interesting situation in that I can't eat snacks that have tree nuts in them. My husband and I are both allergic. Our allergies aren't severe (they don't involve anaphylaxis), but our symptoms are still unpleasant enough to avoid them. So anything with almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, or pistachios are off limits to us. This can be frustrating because a lot of health food companies fill their products with these types of nuts because they are healthy and full of protein. This is especially true with Kashi. I've wanted to badly to try their cookies and bars and cereals, but every single product I look at has some type of tree nut in the ingredients. Luckily, Larabar has three different flavors without any tree nuts in them: Peanut Butter and Jelly, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Whole Foods had the first two flavors, which I snatched up today. Instead of tree nuts, these bars have peanuts in them (peanuts are legumes, not actual nuts, so Kyle and I can eat them without side effects). Also, because so many people have severe peanut allergies, Larabar's company makes the peanut bars in a separate place from the tree nut bars!
So anyway, I found some tree nut-free flavors and decided to give them a try. I ate one of the Peanut Butter and Jelly bars today for an afternoon snack and let me just read you the list of ingredients: dates, peanuts, unsweetened cherries, and sea salt. THAT'S IT! No preservatives, no fillers, no artificial flavors. I was amazed. When I usually stop for a bar, like a Fiber One bar or a Special K protein bar (both delicious), there's a long list of ingredients to look through.
Granted, they aren't the most appealing to look at, here's the bar unwrapped:
These bars are 6 points plus per bar, which seems like a lot, but they have 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, so they should be nice and filling! I also appreciate the fact that I know EXACTLY what I'm eating with that tiny list of truly all-natural ingredients! So give a Larabar a try if you want and see if you like them as much as I do! Snack smart!
Until next time,
BK
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Twoterville!
Good morning, everyone!
After last week's frustrated post over not losing any weight, I am happy to be writing an excited post today! This week I lost 3.9 pounds!
Current weight: 296.1
I've reached my first goal of being back in the 200s! My next goal is to get under my "wedding weight," (what I weighed on the day of my wedding) which was 284. So just 12.2 more pounds to go until I reach that goal! I've always been told by friends and Weight Watcher Leaders (and probably Dr. Oz) that in successful weight loss, it's important to set small goals on the way to your larger goal. Obviously my large goal is to be my healthy weight (which is around 150), BUT that goal is a long way off. It will take me quite some time to lose that amount of weight and, in the meantime, I need smaller goals that I can meet and feel successful!
Looking back over the past five weeks of renewed determination in my weight loss, I've lost 11.7 pounds. That's an average of about 2.3 a week, which is a healthy rate of weight loss and pretty impressive to me! I know that as I keep losing, I most likely won't sustain a consistent loss of 2.3 per week, but as long as I'm in the negative I will be happy!
It was also a relief this week to cross the hurdle of "having friends in town" and its possible hindrances in weight loss. It can be anxiety-provoking trying to handle eating out and enjoying yourselves while trying to continue a consistent weight loss. Let's face it: sometimes friends can bring out our not-so-healthy eating habits (at least for me). This can be especially true when they are in town for a visit, which can fall under "vacation mode" eating. Luckily, Sara and Laura are also making healthy choices in their lifestyles and were understanding when I fretted over what to order in restaurants. They also didn't suggest we go to completely unhealthy places where it would have been difficult for me to stay on track.
The next hurdle to cross is the "going home" hurdle. In 8 days, I'm headed back to South Carolina to see my husband Kyle graduate from Clemson with a master's degree! I'm so excited to see him (it's been over five weeks) and also excited to see my family (it's been over two months)! However, I'm also nervous about how going home will affect my weight loss. More on that later,though; we'll cross that hurdle when we get to it!
I hope you all have a great week!
Until next time,
BK
After last week's frustrated post over not losing any weight, I am happy to be writing an excited post today! This week I lost 3.9 pounds!
Current weight: 296.1
I've reached my first goal of being back in the 200s! My next goal is to get under my "wedding weight," (what I weighed on the day of my wedding) which was 284. So just 12.2 more pounds to go until I reach that goal! I've always been told by friends and Weight Watcher Leaders (and probably Dr. Oz) that in successful weight loss, it's important to set small goals on the way to your larger goal. Obviously my large goal is to be my healthy weight (which is around 150), BUT that goal is a long way off. It will take me quite some time to lose that amount of weight and, in the meantime, I need smaller goals that I can meet and feel successful!
Looking back over the past five weeks of renewed determination in my weight loss, I've lost 11.7 pounds. That's an average of about 2.3 a week, which is a healthy rate of weight loss and pretty impressive to me! I know that as I keep losing, I most likely won't sustain a consistent loss of 2.3 per week, but as long as I'm in the negative I will be happy!
It was also a relief this week to cross the hurdle of "having friends in town" and its possible hindrances in weight loss. It can be anxiety-provoking trying to handle eating out and enjoying yourselves while trying to continue a consistent weight loss. Let's face it: sometimes friends can bring out our not-so-healthy eating habits (at least for me). This can be especially true when they are in town for a visit, which can fall under "vacation mode" eating. Luckily, Sara and Laura are also making healthy choices in their lifestyles and were understanding when I fretted over what to order in restaurants. They also didn't suggest we go to completely unhealthy places where it would have been difficult for me to stay on track.
The next hurdle to cross is the "going home" hurdle. In 8 days, I'm headed back to South Carolina to see my husband Kyle graduate from Clemson with a master's degree! I'm so excited to see him (it's been over five weeks) and also excited to see my family (it's been over two months)! However, I'm also nervous about how going home will affect my weight loss. More on that later,though; we'll cross that hurdle when we get to it!
I hope you all have a great week!
Until next time,
BK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)