My Healthy Transformation

I am so stuffed. I ate a lot of veggies and drank a lot of diet 7up with cranberry juice in it. I am not stuffed from bad-for-me food, but I ate too much. Ouch. I went to Walmart to walk around. It's weird cause it's so empty and they have the main aisles open for the crowds tomorrow. My friend showed up. We talked. She's doing WW at work. If anyone is interested Walmart has a complete WW cookbook for $20.00. Great deal.

I've not been keeping on track lately. I'm going back to the comfort foods, the crap that got me to the weight I was. I've slipped back enough to only be down 45# from where I started and at one time I was over 50# from where I start. This sucks. I know it's my own fault. I'm settling for things like the "single serve" 2% milk at the gas station to go with the single serve cereal instead of going to a grocery store, buying non fat, and taking it in a bottle to work. I had to laugh, at Wal-Mart, their milk says 0%, 1%, and 2%. I've never seen 0% before as nonfat.

Yesterday I was supposed to have jury duty (doody as my boss said)! I got up early, took the bus down town (they don't reimburse jurors for paying for parking, but will pay for bus ticket cost) and they checked me in and said I was free to go. I was able to use my transfer to get back on the bus and go home. I was home by 8:30am.

I decided to get some errands done so I went to pick up my food for today. I went healthy. I bought 4 peppers (yellow, orange, and red), cucumbers, carrots, snow peas, & olives for the veggie tray. Looks very beautiful and tasty. I also picked up some mixed greens, dried cranberries, and croutons for the salad. I chopped some carrots and cucumbers for the salad.

I also planned to make my diet soda cupcakes. I chose spice cake with diet orange and mixed in one cup of dried cranberries to 24 cupcakes. I topped them with ff cool whip and almond slices. They smell great, but I haven't tried one. My husband asked if they were the bad ones. I said, "You mean if they are the high fat, high cholesterol, artery clogging ones, no, they aren't the bad ones." He said that my bad ones are his good ones. I usually make mookies but they are too moist and mom isn't crazy about pumpkin and we'll have a pumpkin pie.

My hubby's comment is exactly the kind of comment we were talking about at WW yesterday. My leader was dressed as a turkey. What a nut. (I've blacked out her face for privacy.) We talked about people who say, "You don't need to lose weight, why are you on a diet?" or "I made it just for you, aren't you going to eat any?" or "You have to share this with me." or "It's a holiday, you can splurge just this one day." that type of thing. If someone says they made a dessert just for the one who wants to eat healthy and cut back on desserts, they could say, “Thank you for thinking of me. I’ve eaten enough right now, but I’d love to take it home if you have something I could wrap it up in.” Another option: eat two bites. The first bite lets you taste it, the second lets you enjoy it, and after that it’s all the same.

Besides the veggie tray (w/ff ranch: ff sour cream + a packet of ranch), we’ll have baked scoops and spinach dip, ham, crescent rolls, salad, diet 7-up with cranberry juice ice cubes (not really ice, but they keep the soda cool and then slowly mix in.), and pumpkin pie. Yummy! Oh, and my cupcakes. I’ll add pictures later. I need to get ready now, my mother will be here in about 45 minutes.

For 4 weeks at WW we have a challenge to get more colors of fruits and veggies in our diet. Last week we had a color per day to shoot for. I got in the wrong color of the day. I am eating more of them due to the challenge. The 2nd week is to fill 1/2 or plate with fruits and veggies. The third week is to try a new one each day. Week 4 is to get in 5 servings a day.

We also had our 5k walk this weekend. It was fun. I was so sore after it and most of yesterday. I bowl a lot so my left leg takes the weight in bowling and it was very sore all day yesterday. I just need to walk more and it won't happen.

I really like the Starbucks "perfect oatmeal". After we discussed shopping on a budget for healthy foods, I went to Safeway and bought the ingredients for the oatmeal:

Dried cranberries: .19#  $1.71

6 oz bag of dried cherries mixed with white raisins: $3.00 (on sale)

12 pack of plain oatmeal: $3.00 (on sale)

Total: $7.71/12 servings = $.64 each

Starbucks perfect oatmeal: $2.45 each

Savings: $1.81 or 3.5 servings for the price of 1. Not bad. Dad would be proud.

I was asked in my WW meeting to make a list of what I want from program

and what I don't want. Here's my list:

Want

To get off my chocolate kick so I can get to goal

5# loss

Another 5# loss

Another 5# loss

Goal

Lifetime

Free meetings

No wings and flat tummy, and thighs that don't rub together.

Normal cholesterol

Size 10 or smaller all the time (some clothes are 10s now)

150# or less

No joint or back pain

More compliments from non-family or friends

To be an inspiration to mom to lose weight for her health

To never be afraid to go to a meeting and face the scale.

To teach the kids that healthy tastes good.

To be able to walk up to the top of Multnomah Falls

To have an easy time finding pants

To be comfortable in tank tops and swim suits

To be comfortable in photos

To feel it's ok that I'm someone's inspiration to encourage their GF to lose weight.

Don't want

To feel lazy when I should walk or exercise

To gain any weight back I've lost

Huge weight gains

To pay for meetings

Another year not at goal

Negative comments from dad

To be afraid to face the dr. for fear of the scale

To be afraid to attend a meeting for fear that my actions caused me to gain a lot.

High cholesterol or worse, diabetes

Plus-sized clothes

200+ ever again

Joint or back pain

Negative comments from anyone re: weight

To look at someone and think "they're fat." I tend to think "they could benefit from WW."

To accept compliments and say, "but I have X amount to lose still and haven't lost anything in a year."

To have someone tell me my exercise asthma is all in my head and the inhaler is an excuse for not being able to walk up hills.

Medical bills related to weight issues.

Difficulty finding clothes

Not being ok with my body image in anything I wear.

To avoid the camera.

The kids to say they never want to look like me because I am unhealthy. (<--code for fat)

When I was in high school I visited my grandparents in San Diego for three weeks every summer. If I asked for seconds at dinner or wanted dessert they'd comment that the airline was going to charge by the pound on the ride home. My dad was in his 40s and they shoved food at him like he was starving.

My dad followed their example. He used to comment to me that a few deep knee bends or some bending and walking around the block would take off the weight. Wrong. When I started losing weight, I found dad still wasn't supportive. I found a great picture of him (he was always thin until he couldn't play sports any more) and put in in a photo album for someone. He said, "I have man boobs and look pregnant. I have to work on that." Secretly it gave me great satisfaction to see his belly hanging over his belt, but I didn't say a word. I did offer my gym guest pass to him.

When I worked at a senior day care a client with many issues of her own told me I needed to lose weight in the "zipper area" as I call it. She just motioned to the area. That's rude!

I do thank those who've noticed my loss, but I remember more the hurtful comments made by people who are supposed to care about me.

Last weekend my husband and I went bowling both Saturday night and Sunday morning. I didn't bowl too badly. I averaged 148.2 for 5 games Saturday and 144 for 4 games Sunday. We joined a bowling league. Tonight we get to bowl our 3 games and have a meet and greet to find out what team we'll be on. Then for being in a league we get 3 free games a day. We won't be able to use them but we can on weekends. I don't know what bowling does for the body other than weight lifting with the ball but I felt it in my back Sun. when I got up. Wow, I'm outta shape.

Weight Watchers is a commercial weight loss program that focuses on balanced low fat nutrition, exercise and group counseling. Its latest diet creation is called TurnAround and is based on its successful Flexpoints Plan and Winning Points Plan. Every item of food from pizza to ice cream to carrots to bread has a points value based on its nutritional content. You may eat as you like as long as you stay within your allotment of points.

 This new program is basically the same as the old, but uses the points in a slightly different manner. You are encouraged to use an online resource called eTools, along with a points calculator and recipes provided by Weight Watchers. To assist the dieter in their lifestyle changes all members are encouraged to attend group discussion and counseling sessions, mostly in person, at local Weight Watchers centers.

 Weight Watchers programs have historically been good programs, but they are increasingly relying on gimmicks and slick marketing. The new TurnAround plan is basically the Winning Points Plan with re-freshed marketing. They advertise aggressively, trying to convince overweight people that they can lose weight without sacrificing the foods they love.

 The points-based plans control portion size by allowing calories that should be consumed on healthy food with very small portions of potentially unhealthy food. This strategy gives the dieter a false sense of the real nutritional changes they need to make in their lives for long-term success. If one seriously wants to lose weight and keep it off in the long-term, they need to think more comprehensively about the foods they eat.

 The program does not put a priority on exercise, which is essential. Long-term group therapy impedes the development of self-reliance and self-discipline, which is clearly the most important trait in those 5% of dieters who succeed in the long-term. (This is a total lie. The good healthy guidelines say: lean protein, water, exercise, healthy oil, fruits and veggies, low fat or non-fat milk/dairy, daily vitamin, whole grains, and limit alcohol and sugar.)

 Bottom Line:

Realize that Weight Watchers is not a diet. If you need to lose more than 10 pounds initially, Weight Watchers is not the answer. It's more of a way-of-life and maintenance program after you've reached your goal weight. Yeah. A way of life. Diets don't work. Do what works to maintain the loss. It will help get the loss to begin with too. (I'm adding comments as I re-read this on my blog.)

 To lose 10 pounds or more, I recommend boot camp diets like Nutrisystem or Medifast, where you are forced to eat smaller portions. Yes, the food isn't 5 star gourmet. Yes, the portions are small. That's exactly the point and it will force you down to your goal weight. It's tough, but it's only temporary. Is 1 or 2 months of strict portion control worth being skinny again? If not, how bad do you really want this?

 After you're down to goal weight, control your lifestyle with a program like Weight Watchers. It will provide you with the tools you need to succeed long-term.

 My response to this bonehead

  I disagree. I joined weight watchers and I lost 50 pounds in the first year. I've maintained that loss for another year. My leader lost 150 on WW and the substitute leader we had yesterday lost 125 on WW. On fad diets or programs where someone else is preparing the food; one tends to get bored and decides to eat "real" food vs. WW where you eat anything just make it healthier than what you ate to get to the weight you don't like and eat it in proper portion. The serving size is on the package for a reason.  USE IT. Even if you don't want to count points. Use the nutrition info (NI) on the package. Use the serving sizes.

Weight watchers is all about portion control. Have you been to a meeting? Your leader must not have done their job right. Mine has. She tells us we can eat anything, just in proper portion. They aren't feeding us B.S. Restaurants do serve huge amounts. If we eat properly and stay out of junk food alley for the most part, we will lose weight. Eat right & move more, and weight loss is possible. Trust me. I'm lazy when it comes to exercise. After losing weight and seeing the change in myself I'm walking in my neighborhood, going to the gym, and feeling a lot better. Give WW another try. Fad diets don't work. WW does. (I agree with the commercial)

 I also want to say that if the best diets of 2008 or 2007 worked we wouldn't see magazines with the best diets of 2009. Duh. Making oneself give something up like carbs or whatever it may be will make a dieter binge on that item or type of food.

The word diet is misused. Everyone's diet is their daily way of eating. Make it a healthy one and you'll be healthy. Make it crap food and you'll look and feel like crap. You get out what you put in. If you don't want to put in any effort you won't get much out. It's unrealistic to think that we can go through life never cooking for ourselves or preparing a real meal or dining out. Buying premade, freeze-dried food isn't the way to go. When you stop eating it you're likely to gain the weight back because you haven't learned how to make real changes for a lifetime.

 I wished the weight off and that didn't work. I looked for the easiest fad: low carb vs. low cal. Neither worked. I joined WW and the first year wasn't hard at all. Mid April-Sept. 30# gone. Sept-the following march, 20#. Last year I yo-yoed. I slacked off but I didn't gain it back. I maintained a total loss for the year of 50#. I've learned what to do to lose weight and keep it off.

 We don't talk about point values for the most part in the meetings. Sometimes we do. As in what's the serving for the points if someone has found a good, low cal, low fat snack for example. We discuss how to handle difficult situations. BBQs, parties, holidays, donuts at work, etc. We discuss things like what to do when people in our lives are helpful or not so helpful when it comes to our journey to lose weight. We are reminded that a holiday is a day, not a week. We don't need to celebrate more than one day. We help each other with the areas we struggle with. Yes they do say to eat filling foods. Foods with more bulk for the points. (think more bulk for the calories) Or put another way you'll feel fuller faster with fewer calories consumed and if you move a little you'll lose weight because you're taking in less than you're burning. Example: If you eat 20 grapes vs. 10 raisins, you've consumed fewer calories for the same points, less concentrated sugar, and feel like you've eaten more.

 I think that if you want to bash this eating plan because you didn't succeed that's your business. And bashing your opinion is my business.

 Jenny Craig I think it was, w/Valerie Bertenelli (?) talking about eating filling meals to lose weight. She was lying because she said she lost the weight on their newest program but that started in January 2009 and she said all of last year she'd lost her weight. Which is it? Other programs copy what works. Why not stick to the origional?

I went to the gym yesterday. I asked how to work on my "wings" and lower belly. I was shown a stand up machine where my arms rested on pads and I was to lift my legs up to work my belly. OMG. My arms can't support me yet! mad I kept sliding down the back rest, and it's too wide so I'm not comfortable on it. I used another machine where I pulled a rope towards me while seated. Kind of a rowing motion. Then I used barbells 8# ea. to lift from straight down, up to where my elbow was at a 90 degree bend. Today I feel like I've actually exercised. My stomach and arms hurt a little.