Woo Hoo! I finally made it past the 10% mark this week! I lost 2.2 pounds, for a total loss of 22.2 pounds.
And why is this post titled Decimated!? The original meaning of decimate was "to kill one in every ten" or to reduce by a tenth. In recent years the word has been used to mean "to kill in large numbers" or "to reduce by a lot." I like the precision of the original definition, so I try to use it that way -- not that anyone else (besides Zaphod) knows what I'm talking about!
When I told Zaphod I'd been decimated today, he shot back, "Oh, so you've tithed!" Ah, another 10% word. If you follow the hyperlinks, though, you'll find that tithe has so far managed to hang on to the "tenth" portion of its meaning. Hmmm, I wonder why?
I've been looking forward to getting my 10% keychain . . . then I had to look online to figure out how to add my 16-week charm to it! For those of you who are wondering, you pull up then twist the round part of the keychain.
The bookmarks and Bravo stickers have never done much for me, except in the beginning. Karen, my favorite leader, puts the Bravo sticker on the back of your hand instead of just handing it to you. I sometimes wear my Bravo sticker a full day or more before peeling it off. It acts as an anchor for me.
Karen was terrific when I hit the magical 10%. She has long reinforced me for my commitment to attending a meeting every week. She was delighted when I let out an enthusiastic "woo hoo!" when I realized I'd finally hit the 10% mark.
I've been attending Weight Watchers since October 20 of last year -- 36 weeks! Good heavens, that's 8 months! (I suppose, technically, it's 9 months of 4-week months.) No wonder I'm so excited by losing 22 pounds!
As a reward for finally getting the 10% keychain, I took myself off to Border's and bought Hungry Girl a book by the founder of hungry-girl.com. I've been getting her email newsletter for a while and knew that I wanted her book. I'm looking forward to delving into it.
I also bought Fibromyalgia for Dummies because I've wanted it since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and read that it's a good book for the newly diagnosed -- but I don't consider it a reward for hitting the 10% mark. My weight loss motto is currently "I'm sick and tired but I'd rather be sick and thin." Another WW veteran's motto is "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I like her motto better than mine.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Progress?
This week I gained 1.2 pounds, so my loss is back down to 20 pounds, but I think I'm making some progress.
I knew I would have a weight gain because I succumbed to carb cravings last weekend. Once I gave in to them last Saturday, I was a goner for the rest of the weekend. I did manage to control the cravings during the work week, but they never really subsided.
Carb cravings were once a sign of hormonal changes for me, although I've always loved my starchy carbs. I'm well into perimenopause, though, so one might think that they'd start to fade. Yeah, right.
Last night I had to stay up late (for me) to continue saliva collection I'd been doing throughout the week. Then I had to wake-up-but-not-get-up at 2:30 a.m. for the final collection, which in my grogginess took a full half-hour. I was a wreck this morning (still am, but at least I'm marginally coherent after a nap).
I got moving earlier than usual this morning because I'd had such a lousy night's sleep after the collection, so I stopped by Target after doing the laundry and before my WW meeting. After selecting some wine glasses that were relatively inexpensive (fibromyalgia has been really hard on my glassware) and would fit in my dishwasher, I cruised the snack aisles before realizing that -- of course! -- I was there for Fritos! I'd been smelling them in my memory. I long ago gave up Fritos as an indulgence because they're too salty and have too much fat.
I snatched up the smallest bag I could find and went off to my WW meeting.
And it was there that I finally figured out part of what might be going on. After limping through the early part of the week, on Thursday I learned that I've developed arthritis in my left hip and in my spine. I probably have it in my right hip, too, but not as badly. My grandmother had arthritis. My mother had arthritis. My mother also had a weight problem, an underactive thyroid, chronic fatigue, depression, and (probably) fibromyalgia.
At today's meeting, we talked about how we indulge ourselves. It was during the discussion that it dawned on me that I was craving Fritos because they were a comfort food from my childhood. Fritos and Squirt were a favorite treat of mine. (Squirt is a citrus-y soda pop.)
I came home, weighed the Fritos I ate, then entered them into eTools instead of taking the bag to my favorite chair and dipping in while I read the Saturday paper. That's progress.
I knew I would have a weight gain because I succumbed to carb cravings last weekend. Once I gave in to them last Saturday, I was a goner for the rest of the weekend. I did manage to control the cravings during the work week, but they never really subsided.
Carb cravings were once a sign of hormonal changes for me, although I've always loved my starchy carbs. I'm well into perimenopause, though, so one might think that they'd start to fade. Yeah, right.
Last night I had to stay up late (for me) to continue saliva collection I'd been doing throughout the week. Then I had to wake-up-but-not-get-up at 2:30 a.m. for the final collection, which in my grogginess took a full half-hour. I was a wreck this morning (still am, but at least I'm marginally coherent after a nap).
I got moving earlier than usual this morning because I'd had such a lousy night's sleep after the collection, so I stopped by Target after doing the laundry and before my WW meeting. After selecting some wine glasses that were relatively inexpensive (fibromyalgia has been really hard on my glassware) and would fit in my dishwasher, I cruised the snack aisles before realizing that -- of course! -- I was there for Fritos! I'd been smelling them in my memory. I long ago gave up Fritos as an indulgence because they're too salty and have too much fat.
I snatched up the smallest bag I could find and went off to my WW meeting.
And it was there that I finally figured out part of what might be going on. After limping through the early part of the week, on Thursday I learned that I've developed arthritis in my left hip and in my spine. I probably have it in my right hip, too, but not as badly. My grandmother had arthritis. My mother had arthritis. My mother also had a weight problem, an underactive thyroid, chronic fatigue, depression, and (probably) fibromyalgia.
At today's meeting, we talked about how we indulge ourselves. It was during the discussion that it dawned on me that I was craving Fritos because they were a comfort food from my childhood. Fritos and Squirt were a favorite treat of mine. (Squirt is a citrus-y soda pop.)
I came home, weighed the Fritos I ate, then entered them into eTools instead of taking the bag to my favorite chair and dipping in while I read the Saturday paper. That's progress.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
I Think I Can, I Think I Can
Woo hoo! Lost 3.6 pounds last week for a total of 21.2! I'm sneaking up on that 10% mark again.
I can't take all the credit, though. I increased my Ritalin dosage, which seems to make weight magically drop off. That's one side effect that does not bother me. (Oh, really?)
I did track pretty carefully all week and it does make a difference.
The WW person who weighed me (Are they called "receptionists"? Silly name) told me I'd lost 2.4 pounds. That made me pretty happy. Then I started to look at the numbers and I could tell that something wasn't right. It took me a while to figure out where the problem was (FibroFog this a.m.): her math. She's had trouble getting the weight change correct in the past. Now I know I need to check her math every time. Otherwise, she's fine.
My fibromyalgia is acting up this morning, so my brain is pretty slow despite the morning dose of Ritalin. And I ache all over, even though Ritalin has another nice side effect of reducing my achyness. Ritalin helps me to think more clearly and concentrate, but it doesn't make me any less tired. For Ritalin to be truly addictive for me (it's a Schedule II drug, which means it's addiction potential is pretty high), it would have to give me some energy. OK, OK, maybe it will when I increase the dosage again, which I'll probably have to do.
Small Victory of the Week: I saw my PCP, Allison, this week. She actually asked if I'd lost weight! She hadn't seen the weight the nurse recorded. I thanked her for noticing, then we found that I'd lost 20 pounds since I'd last seen her. It's nice to know that a 20-pound weight loss is noticeable.
I can't take all the credit, though. I increased my Ritalin dosage, which seems to make weight magically drop off. That's one side effect that does not bother me. (Oh, really?)
I did track pretty carefully all week and it does make a difference.
The WW person who weighed me (Are they called "receptionists"? Silly name) told me I'd lost 2.4 pounds. That made me pretty happy. Then I started to look at the numbers and I could tell that something wasn't right. It took me a while to figure out where the problem was (FibroFog this a.m.): her math. She's had trouble getting the weight change correct in the past. Now I know I need to check her math every time. Otherwise, she's fine.
My fibromyalgia is acting up this morning, so my brain is pretty slow despite the morning dose of Ritalin. And I ache all over, even though Ritalin has another nice side effect of reducing my achyness. Ritalin helps me to think more clearly and concentrate, but it doesn't make me any less tired. For Ritalin to be truly addictive for me (it's a Schedule II drug, which means it's addiction potential is pretty high), it would have to give me some energy. OK, OK, maybe it will when I increase the dosage again, which I'll probably have to do.
Small Victory of the Week: I saw my PCP, Allison, this week. She actually asked if I'd lost weight! She hadn't seen the weight the nurse recorded. I thanked her for noticing, then we found that I'd lost 20 pounds since I'd last seen her. It's nice to know that a 20-pound weight loss is noticeable.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Re-Dedication
Up and down; up and down. After today's meeting, I'm determined to re-dedicating myself to losing weight.
There was no particular reason that I didn't write last week. I just didn't get to it and there was nothing particularly interesting to mull over. I lost .2 last week and gained .8 this week. My total loss is 17.6.
At this week's meeting I spoke up about my up-and-down. The leader, Cinde, who is not my usual leader but who I like and today preferred, asked why. I said I think it's mostly related to my health issues along with losing momentum from the Detoxx Diet. And I told the group that I attend every week because if I didn't my up-and-down would be up-and-up. I explained that I know that attending every week is important; that if this is really a lifestyle change, then going to weekly meetings is part of that new lifestyle; and that I'm always so inspired by the lifetime members who show up every week.
That led to a really interesting discussion (although I adore Karen, it's unlikely we'd have had this discussion in her group because she's more a performer -- an inspirational performer, but a performer nonetheless). Some of the members talked about how they sometimes get discouraged because they lose less than a pound each week and often it's .2 or .4 pounds, but they realize that those fractions add up. Other members, the lifetimers, talked about how hard maintenance is but how motivating it is to have to pay for a meeting when they've gone too far above their goal weight.
One member talked about how she had gotten away from tracking her Points and her weight loss had slowed. Cinde reminded us of the ABCs: All Bites Count. And it was at that moment that I realized I've got to re-dedicate myself to this "journey."
I've spent a good bit of the afternoon planning my menus for the week with eTools. I purposely did not do my weekly grocery shopping after the WW meeting so I could do the planning. And it's not just the planning. I'm also finding new meals to eat so I won't get bored. I'm also including some after-work snacks in my plans so I won't sit down with a bag of Goldfish and eat an uncounted number before dinner (the fact that I eat the Goldfish "made with whole grains" doesn't let me off the Points hook!).
There was no particular reason that I didn't write last week. I just didn't get to it and there was nothing particularly interesting to mull over. I lost .2 last week and gained .8 this week. My total loss is 17.6.
At this week's meeting I spoke up about my up-and-down. The leader, Cinde, who is not my usual leader but who I like and today preferred, asked why. I said I think it's mostly related to my health issues along with losing momentum from the Detoxx Diet. And I told the group that I attend every week because if I didn't my up-and-down would be up-and-up. I explained that I know that attending every week is important; that if this is really a lifestyle change, then going to weekly meetings is part of that new lifestyle; and that I'm always so inspired by the lifetime members who show up every week.
That led to a really interesting discussion (although I adore Karen, it's unlikely we'd have had this discussion in her group because she's more a performer -- an inspirational performer, but a performer nonetheless). Some of the members talked about how they sometimes get discouraged because they lose less than a pound each week and often it's .2 or .4 pounds, but they realize that those fractions add up. Other members, the lifetimers, talked about how hard maintenance is but how motivating it is to have to pay for a meeting when they've gone too far above their goal weight.
One member talked about how she had gotten away from tracking her Points and her weight loss had slowed. Cinde reminded us of the ABCs: All Bites Count. And it was at that moment that I realized I've got to re-dedicate myself to this "journey."
I've spent a good bit of the afternoon planning my menus for the week with eTools. I purposely did not do my weekly grocery shopping after the WW meeting so I could do the planning. And it's not just the planning. I'm also finding new meals to eat so I won't get bored. I'm also including some after-work snacks in my plans so I won't sit down with a bag of Goldfish and eat an uncounted number before dinner (the fact that I eat the Goldfish "made with whole grains" doesn't let me off the Points hook!).
Sunday, May 18, 2008
So Much for Core
Gained 3.4 pounds last week. I was not surprised. I had a tough week and succumbed to reward-eating.
I was aware of what was going on and also realized that I was using the Core plan to rationalize my munching. No Point counting? OK! I can eat what I want and as much as I want.
So it's back to counting Points. I like the idea of Core, but I doubt I'll ever be able to succeed with it. For one thing, I don't like the idea of eating non-fat dairy and sugar-free or no-sugar-added (read: artificial sweeteners) "sweets."
I've worked hard over the years to learn to eat healthfully. I'm an inveterate label reader. Trying to follow the Core plan reacquainted me with ingredients lists that were longer than my attention span.
So it's back to Flex. It means that I get to eat only minuscule amounts of full-fat cottage cheese, but at it least it will taste like . . . cottage cheese!
I was aware of what was going on and also realized that I was using the Core plan to rationalize my munching. No Point counting? OK! I can eat what I want and as much as I want.
So it's back to counting Points. I like the idea of Core, but I doubt I'll ever be able to succeed with it. For one thing, I don't like the idea of eating non-fat dairy and sugar-free or no-sugar-added (read: artificial sweeteners) "sweets."
I've worked hard over the years to learn to eat healthfully. I'm an inveterate label reader. Trying to follow the Core plan reacquainted me with ingredients lists that were longer than my attention span.
So it's back to Flex. It means that I get to eat only minuscule amounts of full-fat cottage cheese, but at it least it will taste like . . . cottage cheese!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
It Wasn't The Core
I mostly stuck to the Core Plan this past week. And I'm working toward doing better at it.
So, why did I lose 2.6 pounds this week, for a total of 21.6?
Ritalin. Yep, I chalk it up to Speed.
A consequence of all the chronic ailments I've acquired is a shortened attention span -- a drastically shortened attention span.
When I saw Dr. Sean this week I told him that I must do something about my inability to concentrate at work. After talking it over he wrote me a prescription for a very small dose of Ritalin, not because he didn't want me to get hooked but because I'm so sensitive to Ritalin-like drugs and supplements.
The first couple of days, I did speed. Now I've come down and I'm experiencing something more like normal energy (although I still pay and pay and pay when I overdo it) -- and I actually have some concentration.
What's not to like? I've lost some weight. I can think more clearly and focus for more than a nanosecond at a time. And, the truly surprising side effect: I'm less achy! I had no idea it might actually improve my fibromyalgia.
So, why did I lose 2.6 pounds this week, for a total of 21.6?
Ritalin. Yep, I chalk it up to Speed.
A consequence of all the chronic ailments I've acquired is a shortened attention span -- a drastically shortened attention span.
When I saw Dr. Sean this week I told him that I must do something about my inability to concentrate at work. After talking it over he wrote me a prescription for a very small dose of Ritalin, not because he didn't want me to get hooked but because I'm so sensitive to Ritalin-like drugs and supplements.
The first couple of days, I did speed. Now I've come down and I'm experiencing something more like normal energy (although I still pay and pay and pay when I overdo it) -- and I actually have some concentration.
What's not to like? I've lost some weight. I can think more clearly and focus for more than a nanosecond at a time. And, the truly surprising side effect: I'm less achy! I had no idea it might actually improve my fibromyalgia.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Core
I gained 1.6 pounds this week (-19.0 total). Grrrrrrr.
Actually, I thought I might gain more because I fell off the peasant-bread wagon on Wednesday, then participated with gusto in an office potluck lunch and had dinner out on Friday (yesterday, the day before weigh-in, enjoying every single Point of the lemon meringue pie I had at lunch and the vegetable bread pudding I had at dinner . . . ).
So, much as I don't really want to, I'm going to give Core a go for a week, maybe longer if I get into the swing of things.
Actually, I thought I might gain more because I fell off the peasant-bread wagon on Wednesday, then participated with gusto in an office potluck lunch and had dinner out on Friday (yesterday, the day before weigh-in, enjoying every single Point of the lemon meringue pie I had at lunch and the vegetable bread pudding I had at dinner . . . ).
So, much as I don't really want to, I'm going to give Core a go for a week, maybe longer if I get into the swing of things.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
