I'm still here

Quiet, but still here.

I got back to 85# lost this week.

I've been trying to work out whether I'm really and truly stuck, or if my head is stuck and my body is following. I'm pretty sure it's my head. So, I'm ready to move forward.

More activity. Be extra vigilant about my comfort zone.
More veggies.

We'll see. I'm ready to get to goal, so the real work can start.

Normal? what's that?

Things are slowly getting back to normal.

More and more traffic lights are working, our neighbors have power (our side of the street got power the day of the storm - the other side got power yesterday - day 15!!!!), stores are opening. And - best of all - there is finally power at school! Ian and I go back to school tomorrow. Five weeks into the school year and we've missed eleven days!

I'm getting the eating back to normal, too. I self medicated for a little while - and, as usual, it didn't really help! When will I learn? I'll update my stats after I weigh in tomorrow morning.

Tonight's dinner is already cooked - I made a big pot of split pea soup last night and it smelled so good that I could have had some for dessert! It's always better the second day, so we just planned ahead! That should take care of lunches for a day or two this week, too!

It's been a strange 2 weeks - not like a vacation, just weird. Many places weren't open, so we couldn't go do things - although we did go to the zoo and the Natural Science Museum. A kind parent from school donated tickets for all the staff and their families to go to an Astros game, so we were able to do that on Thursday evening. It was good - it gave us a chance to reconnect! I feel like I've been gone for years.

The school building will be open today, so I'll go put things back in my classroom. When my kiddos get there tomorrow THAT will make me feel normal again!

This has been very random - sorry about that!

Ike

Ike did a number on southeast Texas.

We were among the lucky ones - we were only without power for 13 hours - some people are still without power after eight days. We still don't have cable, phone or internet.

I've learned to appreciate little things:

• working traffic lights
• open grocery stores
• grocery stores that are open past 6 p.m.
• buying gas without waiting in long lines
• ice in drinks
• not needing to boil water for drinking
• full water pressure

I managed pretty well through the stress. Friday - almost a full week later - I melted down and ate most anything that wasn't tied down. Oh well - it happens - and Saturday was Core.

My school still doesn't have power, so I'm not sure when I'll be going back to work.

There is a silver lining though - it was a break from all the election coverage!!!!!

I blame the Cheerios!

Not that I'm absolving myself from responsibility.

I had a bad evening last night. Poor choices were the order of the day.

Cheerios? Yep. I've been hungry for Cheerios - but haven't bought them because I didn't need a whole box. I found a single serving cup of the them at Target and had it for breakfast yesterday. They were just as good as I remembered, but I think that the little bit of sugar in them was enough to keep me hungry all day.

At any rate, it's over and done. I'm back on Core today - although it's 11:00 and I've not eaten anything yet - not even a little bit hungry. I was actually a bit nauseous when I woke up this morning. I'm just starting to get hungry now, so I'll have an early lunch.

What a long and exhausting week...

Somehow it always seems that the short weeks are the worst.

• I'm splitting an extended day job with another teacher. It should be 5 days out of 10. I worked 8 out of the first 9. She seems to have herself organized now, so next week we can start splitting evenly. I mean, it's easy money but if I wanted to work until 5:30 every day I wouldn't have split with her.
• We had our unexpected (but still enjoyable) weekend away last weekend, so I didn't get anything done for the week.
• There was a plumbing flood at school overnight, so Thursday morning one whole wing of the school was a soggy mess. Open House had to be rescheduled, which is rotten 'cause I'd rather just have it over with.
• A couple of my kids were extremely trying this week (and one of my moms was, too).

Anyway, thank goodness it's the weekend!

Oh, and in other breaking news....Ian didn't want to stay late on Thursday and one of my co-workers offered to take him home. He let himself in the house, did his homework and just hung out until Sean got home. He was here alone for a little more than an hour with no panic calls to either of us. That is the longest he's been home alone - and the first time he has let himself in. He's growing up!

Hanging out in San Antonio

Hey - it's never a bad thing! We love coming here, so much so that the staff at our favorite hotel knows us!

Tonight I'm going to do my C25K on the treadmill in the health club. I'm also going to give the elliptical a try - I've never used one. I forgot my HRM, but that's OK because I don't eat my AP's.

We came on short notice because Sean is concerned about Hurricane Gustav. It looks like we'll get spared this time, but that's bad news for New Orleans. :-( I did point out to him that if we had a lake house then we'd have a place to go on short notice. Unbelievably, we're going to start looking. Am I taking advantage of him in his stressed out state?

The third time's the charm, right?

Ian and I have started - and dropped out of - Couch to 5K twice.

We restarted tonight. No dropping out this time! We're planning to run a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.

First Day of School

Today was my 20th first day of school as a teacher.

And it kicked my butt! I'm exhausted.

Ian started fifth grade today. How, exactly, did that happen?

I hate weekends like this!

Busy, busy, busy.

Just what I don't need the weekend before school starts!

We're dedicating our new sanctuary at church tomorrow.

Today I need to:
-go set up communion in the old church;
-rehearse the music for the dedication service;
-hem Ian's choir robe;
-run by school and pick something up;
-stop and pick up a few last minute things for school.

Tomorrow is worse:
-go to church (old building);
-clean up communion;
-help move everything to the new building;
-go home and change;
-back there at 2:00 (???) for a 3:30 service;
-clean up communion from that service;

We're skipping the dinner...I don't think I can stand anymore fun!

Hey, since I'm going twice tomorrow does that get me off the hook for next Sunday?

It's a good thing my freezer is well stocked - there won't be any pre-cooking this weekend.

2 pounds!

I went back to work.

I journaled my food.

I made time for my walks (even when I was tired because I went back to work).

I'm down 2 pounds this week! Back into the 150's - finally!

The program works if you work it.....funny isn't it?

Back to a routine

It's a very good thing.

This week I went back to school - back to some semblance of a routine.

Amazingly (well, it's not really THAT amazing) - I'm not hungry as often, not snacking as often. Once the kids come back in another week, then I'll really be on schedule.

Early returns say that this will be a good week at the scale.

Inspiration is where you find it

Ability is what you are capable of.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.

I saw that on a rubber stamp at Hobby Lobby.

We all have the ability to lose weight. Motivation and attitude are what makes the difference.

Why gaining a few pounds was a good thing

OK, it was 8. More than a few.

It was a good thing.

Why?

It caused me to appreciate how far I've come.
It made me recommit to my health.
It made me realize that I don't want to go back.
I'm less complacent about counting my WPA's (that little cup of half and half in my coffee is no big deal, right?).

I appreciate Core more than ever.

And that's why a small weight gain was a positive.

Back to Work? Really?

Summer vacation is over.

Officially I'm still off until Monday, but I have (my choice) workshops for the next three days. So, vacation is over.

Am I ready? I suppose so.

The freezer is well stocked:

4 portions of lasagna;
4 portions of TX Trail Beef;
5 portions of Mexican Barley Bake;
2 portions of Fiesta Skillet Spaghetti;
2 pieces of jalapeno sirloin;
3 chicken breasts;
2 Horseradish Burgers;
7 portions of taco meat;
3 portions of Buffalo Chicken Lasagna;
2 portions of Pork Chops and Beans with couscous;

All Core, all cooked and ready to go!

Finally a loss!

One and a half pounds!

Taking my own advice

"A year from now you won't remember what today's WI was, don't be a slave to the number on the scale."

This is the quote from my signature at the WW message boards. And, yeah, I really believe it.
But I’m not putting it into practice well.

So, I’m determining this week’s success tonight, BEFORE tomorrow’s WI.

This week I:
Walked 45 minutes on 5 different days;
Met the GHG’s every day;
Had popcorn only once (I’ve been having trouble finding satisfied when I eat popcorn);
Accurately recorded (and stayed within) my WPA.

So – no matter what happens tomorrow – this week was a success!

The New "Do"

I needed a change in the hairstyle department.

I think I like it.

2 Weeks in a Row?

You have GOT to be kidding?

Sadly, I weigh the same for the second week in a row. There was virtually no scale fluctuation this week - six of seven days I weighed exactly the same. All I can do is stick with it. I keep telling myself there's a big week coming!

Activity is where I'm lacking. That must change.

I'm going to make a schedule today.

Only one pound to go!

17 times.

I have to take this one pound at a time. When I look at the big picture, it is completely overwhelming.

One meal, one day, one pound at a time.

Stress

This week has been stressful and it's only Wednesday!

Our Marina (Gray cat on the right in this picture from '01) was lethargic over the weekend.

A trip to the vet - and nearly $500 later - and she's feeling much better. She's a Core cat now, though - high fiber food and pumpkin everyday!

Ian woke up last night and threw up all over - he missed his bed, but hit the floor, the hall floor, the bathroom floor. Midnight laundry and floor mopping. Not fun, but all part of the job. I camped in his room the rest of the night, so that Sean could sleep. He's feeling much better this morning, so perhaps it's just something he ate.

The good news is - I'm OP, and that's not going to change. The bad news is, I'm not sure there's a nap in my future today.

I stayed the same?

One week of tracking.

I was really careful of what I ate - tracked my WPA - met my GHG's.

Didn't walk as much as I should have.

Stayed the same.

The gameplan?

Keep journaling

Walk - no excuses

You know this works.

Journaling?

Why is journaling making a difference? Judging by my morning weights this week, I will be down on Monday morning. What's the difference? Only the fact that I've been journaling. But why does that help? I guess because if you commit to writing everything you bite, then you think more before you eat? I always tracked the GHG's and my WPA. I didn't keep a food journal. I am now, and for now, at least, it seems to be helping. At the very least it's saving me from the dreaded WPA Amnesia*.

I'm not tracking amounts - just indicating what I've eaten. I'm not tracking my hunger scale, but I always keep that in mind (or try to!) Whatever, it seems to be helping. And, honestly? whatever works.

*WPA Amnesia - a common, but rarely acknowledged side-effect of over-indulgence syndrome.

I love the satisfied feeling...

....even though I get satisfied before I'm ready.

I just enjoyed a lovely meal with good conversation at a fine restaurant. And I don't feel stuffed. I really like not feeling stuffed.

NTS - remember this - satisfied feels good, stuffed feels ick.

Owning the Middle Number

My weight is up. Not much, but I've been in denial. I left my middle number alone, thinking I'd get back there. Problem is - I need to own the problem, and not putting it out there didn't help me. The failure wasn't that I gained - the failure was that I tried to pretend it wasn't there.

So, what's the plan?

1. Journal - I've been doing that for 2 weeks, and I believe it has helped.

2. Increase my activity.

3. Really pay attention to my comfort zone. I'm discovering that it doesn't take much to satisfy me.

Blah.

Will I ever be happy with my body?

This morning, while I was getting dressed I was not displeased when I looked in the mirror. Even naked I look so-o-o-o much better than before.

Fast forward to this evening - Ian wanted to go to the pool. Mind you - I didn't put on my suit, I just didn't feel like dealing with it. So, I'm sitting in the shade in a pool chair, and I look down and my tummy is all poochy. And I get self-conscious and I'm hating my tummy. Now, I think everybody's tummy is poochy when they're sitting, so why does it bother me?

But there I sat - full of negative self-talk. I did talk my way out of it, but it bothers me that it was there - lurking - waiting to come out.

It probably didn't help that dinner was blah. Tasteless spaghetti with meatsauce. I ate enough to make it through the pool excursion and we threw the rest away. I came home and made a bowl of oatmeal and that helped. The boys shared a pizza.

Advance Planning

Weight Watchers calls it 'mental rehearsing'.

It's a powerful tool. The difference between success and failure.

Today my mother-in-law and I are taking my son and my nephew to Galveston overnight. I have a plan in mind for our meals - and I know what I'm ordering depending upon which restaurants we choose. It makes the menu less tempting if I decide - in advance, when I'm not hungry - before we sit down.

I have a plan. Now I need to execute it!

But, I don't want to be satisfied yet!

When I'm really paying attention I am satisfied with disappointingly little.

But, it's hard when everything tastes so good and I don't want to be finished.....I had an epiphany the other night at dinner. I served myself 3 (small) potatoes, salad and 1/2 of a chopped steak patty. I needed a little more, so I got more salad. Not so long ago I would have eaten 1 1/2 of the same patties. The thing is - that dinner satisfied me - I wasn't hunting snacks all night.

I need to pay much closer attention to my satisfaction levels. And to make sure every bite is worth it. If I'm going to be satisfied with only a little, then the little had better be really worth it!

My mother used to work with someone who could eat half a cookie and stop! Someone once asked her why she stopped? "Well, I know what it tastes like now." I want to be like that, instead of being the one who wants half a PLATE of cookies.

Trying to add a photo

and introduce my boys! This is a photo of my husband and son. It's almost 2 years old, but it's a good picture of them. We were touring Natural Bridge Caverns north of San Antonio, TX.

Something that has helped me a lot

Something that has help me a lot along the way is to evaluate how my week was BEFORE I WI.

Did I meet the GHG's?
Did I move?
Did I do the best I could?
Was I OP?

The scale is just one tool along the way - and it doesn't always give me the answers I want. I've had to use other measures. Honestly, this plateau has been endless, but I still feel successful.

I measure success by the things I CAN control (my actions) - and NOT by the things that I can't control (my biology).

I suppose it's time

I guess it's time to give the blog thing a shot.

I've been following WWCore for 2 1/2 years and can honestly say it has changed my life.