Miracle indeed?

Phew, it's certainly been a while! Sorry for my long absence. This have been up and down around these parts. I gained 2.something pounds back from my last weigh-in, then lost it again, so I'm right back where I was (ok, .2 lbs more) at 193.8. I'm a little scared about Friday's weigh-in because it wasn't a great weekend for me. Lots of leftover easter candy tempted, and it was just one of those weeks where I found myself snacking and stealing mouthfuls here and there. Anyway, Monday I started fresh, and the first step was to unceremoniously throw all that candy in the trash. Bye bye temptations!

I've been meaning to come back to this space for the last few weeks, but I discovered something I needed to share with you all!

Have you heard of the new craze, the "miracle" shirataki noodles?

If you  haven't, shirataki noodles are (according to Wikipedia) a very low carbohydrate, low calorie, thin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam. One serving (4oz) is ZERO POINTS PLUS! And the whole package, half a pound of noodles, is only 1 point! These stats alone are super exciting to a pasta-loving Weight Watcher like myself.

If you have heard of them, I bet you (like me) have heard some bad things: fishy smell, weird texture - but before you close this window, hear me out!

I saw these in the grocery store last week and they weren't expensive, so I figured why not? I did some research online to figure out the best way to prepare them, and it turns out there's some prep work involved that completely removes the fishy smell and improves the texture.

First, you need to drain and rinse the noodles a few times with hot water. Then, boil them for a few minutes, and drain. At this point the fishy smell is all but gone. Next, heat a dry pan on the stove and add the noodles. Mix around for 5 minutes or so, or until the majority of the moisture has evaporated. Then they're ready to go!

 Last night's huge bowl of lo mein - 7 PP!!

So yea, that was my dinner! 7 PP for what is basically 4 times the amount of pasta you could usually have, brimming with veggies and asian flavors.

The texture of the noodles is definitely different than regular pasta; it did have a bit of a gummy texture to it, but the prepping definitely made a difference compared to how they were straight out of the package. In asian dishes I think it works rather well and I enjoyed this dinner immensely. The texture might not work so well with italian style dishes, but I've heard there are also tofu-shirataki noodle varieties that have a chewier texture that might work better.

If you'd like to give the shirataki noodle a try, here's my recipe for lo mein. You can change up the veggies for any you prefer, these are just what I had in the fridge. Next time I might half the hoisin and add some oyster sauce too. Maybe even a little sriracha!


Shirataki Lo Mein with Veggies
Recipe by Labor of Loss

7 PP for entire recipe

1 package (8oz) Shiratake noodles (I used Nasoya brand)
1 tbsp hoisin
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup green beans or haricots, cut in half or into bit-sized pieces.
3-4 scallions, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together hoisin, soy sauce,  half a tbsp of water, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.

Drain and rinse shiratake noodles with hot water, repeat. Par boil the noodles for 5 minutes.  Remove noodles from water, reserving cooking water. Blanch green beans in cooking water until tender crisp.

In a dry pan,  stir noodles until most of the moisture is gone. Set aside.

Sautee onions and scallion whites in sesame oil until soft.  Add garlic and ginger, sautee for 1-2 minutes until just golden.  Add mushrooms, sautee until soft, season with salt and pepper

Add green beans and noodles, mix to combine. Add sauce and simmer until sauce thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve immediately.

Weigh-in day

Phew, sorry for the long absence! It's been real crazy around these parts lately. Between working full time, getting to yoga (almost) everyday, studying for my Praxis exam, and visiting my grandma in the hospital (feel better!), I've hardly had time to breathe! BUT, I try not to use busy days as an excuse to slack off as far as my fitness and healthiness go. I must say that yesterday was the first day since starting yoga and I made the conscious decision to not go to class when I could have. And honestly, I didn't feel good about it - I'm rather disappointed with myself to be honest, and really looking forward to get back in the studio today to make up for it.

I missed posting about my last few weigh-ins, so here's to making it up to you:

Starting weight: 226.4 lbs
Last blogged weigh in (3/2): 198.8 lbs
3/9: 201 lbs
3/16: 198.2 lbs
3/23: 196 lbs

So, a little fluctuation, but I always expect that and I'm really happy with the progress I've made! Today's weigh in marks a total of 30 lbs lost, and 10 lbs lost since the new year! Considering my goal was to lose an additional 20 pounds (from 206.2lb that I was on New Year's Eve) I feel like I'm right on track. I feel that after months of 'figuring it out' as far as food and exercise go, I've really found what works for me and I'm going to see the progress I've been hoping for since starting WW April of 2011. I know 30lbs in a year is not nearly as much as other Weight Watchers have lost, but I'm happy with the slow and steady rate I'm going because I know that it's something I can maintain!

On that note, here's a glimpse at some things I've been eating lately:

12PP Burger and fries
Skinnytaste turkey zucchini burger: 4PP
TJ's artisan bread: 3PP
BBQ sauce and Ketchup: 1PP
Pickles and lettuce: 0PP
Alexia sweet potato fries (seasoned by me): 4PP

10PP Day-off Brunch (I definitely don't do this everyday! But days off = sleeping in = brunch!)
2 eggs, over easy: 4PP
2 slices thin cut Butterball Turkey Bacon: 1PP
1/4 cup black beans: 0PP
1/4 cup bell pepper: 0PP
1/4 cup tomato: 0PP
1/4 cup onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup WW shredded cheese :2PP
1/4 Avocado: 2PP
salt, pepper, cumin
Coffee: 1PP

SERIOUSLY - one of the best breakfasts I've had in a LONG time, and I've had some good diner breakfasts lately. I think this will be my Saturday morning brunch from now on! So good!!!!

 
7 PP sushi for me and mamacita
3/4 cup sushi rice, dry: 12PP
3 sheets of nori: 0PP
1/4 cup cucumber: 0PP
1/4 cup carrot: 0PP
1/4 avocado: 2PP
2 tbsp soy sauce: 0PP

8 PP Steak and onions with roasted brussel sprouts
4oz lean beef tenderloin: 5PP
Half an onion: 0PP
salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cajun seasoning, adobo, cumin (little bit'a everything!)
Roasted brussels: 3PP (though I don't think it was that much, I used the points from Skinnytaste's sauteed brussels, whichs uses a tbsp of oil, and I roasted mine and just sprayed with my misto - but better more than less.)
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar: 0PP

It's been a delicious week! How'd you do?

Quick lunch

Since getting serious with this weight-loss thing almost a year ago, I bring my own lunch to work 95% of the time. When I don't, I run downstairs to the building's cafe and make up a huge salad with grilled chicken, tons of veg, and low fat sesame ginger dressing.

But there are always those days where I haven't any leftovers to bring to work from last night's dinner, and when I'd rather not spend the cash to buy lunch. That's why I always have a few frozen meals from Trader Joe's hangin' out in the fridge, just in case.

On my last stop at TJ's I came across the Chicken and Vegetable Wonton Soup in the freezer section. Points wise, it was great, only 5 PP's for a rather large portion of soup; definitely more bowl sized than cup sized.

Verdict? It's a winner! There's big chunks of veggies (and I mean big, large slices of carrots and whole sugar snap peas!) in a yummy broth, and the wontons are really tasty. I added a little soy sauce just because I like my soup a little saltier, but it was very good on it's own. I wouldn't really compare this to take-out wonton soup, the veggies and cilantro flavors make it a completely different product, but it's good all the same. For 5 PP and only $2.29, it's a keeper for sure!

Milestone

I stepped on the scale this morning and had to stop myself from squealing with delight (it was 6am after all) and jumping up and down like a little kid!!

Starting weight: 226.4
Last week's weight (I didn't post): 201.4
This week's weight:

198.8 lbs

I broke 200!

I can't tell you how amazing I feel and how incredibly proud I am of myself! This is the biggest milestone I've hit so far; it's so encouraging to see the number that is under 200! It somehow makes the rest of my weight loss seem much easier, much more attainable, something that can really be done rather than just dreamed about. 


I have to give credit where credit is due, so once more I'm going to tout the amazingess that is hot yoga. Besides loving the work out itself, it's really done wonders with keeping me on track as far as eating goes, forcing me to drink enough water, and keeping my snacking in check. The best thing of all is just the fact that I want to go to yoga every day, and I've been happily going 5-6 times a week for the past three weeks or so. I want to go that often, not that I feel like I should or I have to. I canceled my gym membership and am doing yoga full time, so I'm going to stick with it for sure and we'll see how works out for me in the long run! All I know is that after weeks of going up and down the same pound or two, I had two weeks of over 2 pound losses! I am now just a half pound shy of being on track with my weight loss goal of 4 pounds a month - though if I keep going this rate I'm going to lose even more than that. Here's to hoping!

Finally!

I am feeling SO fantastic today!!!

So, today I found out the results of my self imposed hot yoga challenge:

Last week's weight: 203lbs
This week's weight: 200.4
Loss: -2.6
Total loss: 26lbs

Yes!! I am just ecstatic looking at these numbers. Not only have I finally, finally, after weeks of lollygagging around the -20-23lb zone, hit the -25lb milestone. But moreover...I can't tell you how amazing it feels to see 200 (ok, 200.4 but still) on the scale. My heart is racing just thinking that next week; I WILL see a number under 200!

Yes, I WILL. Not I hope, I WILL.

So the hot yoga; I think it's a keeper. I'm planning to cancel my gym membership this weekend and join my yoga studio for good. There's so many things I love about this practice. I love that I actually find myself looking forward to my next class - I can't say that was ever something I experiences with cardio classes at the gym. It also forces me to take better care of myself. For example, I always struggle with drinking enough water. It shouldn't be hard, but I just never do; there would be days when I'd get out of work and realize the only thing I drank all day was my morning coffee. But now, knowing that I'll be spending an hour and a half contorting my body in a 105 degree room, I make SURE I drink enough water. Hot yoga is not something you want to do dehydrated - trust me, I did it once...not good times.

It also makes me think more about what I'm eating and how often - As you're supposed to go to hot yoga on an empty stomach to avoid nausea, I'm snacking less, and reaching for more wholesome foods when I do.

I love the way I feel during yoga. I feel graceful, long, lean....sexy. Yes, sexy, even though I'm literally soaking wet with sweat and red in the face. I'm not able to do every pose perfectly, but watching myself in the mirror, back straight, chest out, shoulders back, moving with the group into each pose, I feel amazing.

I love the way I feel after yoga. I feel strong, flexible...zen. It truly does have an amazing calming and rejuvenating affect.

I can already see and feel the effects that the practice is having on my body, I feel leaner, and my measurements prove it: after 4 classes I've lost a half inch on my bust and waist, and a half inch on my thighs, hips, and arms.

Anyway. I hope you all had a great week as well!

Quickly

Last week's weight: 203.6

This week: 203

loss: -.6lbs

Total loss: -23.4lb

It's always frustrating when I know I've been eating well and working out a lot, but don't lose the amount of weight that I'd like that week. On the upside, I did see a different in inches (I take my measurements every week as well), so hopefully that means I'm gaining muscle and getting leaner.

Last week I wrote about my experience with Hot Yoga and how much I loved it. Thanks to a newbie deal at a local hot yoga studio ($25 for a week of unlimited classes!), I've decided to try hot yoga as my main work out and see how it affects or doesn't affect my weight loss. Besides the lure of shedding pounds, there are other benefits of yoga that really appeal to me, and if I can get the same or better results just with yoga rather than my usual classes at the gym, I'm contemplating a change. We'll see come Friday!

I'm hoping for at least a 1.6lb loss this week - I really  want to hit the -25lb mark! Wish me luck :)

Yoga to the People

Have you ever tried Bikram Yoga?

According to Wikipedia, Bikram Yoga, or hot yoga, is an hour and half yoga session that consist of a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. It's ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F (≈40.6°C) with a humidity of 40%.

Now, I've taken Body Flow at my gym, which is a combo of Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi, and have done pretty well with it. But the idea of doing and hour and a half of traditional yoga in a room as hot as midsummer was quite daunting. Another issue? Price. In my area, hot yoga classes are usually around $20-25 per class; hard to justify when I already pay monthly for my gym membership.

But when my boyfriend told me about Yoga to the People, the opportunity arose.

With studios in Seattle, San Francisco, Berkeley, and multiple locations in NYC, Yoga to the People "is a unique yoga studio with the goal of recapturing what we consider to be the essence of yoga… simply put, yoga made available to everyone."

How do they do that? By making yoga an affordable and attainable practice for people of all budgets and levels. For their hour long Vinyasa classes, it is a suggested donation of $10. Meaning, there is a box at the door where you leave what you can. No questions asked.

Hot  yoga is a set price, but it's a mere $8, just a fraction of what other studios charge per class, and you can get an even better price by buying a package deal.

With that sort of deal, I had to ignore my misgivings and go for it. Saturday afternoon found me and the boyfriend in the Williamsburg YTTP studio, mats set and ready to go.

So how was it? HOT. Really hot. I'm pretty sure I sweat more than I ever sweat in my life. And by the end of the hour and a half, it was all I could do not to sprint out of that studio. I was out of breath, fatigued, and pretty sure I was melting. Would I do it again?

Absolutely.

Hot yoga is seriously of the the most intense workouts I've ever done. Not because it's cardio filled or chock full of weight lifting, but because you are moving your body deliberately in such a way that you work every single part of it. I've been sore in places I've never been sore before, places I didn't thing could be sore! Like, the muscles in my feet! But at the same time, I feel amazing. I feel strong, cleansed, peaceful.

I think what I loved most about this experience was the studio itself. Yoga to the People is not pretentious. It's not snobby. It's not full of 110lb yogi perfectionists decked out in the latest Lululemon gear looking down at your imperfect poses. It's real people of all shapes and sizes going after the same goals - health, and peace of mind.

If that's not enough to convince you...

Did you know one 90 minute session of Bikram yoga burns anywhere between 900-1300 calories??

Oh yea.

2/1 weigh in

Friday's update, a little late as usual!

I'm happy and proud to report that I am finally back to my pre-holiday weight - on the dot! 203.6lbs!

I really busted my ass in the gym last week and it paid off, and the results were even better than I hoped for. I worked out three times last week, two Body Combat (cardio kickboxing) classes and one Body Flow (yoga/pilates/tai chi) class. Plus, my eating was really good, I stayed with in my points for the majority of the week, and finally got back in the groove of making myself some delicious meals.

Pioneer Woman's balsamic brussels, minus the cranberries and using my misto instead of olive oil from the bottle.

Homemade veggie rolls!

Skinnytaste sauteed brussels and chicken with spinach and melted mozz.

Skinnytaste broccoli mac and cheese.

Yum! How was your week?

Back to life

Man it's been a while since I updated here! I have be completely immersed in the world of "Urinetown" (not the place, of course, the musical...) and have been practically too busy to breathe these last two weeks.

Sadly, we closed the show last night so it's back to real life and back on the wagon. The last week of 5pm-11pm run throughs and two-show-a-day nights has completely thrown a wrench in my good eating - but I couldn't tell you if I've gained or how much as I completely forgot to step on the scale with Friday's hectic schedule.

But it's back to the plan starting today. My food is all planned out as usual, and tonight I'll be hitting the gym for a yoga class. Here's today's food plan:

Breakfast:
Coffee: 1 pp
Egg sammy (2pieces WW bread, one egg, one slice WW cheese, splash of hot sauce): 5pp

Lunch:
Skinnytaste Creamy Mushroom Soup: 1pp
2 WW Smoked Flavor String cheese: 2pp
Carrots and Ranch: 2pp

(Planned) Dinner:
Skinnytaste Turkey Chili Taco Soup: 5pp
topped with Sour Cream and Mexican blend cheese: 2pp

Snacks:
SpecialK Cracker Chips in Southwest Ranch: 3pp
WW Pepper Jack cheese stick: 2pp
Cherries: 0pp
Banana: 0pp
Nectarine: 0pp

Points Used: 23pp

That leaves me with 10pp to play with for dessert :) I love having a lunch like the mushroom soup that is deliciously filling for next to no points!

Motivation.

Last week on my style blog, Fatale Fashion, I did a recap of my favorite outfits of 2011, one from each month. It became and inadvertent but fantastic source of motivation when I compared pictures of myself from January of last year to pictures now. Here's January 2011 next to December 2011:

The most noticable differece has to be my face - Full cheeks, major double chin; both are much less now and now I have, dare I say, the inkling of a cheekbone? Also I think my boobs *might* have gotten smaller?? I hope??

Seeing these side by side show what a difference just 20lbs can make, and I know I never want to go back to those chubby cheeks of January 2011. As the talented Michael Bublè would say:

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
for me
And I'm feeling good.

A new beginning

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm determined to make 2012 my best year yet. It's a fresh start, a new beginning, and will hopefully include lots of changes for the better for me.

My resolution, like many, many others, is to lose weight this year - or to continue to lose weight. I have two goals:

#1. Lose twenty pounds by the summer.

This is a very feasible goal. I'm not trying to overreach myself by setting unattainable goals, like losing 50lbs by July - that's just a recipe for failure in my mind. 20lbs is doable. Very doable. Math is not my strong point, but let's break it down: 6 months until July 1st - that's 24 weeks. If I lost just one pound a week, I'll be at my goal and beyond. And of course there's wiggle room; some week's I might gain, but there are other weeks I may lose two or three pounds. So, -20lbs by July 1st for a total of -40lb and weighing 185lbs it is.

#2. Lose twenty more pounds by the end of 2012.

Same stats, same math. If I hit both of these goals I'll have lost a total of around 60lbs and will weight about 165lbs - a place I haven't been since probably since grade 8 or 9 :D

Anyway, let's take a look at this week's stats! The first weigh in of 2012 and I'm off to a good start:

Last week's weight: 206.2
This week's weight: 205.4

So, a .8lbs loss. Good not great, but better than a gain for sure. Aunt Flo is in town as well so I'm sure there's some bloat going on. I made it to the gym once, but I'm going to try for at least twice next week.

What are your new year's resolutions?

How. HOW?!

Someone please tell me how last week, when I worked out twice and ate well, I gained 2lbs, while this week, when I didn't work out at all and basically  INHALED chocolate, candy, and fatty Christmas leftovers not stop all week, I only gained .6lbs??? I have a feeling I'll be seeing more of this weight at next week's weigh in too...

Current weight: 206.2lbs

So, I'm obviously not at 200lbs, which is where I hoped to be by 2012, but I'm close. I'll just have to work that much harder next year!

Happy 2012 all!

Lost cause

Ugh. Christmas was a lost cause. I thought for sure Thanksgiving would be my downfall, but Christmas was so much worse! But I will not stress. 2012 is only two days away, and it will be a new start for me. I'm going to gather up all the candy, cookies and junk, send it off to work with my mom, and get back on the wagon, for good this time.

Wishing you all the best in 2012! See you then :)

A little closer

I can't believe I forgot to update last week! Surprising, since I did really well!

Previous weight: 206.8 lbs
Current weight: 203.6 lbs
Total loss: -3.2 lbs for a total of -22.8 lbs

And guess what! This weeks loss marked my meeting my first big Weight Weighers-set goal: losing 10% of my body weight!

I was so happy to see that my hard work last week paid off. I worked out twice and tracked very, very carefully and it definitely showed.

Tomorrow is weigh-in day, so we'll see how I did this week. My tracking wasn't quite as meticulous, though I've still been pretty good, and I only got in one work out so far, though I've got my gym clothes all ready for another one tonight. If you weigh in on Fridays like I do, good luck!

Determined.

So last week did not go as well as I hoped. I was disappointed but not really surprised to see I gained 1.6 lbs this week. It also sucks that I'm now back to less than 20lbs lost.

last week's weight: 205.2lbs

this week's weight: 206.8lbs

total loss: -19.6lbs

My goal was to hit 200lbs (-26.4lbs) by the end of the year. I've got 3 more weeks and 6.8lbs to go, and I am determined to get as close as I possibly can to that goal! I'll need to lose a little less than 2.5lbs at each of my next three weigh-ins to get there. I'm going to the gym at least three times this week, and my food is going to be even lighter than usual - I am making vegetables my bitch!! Also, I'm going to be chugging water for the next three weeks, so the bathroom is going to see a lot of me :)

Have you reached your end of the year goal yet? If not, what are you doing to try to get there?

Trader Joe's snacks

I'm a muncher. Always have been, always will be. I'll be the first to admit, it's a big part boredom eating. Yes, it's a bad habit, but I've learned that sitting in the office all day long, I need to have some healthy snacks to munch on or else I'll be hitting up the vending machine or the deli downstairs.

Enter Trader Joe's - the place I can always count on to find new delicious, low calorie snacks (and the prices ain't bad either!). Two of my favorites at the moment are Wasabi Seaweed and Lite Kettle Corn.

Calories, 30, Total Fat: 2g, Total Carbs:1g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 1g = 1 Point Plus. Serving size is half the container, but according to the Points Plus calculator, the whole container is still just 1 Point Plus! If you like sushi, you'll love these snacks. They're salty with a tiny hint of sweetness and a great kick of wasabi!

Calories 110, Total Fat: 4g, Total Carbs: 19g, Fiber: 3g, Protein 2g = 3 Points Plus Serving size is one snack bag. I haven't seen a full sized back of the lite kettle corn, nor have I seen snack size versions of the full fat kettle corn, but that could just be my TJ's, it's a relatively small one. This is the perfect snack if you're craving chips or other junk food. The serving is generous as well!

Sunshiney day

Hi friends!

I am in an unusually good mood today. I believe is a combinations of reasons:

1. It's absolutely gorgeous outside. Sunny, blue skies, crisp and chilly!
2. I'm wearing my new Ray-Ban geek-chic glasses I got yesterday at LensCrafters (only took an hour!?!) and I absolutely LOVE them.
3. Also wearing my new City Chic skinny jeans that I picked up for a DOLLAR, and they make my ass look fantastic!
4. My boyfriend is coming over tonight for a romantic homecooked meal and a movie - we both crush on Leo DiCaprio so we're going to see J. Edgar!
5. I lost this week, so after a little Thanksgiving gain I'm only 1 pound away from where I was.  Also, only 1.4lbs away from reaching my first big goal - 10% body weight lost!

Last week's weight: 206.6

This week's weight: 205.2

-1.4lbs for 21.2 total

I made some really tasty recipes this week, supplemented with some good frozen stuff from Trader Joe's those days I didn't have a premade lunch.

First up: this is a tweaked version of Skinnytaste's Cilantro Chicken Salad. First of all, I had an entire rotisserie chicken sitting in the fridge so I used that instead of cooking fresh breasts. I'm not a huge fan of cilantro so I subbed in dill, and I also didn't have light mayo so I used less regular and left out the chicken broth. I like my deli salads on the drier side so it worked out perfectly for me. I LOVE this chicken salad, and I'm usually very picky with mine! To take it up even a notch further, I'm planning to add some celery next time to give it some fantastic crunch! My tweaked recipe is below - click here for the original.

14oz rotisserie chicken, shredded/chopped

3 Tbsp mayo

3 scallions, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

4 Tbsp chopped dill, more or less to taste

salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and chile powder to taste

Makes 4 servings, 6 Points Plus each.

Next is another spin on a Skinnytaste recipe. Her beet salad also called for cilantro, and more mayo than I'd like. I halved the mayo, replaced the cilantro with dill again, and added a sprinkle of sugar to sweeten the beets and vinegar for some tanginess.

2 cans of sliced beets
1 Tbsp mayo
1 Tbsp fat free sour cream

3 Tbsp dill
1/2 small onion, sliced thin
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
3 servings, 1 Point Plus each

Both recipes can be lightened further - just use low fat or fat free mayo, and poach chicken breasts instead of using rotisserie chicken for the chicken salad :)

One lunch I had two servings (so 4 pieces) of Spicy Shrimp Bao from Trader Joes, they're only 3 points for 2 and quite delicious!

Another night's dinner was Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza Pot Stickers - 1 Point each, with a crap load of steamed broccoli with a little soy and ponzu sauces :)

The Thanksgiving bloat

Well. It has definitely been a tough week or so. I know I'm not the only Weight Watcher who stepped on the scale this week a bit heftier.

Friday morning after Thanksgiving I stepped on the scale and saw a gain of 2.4lbs. Not at all surprised of course. I wish I could say that after that I behaved myself foodwise for the rest of the weekend, but of course that wasn't the case. Crap food and alcohol prevailed, and I'm sure I must have put on another 2 pounds at least. Monday morning rolled around and I went back on track - until night time that is.

I've been realizing in the last few days that I've started to revert back to old habits of nighttime munching, a habit I thought I broke once I really got into the WW groove. But the last few nights I've found myself heading downstairs for a snack late at night. I know it's bad, but I can't stop myself! I feel like I'm lacking the motivation and self control that I had for a few months there, and its something I desperately need and want back. I feel like I've been subconsciously giving up a bit over the holiday season so far, I'm sort of in the mentality that gaining is inevitable and it's hard to be strict with food in that mindset. I'm trying really hard to get back to my better eating habits! Any tips for curbing those urges?

I am happy that I managed to get back to the gym for the first time in a few weeks on Monday. I did three miles on the elliptical and felt really good. I'm going to try to do another 3 miles after work today, and then bashfully show my face in back in Body Pump on Thursday. Hopefully I won't have gained anymore than I already did by weigh in on Friday.

How have you been doing with food over the holidays?

Woops

Woops, behind schedule once again!

Long story short, I gained .2lbs last week. Not a big deal, I'll just have to be more careful this week.

Unfortunately, this week also means THANKSGIVING.

Is it possibly to stay the same/lose weight over the week of Thanksgiving do you think? I am bringing a few dishes I'll be cooking from Skinnytaste to try to keep it low fat, but I'm not very optimistic.

Wish me luck this week! And good luck to you all as well!

Relief!

Another good week for me! I have to say I let out a sigh of relief this morning when I stepped on the scale. It's that time of the month and I was feeling super crampy and bloated, and I thought for sure it was going to be a repeat of last month. Not so!

Last week's weight: 206.6 lbs

This week's weight: 204 lbs

-2.6 lbs for a total loss of 22.4 lbs

I feel a bit guilty because I haven't been working out at all lately. I go through phases of working out 4-5 times a week to not working out at all. I know I'll pick up again eventually but for now I'm savoring this break from the gym, and really thankful that the scale is still moving downwards. 

I was explaining to my boyfriend the other day just how much my eating habits have changed over the last few months of being on Weight Watchers. The difference between what I used to eat, and how much, and what I eat now is like night and day. For example:

Before:
Breakfast: Coffee and a toasted everything bagel with low-fat cream cheese from Dunkin' Donuts
Lunch: A sandwhich of some sort, usually turkey, cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, cranberry mayo on foccacia, with either a bag of chips or pickles, or a cookie; or chinese take out, or some other fatty food.
Dinner: A hefty helping of whatever my parents made.
Plus after work snacks/dessert - whatever was in the house/vending machine really.

Now:

Breakfast: A breakfast sandwhich of some sort; either an egg with WW cheese, or egg whites, or some sort of small veggie omelette on low carb TJ's bread. Coffee from Dunkin' with Splenda and milk.

Snacks for the day: Some fruit, today I have a banana, two clementines and some blackberries. Also some savory snacks, today I have wasabi roasted seaweed from TJ (freakin delish, btw), a container of cherry tomatoes and two light Babybel cheeses.

Lunch: Usually, leftovers from last night's Skinnytaste dinner. Today it's Skinnytaste Turkey Chili with a tbsp of light sour cream and 1/4 cup light shredded cheese from TJ's.

Afterwork: more fruit or veggies or a babybel cheese - basically, something light and low in points

Dinner: Whatever I decide to make off Skinnytaste that night. My parents rarely cook anymore!

Dessert: more fruit, maybe an apple with a tbsp of peanut butter, or maybe a Weight watchers fudgebar

What I've found is that I acutally eat more now that I'm Weight Watchers, but the quality of what I'm eating is eight million times better than before. I used to have my bagel in the morning and by the time lunch rolled around I was starving, and wouldn't think twice about that very large (and delicious) sandwich. Now my snacks hold me over so a small lunch is just fine by me.

Have you drastically changed your diet trying to lose weight? Or do you eat the same but just in a lesser amount?