Tuesday's Journal

Yesterday I rode the recumbant bike for a change of pace. I did it for 30 minutes going as fast as I could push my legs. I was dripping sweat, which is always a pleasant thing. But I was able to get a good workout. So I ended up earning 4 activity points instead of my usual 2, woohoo!
I weighed myself this morning and haven't lost anything yet this week, but I am borderline. So I am confident that I will lose by Friday (assuming I don't go on a binge)

Here is my food journal:

Pancakes with syrup and milk- 12

TINY piece of cake-3
Nachos, small amount-7

Homemade stew with 1 homemade biscuit-5

Cocoa with Cool Whip-1.5

Points Used: 28.5
Points Allowance and Activity Points Used: 4.5
Points Allowance left: 6

I am trying to be happy with only one pound a week, but part of me wants to lose it faster. But I KNOW for my sagging skin and for permanent weight loss, I need to go slowly. It's hard not to get discouraged though when I look in the mirror.

Monday's Journal

Yesterday was a good day. I had some bad news, like the car breaking down. But God is good, He carried me through it and I didn't turn to food! And He provided another car for us, so He has even worked that out.

Here is my food journal for yesterday, I did earn 2 activity points.

cocoa with 2 Tbs fat-free Cool Whip-1.5
Rice with cinnamon, sugar and milk-5.5

Peach-1
1/2 cup mac n cheese-4.5
small slice chocolate cake-7.5

Chicken Helper, 1 cup, made without topping or milk-6

1 snack size Reese's peanut butter cup-2.5
cocoa with LOT'S of Cool Whip-2

Points used: 30.5
Daily points allowed: 24
Points allowance and activity points used: 6.5

Points allowance left: 6.5

Sunday's Journal

Yesterday I felt Exhausted, nauseous and like I was coming down with something. I was miserable. I am not sure if it is the diet or losing weight or what. Every other time I have tried to lose weight I have gotten extremely tired. So tired that I couldn't go on. I am hoping that lif I stick it out this time, I will get through it. And I am not nursing a baby this time so that is a difference. Of course it could be the poor food choices I have been making. I would love to be able to eat more fruit and yogurt, but we honestly can't afford it. And when people say it doesn't cost any more to eat healthy, they are crazy. I have done both. And I just cannot afford to buy all of us tons of fruit or yogurt, it just isn't in our budget.

Here is my food journal for yesterday, keep in mind that I overate on purpose to use my points, the rest of the week I will eat less and hopefully lose my pound (maybe more?).

1 piece of cake-15 (my daughter's birthday celebration)

Cheese Quesadilla-6

1 piece of cake -15
Lean Gourmet frozen dinner-4

Tortilla chips-3

Points used: 43
Points allowed: 24
Points Allowance & Activity points used: 19
Points Allowance left: 11

Saturday's Journal

I had a good time with my Mom, and I brought Elijah, which made it even more fun. We went shopping, so I got a lot of extra exercise, because shopping trips for my family are BIG. I didn't do to bad at Claim Jumper, where we ended up going, but I ate all of my daily points and 7 of my weekly allowance. It's a good thing I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day, and I didn't have breakfast.

Here is my food journal:

Fries- 13
1/2 Turkey Sandwich- 7
Very small piece Chocolate Cake- 8
1/2 cup Vanilla Ice Cream-3
Diet Sprite-0

Diet Mug Rootbeer-0

Points Eaten: 31
Daily Points: 24 went over by 7
Points Allowance balance: 28

Friday's Journal

I was very emotional today which I blame on hormones. I again didn't have a really big appetite. I had 24 Ruffles chips and now I am swollen with water. I need to REALLY watch my salt intake, it seems to affect me a lot.

I did Yourself Fitness for 30 minutes earning 2 activity points.

Food Journal:

Homemade cinnamon roll-8

1/2 Port of Subs medium Turkey Sub- 4.5
1 Diet Mug Rootbeer-0

1/2 Port of Subs medium Turkey Sub- 4.5
1 cup Grapes-1

2 Servings (24) Ruffles chips- 6

Points Used: 24

Points Allowance Balance: 35


This was the first time I have ever had a diet drink. Every time I have tasted diet pepsi or coke, I can't stand the aftertaste. Also, I really don't like artificial sweetener, I think it is to dangerous. But sometimes I get a craving for a soda and don't want to use points for it, so I think occassionally having some is okay. But I know that I am having it more often with the sugar-free cocoa and the fat-free Cool Whip etc. I have still not completely made up my mind on this one.

Thursday's Journal

I earned 2 activity points doing Yourself Fitness.

Here is what I ate:

1 cup shredded wheat with 1 Tbs. sugar and 1/2 2 % milk-5.5

1/2 cup macaroni and cheese-5

4 chocolate chip cookies-8

1 slice homemade pizza-5


It sure doesn't look like much typed up here, but it was plenty. Actually I got my monthly visitor, and I lose my appetite a bit at first. Unfortunately I also HATE to excercise during this time. But, I did yesterday and I AM going to today. Because my hormones were out of whack yesterday, my emotions were up and down. I felt so sorry for the children, lol! And that is the reason I ate 4 chocolate chip cookies. I did lose another pound which makes 10 lost, and I feel a little discouraged that it is so slow, even though I know for my skin to adjust I need to go slowly. After 6 children and excess weight, the skin on my stomach needs time to adjust and I have to lose slowly or else I will be stuck with a thin stomach with a bunch of loose skin hanging down. But I wish that I could just snap my fingers and be thin.

You know, I was thinking about when I was thin, and how even though I was skinny I was NEVER in shape, and didn't exercise at all. I hated it. So now I am thinking that even being older and having children that with my faithful exercising, I can actually look better than I did then because I will be firm and not flabby. That is an exciting thought.

Friday Weigh In

Okay, here are my my figures:

7/18/05: 189
7/25/05: 184
8/1/05: 182
8/8/05: 181
8/19/05: 180
8/26/05: 179

I finally made it under 180! It has been a year since I was under that! I am so excited. Now my goal is to make my first WW goal of 168 by Christmas. That leaves 11 pounds to go!

I was EXHAUSTED today. I guess it is the residual effect from the gas exposure.

Here is my food journal for yesterday:

I earned 2 activity points which I didn't use.

English muffin with light spread-3
Fat-free, sugar-free hot cocoa-1

Biscuits and gravy, homemade-6
Tortilla chips-9

Taco-5

Now, after all of that salt I have to GUZZLE the water or when I weigh in tomorrow I will show more than I am. I am just so very prone to water retention.

I Have to Change

I have been doing WW online and using the On the Go program for my Palm which I have really enjoyed. But now my Palm is broken, not fixable and my computer is just limping along. So, this makes me wonder what I am to do. Yesterday I was so stressed I just didn't think I could even stay with the program. Now, I am trying to adapt. I have a 3x5 spiral notebook that I will keep track of my points in. And I have some the Food point books from a couple of years ago. It just makes this a lot harder. But, I knew that I wouldn't keep paying for those tools forever and would have to learn to do it the other way. I hope to get a WW at home kit or maybe start attending meetings, but I can't afford it right now.

Here is what I ate yesterday in my depression:

4 slices banana bread-20
pudding with cool whip-3
1/2 cup mac n cheese-4.5
fat-free popcorn-2
1 cup hamburger helper-6
fat free hot cocoa-1

Points used: 36.5
Points Allowance & AP used: 10.5
Points Allowance Balance: -2

Another Day

I was exhausted yesterday from being up most of the night with my sick husband. It is so hard to stay on points when I am tired, I feel like I NEED that extra pep that food will give me. I worked out for 15 minutes and earned 1 point, not much, but better than nothing.

When I first started this program I would weigh myself every day. I thought it would motivate me, but when I saw the scale not move or go up, I would get discouraged and want to quit. Now I know that for me I can ONLY weigh myself once a week and if there is a loss I am excited! And if not I know that I have a new week to do better.

Here is what I ate yesterday:

English muffin with light spread-3
cocoa with cool whip (my new favorite)-1.5

spaghetti o's-3

slice banana bread (don't bake 5 HUGE loave of banana bread when you are dieting, it's torture)-5
1/4 cup pan fried potatoes made with cooking spray-.5
1 small egg burrito-5
cocoa-1

pudding with cool whip-6


Points Used: 25
Daily Points: 24
Activity Point Used: 1
Points Allowance Balance: 8.5

Yesterday

I prefer to use most if not all of my points allowance several days before weigh in, and yesterday I was successful! I ate a LOT!

Biscuits and gravy-3
pancake with syrup-4

Doritos-3
1/4 Turkey Sub-2 (My daughter dropped hers, so I gave her mine)

Nachos-18

Kit Kat Bites-7
Hot Cocoa with Cool Whip-1.5
Chocolate snack pie-6
2 pudding cups-4

Points Used: 48.5
Allotted: 24
From Points Allowance: 24.5
Remaining Points Allowance: 8.5

And I drank all of my water. I have one of those bottles that hold a full days worth, and I just carry it around with me. It works really well.

It's Not Fair!

Yesterday I made the mistake of browsing the Weight Watchers dining out guide. Now, I was absolutely shocked by how many points those meals have. Some of my favorites would take TWO DAYS of points! Wow! But then I got whiny and started to feel that it isn't fair that I can't eat that yummy stuff and be slim like when I was young. You might notice in my profile photo that I was very slender when I got married, I used to eat whatever I wanted (of course I was very picky), and I was thin. It has been a hard adjustment for me to accept the fact that my body has changed. For a while I didn't even acknowledge that I was overweight! So that is what was going through my head yesterday as I struggled to stay on points.

I did work out for 30 minutes which earned me 2 activity points.

Here is what I ate: (I am allowed 24 points)

1 slice of french toast-3.5
1 Tbs pancake syrup-1
1-1/2 tsp light spread-.5

Taco Casserole-8

3-3/4 cups Newman's 94% fat-free microwave popcorn-2
2 Handi Snack puddings-4
1 cup sugar free fat free hot cocoa-1
Little Debbie Twinkie type snack cake-3
Kit Kat-5

Used 28 points
(I used my 2 activity points and 2 points from my weekly allowance. This leaves me 33 points in my points allowance)

I know terrible eating habits, and I have a HUGE sweet tooth. But baby steps will slowly change me.

Just Starting Out

I started Weight Watchers Online a month ago. I have since lost 9 pounds. I would like on this blog to journal my weight loss journey. I will post my daily exercise and meals, and I will post my struggles each day. Hopefully this will encourage anyone else struggleing to lose weight, and will be an encouragement to me as I can see my progress and what worked.

I use an Xbox game/program called Yourself Fitness to workout. I really have been enjoying it and the fact that it grows with me is a wonderful bonus. When I first started I could only barely make it through a 15 minute workout, but now I am at a 30 minute workout! Progress, I love it!

Here is my progress so far:

7/18/05: 189
7/25/05: 184
8/1/05: 182
8/8/05: 181
8/19/05: 180

I have lost 9 pounds so far, but it has been a struggle. I tend to want to eat less than my alloted points which then slows my metablolism and then I gain. Then I get discouraged and eat everthing in sight. I am trying to focus on balance in this. I also despise most veggies and will usually choose fasting above carrots or salad for a snack. I am also working on this, but I believe that it has to be tiny baby step changes that will eventually transform my eating into something healthy. So as you read what I actually ate, and are thinking that I need to totally change my eating, understand that I KNOW that, but I want lifelong changes which means doing it slowly for me.