Week Four's Lessons Learned...

So, I actually haven't weighed in yet this week.  My weighing-in schedule got thrown off a little by a business trip.  So, I decided to weigh-in on Saturday rather than missing a week completely.  Just the same, Week Four is over and I feel like I should "weigh-in" on my week of observations.

I did take a TEENY TINY peek at the scale this morning... and it sorta kinda looks like I may be at 16 lbs lost!  SERIOUSLY!!! :)

What I've learned this week:

• It's getting easier to get around.  I know that I'm only officially 12 lbs down, but seriously, I feel like when I'm schlepping through DIA, it's not that bad.  I figure I'll feel lighter and lighter as the weeks go on, and I love it!
• Fruit Follow-Up:  I tackled fruit successfully this week.  It's all about pre-packed lunch box sized applesauce and fruit cups.  I loooooove how easy it is to grab these and eat them.  Cheers to lunch box treats!

So... I just have to talk about cravings, because they've begun. Last week, it was Quizno's.  This week... it's all about the following:

• Taco Bell... Just a taco.  Now, I think the bigger issue is that I miss mexican food.  I don't need something huge and fattening.  Just some salsa.  I don't like the JC Mexican foods, because they're all beany and cheesy.  No thanks.
• Laughing Cow Cheese and Wheat Thins:  I don't mean the whole box and the whole wheel of cheese, just a little snack of them.  I'm thinking about working them in somehow this week.  Maybe even tomorrow while I'm travelling.  The JC website forums say that the cheese is not so bad for you... need to think through it and make sure I can stay in control. 

So... let's hope that this unofficial 16 lbs becomes a reality on Saturday!!!

Wish me luck! 

Onward to Week Five!

• When I book my hotels for travel, I need to book at the highest end (i.e. Marriott or Hilton), or at a place that has a breakfast service.  Tonight I'm at Hilton Garden Inn, and they don't have either.  Milk is going to be a problem in the morning, as is fruit.  BUT, I'm thinking Starbucks might be in order and might be A-OK.  There's a solution, but to keep things easier, I'm going with the choices listed above.
• Diet Coke is sooooo delish at Happy Hour!!!  Ok, I'm kidding.  BUT, you can drink Diet Coke at dinner and be fine.
• Thanksgiving-Schmanksgiving.... I totally ate the Jenny Craig Turkey and Gravy Dinner and thought it was crazy-delicious! (Picture of actual Thanksgiving dinner below)

Oh Boy.... We have TEN!

Super pleased to report that I've hit TEN pounds lost this week!  Actually, it's -11.8 lbs!  WHOA!!!

Week Three's Lessons Learned...

So... it's the night before weigh in.  I've had a REALLY strong week.  I've eaten right or as I saw it described on Jackie Warner's Thintervention, I've "eaten clean."


There should be nothing stopping me from hitting 10 lbs gone this week!  It's hard to believe it's been a three full weeks already.


Here's what I've learned this week:

• Even though Deb's Yummy Rosemary Cornbread smells amazing and I can see it on her plate with butter, I still have the willpower to resist it.
• I've got this travel thing down.  I can plan for it and make good choices.
• I kind of enjoy hot tea.  Who knew??
• I feel lighter already.... not sure how, but I do.  I like it, and I'm going to just go with it!
• I've missed knitting!  I'm in the process of making things for my family for the holidays, and loving it.  It's a great way to keep my hands busy (not eating), and a nice creative outlet.
• I'm not terribly hungry on this diet, which means that I wasn't eating because I was hungry.  Not shocking, but clearly a confirmation of my hunch.
• My friends and family have been really supportive of this plan... The holidays will be my toughest time, but it all comes down to planning.  My goal is to lose weight when I'm home that week!

A few concerning observations:

• I would still kick some ass for some Quizno's... Notice I didn't say a burger or something terrible.  Just Quizno's.  I don't know the calorie count on what I want to eat from there and how it compares to what I'm eating today (lots of Subway.)  Maybe in a week's time, I'll let myself look it up.
• I remain determined to conquer my nemesis... Fruit.  I just don't care for it.  And, having to eat 3 cups a day is so boring to me.  I bought juice and a bunch of convenience fruit choices for this week, determined to make it work.  We'll see.
• I'm spending a lot of time at home.  Traveling all the time, I usually want to get out and do things when I have time in Colorado.  Lately, I find that I'd rather stay in than risk my diet.  I don't know if this is a good thing (dedication to a new program) or a bad thing (cultivating a lonely existence), but I'm going to keep an eye on it

That's about it for tonight.  I've posted my "BEFORE" pic in all it's glory.... Looking forward to posting some progress pics really soon. 


Hoping for 3 lbs tomorrow!  Wish me luck!

A Quick Flash... Followed by a Reality Check

Now that you know how this whole thing started, I think it's best to tell you what brought about the change, and what the change is.


Being overweight, you know you are.  You don't need anyone to tell you that you are fat (and while I'm on that topic, I find it fascinating that doctors don't talk about it more - - shame on them!)  But, back to me, you feel it when you walk.  You feel it so much when you shop.  And, to be a 30-something, single female, you feel it socially and professionally every single day.


I'm a pro at ignoring things... like Oscar worthy. Heck, I ignored my way up to 256 lbs.... unbelieveable.  I did, however, decide finally to acknowledge the elephant in the room 3 weeks ago.


QUICK SIDEBAR
I travel a lot, and simply stated like that, it's quite the understatement.  I always have a suitcase in my room (in various states of packed and unpacked), and have hit the highest status on my airline, hotel, and car rental place.  I sit in the VIP section on the plane (as I like to call it), not technically first-class on Frontier, and VIP sounds so much better than "Stretch Seating."  Being overweight, travel isn't as comfortable, and let's be honest, people prefer to sit with the skinny girl than the fat girl.  My biggest fear travelling was that the seatbelt wasn't going to fit.  I mean it fits and there's room, but with a few more bowls of Queso and Onion Rings, I may have to ask for that seatbelt extender.  I just couldn't.  Certainly, I never would have to ask.

I took a trip to Tennessee about a month ago.  I lived there for most of my life, but hadn't been to visit in over a year.  The days leading up to the trip, I realized that I was nervous to go.  Seeing old friends, knowing that they too would see the fat I see everyday.  Knowing that they would see that I'd slipped back into old habits, probably drove-thru too many times.  The ladies I was visiting had seen me as thick and thin and were now about to see a version of me that I wasn't proud of.  Gosh, I was nervous.

Now, let me assure you, these were friends - - Girlfriends from college, sorority sisters, folks that don't care what I look like, but wanted to see me.  It's easy to hide from over a thousand miles away.  Nervous isn't the best word.  I'd say embarrassed, ashamed.  The interesting part is that I absolutely knew that my weight wouldn't matter to them, but that it oh-so-much mattered to me.

We visited and had a wonderful time.  Got massages, ate at our old hangout an AMAZING Mexican restaurant.  Just like old times.  It was great.  Then, the cameras came out.


In case you didn't know, cameras don't lie.  They only capture what they see.  The camera caught me, and from an angle I don't usually allow.  The good news is that it sparked change, and that I now have my "before" picture.  The bad news is that I winced when I saw the reality of what I knew, but had been ignoring for so long.

Not only is this a horrible angle, but I'm bigger than the pregnant lady to the left of me.

My friend's mom who was an old Weight Watchers buddy from back in the day recommended Jenny Craig.  She had great success on it, and looked amazing.  I thought.... what could it hurt!

I felt completely out of control, and needed something new.  I couldn't walk back into Weight Watchers, a former loser walking in for the 5th or 6th time to start over.  I just couldn't.

So, on November 1st, 2011, I signed up for Jenny Craig, and have been doing great!  -6.2 lbs the first week, and -2.6 lbs the second, I am well on my way to freeing myself from the burden of obesity.

I am truly hopeful and feel like I am FINALLY doing something to help myself.  I plan to use this blog to capture my journey, and to hopefully inspire others on a similar adventure.  I've posted that scary before pic above and stand by for progress pics as they become available.

Stay tuned, and have an apple!  Fruiteaters, unite!

How this Whole Thing Started...

You know, it's really hard to put my finger on where it all began.  I'd like to think that there was a time when my weight was under control, but it's been so long that it's not really fair to pick a date.

What I do know is that I have a terribly unhealthy relationship with food and have for a long time.  That compounded with quitting smoking 6 years ago and my emotional eating habits, and VOILA! 

I also offer no thanks to cake for its supporting role in all of this.  For years, I worked in a call center.  We celebrated birthdays, babies, weddings, comings, goings, a random Wednesday, all with cake.  So many times, I said "No, Thanks" to the offer of cake, and many times I sat and enjoyed a slice with my comrades. 

So here I am, 33 years old and 5'4" tall at an unhealthy weight, no thanks to cake.

Recording My First Jenny Dinner

It looks so small, but tasted pretty good.  I guess this is how I eat now.  Time to get used to it.