This Can't Be Right

I had two slices of one of my favorite kinds of pizza for dinner tonight . A month ago, had you told me that Papa Murphy's Herb Chicken Mediterranean Delight pizza was an acceptable food to eat while on a diet, I would have asked you if you also had a bridge to sell me, a big one, in Arizona. As it is, two slices of the pizza came in at 9 points which is actually fewer points than that contained in several of my favorite recipes.

Intellectually, I know that the pizza fit into the plan. Emotionally, I still feel like it was cheating. I blame too many years of yo-yo dieting, calorie counting and food restriction for this weird duality.

Now, if I get on the scale tomorrow and my weight-loss has stalled, my emotional side might have to kick my intellects ass.

I really, really hope it doesn't come down to that.

This is the Equivelent of Riding a Bike Downhill

I'm in the easiest week of my cycle right now and it shows in my appetite, meaning, I have none. This makes it somewhat difficult to get in all my points for the day and, since I don't want my metabolism to slow down to accommodate burning fewer calories, I'm kind of struggling.

Some people might take this as an excuse to eat the higher-point foods that they refrain from enjoying while on the diet but, as I said, I have little appetite even for things that are technically bad for me. I'm not complaining, exactly, just reporting.

Anyway, I'm doing my best to fill in with healthy foods that keep things rolling, if you know what I mean.

Speaking of keeping things rolling...

Meet Lulu, my newest piece of exercise equipment and my new best friend. Together, we are going to go far in getting my weak-ass muscles (including my weak ass muscles) into shape and, we are going to look good while doing it.

So, How YOU Doin'?

With the first month of Weight Watchers under my belt I can honestly say; I'm pretty proud of myself. I've lost six pounds, fought off the dreaded PMS Monster, have more energy than I have had in a long time and I'm optimistic about the future of this endeavor.

That said, I think the best part of the whole deal was the lack of ugly symptoms surrounding the monthly cycle. I can do without the tenderness, irritability, bloating and fatigue permanently if that is a possibility. If not, I'll be thankful for the month that I dodged that bullet.

As far as the diet itself goes, well, it really doesn't feel like a diet at all. I've not been seriously tempted to "cheat", I'm never hungry and I'm enjoying the things that I am eating (fruit, anyone? Skinny lattes?).

This next week I am going to add more exercise to the program, mostly with toning exercises and light weight lifting and resistance band work. I'm somewhat concerned that I might cause the weight loss to slow down by doing so; if my body perceives itself to be starving, it will slow down to conserve fat. However, some studies show that the weight training revs the metabolism so, that might not happen. If I stick to cardio in the form of brisk walks like I have been taking, maybe I will be able to keep losing the weight at the rate that I am currently enjoying.

Speaking of which, if I do manage to continue at the current rate (fingers crossed, oh please,oh please, oh please), I should be at my goal weight in time for Operation Hottie by July to be a complete success. Of course, now that I have said that, Fate will smack me upside the head with a total stall.

I take it back, Universe! I take it back!

Weigh In

143

I could cry, I'm so happy. Losing weight in the hardest week of the month is a major victory for me but; not having a lot of the usual symptoms of PMS was almost as satisfying.

So, I'll keep on doing what I'm doing and, with any luck, I'll be out of the 140's before Easter.

Fingers crossed.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm...

The cravings I experienced on Monday have gone completely away. I still have no boob tenderness, the belly bloat has deflated somewhat and, I've had a resurgence of energy but I have yet to start my period. This is all very....weird.

In a good way, obviously but still, weird.

I could crow about how the lessening of the PMS symptoms are totally diet related and, if this same thing happens after another month of clean eating, I will but, for now; I'll just accept it gratefully and call it a day.

Speaking of my day, I plan to do a little bicycle shopping. Now, I already own a really nice mountain bike; Hugh purchased matching ones for us back in the day. We got quite a bit of use out of them when the kids were small, pulling them in a double bike trailer on numerous rides around our community. We also used the bikes to bike the Glenwood Canyon trail system and I enjoyed that, immensely however; the bike is a bit much for tooling around the neighborhood and I am in the market for a more, um, comfortable model. Like, a retro-style bike with a wide seat, wider-set handlebars and, a basket for carrying my stuff.

If I am able to find the right bike, I plan to ride it to work for as long as the weather will allow as well as using it to run errands in town. This will be good for me as well as saving us a bit of money on gas. Win-win.

Now, if I can just find an affordable model that meets my specifications, I'll be all set. Well, I'll be all set once I purchase a floppy sunhat with which to complete the biking ensemble, that is.

Because, hell, yes; I'm just that dorky.

Talking Myself Down From the Ledge

We have officially entered Hell Week. Although I haven't fallen off the wagon and, have no intention of doing so, I can report that I am experiencing the usual cravings for fatty, sweet, salty, crappy foods. However, I am not craving them badly enough to feel tempted; I credit my new-found love of all things fruity for this turn of events.

While I am doing well with the diet, I am bloated and feel heavier than I did this time last week despite the two-pound weight loss. I blame water retention.

On the positive side, I am not experiencing boob pain like I normally do. I'm tired as all hell but, no tenderness. Yay.

All I have to do is hold out for one more week and the cravings, bloat and fatigue will go away. One more week.

One. More. Week.

Weigh In

145

Not to get all cocky or anything but, suck that, PMS!

Ok, ok, so I'm only at the beginning of PMS Hell Week (when women are initiated into the Sisterhood of Bloat, Irritability and Fatigue and our motto is "If it isn't tied down, dip it in chocolate and eat it!" Gooo, Sisterhood!) and could still fall victim to the usual crap but, still; two pounds, PMS!

Suck that!

The Cycle of Suck

My period is due in exactly one week and, in a twist that will surprise absolutely no one, I woke up this morning bloated like a week-old corpse. My jeans are pushing up a muffin top that rivals anything the Pillsbury Dough Boy could bake up and I am tired to the point of actively planning the best time and place to fall into a drooling coma.

My diet has been good and I know that junk food is not to blame for these symptoms so I guess I have to point the finger at that damn Eve; if she had kept that fucking apple to herself I wouldn't be in this position.

Since I am in this position, however, the best that I can do is stick to The Code. Wait, that's a pirate thing, isn't it? So, I'll stick to The Plan, that's it, the Plan. I'll continue to eat well, eschewing all manner of sweet, salty, greasy and gooey snacks in favor of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. I'll keep walking, get plenty of rest and continue to drink water like its going out of style and, with any luck; the PMS will magically disappear and I will shrink back to my pre-corpse dimensions. 

Prior to that happening, however, I have to weigh in. This may not be a week that shows any loss but at least I will be able to comfort myself with the knowledge that I haven't fallen off the wagon; the wagon is just kind of stuck in a bog of hormonal crud.

Like every other month. Fucking Eve.

It IS a Big Thang

I went to the grocery store today and I left with two miniature seedless watermelons, jicama, a package of strawberries, two mangoes, two bags of fingerling potatoes, a small container of lowfat feta cheese, and a package of grape tomatoes.

No crap, no junk, no processed anything and I did it like it was no big thang.

I could cry.

Things I'm Loving Right Now

The weather was nice enough to take a long walk outside today. The birds were singing, there was a light breeze and I managed to work up a slight sweat.

The greens in my salad were especially spicy tonight. Tomorrow, I'm going to mix them with red onion, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. I think it will be delicious.

I made a chicken and veggie stir-fry for dinner and it was wonderful. And filling.

For dessert I had a half cup of vanilla yogurt with a handful of blueberries and a couple tablespoons of low fat granola. It satisfied my craving for sweets just as well as a crappy snack would have.

I am feeling better about things, in general, the situation in Japan notwithstanding.

I am giving serious consideration to what I can put in the kids' Easter baskets in place of candy. The Teenager will be an easy sell-hair accessories, cheap jewelry, nail polish, etc. The Man-Cub could prove more challenging but I'm pretty sure I'm up to it.

I'm hanging tough. I can do this.

The Weekend of Nonfat Lattes and Fruit Cups

This weekend's trip to Denver marked the first time that I have road-tripped and not eaten like a glutton. Well, maybe not the first time but certainly the first time in recent memory.

Friday, I made a point to eat well before leaving on our trip which made it fairly easy to stick to a healthy meal when we stopped for dinner (Chili's, guiltless grill, margarita grilled chicken with black beans and rice). And I didn't snack at all.

Saturday morning, we had to be to the convention center before 8:00 a.m. so, breakfast was a nonfat latte and a fruit cup, the first of many for the weekend. Lunch was half a bagel with a smear of peanut butter and dinner at Dave & Buster's could have been a bust but, I stuck to the cabo style chicken with steamed veggies and spicy rice, managing to stay well within my points for the day. Then, in the greatest triumph to date, I went to a movie and sipped on a diet coke, no popcorn, no candy, no crap.

Sunday morning, we met my parents and sister as well as Hugh's parents for brunch at Ihop. I had the light and fit 2x2x2. Later in the day I had another nonfat latte and some fruit to tide me over to dinner which was maple grilled chicken with broccoli and one Cheddar Bay biscuit at Red Lobster. The biscuit pushed me slightly over the ledge point-wise and I had to use a few of my weekly discretionary points but, I'm fairly certain I can recover them with exercise this week.

Yesterday, I splurged on a ham & Swiss panini, a nonfat latte and a fruit cup at The Corner Bakery but, with a six inch turkey sub for lunch and yogurt and fruit for dinner, I managed to stay under my points allowance.

All in all, I feel really good about my progress. Hopefully, the scale will agree with me and I will see another loss this week. At this point, I worry that a plateau would send me over the edge into the pit of junk food despair.

Hopefully that won't happen,

Weight-In

147

Solid one-pound loss and, while not fabulous; I'll take a pound lost over a pound gained any day. The Points Plus program continues to work for me and I have not felt deprived nor have I been hungry even once in the past two weeks.

Today, we leave for a long weekend in Denver. I have packed a cooler full of appropriate snacks, logged the points for each into the Favorites section of my Points Trackers and have mentally prepared myself to deal with the temptations presented by restaurants and snack bars.

Assuming I am able to continue at even this slow pace of weight loss, I should be twenty pounds lighter by the end of July which is when I plan to return to my hometown for its' annual festival. Twenty pounds lighter will be lovely but, ideally; I'd like to weigh even less. Therefor, Operation Hottie by July will commence Tuesday once we are home from Denver.

Operation Hottie by July will consist of continued healthy eating, increased levels of activity including weights, Pilates, etc., and some more attention paid to my complexion, hair, teeth, nails and wardrobe.

Operation Hottie by July is going to be expensive, me thinks but; ultimately worth it and, really, totally necessary in the Grand Scheme of Things According to Chelle.

Die Sugar Cravings, Die! Die!

Second week of Weight Watchers, so far, so good.

First day of Lent and the elimination of chocolate in my diet (although, I haven't had chocolate in almost two weeks, truth be told), so far, so good.

The ability to stay away from the Devil Sugar for the long-term? Waiting to see.

On the bright side, I feel confident about the choices that I will make this weekend when we are out of town for The Teenager's volleyball tournament. I am taking my laptop so that I can continue to track my points online and so I can inform myself of the points value of restaurant foods and snacks which should help, considerably.

I'm also hoping that we will do quite a bit of walking during the weekend which isn't really much of a stretch given the massive size of the convention center at which the tournament is being held, it's location in Downtown Denver and the plethora of shops, activities, restaurants and theaters in the vicinity.

Also, I am going to pack a pair of tight jeans to wear when we eat out; hoping that the sensation of fabric digging into my belly will motivate me to stick to proper choices and I am going to pack a cooler full of sensible snacks and foods that I can eat in case of emergency; the emergency being the absence of anything suitable to eat in the restaurants we pick.

At the very least, I cannot fail due to poor planning.

At the Moment, I am Quite Enthusiastic

So, the Weight Watchers online is working quite well for me. So far.

The points I am allowed are more than sufficient to get me through the day, in fact, there have been several days when I have been unable to use them all which is a big no-no with Weight Watchers, I know but, yeah; wasn't hungry.

Granted, this is the week of the month that I am normally the least hungry and, we have a trip coming up this weekend that could pose a problem to my healthy eating habits (going to do my best to prevent that, obviously) but, all in all; I am feeling quite good.

Indeed, I am so optimistic about this lifestyle (not a diet!); I am beginning to really look forward to summer. I am excited about the chance to get out on the boat and am really hopeful that I will be able to wear a bathing suit without feeling like a fat cow.

I also want to learn how to wake board this summer so, fitness during the next four months needs to become a priority. Now that I am feeling more confident in the meal planning aspect of the program, I will incorporate exercise accordingly.

Like I said, at the moment, I am quite enthusiastic.

Weigh-In

148

Almost done with the first week of Weight Watchers and, it's going quite well. I tend to do ok with this type of plan and I think I can stick with it, assuming that I actually lose weight and don't become discouraged. I'll have a better handle on that next week.

In addition to sticking to my points, I will begin exercising again next week; I've walked a bit this week but was trying to settle into the program before attempting too much change which I think is a smart idea.

With any luck, the diet and exercise program will become intuitive and I will be able to adopt it as a lifestyle and not as a "diet".

I am optimistic.

Well That Went Well

The HCG Diet? Is not for the wimpy or, you know, for people who actually believe that food is vital to the survival of mankind. Apparently, I am both wimpy and realistic and the HCG experiment was a giant FAIL.

Onward and upward, I say.

So, as of yesterday, I am a dues paying member of Weight Watchers Online. I am allowed 29 points a day and 49 discretionary points a week. Thus far (one day in, whoop, whoop) I am having no trouble adhering to the plan although I did suffer an excruciating headache last night, no doubt courtesy of my body's desire to survive on a consistent diet of chocolate, bacon and sea salt and vinegar chips; the cycle, it will be broken.

In actuality, the WW plan is quite similar to my do-it-yourself diet, the one that I have always had success with when I put my back into it as opposed to when I dally with it for a few weeks before abandoning it to heed the siren call of the Devil Chocolate.

My current plan of action, which is to prevent myself from dashing my diet ship against those rocks, will get an added boost next Wednesday when all good Catholics (and myself) enter the six week Lenten period. I generally give up chocolate and, each year, I do fine. For six weeks. Once Lent is over, I then dive head-first into the childrens' Easter baskets, hoovering every Cadbury Egg in sight. Not this time, though. This time I am regarding Lent as a device used to quit the Devil, cold turkey, after which I will simply regard chocolate as an alcoholic would vodka; totes off-limits, one day at a time, etc., etc.

Now, I'm off to the grocery to stock up on Tylenol for the withdrawal headache. I'm hoping one bottle should suffice. Fingers crossed