Plateau

I know... I have been a bad, bad blogger.

Life has kicked into high gear, and my weight certainly reflects it.

I haven't reported my weigh-ins on here in over a month, but I have faithfully stepped on the scale every Wednesday.  I have hit a bit of a plateau.  Although it isn't a typical plateau where I'm doing everything right and the scale isn't budging.  It's a plateau of not doing all the things I know I'm supposed to do.

Here are the numbers from over the past month:

May 15 - 162.2
May 22 - 158.6
May 29 - 160.2
June 5 - 162.6

Here are some of the excuses events that contributed to the rollercoaster:
- house hunting in our new city = dinner out every night for 5 nights
- preparing the sale of one of our current houses (painting, cleaning, etc.) = quick, not-always-healthy dinners on the go
- surprise birthday party for my father-in-law at our house = leftovers from party for days afterward
- evening seminars twice a week with snack food tables to pick at
- a general lack of exercise

This week I have re-committed myself to following Weight Watchers and tracking everything.  I have also started half-marathon training because, damn it, why not?

See you again on Wednesday - I promise!

If at first you don't succeed...

My disastrous self-sabotage continued after my last post.  I feel like I must now refer to March 27 through April 2, 2013 as my Week of Shame.

Easter dinner at Mr. McMuffintop's parents' was another glorious gluttonous free for all.  Ham, potato, turnip, 4 types of pie... oh my!  So many starchy, carb-filled, tasty foods to choose from.  My portions were fairly small during dinner, but the pie.  Oh the pie!  I sampled two flavours at dinner and since Mr. McMuffintop brought home a big plate of leftovers including the other two flavours I HADN'T tried on Easter Sunday, on Monday I ate the other two kinds.

Yeah, I was a total mess.

I was so far over on my Weight Watchers points that I stopped tracking.  And since in my twisted mind I knew that my new week didn't start until Wednesday, I gave myself permission to continue my downward spiral on Tuesday.  My mom had given me a chocolate bunny that had been staring at me since Friday.  Yesterday I ate the whole thing.  Every. Last. Crumb.

I spent about 10 minutes last night feeling really terrible about myself.  Why is it when I fall off the weight-loss wagon I fall so damn hard? (answer: probably because I still have 170 lbs. of me fighting gravity... hahah...).  But instead of feeling bad, I shook it off and said to myself, "Self, only you control you.  So hop to it.  Get back on that wagon and make better choices starting NOW."

And that's what I'm doing.  I began this morning back on Jillian Michael's 7-Day Metabolism Kickstart.  This week will be full of lots of veggies and lean protein while I kick all the sugar out of my system again.

In terms of exercise, I really am amazed with myself on how hard I worked during the past 12 weeks.  I actually did all 12 weeks of Body Revolution without missing a single day.  For me, that is a HUGE accomplishment.  The old me would have probably given up by week 5 or 6. 

But now that I am finished the program I need to figure out a new exercise routine.  I could do Body Revolution over again, but I feel like I need to change it up.  I am really enjoying running outside, so much so that I bought a GPS/heart-rate watch last week to track my runs (the Garmin Forerunner 410 at Costco for $154.99 - great deal considering anything comparable at MEC was at least $300).  I have every intention on entering a charity run sometime this summer, but for now I have to wait to register for anything because I'm not sure yet which part of the country I will be in this summer (but that's another story for another day).

Today's weigh-in:  171.2.  Yeah, that's another 0.6 gain, however I thought it would be a lot worse after my Week of Shame.  So back on the wagon I get, and here's hoping that I see the 160s again by this time next week!

Veggie Tales

I just turned on the t.v. as I sat down to type here.  I'm not sure which channel it's on, but the program is a documentary on the making of goat cheese.  So now all I can think is, "Mmmmmm... goat cheese...."

Okay, focus McMuffintop, focus.

I went away for a few days and managed to squeeze in morning work outs due to bringing my work out gear and laptop (with Jillian Michaels videos on it).  I also did not gorge myself on delicious treats (although I could have).  My only indulgence was a beer on Thursday evening, and it hardly counts because it was one of those Molson Canadian Sublime thingies.  67 calories, thank you very much.

I'm beginning to tire of salads at almost every meal though, so I need to start thinking of new ways to eat vegetables.  Ironically, someone on the Weight Watchers message boards posted a similar comment about veggies a few days ago and I suggested making a vegetable soup.  I suppose I should follow my own advice, but I'm not in much of a soup mood right now either.

Anyway, with getting tired of salads and not having many other vegetable options in the house, I haven't eaten much in the way of veggies today at all, and my stomach is making it known.  It is 7:00 p.m., I just ate dinner an hour ago (a small plate of high fibre pasta with meat sauce) and my belly is yelling at me for more food.  And yes, I have had plenty of water. 

What to do, what to do?

Weight Watchers

I decided to join Weight Watchers on Saturday.

For the most part I'd been counting calories for the past 8 weeks, but I find it tedious.  I'd been considering Weight Watchers for a while now because I like the idea of their point system.

I do find it a bit easier, but I am confused as to why fruits are not given point values (even bananas!).  Maybe it's the diabetic in me, but I feel like I NEED to acknowledge that fruit has sugar and therefore calories.  Weight Watchers considers it a "free" food (although they do state that they expect it to be consumed in moderation). 

Anyway, today's weigh in is going back in the right direction:  174.8.  I think it is mostly due to losing the bloat from "that time of the month" because I certainly made some very bad choices this past week (*ahem* family dinner with gravy-covered meat and potatoes and not one but TWO decadent desserts *ahem*).

But I am staying on top of my exercise routine and I have to say that I am very impressed with myself in that department.  Tomorrow I begin the last phase of Jillian Michaels' Body Revolution and on cardio days I have been on the treadmill following the "Couch to 5K" running plan (I just finished week 3 of that).  I'm thinking of entering myself into some charity runs in order to motivate myself to continue running throughout the summer. 

Ahhh summer.... I can't wait for this snow to be gone!

The Plan

Like most overweight people, I have tried a LOT of different diets and exercise programs.

I've had small victories along the way, but I never get to the ultimate END (i.e. a healthy weight).  I find myself satisfied after losing 10 or 20 lbs and quit.

Although I haven't figured out yet what is going to take me all the way to the end this time - because this time I really am determined to make it to the end (eek, how embarassing it will be if I don't) - I do feel like I've made a solid start.

For exercise I am currently rocking Jillian Michael's Body Revolution series.  Much to my own shock I have not quit and am on week 5.  I WILL make it through all 12 weeks, I WILL make it through all 12 weeks... The only alteration I've made is that I do not use the cardio workouts as I find all the jumping too hard on my knees and back.  On cardio days I use my treadmill and walk/run in intervals.

Diet wise I began with the recommended 7-Day Kickstart included with Body Revolution.  I found the meals pretty easy to make and for the most part tasty, although the lox/eggs/spinach recipe is NOT my favourite.  I dropped 5 lbs in that first week.  The second week I tried to just eat reasonable sized meals and a snack in the afternoon.  During weeks 2-4 I only lost 4.4 more lbs.

I think calorie counting will be essential for success.  During the Kickstart, daily caloric intake is around 1200 per day.  I was probably eating closer to 1500 a day when I started freestyling - on some days even up to 1800.  Again, I am just guessing.  In order to keep track of calories from now on I downloaded a calorie counter app onto my phone.  I can also track exercise and it calculates calories in vs. calories burned.  Very helpful!

To steer myself back on track I am doing the Kickstart again this week.  Although I am trying to keep my official weigh in days to Wednesday, I stepped on the scale yesterday morning and saw 179.4 (!).  1200 calories a week it is!