the rapture = party-time and dieting
a couple of weeks ago, my mom and i had lunch. i mentioned that i really needed a kick in the butt to lose some weight. my mom suggested weight watchers. she has been a lifetime member for quite a while and has found that it has been very helpful during those times when she really needed the help to lose weight. i just need structure and support (since marshall does NOT need to lose weight). i already know HOW i SHOULD eat, but i know i'll adhere to the rules much more closely if i have to account for everything that i eat. my mom invited me to come to her meeting last friday as her guest and i could make a decision for what i want to do. i ended up really enjoying the meeting and i even joined in on the conversation a bit, too, so i decided to join. i opted for the automatic-pay monthly pass, which allows me to go to weekly meetings AND the online tools for tracking my progress (they also have an app, of course). the meeting leader did a new-member orientation with me. there was a lot of information, but it was also easily understood. the WW is about creating a lifestyle, where portions are controlled, but WHAT you eat is up to you. it's really all about moderation. eat lots of the good stuff (veggies and fruit, whole grains, and lean proteins) while still allowing a little ice cream and chips here and there. considering my mom has been on-again-off-again with WW, i knew the points system and how the food tracking works. i weighed in at 153lbs and gave myself a first goal of a 5% loss (~8lbs). i don't expect this to happen in the first week (BELIEVE ME!), but it's something to focus on. overall, a 10% weight loss would be great for me. losing 15lbs will put me in the healthy range for my height and age. i honestly do not need to lose any more than that, so once i get around 135lb, i'll switch to maintenance-mode. i don't expect this to be easy, but i am expecting that this will help me get the motivation i need to start losing weight. once i get into the healthy eating habits, i'll ramp up the activity. for now, the activities will be mostly walking and making sure i log 30 minutes of walking a day, whether it's in the morning, afternoons or evenings; i just need to start moving around.
i spent this evening planning out my lunches for the week. i made brown rice, grilled chicken breasts (with lime, cumin and garlic), and pico de gallo. i plan on making little bowls of rice, chicken, black beans (canned) and salsa. with the right proportions of each item, i'm getting a really filling and healthy meal but within the range of suggested points for a lunch. i planned out my morning and afternoon snacks, as well as my breakfasts (whole wheat english muffin, 1 egg, 1 slice of canadian bacon, and a handful of fresh spinach). even though i'll be eating the same thing every day, i don't think i'll mind. the best thing for me is structure. as long as it's delicious, i'll keep eating. :) i swear, i have never done this much math in my kitchen before. looking up point values and playing with what i'm allowed each day, is almost kind of fun. i got excited when my ideas for something to eat, were within the limits i had. it was fun playing around and figuring out how best i could make my day work without feeling confined or eating something boring. i know, i'm a total nerd. :P
OF COURSE, the first day of tracking i blew through 50 points (i'm allotted 29). i honestly don't think i should've tracked my points for friday, but i did anyway, just to see what my "normal" friday looked like. it was ridiculous. then yesterday, i hosted a "rapture" party where we got drunk and stoned and ate like little piggies another 50-point day. each week i'm allowed 49 extra points to spread (or not spread) throughout the week. these are your "splurge" points where you can add an extra helping of something good or have a few cookies or some ice cream, without feeling deprived. i have only 5 points left after just TWO DAYS! i'm hoping that the next few days of being on the straight-and-narrow will help balance things out a bit. especially coupling with some exercise, it should help.
but the rapture party was a lot of fun. we were left with TONS of beer in our fridge, but we all enjoyed chips, salsa, pizza, lemon bars (thanks to nic's husband!), and cookies. we watched a little bit of firefly, but the main event was a screening of dogma, which i thoroughly enjoyed. it was nice just hanging out with people, which i really love doing with my friends. no pretext, just come on over, watch a movie, eat some food, have a beer, share a bowl. it's just something i didn't get enough of in college, apparently. :)
anyway, here's to my first week of WW and being left on this earth to enjoy the hell that it sometimes is! :D
i spent this evening planning out my lunches for the week. i made brown rice, grilled chicken breasts (with lime, cumin and garlic), and pico de gallo. i plan on making little bowls of rice, chicken, black beans (canned) and salsa. with the right proportions of each item, i'm getting a really filling and healthy meal but within the range of suggested points for a lunch. i planned out my morning and afternoon snacks, as well as my breakfasts (whole wheat english muffin, 1 egg, 1 slice of canadian bacon, and a handful of fresh spinach). even though i'll be eating the same thing every day, i don't think i'll mind. the best thing for me is structure. as long as it's delicious, i'll keep eating. :) i swear, i have never done this much math in my kitchen before. looking up point values and playing with what i'm allowed each day, is almost kind of fun. i got excited when my ideas for something to eat, were within the limits i had. it was fun playing around and figuring out how best i could make my day work without feeling confined or eating something boring. i know, i'm a total nerd. :P
OF COURSE, the first day of tracking i blew through 50 points (i'm allotted 29). i honestly don't think i should've tracked my points for friday, but i did anyway, just to see what my "normal" friday looked like. it was ridiculous. then yesterday, i hosted a "rapture" party where we got drunk and stoned and ate like little piggies another 50-point day. each week i'm allowed 49 extra points to spread (or not spread) throughout the week. these are your "splurge" points where you can add an extra helping of something good or have a few cookies or some ice cream, without feeling deprived. i have only 5 points left after just TWO DAYS! i'm hoping that the next few days of being on the straight-and-narrow will help balance things out a bit. especially coupling with some exercise, it should help.
but the rapture party was a lot of fun. we were left with TONS of beer in our fridge, but we all enjoyed chips, salsa, pizza, lemon bars (thanks to nic's husband!), and cookies. we watched a little bit of firefly, but the main event was a screening of dogma, which i thoroughly enjoyed. it was nice just hanging out with people, which i really love doing with my friends. no pretext, just come on over, watch a movie, eat some food, have a beer, share a bowl. it's just something i didn't get enough of in college, apparently. :)
anyway, here's to my first week of WW and being left on this earth to enjoy the hell that it sometimes is! :D