Thursday, July 19, 2012

Ups and Downs

I went to my Weight Watchers meeting today instead of Saturday.  I am leaving town for 2 family reunions in Ohio so I wont be here on Saturday for my usual meeting.  It was important to me to get to a meeting so I would be accountable both this week and on my upcoming vacation in Ohio.

I knew it was not going to be a great weigh-in.  Even though I stuck to my points the week was not feeling great.  I gained 1.8 pounds.  That's exactly how much I lost last week.  Looks like I'm doing a great job of maintaining when my goal is to lose.  That means that I need to take another point away this week.

I was telling my mom today about my weigh in and that I would take away a point and she said, "You could take away 2."  I know I could take away 2 each time I don't lose.  It would certainly guarantee that I would lose the weight faster but I feel like it will be harder that way.  I think I would be setting myself up for a more difficult road.  I want to make the road as easy as possible.  I will notice the changes less if I do it gradually.  I will also stick to the program and continue it for my lifestyle if I make the changes gradually.

With this weight gain I feel like should be really disappointed.  Sure, I'm not thrilled but I'm not worried about it.  I will lose the weight.  I will find my correct daily point target.  I will be patient with myself and that will give me more success in the future.  This is important to me because I want this to last a lifetime, not a week, month or year, but a lifetime.

If I can blog while I am away, I will.  I'm not sure if I will have access to the internet or not.

Have a great day,
Corinna

"The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generation." -Numbers 14:18

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Out of Shape

I know I've been blogging a lot about exercise lately, but that is what has been on my mind the most.  I'm glad I'm exercising again and I really feel that it will give me the boost that I need in my weight loss.

Today I came to the realization that I am truly out of shape. I started a good routine of exercising in 2007 and kept it up (most of the time) until 2011 when I became to big to exercise comfortably while pregnant with Samuel. In that 4 years I had my ebbs and flows.  I wasn't perfect but I was pretty disciplined.  I would usually exercise regularly for a few of months, get bored with what I was doing and stop for a few weeks.  In that few weeks time I would crave exercising and start up again.

Pretty soon after Samuel was born I got back to exercising again.  I started slowly so I was sure not to hurt myself and eventually got back up the level I was at before his pregnancy.  Unfortunately, I hurt my knee after a few months used that as an excuse not to exercise anymore.  It has been about 6 months since I stopped exercising.  As you know, I started up again about a week ago.  Like after Sammy was born, I started slow so I would not hurt myself.

Today I decided that I would like to do a bit more so I did the 10-minute power walk on my Walking Kit DVD and then did 20 minutes on my Next Move DVD.  Just 5 minutes into the Next Move DVD I realized just how out of shape I am.  This is a toning DVD that incorporates weights, exercising, stretching and aerobics.  I was sweating like crazy and puffing like I was about to collapse.  My daughter Gabriella looked at me with shock and said, "It's not that hard Mom."  Well it was hard for me.

I got in shape gradually when I was exercising regularly and didn't realize how in shape I was.  I also thought over the last 6 months when I was not exercising that I got plenty of exercise chasing around 5 kids.  I really thought that my daily activity was lots of exercise.  It's not uncommon for me to be on my feet for several hours.  I now know without a shadow of a doubt that being a mom and a housewife is not enough exercise to be in shape.  I am now craving exercise even more because I know that I want to be able to get through my 20 minute workouts without huffing and puffing.

Get out there and move more everyone.

Corinna

"Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.  Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints." 3 John 1:1-3

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Ease up already

I've been telling you this week about how I am disappointed in my food choices. I usually eat 7 of my 49 Weekly Allowance Points each day so that I am never feeling deprived or feeling stuffed.  This week has been different.  I ate more than my allotted 7 each day so that I will be ending my week with little to no allowance points left.  This was disappointing to me because dividing my points into daily allowances has worked well for me lately.  Why would I screw that system up by changing things this week?

It's been bothering me and making me feel like I have been cheating.  Today I realized that I have not been cheating.  I have just tweaked my system a bit.  I need to ease up on myself.  I need to stop being so hard on myself.  I can change things occasionally and still be on plan. I have been on plan.  I haven't gone over my weekly points at all this week.  I still have both my daily points left for each day plus some of weekly points.  That is certainly not failure.

I was on plan today and feel good about it.  I used all of my daily points as well as some of my weekly points and feel satisfied now that my day is done.

I hope you all had a great day too.  Be forgiving of yourselves.  Be flexible.

Corinna

"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your fathers's house to the land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in your all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" Genesis 12:1-3

Monday, July 16, 2012

Faster and Smarter

I just finished my 30-minute workout.  It feels so good to be back into an exercising routine again.  Unfortunately, I didn't carry that routine through my weekend.  I have excuses though.......I always have excuses.  That's part of the problem.

Here is my best excuse.  Friday morning after I did my workout and felt so good about myself I went outside to set up the sprinkler to water my gardens.  I went to walk down the steps built into my retaining wall and fell down them instead.  There are just 4 little steps so how much harm could they do?  Well, they are 4 little steps made out of retaining wall bricks.  I fell, of course, as I was stepping onto the first one so I could fall down all 4 of them.  I tried hard to catch myself with every roll and turn I made.  That only caused more damage to my body.  As I tumbled to the bottom of the steps and lay in my alley I looked around to see if any of my neighbors were out to see the spectacle.  No one in sight.  I was in pain but at least I did it in private.  I winced and whined as I got up and limped around my yard setting up my sprinkler.  I then went back into my house where I sat in my kitchen whining and looking at my wounds.  My only daughter, Gabriella, heard my quiet whines and came into the kitchen to see what I was doing.  She took a look at my knee and cried, "Mom, what did you do?"

"I fell down the steps." I told her.  I asked her to take care of breakfast so I could take a shower and clean my wounds.  I had scrapes on my shoulder, shin, elbow, arm, hands and knee.  My knee was the most visible wound.  It was bleeding and made it hard to walk.  I brushed it off like I teach my kids to do.  As the day went on I noticed myself limping more and more. We had plans to go to the zoo with my dad so we went as planned.  As we walked around the zoo for 6 hours my limp got worse.  By the time the day was over I felt like crying.  I was in pain.

I knew that the next morning I was going to be sore.  I was right.  I was very sore.  Some of the soreness was probably from my new exercise routine and some was surely from the fall.  I didn't do any purposeful exercising on Saturday.  It was a very busy day with the family so I'm sure I did some exercising but it wasn't purposeful.

Sunday was a day of rest. We went to church early, went to a park with some friends and then went home for the rest of the day. I was exhausted.  I planned on doing my workout last night but never got around to it.  Before I knew it, it was midnight and I really needed to get some sleep.

Today is a new day though.  I considered using my sore knee as an excuse not to exercise again but I know that it's just scratches and bruises.  Scratches and bruises are no reason not to exercise.  While working out the lovely woman said that by exercising I am choosing to lose weight faster and smarter.  Faster and smarter.....I like that.  I want to lose weight faster, who doesn't?  And smarter?  Of course, who doesn't want to be smarter.

I'm so glad I didn't use on of my many excuses to keep exercise out of my day.......now I just have to stay away from the steps:)

Have a great day.  Exercise safely.

Corinna

"If you put these instructions before the brothers ans sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed.  Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives' tales. Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training if of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 4: 6-8

Accountability

I am posting this evening (almost tomorrow morning) because I could use some extra accountability this week.  Bryan is out of town on a mission trip with our youth from church.  My oldest son, Jason, is one of those youth.  I'm sure they are having a great time serving others while serving Jesus this week.

This puts me on my own.  That shouldn't be a big deal.  Bryan typically works 65 or more hours per week so I am on my own frequently each week.  There is something different though when I know he is coming home.  It has also been really nice having him on WW with me.  This also puts a little bit more on my plate since Jason is my babysitter.  It will be an interesting and challenging week without the 2 of them.

Today I am feeling challenged.  I faced leftover Chinese food in the refrigerator for the past 2 days.  I pushed it away like a champ on Friday night when it was ordered by my dad who was visiting.  It was easier to push away when I knew I would be facing the scale on the following day. For the last 2 days I have eaten it with little thought to the scale.....some thought but little.  I've counted it but it has put me over my daily target and dipping uncomfortably into more of my weekly points than I like.

I would like to make better, healthier choices tomorrow.

It's a short one today.  Samuel is crying in his crib.  Since my glorious sleep that I told you about a week ago, he has regressed for the past 3 days.  I am tired.  I have been trying to get him back to sleep for the past hour and he seems to be winning the battle of no sleep.  This too shall pass.

Sleep well,
Corinna

"Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be your in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." -2 Peter 1:1-3

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Weigh in Saturday, July 14th

Yep, it's weigh-in Saturday!  If you didn't hear that with the booming echo in the background, read it again and hear the echo please.:)  You know, like those great commercials:)  Sorry, I am way too tired and the day has been way to long.

Moving on..........

On weigh-in Saturday I want to share with you and I hope you are wanting to read my results.  I went to my WW meeting this morning.  My friend Pattie couldn't make it.  Bryan and I went to the earlier meeting.  We met a couple of friends there that started coming last week.  They are a married couple that we are very good friends with.  We spend a lot of time with them so it's really cool to have all 4 of us counting our WW PointsPlus Values these days.  We had a very busy day ahead of us so going to the earlier meeting was a good idea too.

I am pleased to tell you that I lost 1.8 pounds this week.  I honestly didn't expect to lose so much.  It's not that I didn't do well, it's just that I didn't feel any weight fall off this week.  I felt like my body looked just like it did last week so I thought I would see a very small loss or stay the same.  I also felt quiet satisfied most of the week. I was rarely hungry.  After years of following WW I am still getting used to the idea that I don't have to be hungry to lose weight.  The PointsPlus Plan has made that more feasible than ever. I was so excited to see that much of a loss on the scale.

This has given me some things to think about.  First of all, how exciting is it that I can lose weight without feeling hungry all week!?  Very exciting.  I love that I don't have to feel deprived.  In fact, to spill the beans a bit, last week we brought some leftover, homemade ice cream sandwiches home from a lunch at church.  They were delicious, they were homemade and they were in my freezer.  Ice cream is my most favorite treat.  The cookies were homemade.  I think the ice cream was purchased but when they were put together in a sandwich, they were yummy.  I didn't know the recipe so I couldn't know the exact points but since I use etools I looked up ice cream sandwich and found one for 13 PointsPlus Values that I decided would probably be a good fit.  I ate one every day last week!  They were delicious and worth every point.  They were my treat each day.  I never felt deprived.  I just counted my points, tracked my food, stayed to my points target and lost weight.  Wahoo!

The second thing to think about is what I should do with my Daily PointsPlus Target.  I have been taking one point away from my daily target each week for the past several weeks.  I have been doing this because I am no longer nursing but still using some of my nursing points.  I had come to a bit of a standstill with my weight loss so I needed to shake things up by lowering my target.  Apparently it worked.  I had decided before going today that I should take away another point this week, but now that I lost 1.8 pounds it would appear that my daily target worked just fine as is.  Even though it worked well I am going to experiment further.  I am going to take away another point from my daily target.  If I lose more than 2 pounds this week then I know that I need to stop taking points away.  If I lose less than 2 pounds I will either leave it the same or take another one away.  My fear is that I wont take away a point and then wont see a loss next week.  I have been working too hard lately and I know that I would be disappointed if I didn't see a loss next week. I hope this all makes sense to you.


It was a very long and tiring day.  I had a hard time with my eating today.  You would think that with such a great loss that I would be motivated to keep things together but I ate a bit too much.  It's nothing to worry over. It's nothing that I cannot get control of.  I didn't use all of my Weekly Points but I used too many of them.  As I explained to you a few weeks ago, I like to split them up evenly throughout the week instead of using them all at one time.


I am planning on blogging every day this week.  After my day today I have decided that I need the accountability this week.  So check back each day to see what my mind is thinking about.  Boy that could be scary!!  If I miss a day, it's solely due to craziness of life but I am truly going to try my best to blog every day this week.


Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow,
Corinna


"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect." -Romans 12:1-2

Friday, July 13, 2012

Exercise....it does a body good

So I was working out this morning.......Yes, I was working out.  I know, I know, I gave up working out months ago.  Well, I'm back.

Exercise is something that I have to work at becoming a part of my life.  It's not something that I look forward to naturally.  Don't get me wrong, I like being active.  I like playing volleyball, walking, hiking or doing organized sports, but I don't do it very often.  My current lifestyle doesn't lend itself to a lot of extra time for those things.  I'm busy shuffling the kids to their organized activities so I don't have the time or extra money to get myself in them.  Therefore, if I want some purposeful exercise, I need to make a special effort to exercise.

In the past, when I have been in a good exercise regimen, I have worked out in my living room with DVD's.  I have found that to be my preferred way to exercise.  It has many benefits in my book:
1. I can do it in my pajamas after I wake up so I don't need to dirty extra laundry with workout clothes.  In a household of 7 I have enough laundry to do daily so I don't need any extra.
2. I can shower just once a day since I do it before I even get dressed for the day.
3. I can exercise whether the kids are awake or asleep and I don't need to worry about getting a babysitter to go to the gym or outside.
4. No one is watching me mess up my moves except for my kids and they are going to tease me no matter what anyway.  It's par for the course because I tease them plenty too.
5. I have an array of DVD's, hand weights, exercise mats and tension cords I have collected over the years so I can choose from any of them to do the workout that I feel like doing that day.
6. It's cheap.  I don't need to pay for a membership.  Yes, I had to pay for the DVD's and equipment but they were cheap and I now have them forever so I don't get new ones often.

These are the reasons that I use my method of exercise.  I know that you may agree or disagree with my methods, but it works for me.  We each need to find what works for us.  I was talking to my brother recently who has been working out at the gym lately.  He is a regular to exercise.  About a year ago I remember him talking about his new DVD set that he was using in his house.  He was loving it.  Now, he's on a "go to the gym kick."  He says he is liking the results he sees when he goes to the gym.  He says that it's extra work to get to the gym but it's worth it to him.  That's great.  If he has found what works for him right now, then that is what is important.  He's getting his exercise to stay healthy and in shape.

I have used lots of excuses over the past 6 months about why I am not exercising.  One of them was a fairly decent one. My knees were hurting while I was exercising so I didn't want to injure them further.  I should have found another exercise to do that didn't hurt my knees but I didn't.  I decided that I was deprived of sleep so I was not exercising.  I told you earlier this week how Samuel is sleeping better.  He hasn't been sleeping 9 hours each night but he is doing better so I have been inspired to get back to exercise.  I am proud to report that I have exercised four out of the last five days.  It feels good to be in that routine again.

I have started my exercise routine slowly.  One day I did a 10 minute workout on my Weight Watchers Walking Kit DVD.  It's a nice DVD.  I feel like I worked out when I am done but it's gentle.  It's not hard on my knees at all either.  Two days I did a 20 minute workout on the same DVD. Today I did the 30 minute workout.  It feels really good to be taking care of my body better.  Losing the weight by watching my food choices is great but losing weight with exercise added to the equation makes it fabulous.  As I was working out the woman on the screen was telling me how many benefits there are to exercising: better sleep, better mood, better body, better health, and I can't remember the rest.  I know there were more but even those 4 sound great to me.

I am looking forward to my new venture with exercising again. I am also looking forward to the new body I will get in response.

Get some exercise today.  It doesn't need to be long.  It doesn't need to be hard.  It just needs to be some exercise.

Corinna

"The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, and Father's Son, in truth and love." -2 John 1:1-3

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Sleep, glorious sleep!!

My sweet, little Samuel turned 13 months yesterday. He has been such a blessing to our family.  He is a true sweetie too.  His smile will light up a room.  His laugh is so contagious that they kids beg me to tickle him just to hear him laugh. I often say how much the kids fawn over him.  I will admit that it's not just them.  Bryan and I fawn over him too.  The only department where he has been a challenge is sleep.

After having 4 children who slept through the night by 2 and 3 months, it has been an interesting and trying journey to have Samuel who wakes up an average of every 2 hours. I've been trying to be patient but most of all I've been tired.  Bryan has been telling me for months that he is worried about me.  He says I hide my exhaustion well but he knows that I am tired and he is afraid I will collapse one day.  A few weeks ago my hygienist even told me that I just looked tired.  It's true, I have been tired for over a year now and it's wearing me out.

It's hard to function when you are tired. It's hard to accomplish the normal, daily tasks of dishes, laundry, taking care of 5 kids and being a good wife.  It's hard to say no to food when you see that food as a source of energy and you need energy more than anything.  It's hard to do some purposeful exercise when you are just finding the normal daily grind tiring enough.  It's also hard to find time to do things since everything you do seems to take longer than it should because you are moving slower than you should.  This is the fog that I have been functioning in for over a year now.

A month ago I started weaning Samuel from nursing.  He weaned directly to whole milk.  I knew this might be a challenge because he really loved nursing.  I was hoping though that this would help him sleep since he woke up several times each night wanting to snuggle and nurse with Mommy.  It did seem to help as I weaned him off of his night time feedings and replaced them with nothing.  At 1 year old he doesn't need to eat during the night.  It was just a bad habit.  He is a very healthy and well-proportioned baby.  It was challenging but something that I felt we needed to do. He started sleeping better after a couple of weeks.  He started some 3 to 4 hour sleeping stretches.  Then he got double ear infections.  We were back to being up each night crying.

His ear infections are clearing up and we are back to trying to get some sleep.  I am so excited to announce that last night he slept 9 hours.  I went to bed one hour after he did so I got 8 hours of sleep.  I jolted awake this morning to light and silence.  It freaked me out because it was light outside and I didn't remember waking up at all last night.  I looked at the clock. It was 7:30.  No one seemed to be awake.  Bryan had left for work at 4am and I didn't hear a thing.  I was tempted to run to Samuel's room to see if he was okay but I held back.  I drifted off to sleep for 15 minutes and then heard Samuel crying.  After getting him out of his crib I texted Bryan to ask him is he got up with Sam last night.  "No," he texted, "did you?" I then asked Gabriella if she hear Sam last night.  She said no also.  Wow!  He actually slept all night.  I was still groggy but amazed and excited.

I have been using the lack of sleep as an excuse for my lack of exercise so in turn I did one of my exercise DVD's for 20 minutes today.  I also did it the other night for 10 minutes so I am looking forward to my new found energy and time.  I know it's just one night but it's light and I'm sure it will turn into more nights of restful sleep soon.

Good sleep to all of you,
Corinna

"You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace;p for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety." -Psalm 4:7-8

Saturday, July 7, 2012

It's today! It's today!

That's how I feel on weigh-in day.  I'm like a little kid who's excited to see what the day has in store.  I wake up wanting to go to my meeting.  This is especially true on weeks when I know I have been a good girl.  As I told you yesterday, I feel good this week. I tracked it all and ate quite well.

So.............I lost .6 pounds.  I know that yesterday I told you that I would feel good about today's weigh-in no matter what the results because I knew that I had done well and felt great. Sometimes, that's easier said than done.  Sure I was glad that I had lost weight.  Sure I was glad that I felt so good mentally and physically.  But I just want the numbers to get lower, faster.  With as many times as I passed up food this week, I wanted a bigger reward.

Okay, I'm done with my pity party.  It's time to get back to the positive side.  After a week on plan I now know that if I want to lose weight faster, I need to take another point away each day.  I am still eating more points each day than WW gives to people who are not breastfeeding.  I have weaned Samuel from breastfeeding so I need to slowly get rid of those points that I have grown very accustomed to having.  The good thing is that I know that I can do it.  I successfully got rid of one point per day last week without feeling deprived or hungry.  I can do it again this week and it will be completely worth. it.  In fact, I dare say that it would be worth it to even lose another .6.  Afterall, that would add up to 1.2 pounds in two weeks.  When I say it that way, it doesn't sound too bad at all.

And as I am typing this my 9-year-old daughter, Gabriella, looks over my shoulder.  She asks, "How did you do today, Mom? Did you lose weight?"  I tell her, "Yes, .6 pounds."  "Great!" she responds. "Point 6," I reiterate, "That's less than a pound." Figuring that she is only 9 and needs clarification.  "I know Mom," she says. "Any loss is a good loss."  Such a wise young lady.

Talk to you all again soon,
Corinna

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?" -Luke 16:10-12

Friday, July 6, 2012

My current strategy

I am feeling so good about my week.  My weigh-in is tomorrow.  I don't know what the scale will say but my body and my mind are saying that I feel great.  I have tracked everything that I ate this week with the exception of Saturday at my brother's house.  Even though I didn't track it all on Saturday, I know that I did not go over my points. No matter what the scale says tomorrow I am proud of myself for doing so well in such a challenging week.

I wanted to tell you how I have been managing my points.  A couple of months ago I changed the way that my etools is set up.   For those of you who don't know what etools is, it is the online tools that Weight Watchers gives its members who have a monthly pass or are free lifetime members. I am a free lifetime member so I get etools for free as well.  My etools track all of my food for me if punch in what I eat and how much.  With WW I get a certain amount of points each day for my daily target as well as more points each week for Weekly Allowance Points.  In the past I have let myself use my extra weekly points anytime throughout the week that I chose.  The downfall to that strategy was that I would often use all or most of them in the first 2 days of my week.  Then by the time it was weigh-in day I was hungry, feeling deprived and longing for some weekly points.  When I got home from my meeting I would eat like crazy knowing that I had more weekly points to use.  It was a rough cycle.  It was making me feel like a binge eater. Maybe it was making me into a binge eater.  Either way I was not happy with the cycle.

A few months ago I changed the settings on my etools to take all of my weekly points and distribute them equally over the week.  Now, when I log into my etools I see how many points I have for the day and 0 for the week.  It sounds like a mind game.  I guess it is a mind game.  A mind and body game.  This is keeping my from eating 100 points in one day and 30 the next.  It's balancing my days and weeks.  It's helping me feel like I can treat myself each day a little instead of treating myself like crazy on one day and depriving myself for the next 6.  It has helped me to eat healthy and still treat myself on my birthday, at parties, at picnics, at ballgames, and all of those other fun occasions.

This strategy may not be for you. Your strategy may work just fine for you but if you find yourself needing a new strategy, you might want to try it. It took me some weeks to get used to it.  It was trial and error for several weeks but over the past 2 weeks it has worked so well for me that I am looking forward to using it for the rest of the summer and into those challenging holidays.

What kinds of strategies have you all been using to keep you on track during this challenging summer season?  Share them by commenting on my blog and give ideas to all those who read this blog each day.  You may be surprised at how many people you are helping.  Lots of people read this blog (I see the numbers;)

Have a great weekend everyone.  I'll check in again with you soon.

Corinna

"And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.  This is how you are to make it: length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks." -Genesis 6:13-15

See, God was a planner too!;)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The best laid plans

You know what they say about the best laid plans right?  They don't always work out.  I plan on showing that this week my best laid plans work marvelously.    That's right, that's my plan.


As I mentioned in my last post, I am trying out a new PointsPlus Target.  The only way that I will know if that new target works is if I stick to it.  This is a tricky week to stick to my new target but I'm not letting that take me down.  The last thing I want to do is gain this week or stay the same due to non-compliance.  If I gain or stay the same and I stick to my points then I know that I need to adjust again.

My week started on Saturday.  I weighed in Saturday morning and  then was at my brother's house that afternoon for a birthday BBQ party.  It was a nice party with lots of good food.  The nice part is that my brother is a bit of a health freak.  I mean that only in the nicest way.  He makes every salsa and sauce he uses to cook.  He uses healthy, organic, low-fat foods.  He serves lots of lean meats, fruits and veggies.  He even serves homemade, healthy versions of desserts. The hard part is that he serves lots of choices and they are all yummy.  Even the healthy foods can be too much if eaten in large quantities.  So I was very aware of my choices at the party.  I ate large portions of the fruits and veggies, medium portions of the lean meats and very small portions of the sweets.  I  tracked in my head and think I left using only my points for the day.  I even felt a little hungry when I left so I knew that I had done well.

Sunday and Monday were pretty normal days and I handled them well.  I stuck to my points each day.  Today starts more challenges in my week.  Today is my birthday.  My wonderful husband told me yesterday that he was taking me out to lunch today for my birthday.  I am so thankful that he told me ahead of time so I could plan accordingly.  He even told me where we are going......The Cheesecake Factory.  I ate a light breakfast and am planning on making a healthy choice when eating out for lunch.  My daughter, Gabriella, went there recently with her grandma and said they had a yummy piece of cheesecake.  I told her that I wasn't sure I was going to have cheesecake but if I did I would share it with everyone.  My two oldest sons are out of town with my dad so I will have 4 other mouths at the table to share with.  I am counting on that to help me.  I've done a little research on the internet already so I can make a good choice at the restaurant.

We are also going to a parade this evening.  We have already planned dinner and I have to stop at the store to get a couple of snacks. I will bring some fruit and veggies to snack on as well as some yummy stuff too.  I really have a craving for licorice right now so that is going to be one of my yummy snacks.  I am going to bring baggies of those yummy snacks put into portions and know the points.  I am going to bring only enough for us each to have one.

Tomorrow is the 4th.  We will walk in our local neighborhood parade so that will be some great exercise.  We will be greeted at the park with ice cream which I will have and count happily.  After the park fun we will go to my in-law's house to party a bit.  I will eat there and make good choices again.  I am bringing a fruit tray.  After the party there we will join some friends for fireworks at another park.  They always bring cookies and rice krispie treats.  They also grill out but I've already told them to count us out on the grilled food.  I will eat at my in-laws and leave only the points I need to have a treat or two.

This is a lot of thinking and planning just to stay on track but it's well worth the effort.  If I didn't plan and think ahead there is no way that I would stay on plan. It's so nice to have a plan......now I'm on to execute it.

Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone!  Be sure to make a plan and stick to it.

Corinna

"Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? The Lord is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." -Psalm 118:5-9

Sunday, July 1, 2012

So, how did you do?

Yesterday was my weigh-in day.  Bryan and I woke up and went to our WW meeting.   We met my friend, Pattie.  It was an exciting day for me.  Pattie and I were back for our second week after re-committing to ourselves and each other.  Bryan was back for his second week as a WW.  Pattie lost over a pound.....success!  Bryan lost over 2 pounds.....success!  I stayed the same?..?..?...success???......

I was thrilled to be there with my new support group and they both did a super job losing weight.  When Pattie asked me how I did and I told her that I stayed exactly the same she said, "Good for you!  You didn't gain!"  My mom called me an hour after the meeting and we had the same interaction.  They were right.  It was good that I stayed the same instead of gaining.  Staying the same wasn't the result that I was really wanting to see but I knew it was probably going to happen.

I've been weaning Sammy off of nursing so now it seems that it's time to wean myself off of the nursing points that I was so graciously given while nursing.  I really liked having all of those extra points to enjoy my food.  Last week I tracked everything I ate and drank.  I stuck to my points each day and even exercised a few days.  If my PointsPlus target was accurate, I would have lost weight.  I didn't lose weight so now I know that I have to adjust my target.  I am calling last week a success because I know that I need to adjust my target.  If I hadn't tracked or had eaten over my points for the week, then I would have had to blame my weight on my non-compliance.  Since I was compliant, I have the answer to my problem.  That is success in my book.

This week I have taken away 1 point per day from my daily target.  I am certainly hoping to see a loss.  If I see a loss, then I will know that I have a target that is right for my body at this time. If I don't see a loss, I will take another point away next week.  This all sounds so sweet and easy when I type it out.  I wish it were really that easy.  I don't look forward to eating one less point per day.  That's 7 points less in food I get each week.  One thing I have learned of myself over the last 6 years is that I like food.  I also will acknowledge that eating is a habit in my life.  I will have to get myself used to eating 7 points less in food as a habit too.  It wont be easy but it's what I've got to do.

I've got to be patient with myself while going through this process of figuring out my new target.  I want to know that correct target now.  I don't want to go through this trial and error process but I know that it will work so I need to be patient and learn from myself.

I have some pounds that are no longer welcome on my body so I'm kicking them out.  They are fighting to stay on but I'm determined that I'm going to win this one.

I hope you all had wonderful weeks.  Don't forget to keep on working, exploring and be patient with yourself.  You can find successes too.

Corinna

"Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.  They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do no wither. In all that they do, they prosper." -Psalm 1:1-3