Open Your Mouth and Encourage Someone

I thought I had survived the winter without getting sick, but low and behold, a week or so into February I came down with a stuffy nose, congested chest, scratchy cough cold. Ugh.  Needless to say I didn’t make it to Zumba for a week!

As the time passed, I felt more and more guilty about not making it but just didn’t feel up to it.  Then I was reminded by a co-worker/friend that if I stayed off the boat too long, I might not get back on.  I nodded in agreement without really considering her words and mumbled an “I don’t feel quite good enough to get back in there yet” excuse.  I’m not an avid athlete, not one of those “I’ll die if I don’t work” out kind of girls, but I was getting to the point where my guilt turned into just giving up.  I liked the extra time I had to lay around and truth be told, it feels good to be lazy.  At first.  I was better enough that I could ‘probably’ manage, even if it meant a few extra breaks for nose blowing and throat clearing.  I just was milking it for all it was worth.

Then I got the message.

“I miss your face.”

It was from Ashley Lenz and it was just what I needed to remind me that I hadn’t been to class in a while and that someone had noticed.  And when your instructor notices, that’s a bad sign.

So the next day, tissue in tow, I was back in class.  Yes I had to take extra breaks to blow my nose or pause for a deep cough, but I survived and by the end of it, I was happy I had gone through with it.  Partially because you just feel good after a workout but also because I had successful steered the “Get Healthy” train once more and avoided a serious derailment in my weight loss journey.  It all happened because someone noticed and took the time to say something to encourage me. (And I listened this time, another important step!)

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” Vince Lombardi, former coach of the Green Bay Packers

One of the added benefits of being part of a weight loss group and a fitness group is that I meet a lot of other women.  And since we are all there for the same reasons, we automatically have something in common.  Back before joining either of these groups, I thought the idea of being submersed into a mix of women (some old, some young, some really pretty, some athletic, some white, some black, etc. etc.) was a daunting one but the truth of the matter is I’m blessed.  From the Ashley’s to the Emily’s, the LaDonna’s, Roxanne’s, Aimee’s, Shannon’s, Jacque’s, Megan’s, Kaitlin’s….the list goes on and on, I’ve found not an unfriendly, unaccepting cold front but a warm embrace, camaraderie and best of all…ENCOURAGEMENT.

Among the stacks of books I read when I get a chance is “One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity” by Debbie Macomber.  In it she says:

“The more we encourage, the more we are encouraged.”

That’s part of the reason why I even started writing about living a healthy lifestyle.  I had hoped that by encouraging others to lose weight, it would encourage me.  How? Because when I can pass on knowledge or tips that have helped me, it not only reiterates it in my own life but it helps them as well.  If someone tells me it helped them, it encourages me to keep going!

Macomber followed up by saying:

“One simple act of encouragement can be the key that unlocks those long-buried treasures or never-dreamed-of-possibilites.”

Did you know that encouragement is the very reason Jean Nidetch started Weight Watchers? She weighed more than 200 lbs. in the 60′s and out of desperation she went to the NYC Dept. of Health to get a diet.  She worked hard to follow it but became discouraged because of how far she had to go.  She knew she needed encouragement so she invited six overweight friends to her Queens, NY apt, thus starting WW.

Why is encouragement important? Nidetch shared a story about how when she was a young girl, she noticed a group of women sitting around talking in the park and the kids had no one to push them on the swings.  So she’d push them. And before you knew it, they’d be kicking and pumping and swinging themselves.  They just needed a little push.

“That’s my role in life,” she said.  ”I’m there to give others a push!”

_________

I happened upon the blog of Dr. John Vitale while I was writing this update and he said something very interesting about encouragement. A person he’d spent the last few days with had been observing his behavior and simply asked “Have you always encouraged people?”

He told her he hadn’t and that in fact, he used to live a life where he just tried to survive.  Then he added a few interesting things.

“I love seeing a person come alive with the passion they secretly want to express. But I also know that when you love a person with total acceptance, they feel free to become whatever they desire.”

“Over time it became easier to encourage people because it felt good, I saw results, and people loved it. So few of us get support that when we suddenly have it, we drink it up like a starving person in the desert.”

_________

Now, I’m not telling you to go around handing out hugs and sunshine, but strive to be the kind of person that gives someone that little push.  Selfless acts of kindness can go a long way and they can make you learn new things about yourself too.  It will help you connect with people, help you feel generous and needed.

So we know encouraging can help others and yourself, why not make it a goal.

1.  If an encouraging thought comes to mind, share it!  It may be someone in your work out class that you barely know, but you can tell she’s losing weight.  Tell her!

2.  When you see someone making positive changes in their lives, affirm them.

3.  When you introduce someone, add a few words of praise.

4.  Offer specific advice when someone needs help or is struggling.  “Would it help if I showed you how to do that?” versus “How can I help?”

5.  Write a note or make a phone call each week or month.  Plan it out.

6.  Tell someone how they’ve encouraged you!

Encouragement boosts motivation, which leads to actions and finally results. Personal development is about step by step improvements.  Ultimately, the challenge of making it through our lives, our goals and our dreams is our own.

But life is tough and the reality is we all have things we’d like to do better in our lives.  For some it may be getting their rear to Zumba class or to put down that fifth mini Hershey’s candy bar you found in the candy stash at work (I wouldn’t know anything about that ).  It’s not easy to stay focused on your goals when your day has simply…sucked.  Sometimes all it takes is someone to notice and say something about it!

“They can because they think they can.”
Virgil , Roman epic poet (70 BC – 19 BC)

As I’m telling you all to get out there and make people smile, I better encourage you to try some of my recent Favorite Food Finds:

•  My new love lies in Special K bars. They have chocolate, they have chocolate pretzel AND raspberry cheesecake. 2 points plus each.

•  Need something sweet? Dried apricots.  You can have six for 1 points plus.

• Now at one point per piece these are a little indulgent but they are chewy and yummy and worth the ‘cost’ to me.

•  These are also a treat because they can be pretty expensive. Lucky for me, Hy-Vee was having a meat sale.  I fell in love with stuffed sole when I got some from Omaha Steaks.  These are cheaper and taste so good. Only 7 points plus each.

•  I prepare this without the milk and butter (I use 1.5 TBSP light Smart Balance and water) and it cuts out at least 100 calories.  Prepared this way, the ENTIRE box is 18 points or so but you only need half of it.  I eat it with a small steak or pork chop, stuffed sole or even add bits of chicken and broccoli to it.  They also have one that is white shells and I add tuna and peas.  It’s an easy way for me to enjoy pasta but it’s portioned so I can’t go crazy and make tons and tons.  If I eat the whole box, so be it, at least I know what I’m getting myself into ahead of time!

•  I have yet to modify this Apple and Cheddar Muffets recipe to make it more Weight Watchers friendly, but I hope I find the motivation to do so soon because these were delicious.  My author friend Laura (and co-worker) cooked up a batch of these yummy muffets and brought me a sample (with nutritional information included…so sweet!). I love when people bring me treats.  My first thought was, umm, apples, cheese and cornmeal. Ick.  But after the first bite I changed my mind.

Laura often makes recipes inspired by the books she reads.  She whipped these up after reading and reviewing Julia’s Child by Sarah Pinneo. This book is about a mompreneur, Julia Bailey, who runs an organic toddler meals and backed good business called “Julia’s Child”.  In it she makes this muffin, coined a “muffet” by the character.  Try this recipe (5 points with no modifications or lighten it by subbing reduced or no fat butter, milk, sour cream and cheese, Splenda instead of sugar and egg substitute) and also check out her blog here.  She reviews books and interviews authors.  I’m completely jealous of her drive and knowledge of novel writing.

Stalled? Evaluate and reassess.

I’ve been putting off this update for some time because I’m sorta kinda…stuck.  I’m half ass following a ‘healthy’ lifestyle by working out and watching what I eat, but all too often, I find myself shoveling my mouth with sweets or extra servings and not accounting for them.  And that’s a BIG problem.

This is why they call this a journey, I suppose.  It begins one way and along the path, there are different decisions that have to be made about the direction your weight loss will go in.

In the beginning (which will be three years ago in February) the weight seemed to drip off like raindrops on an umbrella.  I cut down my calorie intake from thousands of unaccountables to 2,000 or fewer precisely selected, carefully measured calories.  I was motivated to try new things and eat far less, I was excited to lose weight and I hungered for the newfound attention I received from accomplishing something I never thought I would…being healthy.

Health, smealth…that’s how I felt prior to joining Weight Watchers.  I was fat, that’s that.  I was creative, funny, hardworking and intelligent but I was also fat.  But I’m not fat anymore.  It’s not a part of who I am.  Now I’m a healthy eater, I’m active and I am a believer.  I’m overweight, yes, but I’m not where I used to be and never will be again.  That being said, I’m pretty much right where I was a year ago.  Damn.

Ok, I’ll take a minute to toot my horn.  Celebrate my victories.  Rally the troops.  I did good things, I maintained my weight loss and I am still smaller than ever. Yay! Good job! Way to go!

So, we done now? I want to be.  Not done with Weight Watchers by any means, but done trying to lose the rest of my goal and failing.

I’ve had a couple instances that were almost second comings to an aha! moment.  One occurred when a woman came to my apartment to purchase some of my ‘fat’ clothes.  I was telling her about how I’d lost 5o pounds on Weight Watchers and she asked me quite innocently if it really worked then why was I still doing it?  And most recently, during my annual checkup, my doctor went through her series of questions.  Exercising? Yes. Diet? Yes.

“It doesn’t seem to be working for you”, she said.

In both instances I stammered some kind of a response about how effective it is and that it has worked for me, but when you analyze the last year, you’d probably agree.  And I agree to.  Whatever I’m doing, just doesn’t seem to be working.

Weight Watchers does work. But just being on the plan, paying the monthly fees and weighing in every week isn’t going to help anyone lose weight.  The plan will work for you, if you work for it.  And it only works if you write down what you eat, stay within your allotted points and work your ass off to burn the extra points you consume.

First things first…identify your problem.  Mine is eating too many calories.

On Monday, I had eaten my healthy lunch which included an egg/hashbrown Smartone (5 points), with two slices Sara Lee 45 calorie bread (2 points), less than a TBSP. of peanut butter (3 points), a packet of Carl Buddig honey ham (2 pts.) and a sugar free Jell-O (zero points).  That was a lot of food for 12 points and I was satisfied.  But I wanted something sugary, sweet and nasty.  I hunted through my drawers and found the answer…a mega marshmallow munchie.  I knew that after I had eaten I’d feel bad, but while I was eating it, I felt satisfied.  This is a new problem for me.  In the beginning, I just ate too many calories of pretty much everything.  Now, I eat far fewer calories but I give in to cravings.  Sweet cravings that I never even used to have.  My first step should be taking all the crap out of desk and putting elsewhere.

Now that I recognize my problem and weakness, it’s time to reassess my plan and do what works for me on my journey now.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

1.  I’ve decided to work out three times a week.  In February of last year I started doing Zumba.  I remember telling a couple of my friend’s very distinctly that “I have already lost fifty pounds without exercising, I don’t plan on starting now.”  But I did.  And I’m very happy I did.  While I haven’t lost a lot of weight, I have gained muscle and added another element to my healthy lifestyle.  Not to mention all the wonderful women I’ve also met and brought along with me.

2.  Just do it.  It sounds cliche but it’s a very simple concept.  Just do it.  Perfect example.  I came home from work the other day pretty beat.  It’d been a stressful day at work and when I showed up to my Monday weigh in, I found out that they’d decided to change the location and time effective immediately.  :(  Bummer.  Since I have Zumba on Monday nights that just doesn’t work for me, especially because the meetings for me have become more about being accountable and seeing my WW buddies.  As I drove home from my meeting pretty frazzled, I kept discussing in my mind whether or not I was going to work out.  And as I drug my tired body up four flights of stairs, I continued to discuss.  This continued as I pulled on my workout clothes, walked to my car and headed to class.  By the end of it all I was happy I went.  Lesson learned.  Just do it.  Sometimes our minds put up quite a battle but if a part of you can dig down deep and make your body do it, you’ll be proud of yourself in the end.

PREPARE YOURSELF

1.  Have chewing gum in your purse, your desk, your car, by your bed, etc.  Even if you have to stick a piece in at 10 p.m. to stop you from eating, then do it.

2.  Go grocery shopping.  Last week was the first week in a very long time that I took breakfast and lunch to work everyday.  I toasted two pieces of Sara Lee 45 calorie bread for breakfast, with one laughing cow cheese wedge (1 point) and either a banana or a grape.  For lunch I brought either grapes or a couple cuties to go with either a frozen dinner or a can of Progresso with a sandwich.

3.  Make a menu.  I’ve never been a menu making kind of person but my cupboards are full of crap that I’ve picked up because it looks good, but I haven’t actually gotten around to using it.  So the other day I made a list of everything in my cabinet, then made a menu based off things I have and a grocery list of just a few things to make them meals.  I don’t follow my menu religiously, in fact, I pick and choose meals based on what I’m in the mood for.  But if I have a list of possible lunch or dinner ideas that I KNOW I have on hand, it’s a lot easier to stay on plan.  I pretty much eat the same thing for breakfast every day which makes it super easy for me.  (Two slices of Sara Lee 45 calorie bread, toasted; one wedge Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss cheese; banana.  3 points plus!)

4.  Reduce temptation.  If you have goodies stashed in your desk, get rid of them.  Junk in your cupboards, toss it.  At a party and eyeing something that looks really good but you know is really bad…don’t even taste it.  Fill up on the healthy stuff you can have or the items you can account for and move on.  I have a terrible time with this when I’m in the office.  We get free food.  Free pop, free candy bars, free chips, free Friday lunch and for anyone that knows me, free is one of my favorite things!  It’s been a hard lesson to learn but I’m not the eat one and move on kind of girl.  As soon as I pop a sweet little morsel of chocolate in my mouth I’m done for.  I literally lose control over my mind.  I’m powerless to the taste, the texture, the pure joy of eating so wonderfully delicious and naughty.  I convince myself to just keep going and that I’ll just skip lunch.  Well, by the time lunch comes around I’m hungry so I decide, well, I’ll just not eat dinner.  By that time, it’s been a long day, I’ve probably worked out and now I’m starving and I burned a ton of calories so I eat.  Doing this day after day after day means I’m either maintaining or gaining.  Not good.

REWARD YOURSELF

1.  Don’t reward yourself with food.  That’s defeating the purpose entirely.  One of the hardest things to grasp when conforming to a healthier lifestyle is that food is food. Food is energy for your body.  Every once in a while it’s OK to splurge, but I mean every once in a while when I say.

2.  Pedicures.  Clothes.  Handbags.  Teeth whitening.  Lipo.  A book.  A movie.  A fancy new gadget.  You’re working your ass off to look good and get healthy, don’t make it even harder on yourself with calories.  Buy something for the new you you’re working on!  You deserve it.

January has come and gone but I don’t believe that the beginning of the year is the only time you can resolve to make changes. It’s just the time of year when there is a lot of hype and deals and advertising pulling you so it’s more convenient.  :)  But if you’re January was a bad one, don’t worry about it.  If what you’re doing isn’t working for you figure out what’s wrong, reassess and start on a new journey.

Life keeps going.  Except for when we die.  And if you’re reading this, as harsh as it sounds, then you’re not dead yet.  And if you’re not dead, you can still work to improve yourself.  My blog focuses on improving your health but whatever you’re wanting to improve, don’t get down on yourself if you didn’t quite get the hang of things the last 31 days.  There is time.  Just do it.  I promise you’ll be so proud of yourself when you finally do.

Before I sign off I gotta add a few of my FAVORITE FOOD FINDS.

Regarding this, I’ve started a new project.  A board on Pinterest that highlights some of my favorite food finds and includes points values and meal planning ideas.  If you’re on Pinterest and would like to follow that board, send me a message and I’ll let you know how to find me.  If you could care less about my favorite food finds but have some of your own, I highly recommend creating your own board with the same concept.  It’s such a great resource for me.  A constant reminder of the yummy foods I happen upon but sometimes forget.  And if you create a board, let me know so I can follow you too!

One of my most recent favorites is KOYO ramen noodles.  When I was in college (wow that makes me feel old) I ate a lot of ramen.  It was cheap, yummy and you can add about a million different things to it to give it a little variety.  When I joined WW, however, I found that one packet of ramen noodles was 10 stinkin’ points plus!  So not worth it.  Then one day at Whole Foods I discovered KOYO’s ramen for only 5 points plus a pack!  I was a little turned off by the combinations, like Lemongrass and Miso.  Don’t get me wrong, I like those things but on ramen…uhhh.  But I gave them a whirl and I’m happy I did.  They are delicious, easy to make and while they aren’t 10 cents (more like $1) they are totally worth it for me.  In Lincoln, you can also find them at Open Harvest.

And a few more…

A happened upon this yummy mix while hitting up the sample counter at Trader Joe’s.  Creamy tomato soup with tortellini.  The soup is only 3 points plus a cup and it’s probably some of the best tomato soup I’ve ever tasted.  Paired with a yummy grilled cheese (try mozzarella) it’s delicious.  And warm.

Many times when it’s finally time for dinner I’m really really hungry and I don’t want to take the time to make anything.   I may have mentioned these before but I’ve rediscovered them.  Old El Paso Tortilla Stuffers.  If you’re really hungry you can have the entire bag (which heats up in 60 seconds) for 10 points plus.  It makes about six burritos so I save some for lunch the next day and just add lettuce, salsa, fat free sour cream and Trader Joe’s lite mexican cheese blend for mine.  If that’s not enough, consider baking some potato Ore Ida crispy crowns, sprinkling on some taco seasoning and pretending you’re at Taco John’s.

One more staple in my cupboards is Betty Crocker’s loaded mashed potatoes.  Now, I apologize to my family who have suffered through years of my little tantrums due to my complete hate and disgust for instant potatoes.  For years I have never, would never liked them until I found these. Maybe it’s all the goody that masks the fake flavor, I dunno, but these are great!  They are also EXTREMELY easy to make (toss in some water, microwave a few minutes, fluff and enjoy).  At 2 points plus a serving you can have an entire package for only 8 points.  Pair it with baked chicken and steamed veggies and you’ve got it made.  One package makes quite a bit of potatoes so I usually use it for two meals.  It’s also really good mixed up with ground turkey and a vegetable mix.  Kind of like a Shepard’s Pie for the really lazy.

Since I haven’t updated in a while, I haven’t been taking a lot of notice to the changes in my body. While my weight continued to stay about the same all year long, I can still feel my muscles strengthening and see, little by little, parts of my body resembling that of a normal person.  Strong legs, a face with one chin and a pudge (hehe), my fat rolls are flattening out, just changes.  Slowly but surely.  Here are a few pictures from our company Christmas party.  We had a $5 gas station gift exchange.  It was a blast!  Don’t mind the outfit, that’s my ugly Christmas sweater, but one good thing I can say about it is that it’s a large and it’s not so tight I can’t move.  My chin still really bothers me, as does my lower belly roll, but I’m gaining momentum!  I don’t the right words exactly but I feel like you can ‘see around’ me a lot more.  lol.  I dunno.

Recently, Sam, Jacque and I watched her wedding video.  I was shocked and embarrassed.  I just look like such a different person now.  Seeing my progress, the effectiveness of the journey thus far, it really encourages me to continue.  To not give up and to achieve this.  I will.  Just gotta do it!

Holiday Consumption Interrupted

Another year almost over and I’m still working to reach my goals.  I haven’t noticed a big decline in the numbers on the scale, but I have noticed a lot more toning in my arms, legs and bum.  I’ve noticed a lot less fat to my fat rolls and more visible bones to my structure.  Yes, I can say it, I’ve come a long way and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.  And I’m thankful.  Thankful for the support of my family,  friends and co-workers.  Thankful to Ashley for the kick butt Zumba groupon that got me working out.  But I’m most thankful that I experienced an aha moment and made a decision to live a healthier lifestyle.

From Thanksgiving 2008 (above) to now (below)!

Here I am celebrating my 27th birthday Oct. 24 at Arbor Day Lodge.  I just wanted to see if I could fit!

Business trip to Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va. – Nov. 2011

I’m going to try something completely different for Thanksgiving this year.  I’m not going to get upset about ‘messing up my day.’  In fact, I’m probably going to gorge myself on turkey, potatoes, noodles, fudge, shrimp, pumpkin pie, rolls…and the list continues.  I wait all year for three special days (my birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas) where I can eat whatever I want, how much I want, without even considering how terrible it is for my body and weight loss goals.

Now, I know you’ve heard me gripe on several occasions about overdoing it here, late night binging there, so on and so on.  But most of the time I’m overeating on healthy choices.  Even on my worst days I never eat the way I used to.

I can do this 1. because I’m seriously ok with it,  2.  I DESERVE it and  3.  I’m going to burn some of it off!

The average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to the Caloric Control Council. Most of these calories come from the all-day snacking in front of the TV while watching parades, sporting events or as my family does…watching Christmas Vacation.  On a normal ‘good’ day, I typically consume between 1500 to 2000 calories, which is about average for a woman my size.  Now simple math suggests that I will be consuming twice the amount of food that I normally do, if not more.  But in reality my stomach doesn’t hold that much.  The problem is the selection.

BE CHOOSY

This Thanksgiving you can have your cake (and turkey and potatoes and stuffing and sweets) and eat it too.  You just have to be choosy.  One of the first things I noticed when I began my weight loss journey was not the amount of food I was eating but the amount of calories in the foods I was eating.  It’s a common misconception that fat people eat large amounts of food all day long. That’s not always the case.  More times than not overweight people are eating several normal sized portions of very high calorie food and they don’t even know it!

Here’s a little math problem to illustrate my point.

Women, ages 19-50, who are moderately physically active can consume about 2000 to 2200 calories. McDonald’s Big & Tasty (yes the ‘healthy’ one with lettuce and tomato on it), with medium fries and medium Coke is a total of 1050 CALORIES!  That doesn’t seem like a whole heck of a lot of food, but that is more than half the recommended daily calories in just one meal.

Now I don’t want to inundate my Thanksgiving feasting by worrying about how many calories I’m consuming.  I do that on a daily basis and honest to goodness, I need a break!  But that doesn’t mean I can’t have a game plan to make better choices, thus consuming less calories and being proud of myself for doing better than I would have!

•  Fill up on calorie free liquids. Lucky for me my aunt always has some delicious raspberry or lemon tea on hand that I drink pretty much all day long.  If my stomach is full with liquids, it’s going to be a lot harder to squeeze more and more food in as the day progresses.  Drink up!

•  Resist too many appetizers.  At my aunt’s house, the pre-eating is almost as good as the meal itself.  There are always tons of yummy appetizers around to nibble on before we say grace and chow down.  Instead of going back and forth to the kitchen or buffet, try filling a small plate with goodies and only eating that.  Spend your time playing a board game, visiting with family or checking out the Black Friday steals!

•  Take smaller portions.  Whether it’s one bite, two bites or ten, mashed potatoes are mashed potatoes.  Research shows that the first couple of bites are the most enjoyable anyway, so why load your plate with huge helpings when you can have just a little of a lot?  One tip I’ve learned is to use a small spoon to dip out YOUR portions.  Let everyone else use the big scoops and serving spoons.  A Cornell study found that people who used three-ounce serving spoons shoveled out nearly 15 percent more food than those who scooped using smaller two-ounce spoons.

•  Be selective.  My Weight Watcher leaders usually hit on this point at least once every holiday.  If the item in question is something you can have any time you want it, skip it.  For me that food is gravy.  My turkey and potatoes are just fine without it.  I don’t mind it but I don’t really have to have it.  In fact, I don’t really have to have a very big pile of mashed potatoes either.  I like stuffing, but it’s not my favorite, so I might take a small helping of it and save room for the more important things, like turkey, noodles and pumpkin pie.

•  Choose better options.  In addition to selecting the foods you love versus eating everything in sight, you can also shave off calories by opting for healthier choices of your favorite foods.  When you’re filling up your appetizer plate, add even a few pieces from the relish tray.  Your aim may not be to eat veggies on Thanksgiving, but if you incorporate veggies into your pre-dinner mindless snacking, you’ll consume fewer calories and not even know it! Or split a piece of pumpkin pie and a piece of pecan pie with someone instead of having a slice of both.  Gotta have turkey?  The leanest poultry is white meat from the breast with no skin.  One portion, which is about the size of an iPhone, is 124 calories versus the same portion of dark meat at 286 calories.  And if you remove the skin, you can skim off an extra 35 calories and 3 grams of fat.  Two tablespoons of gravy is OK at only 6-18 calories but use an actual tablespoon instead of using the spout of the gravy boat to measure.  Other suggestions? Sweet potatoes vs. mashed potatoes (because of the butter).  Even better if you scrape off the marshmallows and sweeten with Splenda and nutmeg!  Applesauce is half the calories (83.5) and one-third the sugar of jarred cranberry sauce, which has 209 calories and as far as desserts, pumpkin is packed with beta-carotenes, an antioxidant, and boost your immune system during the cold Thanksgiving weather.  Pumpkin is also full of fiber and will fill you up faster than sugar laden pecan pie or carrot cake.

GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN

For the past several Thanksgiving’s I’ve told myself I was going to do something active but in reality, after eating and eating, exercising was the last thing I wanted to do.  Instead of not doing anything active at all, I’m going to be prepared with several options. I can do them all or I can do only one, but having a list of possibilities makes it easier to rule out activity all together.

•  The easiest option is to walk.  I found this handy little website (I believe Google has one too) that lets me select various points in my community and tells me how far it is.  When it comes to my family dinner, we celebrate across town at my aunt’s house.  I’m from a really small town so across town for me is really about half a mile.  Now in order to get to my aunt’s house I can either drive, hitch a ride with my parents or walk.  Using www.gmap-pedometer.com, I’ve mapped out a one mile jaunt to my aunt’s house so my first goal is to actually walk to Thanksgiving.

A mile burns about 1oo calories, which, compared t0 the 4,000 or so I’ll probably be consuming it seems rather pointless.  Right? Wrong.

The Truth about Fat
So what happens to all those extra calories you don’t burn? Caloric intake above your total daily energy expenditure (calories in > calories out) is converted into droplets, which are gobbled up by your fat cells. One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Luckily, following puberty, the body has developed all of its fat cells. Unfortunately, fat cells can never go away. Although they can shrink, you can never actually get rid of the cell itself.  So even if it’s just a few calories, BURN BABY BURN!

OTHER ACTIVE OPTIONS

•  If there are kiddos in the family and weather permits, lead a Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt.  I found a great one here or you can create make your own.

•  Gather the troops.  Since Thanksgiving is three days away, I’m a little behind on planning and promoting, but I’m hoping by Thanksgiving 2012 I can team up with people in my hometown community for a Turkey Trot.  It’s basically a 5k run/1 mile walk that takes place all over the United States.  Unfortunately, the closest one to us is in St. Joseph, Mo. about an hour away.  Find a turkey trot near you.

•  Pace out the meal.  Stop after the appetizers for a poetry reading or a game of Pin the Feather on the Turkey. Laugh off some calories with a joke-telling contest before dessert.

•  I found this unique idea that would take a lot of cooperation but would be fun.  If your family and friends live close, arrange an around the neighborhood meal: Have appetizers in one spot, the meal at another, and dessert at another person’s house. If you live close enough, walk or bike to each place.

•  Burn even more calories by raking leaves and helping clean up after the meal!  And if the weather’s crappy, there’s always Wii.

Speaking of being active, I wanted to include a few shots of the Zumba Flash Mob I took part in.  Yes, I can’t believe it, but I joined a group of crazy women with Zumba fever and started dancing in a crowd of Husker fans on a game day.  Go us!

Remember to take time to be thankful for what you have and to enjoy life.  Everything you want to accomplish can’t be done in a day because lessons wouldn’t be learned and life wouldn’t be nearly as fun. Take it one day at a time.  One step at a time.  One choice at a time.  Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Before I leave you, I wanted to contribute at least one Favorite Food Find:

Caribbean Pork and Plantain Hash

Oh My!

My boyfriend ‘s favorite food is plantains and I wanted to make him a meal that incorporated them.  I found this recipe and it turned out to be a wonderful mix of sweet, meaty and spicy.  Nutritional information included. Enjoy!

More favorite finds (from Pinterest):

A Reader Reaches Out

Jessica,
I just read the last few entries in your blog on wordpress and I wanted to thank you for sharing.

I’m in the process of trying to make a life change to start a much healthier lifestyle but I’ve been afraid of failing. Looking at your photos and reading your words has given me more confidence.  It seems that I could have absolutely nothing exciting happening in my life but I always find something to keep me from taking the time to make that leap.

Did writing everything on your blog help give you motivation? Overweight kind of runs in my family and I’m currently in a transition period living with my parents while I look for a new apartment and I’m constantly surrounded by all the carbs and sweets and muck. I had lost weight while I was abroad but I’ve gained every bit of it back since I’ve been home and I’m so frustrated. I’ve tried a diary but it doesn’t work because I can hide it or not update it and nobody reads it because it’s private. My family obviously cares about me, but they don’t worry about my weight or really provide much support for weight loss. And I’m living in BFE where I don’t really have any other support group but my family. Do you think a public blog that all of my friends can read would help? Hmmm… haha.

Regardless, you are so gorgeous! I’m happy for you and all that you have accomplished the past few years. You have inspired me! I’m very grateful that you posted your blog address.

Dear Friend,

Thank you! It’s so great to hear others input on my blog. Believe it or not I get messages like this often and have written kind of a lengthy response. I want EVERYONE to take control and lose weight. It’s one of the best gifts you can ever give yourself.

There is no real rule to motivating yourself to lose weight, it just happens. You have an aha! moment where you’re so disgusted with yourself there’s no stopping you.

Mine happened when I was driving somewhere. Back to Missouri I think. Anyway, my lower fat roll was pressed against my leg and I swear it was only inches from my knee! I was mortified at how fat I had become. I hadn’t weighed myself in years so I didn’t even know how much I weighed. I just knew my clothes were tight and I had to keep buying them bigger and bigger. The next step up was a 26! I hated walking up and down the stairs, I was out of breath, it was even hard to bend over and tie my shoes.

I had no idea how to lose weight at all. I had tried Atkins for a few months in college, dropping 35 pounds, but it was so limiting and so hard to stick with. Then I just decided I’d go to a WW meeting. I weighed in at 276 lbs. While it’s not 300 lbs. it’s pretty damn close and that embarrassed me. I didn’t care if anyone else knew, I did and I was determined to not be any heavier. Ever.

I signed up for a month (prepaid, no refund) so I would have to go the entire time. Afterall, I had invested $40 into it. I was still pretty disgusted with myself, which kept me motivated, but I also thought it was kind of fun. For me, grocery shopping was like going thrifting. I scoured the shelves for low point foods with my little calculator for weeks until eventually I had a good idea of everything. That’s the hardest part. Learning everything. But you lose along the way, which is a plus, and after you get over that hump it’s pretty easy. I also promised myself I wouldn’t quit until I reached my goal of 200 lbs. I always say WHEN I reach my goal, I WILL lose the weight. I never say if. Ever.

I didn’t eat out or go to the bars for probably three months because I wasn’t comfortable making choices. And even when I started to be it wasn’t easy. It’s not easy to pick the healthy item when you want the unhealthy ones your friends are having. But I started thinking of it as my specialty. I knew how bad things were, I was prepared. Even though a chicken wrap with fries might appear healthier than my 4 oz. steak and baked potato, I knew it wasn’t. And I’d gladly share this knowledge with my friends. At a cost, of course. People grew annoyed. Choosing a place was exhausting. Going through the menu was torture. But eventually, you figure it all out. You may not know what’s in a particular menu item, but you know to look for grilled meats, you’re not afraid to ask for items on the side or no oil and you’re scouring the internet for nutritional information. You ask for fresh fruit for dessert and put half your food in a to go box. This is honestly just part of how I eat.

It took me months to finally open up to people at the meeting, but eventually my WW leader Chris and a couple other women, LaDonna and Aimee, became my weight loss buddies. People talked about how there health had improved so I started researching how my weight loss was helping my body. Every time I lost a good chunk of weight, I’d go to the store and pick up that many pounds worth of potatoes. I was constantly reminding myself of how well I was treating my body.

And the weight dropped off. I got selfish, in a good way. I cared about what was going in my body and what I looked like. I bought more expensive groceries that were lower calorie and they were MINE. This was special stuff just for me. I think that’s another thing that has helped me. Every woman likes to be pampered and for years I was awkward about this. I didn’t think I deserved to be pampered because I was eating so bad and I was getting fatter and my clothes looked bad and boys didn’t like me. Hell I didn’t like me. I went to work, then home. I avoided people. I was unhappy. But then I started my get healthy journey and felt so much better, physically and emotionally. I pampered myself more because hell yes, I deserved it. I’m proud to be a woman. I’m happy to be a little diva-like. I like to look good. I work hard (both physically and financially) and I don’t feel so guilty about rewarding myself. I deserve it. I know that now.

I also started buying clothes to fit my new figure. Celebrating my success. This is when I started to blog. I wanted to hold myself accountable for this journey so I wouldn’t lose my focus. I was reveling in my success but I still had a goal. By sharing it with the world, including close friends and family, I had nothing to hide. People understood. People were motivated. And that’s what has kept me motivated. You, my dear, keep me motivated. People telling me how proud they are or how good I look. That motivates me. My doctor telling me I’m healthy as a horse and my ability to be more active. That’s what motivates me.

I got past that first big step of learning how to do it, now I’m just learning how to stick with it and educating others so there lives can be changed too. While you educate others, it will also motivate you and refresh your mind. I’m much happier now. I feel better, I look better and my weight loss success has a domino effect on the rest of my life. I’ve taken classes, tutored ESL, bought a bike…things I have always wanted to do but never did. I wasn’t confident because I was always hindered by my low self-esteem.

I really think the WW plan is the way to go. It forces you to basically teach yourself. You have to measure out a cup and eventually you’ll see what a one cup serving is. And your body will be used to the smaller portions. You’ll make better choices because you know you’re feeding your body, not your mouth. You’ll choose low fat, healthier foods because they have water and fiber and nutrients that fill you up longer. You’ll still be able to eat chocolate cake, and cookies and everything you want, but in moderation. And if you do go overboard, the beauty is you haven’t ruined anything. You just start the next day better.

I’m not going to lie to you and say I didn’t feel hungry from time to time. Especially in the beginning when I was used to eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. That will get better. You’ll realize more often than not that you’re really not hungry, you just want that cookie or piece of cake or chunk of cheese. You’ll learn that you can drink something that’s calorie free or eat some fruit that curbs the hunger and saves you until it’s time to really eat a meal. After you accomplish this over and over, you’ll feel pretty good about yourself. You’ll see the control you have over what you eat and that feels powerful.

Weight Watchers has changed my life. Now I know how to eat, what to eat. My relationship with food is completely different. I try different foods, I prepare new recipes, healthy food is super good! I even crave fruits and veggies now. I also know when I’m overdoing it and I think about it when I’m consciously screwing up. But I never let myself give up. You will struggle with food choices forever, everyone does. But with these skills you’ll know how to take control and be in control.

WW’s takes over your mind and truly becomes a lifestyle. You notice yourself eating healthier most of the time so you can splurge when you really want to. I don’t track what I eat as religiously as I used to but it’s absolutely vital for someone starting their journey to do. Write down everything that goes in your mouth and figure out how ‘expensive’ it is. I can do it mentally now. I keep track and when it comes time to eat, I can reflect on what I’ve already had, what my plans are for the rest of the day and then make a decision of whether I should grab something light or if I should have a meal. As my dad would say, you start “eating like skinny people.” Don’t get me wrong, though, I still track. Especially on days when I want to eat everything. Even if I know I’m going to go overboard, I can at least see how bad I’m eating. And sometimes it’ll help me stop, right there, middle of the day, after I’ve blown it bad. I stop, think about it, refocus, tell myself it’s going to be ok and move on.

I still have 25 lbs. to go before I reach my goal and I know I can and will do it. I don’t know how long it will take, I don’t know how far I will go, but I do know that I have the knowledge and the ability to lose or maintain my weight. Forever. I don’t have that excuse anymore. I’ve completed the courses. Now it’s up to me. And like I said, the success I’ve had with losing weight has helped me succeed in every area of my life. I’m proud of myself, I care about myself and I’ll never go back to miserable.

Sizing Up

The infamous ‘holiday season’ is fast approaching and for many people, the last thing on their mind is stepping anywhere near a Weight Watchers meeting.  I admit, in the last few weeks, I’ve been busy.  Really busy.  And I’ve been bad.  Really, really bad.  And I definitely haven’t wanted to weigh in. But I did.  I’ve managed to do a pretty decent job of maintaining or only gain .4 or .2 but it’s not the direction I’d like the number to go.

But this season I’m prepared.  I’ve got the knowledge, I’ve got Zumba, I just need the power. Willpower that is.

My plan is to continue working out, to continue tracking what I eat and then to completely and utterly enjoy every bite of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. YUMM!

Since tracking isn’t always the easiest thing to do, I’m going to work on ‘sizing things up.”

One of the hardest things I’ve come across with the Weight Watchers Points Plus plan, is that I can’t guess points based on calories.  Previously, most of us figured out that each point equaled about 50 calories.  So, if something had about 200 calories, it was probably 4 points.  Since calories aren’t even considered now, I’ve found myself calculating more and enjoying foods that aren’t packaged as a single serving.  If they aren’t packaged, though, that means I have to measure.  Something I’ve never been good at.

For lunch one Friday (we get free lunch at work every Friday), we had Hy-Vee food catered, which included a tray of veggies, a try of fruit, chicken wings, a ring of shrimp, smoked salmon, crackers and my favorite…cheese cubes.  Now I have been trying for over a year now to accurately measure those little squares of goodness, but never felt very successful.  I know an ounce of cheese is about 3 points, but what’s an ounce?  Lo and behold I found some great images on the web that finally answered my cheese dilemma, as well as my peanut butter one.

A 3-oz. serving of meat equals a deck of cards

A medium potato equals a computer mouse.

A handful of popcorn is about 1 oz.

1 oz. cheese equals 4 dice

2 Tbsp. peanut butter equals 1 Ping-Pong ball

And a few more:

3 oz of fish = checkbook, not the checks but a checkBOOK

2 tablespoons of salad dressing = one full shot glass

1 cup of pasta or cereal = size of baseball

1/4 Cup of mixed nuts, dried fruits, granola = size of golf ball

1 tsp. of butter or margarine = postage stamp (the standard size guys, let not get crazy here)

I can never remember this right off the top of my head, so I’ll be penciling them in to my Dining Out Companion and/or my Pocket Guide.

For those of you just starting the plan, there are a couple tips we ‘old heads’ use to control our portions.  When eating out, ask the waiter for a to-go box with your meal.  Put half of it in there for later.  If I’ve had a chance to calculate my meal, I don’t do this.  I enjoy every bite.  But if you have no game plan, or decide you just can’t resist the bread or appetizers, this is the way to go!  Also, when dining in, use smaller plates and bowls.

I purchased these perfectly portioned bowls at Big Lots a few days ago and have already put them to good use.  I used Cheerios to test it and the cup is just a little bit bigger than one cup.  This will be perfect for cereal, snacks, fruits, even measuring out one cup portions of main dishes.

The biggest problem I had and still have when it comes to my weight loss journey is the amount of food I consume.  You never underestimate a bowl of ice cream.  How many people do you know that pull out a handful of chips, count two too many and toss them back in the bag? Yeah, me either.  The trick is to measure immediately so you don’t have to talk yourself out of finishing off the bag.  And it pays off in the long run…

Same Husker, same shirt, two years later!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halfway Through 2011

By July 1, many people find that the success they’d hoped for when setting New Year resolutions isn’t reality. Rather than dwell on setbacks or, even worse, wait until next New Year, just keep on keeping on.

I had really hoped that after two and half years on this weight loss journey, I’d be down to 199 lbs. and a size 12.  But the past six months I’ve battled with the same 3 to 4 lbs., going up and down, up and down, and staying around the 223 lb. mark.  It’s frustrating, yes, but am I disappointed? Not one bit.  I’ve still managed to keep off 50 lbs. and I work out at least twice a week, maybe more.  That, my friends, is still progress.  I’m healthier and happier than I have ever been, and I live healthy and happy (with a few screw ups, heartbreaks and indulgences here and there. ).

I think all too often, people try to do it all.  They want to eat perfectly, exercise regularly, stop smoking, work hard at work, go to church and make sure the house is clean from top to bottom every waking moment.  Or at least that’s how I wish my life would go.  But a recent article in Weight Watchers magazine snapped me back into reality.  Nobody’s perfect!

The article, featured in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue and titled Little Miss Perfect, starts with a quote from Molly Woundtightly.  Here goes:

“If I’m not going to give something my all, there’s no point in trying.  Three weeks ago, I swore off sweets and eating out, and I started waking up early to get to the gym.  I lost three pounds the first week – but barely any since.  I’m ready to throw in the towel and dive into a pint of ice cream. Help!”

As I was reading this, I was nodding my head.  Yes, yes, this is what I do and yes, yes, I’m about to give up.  Why is dieting so stinking hard?

What the expert, author Debbie Koenig, said :

As a former perfectionist who now helps others accept their imperfect selves, allow me to offer some expert advice.  First, put down the spoon.  Now, pick it back up again – after you’ve measured out a reasonable portion.  When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s generally the quantities that are problematic, not food itself.

You’re taking a perfectionist’s approach to weight loss.  That’s fine if all you’re after is a quick fix.  But going to such extremes won’t cut it if you’re in this for the long haul.  For example, when a patient tells me she wants to drop six dress sizes in a few months, I liken her to someone who’s never gotten off the couch saying she’d like to run a marathon: It’s not realistic.  

Instead of sprinting to the finish line in January, try taking baby steps by setting attainable goals, such as, “Today, I’ll take a walk during my lunch hour,” or “I’m going to eat one less processed snack.”  Focus on that one healthy change a day rather than the numbers on the scale.  Remember, your weight is just ONE measure of the healthy changes you’re making.  

Adopt an 80/20 eating strategy.  Eighty percent should be the good stuff: whole grains, fruits and veggies, lean meats, and healthy fats.  The other 20 percent can-and should-be the fun stuff.  So if you have nonfat yogurt with fruit and slivered almonds for breakfast, and for lunch you have a salad with chicken breast, go ahead and have a handful of fries with dinner-and savor them without remorse.

There’s a name for what happens when you’re too rigid with dieting. I call it the “What the heck?” effect.  You’re meticulously good for three weeks, and then you eat a brownie and think,”What the heck? I’ll finish the entire tray!” This behavior leads to a sense of self-loathing that makes it hard  to get back on track.  I’d rather see you eat one cookie a day (and enjoy it) than give up sweets “for life.”

Oh, and one last thing.  Enjoy the act of eating.  Focusing on the sumptuous flavor of dinner rather than the calories it contains will make mealtime a lot more pleasurable.    

When I first started Weight Watchers, I was losing weight but I felt so restricted. I never ate out, I was too scared to eat high calorie foods and I struggled for a really long time to ‘adopt’ my healthy lifestyle.  I found myself saying way too many times, “Man I can’t wait to lose all this weight so I don’t have to do this all the time!”

HAHAHA!  What was I thinking?  I’m going to lose 76 lbs. and then eat whatever I want and expect the weight to just magically never reappear? Not likely.

I enjoy food everyday, I probably even eat chocolate or something sweet at least once a day, and I don’t feel any guilt about treating myself anymore.  Well, I feel guilty sometimes, but only when I really, really fall off the wagon and I have to guilty myself to get back on!   I’ve been trying to accomplish this for a very long time now.  Living a healthy lifestyle most of the time, but not stressing about doing it all perfectly, and having a life that includes drinks with friends, sweets and eating out.

Last Saturday, Jillian and I made a trip to Red Mango.  As I ate my raspberry/chocolate frozen yogurt goodness with chocolate chips, cereal and a bunch of other crap on it, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of guilt.  Why? Because I tracked all week and I knew I had the points for it.  It wasn’t about me sneaking in something I shouldn’t be eating, because as all Weight Watchers know, nothing is off limits.  Nothing at all.  And even after eating that, I weighed in Monday with a 1.4 lb. loss.   Go me!   The trick is to track and measure ALL of it…the good, the bad and the just plain ugly.

I hope this article helps somebody else too.  It really hit home with me and I’ll be passing this information onto one of the world’s most recent Weight Watchers members, my dad!!!  I couldn’t be more happy or more proud of my father right now.  Even though he claims to have fallen off the wagon, I have high hopes that he’ll get right back on.  If Weight Watchers was a gift I could wrap up really pretty (er, well have my sister wrap up really pretty for me) and give it to everyone in the world, I would.  Yes, I said everyone, not just the overweight.  Nothing in my life has made me understand my relationship with food and hunger than WW.  I’m so happy I get to see my dad’s journey.

In addition to not being perfect, I have a few tips that have helped with my success recently.

•  Chew gum.  Sometimes it takes all the power in the world for me to dig through my purse and shove a piece of gum in my mouth when my mind is trying to figure out the next item of food I can get my hands on.  My favorite flavor is currently Key Lime Pie.

•  When eating out, don’t give yourself unhealthy options.  The first thing I do when I get a menu is start figuring out the healthy combinations.  I might even write them down.  Then I use that list to make my decision.

•  Try new things.  This could include new foods, exercise and methods for making healthy choices.  I started doing Zumba in February.  I try different foods when I eat out or low calorie products I find while grocery shopping.  I’ve also started tracking my food online.  I used the paper tracker for more than two years and thought that since I didn’t have a fancy smancy phone, tracking it online wouldn’t work for me.  I was wrong.  Big time.  Not only is it easy (especially since it’s my homepage when I open Safari) it’s also made me more accountable.  Before, when I ate something, I would put down the number of points that I believed it was but I wasn’t always 100% sure.  Online, I can put in 24 crackers or 1/2 a serving and since that particular food is already calculated (and you can add your own) and stored in the system, I know I’m tracking the right points. WARNING:  TRACKING ONLINE CAN ALSO BE A REAL WAKE UP CALL!

• Don’t have time to write it down right away?  Snap a picture with your phone’s camera of the either the nutritional information or the actual meal.  That way you will have it on hand when you’re ready to calculate.

I recently covered Chick-fil-A Leadercast, a leadership conference a Southeast Community College, and one of the speakers said something that really struck a chord regarding changes.  This relates to us because we’re constantly making changes, to our habits, to our routine, and even to our wardrobe as we’re dropping the pounds!  The speakers name is Allison Levine and she is a mountaineer.  She has climbed the highest peak on every continent, served as the team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, and skied across the Arctic Circle to the geographic North Pole. In January 2008 she made history as the first American to complete a 600-mile traverse from west Antarctica to the South Pole following the route of legendary explorer Reinhold Messner.  Needless to say this woman has some strength and some hardcore willpower and has done some pretty amazing things.

In her presentation, she paralleled being a business leader to climbing Mt. Everest.  When you climb Mt. Everest, it’s quite a journey.  It takes a really long time to just get up the mountain because you have to keep starting over. On the first day, you climb only a short distance so you’re body can adjust to the changes in altitude.  On the second day, you get a little farther but have to go back down.  So on and so on.  She also talked about having to climb skinny, little bridges from one area to another, over deep dark ravines and having to watch out for avalanches.  Ok, admittedly, this is much much more scary than living a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes the journey is scary.  It’s scary to have to say no to your friends.  Will they think I suck for never hanging out with them?  It’s also scary to try new things.  Am I wasting my money on this new food?  What will my fat butt look like riding a tiny bike like that?

Levine said, “Fear is ok. Complacency is what will kill you.  You have to be able to react to the environment around you (bad food is everywhere). When you’re a leader (you’re the leader of your weight loss journey), you have to put a smile on your face. You can’t just ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t (no one can lose the weight for you).”

Changes? You have to keep your barrings and know at some point things will return to normal or work out.
Overwhelmed? Break it down into small steps.

It’s what you do with the lessons you learn while going forward on your journey. You have to weather storms. It’s not always about getting to the top of the mountain.”

I guess my point of this very long blog is that what works in the beginning, doesn’t work forever. Trying to be perfect and take it all on at once, probably not gonna work either.

“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.”  ~Mary Engelbreit

One more thing…

Since I’ve been MIA for a while, I haven’t shared my most recent athletic achievement.  I participated in my second 5k Walk it WW Challenge and I’m starting to feel definition in my arms from Zumbaing my booty off.  While the scale might not be changing, I’m definitely noticing a difference in my body.  Thank you Meagan and Melissa for accompanying me on the 5K.  Both women have been doing a superb job of eating better and exercising and are really starting to show it.  Keep it up!

Usher concert on May 22, 2011

Aim for Progress, Not Perfection

AIM FOR PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION

These words struck me as I read through the story of Carla, a WW member since 2008, in my Weight Watchers Weekly.

She stressed the importance of patience and not falling off the wagon when the number on the scale is rising.  I also found her stay-on-track trick also very inspiring.

“If I’m out without measuring tools or my Tracker, I take a picture of my plate with my phone so I can track the meal when I get home.”

Great idea!

Learning and executing healthy life lessons, like the ones Carla has adopted, are what truly separates devoted Weight Watchers from the pack.  Many people embark on the journey, but only the strong survive.  Survivors are those who possess the strength to fight bad habits and hunger from boredom, strength to plan and prepare and strength to simply continue when it’s not always the easiest thing…those are the true losers (in a good way)!

It was strength over rich food, good beer and lack of exercise that helped Abby Simons drop 35 lbs. after five months on Weight Watchers.

Abby is a wonderful woman I met as a freshmen in college, who now works as a reporter in Minnesota.  I’m very honored to be able to share her weight loss journey on my blog, which Abby frequently read to stay motivated.

Abby, right, before

Here’s her story:

“I was pretty unhappy by the weight I had put on and the way I looked, but I wasn’t really doing anything about it,” she said.  ”I was on my way home from a road trip with college girlfriends and one mentioned losing about 15 pounds in a few months on Weight Watchers.  I was impressed and signed up as soon as I got home.”

Abby never set a specific goal weight but knew she needed to shed a few pounds.  As a child she hadn’t struggled with her weight and her mother kept the cupboards clear of junk food.  Through college Abby used activity to deter extra pounds.  But in 2009, she began a couple of new relationships…one with a man and another with rich foods.

The couple constantly ate out or indulged at home.  Abby was bored with her workout routine and too unmotivated to head to the gym after a long day of work.  Eventually a minor foot injury from wearing poor quality shoes shut her activity down completely.

“In the summertime I rode my bike everywhere and it kind of balanced itself out,” she said.  ”But in the winter, all I did was lay around and eat.  Eventually my weight got ahead of me.”

Abby, left, before

Now, Abby works out five days a week, running a few miles most days or lifting weights.  She makes sure to wear proper shoes and has started working out in the middle of the day with co-workers.  Her next goal includes running a half-marathon this summer.

“I love the way exercising makes me feel, and I love the way my body is transforming inside and out,” she said. “I have more muscle definition, which I love, and I am stronger with more energy. I enjoy challenging my body and seeing the things it can do, that I never thought it could do. My metabolism is higher, I’m more regular and, I can splurge on junk food if I worked hard that day.  Admittedly, a lot of my interest lies in vanity. Whenever the treadmill is really starting to suck, I think about how good I’m going to look in a bikini on the beach in a couple months. To imagine myself having a figure close to mine in high school is motivating.”

Abby and I at a wedding in February 2011

Abby has successfully maintained her weight loss, even though she is no longer attending meetings regularly. Exercise plays a large role, but so does her new attitude toward choosing foods.

“Exercising is what keeps me motivated,” she said.  ”Put it this way: 30 minutes or three miles on a treadmill only burns about 350 calories, give or take a few. Do you think I’m gonna throw that away on a mini-bag of potato chips? Hell no!”

Abby tracked her weight loss online using the Weight Watchers eTools and attended weekly meetings to keep herself accountable.  She also incorporated healthy foods like Morningstar Veggie Burgers, Flat Outs, Bagel Thins and turkey bacon into her diet.  She enlisted the help of friends, like her boyfriend George, mom Sally and friend Sarah Gravlin, as well as co-workers, to stay focused.

“I like how Weight Watchers showed me what I could do instead of what I couldn’t.  I had so many options, and counting points was easy to do and made sense.  It was also, in a strange way, kind of fun.”

Abby and her boyfriend George

Abby’s Top Tips:
•  Hold the cheese, you won’t notice it’s missing.

•  Bread is not worth all the calories.

•  The fridge is not an entertainment center.

•  Drinks lots of water after working out.

•  Work out on an empty or fairly empty stomach.  Drink coffee for a little energy.

•  Good shoes with good support are a must.  They should be a size bigger than your street shoe.

•  Get a workout buddy to stay accountable.

Working Out Some Relaxation

I felt like I was cheating but I dragged myself to a free Zumba class held at the F Street Community Center Friday night. I didn’t know what to expect and it took a lot of convincing from my co-worker, but I bit the bullet and went to work off the Valentino’s pizza we had for lunch.

I never felt more lost than I did the moment I walked in, wearing my purple tight fitting Zumba shirt and my nice, black dress boots. We do, after all, have about five inches of snow covering Lincoln. Not many people had showed up due to the conditions and as the friendly faces streamed in I noticed one difference between me and all of them…I’m white!

As if I wasn’t shaking in my boots enough already, I was imagining how stupid I was going to feel ‘popping’ it in a sea of black women.

I was timid at first, but I laughed at jokes and shaked my booty.  Made conversation and eventually warmed up to it.  This Zumba session, led by a very perky little Asian girl, was very low intensity. I almost wonder if it’s meant for an older crowd.

While I didn’t break the sweat I usually do (and probably didn’t burn off the two extra slices of pizza I had) it did get me moving a little more than I would have. We did some meringue, belly dancing and marching in place.  We even pulled out some steps and did a little ab work.  By the end of the hour, I had befriended an older woman named Daphne.

“See you next Friday,” she said, as I walked out the door.

So what are the benefits to a low intensity workout?

•  You still burn calories!

•  Reduces blood sugar levels and insulin resistance

•  Lower levels of depression, better sleep, more energy, a greater ability to deal with stress

•  Gentle stretching doesn’t elevate the heart rate as much as an intense workout, but these moves are excellent for stress relief and relaxation which helps to lower blood pressure.

All in all it was a very relaxing workout.  I burned a few calories, had a few laughs and have another new venue to blow off steam and get to know people.  Does this mean I should punt my high intensity workout? While I’m quickly being whipped into shape at my other Zumba classes, this low intensity exercise offers a nice break. Low intensity exercise is perfect for people who are just starting out or for people who have physical disabilities that limit their ability to do strenuous exercise.

FAVORITE FOOD FIND?

Applesauce.  I recently discovered I love the stuff.  I know my mom fed it to me as a baby, all mashed up with cottage cheese, but I guess I forgot how delicious, cold, sweet and filling it is.  Yummmm!

Kinda Weight Watcher

“If you kinda do it, it kinda works.  If you really do it, it really works.”

That’s the message my Weight Watchers leader Cally left us with Monday night.  As she read the words from her oversized paper tablet, heads nodded around the room.

I know this all-too-well since I’ve been a kinda do it weight watcher for a while now.  It’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It’s not like I’m gorging myself with thousands of calories every other night, eating well on others and praying for a good weigh in.  Behavior like that isn’t just kinda doing it, it’s not doing it at all.  But I do enjoy the occasional Friday Afternoon Club drinks with my workmates or spontaneous Indian/African/Sushi dinners with my friends.  I’m losing and gaining but mostly maintaining… not the best strategy since I still have 25 lbs. to lose!

But as a self-proclaimed “kinda do it weight watcher”, I’ve found the only answer for us kinda-do-iter’s is exercise.

At the beginning of the year, Jillian, my good friend, neighbor and partner in crime, joined Gold’s Gym.  Membership was free, it was ten bucks a month, truly a good deal if there ever was one.  But me in a gym?  Not likely.  First of all, I don’t know what to do among the sea of machines, plus there are a lot of men and I have to motivate myself to keep going.  Then I found a miraculous deal on Groupon (if you don’t know what this is, look it up and sign up.  I’ve gotten some amazing deals).  This one was fifteen Zumba visits for $15 (usually $5 a class)!  It was fate, I’m sure, because I saw the deal, bought it and haven’t looked back.

Every Monday and Thursday at 7 p.m. you can find me at the Center for People in Need.  We salsa. We meringue. We even do some belly dancing for good measure.  This fitness phenomenon is an aerobic workout that’s a mixture of rhumba, salsa, flamenco, hip hop and meringue. Zumba works every muscle group for sixty minutes and rewards me with 16 Weight Watchers Activity Points each time!

This is a picture of just a few people in my Zumba class.  This was in the beginning when I was still new and timid but you can see me along the wall in the back.  Ashley, our instructor, is in the front row with the black tank and gray sweats.

I’ve done Zumba about six times.  My first try was hard.  I was out of breath, sweating and moving around like a blind mouse. Fortunately, our instructors roommate quickly befriended me and encouraged me the entire time.  When the final, slow down song came on I almost cried.  I made it!

By my third try, I had gotten the hang of some of the moves and didn’t feel like giving up.  Now, I sweat more than I ever have and I have no problems dropping it like it’s hot in front of hundreds of other women (sometimes a man or two).

Ashley, our instructor, is also terrific.  Every class she kind of radiates with a Zumba Zeal.  She starts off  with an enthusiastic “let’s party” and encourages us to really shake our booties, or yell out Zumba when the song calls for it.  We even did a dance off on Valentine’s Day.  People laugh, people clap, it’s a good time.  The music is good, the dance steps are hip and it’s remarkably easy to alternate between low-impact and high-impact. For that reason, my packed class contains an impressive mix of  ages – anything from rail thin 18-year-olds to women pushing 70.

Even if you have no rhythm, you can shake your money maker and nobody cares.  It makes me feel sexy.  I move my hips, shake my bum and act like a backup dancer.  I even bought some Zumbaesque shirts at Target (with peace signs, hearts and glitter) for class, something I would never have seen myself wearing.  Everyone is confused by the dance moves at one time or the other, but the energy in the room is infectious.  By my second or third visit, I had totally given in to Zumba Zeal, whooping and shouting with my fellow Zumbazons. I’ll be back as long as I can afford it.  I’m addicted!

For me, exercise wasn’t ever a priority.  I knew if I exercised more, I could burn off more calories, but I never wanted to burden myself with something else I had to do.  I’ve been to the gym but my friends had to drag me.  But with Zumba, I look forward to it.  I want to go.  And I’m quickly realizing there are a lot more benefits to working out than burning excess calories.

1.  I feel better.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out (a.k.a. stress from work!). You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.

2.  I’m proud of myself

I try to get to Zumba as often as possible and it feels good to actually take the initiative to do it.  It feels good to be able to complain about having to workout because I actually do workout.

3.  I’m healthier

As if eating healthy isn’t enough, I’m doing my body even better by working out.  Regular physical activity can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular physical activity boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.  And there’s more. Regular physical activity can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. Regular physical activity can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

4.  I’m burning excess calories! Enough said.

5.  I have more energy.  Even when I’m tired and don’t feel like working out, I always feel better after. Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

6.  I’m having fun!  I clap, I giggle, I laugh, I jiggle.  I love Zumba!

Convinced you should work out? Good.  Sign up for something and start reaping the rewards!

FAVORITE FOOD FIND:

Here is an amazing recipe I found on WW online, Caribbean Pork with Sweet Potatoes.  It’s fantastic!

I guess I didn’t realize how amazing baked apples are, especially when paired with baked, chunks of sweet potato and a pork loin from Omaha Steaks.

This should be your welcome to fall family dinner, especially if you’re a fan of hot apple cider and sweet potato pie.

The only downfall was I over cooked the pork. The recipe called for 20 minutes but that wasn’t long enough so I put them back in and lost track of time. The sweet potatoes turned out crispy on the edges, mushy on the inside and the apples were like sweet, carmelized onions. Simply divine!

I paired this meal with some cottage cheese. The meal is sweet and the apples and creamy cottage cheese really meshed well. The sweet sauce soaked into the pork was also very nice.

Caribbean Pork & Sweet Potatoes

(I made one piece of pork and cut back on some the ingredients and just counted it as 9 points plus for the whole recipe.  The recipe below is 4 servings, 4 points plus.)