Sunday, 02/27/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
chobani peach
banana/raspberries/blood orange/cherries
1 tbsp peanut butter
subtotal: 9

lunch:
grilled chicken/salad dressing
1 slice pizza (Pi-zzeria)
greek salad

dinner:
1 slice pizza (swim team party)
1 c yogurt
steak
subtotal: 17

daily total: - 11
activity: 0

Feedback:
I had a ton of food packed for going out to my parents' new condo. I also looked online ahead of time at the restaurant and found some healthy choices. I was very tempted by my fianee's Widowmaker pizza and I had one slice, which I enjoyed. The restaurant did not have nutritional information and I couldn't find any online.

For dinner, I really wasn't starving at the kids' pizza party, but it smelled good and that is one of my trigger foods. I resisted the cake they had and I intended to go to the gym after.

However, we both fell asleep because we were totally wiped out. I guess staying up too late last night assembling a file cabinet and setting up a new litter box and a new water dish for the cat sort of wore us out. (OK, well I was mostly supervising the whole thing!)

Then my son came home with a steak to cook. He wanted to go out to eat, but I just couldn't tackle a third meal out in one day, especially after using so many weekly points yesterday. I just told him to grab some takeout and come home and we would sit together. He came back with this $11 steak (who buys that?) and started cooking it while we watched the Star Wars movie where Anakin Skywalker goes bad. Then he decided to go to his girlfriends' right in the middle of everything. My fiancee didn't miss a beat saying "we will eat the steak, you go ahead." I guess it's a good thing we weren't having a dinner out for his benefit since he up and left in the middle. Sometimes you have to stick up for yourself (not going out to eat) because neither of us were hungry, we spent a lot on food the last 2 days and I really didn't want to spend the points on it.

Then I thought we should have just bought our own steaks last night and had them at home. Why not? It would probably cost less and we would get exactly what we wanted. So now I think once or twice a month, we will do that.

Saturday, 02/28/11 (Lost .4)(Total 28.6 lbs lost)

breakfast:
starbucks, 1 sugar, 2 c ff milk (questionable on the milk....I think it was less)
cheese stick
banana/banana/blood orange
peanut butter crackers
raspberries/apple slices
subtotal: 12

lunch:
4 slices salami/1/4 c cheese/1 slice bread
chobani pomegranate
McDonald's caramel dipping sauce for apple
salami (again)
2 tbsp dressing (yeah, dressing on salami. Weird.)
subtotal: 16

dinner:
salad dressing and cheese
salad (0 point items)
slice thin bread/bit of butter
6 oz bacon wrapped sirloin
broccoli (tasted suspiciously good. Must have had stuff on it.)
2 ribs/a few cheese fries
3 mini crunch bars
popcorn
31

daily total: -29
activity: 2 hours dancing, earned 2, daily total revised: -27
weeklies remaining: 22

Feedback:
I was extremely happy to maintain the 5 pound loss and lose even more. Very, very happy. I go to the gym 6 days a week, I track, I stay within my points and weekly points, I hit most of the good health guidelines.......awesome!

I don't want anyone to think by not tracking well a few days this week that it helped me. I know it didn't, so please don't get that idea. I actually ran out of my 3 month tracker (had to buy a new one this Saturday) and I was tracking on the little weekly one they give you at the meeting, and on random sheets of paper. Maybe I lost one of the sheets. I know tracking is my success, so don't stray from it.

I'm also really proud I've been doing PointsPlus since it debuted on Nov. 29, 2010 and that is why I needed my new 3 month tracker at the end of February.

I love the control you feel when you track. You don't have to guess how you are doing, you just know. You don't have to over estimate or under estimate points, you just know. If you can't decide what kind of eating day to have, look at yesterday, and your week thus far, and you will know why you might feel deprived, or why you might feel uncomfortably full or cranky or have trouble sleeping.

I had my wedding dress fitting and it had to be taken in along the waist and hips. What an awesome feeling. To be the person I am on the inside. It's not just about "being skinny" for my pictures. It's about not holding back from living, all the things I was afraid to do or could not do before. I have way more energy now. I sleep better. I listen to my body more. I am more in tune with myself. I am more in touch with my emotions and I prioritize what I need to do for myself.

Friday, 02/24/11

I didn't track. Here's what I remember.

breakfast:
cheese stick
coffee
banana

lunch:
small cheeseburger from McDonald's

after dinner:
10 m&m's
piece of Trader Joe's cinnamon crumb coffee cake
yogurt ice cream (1/2 c)

activity:
1 hour zumba

Thursday, 02/24/11

1 c ff milk
banana
1 c vanilla yogurt
honey
subtotal: 6

cup french onion soup
half turkey BLT
apple
subtotal: 10

2 tbsp dressing
salad
pirouette cookies (2)
subtotal: 6

didn't track the rest

Wednesday, 02/23/11

chobani greek yogurt
1 c ff milk
banana
subtotal: 6

half a chicken caesar wrap
tall nonfat misto, 1 sugar
vitatop
2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream and 1 portion pretzels
subtotal: 15

didn't journal/track dinner

Tuesday, 2/22/11

1 c ff milk
chobani pomegranate greek yogurt
apple/banana
subtotal: 6

lean pocket
2 tbsp nutella
pretzels
sour cream and mayo
rice chicken
subtotal: 22

daily total: 28

Monday, 02/21/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
1 slice wheat/1 tbsp pb/1 tbsp jelly
banana
subtotal: 9

lunch:
grilled chicken
rice
apple
14 almonds
toasty crackers
subtotal: 13

dinner:
quesadilla rellena
sour cream
guacamole
apple juice
slice of cake (wedding cake sampler platter)
subtotal: 19

daily total: 47
activity: 38 minutes treadmill, earned 4
ap's used: 4
daily total revised: -14

Feedback:
How many times can you put "cake samples for wedding cake tryouts" on your journal? Woo-hoo! Live a little!

Sunday, 02/20/11

breakfast:
2 c ff milk
half cup kashi
banana
apple
100 calorie peanut butter crackers
subtotal: 11

lunch:
1 slice bread
1 tbsp pb / 1 tbsp jelly
cajun alfredo leftovers (patted down with paper towel. Gross!)
salad
2 tbsp dressing
chicken
subtotal: 15

dinner:
popcorn
3 Musketeers
sour cream and 1 tbsp mayo
tortilla chips
subtotal: 22

daily total: 41
ap's earned: 12 from 1 hour zumba
ap's used or weeklies used: 12
daily total after activity: 37

Feedback:
That was a really unhealthy dinner. I think I was full by then. And the sour cream with mayo was a bad choice. Too many points and not filling or healthy!

Saturday, 02/19/11

breakfast:
banana
raisin bran
skim milk/coffee/1 sugar
yogurt
14 almonds
cheese sick
subtotal: 15

lunch:
14 almonds
chicken short cuts perdue
banana
pb crackers
subtotal: 8

dinner:
sushi (all you can eat....mistake!)
1/2 cup frozen yogurt
toppings
subtotal: 15

daily total: 37
activity: 0
weeklies used: -41

Feedback:
Another roadtrip. Learned from the last time and only ate out for a nice dinner. Packed a massive amount of my own food and made sure we had a room with a fridge for everything.

I packed a pack of string cheese, a pack of that pre-made chicken (3 portions in bag, 2 points per portion and it's a lot of chicken!), a bag of mini carrots, apples, bananas, almonds, 1 six pack of peanut butter crackers (on the theory that if I wanted a treat, the devil I know is better than the one I don't. They are 3 points per bag and pretty tasty.)

I think the strategy worked pretty well. If I just wanted to chew, I ate a banana, apple or carrots. If I needed protein or energy, I went for the nuts, chicken or cheese sticks.

Our friends suggested the all you can eat sushi, but both of us felt uncomfortably stuffed afterwards. It was not a nice feeling. It was $14 per person. Why can I spend that on a salad (one reasonable portion), but then feel like I need to eat 20 pieces of sushi because it's "free"? It doesn't make sense. I don't think I can handle going back there again (at least for now. Buffets and all you can eat are too tempting for me right now.)

We didn't really want the frozen yogurt, although it was fun to go. Next time, I'll pack some candy with me and munch on that, or pack a small dessert (a piece of rich chocolate) to enjoy while everyone else eats. I was doing it to be social and that's the wrong reason.

Friday, 02/18/11

breakfast:
banana
cheese stick
toasty 100 calorie peanut butter crackers
2 c ff milk
baby carrots
subtotal: 11

lunch:
chobani honey greek yogurt
1/2 turkey sub on wheat w/ provolone
banana
14 almonds
baby carrots
apple
subtotal: 13

dinner:
white zinfandel
garlic bread with cheese
beef gorgonzola salad (6 oz filet mignon)
cajun alfredo (ate some of fiancee's food)

daily total: 53
activity: 2 hours walking briskly, earned 2
aps or weeklies used: 20
weekly allowance remaining: -46

Thurs, 02/17/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
banana
greek yogurt chobani pomegranate
subtotal: 6

lunch:
1 c potato salad (sooooooo good and addictive)
flatout/1/4 c cheese/3 slices ham
nuts
vitatop dark chocolate
banana
subtotal: 22

dinner:
sour cream
tortilla chips
carrots
almonds half serving
1 c ff milk
subtotal: 11

daily points: 39
activity: 30 mins treadmill
used 8 aps or weeklies
allowance remaining -26

Wed, 02/16/11

breakfast:
chobani peach greek yogurt
orange
banana
1 c ff milk
subtotal: 6

lunch:
cheese
pretzels
diet soda
turkey sub/wheat/lite mayo
popcorn
subtotal: 19

dinner:
marshmallows
london broil salad
nuts
gummis from Trader Joes
subtotal: 11

daily total: 38
activity: 1 hour zumba
used 3 aps or weeklies, weekly allowance used -18

Tuesday, 02/15/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
chobani greek yogurt honey flavor
orange, banana
subtotal: 6

lunch:
ww cinnamon crumb bar
flatout/1/4 c cheese/3 ham
non fat misto, 1 sugar
banana
subtotal: 10

dinner:
cup chili with a little cheese, a little sour cream
cornbread
london broil salad (didn't eat all)
bleu cheese on side
hot tea, no sugar
subtotal: 17

daily total: 33
activity: none
weekly points used: 4
weekly points remaining: -15

Feedback:
I got stuck at work and didn't eat the cinnamon crumb bar until 12:30. Luckily, I had it stashed in my purse from this weekend's WW meeting. It was very tasty. After that, I got the Starbucks drink, and I was getting really edgy and hungry because it was 2:00 p.m. I went home and got the rest of lunch, which I really needed to avoid a binge.

After that, I got stuck in another appointment until 5:30 and I was more hungry than I realized. I didn't get to eat until almost 6:45, at which point I had the chili so I could make a wise dinner choice.

I was glad I recognized I was full and stopped eating the salad. It will make for nice leftovers for tomorrow.

I planned to go to the gym, but I couldn't fit it in. Dinner was an unexpected outing with family. I admit, I could have done something else for dinner and gone to the gym. It was just one of those nights when a bunch of us were free at the same time and we really wanted to talk and spend some time together. We had a nice time and we got to linger and have some good conversations. My son sent me a super cute chipmunk video we talked about at dinner.

Even though I'm over my points for the week, I'm really proud that I am aware of this. In the past, I had imaginary thinking about my consumption and I would just blissfully ignore it and pretend it (the overages) didn't happen. I would tell myself the things I ate weren't that bad, or we walked around a lot while we were out looking for our restaurant, or I stood around so much at the swim meet that I must have burned my points off. I'd rather know what's going on because it makes me feel in control, and I own my choices.

Monday, 02/14/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
1 c ff yogurt/blackberries/honey
subtotal: 6

lunch:
flatout/3 ham/1 colby jack
popcorn
banana
orange (2)
1/2 c cheerios, 1 c ff milk
broccoli and cheese
subtotal: 17

dinner:
chobani pomegranate greek yogurt
strawberries
3 oz ground chicken
green beans and potatoes
portabella mushrooms
marshmallows
twix mini
subtotal: 11

daily total: 34
activity: 45 minutes treadmill, earned 4
daily total after activity: 30
used 1 weekly allowance point
weekly allowance remaining: -11

Feedback:
I tried to focus on eating a lot of fruits and vegetables to fill myself up for very few points. Protein is very filling also and a very good choice. I was actually really full at dinner and couldn't finish it all. I had the Twix mini to celebrate the real valentine's day. I made myself do 45 minutes instead of 30 so I could earn more points to get myself either out of the defecit, or to be able to eat more today, so I wouldn't feel frantic.

Sunday, 02/13/11

breakfast:
starbucks, non fat
nonfat milk, 8 oz
bacon, 1 and a half slices
orange/strawberry/pineapple
orange
egg white omelette
vegetables/feta
subtotal: 11

lunch:
half a cinnamon bun (IKEA)
kid's cheeseburger (McD's)
kid's fries
diet coke
subtotal: 18

dinner:
3 slices New York pizza
salad croutons dressing
subtotal: 18

daily total: 48
activity: half hour activity, earned 2
daily total: 46
used 10 weeklies, for a weekly allowance used of negative 10 (yes, negative 10!)

Feedback:
Breathe, breathe! This is what happens when you don't know the value of what you eat! Arrgh. I feel like a salt lick! Gross. Activity and being on program is the cure. It's OK!

Saturday, 02/12/11 (Lost 5 pounds)

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
flatout/quarter cup goat cheese
glazed krispy kreme donut
subtotal: 15

lunch:
2 slices whitewheat
2 tbsp pb/2 tbsp jelly
coffee/milk/sugar
banana
subtotal: 13

snack:
3 piece chicken strip/honey mustard
kid's size lemonade
subtotal: 14

dinner:
Potbelly Italian original, thin cut on wheat
baked lays
diet soda
1/2 of peanut butter pie slice
wine
subtotal: 29

daily total: -42 (ie 73)
activity: 0

Feedback:
I lost 5 pounds since last week. I was really happy about that. My head and heart told me the up 3 pounds last week was from overdoing my weekly allowance the night before weigh in, and from sodium and mother nature. I was right, I guess!

It's kind of unbelievable to have this kind of loss this far into the program, so I'm really happy. I could tell my clothes were looser, I am down 2 band sizes, 1 cup size, and my skin is getting really loose and my body is changing. I knew in my heart my efforts would show. I was going to ask my leader to look at my journal if I had not lost this week.

Today, we went to my son's swim meet and then went out of town for Valentine's day. If there's any day I'd like to spend my whole allowance, it's the day I weigh in, to give me a whole week to get back in shape!

I used to spend my whole allowance every Saturday, but I haven't done that in quite a while. It's ok, though. I can handle it! This is why WW is a great program. Last Satuday, I had some drinks with the girls, and still lost 5 pounds this week! The key is to track everything and get your activity in!

I really do need to make a dining out primer. I am going to work on that. I made a poor choice at Chic-fil-A because I didn't know my options.

Dinner could have been much worse. We tried to go 2 other places where the wait was an hour long. No thanks! We don't need to spend $30 plus per person to sit in a chain restaurant where we can't hear. The Potbelly place was cute, had charm and was just fine with me. Otherwise, I surely would have had a steak and spent waaaay more points! Then we went to see "Gnomeo & Juliet", which we both enjoyed. No snacks for us at the movie theater. I was perfectly happy with my sandwich (very tasty, and not too much bread), and I brought in my own Coke Zero in my pocket. My fiancee wasn't feeling well and barely touched his sandwich. I knew we would probably have dessert, so there was no way I was going for popcorn.

We stopped at a Wegman's grocery (very nice place!) because I wanted some produce, but the bananas were all far from ripe. We are both grocery store geeks and seriously enjoyed the huge produce department and expansive restaurant eating section (!) and dessert section. We got a big piece of peanut butter pie to share ($5) and a bottle of wine to take back to our hotel. We each had one small serving of the wine and shared the pie slice, which we couldn't finish. We did look at the cupcake place on our way back to our car, but they were closed (the plan was to share a cupcake.) The pinkberry place, incidentally, had a line out the door.

I was perfectly happy with our non-traditional holiday. We don't need to spend a ton of money on a big dinner, get full past stuffed, go to a movie or show and have more snacks, and then pile on a huge dessert and alcohol. Instead, we scaled that back and had a great time on our terms. These were treats for me, definitely, but in my "old life", I would have probably eaten double this amount of calories. (I will admit, I was craving some nice prime rib. We will get it eventually, I am sure!)

Friday, 02/11/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
flatout/ quarter cup goat cheese
subtotal: 8

lunch:
banana
1 c ff milk
diet soda
orange
veg crisps/ff sour cream
10 marshmallows
subtotal: 7

dinner:
veg stirfry
1/2 c brown rice
2 tsp oil
1 slice whitewheat
1 tbsp pb
1 tbsp jelly
twix mini bar
10 m&m's
1 chocolate chip cookie
subtotal: 20

daily total: 35
activity: 1 hour zumba, earned 12
ap's remaining: 21
weeklies remaining: 16

Feedback:
I usually eat all my weekly points, but this week was super busy and I just sort of floated through the days. I enjoyed all the activity and tried to eat more filling foods. It kept me feeling more satisfied. I still had a lot of treats, but I kept track of them all and tried to keep a balance throughout the week. The big difference this week is that I didn't eat out much. I was really disappointed I gained last week, and I just wasn't willing to pay that price again. I can make more satisfying meals at home for much less money and not have to wonder what was in the meal I ate.

Thursday, 02/10/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
flatout/2 turkey/1 cheese
1/2 c yogurt/blackberry/honey
subtotal: 11

lunch/dinner:
salad
2 tbsp salad dressing
1 tbsp bacon bits
krab
popcorn
2 oranges
1 c ff milk
10 marshmallows
3 tbsp nuts
nutella
subtotal: 20

daily total: 30 (aka -1)
activity: 1/2 hour tread, 3
9 ap's remain
16 weeklies remain

Wednesday, 02/09/11

breakfast:
2 c ff milk
flatout/brie/3 turkey
subtotal: 12

lunch:
sunchips
cheese stick
coffee/milk
subtotal: 10

dinner:
steak
onion hash
rice
plantains
3 tbsp nuts
subtotal: 21

daily total: -16
weekly remaining: 16, 7 ap remain

Tuesday, 02/08/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
apple
pretzels
flatout/cheese/3 slice turkey
subtotal: 9

lunch/dinner:
3 slice turkey
banana
orange
salad
dressing
1/2 serving veggie crisps
sour cream
1 c milk
subtotal: 10

daily total: 13 remaining (don't remember if I ate more?)
activity: 30 minutes treadmill
ap's remaining: 7
weeklies remaining: 32

Monday, 02/07/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk/1 tsp intl coffee mix
1/2 c yogurt/honey
blueberries
subtotal: 6

lunch:
salad
banana
orange
2 tbsp dressing
chicken
subtotal: 6

dinner:
veggie crisps/sour cream
1/2 c brown rice
steak
veggies
nuts
subtotal: 10

daily total: 28
activity: 38 minutes treadmill, earned 4
weekly allowance remaining: 32

Sunday, 02/06/11

breakfast/lunch:
lean pocket
coffee/milk
milk
flatout wrap
turkey and pepper jack cheese
subtotal: 18

dinner/end of day:
2 bananas
4 tbsp ff sour cream
veggie crisps
chicken salad
1/2 c ff frozen yogurt (took my measuring cup with me!)
10 reeses pieces
fruit on top of yogurt
orange
grapes
subtotal: 27

daily total: -4 (after deducting activity points)
activity: 1 hour zumba, earned 12 points

Feedback:
Slept late and combined two meals. The cup of chicken salad was not as great (points-wise) as I was hoping, but we were at a deli where I skipped the bread and just ate out of the little take out cup. When we got home, my fiancee and I measured how much was in the cup. I actually ate it over 2 meals. It was tasty, but too much mayo for me. I got my activity in, and felt great. I had been missing zumba. My muscles were a little tight and I felt bloated, but I got through it. I always feel good after I go to zumba!

Saturday, 02/05/11 (Up 3)

breakfast:
banana
2 c ff milk
subtotal: 6

lunch:
rice
chicken/pork/beef skewer (Vietnamese food)
orange
subtotal: 15

snacks:
ham
whitewheat 1 slice/1 tbsp pb/1 tbsp jelly
subtotal: 6

dinner (?)
gummis
hipnotic
popcorn
subtotal: 19

daily total: -13
activity: 1 hour dancing, 4 points

feedback:
I think eating out so much this week was a problem, along with not knowing how to calculate a lot of that food, and not planning my meals. Also, mother nature has conspired against me. All I can do is do better next week. I did go to the gym every day but one this week. I slipped on my good health guidelines, especially oil.

Friday, 02/04/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
flatout/cheese/turkey pepperoni
subtotal: 8

lunch:
banana
veggie crisps
gummi candy
animal crackers
pretzels
flatout/slice cheese/canadian bacon
subtotal: 22

dinner:
goat cheese salad
2 tbsp dressing
4 oz salmon
10 m&m's
5 pretzels
carrot cake slice
subtotal: 21

daily total: -21
activity: 1 hour zumba, earned 12

Feedback:
I had a 1 PM appointment that took 2 hours. I wasn't hungry going in, but I should have known better than to let myself be "getting hungry" on the way over. I went to Trader Joe's after, and that's how I ended up with the veggie crisps, gummi candy and animal crackers. I wanted to go hog wild, which I did for my new way of eating, but....wow. Bad decision. I knew it as I was doing it, and I didn't care. Sigh.

Thursday, 02/03/11

breakfast:
1 c ff milk
flatout wrap
laughing cow wedge
8 turkey pepperoni slices
greek yogurt
agave
blackberries
subtotal: 11

lunch:
leftover colombian food
subtotal: 5

dinner/snacks:
banana
sour cream, pretzels, mayo
marshmallows
chocolate
orange
popcorn
1/2 c rice
subtotal: 13

daily total: 29
activity: 30 minutes treadmill, earned 3
remaining: 4 ap, 18 weekly

Feedback:
Another backsliding day. Arrrgh.

Wednesday, 02/02/11

breakfast
1 c ff milk
0% greek yogurt with peach on the bottom
honey
subtotal: 7

lunch:
leftover pasta from last night
banana
grapes
mandarin oranges in own juice, drained juice
subtotal: 5

dinner:
Colombian food
steak
beans
rice
plantain
subtotal: 15

Just wrote activity, 2 points. Don't remember what, probably the treadmill

Feedback:
I have a lot of imaginary Points counting going on!

Tuesday, 02/01/11

breakfast:
2 c ff milk
greek yogurt, honey, blackberries
banana
subtotal: 9

lunch:
chicken stirfry
2 nutter butters
orange
subtotal: 9

dinner:
surprise dinner at Federico's
pasta/cheese
antipasto salad
half pack 100 calorie cheez-its
1 tbsp nutella
subtotal: 14 (optomistic counting!)

daily total: -5
activity: 30 minutes treadmill
remaining: 1 ap, 18 weeklies

Feedback:
I need to plan my meals better. Not knowing what I'm having for dinner is throwing me off.