Friday, April 8, 2011

I'm a loser.

A big one.

3.4 pounds, to be exact.

Feelin' pretty proud of it, too. Okay, so being sick helped. But even while being sick, I still tried to make healthy food choices. And obviously, it worked!

So I'm now down 4.8 pounds. Only .2 lbs away from hitting the 5 pound mark! In the past, I would have pooh-poohed losing 5 pounds, but now, I am reveling in it. I think that was part of my problem. I always looked at the big picture and saw that I had a gajillion pounds to lose (that's a number, it really is) and losing 1 or 2 pounds felt so insignificant in the face of having so much to lose. I really like the way Weight Watchers breaks it down into small percentages. Reaching a goal of 5% feels so much more attainable than hitting the 100 pound mark. And doctors now say that a loss as small as 5% or 10% can have a really big impact on your health, so I'm looking at it in little chunks instead of a big honking lump.

We talked about hunger versus appetite at the meeting today. It was really eye-opening to think about how often I eat when my body hasn't actually told me I'm hungry. It's scary to think about how much food I stuff in my face when I don't need it. I've had the internal dialogue in front of the fridge where I ask myself why I'm eating something when I just finished dinner an hour or two prior, then go ahead and eat anyway. I think my goal for this week is to really think about what I'm eating and when I'm eating it, and only eat when I'm hungry. Not when I'm bored or just out of habit, but when my stomach is actually empty. Such a novel concept, I know.

So I've really been enjoying the WW meetings. Of all the "diets" I've been on, WW has always been my favorite. Not just because what they say makes sense ("Watch portion sizes and make healthy food choices"--such a radical idea!) but because of the support you get. It doesn't hurt that I've been meeting my bestie (whom I rarely get to see) every week. It's nice to have a buddy there to share the ups and downs of weight loss. But seeing all of those other people there who are going through exactly what I am and who know just what it feels like to be trying to lose weight is wonderful. The leader, Pat, is funny and very engaging. She always has great advice and tips and really makes you think. Plus, the meetings are something I do solely for ME. Most of my life is spent worrying about others and their problems, needs, wants, etc. But for 40 minutes a week, I get to go and do this for myself. And I get to raise my hand and share my weight loss and get praised for it. Yes, I need that. I need to hear other people tell me I did a good job. Otherwise, I feel like an island, if that makes sense.

After the meeting today, Kim and I went to The Big Evil and bought new swimsuits for the kids. Tomorrow, we're heading to the Y for open swim. Probably not a whole lot of aerobic benefit to floating around in the pool, but after a week of being sick as a dog, it's at least something. I didn't make it to the gym once this week, which I'm not super happy about. But I figured the other patrons wouldn't be so appreciative of me hacking and coughing and hoarking up a lung on the treadmill. Plus, I didn't think it would help my recovery too much if I overdid it and aggravated my upper respiratory infection. (Did I mention that I also had a sinus infection and strep throat? Oh yeah, you really wanted ME next to you this week!) If I can kick this cough over the weekend, I'll be back to the gym on Monday. I really wanna capitalize on this weight loss and push myself a little harder in the exercise department. Shoot, I might even get brave and try out some of the machines in the weight room! I know, I'm a maniac. You may laugh in my general direction now.

In other random news, I absolutely hate the low-fat balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing I bought. It tastes overwhelmingly of basil. Or oregano. Or maybe it's thyme. I dunno, something green. I just ate a salad that I despised because a) I was too lazy to make a new one and b) I am too cheap to throw all of those ingredients out. Ugh. I need to brush my teeth. I have the most horrible basil/oregano/thyme breath EVER.

3 comments:

  1. WOOHOO!! I am so proud of you!! I hope that you get better and can make it to the gym!!
    Oh, and you have basil breath :)
    <3 Ya!!!

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  2. You're off to a great start, Jen. Keep going!!
    I know, I eat yucky stuff, too, rather than throw it out. I also feel obliged to eat Marcus leftovers so as not to be wasteful. Soy yogurt, waffle bits, chicken chunks, animal crackers, half-gnawed apples...ugh.

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  3. Good job, Jen. I'm really enjoying your blog!

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