Reunited and it Feels So Good

Up until now I have had two very neglected blogs. I had one where I would (complain) comment on the world around me and one where I attempted to lose weight and be a better person. After a lot of time not blogging and doing much thinking, I realized that dividing myself into two blogs isn’t really a great idea. I am who I am: cynical, angry, hopeful, fun loving, sarcastic, funny, caring and loyal. Trying to divide the good from the bad just makes me fractured and unlikely to do either. So from now on, I am will only be keeping one blog going, and the winner is: The meanest girl in the word (just cuz I like that title better).

Week Two, Howdja Do?

Well to answer my own question…ok. I was not Wendy Weight Watcher, but another week another try. I did bring my lunch nearly everyday to work (both good for the wallet and waistline) and cooked dinner a few nights, but the motivation definitely wore off mid week.

Looking forward to this week I have a menu plan with a few new recipes incorporated, I went grocery shopping and I have been food journaling.

On the money front-I have not created a new budget yet, but did put the extra vacation cash into my savings account.

TV situation: I am proud to say that on Saturday I did not watch any television-mostly because I was out of the apartment from 11:30 am on, but I did get a few things done in the morning that I surely would not have completed has 90210 been blaring in my face.
Sunday instead of festering on the couch, I went to lunch and a movie with my boyfriend (E) and another couple-delightful. I then proceeded to fall asleep on the couch after the movie…but you know too much progress too fast could be a dangerous thing.

I have also started to sift through the mass of stuff that has collected in the living room. I took before pictures and will take after pictures and if I can upload from my iphone-I will share.

Finally, I posted on my blog as scheduled! (delayed due to technical difficulties) Check back during the week, I *may* (I am making no promise) post again before Sunday/Monday.

Thanks for reading!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig!

I have recently returned from my annual pilgrimage to Cape Cod. When I returned home last year I started this blog. I definitely have not reached my weight loss goal, in fact I am exactly where I was last year, however I have learned one thing in a year-the Cape is necessary for my mental health.
I arrived at the Cape a tired and de-motivated woman. I had been feeling very blah leading up to my trip. I hated everything in my closet, I was sick of all the usual stuff I cook for dinner, work was annoying, I was sick of not keeping to my budget, I hated everything about my apartment, I didn’t want to go out, but I didn’t want to stay in—basically I was in a major rut.

Thankfully, my vacation crashed into this situation like a rogue wave (I love Deadliest Catch!). The first couple of days on the Cape were good and relaxing but it wasn’t until the third day that I realized that I was beginning to feel good, inspired even. I had some new ideas on things to do to the apartment and some new ideas on foods I wanted to try and things that I wanted to blog about. It was really refreshing to suddenly feel revitalized. I don’t think I knew how bummed out I was until I began to feel better. Then it hit me….this happens every time I spend the week down the Cape. I leave feeling renewed and energized, kind of how I *think* you should feel on New Year’s Day-like a clean slate and that you have things you want to accomplish-a good feeling.

That said, I made some resolutions during my vacation:

1. I am going to update my blog on Sunday’s (possibly post on Monday-editing time is sometimes needed) Also, I should mention I have more than one blog so it could be either one.

2. I will be Wendy Weight Watcher-stick to the plan, use my food journal, plan weekly menus, grocery shop and try to change up the things I cook so I don’t get bored.

3. I watch too much TV-so I am going to banish TV on one weekend day until after 8 pm. I think this will encourage me to do the other things on this list or at least leave the house.

4. I will be less stringent in the way I think about my weekends. Currently, I am very possessive of Sundays, I like to go to my WW meeting, grocery shopping, clean the apartment and basically just hang around like a bum.

5. I am going to try to get some kind of organization into my life and root through all of the junk that I have—and possibly have a yard sale

6. Stick to a savings plan. In my defense I had a savings plan that was going well, until there were some changes in my employment that were beyond my control.

So there you have it my post vacation resolutions.

Here is the progress one week back from vacation.

I posted a blog-not on Monday but that is because on Sunday I had a small cookout in my backyard with some friends (see resolution 3&4) and was a little too tipsy to write. Friends don’t let friends drink and blog.

I went grocery shopping, planned my menus (have not ordered out) and cooked something I have never made at home before: mussels (pretty good and not too stinking in my small little kitchen)

I have some vacation cash left over, so I have been using that instead of money out of my checking account and plan to move any money left in my weekly allowance into my savings at the end of the week.

So far so good, let’s just see how it goes. Thanks for reading!

Gobbled up Lots of Point, But Lost Anyway

Well, this is an interesting post, I actually went to WW and I am reporting back, as promised so long ago.

I weighed in on Sunday and I was down .4 yep, .4 To say I was disappointed would be very accurate, however I am trying to keep my head up since it was the week of Thanksgiving and I had 5 days off, which is usually the most difficult time for me to stay on program.

I was proud of the way I handled Turkey Day and I really think the low poundage was more due to my dinner at Bugaboo Creek the evening before weigh in. I made a fairly reasonable selection of the filet with a baked potato that I added a touch of sour cream and butter to (and I do mean just a touch). I also had a salad with the full fat Thousand Island dressing, but I added it myself and counted the points for the serving I used.

This week is going alright. I have certainly used more of my flexies than I had by Weds. of last week, but I was conserving for Turkey Day. I broke from my menu plan, but still used the number of points I had allotted for that meal already. I also, showed remarkable restraint when I ate my frozen dinner for lunch rather than indulging in the “burger bar with all the fixins” that was served in the cafeteria at my office.

Today will be a bit of a challenge, as I am unexpectedly going to my parent’s house for dinner and birthday cake for my mother. I think I may just grab a subway sandwich and have a tiny piece of cake.

Well, that is all for today.

"Here I go again on my own-going down the only road I've ever known"-Journey

Well, here I am again……the same weight I was when I started this blog and much closer to 30!

I don’t know what it is but I have no will power or drive or commitment to staying “on plan” when it comes to my eating. I really don’t know how to make a change that I can stick to.

That said-I am not giving up. I will try again. I do truly believe that I can get my weight in check. I know that the tools are there. I do believe that the tools work. I just think I have a problem working the tools.

Here are my strong suits:

I generally like “healthy food”. I love salads, veggies, seafood, chicken etc.
I can cook.
I enjoy cooking
I enjoy menu planning.
I enjoy grocery shopping.
I am disciplined enough to bring my lunch to work everyday.
I don’t go to the vending machines at work (except for diet soda-and that is very occasionally)
I have a great boyfriend who is very supportive
I don’t have a big sweet tooth, once in awhile I may get a craving, but not very often
I don’t usually eat after dinner
I know a lot about calories and fat, and usually can identify what is in something and how bad for me it is (doesn’t usually stop me from eating it but at least I know what I am biting into)

Here are my weaknesses:

I like to drink beer & wine
I like to eat out (and do not make good choices when I do)
Weekends are a challenge because of the lack of structure in my eating
Too many places deliver too many good foods to my apartment and that wonderful boyfriend of mine never wants to pressure me to cook dinner for us so….
I love fast food.
I am starving when I get home and do not make good decisions when I get very hungry
I don’t like to workout.
I don’t like to workout after work
I don’t like to workout before work
I really like to sit and watch tv

I am hoping that by outlining my strengths and weaknesses that I can clearly see what they are and use the strengths to overcome the weaknesses.

My first step is to go back to WW meetings. I have been using the program online and it isn’t working. I do not blame WW I blame me. I am hoping that the support and accountability of a group will help me. Additionally, there are always little old ladies that work the scales and the idea of them shaking their little heads when don’t lose or when I do gain weight can be very motivating.

My first meeting is on Sunday. You may be wondering why I am starting WW again, the week of Thanksgiving. I could be setting myself up for failure on the very first week. Well, I figure if I can go back to WW the week of Thanksgiving and lose weight that week in particular, then maybe this time I will be able to work the tools and get myself to be Thin By Thirty (or at least while thirty J )!

Hmmm.....

As I sit here today I am reflecting on the past week (week one if you will). I came home from my kick butt vacation with motivation to get moving and eating better to become a better version of myself by my thirtieth birthday.

The first week went well, a few set backs but I was down one pound. That isn't a lot, but it isn't a gain so I was happy.

But now, here we are on a Weds. morning, the middle of the week....and I have made bad choices. Very bad choices. I am going to try to pull it out for the remainder of the week. I will update at the end of the week and explain my plans and such....but I wanted to check in and be accountable. Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer....more upbeat next time I promise ;)

Six months till thirty?

Okay, so while I was on vacation I came to the horrible realization that I was going to be thirty in six months. How could this be? I am not rich, thin, or famous. I live with my boyfriend in a decent apartment in Cambridge (which was recently made much more pleasant by the departure of the elephant family which resided above us, I mean seriously, if my 1980's track lighting is shaking every time someone or some animal upstairs move, that is a serious problem). I am in the throes of completing a master's degree, I have great friends and a cool family, but I am soo not ready to be thirty. The only way I can face this impending doom is to resolve to be thin-by-thirty.

How am I going to accomplish my goal...eat less exercise more. That is my boyfriend's sure fire way to lose weight. Seems extremely simple yet, deceptively difficult. Actually, I do have a plan and I intend to detail and assess that plan here. Why here on a blog? Well because I have found that people do not take kindly to discussing how many calories and grams of fat are in every item of food on a menu when they are contemplating what to order. You will not make nor keep friends that way. I have also learned in my nearly thirty years on this earth that I like to talk a lot, and that I don't get enough attention at home. Don't get me wrong, my boyfriend (here on out dbf-dear boyfriend) is great, but no man wants to here how what your menu plan is for the week nor what you did or did not eat everyday.

I also suspect that no reader wants that all the time either. Don't fret-I will include snippets from my life, my thoughts, ideas, and criticisms. Yep a blog is perfect for a girl who likes to talk!