Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Strategies for 2010

I went walking on Sunday...it was a rainy miserable day...but what a view of the valley between the Washington border and Idaho...until we reached the dog track...then the scenery was less awesome...but while walking I talked about strategies for 2010. I won't make losing weight a resolution this year...but I do want to work on it. I was 183 in August and now I am close to if not over 200 lbs. I want to get back to that August weight. I had been doing Weight Watchers...and I feel I was pretty successful in doing it. Year one I lost 50 lbs...year two I lost 16 lbs...and now I am just not doing it at all. Starting January 2 I will attend my first WW meeting in several months...and I plan to get back on track. Mostly my goal is to be healthier. I am not sure if I will ever be THIN...in the since of looking glamorous...but as I age...and next year I turn 40...I think I should be more concerned with my body's well being. So...here is my list of strategies
  • Meal plan - I can't say enough about this...if you spend Sunday mapping out your week, you are less likely to eat just because. I pour over cookbooks and pick yummy and new recipes to try
  • Less processed foods - they just aren't good for me. Even if I am on a diet and should be eating low fat or light foods...even fat free...they really aren't good for me in the long run. I will try to avoid them!
  • One day of abandon - I will crave things...and I will write down what I am craving...one day a week I will revisit the list....and have the things I crave. It is my hope that once some time has passed, perhaps I won't crave what I wanted so much
  • More activity - I need to think how I will add more activity into my day. I need at least 30 minutes a day...and I need to get over thinking it needs to be 30 consecutive minutes...so I will do 10 minutes at a time or less if needed
  • Hiking or snowshoeing - I want to add this in as a regular occurrence. Depending on weather, I want to do a major hike every week as well...at a minimum of 4 miles and more if necessary...and if time allows...at a quick pace so I can burn and tone things!

Well, I think all of this seems reasonable! I am already thinking of what I need to do and how I will do it. The question is am I ready. Obviously my first year of WW was easier for me...I really seemed to stick with it. The second year was a series of ups and downs and it was very hard for me...and frustrating. Now, I can only hope and plan and try to make myself not love food as much!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Baking Cookies

So...every year I bake cookies. This is probably the one time of the year that I make and consume cookies without even thinking about the consequences. All of the other times of the year I think about consequences. I have already felt my waistband tighten. I have sworn I will NOT buy new clothing. Once I can't fit into my clothing...then I will just have to stop eating...

So I made chocolate crinkles, oatmeal craisin chocolate chip, sugar, chocolate chip and I will make buckeyes. I will also say that 90% of the cookies will be shipped to others...to help with their struggle to battle the bulge...actually I end up sending cookies to my unmarried brothers and then some of my friends who have come to enjoy my cookie treat. I don't send many...in fact this year I made a lot of 1/2 batches...and will send enough to sample...rather than stuff I hope this helps.

After this baking...I will go on to candy...my husband requires gluten free...so I will try my hand at making candy! Hopefully we can come up with some new favorites and maybe by next year I will only make the candy that makes the cut!

Happy Holidays!

PS Not too worried about holiday parties this year...but a co-worker brought fudge to work and that was my undoing!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Eating out...

Last night I decided to eat out...and went for the whole thing...appetizer, dinner and dessert. Wine too...I shared a portebello mushroom cap with artichoke and crab cheesy dip with toast, I had a grilled chicken small Caesar salad with dressing on the side...I probably only had 1/3 of the small container of dressing...and then topped the evening off with flourless chocolate cake with a small scoop of ice cream. In and of itself that isn't horrid...but I did power walk for an hour today...and had some wine (my other downfall sometimes). Usually I can stop at 1 or 2 glasses...when I get beyond that it is ridiculous! I wasn't drunk...and by the time I went to bed I couldn't tell I had any...but still!

This weekend I will be eating out again...the thing about eating out is having something you really like that is quality! I haven't done it a lot lately...but I guess when I do I need to learn that I could have had a salad and a glass of wine and that would have been fine, satisfying, and enough.

Next week I am planning my meals...trying to keep things under wraps...and finding things that aren't too bad for me. I am definitely making a type of soup next week...maybe I will make two kinds!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Weekend fun!

So...had many opportunities to eat well this weekend...finished off my chocolate chip cookies today...EEK...and managed to go to Frank's Diner for some yumminess there. I love their breakfast food but had to get their turkey dinner...which is yummy too! I didn't clean my plate...but I was HUNGRY enough to! I walked about 2-3 miles on Friday...and then about 4-5 miles today. If I can keep up the walking I may be able to keep things in check. I guess I have kind of resigned myself to the fact that between now and new years...well not a lot of weight loss will be happening. However, January 1...I plan to attack WW with new fervor...maybe by then I will be sick of the pounds I have gained and ready to get down to serious business. In the meantime I plan to still watch what I eat (even if that is watching me put it in my mouth) and trying to do some exercise to keep things in check!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Food coma...

So yesterday I ate a lot...shockingly I managed to stay away from the sick feeling...but this morning I am actually not really even hungry for breakfast. And...I was worried and stressed...so I ate. Maybe my emotions DO have something to do with my eating. I had breakfast...which was chocolate chip cookies....lunch was a turkey sandwich and a bowl of soup....dinner was two slices of veggie pizza...three glasses of wine, more chocolate chip cookies...and a box of Amy's Pizza Snacks...EEK! Things went downhill quickly! I was in bed by 11pm...and felt fine...but knew I crossed the line when I ate the pizza snacks...usually I am good about eating a serving...but ate the whole box! UGH! Today I will try and do better!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Turkey Soup

I am FINALLY making the turkey soup today...of course I have NO MEAT to put in it...I bought something on Monday but checked it today and it said use or freeze by 12/1/09 and it looked grey and disgusting! So...I still need meat. But in the crock pot I put park of the turkey stock, three red potatoes diced with skins on, two carrots, celery, some seasonings (rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic)...and later I will add a roast chicken from Safeway I guess...I will probably eat this for the rest of the week...

I did cave and get a pizza last night...but a 10 inch, I ate half...and it was veggie...so, not too bad!