Perking Along, Hot 100 Update

Thanks to all of you for your encouraging comments re my last post.  I was a little discouraged in face of my plateau, but Karen got it right in seeing through to my optimism.  I still know I'm going to do this.
That said, I did have a rocky couple of days here, perhaps "changing it up a little" from my toe-the-line diet and exercise regimen of recent weeks.  A little bit of exercise and a few "splurges" diet wise.  Enough of that.  Starting with dinner tonight (my crock pot osso bucco) I'm back on the wagon.

To help focus on this, I've include a couple of pix:  The first is from 2006, the second from earlier this month.  The difference is 40+ pounds.  I see it most in my face.  Also in my forlorn hope that wearing all black would give me that "slim look" I was hoping for.  [The curl to my hair must be applied daily and is not a function of my weight!] Am I the only one who buys things in two sizes??  The one that fits, and the one that I hope will be my size later?  I loved that blouse and am glad that I have it in a size that fits me now, too.

Here's my Hot 100 Update:

My goals:

1. Reach my goal weight by Jan 1st by following the WW CORE plan, weigh & record my weight each morning, attend weekly WW meetings.
2. Exercise at least 6 out of 7 days with varied exercise including at least 2 strength workouts and 3 cardio workouts each week averaging 60 minutes per session.
3. Keep my house and my body chocolate free.  This includes dark chocolate, chocolate chips, chocolate candy bars and any baked goods that have chocolate in them.

How I did:

1. I attended my WW meeting which confirmed my suspicion that I am stuck on a plateau.  I will continue to eat on the CORE plan and WI every morning and attend my meetings and hope that I (or my weight, anyway) falls over the edge of the plateau soon.
2. Yes.  This is done, though cardio was harder to keep up with as my running was blocked by my hurt toe.  I am going to try to resume running tomorrow morning.
3. Fail.  Chocolate was one of the splurges I had today.  Steve encouraged us to modify our goals, and I am going to take his advice and modify this goal to allow myself 1 oz of chocolate per day.  I kept up the ban for 5 weeks, but I think having this moderate amount daily will help me outlast this weight loss plateau and the upcoming celebration season.

Rosemary, WI

I love the flavor of rosemary and have two very healthy bushes of it snuggled right next to the house.  Friends who live in the area are envious of my plants which don't seem to be affected adversely by our cold, snowy winters  or the hot, humid summers.   I have several recipes that feature my fresh rosemary--my favorites are roasted red potatoes, roasted pork tenderloin, and kebabs skewered on rosemary sticks.  Mmmm.  They  are flowering now with lovely, lavender-blue flowers that I happily include in any recipe.

I chose to feature rosemary today because it is also associated with remembrance.  "There's rosemary; that's for remembrance," to quote Shakespeare (Hamlet).  In the language of flowers, it was used in wedding arrangements to signify that the couple would remember their marriage vows.  It was also used in funeral arrangements to symbolize that we will remember the deceased.

I use it today for a much less serious idea.  I want to remind myself to remember the progress I am making.   I had what my leader calls a "maintenance practice week" this week.  At my WI, my weight was exactly the same.  Whereas I was very happy with that number last week, this week that exact same number has lost its shine.  I know, in my head, that this is fine, not a problem, and not a reason to give up or comfort myself with sugar, and that next week, or even the week after that my scale will show the progress I'm making.  For now, though, I'm hanging on to my rosemary thoughts.

I need to remember that:

I have lost 22 pounds since the beginning of May.
My skinny clothes are beginning to fit again.
I've lost inches from hips, waist, bust, thighs and arms.
I'm exercising for at least 45 minutes a day every day of the week.
I've adopted many healthy habits that are becoming part of the way I live.
The sport-bra thing.  :-)
I like catching glimpses of myself in the mirror and noticing that my face is thinner.
My BP is wonderfully low, both upper and lower numbers, without any medication.
I have run over 50 miles each month since May, and will run 70 miles this month!
The scale is "not the boss of me" and shouldn't and won't dictate my mood for the week, day, or hour.

AND, there are many, many happy, good, wonderful things in my life that have nothing to do with that number on the scale--this morning my BFF welcomed her first little granddaughter into the world.

Happy Birth Day, little Grace Elizabeth!

Thank you for listening, dear Bloggy Friends.   What happy, good thing do you remember to remember when other things try to get you down?



186.2

Whew!

And who says SAHM's don't work.  I've had my three grands (8, 2.5, and 1) since about 7:30.  I've helped put together two jigsaw puzzles, organized a swim in the little backyard pool,  watched them chase big beautiful butterflies around the garden, played backup safety to J's multiple attempts to crawl up the stairs, played name that tune on the "p-nan-o," had multiple potty/new diaper excursions, made "surprise sandwiches" for a picnic lunch, dealt with the county inspector who was checking out our new furnace/AC system, wiped up lots of spills, searched for bathing suits, sun block, sun glasses,  & towels, put J down for his morning nap, played a board game with the two older kids, read stories for each one, folded one load of laundry, started defrosting the fish we'll have for dinner tonight, refereed a few territorial squabbles, found a necessary pacifier, and, finally, gotten the younger two down for their afternoon naps.  I'm bushed.  Right now I have B watching a Star Wars video and I have a good book and a huge glass of ice water waiting for me.    The babies sleep until 3:30 or 4, so we'll have another flurry of activity then until their parents come for them between 5:30 and six.    Tonight, a quiet dinner, then to the gym for my Tuesday workout.

Mr. Munch is flitting around the house trying to tempt me with dried apricots and a small piece of dark chocolate.  I thwarted him somewhat, by including those two things as key ingredients for the kids' "surprise sandwiches."  Peanut butter, strawberry jam and today's surprise ingredients.  I might have hinted to them that the next time might feature M&M's.

I'm wearing a shirt that hasn't fit for almost a year.  Not only was it too snug at tummy and bust, but the short sleeves were way too tight.  Not anymore.  It fits well and I feel good in it.  I keep snatching glimpses of it in the mirror to remind myself that I don't really want to snack mindlessly.  I want to keep on losing and toning and being able to wear cute stuff from the closet.

My Splenda campaign is going swimmingly.  I've set a goal to limit my added Splenda intake to two packets/day.   This morning, I'm proud to report, I had my shredded mini-wheats sweetened with . . . peaches!!  SCORE!  They were great, as is.   I've got a few more weeks of peach season to learn to enjoy the taste before I face naked shredded wheat sans Splenda.  Think I can do it?  I do.

My WI is tomorrow and I have, in the past, managed to sabotage my good week with senseless, day-before-WI high-salt snacks.  Get out of my face, Mr. Munch!  I don't care that there's a package of indivual chip bags in the garage.  I'm not gonna play your games today.

I'm not entirely confident that I will actually lose anything tomorrow.  I sure want to and my weekly loss usually only shows on the scale on the very last day--all at once.  Even if I'm not going to lose, I don't want to add to any possible gain by blowing it today.  I feel that I've been following my plan closely enough to have earned a loss.  Exercised 45+ minutes for 6 of 7 days; OP every single meal of the week; eating more slowly at dinners; cutting down Splenda; keeping portions under control.  I'll for sure do my "last chance" Wednesday morning run before I go to my WI.   I run every single Wed morning (no kiddo's) so if I didn't I would through things off.

At my WW meeting a couple of weeks ago the leader was talking about plateaus.  She didn't say, but strongly implied that a plateau is indicative of some lapse in adherence to the program.  I'm not sure I agree.  I've had weeks where I was positively angelic, but registered no change at all.  I do think that in the process of weight loss, there are going to be periods when your weight stabilizes for a few weeks before it starts going down again.  Maybe the checking for discrepancies process that my leader suggested is a positive thing in any case, in that it's always useful to spot check things in any venture and you might just find something you can do better.

What do you think?  Do you think that plateaus are a natural part of weight loss, or should they be seen as clues that one needs to mind the p's and q's of the Plan more closely.

Be sure to check in tomorrow evening to learn . . . the rest of the story!