Catching Up....and the Truth about Sugar, Fats and Carbs

Been awhile since I posted but I have been busy as a bee the past couple of weeks.  I spent a week in NYC for work and managed to add some fun time to the trip with two buds from work.  We learned a lot at the Conference Board's Talent Management conference and then spent Friday and Saturday sightseeing and eating ourselves to death.  We also took in Mary Poppins while there.  A definite MUST SEE. 

 

Last week I was playing catch up at home and at work to get things back in order after being away so I feel like I fell off of the face of the Earth for the week.  However, my first day back I did get my annual physicals crossed off of my to do list.  Yep, both docs in one day.  Lots of fun. 

So, want to know the truth about Sugar, Fats, and Carbs.....

Too much of them = High Triglycerides

So, that is the category I fall into.  Mine were 250 and need to be under 200.  The doc told me to start a regime of fish oil 4 times a day and come back in for a check up in 3 months. 

I am going to make some other changes as well since now I have a good challenge in front of me.  Back on the wagon for exercising 6 days a week with a mix of cardio on the treadmill and Jillian's 30 day shred.  I am also paying attention to what is in my food.  It is really amazing how much sugar is in almost everything. 

I am excited to see how low I can get my numbers over the next 3 months. Wish me luck.

Move More, Eat Less-Weekly Check In

Thursday was Weigh in day!

First off, to back up a bit, I joined weight watchers again the first week of January.  My weigh in was terrible.  I was up 6 pounds from my last weigh in from December.  I did have on a suit and had to use the restroom and it was after the holidays, but still.  I missed the second weigh in thanks to the blizzard of the century causing me to miss work for the week so this was my first weigh in since re-joining. 

158 (down .4)

It is a loss so I will take it but it was evident to me I am going to have to renew my committment to the program.  If I am honest, I probably really gained a little bit but due to the reasons mentioned above, it is showing as a loss due to cicumstances with my first weigh in. 

I have exercised 30 minutes a day (or more) since December 31st so that is a great thing.  However, counting those pesky little points has eluded me. 

Time to commit, NOW! 

Here is to another week...just take it a day at a time. 

Any good motivation out there?

Out with the Scale-Really?

So, I am contemplating not replacing the batteries right now in my scale.  How can that be you ask as I embark on Moving More, Eating Less of which the goal is to lose weight?  I have now seen the advice given twice that you should turn off the scale, throw it out even.  So, I started thinking, perhaps there is some validity to these recommendations.  If I am honest with myself, I know about what the scale will indicate once I get on it.  I know when I have had a good week or a bad one.  And, what do I do when I see that number on there?  I justify it.  If it is a good number, I do a happy dance and celebrate—with food.  If it is a bad number, I get peeved and turn to—you guessed it, food.  So, there is a cycle in weighing myself and both options put me at the same conclusion.   I think I read somewhere recently that insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result.  Do I expect to behave differently with the scale this year just because I am refreshing my good habits?  No. 

Perhaps it is time to try a different approach. 

I am going scale less each day.  However, I do plan to tune in to my body daily.  How do I feel?  Does my body feel good?  Do I feel healthy?  And, what are my clothes telling me?  Really, the point of losing weight is not about the number on the scale…it is about how I feel when I get there and how I choose to approach and live my life. 

Given that I joined weight watchers at the first of the year, I am going to weigh in weekly and be intentional about my reaction to the scale.  It is just a number not a definition of who I am.

So, here is to a different version of measuring success.  I am eager to see how this goes.

Move More, Eat Less-Tools and Resources

As I "refresh" my motivation to Move More, Eat Less, I have found some tools and resources that are proving very helpful.  Here is a run down:

Fit from Within (Victoria Moran)-  This is a great little book with all kinds of nuggetts, specifically, 101 of them.  Victoria challenges some of what many of us are used to in terms of "dieting" like don't weigh yourself everyday or only eat 3 meals a day to name a couple of items she introduces.  I read this within a couple of days over the Christmas holiday and am now re-reading it, more intentionally.  I am trying to journal about the concepts she introduces and how they can work for me.  Revolutionary, really.

100 Day Challenge-  John Bingham and his wife, Coach Jenny came up with this approach to move intentionally for 30 mins for 100 days straight.  What a concept...just MOVE, intentionally for 30 mins to see what impact it can have.  I am on Day 12 and have not missed a workout yet.  Love it.

Weight Watchers Points Plus-  Loving the new program.  Have really eaten a lot more fruit than I would have in the past since it is all 0 points.  Found some good new slow cooker recipes and have been trying them this week.   I have to admit that I have not been tracking each day but I am being more intentional with what I put into my body.  Going back to the advice from "Fit from Within", I am not sure if I will follow through with the whole concept of the new WW program in terms of a "diet" but I suspect if I follow the 101 concepts Victoria discusses that I will be for the most part "on track" with the WW plan. 

My treadmill- I have a great treadmill that is proving useful to me in these cold and snowy days of winter. I have been performing my 100 day challenge on it so far.  I have plans to start running on it too but for now, keeping it simple.

I have not weighed myself here at home due to Victoria's advice (and the battery died) so not sure of how I am tracking weight wise but I will weigh in this week for the first week of WW so we will see how I am doing.  However, in terms of how I feel, I feel better.  Better about my intentions and progress.  This is a journey, not a destination and I am liking the stops along the way so far.

Move More, Eat Less-Ready, Set, Go

OK, time to get back on track and get serious.  WW just unveiled a new program last week that looks awesome and is just the refresher I need.  So here goes.  This won't be easy, it never is.  As I type this, i am proud of myself for going out this morning and running.  I was not able to run my whole route but just getting out there made me feel great.  Oh yeah, and it was snowing while I was running....exhilirating.  And, I am reflecting that I ate too many cookies after dinner tonight...we decorated the house for Christmas and trimmed the tree so I celebrated with cookies.  Oh well, I will dust off and do better tomorrow. 

So, here is the before picture...let's see what I can do...