All right, went to face the music at my Weight Watchers meeting... just like last time I skipped my official weigh in, I'm cheating myself out of a victory to report this week, because the WW scale registers a .6 gain- but my home scale says I'm down over 5 pounds from last week. Ah, well- girly issues are factoring in today as well, so take that for what it's worth.
3/1/12 247.2
Pounds lost in 2012: 68
Pounds lost in 2013: 2
Pounds lost in January: gained .8
2/1 178.0
2/8 177.4
2/22 178.0
My behavior this week, while not flawless, was pretty solid- however, I got into a bad routine of counting my points at the END of the day, and in a few cases going over by 4 or 5 points, rather than planning it in advance.
However, I get to take a little vacation from counting points for the next two weeks! I'm going to be trying out the new alternate way of doing Weight Watchers, called "Simple Start".
3/1/12 247.2
Pounds lost in 2012: 68
Pounds lost in 2013: 2
Pounds lost in January: gained .8
2/1 178.0
2/8 177.4
2/22 178.0
My behavior this week, while not flawless, was pretty solid- however, I got into a bad routine of counting my points at the END of the day, and in a few cases going over by 4 or 5 points, rather than planning it in advance.
However, I get to take a little vacation from counting points for the next two weeks! I'm going to be trying out the new alternate way of doing Weight Watchers, called "Simple Start".
Essentially, instead of calculating the points for most things, you eat to satisfaction from a list of healthy foods (whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, etc), with a tiny budget of daily points to spend on things that aren't on the list.
It's going to really shake some things up for me! My regular breakfast and lunch (granola bar and light frozen dinner, respectively), while relatively low in points, aren't on the list- and I'm not so wildly attached to them that it'll be worth spending my small daily points allowance that way. (I predict that I'll mostly be spending those on ice cream.) So I'll be experimenting with some completely new meals, and I'm excited to see how that'll change things.
Simple Start (which is really similar to Simply Filling or Core, if you're a Weight Watchers veteran) was introduced at the beginning of the calendar year, but I wasn't interested in trying it out for a few reasons.
1) if it ain't broke, why fix it? The points system has been good to me every time I've followed it properly. I really love the flexibility within boundaries that the points system teaches. If I want a Big Mac for lunch, I can totally have it, "legally", no cheating involved. But if I make that choice, I maybe have to skip dessert or really watch my portions at dinner. It's a smart and very live-able system.
2) I'm not so great at that whole "eating to satisfaction" thing- I like the boundaries of having a budget of points rather than having to listen to my body about when I've had enough, cause at times my body is a big fat liar. Okay, mostly just towards the end of an Eat All the Things day. "Oh yeah, I've got plenty of room left for Taco Bell!"
It's going to really shake some things up for me! My regular breakfast and lunch (granola bar and light frozen dinner, respectively), while relatively low in points, aren't on the list- and I'm not so wildly attached to them that it'll be worth spending my small daily points allowance that way. (I predict that I'll mostly be spending those on ice cream.) So I'll be experimenting with some completely new meals, and I'm excited to see how that'll change things.
Simple Start (which is really similar to Simply Filling or Core, if you're a Weight Watchers veteran) was introduced at the beginning of the calendar year, but I wasn't interested in trying it out for a few reasons.
1) if it ain't broke, why fix it? The points system has been good to me every time I've followed it properly. I really love the flexibility within boundaries that the points system teaches. If I want a Big Mac for lunch, I can totally have it, "legally", no cheating involved. But if I make that choice, I maybe have to skip dessert or really watch my portions at dinner. It's a smart and very live-able system.
2) I'm not so great at that whole "eating to satisfaction" thing- I like the boundaries of having a budget of points rather than having to listen to my body about when I've had enough, cause at times my body is a big fat liar. Okay, mostly just towards the end of an Eat All the Things day. "Oh yeah, I've got plenty of room left for Taco Bell!"
3) At least one or two of my meals every week are from a drive through. I know what my healthy options are everywhere I go- but most of those options aren't on the Simple Start list, and again, not really worth spending those limited amount of "use these so your life doesn't completely suck" points and sacrificing my nightly dessert. So I'll need to figure that out, maybe plan those days a little better.
4) Okay, here's the biggest reason of all, frankly. The points system has an "Eat All the Things" allowance in the form of a big budget of weekly points to spend as you need them, and while I never count my points on Eat All the Things day, I always figure that's where those are spent, so I'm not REALLY veering wildly off plan once a week. Those weekly bonus points are NOT a part of Simple Start. So if I'm really, truly going to give Simple Start a fair shot... and it pains me to even write this... I should forgo Eat All the Things day next Saturday. Ugh. I'm angry just thinking about that. Even though it's only one day, I can't tell you how much I look forward to it, and how integral a weekly day of indulgence has been to my success. So we'll see... I honestly don't know if I'm up for that part of it or not.
Anyway, why am I trying Simple Start out now, despite the pretty valid reasons listed above? Well, I kinda have to....because I got the official employment offer this week! Leaders have to understand all facets of the program, and the best way to understand the challenges and benefits of Simple Start is to experience them myself- so I gotta do it.
Who knows? It may even give me the boost I need to take off the 4 pounds I need to lose while I train to lead my own group, as I need to be in the healthy weight range for my height before that can happen. Skipping Eat All the Things Day next Saturday would also help towards that end... but ugh, I just don't know about that part, you guys. We'll see.
4) Okay, here's the biggest reason of all, frankly. The points system has an "Eat All the Things" allowance in the form of a big budget of weekly points to spend as you need them, and while I never count my points on Eat All the Things day, I always figure that's where those are spent, so I'm not REALLY veering wildly off plan once a week. Those weekly bonus points are NOT a part of Simple Start. So if I'm really, truly going to give Simple Start a fair shot... and it pains me to even write this... I should forgo Eat All the Things day next Saturday. Ugh. I'm angry just thinking about that. Even though it's only one day, I can't tell you how much I look forward to it, and how integral a weekly day of indulgence has been to my success. So we'll see... I honestly don't know if I'm up for that part of it or not.
Anyway, why am I trying Simple Start out now, despite the pretty valid reasons listed above? Well, I kinda have to....because I got the official employment offer this week! Leaders have to understand all facets of the program, and the best way to understand the challenges and benefits of Simple Start is to experience them myself- so I gotta do it.
Who knows? It may even give me the boost I need to take off the 4 pounds I need to lose while I train to lead my own group, as I need to be in the healthy weight range for my height before that can happen. Skipping Eat All the Things Day next Saturday would also help towards that end... but ugh, I just don't know about that part, you guys. We'll see.