Weight Watchers Meetings!?

I am still very sick. I think the emotional stress of the weekend made me sicker. I stayed home from work yesterday, laid on the couch, and took some naps while watching a Top Chef marathon.

I munched a bit too much yesterday on cheese rice cakes. I've decided that I really need help taking off this last 20 pounds, so I am officially going to Weight Wacthers meetings. Before, I have only ever used the eTools, so I hope the added support really helps. Now, I just need to find the right meeting.

Otherwise, haven't done any exercise in a week, and it's killing me! It's going to hurt so bad when I get back into the strength training; But, it was my choice not to exercise with my cold, so I must suffer through the pain.

Happy Hump Day everyone!

The weekend

This weekend was very therapeutic. I feel like a bit of the anxiety has lifted from me.

On Friday, I got home from work and took a hot shower. I had some Chinese food for dinner (some nice wonton soup for my sore throat). Then, my fiance and I drove down to my parents house. My wonderful fiance offered to drive both ways and I relaxed in the car and passed out for just about the entire trip. I snuck a peak at my grandma when I got there, but the light disturbed her so I whispered good night and I love you just in case she didn't make it until morning.

On Saturday, hospice care was in our home, checking her vitals. I helped my mom clean the house and then I ran to the store to get food to put out for my family so my mom didn't have to worry about it. I got home and started prepping all sorts of foods. Wheat pita with hummus, veggie trays, cheese and crackers, fruit salad, and angel food cake with macerated berries and whipped cream. My mother was so appreciative because she got to great the priest and focus on my grandmother while I played homemaker. The priest anointed my grandmother and my family circled around her hospital-style bed. I felt so good, so surrounded by love. I have a wonderful large family and the love was so apparent that I couldn't help but feel calm. I shed a few tears and consoled by cousin for a bit, but for the most part we celebrated my grandma's life. I pray that she leaves this world quickly and without pain. On another awesome note, the priest that anointed my grandma is the priest that will be marrying me and my fiance! We hadn't met him yet as he is new to my church, but what a wonderful way to meet him. I am so glad that he met my grandmother since she will most likely not make it to my wedding.

On Sunday, I slept in, cleaned, and ate IHOP. I hadn't been there in three years, and it was a satisfying treat. I have no guilt about eating it because other than than, the only other thing I ate today was chicken noodle soup and a small salad.

Update

I just wanted to update everyone. I haven't been able to read/comment/or write a lot lately, but I hope to resume normalcy soon.

In other news, my wonderful grandmother is nearing the end. She has suffered with Alzheimer's for over 10 years and my family will be doing a Last Rights ceremony for her this weekend. My family is what's most important right now.

Weekend- food, fairs, and family

On Friday night I exercised and went on a date with my fiance. We usually go out for date night on Thursday nights, but fiance had a golf outing for work. So, on Friday we decided to go to Applebee's. I hate chain restaurants- growing up in the suburbs, going out = eating at a chain restaurant, but now I can't stand it. Applebee's is good for one thing though- margaritas :-). I digress. So, I ordered one, and the grilled asain chicken salad (no crispy noodles, dressing on the side). Even with those modifications, I know the meal wasn't perfect, but it was a decent choice. I also had two boneless buffalo wings (fiance devoured the rest of the plate by himself).

Saturday, I exercised and got ready for the annual family reunion bbq for fiance's cousins. I over-indulged a bit with 2 giant chocolate chip cookies and 1 mini canoli, but otherwise kept my food and alcohol in check considering I was at this party from 3pm-12am (salad and a cheeseburger for lunch and salad and grilled chicken sandwich for dinner, 2 light beers, 1 rum and coke,1 serving tortilla chips as snacks, and 1 serving Doritos).

Sunday, I exercised and went to a street fair. I ate a small piece of a pretzel braid and a few ounces of lemonade.

Hope everyone else had an enjoyable weekend.

Size 10 Jeans

I am officially wearing size 10 jeans today to a family bbq. I bought them a few months back and they have been tucked away in the corner of my dresser. I've pulled them out 2 or 3 times since to chart my progress. I was always able to zip them, but as we all know that does not necessarily mean I should be wearing them in public! I think all my sessions lately with Jillian Michael's has trimmed my midsection again. I also feel that the 170's are so close I can taste it (and you can bet it tastes better than full fat ice cream).

While I have missed fitting into this size I'd ultimately like to be a size 8 or dare I say, a size 6 :-O I can't wait to be in single digits again!

My numbers revealed

115
The number of blog posts I had made at that point

28
The number of followers to this blog ;-)

227
My highest *known* weight

164
My goal weight (as of yet)

0
The number of times I have mentioned TOM on this blog- in your face boys!

2
The number of time I have quit Weight Watchers

80
The number of miles I have run since March.

3
The number of Jillian Michael's DVDs that I own

Thanks for the guesses everyone!

Julia got the most right!

Jack Sh*t had the snarkiest responses (go figure). If my fiance ever called me "lard-ass", 2 would also be the number of black eyes he'd get.

Let's play a game

I want to play a little game.... a game of numbers. I'm going to list a few significant numbers for me and my weightloss below, and you can pick one or all of them and guess why the number is significant. I'll reveal the significance in my next post. Also, feel free to leave your own inspiring or funny significant numbers for you and your weightloss.

For example...
Number Significance
5 - The number of miles of my first race
31 - The number of blogs I am currently follow in Google Reader

Ok, here they are. Go nuts!

Number
115
28
227
164
0
2
80
3

So, what do you think the significance is??

A little bit lower now

Two weeks ago I told you all about how I was "low" in terms of weightloss. These past two weeks actually have me feeling down. I am disappointed in myself. I really got carried away the past two weeks allowing myself to eat past full, drink alcohol in excess, and make very poor choices. I got what I deserved with +3.0lb over the past two weeks.

I skipped exercise on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Thursday was date night and it was a doozie- fiance an I had Brazil Steakhouse Rodizio- i.e. non-stop skewers of meats and endless sides. I didn't mind the caloric splurge because this is only the second time I have had Rodizio in my life, and it was truly a date- romantic and great conversation.

This weekend my fiance and I went to the Hoboken Italian Festival- it was awesome to be in my old town. I miss it! We actually spent the weekend in Hoboken at our old apartment (our friends, and one former roommate still live there). We had great company, but I definitely hit the food and the booze too hard.

Friday was Mexican feast- I had 5 tortilla chips with salsa, 2 margaritas, 2 glasses sangria, pollo asado with rice and refried beans- very yummy. I am pleased with my eats choices, but not with the drinking.

Saturday was literally an all-day eat-fest: Steak and eggs for brunch, 1/3 of a funnel cake and 1/3 of a chocolate strawberry crepe for lunch, mushroom and asparagus risotto and bread pudding for dinner and dessert- eek! I did horribly

I crushed the poor eating Sunday night. I planned out all meals for the week, I went food shopping, and I stocked up on new food containers so I can pack my lunch more often. I even packed my lunch for Monday the night before. Then, my thoughtful fiance got my lunch out of the fridge for me as I grabbed my purse- I ended up leaving my lunch at home :-( Right now I take the train to work, so there was no turning around to get my lunch once I was on the train. This was the last straw for me, I was actually crying on the train because I was so upset with my recent failures in weight loss.

I'm trying to bounce back, one planned out healthy meal and exercise routine at a time. I am proud of the efforts I am making- baby steps.

I'm a "real" blogger

I feel so "special", LMAO. I got my first e-mail from Dr. Geoff Rutledge at Wellsphere's HealthBlogger Network. I'm so official now. I have joined the ranks of great men like Tony the "Anti-Jared" and Jack Sh*t, and I'm sure some of my other favorite bloggers have been contacted by him, but I know for a fact that Jack and Tony have been.

While I'm "bragging", I might as well toot my own horn about the One Lovely Blog Award that I received from cool Cassie at The Wonderful World of Me!

It's my first award, and to tell you how much of a newb I am, I didn't know exactly how to receive my award. I was afraid to put my award on my blog, just in case I hadn't actually received it. I started thinking, "maybe Cassie didn't intend to give it to me". Talk about a lack of confidence in my blogging abilities.

Baywatch

I channeled Baywatch's most notorious blonde on Sunday, Pamela Anderson, when I decided that it would be a good idea to take a run on the beach.

I wasn't planning on doing this, but when I got to the beach I felt so alive. I arrived at the beach and took my aunt's Great Dane to splash around in the water, and I ran back with him on the leash. It felt so good, I decided I must run right away! So, I took off on the beach with my bathing suit and a zip up. I wasn't self conscious about running in my bathing suit, but I had on a strapless one piece and I was worried about a boob or two popping out mid-run.

I managed a pretty quick pace for someone who never went for a run on the beach before. The run felt awesome, but my calves, knees, and ankles were tiring very fast. I ran about 1.5 miles- to the jetty by the lighthouse and back to where we had parked our truck.

Island Beach State Park Jetty and Fishermen

My calves and hip flexors are so sore even two days later! Regardless, it felt really great to be outside, connecting with nature, and getting in a great workout at the same time.

I wish I could say the rest of the weekend was just as inspiring and filled with nothing but healthy food choices, but that would be a lie!

I'm thinking about skipping weigh in this week. I know that I have gained, I feel it in my clothes, but I think weighing in with discourage rather than encourage.

The Lowest of Lows

That's right- last night I weighed in at my lowest weight: 180.6 lbs (-2.4lbs)

I felt completed defeated when I got home from work yesterday- I just wanted to go to sleep. I was already planning to get into my pajamas, skip my workout, and not cook dinner. I remembered to weigh myself, and it was exactly what I needed after that rough day.

Seeing my lowest weight since beginning my weightloss journey, motivated me to march myself to the bedroom and change into my workout gear. I completed Level 3 of the Shred. I've been doing a really good job of keeping up with my exercise DVDs since I decreased my running last month. I did the Banish Fat and Boost Metabolism and the No More Trouble Zones DVDs this weekend.

I really want to see myself leave the 180's. I have been stuck in them since February. It's amazing how I fly through some weight decades in a matter of 3 weeks (the 210's and the 190's) and have to fight my way out of others for 6 months (the 200's and the 180's).

I sure want this to be the last week EVER that I am in the 180's!