Facing the music, and having some damn good pasta after.

I went and weighed in tonight since I decided to switch my WI to Tuesday evening.

And...I was up 3.6 pounds. 190.8.

I'm not surprised...it could have been worse. This is after two weeks of pigging out, and a night WI vs a morning WI.

I decided to celebrate my new commitment, and use some of those groceries I bought, and I whipped this up:

1 cup whole wheat lingiune - 4 pts
2 oz shrimp - 1 pt
mushrooms - 0 pts
yellow onion - 0 pts
kale - 0 pts
red pepper flakes - 0 pts
2 tsp olive oil - 2.5 pts
lemon juice - 0 pts
1 tbsp fresh parmesan cheese - 1 pt

Cook the linguine. I sauteed the veggies (I didn't measure...I don't count points for zero pt veggies) in garlic and vegetable broth, added shrimp and sauteed. I added the kale last, then topping with the cooked pasta. Then I added a bit more broth, the olive oil and lemon juice to taste and mixed together to warm and blend flavors. Finished off with fresh basil and cheese, and voila!!! A huge, hearty meal for 8.5 points!!

So, what does $116.65 get you at the grocery store?

WW has this new plan, The Momentum Plan, that emphasizes the use of "filling foods"....this is not completely unlike what I was already doing on Flex, which was trying to focus on Core items, but counting points. Come Wednesday, I am recommitting and facing the dreaded scale knowing that I have probably put on a few pounds in the two weeks since I last weighed because I've been eating everything in sight. So, tonight I went to the store and did some stocking up:

Vegetables (kale, mushrooms, potatoes, butternut squash, brussel sprouts, bananas)
Fresh ginger and garlic
Jalapenos
Avocados
Tofu
Bulk beans (black and garbanzo)
Bulk quinoa
Bulk hummus mix
Bulk curry lentil soup mix
Bulk nutritional yeast
Bulk whole wheat couscous
Bulk TVP
Light sour cream
Whole wheat penne
Crushed tomatoes
Organic instant oatmeal
Spices (green chile powder, cinnamon)
Bulk tea - red chai
Peanut butter
multivitamin
Flax oil pills

I also got a big ol' caesar salad and some tomato basil soup from the deli, a "Real Simple" magazine and a tea infuser.

It seems like a lot of money, and Central Market is pricier than other stores, but the bulk items I got will last me a long time. I LOVE buying bulk grains, beans and spices.

Hopefully, I can stick to my guns and start cooking at home more often. Eating out should be an exception, not the rule.

Weeeeelll, here I am again.

Today, WW jumped the gun and posted the new Momentum plan online for onliners and etoolers. I read it all, and I gotta tell you, I'm semi-excited about it! The Thanksgiving holiday did a number on me, between the death of my beloved Mrs Mia Wallace and the overabundance of comfort foods and sweets. I skipped WI on Wednesday because emotionally I was just not ready for another letdown.

So, about Momentum. I like the ability to save up APs....this is especially useful for people like myself who can easily earn 10-12 APs on a long ride, but not necessarily want to eat all of them that day. It will take some getting used to with the tracker taking from weekly points before APs, but all in all I think it will work nicely. I also like the idea of set points...since I always had this guilt about miscounting when I go out to eat. This eases my mind.

Updates on me? Not much, except I did sign up for the BP MS 150 bike ride in April. Please visit http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/carrie.gentry to learn more and donate, if you would like. Oh, and I signed up for monthly pass....in 8 weeks I lost 1 pound. Yeah, I need a kickstart.

I bought a new cookbook, Vegan Fire & Spice, filled with spicy dishes from several different cuisines, i.e. thai, indian, chinese, american, mexican, etc. While I am not vegan anymore, I still like to eat a vegan diet quite a bit. I'll be testing some of these recipes soon!!

Be back soon!

Progress pictures.

At this point, its just a number.

I admit it. I haven't weighed myself in about three weeks. However, I feel healthier than I have in months. 

How?  

Well, I've shifted my focus to the weekly activity challenge (thanks Bitsy and Michele!). I have signed up for 300 minutes a week, and I'm not going to fail!  The majority of my workouts come in the form of bike rides....in fact, that's all I've done this week. Spinning on Thursday, 2 hour ride on Friday, 1 1/2 hour ride on Saturday, about an hour today (in some wicked headwind).  Tomorrow I will go to Body Pump and get some strength training in . 

My size 12 Levi's are feeling a bit looser, and I feel tighter overall. My size 12 work pants feel great.  

Another bonus of this type of thinking for me is that I make much better choices in food when I am keeping myself active. For example, after my ride today I had a G2 drink to replenish electrolytes without extra calories....then I whipped myself up a quick couscous salad with tuna, olives, cucumber, roasted peppers, parmesan, red wine vinegar and olive oil. It just FEELS better to eat whole grains and veggies when you have a regular exercise routine in place. It alsk makes me feel a bit better about the fact that I will probably splurge a tiny bit at the movies tonight. I'm headed to Wall-E at the Alamo Draft House, which serves sandwiches, pizzas, salads and great appetizers at your seat. I'm thinking roasted red pepper hummus with pita wedges, and a nice frosty beer!  

Down .4

So I'm down .4, and damn proud of it. Again, I went out for dinner the night before. It's a ritual, and I think maybe I will move my WI day back to Thursday again so I don't have to give it up....it is usually the only time I get out with friends all workweek long!! I have learned how to make better choices though. There is a grilled shrimp dish that I always order, and I get it with a huge salad, no rice or beans. That way I can still have a little bit of chips and salsa, which is a required splurge. They also have this as a fish filet option, which is also very, very good...but seems to have quite a bit more oil on it. That's what I usually have on Saturday, when I got to the same place after my morning ride. I am a true creature of habit!

In other news, I talked to a realtor this week. I'm finally getting the ball rolling on buying my first home! Within the next two weeks, I'm going to talk to USAA and Chase about getting a pre-approval certificate. The only kink in my plan to put all my extra money into savings and paying off credit cards is the fact that my dog may have some big expenses coming up. She 12, and her liver enzyme levels are testing through the roof, even after antibiotics. Tomorrow I take her in for an ultrasound.

My next hurdle is an out of town work trip. I leave Sunday and get back Tuesday evening. The hotel is in downtown Houston, and has a great gym, so I should be able to get some good workouts in during my down time (of which there will be plenty). I'll be joining the No Excuses challenge on the WW boards, so I need to get my time in!

OK, back to reading my magazines and catching up on my DVR'd shows.

Weekend recap.

So, Saturday was a success. I started off the day with a slice of wheat bread topped with a Morningstar Farms black bean burger and an egg over easy, then I rode 20 miles and burned 1200 calories. I had grilled shrimp and salad for lunch, and another fish dish (topped w/crab and lobster) downtown for dinner.

Today has been more of a challege, to put it lightly! I had the same breakfast as yesterday, but added a slice of cheese to the mix. I had a salad for lunch, and quinoa with grilled veggies for dinner. However, an hour ago I made myself a low-cal ramen noodle bowl with shrimp and veggies, with an egg cracked in it. I just had a craving! Now, I want another Skinny Cow, and I'll probably have it. Oh well...I have the weekly points for it.

Sundays at home are hard. While I did get my closet cleaned out, I managed to eat every time I sat down. I had every intention of going on an evening ride; however, I decided that heat stroke was not something I was interested in after I saw that it was still 99 out at seven!

Tomorrow is a new day, and I'm planning on going to Body Pump right after work. Tuesday and Thursday are spinning...and I plan on staying at daily points target this week to see how that affects WI...not eating APs unless I really feel I have to.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Friday, June 13

I weighed in this morning at 182.6, so that is actually a loss of 1.2 from last week. However, last week I had gone out to eat mexican food the night before WI, so not sure if this is a true loss this week. It's Friday the 13th!  Here's my day:

 

Breakfast:

1 c Fiber One - 2 pts

1 c Silk Soy milk with added fiber (1 dairy) - 1 pt

Coffee - 0 pts

Sugar-free hazelnut creamer (1 tbsp) - 0 pt

1 hard boiled egg - 2 pts

TOTAL: 5 pts, 1 dairy

 

Lunch:

Amy's Whole Meals Cheese Enchilada Meal (1 f/v) - 6 pts

1 c frozen broccoli - 0 pts, 2 f/v

TOTAL: 6 pts, 3 f/v

 

Snack:

2 hard boiled eggs, whites only - 1 pt

1 c soy milk (1 dairy) - 1 pt

 

Dinner:

Cod filet - 3 pts
Zatarains seasoning - 1 pt
Vegenaise (light coating on fish) - 1 pt
Huge salad - 0 pts, at least 3 f/v
Spray ranch dressing - 0 pts
Smart Ones mac n cheese - 5 pts
Skinny Cow vanilla/caramel cone - 3 pts
TOTAL: 13 pts, 3 f/v

Daily Totals:
26 pts
6 f/v servings
2 dairy servings

I went over slightly (2 pts), but was craving a version of an old favorite dinner of mine (shake and bake pork chops, mac n cheese, salad).  I also did not get my oil, but I did spray the fish with some spray EVOO.  I also got in my vitamins and omegas this morning!!

Today was a good day.

Next challenge: THE WEEKEND.

I can blog from my phone?

Awesome! I have nothing to say but that.

How many "beginnings" can a person have?

Honestly, I ask myself this question daily. In my neverending quest to become the world's greatest procrastinator, I somehow manage to fool myself that by not doing something, I am actually accomplishing something. 

I had a slight epiphany today. My life lacks focus. It lacks the element of surprise, and it lacks stimulation.  I set my alarm at 6:00 every morning, hit snooze at least twice, and then make the big decision on whether to wash my hair or throw it up in a bun.  Now that I've cut it all off, that decision has changed to one of washing the hair vs. spraying more product in it and running a curling iron through it to make it presentable. 

My job is not much better. I have a great job. I get paid well. I'm bored out of my skull. I work ten times faster than everyone else and can do in 2 days what it takes others a week or more to do.  I'm not bragging...it's the honest truth, and its not necessarily a good thing. This is something I will work on with my manager...to expand my duties, and to look for new opportunities within the company.

Home life?  Well, its just me and my dog in a cramped two bedroom duplex. The lack of a boyfriend, a rather recent development, is not near as important to me right now as getting into my own place.  I have too much stuff, too little room, and I make too much money to not take advantage of this market right now.

This blog is being set up to address something bigger than this.  A few years ago, I joined Weight Watchers to lose weight....and for the past year I've been stuck at around 40 pounds lost. Just 3 weeks ago, I went back up over 180, which I adamantly declared I would NEVER do again. Oh well. I join challenges online, I drop out after three days. I recommit to veganism, then I eat a piece of grilled fish for dinner two days later.  I'm tired of failing and being tired, of letting myself down and living in stagnation. 

So, while I'm sure I'll post and vent about everything under the sun here, my goal is to document this summer (and probably fall, winter, spring) and my successes, failures and challenges on Weight Watchers. 

Challenge #1 - weigh in on Friday morning!!  Ack!