Cam's New Lease on Life Journal (comments welcome!)

[toystoryduo]

Cam,

Keep on keeping on! I know that life is busy and hectic right now, but things will settle down for you soon.

I hope that things at work slow down a bit for you and that you and your DH are able to get your DD ready for college.

You CAN do this Cam! your WISH buddies are cheering you on!

 

[keenercam]

Thank you so much Julie and Jen and Tracey. I have been so down and discouraged about my weight that I am letting it affect my attitude about myself to a disproportionate degree.

Right now I feel like I am just going through the motions, and not too successfully. I have been eating pretty haphazardly since last Tuesday night.

I am going to count my blessings and my accomplishments to re-energize myself:
1. We got DD off to band camp at the university and she was immediately surrounded by a great group of kids who helped carry all her stuff and were incredibly upbeat.
2. Every time we've talked to her over the last couple of days she has sounded happy and sounds like she is coping with learning what she has to for band.
3. DS13 called from camp Friday and sounds very happy.
4. We'll see DS13 Friday and Saturday and bring him home from camp on Sunday!!!!
5. I did my 9 mile training session on Saturday. My pace was awful but I am giving myself credit for getting out there.
6. I worked 4+ hours on Saturday and 10.5 hours yesterday and that should make this week a bit easier.
7. We saw 2 movies on Saturday using gift cards my DB gave us for our birthdays, and both movies were wonderful. "Legend of Billy Bobby" was the funniest movie I have ever seen and "Step Up" was uplifting and fun.

I am going to really work on my attitude this week and will stop beating myself up about food. I may even take the next month off from WW meetings while I prepare for the DL 1/2 marathon.

Thanks again to all my wonderful, generous WISH buddies who keep me going.

 

[toystoryduo]

Cam,

I think we all go through rough patches at times..... Please know that we're here for you, Cam!

I like how you are counting your blessings and focusing on what you have accomplished this week so far. You are doing great!

I think that just focusing on the Disneyland 1/2 is a great idea! WW will be there when you get back!

Have a great day, Cam! Hold your head high! You are a WISH princess !!! who has accomplished so much. I am so proud of you!

 

[donac]

JUst a note to say I am thinking of you. Dropping off the child to college is a very rough thing to do. You hope you hope that they have learned enough to make out okay. But as someone who's child did not, it it not the end of the world. THings have a way of working out. Your daughter is a mature young woman (my son is a typical 19 year old (not drinking but video games and sociallizing)) and will make out fine. You know that the band is one of the best things that a kid could get into. They are there for each other (my son's school did not have one and I know that is something that he missed). This is one of the strangest times as a parent. You have to hope and prayer everyday. Who ever said this job gets easier didn't care about their kids. It only gets harder because you are worried but you really can't let anyone know about it. My son has been home for the last 2 years getting his Associate Degree. In a week he also heads back to where he was freshman year. I have been prayin for 3 months now and will be praying everyday that he has learned his lessons and is ready to finish his college career with grades good enough so that he can get a job and support himself.

Cam take care of yourself and will talk to you next week.

 

[keenercam]

Thanks, Dona.
I am really worried about DD's maturity level, but I think you are right that being in the band might make all the difference in the world and provide a support system.
It was hard leaving her last night.
By 10 we hadn't had dinner and found a friendly's where I self-medicated with a turkey club wrap, fries & a small sundae.
Yep, the scale will be groaning if I ever get up the nerve to step on it again.

Going away this weekend to DS's camp to see 2 days of performances and to bring him home Sunday.
Can't wait. Miss him.
I'll have to work on controlling food intake since we'll be eating out all weekend.

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Cam,

I hope you have a good weekend! Do the best you can and know we are cheering you on to VICTORY!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

hi cam-hope you are having a great friday night..
you are doing a great job and i konw its been a stressful time for you--hang in ther e..YOU ARE DOING GREAT!

 

[keenercam]

Thanks, Jen & Tracey!
It was an interesting and fun weekend away. I did well with breakfast both mornings at the B&B notwithstanding that the innkeeper is a phenomenal cook. Saturday I stuck to cantaloupe and a one-egg omelette with chives and mushrooms. Sunday I had a fruit cup and 1/2 sticky bun. Both days I had coffee and about 4 oz fruit smoothie. We had many opportunities for fast food, but I didn't eat it. However, I ate too much of the good foods I did choose at the meals at the camp. Oh,well. It's past now.

Back on track yesterday:
B: whole wheat toast; coffee w/skim milk (4)
L: wasa crisp w/laughing cow cheese (2); green beans (0); "failed" mini light popcorn (.5)
S: wheat thins crisps (2); light yogurt w/kashi (2)
D: egg beaters w/1 slice ham (2); light whole wheat toast (1); chicken helper fettucine alfredo (6); pretzel rods w/mustard (4)

Food today:
B: FF cottage cheese w/light fruit cup (2); coffee w/SF creamer (1); weight watchers bagel toasted w/light turkey (3)
L: salad greens w/FF dressing (1) & light turkey (1); weight watchers bagel (2) w/laughing cow cheese wedge (1)
S: sm bag lite popcorn (.5)
D: stir fry chicken (4); lasagna (3)
Dessert/Snack: cheese curls & 1/2 serving pretzels (4); skinny cow ice cream (3)

Hopefully, the rest of the day will be very controlled. I have 17 days before we leave for DL and I am only at 84 days cheat-free. I HAVE to finish this challenge before I go, and I already know Sunday is going to be hard because we are picking up DD at college and bringing her home to celebrate her birthday. I'll have to hoard all my FPs to use this weekend.

 

[goldcupmom]

Glad the weekend went well, Cam! Hang in there, food will improve!!

Hope you have an awesome rest of the week... 17 days, you CAN DO THIS!!!!

 

[keenercam]

Well, I should have realized the scale was skyrocketed yesterday due to TOM and it was down 3.5 pounds today, so I am really relieved.

I did 4 miles last night in 57:11 which I think is avg pace of 14:18.

Food today:
B: WW bagel (2) w/lite turkey (1); coffee w/SF creamer (1); FF cottage cheese (1) w/lite fruit (1)
L: stir fry chicken (4); WW whole wheat toast (1); laughing cow cheese wedge (1)

It's 5 pm and I am hungry again (finished lunch 3.5 hours ago). It's a long time until dinner, so I think I will try some coffee and if necessary, will pop a tiny bag of popcorn.

The coffee and water was sufficient to tide me over and I even went grocery shopping and didn't get dinner until after 8.

D: salad w/ff dressing (0); LC panini (5)
snack: soy crisps (2); mini pretzels (2)

Under points for the day.

 

[keenercam]

The scale was down another .9 today, bringing me well within my new "normal" range. It would be nice to lose at least another 2.6 in the next 2 weeks. I am keeping my figures crossed and my appetite reigned in, I hope.

Food plan for today:
B: weight watchers bagel w/2 slices light turkey (2.5); fat free cottage cheese (1); light fruit cup (1); coffee w/sugar free creamer (1)
L: weight watchers wheat toast (1); laughing cow cheese (1); greens (0); ww yogurt (1); soy crisps (2)

 

[goldcupmom]

Hey, Cam, remember when I tried the LC Panini & said it was rock hard & not good, couldn't eat it? You told me I should try another. Well, when I was in grocery, I bought 4. Today for lunch I ran down to the freezer, grabbed one, cooked it, brought it in to the computer to eat. WONDERFUL!!! Went out to throw the box away & calculate points......It was a Stouffers Corner Bistro & not LC!!!! 8 points and boy was this one GOOD!!! When I looked at it it looked rather buttery on the bread - must be. Oh well, at least I had plenty of points left, but I almost never eat 8 at lunch!! Eventually I"ll really try the LC ones!!

Hope you have a great weekend! Sounds like you're doing well at getting ready for DLand!!

 

[keenercam]

Julie -- That is so funny. I am seriously addicted to the LC ones and am thrilled when our Acme runs them 1/3 or 1/2 off. The chicken, spinach mushroom is 5 pts and the others are 6 except the chicken club which is 7. So, 8 really isn't that bad if it is your main meal of the day. I usually do a pretty light breakfast and heavier lunch, but have been high at breakfast recently, too.

 

[toystoryduo]

Weigh to go, Cam! It sounds like the scale is cooperating! Keep up the good work!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! How many days till Disneyland?

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Cam--you are doing such a great job!!! Your training seems to be going well and your scale IS cooperating!!
Just be careful you dont push youreself too hard --if you can worry about me, i can worry about you, right

You are doing such a fantastic job! keep it up and have a great weekend!

 

[RunningLilo]

Cam,
I need your help! I started WW on Sunday and I'm STARVING! Can you tell me some of your favorite really low or no point foods? The first day I went over my points by 10!! And I've got 2 days left this week and only 5 weekly points available. I don't want to cheat, but it's looking really doubtful at this point. Come on, share some of your secrets!

Thanks!

 

[keenercam]

Thank you so much Tracey & Jen! I am so glad I've gotten back in the groove of posting here. It really does make me more accountable.

The scale was down another .9 this morning. Very strange, but I'm not going to knock it. Since August 1, I am down a net 4.7, but still up from 7/28 by a tiny bit. Very strange how my weight can fluctuate 2-3.8 pounds from day to day. You think this would have convinced me by now not to put so much emphasis on the scale, but NO. I still torture myself every day by stepping on it and beating myself up if the number is up a bit.

Okay, Dena! I am not sure how much I can contribute to your effort, but I will share what works for me when I work the plan (and I'll cross post this in your journal, too!)

My body NEEDS protein for fuel and to stay full for a while, but I am a carbohydrate addict (and I don't use that term loosely).

The following items are lifesavers for me:
laughing cow light cheese wedges -- 1pt for 1; 1.5 pts for 2 -- one goes a long way. It spreads over 2 slices of bread or a bagel and gives plenty of cheese taste. They are also good for spreading on a lot of crackers or dipping pretzels in, because they are soft and creamy.

light bread (any thing that is 2 slices for 1 point). I like wheat. 2 slices of bread with a laughing cow cheese wedge spread over it and especially if you top them with lettuce and tomato or with cucumbers, this is a hearty 2 point meal or snack.

frozen meals -- this can get expensive, but I justify it as being much less than eating out for lunch or dinner. SO many advantages -- controlled points and cook fast and tastes like real food. WW has many out in their truth about carbs line that are between 2-4 points. I always bulk these up by heating up some broccoli or green beans and filling a plate with that and then pouring the cooked meal over the veggies. It is a huge amount of food and I am all about volume!

I am really hooked right now on the lean cusine panini -- I especially like the chicken, spinach&mushroom (5 pts) and southwest chicken (6 pts). I eat these as open face sandwiches since they are really thick if you put the slices together.

LC brick oven style pizzas are also really good and satisfy my pizza cravings easily. I really like the veggie one and the barbecue chicken and I think they are 6-7 points.

Okay, back to snacks --
WW yogurt (1) w/a bit of hi-fiber crunchy cereal (0)
sugar free jello (o)
baby carrots (0-1)
canned cut green beans -- my favorite snack. I put the can in the fridge and then just add some lemon juice or some garlic or pepper and eat it with my fingers.
fat free cottage cheese & lite fruit cocktail -- 2 points and it tastes like dessert
cucumbers -- very crunchy and satisfying. Just cut them up and put in a bowl or plate with some salt and pepper and eat with your fingers.

Another thing I have found is I sometimes need "real food" between meals. I buy the low fat turkey slices (I think they are four round slices for 1 point if they are healthy choice or butterball). I can do that with wasa crisps or light bread for 2 points and feel like I have had a meal.

Glenny's soy crisps -- I think the plain ones and the cool ranch are a whole bag (2 svgs) for 2 points. For some reason, soy really keeps me satisfied for a while. I am sure there is some physiological/scientific reason, but I don't know what it is.

Unsalted mini pretzels are 20 for 2 points and these are a very satisfying snack, especially if you eat them one at a time dipped in mustard.

fat free pringles are 1 point for 14 crisps. The sour cream and onion ones are hard to find around here but very flavorful.

sugar free ice pops -- I think you can eat 3 before you have to count a point. I usually eat one or 2 and don't count them. YUM.

I hope that helps!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Hi cam-
Its nice having you back on the journals!! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!!!!

 

[keenercam]

The last couple of days have been good. I've stayed on track and had only used 1 FP until yesterday,when I used more for a tiny piece of DD18's birthday cake with no frosting and then movie popcorn.

I did my last LW today before the 1/2 marathon. THis was the 10 miles I should have done last weekend but couldn't get in.

Today's splits:
mile 1: 14:35
mile 2: 14:33
mile 3: 14:16
mile 4: 15:12
mile 5: 14:58
up to 5.7 (.7 miles): 11:05=15:55 pace
up to 6.7 (1 mile): 15:06
mile 6.7-7.7: 15:11
round up to mile 8 (.3 miles) -- 4:39 (15:37 pace)
mile 9: 16:05
mile 10: 16:11
cool down -- .3 miles at 17:47pace

Total time 2:37:12 for 10.3 miles -- overall pace ~15:44 (UGH!) The first 5 weren't bad, but I lost momentum.

That was the last long one before the 1/2 which is 13 days away. We are hoping to do a 10K next Sunday as part of our taper.

 

[kimwim8]

Hi Cam!

Just wanted to stop by and say GOOD LUCK on the DL 1/2 marathon!! You're gonna do GREAT!! Please take lots of pics! I can't wait to hear about it when you get home!

ENJOY!!!