SeaSpray's Weight Loss Journal - Visitors Welcome!

[SeaSpray]

I just joined WISH today. (I think I may have joined a long time ago but didn't do well that time; this time I am determined!)

A quick Bio: I'm 43, weigh 230, DH John, DS17, DSalmost14, Siamese cat Mushu

I was not an overweight child, and was not overweight as a young adult. I gained some weight in my mid-20's but then lost it before I had my 2 DSs. Even after having DSs I was not really overweight, maybe 5-10 pounds. I gained all of this weight within the last 8 years, after I moved from NJ to Massachusetts. I was not prepared for the homesickness I had for the first few years. Unfortunately, even though MA now feels like "home", I've continued to gain weight each year. I have to put a stop to this. I am not big-boned, I'm 5'4", and my body just cannot handle all this weight. I am too sedentary. Between bad eating habits and no to little exercise, I'm a health timebomb waiting to go off.

DH is overweight also, we both want to lose 50 pounds. I may decide to lose another 10 pounds beyond that, but I'll make that decision when I lose this initial 50.

Today DH and I started a "Diet Challenge" against each other! I think it will be great to have someone else in the house on a diet with me. And the fun part is the challenge since both of us are fairly competitive. I think the challenge is what will keep us focused! We plan to weigh in every 2-3 weeks. We'd like to have mini-rewards for each weigh-in along the way, but we couldn't think of anything. LOL

Two years ago I started the Weight Watchers At Work program. It really wasn't at work, it was at my nail salon, but they invited clients to join so that they'd have the minimum number of people needed for the program. This morning I dug out all of the booklets, the Points Finder, Daily Journals, etc. so I am all set on that front.

Today so far I am doing well. Because of my weight I am allowed an obscenely high amount of points! LOL I really don't want to eat all of them, but I'll see how it goes during the first week.

Breakfast: 2 slices of light bread, a smidge of jam, tea with Fat Free Half and Half, and SweetNLow. 3 points for breakfast.

Lunch: Big Salad (It's a salad, only bigger ) including lettuce, carrots, baby greens, cucumber, tomato, and 2 tablespoons of Lite Dressing. For a total of 4 points.

I can have 20-something points for the day, maybe even 30-something (I don't have the chart in front of me), so I may have one of the Weight Watchers Ice Cream bars that I bought. They're only 2 points each.

So far, so good today!

I'll add dinner's points later tonight

Thanks for reading!

 

[Lesli54]

WELCOME to WISH, Terry!

Journaling is a great place to start and I have done it everyday for almost 1 month. I believe it is the main reason why I am still here. You can learn so much about your habits and when you go back to re-read what you wrote, you realize how far you have come in more ways than just weight. The people here are great and there is no doubt that soon you will find a kindred spirit or two.

I think it is great that you and your DH are challenging each other. My DH is along for the ride and enjoying his weight loss, but we haven't gotten to a challenge, yet.

As for little rewards.....there are so many things you can do, you just have to be creative and do something that makes you feel good, something that lifts your spirits and reminds you how good it was to live life thinner. With my first 5 lbs., I got a new hair cut.....well I did it before the 5 was official, but it sure makes me feel better. For the next 5lbs. (hopefully in a few days), I have scheduled an appointment to have my teeth whitened. It will happen in a few months because they are busy, but it's still a reward. I am not sure what I will do for the 5lbs after that. Clothing is not a reward this time, as I will just buy it as I go and look at it as an investment in me. You and your DH could do some rewards together, such as treat yourself to a night out or a weekend getaway.................Hey, there is an idea.........maybe DH and I need to challenge each other after all..........

Anyway, have fun with your challenge. We are rooting for you to win!

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks for the welcome! Wait till I tell DH that I have people rooting for me in this challenge!

You have good ideas for the rewards. I was thinking along those lines too, maybe a pedicure or something. Our first official weigh-in isn't for 3 weeks, but I will weigh myself along the way just to see how I'm doing.

 

[SeaSpray]

April 8th, food journal continued:

After the big salad for lunch, I realized that I didn't have any protein at all today, so I took 2 slices of the "Thin and Trim Roast Beef" that I bought at the deli today, and 2 slices of light bread, and made a sandwich. No mayo or anything, and fortunately the roast beef was pretty tasty.

So now my points total for today so far are 11. I know I still have a ton left. I'll make sure to have more protein at dinner.

P.S. I didn't have the ice cream bar, I opted for the roast beef sandwich instead.


EDITED TO ADD DINNER:

home-made roast beef sub, lettuce, tomato, low fat Italian dressing instead of oil and vinegar, and no cheese.

The sub was 10 points, and worth it

So even if I stay within the lowest amount of points for my weight, I still have 4 points to use for the rest of the night. I know that 2 of those points will be from one of the WW ice cream bars that I bought. Not sure about the other 2 Maybe microwave popcorn...

 

[SeaSpray]

Evening snacks:

I just had one of those single-serving bags of light microwave popcorn. I don't have the package it came in anymore, so I'm hoping it was around 2 points. I know the full-sized bags are 6 points, and this looked to be about 1/3 of that.

In a little while I'll have Weight Watcher ice cream that I've been waiting for all day. And that'll be my full 24 points for the day. 24 is the lowest they want me to have for my point range. I guess it's good to know that if I wanted to, I could use a few more points each day, but I am going to try and stay in the lower range for now.

Been drinking a lot of spring water, too. I love these little Crystal Lite On the Go packets!

 

[SeaSpray]

Breakfast: We went out for breakfast, I brought my WW Food Points Book with me. LOL

I had 1 poached egg, 1 slice of dry wheat toast (I dunk the toast in the egg so I didn't even miss the butter!), and a cup of fresh fruit. Plus a cup of tea using SweetNLow and a splash of milk. Total points: 6

*******************************************************

 

[SeaSpray]

Lunch:

home-made roast beef "sub". 2 slices of "thin and trim" roast beef, lettuce, tomato, Light Italian dressing, small roll. 11 points.

Dinner:

angelhair pasta and marinara sauce. 12 points.

Total used so far today: 29

However, after doing yard work today, I've earned 2 activity points. So I still can use 4 more points for the day. Two of those points will be for a Weight Watcher ice cream bar

 

[SeaSpray]

Breakfast: 2 slices of light toast, smidge of jam, tea with skim and S&L. total for breakfast: 4

No idea what's for lunch or dinner. I'll have to go food shopping after my morning meeting. Time to stock up on "good" low point foods to keep around the house. It seems that my DS17 is wanting to join in on the challenge too!

 

[Lesli54]

You are doing well and it is great that you are trying to stay at the lower end of your points!

I was just thinking that your children will benefit since you and your DH are working on this together. It is so cool that your DS wants in on the challenge. Better be careful, he just might try to show up the both of you. Kids!

Keep up the good work.

 

[SeaSpray]

You are doing well and it is great that you are trying to stay at the lower end of your points!

I was just thinking that your children will benefit since you and your DH are working on this together. It is so cool that your DS wants in on the challenge. Better be careful, he just might try to show up the both of you. Kids!

Keep up the good work.

Thanks!

I just got back from my meeting and now we're going out to lunch. I will definitely order the grilled chicken and veggies

I'll add up the points when we get back later.

 

[rcyannacci]

Hi! welcome to the journals. I just started journaling 2 months ago, and it's been really motivating.

Remember that men and women lose weight differently, so if your DH loses faster with less work, don't let it get you down!

Glad you're here!

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi! welcome to the journals. I just started journaling 2 months ago, and it's been really motivating.

Remember that men and women lose weight differently, so if your DH loses faster with less work, don't let it get you down!

Glad you're here!

Thanks!! I definitely won't let it get me down if my DH loses more than I do. I figure, we're both in this together, and I really do want both of us to be successful

 

[SeaSpray]

Breakfast: tea with fat free 1/2 & 1/2, SweetNLow, light toast. 1 point total.

So far, so good. I have to go food shopping today, I'm running out of low-point food!

 

[Lesli54]

Good morning! Just checking to see how you are doing. Remember, we are cheering you on, so your DH better watch out!

Have a great day and drink plenty of water.

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks Lesli!! I'm feeling confident that I will beat him, at least at the first weigh-in, anyway

Let's see....for lunch and dinner I had:

Thin & Trim roast beef on light bread, lettuce and tomato 6 points.

Sugar Free pudding, Cool Whip Light, 2 points.

2 low fat hot dogs on 2 light buns, sauerkraut and mustard for 6 points.

Weight Watcher Ice cream bar, 2 points.

And just now, 10:30pm... chicken on light bread, tomato, 4 points. I shouldn't watch the Food Network, it makes me too hungry LOL

Total points for the day: 21 points. Not bad, well under my limit, yet I didn't feel "deprived" at all today

 

[TigerBear]

Good for you!

And I will send a cheer out for your dh too. We want him to lose too - just not as much as you!!

 

[Lesli54]

You are doing really good.

Here's a couple hints that will help you:
1. Make a cut off time for eating. For ex: I don't eat after 7:30pm. (well last night I slipped on that for the first time in almost a month) Granted there are times when it doesn't always work, such as the few times that I had meetings around supper time and didn't get my supper until later. Those usually are rare though. It seems hard to do at first, but will yeild big payoffs with weight loss and better sleep. Try to eat no later than 3 hrs before you go to bed. Your body just can't process the food as quickly once you sleep.

2. Try to go to bed at the same time and wake at the same time. I don't know if you are a night owl, but if you are, it will slow your metabolism a lot. I went from staying up late (midnight -2:30am) to going to bed at 10:30pm on most nights. It is possible and I feel so much better than I did before.

3. Make sure you get plenty of water. At least 64-80oz. Personally, I drink 84-90oz and it works very well for me. Water will help you shed alot of weight due to retention.

You may know all these things, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves. I started at 230 lbs (am 37 yrs old, soon to be 38) and in a month I have lost 10 lbs. That is with very little exercise, which I still need to work on.

I know you can do it and hope that these tips help you along the way.

 

[SeaSpray]

Lesli, thanks so much for those tips. They are all "common sense" ideas but things that I really need to put into practice.

I have PMS right now, so I think I'm retaining fluids, because I know I did very well with points and everything this week and I'm only down 3.5 pounds. That's not bad, but I was hoping for a bigger loss, since it's the first week.

But I will continue on...this is definitely not a battle that will be won within a short period of time. lol

 

[Lesli54]

Look at you go! 3.5 lbs. is GREAT!

You must be so proud of yourself. Keep up the good work and you will sneak by your DH in no time.

 

[SeaSpray]

We slept in a bit this morning. For breakfast I had a cup of tea with fat free 1/2 & 1/2, and SweetNLow, 2 slices of light bread, 1 tbsp of jam and 1 tbsp of peanut butter. The total for breakfast is 6 points.

We have a lot planned for today (yard work, shopping, errands, etc), so hopefully the extra activity will be good not only for the exercise aspect of it, but also because we'll be distracted out in the yard or at the stores, and that leaves less time to think about snacking.