Ticker Tape Parade To Come?

So, this was probably the worst week in 2007 that I could possibly have started on Weight Watchers. Answer this question: what derails your weight loss efforts?

How about, social plans? I have three dinners out and one lunch out planned for this week. (And they're all too important to cancel.) I've tried to calibrate my choices and keep points in mind, but so far I have not been 100% successful.

Holidays, you say? A holiday involving candy? A holiday involving cookies and candy brought to my desk? I was able to say no to someone with candy, but the person who brought us giant chocolate chip cookies of appreciation, I did not say no to.

Perhaps stress? Well, this week my baby nephew has been in the hospital with an unidentified disease, getting blood transfusions. Yes. Somehow counting points CEASES TO FEEL IMPORTANT at those types of moments.

Also, work stress! One person on our team quit and so we're short staffed; we had a big meeting yesterday; our job descriptions are being discussed; I'm having my performance review... etc. etc.

So, yeah. I am still writing things down; still trying to keep my head above water. But man. If I just manage to maintain my weight this week, I'll throw myself a ticker tape parade.

Well, I didn't do any of that stuff I said I was going to do the last time I posted (two weeks ago, was it?) It's still Sunday morning; I still have time to go to the gym today. That I should definitely do.

The truth is, I went ahead and went back to Weight Watchers this morning. What spurred this on was that this week, my knees started hurting. I walk up and down stairs all day at work and I found myself dreading the trip up the stairs because my knee was aching. And you know, I hope nobody thinks this is a betrayal of body positivity, but I think if I lose weight, my knee will stop hurting. I also think if I lose weight, I won't have to take Pepcid anymore. Both the knee pain and the Pepcid are new developments and I think I am just over the threshold where my body can be fat and fit. These little health things are worrying and I want to nip them in the bud. By dropping some weight. I don't want to get back to my highest weight of like 285 or whatever it was, or even my highest pre-WW weight of 264. I need to take back the night, as it were.

It feels very comfortable to be going back to Weight Watchers and I feel good about it. I think the principles of the program are very sound. If you do the Core plan, you don't have any food limits at all; you just have to eat the Core foods which have good energy density; the plan is based around foods that are high protein, high fiber, low fat, low carb. Lots of fruits and veggies. Who's gonna argue with that? I'm going to do the points, though. I think it's a good idea to emphasize the Core foods while you eat on the Flex plan. You end up eating a lot healthier in the end.

After the meeting (where I weighed in at 248 pounds, yes I said it) I went to Trader Joe's to try and get ingredients for my own version of the Starbucks fruit and yogurt parfait. Lo and behold, TJ's has their own fruit and yogurt parfait with nonfat Greek yogurt, awesome granola, strawberries and blueberries, and it is 90 calories less (and has more fiber) than the Starbucks version. Pointswise, it's only a one-point difference (it's 5 rather than 6 points) but it's definitely a better choice. Oh, and it's also like $1.50 cheaper!

I have to buy some more of those parfaits tomorrow night, and then bring them to work for the rest of the week. (I can't bring them tomorrow because I leave the house at 6:30 but don't get to a fridge at work until after 10 in the morning.)

Okay, I didn't mean to go on and on about parfaits. It's just that logistics (like the transportation of yogurt parfaits) are getting in the way of my life right now. For instance, I spent all day yesterday grading papers, and I still have a pile to do today. I get so consumed with schoolwork that I shove fitness and nutrition straight to the back burner.... it's not good. Maybe I should work fewer jobs or fewer hours... that's one of the goals for 2009, I think. But as for today, I guess if I can get these graded and get to the gym, today will be a win on both levels. Wish me luck.

Whither Contents?

A couple of people have e-mailed and commented asking me what's going on with this blog; have I abandoned it? I haven't abandoned it, but I'm trying to figure out what to do with it.

It comes down to priorities and time management. At the moment I have a full-time job, plus I teach part time, plus I am trying to post at Big Fat Deal at least daily (my goal is twice daily but unless someone decides to give me a pile of money and I can quit one of my jobs...) I've toyed with the idea of doing personal posts on BFD occasionally, related to my working out or my eating or whatnot. I'm not sure if that would change the other blog too much, though.

Anyway, I'm leaning against that. In the meantime, I haven't been writing down my food or weighing myself. I've been exercising on the weekends for longer periods, since the week has been busy. Of course, I need to re prioritize, because I realize just in typing this that I need a better balance. I can't let the semester drag me down and keep me from working out and being healthy. Maybe I should start small and post a goal for the week and then come report back next weekend!

Okay, my goal for the week is to write down what I am eating (I'll consider it an assessment week) and work out for at least an hour. Oh, and I'll weigh myself, too. I'll be back and let you know how it goes.