The Morning After

I SURVIVED DAY ONE!

Whew! I have to admit, this is a little more like rehab than I ever expected.

Yesterday, after my mid-afternoon sugar (and alcohol) cravings subsided, and I thought the worst of the day was over, I came close to falling off the wagon.

You see, I watched the Gator game.

The stress was overwhelming.

...PLUS, someone kept tweeting about ice cream.

But, I held fast to my conviction and

stayed away from the kitchen. I nursed my sweet glass of Crystal Light for all it was worth. I ate a piece (or two) of Colby Jack cheese. (a treat I rarely enjoyed on Weight Watchers) And, I texted profanities to FireDaddy at the station after every stressful play.

Today, I've actually felt good. After a slow and thoughtful trip to the store, I am now stocked with plenty of plan-approved foods, snacks, beverages, and even some sugar-free candies that taste darn good.

And let me know if I'm the only one who's ever felt this way, but on Day Two of a new diet, don't you feel you deserve a little reward? No...I'm not talking about cheating. Really. I'm talking about progress. Don't you half expect the scale to drop two pounds or so? You're so proud of yourself, shouldn't your favorite pair of pants acknowledge your accomplishment by loosening up around your waist a little? I could SWEAR that I lost weight yesterday. I could SWEAR I look thinner today.

No? You don't think so??

Darn.

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kurafire/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Simple Saturday Sweets

I've had enough. I can't take it anymore.

Over the past two and a half years I've watched myself (and I suppose I've contributed a little, too...) gain back the entire 30 pounds I lost on Weight Watchers (after GAINING twenty pounds after losing all my baby weight from Baby Girl...Yeah. Do that math!)

Last weekend, on a lovely simple Saturday at the local arts market with my parents and girlies, a wave of nausea nearly swept me off my feet. I was hungry. Somehow, thankfully, I was able to NOT barf all over my own flip flops. We made it to our usual Chili's and I was able to survive to see my next meal. This, however, is a pattern I've noticed recently. I go from intense hunger/nausea to bloated, yucky tummy.

I've decided to take this bull(sh!t) by the horns and reclaim control over my body.

I was expecting to find myself in a Weight Watchers establishment for the first time ever. (I actually did it all at home on my own with the Weight Watchers At Home kit the first time.) I knew I needed something more drastic to help me break these horrible habits I've created for myself. I knew I needed more accountability.

However, as I meandered into school one day this week and approached an old WW buddy, I changed my plan. Recently, she's had great success with South Beach. She swears by it. I, skeptic of any diet that rules out entire food groups, expressed my concerns and skepticism about this plan. She explained the diet in more detail to me and, as it turns out, this diet seems far more mainstream that I had previously assumed it to be. Actually, it ultimately preaches (in Phase 2 - and Phase 1 is only 2 weeks long) things I already do.

So, I dropped the South Beach book in my Amazon cart and here I am. Day one is upon me.

However, my darling lovies have been a wee bit oppositional today (ha!)...which has made me want two things: alcohol and sugar. Any form of sugar. Anything from Wheat Thins to ice cream! Oh, and CHOCOLATE!!!

So, I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with something "in the plan" that will help me through this day. (Especially since I really need to go to the grocery store.)

Here's what I came up with...

1/2 cup ricotta (part-skim)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package Sweet'N Low (I prefer Splenda, but this is what FireDaddy had in the pantry.)

a dash or so of Starbucks Via (the Columbian brew)

This is actually the South Beach recipe for Vanilla Ricotta Creme, with my own addition of the Via. It tastes A LOT like coffee ice cream! The texture is quite different though, as you can imagine. And, in fact, it's VERY sweet. I never thought I'd say this about anything...but it's almost TOO sweet. If I make this again, I may reduce the vanilla extract. Good news is, a little goes a long way. I'm feeling much better.

In fact, I think I'll head into the kitchen and use the rest of my Via packet in some cold skim milk for an iced coffee treat.

**By the way, my goal right now is to just make it through the first two weeks. I'm hoping this will help my blood sugar - or whatever it is that's causing this crazy nausea crap - level out and help me kick some cravings in the bootie. Then, I'll reassess...We'll see how this goes.

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/santos/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

You only THOUGHT you were being good...

Unfortunately, sometimes bad things come in good packages.  

Take, for instance, one of my favorite restaurants:  Panera.  I feel all healthy and happy when I order a grilled chicken Caesar salad....until I admit to myself that it is SO not what I want it to be.  

Don't get me wrong...it's delicious!  I could eat their salads tirelessly eat their salads (and sandwiches, for that matter) daily for weeks on end.  (I think, a few years back, I really did.)  Until I read the nutritional information.  Are you aware that it has 500 calories, 28 grams of FAT, and only 3 grams of fiber???  That equates to 15 Weight Watchers points!!!  FOR A SALAD!  (Ever since my season on Weight Watchers a few years back, everything must convert to points for me to appreciate their "value" in my diet.)  Now, for those of you not familiar with Weight Watchers, consider that, currently, for me to remain "on plan" I am allotted 21 points in a day.  TOTAL.  For 3 meals, beverages, snacks, everything.  

Oh, and that 15 points does NOT include a baguette on the side with an extra side of Caesar dressing for dipping...Yeah.  Some things you know are bad, but you do them anyway.  

Bon appetit!

**Author's Note:  Panera, it's nothing personal...I know you're not alone.  You just happen to be the one that I dined upon today.  I still love you.

Gettin' Groovin'

Recently, I wrote about the bad habits I've discovered in myself once again.  Perhaps it was the reflection, perhaps it was the number staring back at me on the scale, perhaps it was the not so cute "muffin top" sprouting around my waist, or, perhaps it was the humiliation accountability of publishing such habits in a medium as public as the World Wide Web.  Whatever the reason, I've been making a DAILY which is really good for me because I "don't do daily" effort towards getting my groove back.  

What does that mean?

Well, put it this way...did you know you have muscles on the back side of your ribs???  Wow.  Neither did I, until the past few weeks, at which time I've become PAINFULLY aware of their existence.  Thanks to Tracy, my Wii Fit trainer gal.  

Would you believe that home-cooked meals REALLY DO taste better than fast food or restaurant meals?  And did you know that a classic, homemade fast food (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) costs less and has LESS CALORIES AND FAT (especially when made with reduced fat peanut butter and on light bread) than more modern fast food "healthy" meals (a.k.a. grilled chicken from Chick-Fil-A or Mickey D's)?  Another startling re-discovery around the neuroclassy household recently.

Or, how about this one, did you know that Weight Watchers Online now has a MOBILE site...suitable for Blackberrys!!!  And there's more, there is even a gadget for my iGoogle!!! Woo-hoo!   My prayers have been answered!

Accompanying these recent positive discoveries, unfortunately, some reveals have NOT been quite so happy.  

For instance, when you get to the gym before 4:30 AM, you're tired by the time you get yourself dressed, your kids dressed, everyone shuttled to their respective locations and, finally, settle into your desk for your morning prep time at work at 8:30. 

When the time changes, you can no longer rely on the sun to tell you when to feed your children dinner, give them their baths, or put them to bed because you're completely obsessed with completing your workout routine on the Wii Fit.  (Must...unlock...one...more...yoga pose....and then trying it a few times before I done...and then I'm really quitting....I mean it this time.)

Drinking a gallon or more liquid per day in addition to my triple venti skinny vanilla latte and Diet, Caffeine Free, mind you, Coke is resulting in a ridiculous number of quick potty breaks.  I can hardly keep this up - and by this, I'm referring to my pants!

Oh, and, thanks to Tracy, my very professional and devoted Wii Fit gal, getting up and down when I make those quick potty trips is much harder than it used to be.  

But, as we've established before, I guess I'm just shallow enough to make it all worth it.  

And with that, I'd better get back to groovin'.

Author's Note:  Oh, the photo?  Yeah...um...that was TOTALLY ME...back when I was a blonde.    Hardee har har....