Seven weeks into our Weight Watchers experience, we have lost a total of 27 pounds, almost 28 actually. Linda is leading the charge, down over 17. I just cracked the magic 10 pound barrier. Pardon me, for the giant salad-eating grin !
Last night's meeting was one of if not THE BEST meeting so far. I wrote last week that we missed a meeting due to Valentine's Day. It was so good to get back in there and see everyone. We had a mostly full room, all the regulars and several new faces also. I'm really glad our merry band is expanding. And for the new folks, what a great night to get started.
Lots of milestones were celebrated, but of course Linda's 15 pound and my 10 pound drop were paramount in our minds. We also had a person go over the 45 pound mark. Nice work ! I feel like Linda and I have (as well as the rest of our group) so much positive momentum that the sky is literally the limit.
After we were done celebrating milestones we touched on the topics of the week. Dori, our leader, brought up some very important points to consider.
First and foremost was the statement that your attitude regarding any activity affects the outcome of that activity. Simply put, it means that if you think you are going to succeed, your chances of success are good. Conversely, if you feel that you are going to fail, YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL. It's just that simple. So toss out the negativity, you can do it.
Secondly we discussed the "Pitfalls of Perfectionism". I admit freely that I am a perfectionist. I love order and stuff neatly placed in it's own designated cubby-hole. Before I met Linda, I lived alone in a neat 2-bedroom apartment that was always completely spotless. I knew where every thing was right down to the back-up container of Q-Tips. When Linda and I got our new place, all that went out the window in a matter of minutes. Not so much the cleanliness factor (I still scrub) but the OCDness of my organizational needs. Linda uses a system I have named "Controlled Chaos". Like a junkie on the 12 step program, I have learned to accept a new way of living. Much less organized, and yet still functional. I have my moments of dispair when I can't find the thing I'm looking for, but I would never trade my beautiful life with my lovely wife for knowing where (and exactly how many there are) spare AAA batteries in the kitchen.
But once again I digress.
Perfectionism in regards to Weight Watchers means that you DO NOT need to be perfect in every way every single day to succeed. If you had a challenging week and fell for the Girl Scout cookies it does not mean that all is lost. Do not give up because you exceeded your points for that day, or the week. Just know that it's totally OK. Don't feel guilty because you snagged that muffin at the staff meeting. Don't wig out if you put a pound back on or just stayed at the same level. It's OK.
The key to having this attitude is looking at the big picture. Weight Watchers is not a limited time engagement, it's a lifestyle transformation. Everyone is going to have peaks and valleys as we move toward our ultimate goal of improved health and fitness. Do not worry, just keep your eyes on the prize. If you feel badly, the best way to change that is do something positive for yourself. My fall-back activity is the brisk walk, find yours and use it.
I'm also excited about next week's meeting. We will be sharing "Food Finds", great recipes or other foods that fit the Weight Watchers guidelines and are yummy at the same time. I will encourage the group to email me their favorites and post them here next week. I will insist that Linda share her recipe for her "Magic Soup". Folks I'm not making this up, it's an awesome veggie soup that the more of it you eat, the more pounds melt away. That's how we did so well at weigh-in this week. Nice.
Also in closing, I visited the Doc yesterday to have a skin bump looked at. He decided to remove it just in case. Here in Colorado we have a lot of UV rays due to the high altitude so skin cancer is not to be messed with. Anyway, Doc really had high praise for the Weight Watchers program and he was pleased to see that I had dropped the 10 pounds. I had my cholesterol levels checked a few months ago and Doc said that they were a bit high. I told him yesterday that I will have them checked again in 60 days and we will compare the results. I would be shocked if the levels have not significantly improved by then.
I hope everyone can feel my energy and exitement in this post.
Healthy eating to all.
Dave and Linda
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Time (and not the magazine)
editors note.....Dave and Linda skipped their WW meeting this week to celebrate Valentine's Day, so no weigh-in information this week.
Today's topic is Time. A very large subject to explore. Physicists have been trying to define Time for centuries. Albert Einstein's theory of relativity explores the interaction of the Space-Time continuum as a traveller approaches the speed of light. The jist of his argument is that as a person approaches the speed of light, Time actually slows down for the traveller, relative to the person that is not travelling that fast.
Ok how does this relate to Weight Watchers you ask? Elementary my dear Watson.
We all know that society is moving faster and faster every day. That leaves less time in the day for health related activities such as working out, shopping for healthy foods, reading up on nutritional topics, meditating, or even getting enough sleep. As far as I know none of us has a rocket ship that approximates the speed of light.
So what are we to do?
First and foremost is value yourself. I touched upon this briefly in a previous post. What that means is TAKE THE TIME TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU!
If you have dishes piled up in the sink and e-mails to answer what's the biggie ? Go ahead and take that walk around the block. Go ahead and read that article in Prevention Magazine. Go ahead and put on Enya and close your eyes for 15 minutes. Yes just do it.
And then when you are finished, your tasks will take less time to accomplish, you will feel better, and the world will not have stopped rotating. WOW ! Dude might be on to something here.
Another tip is making use of snippets of time to do mini-workouts. I'm famous for walking religiously during my breaks at work. Three ten minute walks adds up to 30 minutes of healthy exercise. I love to watch TV. Let's face it Survivor, 24, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune all rock. My newest addiction is the Fitness Ball! Doing crunches and stretches and all sorts of exercises while watching TV ! How cool is that? Linda, I must admit is getting a little tired of the living room work-outs so I might be banished to the basement but who cares, got a TV down there too.
As far as heathy meals go, a good idea is to make a larger amount than what is needed for that day and freeze the rest. Linda is known for making huge pots of soup or chili. Then she freezes the leftovers and has them ready to go at a moments notice. This prevents the time-challenged person from hitting the drive-thru or God forbid calling the pizza man. Sorry pizza man you know I still love you.
This just the tip of the proverbial iceburg when it comes to time. Bottom line is I never want to hear any fellow Weight Watchers say "I didn't have time". Sorry you do.
See ya in the produce section of King Soopers.
Dave and Linda
Today's topic is Time. A very large subject to explore. Physicists have been trying to define Time for centuries. Albert Einstein's theory of relativity explores the interaction of the Space-Time continuum as a traveller approaches the speed of light. The jist of his argument is that as a person approaches the speed of light, Time actually slows down for the traveller, relative to the person that is not travelling that fast.
Ok how does this relate to Weight Watchers you ask? Elementary my dear Watson.
We all know that society is moving faster and faster every day. That leaves less time in the day for health related activities such as working out, shopping for healthy foods, reading up on nutritional topics, meditating, or even getting enough sleep. As far as I know none of us has a rocket ship that approximates the speed of light.
So what are we to do?
First and foremost is value yourself. I touched upon this briefly in a previous post. What that means is TAKE THE TIME TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU!
If you have dishes piled up in the sink and e-mails to answer what's the biggie ? Go ahead and take that walk around the block. Go ahead and read that article in Prevention Magazine. Go ahead and put on Enya and close your eyes for 15 minutes. Yes just do it.
And then when you are finished, your tasks will take less time to accomplish, you will feel better, and the world will not have stopped rotating. WOW ! Dude might be on to something here.
Another tip is making use of snippets of time to do mini-workouts. I'm famous for walking religiously during my breaks at work. Three ten minute walks adds up to 30 minutes of healthy exercise. I love to watch TV. Let's face it Survivor, 24, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune all rock. My newest addiction is the Fitness Ball! Doing crunches and stretches and all sorts of exercises while watching TV ! How cool is that? Linda, I must admit is getting a little tired of the living room work-outs so I might be banished to the basement but who cares, got a TV down there too.
As far as heathy meals go, a good idea is to make a larger amount than what is needed for that day and freeze the rest. Linda is known for making huge pots of soup or chili. Then she freezes the leftovers and has them ready to go at a moments notice. This prevents the time-challenged person from hitting the drive-thru or God forbid calling the pizza man. Sorry pizza man you know I still love you.
This just the tip of the proverbial iceburg when it comes to time. Bottom line is I never want to hear any fellow Weight Watchers say "I didn't have time". Sorry you do.
See ya in the produce section of King Soopers.
Dave and Linda
Friday, February 9, 2007
Temptation
Ok I'm here to report continued loserness. I was down another pound and Linda is down 2 more pounds. Sweet huh ?
On the topic of sweetness it's almost Valentine's day. First Super Bowl Party and now Valentines day. Luckily there is no feasting observed with Presidents Day. Hey Abe, can ya chop down a T-Bone tree for your pal Dave ? Thanks buddy.
So we are faced with another round of temptation. Just like last night when we went to the grocery store. Oh shame on you King Soopers for the bakery department. Cakes and pies and crusty things with filling oozing out the sides. Run ! Run !
Made it home safe and sound after snagging a baked chicken for me and some diet snackie things for the Missus. I must admit I don't really have much of a sweet tooth most days. I prefer a late night snack of peanut butter and milk. Oh George Washington Carver you rock. But to meander back to todays topic, Temptation.
Weight Watchers is designed to be a flexible program. That is one of the strengths of the program, and an important reason participants can remain on the program over the long-haul. To NEVER be able to eat a favorite food (like chocolate for example) would be a form of torture. So under the guidelines of Weight Watchers it is totally OK to splurge once in a while. So every now and then go ahead and just snag a goodie, just count the points and feel good about yourself.
It is much easier over time that way. However use moderation, try to limit portion size, and really savor the goodie. If you love M&Ms get a snack size ziplock baggie and put a few of those yummy morsels in the bag. During the course of your week, if you want to have some M&Ms just pull out the baggie and go for it. That way you won't be tempted to eat the entire bag from the store. Cool.
Also one of our fellow WED 715'ers said this week don't eat the goodies if you are hungry. The logic behind this comment is that the goodie will become a meal, you will overconsume and then feel bad about it. So go ahead, eat your meal and then have a tasty treat. Oh yeah grab one of those crusty oozy pastries for me while you're at it !
Healthy eating to all.
Dave and Linda
On the topic of sweetness it's almost Valentine's day. First Super Bowl Party and now Valentines day. Luckily there is no feasting observed with Presidents Day. Hey Abe, can ya chop down a T-Bone tree for your pal Dave ? Thanks buddy.
So we are faced with another round of temptation. Just like last night when we went to the grocery store. Oh shame on you King Soopers for the bakery department. Cakes and pies and crusty things with filling oozing out the sides. Run ! Run !
Made it home safe and sound after snagging a baked chicken for me and some diet snackie things for the Missus. I must admit I don't really have much of a sweet tooth most days. I prefer a late night snack of peanut butter and milk. Oh George Washington Carver you rock. But to meander back to todays topic, Temptation.
Weight Watchers is designed to be a flexible program. That is one of the strengths of the program, and an important reason participants can remain on the program over the long-haul. To NEVER be able to eat a favorite food (like chocolate for example) would be a form of torture. So under the guidelines of Weight Watchers it is totally OK to splurge once in a while. So every now and then go ahead and just snag a goodie, just count the points and feel good about yourself.
It is much easier over time that way. However use moderation, try to limit portion size, and really savor the goodie. If you love M&Ms get a snack size ziplock baggie and put a few of those yummy morsels in the bag. During the course of your week, if you want to have some M&Ms just pull out the baggie and go for it. That way you won't be tempted to eat the entire bag from the store. Cool.
Also one of our fellow WED 715'ers said this week don't eat the goodies if you are hungry. The logic behind this comment is that the goodie will become a meal, you will overconsume and then feel bad about it. So go ahead, eat your meal and then have a tasty treat. Oh yeah grab one of those crusty oozy pastries for me while you're at it !
Healthy eating to all.
Dave and Linda
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Five Weeks of Successes
Today marks the end of five weeks of Weight Watchers.
It's kinda hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by. I'm looking forward to tonight's weigh-in to see how much I've lost this week. The last 2 weeks have not shown a great deal of weight loss, but the walking and the workouts are definitely re-shaping the ol' pear body.
This past week, I've continued with the walking and the fitness ball. I did not make it to the gym because my right arm/elbow has been hurting. I think I might have pulled something digging ice off the sidewalk, or just slept funny.
Oh well, love that ibuprofen.
My lovely wife Linda is showing tremendous progress. Her jeans are practically falling off her butt, and she is feeling great. We have really gotten in to the routine of healthy eating, scarfing down huge amounts of veggies / fruits / and lots of water.
I am most proud of the fact that we are doing this together, in it to win it. A long-term gift to each other. Love you honey.
Using the fitness ball has not only tightened up my core muscles, but I have devised some exercises to strenghten my quads as well. Also I have been using it for some awesome stretches. Both are really important because I promised my son I'd take him skiing in the next few weeks and I'd like not to pull a groin or a hamstring.
After last week's weigh-in I must admit that I was disappointed that I did not lose more. However it took me many months to tack on all the extra pounds, so I must not be too anxious. One pound a week is a healthy, sustainable amount to lose, and definitely adds up over time.
Super Bowl party was a blast. I admit I probably overdid the cheese dip, but countered with lots of veggies from the veggie tray, and stuck to water for my beverage. (Being DD was a god-send).
My next milestone would be the 10 pound lost marker. I'd sure like to hit that tonight, but won't freak out if I have not quite gotten there. I'll fill y'all in tomorrow with a progress report on myself and Linda.
Health eating to all.
Dave and Linda
It's kinda hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by. I'm looking forward to tonight's weigh-in to see how much I've lost this week. The last 2 weeks have not shown a great deal of weight loss, but the walking and the workouts are definitely re-shaping the ol' pear body.
This past week, I've continued with the walking and the fitness ball. I did not make it to the gym because my right arm/elbow has been hurting. I think I might have pulled something digging ice off the sidewalk, or just slept funny.
Oh well, love that ibuprofen.
My lovely wife Linda is showing tremendous progress. Her jeans are practically falling off her butt, and she is feeling great. We have really gotten in to the routine of healthy eating, scarfing down huge amounts of veggies / fruits / and lots of water.
I am most proud of the fact that we are doing this together, in it to win it. A long-term gift to each other. Love you honey.
Using the fitness ball has not only tightened up my core muscles, but I have devised some exercises to strenghten my quads as well. Also I have been using it for some awesome stretches. Both are really important because I promised my son I'd take him skiing in the next few weeks and I'd like not to pull a groin or a hamstring.
After last week's weigh-in I must admit that I was disappointed that I did not lose more. However it took me many months to tack on all the extra pounds, so I must not be too anxious. One pound a week is a healthy, sustainable amount to lose, and definitely adds up over time.
Super Bowl party was a blast. I admit I probably overdid the cheese dip, but countered with lots of veggies from the veggie tray, and stuck to water for my beverage. (Being DD was a god-send).
My next milestone would be the 10 pound lost marker. I'd sure like to hit that tonight, but won't freak out if I have not quite gotten there. I'll fill y'all in tomorrow with a progress report on myself and Linda.
Health eating to all.
Dave and Linda
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Feelin' great
No topic today just idle ramblings.
Lost a pound this week. Nice. However the ol' buddah belly is shrinking and my abs and legs and glutes are tightening up nicely. W00-Hoo. Work-outs are paying off.
The missus is happy so I'm happy.
Linda made eggrolls for us last weekend. Really, really good. You have to try this recipe.
Weight Watchers Vegetable Egg Rolls
1 head Chinese cabbage, outer leaves removed, shredded
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 medium scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, fresh, minced or 1/2 tsp dried
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
8 average egg roll wrappers, about 1/2 oz each
4 serving olive oil cooking spray, or enough to coat egg rolls
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place cabbage in a microwavable dish and cover. Microwave on high until wilted, about 4 minutes; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add carrots, garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, cornstarch and oil; mix well.Arrange egg roll wrappers on a clean, dry surface. Spoon cabbage mixture diagonally onto each wrapper. Fold over one corner to cover filling. Fold up both corners. Moisten edges of remaining flap with water and roll up wrapper jellyroll style until sealed. Transfer egg rolls to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
1 point per egg roll
I had a great time at this week's WED 715 Weight Watchers meeting. Lots of folks showed up, even some new faces were there (even though it was super cold). Excellent discussions and celebrations of weight loss milestones. Thanks fellow WED 715'ers. Looking forward to next week.
Super Bowl Party this weekend. Gonna be a challenge to stay on track. Just figure I'll eat a good healthy lunch beforehand and nibble on the goodies rather than show up hungry.
Excellent find at the grocery store. I love soda pop but the diet stuff gives me killer headaches. Look up aspertame (artificial sweetener/ aka NutraSweet) on the web and you might never touch the stuff again. http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
Anyway, I found a great substiute. Big K Lemon Lime Sparkling Water (King Soopers/Kroger).
Lots of fizz, no calories, and tastes really good. Just carbonated water with natural flavors.
Dusted off my rollerblades a couple of days ago. I used to be a regular skater and loved it. We have a rink right down the street from us and I've decided to check it out. Variety in working out is the key to not getting bored.
Bought a fitness ball and started working out with that. Amazing what you can do with it. Very low impact exercises with great effects on the body's core muscles.
http://gymball.com/exercise.html Check out this site, good info. Lots of fun too. Who needs an expensive gym membership ? Ball costs like 20 bucks. Neat.
Can't wait for Spring so I can get started on my gardens for this year. We have 21 seperate gardens at our house and each one we do differently. Might dig up a few more too. Excellent excercise and the fresh veggies are to die for.
That's all I got time for today. Take care.
Healthy eating to all.
Dave and Linda
Lost a pound this week. Nice. However the ol' buddah belly is shrinking and my abs and legs and glutes are tightening up nicely. W00-Hoo. Work-outs are paying off.
The missus is happy so I'm happy.
Linda made eggrolls for us last weekend. Really, really good. You have to try this recipe.
Weight Watchers Vegetable Egg Rolls
1 head Chinese cabbage, outer leaves removed, shredded
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 medium scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, fresh, minced or 1/2 tsp dried
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
8 average egg roll wrappers, about 1/2 oz each
4 serving olive oil cooking spray, or enough to coat egg rolls
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place cabbage in a microwavable dish and cover. Microwave on high until wilted, about 4 minutes; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add carrots, garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, cornstarch and oil; mix well.Arrange egg roll wrappers on a clean, dry surface. Spoon cabbage mixture diagonally onto each wrapper. Fold over one corner to cover filling. Fold up both corners. Moisten edges of remaining flap with water and roll up wrapper jellyroll style until sealed. Transfer egg rolls to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
1 point per egg roll
I had a great time at this week's WED 715 Weight Watchers meeting. Lots of folks showed up, even some new faces were there (even though it was super cold). Excellent discussions and celebrations of weight loss milestones. Thanks fellow WED 715'ers. Looking forward to next week.
Super Bowl Party this weekend. Gonna be a challenge to stay on track. Just figure I'll eat a good healthy lunch beforehand and nibble on the goodies rather than show up hungry.
Excellent find at the grocery store. I love soda pop but the diet stuff gives me killer headaches. Look up aspertame (artificial sweetener/ aka NutraSweet) on the web and you might never touch the stuff again. http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
Anyway, I found a great substiute. Big K Lemon Lime Sparkling Water (King Soopers/Kroger).
Lots of fizz, no calories, and tastes really good. Just carbonated water with natural flavors.
Dusted off my rollerblades a couple of days ago. I used to be a regular skater and loved it. We have a rink right down the street from us and I've decided to check it out. Variety in working out is the key to not getting bored.
Bought a fitness ball and started working out with that. Amazing what you can do with it. Very low impact exercises with great effects on the body's core muscles.
http://gymball.com/exercise.html Check out this site, good info. Lots of fun too. Who needs an expensive gym membership ? Ball costs like 20 bucks. Neat.
Can't wait for Spring so I can get started on my gardens for this year. We have 21 seperate gardens at our house and each one we do differently. Might dig up a few more too. Excellent excercise and the fresh veggies are to die for.
That's all I got time for today. Take care.
Healthy eating to all.
Dave and Linda
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