Friday Foodstuffs: Weight Watchers? Check.

A few weeks ago I discussed my issues with gaining weight and feeling gross.  In that post I said I was going to do something about it and you know what, I did!

First, I joined Weight Watchers.  I've only had two weigh-ins but in that time I've lost 5.4 lbs!  I'm really happy with the program.  It forcing me to be accountable for what I'm eating but at no point have I ever felt hungry. 

Do I miss the frequent dips into my bosses candy jar?  Of course.

Do I get annoyed with writing every thing I eat down?  Yup. 
Is it worth it in the end?  Totally.

I've already noticed that when I put on freshly washed jeans I don't have to do the "Stretch 'em out" dance!

I also said I was going to do the Couch to 5K program and this morning I finished week 6.  I ran TWO miles!  For some of you that's a warm up but 6 weeks ago I couldn't run a block.  I'm pretty proud of myself.

Cooking has been much easier than I thought.  There are lots of great websites that have recipes with points already figured.  I've had a few good meals that I would make even if I wasn't on Weight Watchers.  There have been a few misses too, like an eggplant parmesean that just missed the mark.  It taught me the lesson that substitutions aren't worth it...especially cheese.  Fat free cheese is disgusting.

This weeks meal plan isn't very heavy on new recipes.  I have a lot in my freezer that needs clearning out and I'm trying to do it while staying within my points range

Friday: Nachos on the skinny
Saturday: Hamburgers (bun-less for me), Black Bean and Quiona with Spinach
Sunday: Grilled Steaks, Baked Sweet Potatoes (to celebrate this girls birthday!)
Monday: Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta
Tuesday: Green Chicken Soup
Wednesday: Kalua Pork, Steamed broccoli
Thursday: :Bahamian Curry

Anyone have an Weight Watchers tips they can share?

I Just Want My Jeans to Fit.

I've never been thin.  I've always been self-conscious and I've spent most of my adult life shopping in the "plus sized" section of the store. I like food.  I like wine.  I am the classic example of an emotional eater. The only thing that has kept me on the smaller end of the plus sized scale is that I actually enjoy exercise.

While it can be a struggle to get going there is something so freeing about putting on my favorite guilty pleasure songs (I'm looking at you Ke$ha) and working up a sweat.  I feel better when I exercise even if I'm not losing weight.  It gives me energy,it makes me feel good about myself and it helps me sleep at night.

However, with a new baby, exercise has been on the back burner.  Even when I was at my largest and most uncomfortable during pregnancy, I still managed to slowly waddle around the block for 30 minutes just to keep going.  I felt so much better than many of my other pregnant friends and I attribute that to daily work outs during my pregnancy.  Also, and don't hate me here, exercise was in the key factor in the scale reading the same number the day I got home from the hospital as it did the day I found out I was pregnant.

I was so proud of myself when I realized I didn't gain any baby weight.  I promised myself I would stay at or below that number on the scale.  I would make exercise a priority and I would continue to eat as healthy as I did during pregnancy.

Yeah.  Not so much.

In 6 months I've managed to gain an embarrassing amount of weight. I feel terrible.  I don't feel sexy.  My stomach, while never flat, feels flabby and stretched out.  Nothing fits anymore. I feel all around uncomfortable.

And dammit, I refuse to let this continue. I despise feeling this way and I don't feel like I'm being a good example to my son.

So I'm making changes.

A new Weight Watchers session starts at work in 2 weeks and I plan to join.  I've blown the dust off my shoes and the jogiing stroller and started the Couch to 5K program. I'm packing my gym clothes and going right after work not feeling guilty leaving Max in day care a little longer.  On my days off I'm packing up Max and hitting the pavement as soon as he wakes up.  I'm not using motherhood as an excuse for weight gain.

How do you fit in exercise on your busy day? What tips do you have for falling into "all mommy, no me" trap?

Hello Old Friends

The Timeline of a Supposedly Simple Walk

7:05AM Wake up regretting the gluttony of Girls Night.  I can feel the half gallon of shrimp sauce poured over my terriyaki steak and shrimp depositing itself on my hips.  And the Cold Stone ice cream has created a third chin.

7:06 AM Decide a long walk is in order and must get it started before 8:30 or else it will be too hot. 

7:15 AM Dressing in workout clothes as hubby and baby come upstairs. Hubby hands off baby so he can get ready for class.

7:20AM  Hang out with Baby.  Realize coffee must be consumed before anything else gets accomplished.

8:15AM  Holy crap. Google Reader stole an hour of my life!

8:16AM Get up to change baby out of pajamas and realize he is showing signs of nap time.  Lay him down in crib hoping it will be a short nap.

9:45 AM Check on baby. Still sound asleep. Damn. It's gonna be a hot walk.

10:00AM Baby awake! Quickly change him, gather proper supplies and head outside.

10:10AM Don't make it off the front porch when I realize it's too sunny. Run back inside to get light blanket to cover stroller and keep sun off baby.

10:12AM  Realize babies feet still stick out.  Run back inside for sunblock. Apply sunblock to baby

10:15AM Make it off porch to mailbox and realize baby doesn't have a toy. Back inside again.

10:16AM  And were off. Damn.  It's hot.

10:19AM  Damn.  It's really hot. Dreams of hour-long power walk are dashed. 

10:25AM  "I want your love, and all your love is revenge/You and me could write a bad romance"  Get strange look from man sweeping his front porch.  Realize I'm belting Gaga. Whoops.

10:27AM  Happy to see other houses have more weeds than us!  Hooray!

10:36AM Check on Max. He's fine.
 

10:40AM Large group of well dressed people walking towards me.  They have Bibles. And pamplets.  I cross to the other side of the street.

10:41AM Realized avoiding them wasn't very Christian of me but I wasn't in the mood to explain that I am  perfectly happy as a guilt-ridden Catholic thankyouverymuch.

10:45AM Holy hell it's so freaking hot. Maybe I can convince Brett to move to Chicago.

10:46AM It snows in Chicago.  Nevermind.

10:50AM "Rock me mama like the wind and the rain/Rock me mama like a southbound train" Realize I shouldn't sing this to Max.

10:55AM Feel face starting to burn.  Glad I went back for sunblock.

11:00AM  Baby starts to fuss.  Hooray, valid excuse to stop!

11:05AM Turn corner. See well dressed people leaving my porch.  Crisis adverted.  Feel bad for women wearing sweater vests.

11:07AM Home.  Air Conditioning.  Pissed off kid.  Feel kinda guilty I dragged him out in this weather. Not guilty enough to not take a picture.

11:15AM-4:00PM  Exahusted from walk.  On couch playing with baby and watching VH1's Greatest Artists of All Time.  Occasionally yell "Bullshit" and hope baby doesn't hear me.