Lowering the Feed Limit

Yesterday, I did everything I was supposed to. I was meticulous in writing everything down that I ate. I put last night’s dinner in the recipe builder on eTools and made sure I only had one serving. I went to the gym and worked out. AND earlier in the day I’d gone to the bookstore, sat in a comfy chair and wrote like crazy. (Beloved asked if that meant I wrote, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” over and over.) I went to bed feeling very good about things.

Today I planned to do something similar, but at the last minute the Boy’s school was canceled. We had a HUGE thunderstorm last night and it knocked the power out at the school, so they called 1/2 hour before I would have left to take him, and when he was about halfway into his uniform, and told me school would be closed. So, he’s in a t-shirt and jeans, watching Noggin.

I’m thinking about taking him to Chick-fil-a for lunch. I can write while he’s in the play place.

How’s your day going?

Yesterday was my birthday and I’m pretty happy about what I did, food-wise.

I did splurge and went to my favorite coffee shop to do some writing, and I bought a chocolate/peanut butter cookie to enjoy with my coffee. That was my lunch (not healthy I know) so… I also stopped at the Y on the way to pick up my daughter from school and did 40 minutes on the treadmill. I know it’s not many points for walking at just over 3 mph, but my knees have been giving my some problems and the doctor said I was supposed to take it easy with exercise until the pneumonia is completely cleared up.

Beloved and the kids took me to Outback  for dinner. I have been wanting a steak for awhile. I ordered the Outback Special, a 9 oz. center cut sirloin, and garlic mashed potatoes. Now I will admit that we ordered the cheese fries as an appetizer (for the four of us) and I had my share. I only ate half of my steak and potatoes. It came with French cut green beans, but honestly, I wasn’t thrilled with them.

Then we ordered dessert for the Girl and I to split. Beloved gave up desserts for Lent, and the Boy ate a little (actually most) of the dessert. I ate only about a third of the dessert and quit. I was kinda proud of myself because I recognized that I was full and didn’t need any more of the dessert.

A friend came by in the morning and brought me a small cake and a lovely little blue urn that sits on my desk now. Haven’t eaten any of the cake.

My husband gave me a hand-cranked popcorn popper. I love it. A few weeks ago, when I was in the hospital, he set fire to my old Revere pot that I used to pop popcorn, so this was a better replacement than the big Dutch oven that we have been using since.

The Girl gave me a new blender. I missed my morning smoothies since the old blender was used “to death.”

Today I’m trying to get back on track. Breakfast consisted of a smoothie made with a cup of skim milk, a banana and a packet of Sugar Free Carnation Instant Breakfast. The whole thing is about 4 points and very filling!

I’m doing taxes, figuring out financial aid stuff for the Girl and writing!

It’s nearly impossible to “stick” to a diet when my in-laws are here. But I’m working hard to make good choices.

To start with, The Queen Mother hasn’t, in the words of my WW leader, become comfortable with the weight loss lifestyle. She (the Queen Mother, not my WW leader) tells me at every visit that she’s been working hard to lose weight and that she’s eating better now, but then they both buy chips and she’ll sit and eat out of the bag while watching TV or playing a game with us. Same with ice cream, cake or whatever else.

Yesterday, Christmas Day, I will admit I allowed myself to make bad choices. One of my gifts was a bread machine. I haven’t had one in three years, since we moved, and I was just thinking it was time to declutter the bread machine recipe books! Okay, I’m doing Core and bread isn’t really on the list, but I used one of the bread mixes they also gave us to make a loaf a bread. It was yummy and I have a left over ham sandwich on it, and I had a few slices of julekake, a Scandinavian Christmas bread that is a tradition in our celebration and it’s fabulous toasted with melted butter. Then last night as we played a board game, I had a bowl of ice cream, knowing that today I was going to stay as close to the plan as I could.

We went to a local outlet center and went to Chili’s for lunch. I didn’t like the looks of their salads (too many things on them I either don’t like or seemed too un-Weight Watchers friendly), so I decided to have a grilled chicken sandwich and then did what I’ve heard recommended: I cut it in half, split the order of fries in two and asked for a to go box right away.

The Queen Mother said what a good idea that was (she’d ordered the same thing) but then proceeded to eat the whole sandwich (except the top bun and the lettuce) AND the family told the waitress we never got our chips (this was before our order came).

I was so hungry and the chips looked so good, but I refrained from eating them. I also DIDN’T have any of the Moose Munch or candies that other people bought at the outlets.

Now, if you’ve been paying attention, and I’m sure you haven’t been (!), my weight was up after my visit to the hospital and being too weak to work out. I’m bummed by it and realize that maybe NOT eating was part of the problem. Still, though, Monday was the last weigh in before we go to Ohio and I won’t be weighing in until the week after New Year’s. I so wanted to be down, but Beloved says he’s proud of me and if I stay the course and make good choices throughout the next week or so, I should be proud of my progress, too.

I am on the verge of getting discouraged again, as tomorrow is our last day here before the trip. The inlaws leave in the morning and maybe I’ll be up to getting to the gym tomorrow afternoon. It won’t work off much, but it’ll be something.

I had a NSV this morning. I dropped the Boy off at school and had to run to the drug store to pick up an prescription. The way the traffic runs around the drug store, it’s easier to exit in a direction away from my house, but toward the nearby Community Coffee shop. Now, I have grown to LOVE this shop. I used to think I was a Starbucks girl, but frankly I never was close enough to go to a Starbucks often. Well, since moving to Baton Rouge, I’ve discovered that Community Coffee is so much better, at least in my opinion. I think Starbuck’s coffee can be a little bitter, but I am never disappointed in the coffee at CC’s (what Community Coffee used to be called).

And best of all, a non-fat decaf latte is zero points!!!

So, this morning I made the decision that I would pick up my Rx and get a latte from the drive-through. I was hungry after I dropped the Boy off because I hadn’t had my breakfast shake (skim milk, banana, ice, pineapple and some Jell-o fat free instant pudding mix – all CORE) yet. Well, as soon as I ordered my coffee the perky voice behind the speaker said, “Would you like a blueberry scone with that this morning?”

Would I like one? You bet you cute little uniform, sweetie! Did my stomach offer a cheer at the thought? Of course it did!

Did my brain immediately start calculating if I had the points to get one? Yes, ma’am and sir, it did and I said, “No thank you.”

A blueberry scone vs. a breakfast shake? It really isn’t a contest. I’m sure that blueberry scone would be delightful and yummy, but honestly, was it worth it – money or calorie-wise. No, not really.

I feel pretty good about that, although frankly it wasn’t even a hard decision although her request threw me for a loop. I knew they had muffins and croissants and I’d steeled myself against them, but I wasn’t ready for the scone prospect, and blueberries are my favorite. Still, though, I can’t afford to waste points on an impulse purchase.

Yesterday I went to the gym in the morning. The Girl was home sick with a cold (the Boy had stayed home on Wednesday) and she wanted to watch some of our shows we’d DVR’d, so I didn’t want to stay at the Y a really long time. There are very few chances for her and me to watch the shows we like and DVR that Beloved doesn’t like and we really need to erase some of these things that are like a month old.

I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and then I went over to the part of the fitness center where the free weights are. This is where the hardcore body builders hang out and usually I’m pretty intimidated to go over there, but this was in the morning and there weren’t very people there. I had looked up some weight exercises on line for muscles in my upper back/shoulder area. My right shoulder/back muscle often gives me trouble when I’m on the computer too much. I even switched my mouse to the left side (which drives the Girl crazy when she needs to use my computer). I did some weight resistance sets with the free weights before I came home.

That’s probably an okay workout, but I know I don’t get as many points for weights as for cardio so I tend to focus on the cardio part. I know weights are important so I’m going to try to do more.

Today will be busy and I probably won’t get to the Y today. I didn’t go this morning because I’m a little tired and I’m afraid I may be catching this cold that’s been going around with the kids. After I get the Boy I have to go pick up the Girl and take her to get her senior picture taken for the yearbook, then take her back to school. There’s a Living Nativity there tonight and she’s singing with the choir.

Tomorrow’s a Holy Day (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) so we’ll be going to Mass in the morning and a friend is having a booksigning in the afternoon at a local library. I hope to be able to go to support her. I’ve already read the book, so I won’t be buying one, but someday I hope she’ll hang around my booksignings like I’ve done hers! I do think I can get to the Y in between these two things and of course, I’ll go on Sunday, too.

Have a great Friday!