Weight Loss

I've been in sort of a rut lately. It all started back in February right around my birthday. I got a nasty chest cold that left me with an awful cough for weeks, making it difficult to speak at times without hacking up a lung, let alone trying to work out with an elevated heart rate. I know, I know...excuses, excuses but it was the truth. I did let it get out of hand, because eventually I felt better, but I still hadn't made it to the gym. And then it seems like every week, and every day, there's yet another reason I can't go. Sigh.

Its been frustrating to say the least. Add to that my actual "diet" has struggled with a war between what I should eat and what I want to eat. Let's just say that what I wanted to eat has usually been the victor each and every time.

A couple of weeks ago after being at my highest weight since AUGUST, something inside my brain turned off some switches and turned some other switches on. I have ALWAYS wanted to stay on track, but it has not been easy. I never wanted to stay the same for nearly 6 months either. While its great I've basically maintained my weight that long, I should have still been making progress; I have a long road still ahead of me and treading water isn't going to get me anywhere. I am sick and tired, as cliche as that sounds, of maintaining. I had a plan that this summer was going to be great, and as the weeks and months have gone by and the weight has went up and down the same 5 lbs, I saw my summer slipping away. But two weeks ago, that trigger in my brain, somewhere, said enough! I was maintaining, fluctuating between 5 lbs, but then once I got up to a point where I hadn't been in 8 months, it was time to get back in control of this weight thing for sure. I got back on track with the Weight Watchers Core plan (I'll explain that in a minute) and last week I lost 4.2 lbs, and this week I am down another 1.2 lbs. I had close to the same success the first two weeks i tried this last time, but I let it slowly get out of control and didn't follow the plan too closely. This time I plan on making it farther than 2 weeks, for sure. My plan, as of 2 weeks ago, was to be down 30 lbs by June 30th. Basically, if I lose an average of 2 lbs a week from here on out, I will make it. I plan on trying my hardest to do that, because that will put me at weight (that I should have been at MONTHS ago) that will allow me to have a pretty good summer after all.

Now what is the Core Plan? The core plan is a plan that consists of a list of foods that you can eat from. Now, with WW Points plan, you can eat whatever, but you must count your points. You get a specified amount per day and then 35 extra for the week to use however and whenever you wish. So, if you really terrible, and you don't have any points left, too bad. You starve. With the core plan, however, you can eat when ever you want and whatever you want from that list of core foods. Now, I know eating from a "list" may sound restricted, but its not really. I think, probably out of the majority of diets I've learned about over the years, this is probably one of the most sound. This to me is how we should be eating with the occasional treats. Here is the list:

• Any vegetables- canned, fresh, frozen, as long as there's no added sugar (i.e. spaghetti sauce)
• Any fruits- canned, fresh, frozen, as long as there's no added sugar
• Non-creamy soups (w/o rice or pasta in it)-canned, frozen, homemade
• Whole wheat pasta, brown rice (limit to once a day), potatoes (limit to once a day), and grains
• High-fiber and other cereals with no sugar added
• Lean meats, fish, poultry, and eggs
  
• Fat free milk products (skim milk, ff cheese, ff yogurt, etc.)
  
• Healthy oils such as canola, olive, safflower, sunflower and flaxseed oils
• Condiments such as capers, cocktail sauce, extracts, flavorings, spices, herbs, horseradish, hot sauce, ketchup, lemon or lime juice, mustard, fat free salsa, soy sauce, steak sauce, sugar substitutes, taco sauce, teriyaki sauce, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
• Coffee, tea, and sugar free beverages
  

Now the core plan also gives you 35 points a week to eat non-core foods. Now what I've been doing, which isn't following it to a T, but as close as possible, is I've been making things like eggs for breakfast with two thin, low calorie slices of toast with a little bit of smart balance on top. Or I make oatmeal with skim milk (all core) and add a tad of sugar. Little things that I add back in, but are probably within my 35 pts a week even though I'm not keeping complete track of it. I think its still eating WAY better than I have been eating in the past, even with the WW points plan. This plan also allows you to eat as much as you need to be satisfied. they obviously want you to not stuff yourself like Thanksgiving every day, but you're not limited to have to stop at three bites either. I don't know exactly what it is with this plan exactly, but my body likes it. I love my milk and I get at least a glass a day with the core plan with no worries.

So anyway, that's my weight loss update for now. Sorry I've been lacking, but along with my renewed spirit I will try to blog more often about my journey.