Weekly Weigh In: Hello 2teens!

Hello, again!  The past couple of weeks have been pretty hectic, with a sudden, fast-paced project at work, parties, and dates with Matthew.  :)

I am still working on making healthier choices at parties and when we're out on a date, but the rest of the time, I've tracked pretty well, and lost weight to prove it!  As of this morning, I'm in the 2teens! Yay!

Weight: 217.2
Exercise: minimal
Water: about half my goal

Goals for this week:
Weight: 1 pound loss
Exercise: 3 twenty minute walks
Water: 64 oz. per day

I can do it!

Bye bye, arm flab

Okay, I know this is gross, but when I used to do my hair, I would notice the flabby, gross bits of nastiness hanging off my upper arms.  This morning, when I was putting on my workout clothes and pulling my hair into a pony tail, I noticed, Hey, there's no gross stuff on my arms anymore.  Now, yes, I still would like to see my arms get more toned, but come on, you have to admit, this is awesome.  I think all those push ups, mountain climbers, and plank walk outs that make me curse at the aerobics video chick are making a difference!

Slightly Elevated Blood Sugar

My aunt was recently diagnosed with type II diabetes, and this was definitely a wake up call for me.  We are similar in  many ways, but one of them is our love of unhealthy foods.  In my teenage years, when I headed to her house, I would pick up a package of cookies and the two of us would eat them all in a weekend.  We both love high fat, delicious foods, and this love of food has had a negative effect on both of our bodies.

When I went to see the doctor last month, she ran a full chemical panel on me.  I got the results today, and it turns out, my blood sugar was high.  Not high enough for me to be considered diabetic, but five points above the "normal range" at 104.  65-99 is considered normal and 125 or higher is considered diabetic.  I believe this makes me "pre-diabetic." Oof.  Pre-diabetic at the age of 26.  That's a wake-up call if I've ever had one.

Dr. Bettina told me in the office visit, "Rachel, overall, you seem to be a healthy girl.  Is it a good idea to get your weight in check now?  Yes." She reaffirmed this statement on my test results with an impersonal, "Strongly recommend: Healthy diet. Regular exercise. Weight reduction."  Well, Dr. Bettina, I'm workin' on it.

Weekly Weigh In: Week 44

I was sick this week (feeling much better now, thank you).  The general inability to taste anything might have had something to do with my weight loss this week, but that's okay.  I did NO exercise this week, since I felt   exhausted and boneless most of the week.  I did not track my foods well either.

This week, though, is a brand-spanking-new week, and I have already tracked my breakfast. ;) My plan for today is a twenty minute walk with Matthew and the doggles this evening after dinner.  I will drink water throughout the day from my straw cup. We don't know why, but anecdotal evidence seems to support that people will drink more from a cup with a straw.   I know it's true for me.  I feel like I'm getting up to refill that thing every fifteen minutes. 

Snacking on fruits and veggies is a huge score for me, since I do feel full all day long and it cuts down on the gigantic portions I used to eat at dinner and lunch. Also, when I was doing myfitnesspal, I would track those babies, and it was frustrating to see my calorie count going higher when I was eating something healthy.  Now, I understand that healthy foods also have calories and when my points for the day are gone and I eat a salad I am still adding calories to my body, but WW makes me feel so much better about it because I don't get any extra points for fruits and veggies.  It's wonderful! 

Back to the being sick this week, I felt sick for five (5) days.  Matthew, my sweetheart of a hubby, is still sick, and got sick the Thursday of week before last.  I think that taking a multi-vitamin and eating all my fruits and veggies is boosting my immune system.  I was thinking I would be sick all week this week, but I'm feeling almost entirely better today, and I was only a little bit sick! Yay! 

Now down to the nitty-gritty. 

Progress: 

Weight: 220.4 (I'd like to point out that this number has a zero for its last digit.  Next week, I hope that it will be in the teens!)

Exercise:  A big fat negatory on this one.  Sorry guys.  I'll do better this week.  

Water: I didn't track, but it still feels like not enough. 

Goals:

Weight: At least a one pound loss.  Two-teens, here I come! 

Exercise: Imma say...two high intensity (BeFitin90) and three low intensity (walks with Matthew) 

Water: 64 ounces a day, every day this week. 

Weekly Weigh In

This past week, I was in Las Vegas for work.  Surprisingly, this wasn't the train-wreck for my diet  lifestyle change I thought it would be.  Eating out every day was not too bad, and I ate fatty meals only once or twice on our trip.  I mainly stuck with foods like fish tacos, a delicious roasted peach and Gorgonzola salad, and shrimp Baja salad.  These meals were delicious and tasty too! 

I raved to Matthew about that peach salad, and when I logged on to my Weight Watchers app this morning, there it was:  the recipe for Arugula, Peach, and Goat Cheese Salad.  

Makes 4 servings

15 minutes prep time

WW Points Plus: 4 per serving

3 medium peaches, ripe but not mushy

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (apple cider or balsamic would each taste good too)

1/4 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 cups, arugula

1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly

1/4 cup semisoft goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cups dry roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Peel and pit one peach; cut into chunks.  Cut remaining peaches into thin slices or wedges; set aside. Put peach chunks, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender; blend until smooth and set aside.  Place arugula, onion, and peach slices in a large serving bowl; drizzle with dressing and gently toss to coat.  Sprinkle with cheese and nuts; grind some extra black pepper over the top if desired.  Yields about 2 cups of salad mixture and tablespoon each cheese and nuts per serving. 

You could use mango or apricots instead of peaches, or roast your peaches for a new level of flavor.  It's a delicious twist on the basic green salad.

*This is a Weight Watchers' recipe and not mine.  I do not take credit for this idea.* 

So, this week, I didn't track meals like I should (even when I'm out of town), but I did make some progress. I lost two pounds.  I ate fairly healthily, with the exception of an In-n-Out burger one night, a few Cokes during the week, and a piece of coconut cream pie.  I worked out by swimming about 20 minutes one day and walking three miles one day (it was a four day trip).  I am fairly proud of myself, and felt it was pretty easy to pick back up Saturday: tracking my foods, exercising, and knowing I still made progress over the week. 

Weight: 223.0

Exercise: good 'nuff

Water: Not enough for Vegas.  It's really hot and dry there.  This is one place I would really need to improve if I were there on a regular basis.  By the time we left, I had dried, chapped lips and dried out skin.  

Total weight loss so far according to my Weight Watcher's app: 9 pounds (apparently I was at 232 at some point).